"Ah, Young Ma—"
Da Xi was utterly shocked. The mont the words left their mouth, the quick-reacting Sister Mi pulled them away.
"Co out and help pick so vegetables from the garden."
After dragging Da Xi out of the kitchen, Sister Mi thoughtfully closed the door.
She had just turned around when she froze again. "Old Master..."
Luo Fubang showed no embarrassnt at being caught. He glanced from the kitchen to a nearby pillar and back, walking with his hands clasped behind his back. "Hmm, this place could use so repairs..."
Inside the kitchen, Song Lianhe shot to her feet and whirled around, staring in astonishnt at the person behind her. "You... you... How are you..."
’Am I dreaming?’
Song Lianhe subconsciously raised a hand to pinch her own cheek, but a large hand gently caught her wrist. The coarse palm caressed the delicate skin on the back of her hand.
"What are we? You still haven’t said."
The man before her was dressed in dark robes, his devilishly handso face covered in the dust of a long journey. Though he deliberately restrained it, she could still feel a faint, dangerous aura emanating from him, tinged with killing intent, like a beast’s instinct.
The man’s deep, dark eyes were fixed on her, and the corners of his lips slowly lifted into a faint smile.
The smile blood, spreading like ripples across a lake, all the way into his light brown irises, which seed to sparkle with a brilliant light.
Song Lianhe finally found her voice and grabbed his arm in return. "Zhou Cangyan! Weren’t you in Yu State? Why are you back?!"
Zhou Cangyan lazily raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t you have Chun Hua tell that you missed ?"
Song Lianhe froze. "It actually found you?!"
’I really didn’t expect this at all. Chun Hua is amazing!’
’Wait, what I wrote in the letter was...’
’AHHH! That’s not what I ant!!’
’I... I was just writing whatever ca to mind, there was no hidden aning! Besides, I honestly didn’t think Chun Hua would be able to find you, which is why I was so shaless with my writing!’
She imdiately tried to explain. "What I ant was... you all have been gone for so long, and I didn’t know how things were on the front lines, so I was worried about you! Yes, all of you, I wasn’t referring to anyone in particular!"
A strip of paper suddenly appeared before her eyes.
"’A day apart, and I long for you like mad. Alas, the beauty I desire is not by the eastern wall.’"
"Ah! Stop reading!"
Song Lianhe wished she could find a hole to crawl into. She clapped her hands over her ears, then, rembering she had to destroy the evidence, lunged for the letter in his hand.
Zhou Cangyan easily pulled the letter back and tucked it into his robes.
"Since you took the initiative to ask, I suppose I had no choice but to begrudgingly make my way back."
"..."
Song Lianhe knew there was no talking her way out of this one.
"So..."
He took a step forward, backing her into a corner.
"What, exactly, is the relationship between you and I?"
’How has he not forgotten about this yet?’
Song Lianhe cleared her throat and replied smoothly, "The Prince and I, of course, have an unbreakable alliance!"
"Oh?"
Zhou Cangyan narrowed his eyes. "rely an alliance?"
"Of course!"
"Heh."
He gave a soft, emotionless chuckle, then stepped back to glance at the dicinal pills she had arranged on a shelf.
He knew it had been a long ti since she had done this kind of work herself. Without a word, he took her hand. Song Lianhe’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t allow it.
Seeing her reddened palms, his gaze lowered, and he gently traced a finger over them.
"Don’t do this yourself anymore."
"Oh, this?"
Song Lianhe smiled, saying nonchalantly, "I’m not that delicate. This is all part of a physician’s duty. It’s not hard work."
The man looked up. "Rember this: you are more precious than any rare treasure in this world. Not even you are allowed to speak of yourself that way."
Song Lianhe stared at him blankly. The once-calm surface of the lake in her heart was once again stirred, sending shimring ripples across it.
’He said I’m more precious than any rare treasure in this world...’
’Words like that could easily go to a person’s head.’
’But...’
’Song Lianhe, get a grip!’
She imdiately snapped herself out of it. ’If the ending of this book doesn’t change, then even if there are so twists along the way, the villain is still fated to fall in love with the female lead.’
’When that happens, I, the female supporting character, will be reduced to nothing more than a disposable tool.’
"Er, right, Prince, how is the war in Yu State?"
Song Lianhe’s emotions had shifted several tis in an instant, but the face she ultimately showed him wore that sa old smile—ingratiating, yet with a hint of shrewdness, like a mask.
Though he knew she was trying her best to hide her true feelings, Zhou Cangyan didn’t call her out on it.
He spoke unhurriedly. "Everything is well within my grasp." He raised his eyes to look at her again and said slowly, "Be it matters or people. Anything I don’t want to let go of cannot escape."
"As expected of Prince Qing!"
That was her cue to lay on the flattery. Without delving into the deeper aning of his words, Song Lianhe raised her hands and began to applaud.
He scoffed and turned to walk out.
Her taut nerves finally began to relax, but before she could even catch her breath, the man’s voice drifted back to her.
"Are you waiting for to co over and invite you personally, Princess Qing?"
Song Lianhe’s expression tightened. "Coming, coming!"
Zhou Cangyan’s quiet return to Sui Ning City was a top secret.
If word of this reached the Imperial Capital, he would be accused of, at best, dereliction of military duty, and at worst, desertion! Emperor Cheng Xiao would be thrilled to condemn him without lifting a single finger.
Fortunately, Sui Bei was far from the Emperor’s reach, and its people had long been loyal only to the King of Sui Bei. Within the Prince’s own mansion, at least, they were safe.
Song Lianhe followed Zhou Cangyan to the assembly hall. Seeing Luo Fubang seated high in the main seat, she looked straight past him, her expression screaming, ’I don’t know you, so don’t even try to talk to .’
Luo Fubang: "..."
The more he looked at this girl, the angrier he got. So stubborn, with such a foul and unyielding temper—at a glance, it was clear she took after that old coot Lin Yuanzhong!
Nanny Gui hadn’t been seen for several days. Upon learning that the Young Master had returned to the city, she had rushed to the assembly hall. Now, she stood to one side, her eyes red as she dabbed at her tears.
’This woman is usually so arrogant and domineering in front of ,’ Song Lianhe thought, speechless. ’Why does she turn into such a tragic victim the mont she sees Zhou Cangyan? It’s as if soone had actually bullied her!’
’Hmph, *I’m* the one who should be crying!’
Standing beside Nanny Gui was a pale-faced Cheng Xidian.
According to Zhong Shimin, after Cheng Xidian was dismissed from her position as Thousand Commander, she seed to have taken a major blow and had been hiding in her room, claiming to be recuperating.
And now, here she was, coming out with her foster mother to see guests... er, no, to see people.
But one look was all it took for Song Lianhe to know that there was nothing wrong with her health at all.
Zhou Cangyan offered a reasonably proper salute to Luo Fubang before turning and pulling Song Lianhe down to sit with him.
He lifted his icy eyes, his sharp gaze landing on the two won opposite him like the point of a knife.
"Nanny, I’ve heard that you showed great disrespect to my Princess Consort. Not only did you throw her in the dungeon, but you also administered your own punishnt. Is this true?"
Nanny Gui started, her first instinct to glare resentfully at Song Lianhe. Then, with a cry of "You’re trying to fra !", she dropped to her knees. "Biwu, how could you... how could you listen to a villain’s slander and wrong like this? I’m your wet nurse!"
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