You expect me to serve your mistress? The mistress is driving this scumbag and his entire family cra

Chapter 204 I've Given You My Life

Liang Jiang raised her face, asking expectantly, "If I were just an ordinary daughter of an official, of no value to Your Highness, would Your Highness still be willing to marry me?"

Gu Xizhi, with her back to her, didn't turn around: "What do you think?"

Liang Jiang lowered her eyes, her voice timid and lacking confidence: "I don't know."

Gu Xizhi's tone was somewhat heavy, somewhat restrained: "I've given you my life, and you're questioning whether I'm willing to marry you? Or do you think that my proposal to you today is just a scheme?"

Liang Jiang remained silent, but for a moment her mind wandered, her heart pounded, and she was so nervous that she didn't know what to do.

He did indeed give his life for himself.

Back then, at Xiliang Pass, he used his long sword to protect himself, and countless times he tried to sacrifice his own life to save himself from Xiliang.

Gu Xizhi continued, "There are some things I've wanted to say for a long time. It's not that I haven't had the opportunity, but because of Jian Shuyan's matter, I'm not qualified. I'm afraid you'll misunderstand my fickleness and lack of devotion."

Originally, I thought that after you avenged your father, I would break off the engagement with the Jian family, then ask Lady Liang for your hand in marriage, take you back to Weixi, and from then on you could be free and carefree.

But the emperor's relentless pressure threw me into a panic. I retreated, tossing and turning every night, wondering whether I should confess my feelings to you, and whether it would implicate you.

Today, Jian Shuyan died in Xie Fubai's arms. Fubai's words reminded me of that day in Xiliang, when life and death were at stake, and I didn't have time to confess my feelings to you. I felt that regret and panic.

At that moment, all I could do was tuck that hairpin into your hand so you would understand my feelings.

I don't want to have any more regrets, which is why I'm telling you everything today. Even if you don't like it, even if you reject me, I won't have any regrets.

Liang Jiang leaned against a pillar of the pavilion, a strand of hair being lifted by the wind and brushing against her face, causing a slight itch.

She asked softly, "And what about in the future..."

Gu Xizhi paused for a moment, then looked up at the distant mountains and said with a bitter smile, "I've thought about it. If you choose to give up revenge, I absolutely do not want to be a burden to you. Perhaps I will stay in Weixi and never set foot in the capital again, living a quiet life in a remote corner. You and I will be separated by the ends of the earth and never see each other again."

Liang Jiang blinked: "If you say that, it means that going back to Weixi was your wisest decision. Staying in Shangjing was undoubtedly a risky gamble, a huge price to pay, just to be with me. Don't you regret it?"

Gu Xizhi replied without hesitation: "As long as you don't back down, as long as you're with me, just like that moment at Xiliang Pass, standing side by side, holding hands, our hearts in sync, sharing life and death, what is there to regret?"

Liang Jiang was moved and blurted out, "It's good that you don't regret it, so that you won't get tired of me later and think that marrying me with your life was an absurd decision."

"Whoever regrets it is..."

Gu Xizhi paused halfway through her sentence, then suddenly turned around, looking at Liang Jiang with her eyes shimmering with tenderness, and asked incredulously, "You've agreed to my request?"

Liang Jiang pursed her lips: "What do you mean by 'who regrets whom'?"

Gu Xizhi suddenly rushed over and grabbed Liang Jiang's shoulder. In a departure from his usual calm demeanor, he gripped her hand tightly due to his excitement, causing Liang Jiang to wince in pain.

A gentleman's word is as good as his bond; once you've spoken, you can't take it back.

Liang Jiang frowned: "I didn't agree to that. Listen to me."

Gu Xizhi nodded repeatedly, her eyes filled with eagerness.

Liang Jiang was also a little nervous: "Liking someone is a matter between two people, but marriage is not. I can't decide that on my own. You have to give me time to ask my mother. My mother has always been against me getting too close to people from the royal family."

