Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

"Brother Shi Qi, what did you mean when you told me not to get too close to Young Master Chen?"

I don't understand what they mean by identity or anything like that.

He's the crown prince, of noble birth, of course I know that, but what does that have to do with me?

Tao'er's eyes were full of doubt, and she couldn't help but ask.

She wondered why Xiao Yi was asking such strange questions.

The moonlight fell on her face, and the sixteen-year-old girl's eyes were as clear as mountain spring water.

Xiao Yi looked at her, his Adam's apple bobbing, and after a long while he finally spoke: "Tao'er, I just feel... that the Crown Prince seems to treat you a little differently."

That look in her eyes is off...

"Something's off about your eyes?"

Have it?

Why don't I feel that way?

Tao'er thought for a while and didn't find anything wrong with Young Master Chen's gaze.

Xiao Yi paused, as if carefully choosing his words: "The Crown Prince is so outstanding and talented, and he is also handsome and unparalleled. I'm afraid you might accidentally fall for him and get hurt in the end..."

After all, you're only sixteen; it's the age when your heart is just beginning to stir with romantic feelings.

As soon as he finished speaking, a mountain breeze swept through the hall.

Tao'er paused for a moment, then burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking with laughter: "Seventh Brother Shi, what... what are you thinking?"

So that's what you mean? You're afraid I'll fall for the Crown Prince?

She laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight, her wisps of hair fluttering in the wind. "Brother Shi Qi, what are you thinking?"

He's the crown prince, how could he possibly be interested in a little girl like me with no family background or status?

Hahaha……"

The clear laughter startled the crows in the old locust tree in the yard.

"Tao'er," Xiao Yi's voice deepened, "I was serious just now, so stop laughing."

Xiao Yi was both anxious and angry. This girl really was heartless!

This made him even more worried, and his handsome, sword-like eyebrows furrowed.

Tao'er stopped smiling and met his serious gaze.

This guy doesn't seem to be joking!

Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Yi preempted him.

"Tao'er, you're so wonderful, how do you know the Crown Prince wouldn't take a liking to you?"

Xiao Yi spoke each word carefully.

"Besides, he has lost his memory now. He is no longer the Crown Prince, but just an injured Young Master Chen."

It's perfectly reasonable for him to like you and be attracted to you.

There was a nervousness in his tone that he himself was unaware of.

Tao'er looked at him quietly for a while, then walked to the stone table next to the big locust tree and sat down. Her tone was extremely firm: "Seventh Brother Shi, don't worry, whether it's Young Master Chen or the Crown Prince, I will not have any romantic feelings for him."

Her voice was clear and crisp, like a wind chime in the mountains: "I'm only sixteen years old, and I've never thought about relationships."

Moreover, I know I am not good enough for someone like Young Master Chen, and I would never dare to dream of anything else.

In my eyes, he was just a seriously injured man, and I rescued him on a whim.

After all, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda.

She poured out her heart, her eyes open and honest.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi felt a sense of relief.

But as if possessed, he asked another question: "Tao'er, actually, Young Master Chen is very outstanding. If he were just an ordinary man, would you like him?"

Tao thought for a moment and smiled: "If it were an ordinary man, he might like it!"

After all, he's handsome, has a great physique, is gentle, well-mannered, and knowledgeable. It would be hard for any woman not to be attracted to him!

"Tao'er, what did you say? He has a good figure?"

How do you know that?

Could it be...?

Xiao Yi was startled and quickly asked.

Tao'er then realized she had let something slip and quickly explained, "Brother Shi Qi, don't misunderstand, I was just applying medicine to him and I accidentally saw it."

hey-hey……

But I only treated him as a patient; I had no other thoughts.

Xiao Yi's face darkened instantly, but the expression quickly disappeared.

He said helplessly, "From now on, let Qingfeng handle the task of changing the Crown Prince's dressings!"

"Okay!"

