MYUFPC CHAPTER 12
Daren is good looking, and I'm not bad either
Compared to Zhang Shi and Zhan Shaoying's planning and scheming, Jiashan's days in Changchun Temple were much quieter and more peaceful. Since her eye-opening conversation with Zhao Youze, she had been a little absent-minded, wishing she could see Pei Yuantang bring miracle doctor Kong to her immediately.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. There was no news from the Pei residence, and Jiashan could only passively continue to wait.
One afternoon, a light drizzle started to fall, so Jiashan didn't ask Zhao Youze to come to her room to copy scriptures. Instead, she took a copy of "Yinhai Jingwei" and sat on the couch to read.
When Su Yu came in, she happened to see the princess buried in her studies at the desk. She went forward to refill the tea and smiled, "Your Highness, are you planning to teach yourself and personally examine the Fourth Prince's eyes?"
"Yinhai Jingwei" is a medical book on ophthalmology. Jiashan had just seen it when she went to pay her respects to Princess Ruyang this morning, so she borrowed it.
She smiled and said, "Medical books cannot be learned in a short time. Even if I read them all, I would only have a superficial understanding."
"Without ten years of effort, I'm afraid I won't be able to become a doctor," Jiashan joked casually.
As the two were talking, Dan Cui also came in. She was always a polite person. Seeing Su Yu, she curtsied to Jiashan and then softly called out, "Sister Su Yu." Su Yu returned her a smile.
Dan Cui then stated her purpose: "Your Highness, Zhan Daren has arrived and is waiting outside the courtyard."
Jiashan glanced out the window.
It was still drizzling in the courtyard, and everything was misty.
Why is Zhan Yue here now?
Jiashan said, "Please invite him in."
Dan Cui responded and went to invite him.
Jiashan got up from the couch and changed to a more dignified sitting position. Today, she was wearing a jade-green beizi jacket and a quiet-colored lapel qiyao ruqun skirt, looking as ethereal and detached as a bright moon.
When Zhan Yue came in, his gaze fell on her face for a moment, then he immediately looked away without blinking.
"Your Highness." His voice was flat and ordinary, as if it were the same opening line every time.
Jiashan smiled and invited him to sit down. Dan Cui poured him a cup of tea.
She politely asked him, "Daren, what important matter brings you here in such bad weather?"
Presumably to avoid attracting attention after coming to Changchun Temple, Zhan Yue was not wearing official robes today, but ordinary clothes. He already had a peach blossom-like face, and the bronze green clothes made him look even more refreshing and elegant. It was as if Ji Shu Ye, who stood alone like a solitary pine on a rocky cliff, or as majestic as Mount Jade about to collapse, was standing in front of Jiashan.
Unlike Zhan Yue's usual courteous demeanor, this was the first time Jiashan had seen Zhan Yue dressed like this. Her gaze fell on him without blinking, filled with curiosity and a little interest in her eyes.
Zhan Yue remained expressionless. He took a letter from his bosom and said, "Yesterday, Miss Dan Cui, who is by Your Highness's side, gave me a letter and asked me to deliver it to the Pei residence. I am fortunate to have completed my mission, and this is Scholar Pei's reply."
Hearing that her cousin had replied, a hint of joy immediately appeared on Jiashan's face, but she politely said, "Thank you for taking this trip personally, Daren."
She gestured to Dan Cui to take the letter from Zhan Yue.
Dan Cui stepped forward, but Zhan Yue's white fingers were tightly clutching the envelope, with no intention of giving it to her.
Dan Cui couldn't help but look at Jiashan, who smiled at Zhan Yue and said meaningfully, "Daren, what does this mean?"
Zhan Yue looked up and met Jiashan's gaze slowly. His face was handsome, but the look in his narrow eyes was like that of a hawk: "Your Highness, can you tell me what is the content of your letter to Lord Pei?"
"No," Jiashan was not afraid to meet his gaze. Her eyebrows were lively, and her lips were sharp.
Zhan Yue's voice was cold, and he said, "Then, forgive me but I'm afraid I cannot give Your Highness Scholar Pei's reply."
Jiashan frowned. She got up from behind the desk and walked over to Zhan Yue.
Jiashan's eyes were bright and clear. She stood in front of Zhan Yue and looked at him intently: "It's always been said that one should be loyal to those who trust them. Lord Zhan's half-hearted attitude is not very pleasing."
Zhan Yue raised his eyes, his expression was indifferent, but his gaze remained fixed on Jiashan's opening and closing cherry lips. He said, "Your Highness, please forgive me."
"I am under the Emperor's orders to protect the safety of Your Highness and the Fourth Prince. The Emperor's orders..," Zhan Yue paused slightly and said slowly, "may not be as simple as just protecting Your Highness's personal safety."
Jiashan was slightly stunned, and it took her a moment to realize that Zhan Yue was implying something.
In an instant, a thin anger colored Jiashan's fair cheeks. With a smile on her lips, she stared at Zhan Yue and said, "Do you mean to say that you think my cousin and I are using letters to convey our feelings, and that we are actually engaging in secret correspondence?"
She no longer politely addressed him as "Daren" (Lord), clearly angry. Zhan Yue pursed his lips and said nothing.
Jiashan snorted with a laugh and didn't bother to explain. She said coldly, "A clear conscience fears no accusation."
"If Daren believes that my cousin and I are involved in something inappropriate, you can return to the palace and report it to the Emperor to see how he intends to deal with it."
Zhan Yue looked up at her. Seeing the rouge on her lips and cheeks was applied so vividly, coupled with her slight anger, she looked exceptionally charming and lovely.
His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something.
However, Jiashan turned around first and ordered Dan Cui, her voice suppressing her anger: "Help me to see the him out."
