High-class Spring Joy

What could possibly make a young, innocent woman so devoted to begging him to have a death row inmate carry on her family line?

Silence fell before her, and she remained silent for a long time, as if she were feeling guilty and nervous, or perhaps frightened by his agitation.

Chu Jingxian snorted coldly, his tone mocking: "One hundred taels? One thousand taels? Or ten thousand taels?!"

He thought the woman would be scared away by his barbed and irritating words, but she only remained silent for a moment…

There was a soft rustling sound, followed by a "thud," which sounded like a heavy object hitting the ground.

"This money may not mean much to you, young master, but I really need it. Please, young master, give me a chance. Please grant my request!"

It was still the familiar female voice, but it was mixed with sobs that hadn't been there before. She seemed to be trembling uncontrollably as she spoke, due to her emotional excitement and nervousness.

This emotion is very similar to that of the refugees who, when Chu Jingxian went to provide relief to the disaster victims, had lost their families and had no hope of survival, and could only kneel at people's feet begging for alms. The same despair, the same urgency, the same sincerity.

Chu Jingxian never considered himself a soft-hearted person, but the woman's soft, trembling sobs sounded like a newborn kitten scratching at his heart with its tiny paws.

Chu Jingxian was annoyed by her crying.

Qingyuan was truly at her wit's end and was about to try again when that low, husky voice exploded in her ear:

"come over!"

Qingyuan immediately stopped crying and rushed forward, and he came into full view of her.

His face was pale and handsome, with deep features, a high and straight nose, and thick, red lips. His eyes and eyebrows were covered by a long, dark scarf. Even in prison clothes, he could not hide his arrogant and noble temperament.

Yes.

In the Zhenguo Marquis's mansion, the third young master, Chu Jingxian.

The next second, Qingyuan was pulled by the wrist and fell into his arms.

Qingyuan was somewhat flustered, but he had clearly given her a chance, and she wouldn't let it go easily. She reached out to unbutton his clothes.

She had studied it before, but it was her first time, so she was inevitably nervous and made a few mistakes while unbuttoning her clothes.

Chu Jingxian seemed to notice her nervousness and chuckled, "Didn't you say you had studied it?"

"Yes... I learned it from the old lady." Qingyuan couldn't help but blush.

Her hands continued moving downwards until they touched his burning hot abdomen, at which point she subconsciously withdrew them.

Immediately, he grabbed her wrist and said mockingly, "What, scared?"

The man's aggressive aura enveloped her completely, his hot breath brushing against her forehead. Though he was only holding her wrist, it felt as if he had her completely imprisoned, unable to escape.

Qingyuan swallowed nervously.

As if sensing her embarrassment, he, like a hunter teasing his prey, couldn't help but chuckle at her clumsy antics, and a hearty, unrestrained laugh rang out:

You still have a chance to back out.

Qingyuan, her blood boiling from his laughter, felt a surge of anger. She touched his lips with her fingertip and said, "I will never go back on my word."

Her slender arms wrapped around his shoulders like water snakes, and she pressed her ear to his ear, giving him a light kiss...

Chu Jingxian was never a pushover, nor did he possess that much overflowing kindness, but—

She was too soft, too warm, and ultimately, she completely awakened the beast that Chu Jingxian couldn't bear to be seen.

…………

It's so unfamiliar, so unfamiliar!!

That impulsive feeling was so unfamiliar to Qinghe that she was instantly jolted awake from the dream. When Qinghe sat up in bed, her forehead was covered in cold sweat.

A few embers still burned in the small house, emitting crackling sounds in the quiet space.

Qinghe looked to the other side of the house not far away, where there was a small wooden bed where the old woman and her grandson were sleeping.

The four people, including Tianyi, were half-sitting and half-leaning against the door, fast asleep.

Princess Jing'an, on the other hand, lay down and slept beside Qinghe's bed.

The whole house was very quiet; no one spoke, only the lingering warmth and sound of the burning firewood remained.

Qinghe's mind was filled with the images from her dream, images that were so unfamiliar and chaotic.

Why does the Third Young Master in her dream seem completely different from the Third Young Master she knows now?

Although the Third Young Master appears to be upright and honest, he usually has no expression on his face. At most, he gives off a cold and indifferent vibe, making people feel that there is a very, very distant, insurmountable distance between him and others.

