Spring Banquet

// She became infatuated with him

Huaiyu admired his expression with satisfaction.

She had dealt with Jiang Xuanjin for several years and knew well that he was rigid, conservative, and dull, always sticking to his own logical reasoning.. When it came to eloquence, he was far inferior to her.

In the past, they held differing political views and opposing positions, resulting in a confrontational atmosphere whenever they met. She had no interest in engaging in lengthy conversations with him. However, now that he had changed, she found herself teasing him a little. Hey, Jiang Xuanjin, despite his lifeless face, he does have a certain charm when he’s annoyed.

Unable to resist, she reached out and propped her chin, gazing at him.

This face, silent for over twenty years, unchanging even in the face of significant events, finally showed signs of cracking. It turned pale, then purple, and then green, before a hint of red appeared, like the evening glow on the horizon, gently illuminating his fair cheek.

“That was a coincidence,” Jiang Xuanjin stiffly replied. “I won’t take it to heart, and you shouldn’t either.”

“No!” Huaiyu vigorously shook her head. “I’ve taken it to heart!”

After saying that, she leaned down and reached out to hold onto the carriage shaft, acting like a defiant hooligan who wouldn’t let go.

Jiang Xuanjin had never dealt with someone like her before. Frowning, he looked at her and found himself at a loss for how to handle the situation.

“Young lady,” Cheng Xu, who was beside him, came to his rescue. “It’s getting late. Don’t you need to go home?”

Home? Huaiyu was taken aback, her face filled with confusion.

Right, from the moment she woke up until now, she hadn’t figured out the identity of this body, let alone knowing who she was or where her home was.

She drooped her head pitifully and murmured, “I can’t find my home.”

Jiang Xuanjin glanced at her askance. “You’re lying again. Isn’t the place where you fell out from your home?”

The place she fell out from? Huaiyu thought carefully and suddenly realized, “Oh yeah!”

That mansion was clearly an official residence, indicating that her status in this body was not low. In that case, she would still have a chance to get close to Jiang Xuanjin in the future.

With a smile in her eyes, she said, “Will you escort me home?”

Jiang Xuanjin forcefully pulled the curtain. “Go back on your own.”

“My feet hurt. I twisted them when I fell, and I can’t walk.” Huaiyu lifted the curtain, pouting and blinking at him. “At the very least, you should repay me for saving your life, shouldn’t you?”

According to the etiquette of the Jiang family, a life-saving favor must be greatly appreciated. But this person outside the carriage… Jiang Xuanjin sneered. Not only did he not owe her his life, but even if he did, he had no intention of repaying her.

With sinister motives and ulterior motives, her intentions were impure!

“If you won’t escort me, then I’ll go to your house.” Huaiyu hummed, “After all, sitting on this carriage shaft is quite comfortable.”

She’s just a young girl who doesn’t even care about her reputation, can he really be concerned about it on her behalf? Jiang Xuanjin turned his head away and stopped looking at her. He said in a deep voice, “Let’s go.”

“Yes,” Cheng Xu sat on the other side of the carriage shaft and drove the carriage forward.

Seeing that he couldn’t do anything about her, Huaiyu happily let go of the curtain and sat beside Cheng Xu. Her lower legs dangled and swung along the side of the carriage shaft, displaying a lack of manners.

Cheng Xu glanced at her from the corner of his eye and found her quite interesting. He whispered a reminder, “If you truly admire our master, you should restrain yourself. He prefers knowledgeable and reasonable individuals.”

“Who says so?” Huaiyu raised an eyebrow and gestured towards the carriage, “Aren’t there plenty of knowledgeable and reasonable young ladies in this world? How often do you see him engaging in lengthy conversations with anyone?”

Cheng Xu was taken aback, looking at her in astonishment. Upon careful consideration, he realized it was true. After so many years, no proper young lady had managed to have a conversation with Prince Ziyang (Jiang Xuanjin) that exceeded three sentences. On the other hand, this shameless person beside him had spoken more today than most people would in a year.

However… the way their master spoke was really not great.

Feeling both amused and exasperated, Cheng Xu said, “So, Miss, are you deliberately taking the opposite approach to gain our master’s attention?”