After saying that, as if it wasn't enough, she paused and added, "Since you think of me this way, please don't come here again in future."
With the princess's orders, Dan Cui could only grit her teeth and say to Zhan Yue, "Please, Daren."
Zhan Yue was silent for a long time. His pupils were dark, and his gaze remained fixed on Jiashan's graceful back. After a moment, he took the envelope out of his bosom and slowly placed it on the corner of the table.
He wanted to speak several times, but finally, his eyelids trembled and he finally said with difficulty, "I'm sorry."
Jiashan was slightly stunned. She didn't expect Zhan Yanqing, a third-rank official, to apologize so easily. Su Yu and Dan Cui were still around, did he not care about his official prestige?
Jiashan frowned.
Seeing that she remained unmoved, Zhan Yue had no choice but to move and followed Dan Cui out, with uneven and hesitant strides.
"Wait," Jiashan said slowly. She finally turned to him. As she looked up, she met Zhan Yue's delicate and fair face.
Jiashan, for some reason, had a slight blush on her face. She turned her head slightly: "Forget it. This time, let's just say you owe me one. If next time, Daren, you maliciously speculate about me like this again, I'll really be angry."
Her voice was clear and melodious, like a warbling oriole.
Zhan Yue's ears twitched slightly, and he couldn't help but smile.
His smile was very attractive, with slightly down-turned corners of his eyes, like gentle and harmless March peach blossoms. Jiashan looked at him and suddenly understood why Feng Shi often had a look of admiration in her eyes for him.
For someone like him, even if he didn't love her, being by his side would probably be a blessing for many people.
She spoke, as if in contemplation: "Ordinary women, if they could see Daren's smile, they probably wouldn't be able to get angry anymore."
Zhan Yue was stunned.
Seeing that Su Yu and Dan Cui beside her had lowered their heads slightly, Jiashan laughed and said, "My maidservants, haven't they been blushing because of Daren's smile?"
Zhan Yue looked at her, but saw that her expression was as usual, with no added blush or joy, and said, "It seems that Your Highness is not an ordinary woman."
"Of course," Jiashan replied modestly.
Zhan Yue's tone was flat: "Oh." There was a hint of disappointment in his words.
Jiashan laughed and said, "Daren is good looking, and I'm not bad either."
Hearing this, Zhan Yue's gaze fell seriously on Jiashan's face, and he examined her carefully for a moment. Seeing that she was always smiling like a flower, Zhan Yue's long eyelashes trembled, and he nodded: "Yes."
Jiashan pursed her lips and smiled with a hint of unrestrained boldness.
"Since you personally went to the Pei residence for me and delivered the letter yourself, let me see you off," Jiashan said. "It would be impolite not to reciprocate, and I don't want you to say I'm rude in the future."
Zhan Yue said, "Then I'll trouble the Princess."
Zhan Yue's courtyard was together with those of the other Jinwu Guards. Although he was the commander, he didn't have the reason to live alone, and Jiashan just wanted to make a gesture and send him to the courtyard gate.
However, just as they were about to step out of the courtyard, two people came running from a distance.
Both Jiashan and Zhan Yue were sharp-eared and sharp-eyed. When Zhan Yue saw the person who ran over first, his gaze turned slightly cold, and his sharp eyes locked onto that person.
Even Jiashan's pupils contracted slightly. She was silent for a moment, and only reached out to touch her belly.
"Daren..." Half a step behind was a Jinwu Guard who followed Zhan Yue. Seeing Zhan Yue's serious expression, he quickly ran to Zhan Yue's side and knelt down neatly.
Zhan Yue's gaze fell on him, his voice steady: "What's going on?"
Noticing his bad mood, the Jinwu Guard said with difficulty, "Daren, he says he is your relative and has urgent business to see you."
The person who came was Zhan Shaoying.
He was wearing a crimson robe with a jade pendant around his waist, exuding the air of a noble young master. However, in front of Zhan Yue, who was half a foot taller than him, Zhan Shaoying was instantly overshadowed.
Zhan Shaoying was standing face to face with Zhan Yue and Jiashan. When he saw a brightly dressed girl in a green robe standing beside Zhan Yue, who was both bright and beautiful and heroic, he immediately realized that she must be the Eldest Princess.
He saw that Jiashan's face was very beautiful, and his heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
The Eldest Princess... she might become his wife in the future?
Zhan Shaoying's cheeks flushed slightly. He suppressed the surge of emotions and took the initiative: "I greet Your Highness."
Zhan Yue narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze to Zhan Shaoying. His gaze was indifferent, but it was like a very heavy mountain, steadily pressing on Zhan Shaoying's shoulders.
Waiting for Jiashan to reply for a long time, and being looked at like this by his fourth uncle, Zhan Shaoying couldn't help but break out in a fine sweat on his forehead.
Jiashan was staring at Zhan Shaoying, her eyes devoid of emotion. After a while, she turned her head to look at Zhan Yue and said in an icy tone, "Since you're here to see Zhan Daren, let Zhan Daren handle it."
Her almond-shaped eyes widened as she said casually, "Daren's family members are also a bit impolite. Why would they come to my courtyard for no reason, adding to the noise?"
Impolite, adding to the noise.
A few lightly spoken words, but Zhan Shaoying instantly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
He raised his head slightly, first looking at Jiashan, then turning to Zhan Yue. Zhan Yue's figure was tall and straight, as elegant as a bamboo, making him look like a jumping clown.
Zhan Shaoying's eyes dimmed, and half of his shoulder was already stiff from these few words.
Did the Eldest Princess dislike him? Zhan Shaoying asked himself, and he lowered his head in slight frustration.