Although the third young master in the dream was noble and aloof, he seemed to possess an irresistible sense of oppression and ruthlessness.

Why did the Third Young Master in my dream seem so unfamiliar, as if I'd never met him before?

Although she and the Third Young Master did very intimate things that night and were extremely entangled, it was definitely not the process she had in her dream.

It can be said that the processes are completely opposite.

The third young master inside was also a complete stranger...

Moreover, the Qinghe characters inside didn't seem like themselves at all. It was as if they were two people using the names Qinghe and Grape, doing things that were completely out of character for them?

Qinghe felt increasingly dizzy and confused as she thought about it. She felt lightheaded and her mind was in complete chaos.

What was the dream trying to tell her?

Why would she have such a strange dream at this time?

For a moment, Qinghe felt a splitting headache.

It's like... like I've lived another life?

Qinghe couldn't describe the feeling, and just then, her struggle also caused other people nearby to commotion.

Princess Jing'an was pampered in the palace and had never suffered. The bed she slept in the palace was arguably the best in the world. So, being in this kind of place now, although Princess Jing'an herself didn't feel anything was wrong, the objective conditions were very uncomfortable.

Princess Jing'an, in particular, gave the only bed available to Qinghe. He himself was even more uncomfortable sleeping next to Qinghe's bed. He was in a daze all night, feeling cold, hard, and uncomfortable. How could he possibly fall asleep?

She was already exhausted, and finally, she was so sleepy and tired that she had to fall asleep. Now, Qinghe's actions woke her up quickly. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and saw Qinghe on the bed covered in sweat. She immediately noticed something was wrong and saw that Qinghe's face was pale. She quickly asked:

"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare or something? Why did you suddenly wake up? Is it because the bed is uncomfortable?"

Qinghe shook her head, intending to speak, but not knowing where to begin. Moreover, Princess Jing'an was unaware of her relationship with the Third Young Master, so Qinghe genuinely didn't know where to start.

Just then, Princess Jing'an took a handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from Qinghe's face. "If there's anything, you can tell me. I'm the one who brought you out of Bianjing, and I'm the one who'll take you out of this capital. No matter where we go, I'll be responsible for you. Besides, given our friendship, I certainly can't just watch you go."

Princess Jing'an, worried that Qinghe might be feeling unwell because of the cold, quickly went to the side and added firewood to the fire. The fire slowly grew stronger, and the temperature in the room gradually increased.

Qinghe was quite uneasy, feeling that something was going to happen, and also feeling that there was something wrong with the house for some reason.

Qinghe could only look at Princess Jing'an in front of her. At this point, she naturally couldn't not believe her, so after a moment of silence, she quietly told Princess Jing'an about what had happened between her and the Third Young Master, concealing the Third Young Master's identity, and roughly recounted the whole story.

Princess Jing'an frowned sharply, nearly slamming her hand on the table upon hearing these words. She was furious: "No wonder you answered so decisively when Mother asked if you wanted to marry Apple; you didn't even hesitate! No wonder you didn't answer when I asked why you didn't want to marry Apple! So that's why! This is outrageous! It seems I'll have to be lenient with Jiang Qingge; I've already shown her mercy before. No matter what rank Orange's father holds, whether he's the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review or whatever, how could he dare do such things in the Marquis's mansion?" "The Marquis of Zhenguo's mansion, is it really something she can order around? How dare he act so arrogantly in the mansion? If it were just him alone, this princess wouldn't believe it. I won't say Grape might not be in charge, and Apple doesn't seem like someone who can manage things. It's a miracle he didn't take sides; he's just a simpleton. But the old lady of the mansion is not an easy person to deal with, much less someone who can be easily fooled or deceived. The old lady is extremely strict; how could she let this matter go unchecked?"

