The crown prince was taken aback for a moment.
In his perception, Mianmian never took the initiative to have any intimate actions with him.
Even when Lady Rong was poisoned and on the verge of death, at the moment when she was extremely frightened and worried, it was still he who embraced her in his arms, and only then did Mianmian hug him for comfort.
On that sweltering summer night, the woman's icy skin pressed against his through the thin clothes.
Wafts of delicate fragrance spread out, entwining his nerves.
The crown prince reached out and tightly held Cheng Simian in his arms.
Neither of them spoke. They just hugged each other tightly, as if they wanted to blend into each other's bones and blood.
Their deep and shallow breaths intertwined, as if they were about to ignite the hazy summer night.
Cheng Simian's cheek rubbed against the side of the crown prince's face. The temperature of his body was scarily high.
Instinctively, she wanted to pull away a little to cool down, but as soon as she moved, the crown prince, like a hunting tiger, firmly held his prey.
His scorching lips pressed against hers, swallowing her breath.
She nervously tightened her lips.
The crown prince kissed eagerly but also carefully. He was not just taking blindly, but more like making a tentative move.
He was looking forward to her response.
Cheng Simian's body went limp, and her whole heart seemed to melt.
Finally, she slightly parted her lips.
She acquiesced to the man's wanton behavior.
Cheng Simian could clearly feel the crown prince's muscles hardening bit by bit.
It was like a taut bowstring, ready to be released.
The carriage had become a charming and dangerous place.
"Your Highness..."
She was kissed so softly that her breathing became charming, which even surprised herself.
She secretly blushed.
The crown prince's rationality returned in time.
But he still held her tightly and refused to let go.
Cheng Simian seemed to hear a sigh.
"Mianmian," the crown prince said hoarsely, with a hint of humble pleading, "Don't leave me."
Cheng Simian's eyes reddened for a moment, and she didn't respond for a long time.
...
Back in her boudoir, after taking a bath and changing clothes, Cheng Simian still couldn't fall asleep.
She quietly got up and walked around Lady Rong's room.
The night maid comforted her, "Madam is much better. Her appetite is also getting better. She ate a whole bowl of mung bean and lily congee tonight. Miss, you don't have to worry too much. You'd better go to bed earlier."
Cheng Simian nodded, but still couldn't fall asleep when she got back.
When she opened the door, Qiluo, who was sleeping on the small couch, woke up and rubbed her sleepy eyes.
But as soon as she saw Cheng Simian's expression, she immediately woke up.
The Miss Cheng she knew was a beauty as cold as ice and snow, cold and proud, transparent and aloof. She was always calm and never showed her emotions.
She had never seen the queen, but in her imagination, the queen was just like Miss Cheng.
But what was wrong with Miss tonight?
She looked dejected, her eyes were dull, as if there were thousands of emotions pent up in her heart, concentrated between her eyebrows.
Qiluo quickly got up and trimmed the wick of the candle.
The room became brighter.
"Miss can't sleep. Do you have something on your mind?"
She asked softly and stood aside to fan Cheng Simian.
Qiluo was a maid that Cheng Simian trusted.
Cheng Simian thought she was smart, witty, and more mature than the simple Shuyi at her age.
But she was too embarrassed to ask directly about her entanglement with the crown prince.
"Do you think I should tell the crown prince about Mr. Mingxi?"
The crown prince still hadn't given up looking for Mr. Mingxi.
There had been many things recently, all of which were important matters related to the stability of the court. The crown prince was stretched too thin.
After this turmoil passed, with the crown prince's wisdom, he would eventually guess that she and Mr. Mingxi were the same person.
Qiluo pondered the intention behind Cheng Simian's question.
On the surface, it was a question of whether to hide her identity, but in fact, it was a struggle over whether to open her heart to the crown prince.
In other words, Miss wasn't sure whether she should accept the crown prince's love and keep up the pretense, or stay true to her original intention, only accompany the crown prince through this journey, and then return to the south of the Yangtze River to be Mr. Mingxi.