“Exactly!” Huaiyu clapped her hands together and smiled mischievously, “Look, I’ve succeeded! Your master is sitting in the carriage now, listening to me speak, and I guarantee he’s turning purple with anger. He won’t forget me for years to come!”

Jiang Xuanjin sat silently in the carriage, his face turning purple with anger.

If it weren’t for his upbringing, he really wanted to kick this person out of the carriage. He had encountered many shameless individuals, but someone shameless enough to be so brazen was a first. It was rare even among men, let alone a young lady.

Who raised her?

Today was the seventh day since Princess Danyang’s passing. He was already in a complicated mood, and after being bothered by this series of events, he now felt a headache. He rubbed his temples and leaned against the carriage, intending to rest for a while.

However, the person outside kept chattering on as if there was no end to their words.

“Hey, young man, how skilled are you in martial arts?”

“…Passable.”

“Your master must have offended many people, right? Are you by his side day and night, protecting him?”

“…Miss, this is classified information. I can’t reveal it.”

“I’m just asking casually. Don’t be so stingy. Oh my, you’re really strong. You must have trained in martial arts for a long time. Look at these arms, they’re as hard as iron. Let me touch the other one…”

Veins bulged on Jiang Xuanjin’s forehead. He opened his eyes and lifted the carriage curtain, sternly saying, “If you say another word, get off the carriage!”

Li Huaiyu outside was startled, turning to look at him. “What’s wrong with your voice?”

It had been fine just now, but these words sounded unusually hoarse.

The person inside the carriage sat upright with a graceful posture, but their complexion…

“Are you feeling shy?” Li Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, sneaked into the carriage, and sat next to him, carefully observing him. “Your face is so red!”

“Who allowed you to come in?” Jiang Xuanjin was annoyed, his voice hoarse. “Get out!”

“Hey, don’t be so fierce.” Li Huaiyu reached out and held his wrist, boldly placing her hand on his forehead to feel it.

Her touch was scorching hot.

“Oh dear, so you can get sick too.” Huaiyu chuckled, retracting her hand and patting him with a smile. “People outside say that Prince Ziyang is as strong as iron and unyielding. He has been attending court for eight years without interruption. How come you’re running a high fever?”

Jiang Xuanjin was momentarily stunned. He reached out and touched his own forehead, furrowing his brow even tighter.

Princess Danyang’s passing and the subsequent troubles had been overwhelming. In these seven days, he had slept for less than five hours in total. It seemed that the accumulated exhaustion had taken its toll on him.

“Take advantage of the situation,” he called out, “Change course and find a pharmacy.”

“Yes!” Chengxu responded promptly and immediately turned the carriage around.

He had initially thought that the headache was due to frustration, but now he realized that he was actually falling ill. His mind became even more foggy and swollen. Jiang Xuanjin clenched his fist and coldly said to the person beside him, “Can you please leave?”

“No,” Huaiyu shook her head and generously patted her own thigh. “The carriage is shaking badly. Look at how your body is swaying. Let me lend you a soft cushion to lie down for a while!”

With a darkened expression, Jiang Xuanjin said, “It’s not necessary.”

“As a girl, I don’t mind. But you, a grown man, are being so fussy?” Huaiyu pouted and suddenly made a move, immediately hooking her arm around his neck and pulling him into her embrace.

“You…” Jiang Xuanjin was startled, trying to push her away with his hand. However, this girl had quite some strength and even knew some grappling techniques. She clasped her hands around him, leaving him weak and unable to break free for a moment.

“Don’t worry, no one can see us.” Li Huaiyu smiled gleefully, provocatively looking at the red-faced person in her arms. She felt a sense of excitement, as if she were teasing a decent married woman in a street ruffian manner, inexplicably thrilled.

The ‘decent married woman’ in her arms, however, was not at all excited. She frowned at her, gathering her strength to resist.

“Hey, let me make this clear first.” She said maliciously, “If you dare to move, I’ll scream indecent assault. Anyway, I don’t care about my reputation, but it’s up to you, Prince Ziyang, whether you want to protect your spotless reputation or not.”