Princess Jing'an snorted coldly, a hint of mockery in her voice. "It's impossible that the old lady doesn't know these things; it's utter nonsense. But if the old lady knows and does nothing, then it can only be described as sitting on the sidelines watching the tigers fight. Or perhaps the old lady wants to use Ju Zi to get rid of you, simply because she doesn't want your relationship with Apple, or the so-called previous agreement, to affect Apple's search for a better marriage. The old lady only thinks her son can find someone better; with his background and character, he's naturally more than worthy of a maid. But has the old lady ever remembered that if it weren't for you, if it weren't for you, her son might not even be this old, perhaps he wouldn't even know..." "When will he die? If it weren't for you, his son wouldn't even be this old. We wouldn't even know when he died, let alone find a better wife. It's utter nonsense! I, the princess, despise such ungrateful people! We're better off without a man like that. There are plenty of unmarried young masters and nobles in the court. While their backgrounds may not be as prestigious as the Marquis of Zhenguo's, their character is certainly better than Apple's, and they are more responsible and dependable than him. If we return safely this time, I will ask the Empress Dowager to grant you the title of County Princess. Then you can choose any promising young man in the court. Why should we bother with a fickle, opportunistic man?"

Qinghe hadn't originally said this to Princess Jing'an about this matter, but after he spoke to her, Princess Jing'an became so angry that Qinghe quickly tried to persuade her.

Tianyi, Tiansi, and the others, who were dozing off by the door, suddenly opened their eyes alertly and went into a state of heightened vigilance.

Tianyi quickly made a shushing gesture to Qinghe and Princess Jing'an.

Princess Jing'an and Qinghe had obviously noticed it as well. They both fell silent, clenched each other's hands, and dared not utter a sound.

Time passed slowly, and without Tianyi and Tiansi needing to remind them of anything, even Princess Jing'an and Qinghe, two girls who had never practiced martial arts and were even weak, could hear the footsteps outside the house getting louder and closer.

The most terrifying thing was that the footsteps were unclear, and it was impossible to tell how many people were there. At least Princess Jing'an and Qinghe, who had never practiced martial arts, could not tell at all. They could only hear a chaotic sound, which was definitely not something that could be made by just a few people. This fact made the hairs on Qinghe and Princess Jing'an stand on end!

In this desolate, snow-covered wilderness, it would be difficult to find even a living creature, let alone a living person. It took them most of the day to find this house. The fact that so many people could appear in such a place, especially at night, clearly shows that Jing'an and Qinghe could not possibly be so naive as to think they were just passersby.

In a place where even bandits are hard to find, how could a group of people suddenly attack an old woman and her grandson's thatched hut?

It's highly likely they came specifically for Princess Jing'an and Qinghe.

While such people couldn't possibly be after them and the four of them, they were more likely after their lives, or perhaps they had connections to Mohan City!

If that group of people really were heading towards the Emperor and his entourage in Mohan City, then it is highly likely that they already knew the Emperor and his princes' movements, and also knew that they were going to Mohan City to negotiate with the envoys of the Northern Frontier Kingdom to discuss the war between the two countries.

If they come to stop us again, there are likely only a few reasons left. First, they want to sow discord between the two countries and provoke a war between them. Second, they want to take advantage of the fact that Mohan City is a remote and inaccessible place, and the court, no matter how powerful, cannot easily send troops to this place, which would be very beneficial to their next move.

There are only three possibilities: either they want to threaten the emperor and his princes, they want to threaten the Northern Frontier Kingdom, or they want to provoke a war between the two countries.

Regardless of the circumstances, if one could know the whereabouts of the Emperor and the princes, it would be very likely that one would already know all the decisions and movements of the court. In that case, knowing that Princess Jing'an had left Bianjing City and arrived outside Mohan City would be an easy thing to do.

However, if this was the case, Princess Jing'an and Qinghe dared not think about it any further.

If that's the case, then the two of them might soon perish here!

Princess Jing'an reacted the fastest, rushing over to wake the old woman and her grandson. Grabbing their hands, she immediately asked, "Does this house have a back door? Is there anywhere we can escape? There might be a lot of people outside. Quick, I'll have my guards cover you as you leave first. Hurry, don't hesitate any longer!!"

Yes, yes!

The old woman wasn't sleeping very soundly to begin with, mainly because there were several strangers in her house, including one carrying a knife. Naturally, she couldn't sleep soundly or peacefully, especially since she had a little grandson next to her who needed her protection.

However, the hearing of the elderly is naturally worse. When Jing'an and Apple heard it, she might not have heard it. She only realized it after Princess Jing'an shook her awake.

The old woman was quite old and had seen a lot. Although her first reaction was panic, she reacted quickly. After all, she was a person who had lived alone with her grandson in this desolate, snowy place for many years. She couldn't be completely thrown off balance by this incident.