Gu Xizhi grinned, her chest heaving with excitement, her hand gripping Liang Jiang's shoulder stiffening slightly: "As long as you have me in your heart, that's enough. I don't care about anything else."

"pain!"

He immediately reacted as if he had been burned, hurriedly letting go, then grabbed Liang Jiang's waist, picked her up, spun her around several times, and pinned her against the railing of the pavilion.

The two were so close they could hear each other's breaths. Liang Jiang gazed at the face before her, a face that seemed to have been meticulously sculpted, with sharp features, a cool and aloof air, and a gentle, jade-like warmth—almost flawless.

Especially his eyes, when he looked at me, the cold light disappeared, replaced by tenderness and affection, burning me as if I were being melted.

This man, who was once dashing and valiant, a brilliant strategist, and a decorated warrior, is now deeply in love with me. Surely my mother won't object?

I acted impulsively and indulged my desires so much. I don't know if it was right or wrong.

Liang Jiang lowered her eyes, her thick, long eyelashes concealing the nervousness and shyness in them. Sunlight slanted in, making her delicate, fair face seem to be flushed with rouge, like a begonia after the rain, clear and radiant, even the fine downy hairs becoming clearly visible.

Gu Xizhi's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and the hot breath she exhaled from her nose was scalding hot.

He tightened his grip on Liang Jiang's slender waist.

So their bodies pressed tightly together.

One is as supple as a willow, the other as hard as a rock.

One is as delicate as jade, as smooth as water; the other is as strong as steel, proud and unyielding.

Strong arms wrapped around her vine-like waist, squeezing her supple waist so tightly she could barely breathe.

His sharply defined lips, alluring and captivating, gently landed on Liang Jiang's startled, trembling eyelids.

Suddenly, there was a soft "plop".

A shy frog leaped into the lake, creating ripples on the still surface.

Liang Jiang was startled and pushed Gu Xizhi away. Her face was burning hot and her heart was pounding like a drum.

Gu Xizhi chuckled softly, wrapped his arms around her contentedly, rested his chin on her shoulder, and whispered in her ear, his voice as light as a feather.

"Being able to hold you in my arms makes me feel like I have the whole world."

He didn't even dare to be more greedy and ask for more.

The two sat neck to neck in the pavilion by the lotus pond. Liang Jiang leaned on Gu Xizhi's shoulder, listening to him speak with her eyes closed. A cool and damp breeze caressed their faces, and autumn insects chirped and croaked in the grass. Frogs were courting each other. The afternoon was peaceful and serene.

Then I fell asleep without realizing it.

As the autumn sun set and the sky filled with colorful clouds, Liang Jiang finally awoke from Gu Xizhi's embrace, and together they rode back to the capital.

Upon returning to the Duke's mansion, she encountered Qiao Niang, who was waiting for her.

When Qiao Niang met Liang Jiang, she immediately told her everything she knew about Liang Su.

Liang Jiang didn't take it to heart at all: "I just saw Young Master Chu Xiucheng outside the palace today, and I asked him myself. Young Master Chu has no impression of Liang Su at all. I'm afraid it's just Liang Su's wishful thinking."

Qiao Niang was very surprised: "How could that be? Liang Wendong said that Liang Su and Young Master Chu went boating on the lake together and had a very pleasant conversation. Young Master Chu praised her highly and even made an appointment to meet her in two days."

Liang Jiang was also surprised: "But Young Master Chu said that he was invited to the Qu Shui Liu Shang Banquet on the Qixi Festival. How could he be in two places at once? Are you sure she is referring to Chu Xiucheng from the Grand Tutor's Mansion?"

Qiao Niang was taken aback: "Then this matter is very strange. Is there something fishy about this Young Master Chu?"

Liang Jiang didn't take it to heart. As long as Liang Su didn't cause trouble in her name, it was her own business how she wanted to court death.

He said with great certainty, "Chu Xiucheng is arrogant and conceited. He probably doesn't even care about Liang Su's limited knowledge."

(End of this chapter)