Chapter 426: First Volume_Chapter 426 Hostage X Spoiled Princess (6)

First Volume_Chapter 426 Hostage X Spoiled Princess (6)

Late night.

Jiang Zhi took advantage of the palace staff being asleep, she quietly got off the bed, put on a fur robe, opened a window in the sleeping hall, climbed out, and meanwhile closed the window.

Outside, it wasn't pouring like the evening's heavy rain; instead, a light drizzle fell.

The night was tranquil, and outside the palace it was utterly silent.

Jiang Zhi put on her hat brim and went to the side hall.

Xiao Luzi guarded outside the palace gate, his head bobbing like a chick pecking at grain, half-asleep.

She came to the window, pushed it open and climbed in.

The palace interior was quiet, the candlelight flickered weakly, and she could faintly see the bed covered by curtains.

She walked over softly, and what came into view was a boy lying on the bed, his face flushed, beads of hot sweat dotting his forehead, his thin lips pressed tight, suffering greatly.

The imperial physician had applied medicine to him, and Xiao Luzi had also brewed medicine for him to drink. But the beating he received during the day had fallen on his frail body; that he could still live was a sign of his tough fate.

Jiang Zhi took out a jar of medicine from her bosom.

This is the finest powder capable of treating external wounds; besides the emperor and empress in the imperial palace, only she possesses it.

She sprinkled the powder on his severely wounded spots.

Having done that, she prepared to leave.

The boy on the bed fell into a nightmare, his extremely handsome face filled with pain, he muttered incessantly, his breathing rapid.

Jiang Zhi raised her soft palm and gently patted his shoulder, whispering: "Don't be afraid~ it's all fake~"

I don't know how long passed.

The boy finally freed himself from the nightmare and slept peacefully.

Jiang Zhi rubbed her sore wrists, lifted the curtain, and left.

…

Early morning.

The first faint ray of sunlight spread over the rain-soaked steps, filtering through the window cracks into the room.

Yan Shizhou, waking, felt his consciousness gradually clear; the pain from his back did not make him frown, as if he had long been accustomed to it.

Suddenly a voice appeared in his mind.

"Don't be afraid…… I will be with you……"

In the dream, that person's figure was blurry, his face indiscernible, but the voice was unusually clear, as if imprinted in his heart.

At that moment, he smelled besides the medicinal fragrance in the air a faint, elusive scent.

…

Jiang Zhi, who woke up at noon, was still very sleepy, but extremely hungry she rose to have a meal.

After soothing the villain Yan Shizhou last night, she returned to the sleeping palace, and outside it was almost dawn.

She ate while dozing off.

Despite being a child, she severely lacked sleep.

Because she was frightened yesterday at the Ma Chang, she didn't need to go to the academy today; after finishing her meal she went straight back to sleep.

She slept until evening, opened her eyes to see the Empress sitting beside the bed.

"Mother?"

The Empress looked distressed, still thinking that she hadn't slept at night due to the fright, which made her so drowsy by day.

"Xiao Zhi, are you still sleepy?"

Jiang Zhi shook her head, sat up: "Mother, your subject is hungry."

The Empress hurriedly ordered the palace staff to prepare dinner.

"Tomorrow Mother will have Cui Wenluo teach you to play polo, all right?"

The original owner admired Cui Wenluo, but Jiang Zhi is not familiar with him.

To maintain her persona, she showed a delighted expression: "Great, Mother."

The Empress fondly rubbed her head.

In the side hall.

Hearing the girl's clear, bell-like laughter over the high wall, Yan Shizhou's writing motion paused.

Xiao Luzi entered holding the medicine bowl, also hearing the princess's laughter.

The side hall is very close to the princess's sleeping quarters, separated by only one wall.

"Today the princess is in a very good mood, servant, I heard Xiao He say that the Empress came to Jingxi Gong to see the princess, saying she would invite Young Master Cui into the palace tomorrow to teach the princess polo."

