Chapter 58-Part 1

After switching to the low couch, it indeed felt comfortable.

Lying on the soft couch felt like being gently lifted by clouds.

Jiang Xiurun lay quietly on the couch, reflecting on the day’s events, which had been full of dangers and nerve-wracking moments.

However, the fact that the Crown Prince wanted her to marry into the Crown Prince’s mansion in place of her younger sister, Jiang Xiuyao, was something she had not anticipated.

But if one were to say that the Crown Prince did this out of affection for her, that would be a bit of a stretch.

She knew Feng Liwu too well.

If she were a woman, her striking appearance would not be to the Crown Prince’s liking.

Compared with Tian Ying’s sweet and lovely yet gentle appearance, her appearance was more of a gorgeous and eye-catching type, which made her seem unapproachable when people looked at her.

This matched well with the nickname “Enchantress” that the Crown Prince had bestowed upon her.

As for why the Crown Prince had been close to her earlier, it was due to the misunderstanding that she was a young man.

The way he had hastily and intimately approached her at that time was like a sudden revelation, as if he had just discovered the beauty of a romantic bond between two men.

But now that her gender and appearance no longer suited the Crown Prince’s taste, yet he still insisted on marrying her, it was not out of lust.

After all, when she tried on the wedding dress earlier, the Crown Prince’s scrutinizing gaze clearly showed disdain.

Realizing that she was not to the Crown Prince’s liking, Jiang Xiurun felt slightly relieved.

Since the Crown Prince wasn’t planning to “put Jiang Herun to death,” she would just dress up for the wedding on the auspicious day, and afterward, she could continue to come and go within the Crown Prince’s mansion.

In this case, why not follow the crown prince’s wishes so that the master and his aide can be harmonious.

Thinking this, she took a comfortable breath.

After the Crown Prince discovered her true identity, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her heart. At least now, she wouldn’t have to be as cautious as before when sleeping, still binding herself with thick cloth.

Being able to sleep and breathe freely like this, she could hardly remember the last time it happened.

Although her back was still in pain, the faint herbal scent of the medicinal oil lulled Jiang Xiurun into a sweet sleep.

In the blink of an eye, the year passed by swiftly.

After the New Year, many new maids and servants were brought into the residence, all gathered in one courtyard by the steward to be taught the rules.

The Crown Prince had made it clear early on that when the princesses married into the Crown Prince’s mansion, the maids and servants attending to them would all come from the Crown Prince’s mansion.

Except for one or two close maids, there was no need to bring along a large entourage.

This was easy to understand, as the princesses were not from the Great Qi, and to avoid bringing in any unrelated persons who might be detrimental to the heir to the throne, it was simply better not to bring any old servants along.

Another matter was that Young Master Jiang from the Crown Prince’s mansion had moved to a new courtyard, close to the Crown Prince’s sleeping quarters, supposedly to make it easier for the Crown Prince to consult him at any time.

As for what this young master Jiang was teaching, only the Crown Prince knew.

When the Crown Prince once again threw Jiang Xiurun onto the soft mat, she gasped for breath and wished she had something handy to strike the Crown Prince with.

“Your Highness… Your Highness, I really can’t take it anymore. Can we continue another day?”

Feng Liwu looked down at the person beneath him, whose cheeks were flushed and eyes moist.

His heart itched, but he said with a stern face, “No! You’ve encountered danger several times, and it was only because your maid was there to protect you. You can’t always rely on a bow and arrow; you need to learn some self-defense skills. What kind of messy techniques did your classmate Dou teach you at the academy? You forgot them all! I’ll teach you some practical ones again.”

Jiang Xiurun, who had just been tossed around until she was dizzy, felt that the Crown Prince was trying to train her into a great general.

Seeing that he was about to pull her again, she quickly covered her lower back and said, “Your Highness, wait, my old injury seems to have flared up, and it hurts too much to move…”

Feng Liwu’s gaze turned cold as he looked at her sideways, knowing that this young master was once again trying to shirk.

How did he end up bringing this slippery thing into the mansion in the first place? No progress at all!

However, just as he had felt the smoothness of her waist and hips while helping her up earlier, another thought suddenly crossed his mind.

He pulled the seemingly lifeless Jiang Xiurun up from the soft mat in the training ground and asked coldly, “Did Dou Siwu teach you those moves in the same way?”

Jiang Xiurun thought to herself, She was the pride of the Ding branch, the face of Dou Siwu and others in front of the Tiangan branch. Even if Dou Siwu had a hundred guts, he would not dare to hit her like a rag!

So she replied honestly, “They were all demonstration moves for me to understand on my own. Your Highness, I’m not a soldier, and my strength is limited. Even if you teach me everything, I can only absorb so much. If we continue like this, won’t it delay you from attending to state affairs? The affairs of the Water Transportation Department are pressing, and I really can’t afford to delay you any longer…”

Upon hearing this, Feng Liwu’s expression softened, but his words remained stern: “Haven’t I already wasted enough time on you? A little more won’t hurt. You move with such precision when you dance, so why are your moves so weak when practicing these techniques? Are you not taking it seriously enough? How about we continue training tonight after dinner?”

Jiang Xiurun felt a chill run down her spine.

If they kept practicing, her soul would be completely drained.

She quickly changed the subject: “In a few days, it will be your highness’s wedding day. I have to pretend to be Princess Yao. If, by any chance, I sprain something during practice and end up walking stiffly, wouldn’t that give me away? Let’s leave the practice for another time, when your Highness has more leisure.”