Chapter 39: Your Highness Has Such a Strong Body

Xie Yao’s voice was soft and airy, a flash of mischief glinting in her eyes as her delicate palm pressed against Xiao Ji’s chest. “Your Highness, it’s getting even faster…”

Xiao Ji truly had not been prepared. He could control his body’s reactions, but not the speed of his heartbeat.

Heat crept up his ears as he caught Xie Yao’s hand, his gaze helpless. “Crown Princess.”

Xie Yao allowed him to hold her hand, blinking her long lashes. The distance between them was already close, and at this moment, the atmosphere grew even more ambiguous.

Xiao Ji froze for a second before recovering enough to speak. “Involving yourself in matters like this brings you no benefit at all. If you’re careless, you might even invite disaster. You…”

“I have Your Highness.”

Xie Yao answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Her eyes shone brightly as she looked at him. “You said you would protect me. And since I am already the Crown Princess, do you truly think I can remain uninvolved?”

“…Forgive me.”

Xiao Ji lowered his gaze and quickly spoke again. “It is I who has implicated you. I… will do my utmost to keep you safe.”

He had planned as much all along.

But his lifespan was limited, and now that he had discovered the strange truth behind his mother’s death by witchcraft, he had no choice but to pursue it to the end and avenge her.

If he could not do even that, then he would be unworthy as a son.

As for Xie Yao… he could only do his best.

“Your Highness.” Xie Yao turned her hand to hold his in return, her gaze unusually earnest. “Rather than being protected, I would rather stand shoulder to shoulder with you, advancing and retreating together.”

“Perhaps Your Highness could try trusting me.”

She blinked, her bright eyes brimming with laughter.

Her fingers were soft and slender, yet carried firmness as she spoke. Her spirit soared, her presence filled the room, and she seemed impossibly confident.

Xiao Ji froze again, belatedly struck by a flash of astonishment.

His Crown Princess… was even better, even more dazzling, than he had imagined.

Xie Yao noticed his silence and cursed him inwardly before speaking. “Besides, Your Highness and I already share the same enemy.”

Xiao Ning.

Xiao Ji reached the answer in his heart. He clearly saw the hatred in Xie Yao’s eyes, absolutely genuine, not the least bit feigned.

“…Very well. I look forward to it.”

He did not ask her for reasons. His own reasons could not be spoken aloud, so naturally, it was not his place to demand hers.

Still, Xie Yao felt a little disappointed. Her attempt at honesty had failed, though at least it was not without gains.

She gave a radiant smile. “With Your Highness and I of one heart, we will be invincible.”

Saying so, she let go of his hand. “Since I have already touched Your Highness, then that makes us even for what happened earlier.”

Her words were open and straightforward, yet Xiao Ji’s face flushed red.

He gave a short sound of acknowledgment, and then hurried away with quick steps.

As soon as he left, Zhuxin came running in excitedly. “Crown Princess, just now word came, Song Wenbo has gone to kneel outside Princess He Yi’s residence to beg forgiveness.”

The events of today had exploded across the capital.

Song Wenbo had just risen to fame days earlier at Mister Qingshan’s apprenticeship banquet, and then gained further renown when Princess He Yi brought him to meet Chancellor Yang.

Now this… was laughable beyond words.

That his old mother dared harbor such delusions of clinging to the most favored Princess He Yi, and even used such vulgar words to speak of her…

The affair spread like wildfire through the city, with Xie Yao herself giving it no small push.

“As you instructed, I made sure the Xie family was dragged into this as well,” Zhuxin reported, though with some worry. “But will this affect you, Crown Princess?”

After all, she also bore the surname Xie.

“Doesn’t matter,” Xie Yao said. “Even if I didn’t do it, someone else would have. I merely reminded people that Song Wenbo is a son-in-law of the Xie family.”

Zhuxin still had not quite understood when Zhuqing entered, her expression dark. “Crown Princess, I just received word. Rumor has it outside that Young Master Song and His Highness, Crown Prince are brothers-in-law, and that Madam Song Li’s slander against Princess He Yi was entirely at His Highness’s instigation!”

Zhuqing was so angry her eyes turned red.

Xie Yao propped her chin on one hand, pondering. “Strictly speaking… that’s not wrong.”

She was the one who had stirred this up.

Ignoring Zhuqing stamping her foot in anger, she asked instead, “Was the trail cleaned up properly? Since it was my doing, traces are inevitable.”

“Rest assured, Crown Princess,” Zhuqing answered solemnly. “The news today passed through several hands. No one will suspect me.”

Xie Yao nodded. “Good.”

With her temper broken, Zhuqing’s fury lessened slightly. “But Crown Princess, what about the rumor outside…”

“No rush,” Xie Yao said calmly. “Those who are hasty to drag His Highness down are all enemies. Besides, I believe someone else will be more anxious.”

The last time, at Mister Qingshan’s estate, her father had abandoned his beloved daughter Xie Yujiao for the sake of saving face. What about this time?

Xie Yao thought for a moment and rose. “Let’s go to the study.”

Instead of wasting time clarifying, she would rather spend it speaking with His Highness.

She hurried to the study.

There, she saw Xiao Ji emerging hastily from the side chamber, dressed in a long robe. His black hair was loosely tied back, damp at the ends, his entire figure exuding a chill of cold water.

He had been bathing? With cold water?

In broad daylight…

Xie Yao glanced out the window, and then said with a small smile, “Your Highness, your body is really strong.” The weather had indeed warmed, but nowhere near enough for cold-water baths.

“Cough.”

Xiao Ji gave a light cough, his gaze shifting away from her. “Crown Princess… did you need something?”

Xie Yao relayed the rumors outside.

Since he had been bathing, he had not yet heard them. Now, his eyes flashed cold as he suddenly asked, “And what does the Crown Princess think?”

“The ones capable of spreading such rumors are few. If Your Highness wanted to quash them, it would be easy. But… I do not recommend doing so now.”

Her answer was utterly serious.

“Why?” Xiao Ji arched a brow, pouring two cups of tea. He lifted one and took a small sip before asking.

Xie Yao explained, “Your Highness has never been one to flaunt himself. If you rush to clarify, it will only look guilty. Better to take this chance and see who else takes the opportunity to kick you while you’re down.”

She did not say that what she mainly wanted was to observe the Xie family’s reaction.

Having spoken, she felt thirsty and casually picked up the other cup of tea, downing it in one gulp.

Xiao Ji had reached out to stop her, but her speed was faster…

That was the cup he had drunk from. And now she had drunk it too. Didn’t that mean…

A flash of the memory of that night when she had pressed him down crossed his mind.

Xie Yao set the cup aside and looked at his faintly furrowed brows. “Your Highness?”

She stretched out her hand and laid it on his forehead. “Your face is so red. Did you just catch a chill from bathing in cold water?”

As soon as she spoke, Xiao Ji’s face grew even hotter.

She… truly didn’t know at all!

Before he could answer, Xie Yao started to rise to call for the physician. “Someone, summon—”

But before she could finish, her wrist was suddenly seized, and her whole body was pulled backward. She fell against the desk, her upper body almost lying flat upon it.

The sudden motion also dragged Xiao Ji forward, his body bending over hers. Their posture was strange and undeniably intimate.

“Crown Princess, you called—”

From the doorway came Si-nan’s voice. He poked his head halfway inside, caught sight of the scene, and instantly slapped a hand over his eyes, spinning around to leave. As he went, he muttered loudly, “I didn’t see anything, I didn’t see a thing…”