She slowly replied, "If Miss tells the crown prince before the wedding, it is being honest. If Miss tells the crown prince after the wedding, it will be a pleasant surprise for the crown prince. If Miss waits for the crown prince to discover it by himself, it will let the crown prince understand Miss's true heart. As for whether the crown prince will let Miss leave, this servant doesn't dare to say."
Cheng Simian looked at Qiluo in surprise.
This fifteen - year - old girl could analyze her innermost thoughts so precisely.
She had some troubles that she couldn't tell anyone. At this moment, looking at Qiluo, it was like looking at a confidant.
"Actually, you know what I'm worried about, right?"
When Cheng Simian asked this, Qiluo no longer had any scruples.
She knew that at this moment, her identity was not that of a maid. Miss regarded her as a spiritual confidant.
"Miss has feelings for the crown prince, but she is afraid of falling in love with an emperor and getting deeper and deeper in the future. The crown prince is in a dilemma now. To put it bluntly, it is a moral dilemma, but it is beneficial for him to inherit the world and ascend the throne smoothly. Miss feels sorry for the crown prince on one hand, and on the other hand, she thinks that the lord of the world doesn't need pity. You are afraid that if you give too much love, in the future, you will be like the queen, suffering in silence."
Cheng Simian was stunned again.
Qiluo was actually so familiar with human nature!
With her talent, it was a waste for her to be just a maid!
She unconsciously opened her heart, "Do you think I should agree to the crown prince or not?"
Qiluo shook her head seriously, "Miss, if you ask like this, this servant doesn't dare to answer. But this servant knows that as the future emperor, the crown prince doesn't need sympathy and pity, but as a man with emotions, he does need comfort and company."
Cheng Simian seemed to understand something. A small crack appeared in the large dark area of her heart.
Light shone in.
She understood.
She had never fallen in love with this future emperor.
The one she loved was Lu Sihong.
...
Early in the morning, the crown prince met Liang Yuzhou at the gate of the Eastern Palace.
His eyes dodged for just a moment, but Liang Yuzhou caught it precisely.
"Didn't you say you were going to feign illness and not go to court these days?"
"There's an important matter. I must report it to Father Emperor in person."
"Is the important matter to ask Father Emperor to take back the decree of bestowing the marriage?"
The crown prince, whose mind had been guessed, was a bit annoyed and a bit ashamed.
But the person in front of him was Liang Yuzhou. It was only natural for his thoughts to be guessed, and he couldn't get angry.
Little Anzi chased after him and carefully glanced at the crown prince, "Your Highness, you'd better listen to Taoist Priest Qingzhou."
Last night, Princess Lingyang made a big scene in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Holding a pair of scissors in her hand, she cried and shouted that she wanted to shave her head and become a nun.
During the scuffle, even the queen's palm was stabbed.
Father Emperor was so angry that his headache flared up. The entire imperial hospital's doctors didn't leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation all night.
Lingyang had been put under house arrest and was not allowed to go out.
Father Emperor had already announced that one month after the crown prince's wedding, she would marry Qin Ziqi.
Hearing this, how could the crown prince sit still?
"No, I must go."
The crown prince took a step forward and left Liang Yuzhou behind.
"Your Highness, are you reluctant to part with your younger sister, or do you want to prove to the crown princess that you are not heartless?"
The crown prince was stunned and couldn't take another step forward.
Little Anzi didn't even dare to breathe.
Taoist Priest Qingzhou was really daring to say such things!
The crown prince turned around, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Liang Yuzhou smiled calmly, "Your Highness underestimates the crown princess too much. If she didn't understand your current situation, she wouldn't have chosen to be the crown princess in the first place."
"I begged her not to leave me yesterday, but she didn't give me a response."
The crown prince felt sad in his heart.
He truly and whole - heartedly loved Mianmian.
He didn't want to use his power to bind her. He begged humbly and devoutly, but didn't get a response.
"Did Your Highness beg as the crown prince or as Lu Sihong?"
A flash of white light suddenly flashed through the crown prince's mind.
He seemed to understand something.