Upon hearing Princess Jing'an's words, he quickly grabbed his grandson and tried to pull Princess Jing'an towards the back door, shouting, "Quick, quick, I know where the back door is! Follow me! Although this place is remote, bandits might still appear. Don't be careless! I see that you two young ladies are both weak and helpless. Come with me quickly!!"

Princess Jing'an decisively shook off the old woman's hand, rushed to the side, forcefully pulled Qinghe over, placed Qinghe's hand in the old woman's, and solemnly instructed:

"Grandma, I don't need you to take me out. I have my own way of dealing with this situation. But my sister is in poor health and can't take any injuries. She's very weak. Please, please help me protect her and help me get her out of here! Grandma, I'm begging you. If this is proof, I will give you this jade pendant. If I survive, you can have your grandson deliver this jade pendant to the royal family of Song Kingdom. You can let me do one thing for you, no matter how difficult it is, I will do my best. I am a princess of the Chinese royal family. My promise is as heavy as Mount Tai. I only ask that you, Grandma, take good care of my sister."

After Princess Jing'an finished speaking, she immediately looked at Qinghe beside her: "Listen, Guoguo, I know what you want to say, but listen first. Listen to me first. I know that if we leave now, we might have a chance to escape, but have you considered what would happen if I went with you? There's a high probability that those people are after me, wanting to use me as a hostage to threaten my brother and father, or perhaps they have some other ulterior motive. These are all very common, and I can figure them out without even thinking. If I went with you, I could indeed escape this house, but those people would definitely chase after us if they went crazy. As long as I'm there, they'll keep chasing us. And look at us, the old, weak, sick, and disabled, and Tianyi and his four companions. If we stay to hold off those four, how can we hold off dozens of people? I can't let Tianyi and his four companions die for me, nor can I let you all be hunted down because of me. The only way now is for me to be captured. This is the method with the fewest casualties. Tianyi, Tianyi, Tianyi, Tianyi, and his four companions don't need to die for me, and you still have this old..." "Grandma, this grandson won't be in danger because of me. You can run away, wherever you want. No one will chase you anymore. I know you're worried about me, and I know you're not the kind of person who would abandon me in a critical moment. I know you won't betray me, you won't easily give up on me, that's why we're so close. But think about it, I won't die if I stay in their hands, I won't die at all. If they wanted my life, they should have rushed in now instead of approaching step by step. If they wanted my life, they should have captured me when we were close to Mohan City, or shot me dead with an arrow. I believe they have the ability to do that. Obviously, their goal isn't to kill me, so you can leave with me without worry. I've said all I have to say. You're reasonable, you're not the kind of person who's indecisive and wishy-washy. Now, I, the princess, order you to leave immediately with this old woman and this grandson! Otherwise, I will no longer consider you my friend!"

Qinghe was already in tears after hearing Jing'an's words. She knew what Princess Jing'an would face if she stayed, but she couldn't deny it or refute the reasoning Princess Jing'an had given her. It was as if Princess Jing'an had used every angle to shut Qinghe up.

Qinghe wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve, closed her eyes tightly, took a deep breath, and without further hesitation, grabbed the old woman with one hand and the little grandson with the other, and headed towards the back door.

The group of thugs had already broken through the door of the small hut and rushed up without any effort.

There were dozens of them, and each one of them was big and burly, carrying weapons and looking like no kind people.

Although his face was covered, you could see the murderous aura in his eyes just by looking at them; he looked fierce and menacing.

If it weren't for Tianyi and his three companions blocking the entrance, they probably would have rushed in as soon as they got close.

The villain at the north end looked different from the others. He wasn't carrying a knife, and the soldier didn't look like a villain at all. Instead, he resembled a refined and frail scholar, dressed in scholar's attire with a headscarf on his head and holding a fan. He idly swayed his hand, but his gaze was fixed on Princess Jing'an's face.

"Now that things have come to this, Princess, there's no need to hide your identity any longer, is there?"

Princess Jing'an smiled slightly. Although she was dressed in coarse linen clothes, she still exuded an air of authority, revealing an innate nobility. She flicked her sleeves:

"I am the only princess of the Great Song Kingdom. What is there to hide? Aren't you all here for me? What more is there to say?"