TPATTHU Chapter 13

Chapter 13: This Prince is Already Yours, Teacher!

“Even this Prince finds it hard to believe. I never expected it. If that old Wang from the Ministry of War finds out, he might just die of anger, haha!”

Xiao Zhinian laughed for quite a while.

Shen Zhejiang, after hearing this, found it hard to accept: “This is simply against all reason! Your Highness has truly gone too far this time. I’ll go with you to the front hall and explain everything to everyone.”

He turned to push open the door, intending to take Xiao Zhinian out with him.

“Hey! Teacher! Listen to me first!” Xiao Zhinian quickly closed the door, bracing his hand against the rough door panel, trapping Shen Zhejiang inside. “This Prince has already promised Wang Xiuyi a chance to serve on the northern border. Her heart is like a hawk soaring in the sky. Does Teacher really want to keep her in the Capital City as a caged bird?”

“…”

That was indeed the case.

Shen Zhejiang actually found himself momentarily unable to refute Xiao Zhinian. After a moment of speechlessness, he slowly said: “Without rules, there can be no order. Your Highness cannot act so recklessly.”

Although it was a reprimanding tone, the way it sounded to Xiao Zhinian’s ears, it lacked the harshness of a scolding.

A cunning smile flashed between Xiao Zhinian’s eyebrows. Sometimes, he felt that Shen Zhejiang was rigid and pedantic, his head full of what this sage said and that sage said. Why couldn’t he understand how to be flexible?

But it was precisely this kind of Shen Zhejiang that made him feel extremely lovable, wanting to hold him in his arms and kiss him fiercely, wanting to see him kissed until his legs were weak and he couldn’t go anywhere.

So, Xiao Zhinian thought this, and then he did it.

“What are you doing?!”

Seeing Xiao Zhinian suddenly approach him, Shen Zhejiang was stunned, instinctively backing away, but there was nowhere to retreat.

He was like a cat whose territory had been invaded, bristling and baring its claws, seemingly wanting to scare off the other party in this way.

Xiao Zhinian was not so easily scared away.

“This Prince has already been married to Teacher, and we have bowed to the ancestors. I am already Teacher’s person, is it not even allowed to kiss you?”

A pair of clear and dark eyes stared straight at Shen Zhejiang’s moist lips, and he quickly kissed them, their lips touching, and the air between them filled with the faint herbal scent from Shen Zhejiang.

It was very tantalizing.

Making Xiao Zhinian’s head hot and his heart itch, wanting to get more.

Perhaps it was because he was young and inexperienced in matters of love, so the kiss was completely without skill, but he almost refused to let go of any opportunity.

“…”

However, Shen Zhejiang guarded himself too tightly, not giving Xiao Zhinian a chance to succeed.

He raised his hand to push Xiao Zhinian away, only to realize that he had been holding Xiao Zhinian’s hand tightly the whole time, never letting go.

Noticing his movement, Xiao Zhinian gripped even harder, even clasping his other hand, pinning Shen Zhejiang against the door panel.

The two struggled against each other, and for a moment, neither could break free.

In terms of strength alone, Shen Zhejiang was weak and easily fell, so he was not as strong as Xiao Zhinian, who was in his prime, and therefore repeatedly lost ground.

“Xiao… uh…”

Shen Zhejiang was forced to open his mouth slightly, a layer of wet mist gathering in his amber eyes, and several strands of hair had fallen loose in the struggle, making him look like he had been bullied and humiliated.

In another situation, like the last time, he could still pretend to be ignorant and lightly brush it off.

But in a clear state of mind, how could he allow himself to be immersed in it?

On the one hand, the desire in his heart was burning him like firewood doused in pine oil, but on the other hand, a forbidden relationship that was not recognized by the world was like ice water in a frosty day, pouring over him.

Hot and cold, cold and hot, merging together.

Shen Zhejiang was being tormented to the point of collapse.

