Chapter 433: Volume 1 Chapter 433 Hostage X Arrogant Princess (13)

An unexpected remark made the atmosphere turn stagnant.

"Empress?"

Yan Shizhou nodded: "Besides you, there will be no one else in the harem."

In her presence, he seemed never to have called himself the emperor.

And his words were even more unexpected.

As an emperor, how could his harem lack consorts?

"You… do you like me?"

Yan Shizhou's expression was restrained, the depths of his eyes hiding a thick affection.

"I like you." I like you very much, very much.

Jiang Zhi pressed her lips tightly, saying nothing.

She had never given him a good look, even humiliating him and giving him orders in front of many people. After he left Jingxi Gong, she saw him even less often.

The youth was no longer the frail weakling of four years ago; his stature grew ever taller, broad shoulders and narrow waist, faintly exuding an emperor's deterrent aura, his features deep, his ink-black eyes long and narrow, his aura increasingly matching Yun Jin's.

Thinking of Yun Jin, her heart tightened.

Could it be that Yun Jin has regained his memories again?

She threw her doubt at 777.

Zhuzi Ge spoke first.

【No detection of the villain regaining memory.】

777: "…Why does this world have so much talk, damn it?!"

In the previous world, it never came out to speak.

【Now it wants to speak.】

Jiang Zhi had no time to pay attention to their quarrel.

Seeing the youth about to approach her, she raised her hand to stop him: "Wait."

She took a deep breath and said haughtily: "Even if you are now the emperor of the Lofty Distant State, you cannot force this palace."

Yan Shizhou's thin lips curled slightly, carrying a hint of a smile.

"I understand."

Jiang Zhi froze.

He's so easy to talk to?

Then…

"You also cannot confine this palace here…"

"If the princess wishes to go out, I will accompany by your side."

"Can we go anywhere?"

"Yes."

Jiang Zhi was surprised.

I had thought he would lock her in this palace, not let her go out.

Her eyes brightened, she composed herself, cleared her throat, and her tone neither cold nor warm: "This palace has never toured the capital of the Lofty Distant State; you accompany this palace on a tour."

Yan Shizhou: "As you command."

…

Having changed into commoner's clothes, she sat in the carriage and left the imperial palace.

The Lofty Distant State and Jiang State were utterly different; the people were rugged and bold, warm and hospitable.

The streets had blue tiles and white walls, with splendid decorations; purple cotton-like flowers floated in the air—these were the Lofty Distant State's unique Purple Mist Vine Trees. When early summer arrived, the buds blossomed, turning into clusters of purple mist that drifted through the city, beautiful as a heavenly realm.

She reached her hand out of the curtain, grabbed a cluster and unfolded it before her eyes.

Soft and fluffy, like cotton, with a faint fragrance.

"Princess, these flowers will wither in late summer; if you like them, I will have people plant the trees in your courtyard."

Jiang Zhi raised her eyes, not answering his words, but asking: "Why do you still refer to yourself as a subject?"

Here in the Lofty Distant State, he is no longer the bullied hostage Yan Shizhou, but the ruler of a state.

Shouldn't he refer to himself as the emperor?

The carriage was spacious, but Yan Shizhou insisted on sitting beside her, making it feel somewhat cramped. He even deliberately leaned toward her when the carriage jolted; she had nowhere to retreat, so she curled up in the corner.

"Princess, what would you like me to call myself?"

Jiang Zhi lifted her skirt and sat opposite, full of disdain: "What you call yourself has nothing to do with this palace."

She fanned herself with her sleeve: "Why are you leaning so close to this palace?"

How speechless; it's already hot, and yet you lean that close.

Yan Shizhou: "……"

He took out a fan and fanned her gently.

"Hmm, faster." she urged.

The girl felt no fear, naturally commanding him.

Until the carriage stopped, she looked at the youth extending his hand to her, reluctantly placed her hand in his palm, and thus stepped down from the carriage.

The attendants in casual attire beside them looked on with hearts pounding.

How could Your Majesty be so skilled?!!

The streets were bustling and lively, and with summer upon them, the number of people coming to the Lofty Distant State to view the Purple Mist Flowers was countless.

