The seductive princess is no longer being pursued; the aloof prime minister is facing a crematorium.

Chapter 243 Her Flower Branch
Jiang Jinshuang had never heard such a thing before.

She always felt that protecting Baiyujing was her duty, just like her uncle guarding the frontier.

But now, the old man in front of her, speaking in somewhat broken Mandarin, smiled and said to her, "There's no such thing as 'should' or 'shouldn't'."

A breeze blew past the vendors' stalls, lifting the red-tailed kite in Jiang Jinshuang's hand.

Yan Jue didn't understand what Jiang Jinshuang was thinking.

Seeing her lost in thought, he gently tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Do you still want to give me flowers?"

Jiang Jinshuang realized what was happening, and the vendor in front of the stall hurriedly said with a smile, "Miss, please choose! These red-tailed kites are very difficult to raise once they leave Baiyujing. We have traveled day and night, and today is the time when they are in full bloom!"

Jiang Jinshuang smiled, picked out three or five red-tailed kites, and reached into her bosom to touch her money pouch.

Before Jiang Jinshuang could hand over the money bag, Yan Jue handed the merchant a silver ingot that he had prepared in advance.

The vendor, clearly unaccustomed to receiving such a large sum of money, held it as if it were burning his hand, and hurriedly said, "Miss, sir, we really don't have change. If you like them, these red-tailed kites are a gift to you, no money required!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jinshuang hadn't even spoken when Yan Jue frowned and said in a deep voice, "Why won't you accept it? I want her to give me flowers, not yours."

Vendor: "..."

Jiang Jinshuang was both amused and exasperated, but said to the vendor, "Uncle, please accept it. You've come all the way from Baiyujing, it's a small gift but carries great meaning."

The vendor, holding the silver ingot, nodded vigorously, stammering, "Good! Good, good! Thank you, young lady! Thank you, young master!"

After taking the flower branch, Jiang Jinshuang turned to look at Yan Jue.

She saw Yan Jue, dressed in a black robe as hard as iron, standing half a step behind her. One hand was on the hilt of the sword at his waist, applying slight pressure. His thin lips were tightly pursed, and he looked down at her with serious and careful eyes.

—Waiting for her flowers.

Jiang Jinshuang was both amused and exasperated upon seeing this.

But Yan Jue pretended to be indifferent. After seeing Jiang Jinshuang turn to look at him with the flowers, he started looking around and seemed very busy.

"Young Master Yanjue, how about I give you the Red-tailed Kite?"

Jiang Jinshuang coaxed her.

As if only then noticing Jiang Jinshuang, Yan Jue's gaze returned to her, his lips slightly pursed, suppressing the hint of excitement in his voice: "That's fine too."

Very reserved.

Jiang Jinshuang smiled and handed over the flower branch in her hand, wanting Yan Jue to take it.

But Ke Yanjue did not accept the answer.

He kept looking at Jiang Jinshuang, even putting his hands behind his back, just looking at her.

Jiang Jinshuang was stunned for a moment before she realized what was happening.

With a light laugh, Jiang Jinshuang took a few steps forward, pulled out a flower branch, and tucked it into Yan Jue's jade belt.

"May Yanjue live a peaceful, joyful, and carefree life."

All she wanted from the inkstone manual was this.

With only a few flower branches remaining, Jiang Jinshuang harbored malicious intentions, a wicked smile curving her lips.

She smiled, took the flower branches in her hand, and stuck them all into Yan Jue's head.

Yan Jue's long hair was tied up high, and her thick, ink-like hair was adorned with bright red flowers. Instead of looking delicate, it made her even more stunning.

The inkstone is quite tall.

When he finally reached the last few flower branches, Yan Jue obediently lowered his head, letting Jiang Jinshuang mess with his hair.

Her once neat and tidy ponytail was now a mess.

Jiang Jinshuang then laughed out loud.

Yan Jue didn't care much about these things. Seeing Jiang Jinshuang smile, he pursed his lips as well.

"Didn't you ask me to buy you flowers? Why did you end up paying for them?" Jiang Jinshuang asked him with a smile.

Yanjue: "You give it to me, I'll pay for it."

They were quite self-righteous about it.

Jiang Jinshuang smiled helplessly. As they chatted, Jiang Jinshuang reached out to straighten the flowers on the top of his head.

Before she could make a move, Yan Jue's originally docile gaze suddenly turned cold: "Someone's here."

Jiang Jinshuang narrowed her eyes and stopped moving.

Following Yan Jue's gaze, Jiang Jinshuang turned around to look.

Across the vast sea of ​​people and the surging tide, Pei Du, dressed in a dark green robe with gold patterns, seemed to have his cold eyes fixed on the two of them.

It was too far away; Jiang Jinshuang couldn't see clearly.

Yan Jue's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the sword hilt.

Seeing this, Jiang Jinshuang patted Yan Jue on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Alright, I've bought you the flowers. Your Highness is going to a banquet at the palace. You need to behave well in the manor, okay?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Jue frowned slightly and pursed his lips: "I want to go with you."

Jiang Jinshuang smiled helplessly: "Today is the Qixi Festival banquet. There will be many people and many eyes, and there will be more guards patrolling than before. Just in case, you'd better not go."

Yan Jue wanted to say something more, but Jiang Jinshuang pretended to be unhappy and said, "If you disobey me again, I will take all these flowers back!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Jue fell silent.

Jiang Jinshuang smiled and patted his shoulder again: "Alright, go back and wait for my news. If I come back early tonight, I'll come out with you to admire the lanterns."

After hearing Jiang Jinshuang's words, the relaxed brows finally relaxed, and he reluctantly nodded.

After giving instructions on the inkstone technique, Jiang Jinshuang turned and walked towards Pei Du's direction.

The crowd surged, but the person in the distance stood still like a pillar in the middle of the stream, like a pine tree standing against the wind.

The flow of people split into two sides.

Jiang Jinshuang walked unimpeded to the man's side.

She still had a red-tailed kite left in her hand.

—I'm keeping this for myself.

As she walked toward him, it seemed that more than once, the man's gaze fell upon the red kite in her hand.

As she got closer, Jiang Jinshuang noticed Pei Du.

His dark green robe with gold patterns looks really good today, but...

Jiang Jinshuang chuckled softly.

—Not a single flower branch was on Pei Du's body.

Strangely enough, Pei Du seemed to have dressed up carefully today, with layers of gold and jade embroidery on auspicious cloud patterns, exuding nobility and aloofness.

The jade crown was perfectly aligned and exquisitely translucent.

Such a jade-like person, standing there, how could no young ladies or daughters of noble birth adorn him with flowers?

Jiang Jinshuang blinked, somewhat puzzled.

As he walked toward him, he saw several women, blushing and carrying flower branches, approach Pei Du.

It seemed she wanted to tuck flowers into his belt.

The man took a half step back, nodded slightly, and whispered something to them.

Upon hearing this, the group of women lowered their heads, their cheeks flushed, and dared not look at him again before running away in a flash.

The place was filled with noise, and Jiang Jinshuang couldn't hear anything clearly.

Finally, they reached Pei Du's side.

Jiang Jinshuang said calmly, "Is Lord Pei here to invite me to a banquet at the palace?"

Pei Du didn't speak, and his gaze finally slowly shifted from the flower branch in her hand to her face.

"Let's go."

He simply responded with a curt reply, then turned and left.

Following Pei Du's footsteps, Jiang Jinshuang walked with him toward the Forbidden City.