“This Prince heard very clearly, Teacher clearly said just now that you liked this Prince, don’t deny it.”

—

At the same time, on an inconspicuous rooftop not far from the front hall of the Shen residence, two conspicuous people were standing and sitting.

One in red and one in black, were the siblings, Wang Xiuyi and Wang Chengming.

Wang Chengming, with a quiver on his back and a hard bow in his hand, gazed at the messy scene across the way, his brows furrowed.

“Alright, you go back first, I’ll deal with the Crown Prince.”

Wang Xiuyi propped herself up with her elbow and leapt up as lightly as a swallow. The red wedding dress she wore was exactly the same as the one Xiao Zhinian wore.

Wang Chengming turned his head back: “Sister, something’s not right.”

“Speak.”

“Someone wants to assassinate the Emperor.”

Wang Xiuyi asked: “Besides you, who else?”

Wang Chengming argued: “It was clearly you who asked me to take action! I’m just adding fuel to the fire, isn’t this helping you?”

“Try shouting one more word!” Wang Xiuyi suppressed him, feeling for the rattan whip at her waist.

Wang Chengming immediately admitted defeat: “Sister, don’t! I’m serious, someone wants to assassinate him!”

“I know,” Wang Xiuyi glanced over, jumped off the roof, and turned to Wang Chengming, her tone stern, “Go back.”

Wang Chengming didn’t leave, watching Wang Xiuyi’s receding tall figure, his eyes somewhat dimmed.

Wang Xiuyi hurried all the way to the backyard of the Shen residence, directly kicked open the window lattice with one foot, and burst inside.

Her expression was astonished.

First, Shen Zhejiang saw her, and he didn’t know where the strength came from, but he pushed Xiao Zhinian away, and turned his face away awkwardly.

Xiao Zhinian didn’t notice Wang Xiuyi’s arrival, and still wanted to cling to him relentlessly.

Without thinking, Shen Zhejiang raised his hand and lightly slapped him on the face, lowering his eyebrows and saying, “Miss Wang is here.”

“Oh…”

Xiao Zhinian touched his slapped cheek with a wronged look, like a homeless abandoned dog, looking at Shen Zhejiang.

Shen Zhejiang ignored him, straightened his expression, and asked the sudden Wang Xiuyi, “Miss Wang, is there anything you need?”

Wang Xiuyi then said: “Something bad has happened, Crown Prince, quickly switch back with this subordinate.”

Xiao Zhinian asked: “What happened?”

“There’s an assassin, secretly assassinating His Majesty, and it just so happened that this subordinate’s younger brother’s arrow blocked the way.”

Shen Zhejiang and Xiao Zhinian exchanged a tacit glance.

“The guards are searching for the assassin’s whereabouts and should be arriving here soon,” Wang Xiuyi continued, “Lord Shen’s situation is quite special, he’s the biggest suspect.”

Xiao Zhinian raised his voice and said, “Then this Prince should stay here even more.”

Shen Zhejiang said in a deep voice: “No, if Your Highness is discovered appearing here in this attire, if things are exposed, it will only implicate the Ministry of War’s mansion.”

“But this Prince can’t just stand by and watch Teacher being wronged. As long as this Prince is here, no one will dare to touch Teacher.”

Xiao Zhinian was still too willful, always thinking that everything could go according to his expectations.

This time, the assassin was secretly plotting something, daring to move against the Emperor, I’m afraid that what he seeks is no small benefit.

The Shen family’s affairs are well known in the Capital City, and inevitably, even if this matter was not done by Shen Zhejiang, there will be many people who suspect him.

No matter how great Xiao Zhinian’s power is, it cannot compare to the weight of a word from the Wu Kun Emperor.

In other words, if the Wu Kun Emperor is determined to kill Shen Zhejiang, it is as easy as turning his hand, just finding a reasonable excuse.

Shen Zhejiang said: “Your Highness, listen to me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the wooden door was kicked open with a bang.