Gauze covered half her face, revealing only a pair of lively, bright eyes, "Why do you wear it? I can't eat anything."

She wanted to pull off the silk gauze.

"No." Yan Shizhou suddenly grabbed her wrist, stopping her movement.

He said softly, "Princess, your beauty that could overthrow a state—if seen by someone with ill intent, it will bring disaster."

Jiang Zhi only heard those four words "beauty that could overthrow a state," the corners of her lips lifted slightly, and she snorted, "If so, then I'll wear it."

Yan Shizhou's eyes darkened; his fingers beneath his sleeves slowly clenched, restraining the urge to lift that white gauze and kiss her.

The princess is truly adorable.

Along the way, the haul was plentiful—just food, big and small bundles carried by palace attendants.

They stopped at a tea house.

On stage, a bearded storyteller was speaking, currently at the exciting part.

"The sixteenth princess of Jiang State, famed as the world's number one beauty, was killed by bandits on her way to marry into the Xunchi Tribe."

"Not long after the Hostage Prince ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, he led troops to destroy that tribe that had dominated the grasslands. I've heard that our Majesty, while in Jiang State, once served as a companion reader in the sixteenth princess's palace, fell in love at first sight and originally intended to marry her—but the princess passed away, so he can only guard the empty inner palace, filled with endless sorrow."

The tea house patrons sighed incessantly, and even a few began to cry.

It's utterly exaggerated.

The more Jiang Zhi listened, the more she found it absurd.

Meanwhile, the protagonist, Emperor Yan Shizhou of Chongyuan State, sat opposite her, his expression calm and unchanging, listening quite attentively.

Sure enough, this melodramatic script must have been written by him, right??

"Boring to the extreme!" Jiang Zhi set down her teacup; the base hit the wooden table with a bang.

Tea splashed out, landing on the back of her hand.

The young man opposite her sprang to his feet, nervously lifting her wrist to examine the back of her hand, "Does it hurt?"

Jiang Zhi froze, even forgetting to struggle.

Only after a while did she react, pulling her hand back and raising an eyebrow to remind, "This tea is warm."

It looked as if they thought her hand was broken.

Yan Shizhou's brows relaxed.

Jiang Zhi rose, "I'm tired; let's return to the palace."

After a day of wandering, her feet were sore.

Yan Shizhou responded.

…

The last glimmer of gold‑red twilight was swallowed by darkness; the night grew hazy, and the carriage waited outside the tea house.

Not long after boarding the carriage, she fell asleep. Yan Shizhou half‑knelt beside her, gazing at her sleeping face, his deep eyes slowly moving to her crimson lips.

"Zhizhi."

His low, restrained, hoarse voice said, "When will you come to like me…"

Yan Shizhou envied Cui Wenluo and also envied him.

What merit or ability does he have to earn her affection?

"Whoa—!"

The horses were startled, and the scented carriage lurched unsteadily.

In her sleep, she had no defense and crashed into the young man's arms, opening her blurry eyes, her fingers instinctively clutching his lapel.

"Yan Shizhou."

"At your service." He pulled her into his arms, his expression cold and solemn, looking out of the carriage.

The smell of blood spread through the air, drifting into the carriage.

"What happened?" she asked anxiously.

All outside sounds faded away; only his heartbeat could be heard, gradually calming her tumultuous emotions.

"Princess, stay here." He unfastened his outer robe and draped it over her head, blocking all her sight.

Jiang Zhi heard him step out of the carriage.

In the darkness, the clang of swords was exceptionally clear.

She curled up, her fingers tightly gripping his outer robe, her nostrils filled with his faint pine scent.

After who knows how long, the sound of swords also faded.

The outer robe covering her head was lifted, and she saw the young man's handsome face stained with a little blood.

"Yan Shizhou."

"At your service."

Jiang Zhi's eyes reddened at the corners, veiled in misty vapor, refracting a splendid glow.

"Yan Shizhou, are you injured?"

His face was pallid, his brows and eyes drooping under heavy shadows, his thin lips slightly upturned—a smile like melting snow, soothing to behold.

"Is the princess worried about her servant?"