Yan Shizhou lowered his eyes; a strand of black hair fell, landing on the Xuan paper before him, covering all his expression.

Xiao Luzi approached, saw the Xuan paper spread on the bed, and exclaimed in shock: "Your Highness, your wounds haven't healed, you can't even get out of bed, why are you still helping the princess with her homework?"

Yan Shizhou: "No problem."

He took the medicine bowl, tipped his head back, and drank the broth dry.

His mouth filled with a strong bitterness, he did not lift his eyelids, and continued writing.

Xiao Luzi couldn't understand why Your Highness was so obedient to this pampered, willful princess.

Thinking back to the rainy night when the princess sent someone to treat His Highness, Xiao Luzi dismissed those thoughts, feeling grateful in his heart.

…

Early winter arrived.

The scenery of the Yuhua Yuan remained as beautiful as ever.

In the pavilion.

Various pastries were arranged on the stone table; the tea party was attended not only by the imperial consorts of the harem but also by the daughters of high officials and powerful ministers.

As an outsider official, Cui Wenluo could not attend such a tea party.

However, the Empress used the tea party as a pretext to have Cui Wenluo accompany Jiang Zhi to play polo.

Jiang Zhi, who knew how to ride, watched Cui Wenluo beside her earnestly trying to teach her to ride, and she endured.

She really did not want to waste time here.

But considering her persona, she reluctantly put up with him a few times.

"Cui brother, I'm so scared~"

The original host, in front of the person she admired, would pretend to be learned and reasonable, appearing delicate and weak.

And Cui Wenluo most disliked people who were feeble and weak.

After only a short while of teaching, Cui Wenluo made an excuse to rest and stopped teaching her to ride.

The final move.

Jiang Zhi, imitating the original host's temperament, insisted on learning to ride herself; taking advantage of Cui Wenluo's inattention, she mounted the horse and began to ride, appearing proper.

When Cui Wenluo looked over, she deliberately fell off the horse.

Fortunately the horse did not bolt; otherwise this fall would have caused injury.

"Your Highness the Princess!!"

The entire horse field became lively.

Her falling from the horse was more serious than the previous incident where she almost got hit by a polo ball, causing an uproar throughout the palace.

Cui Wenluo was punished, confined to quarters for one month.

This was the result after Jiang Zhi interceded on his behalf.

…

Side hall.

"Not good, Your Highness, the Sixteenth Princess has fallen from her horse!"

Yan Shizhou, lying on the bed, hearing this, suddenly sat up, ignoring his own injuries, furrowed his brow and asked: "How is the injury?"

Xiao Luzi said: "No serious harm, just a sprained ankle."

Yan Shizhou breathed a sigh of relief, lifted the blanket and was about to get out of bed.

Xiao Luzi hurried over to stop him: "Your Highness, the imperial physician said you still need to rest two months before you can get out of bed and move."

Yan Shizhou brushed his hand away: "I want to go see her."

Xiao Luzi said: "The Jingxi Gong is now tightly sealed; His Majesty and the Empress are there, so even if you went, you wouldn't be able to see the Princess."

Yan Shizhou's pupils were deep and dark, black as ink with no glimmer of light, shadows covering his brow bones.

As Xiao Luzi said, even if he went forward, he could not step through the gate of Jingxi Gong.

His status and the princess's were worlds apart; she was injured, yet he could not go see her.

The feeling of helplessness was like poison slowly burning his heart.

"How did His Majesty deal with Cui Wenluo?"

Xiao Luzi whispered: "The Princess pleaded with His Majesty, and His Majesty punished him with one month's confinement."

The Sixteenth Princess truly has deep affection and loyalty toward this Cui Wenluo.

This horse‑fall incident is no ordinary matter; if it were only a minor injury that would be fine, but if it were serious, one does not know whether this Sixteenth Princess would still be so.

The room remained silent for a long time.

The youth on the bed suddenly gave a self‑mocking laugh.

"It's just confinement."