Tao'er readily agreed, thinking to herself that he seemed unhappy just now.

I don't know if I saw it wrong.

"You just said that all women would be attracted to him. If he were an ordinary man, would you marry him and have children with him?"

Xiao Yi finally couldn't help but ask again.

Tao'er shook her head. "I might be moved, and I might like someone, but that's all I'll ever like."

"Marrying him? That's definitely not an option."

"Why?" Xiao Yi blurted out, "If you like someone, why not marry them?"

"Because he'll definitely take a concubine."

Tao'er spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, reaching out to tidy her wind-blown hair: "Don't all the men here have three wives and four concubines?"

I don't like sharing a man with a bunch of women.

So even if I like him, I won't marry him...

Besides, he was still the Crown Prince. Even if he wasn't now, he was still the Prince of the North, and he would definitely have three wives and four concubines in the future.

She spoke casually, as if she were simply saying that the weather was nice today.

Xiao Yi was silent for a moment, then asked, "What if the Crown Prince never regains his memory, and he is willing to spend his whole life with you and Ayan?"

Would you be willing?

After asking the question, he didn't even realize that his fingers were slightly clenching his sleeves.

Tao tilted her head and thought for a while before answering honestly, "If that's the case, Young Master Chen is so outstanding and handsome, I might be willing!"

But if she's not sixteen, she'll have to be at least eighteen or twenty!

She laughed as soon as she finished speaking; she didn't want to have a child so early.

It's very bad for a girl's health to have a baby when she's too young.

"Yes, Young Master Chen is indeed handsome and has a good temperament. He would be an excellent husband."

It's just a pity he's the crown prince...

Just like you said, even if he's not the crown prince, he's still the Prince of the North, so he'll inevitably have three wives and four concubines, which isn't suitable for you..."

Xiao Yi spoke softly, his gaze fixed on the stars in the night sky.

"Brother Shi Qi is right, he is not suitable for me."

But don't worry, he won't like me. Even though he has amnesia, his aesthetic sense and preferences won't change.

You said the way he looked at me was different, that's because I'm his savior, of course it's different.

Tao'er thought Xiao Yi must be mistaken.

However, she felt that Xiao Yi might be worried that she would fall in love with Young Master Chen and then wouldn't be able to protect Ayan properly!

After all, once a woman gets married, her heart and soul are focused on her husband.

Xiao Yi withdrew his gaze and looked at Tao'er: "Tao'er, what kind of man do you like?"

Maybe I can help you find one in the future…

His tone carried a sense of desolation that he himself was unaware of.

He hasn't avenged his family's death and has been poisoned with a rare toxin. Whether he can survive is still unknown, and I'm afraid I can't give her the happiness and peace she wants.

He had previously thought there was still a chance to cure his poison, but after hearing Qingfeng say that the antidote contained thousand-year-old ginseng and Tian Shan snow lotus, he almost gave up hope.

Therefore, he dared not reveal any of his thoughts.

Tao'er waved her hand, interrupting him: "Hey, Brother Shi Qi, what's gotten into you today? Are you playing matchmaker now?"

She tilted her head and looked him up and down, a mischievous smile in her eyes: "I appreciate your kindness, but let me tell you, I really don't have such thoughts."

Why do you have to get married?

I'm only sixteen, I don't want to think about things like that.

Moreover, once you get married, you're expected to be a good wife and mother, and live with a complete stranger. I really wasn't mentally prepared for that.

I think I'm doing pretty well right now.

She thought to herself that no man is as reliable as money, and that the chances of a man changing his mind are too high.

Even if his sincerity was genuine at the time, it might not be genuine in the future; he might give his sincerity to someone else later.

So she continued, "Seventh Brother Shi, my idea is also very simple: help the Crown Prince recover from his injuries, and then take Ayan to the Chen family in Jiangnan."

She stood up and paced in the courtyard, the gentle moonlight shining on her back.