C11

The blue surface of the lake rippled. On the pleasure boat, An Su, Xiao Ye, and the man in plain robe stood in a triangle formation. The autumn wind blew past with a cold snort from a woman.

"And who are you? Why do I have to look at you? Because you helped me? But the one who wants to kill me is your master. You saved me. Aren't you afraid that he'll tie you up and chop you up to feed to the dogs? " An Su glared at the man and spoke rudely, lowering him to the level of a slave.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the person she was looking for.

She had never seen this man before but he was definitely not Xiao Ye's subordinates. His martial arts were unfathomable. And there were even some high-quality banquets on the pleasure boat as if he was an esteemed guest.

Who exactly was he? What was his identity? Why did even Xiao Ye have to be so courteous to him? Looking at the aura of martial arts practitioners on his body, she couldn't help but think of that woman. Her subordinates were obviously all ronins. Could he be related to her?

In a flash, An Su had thought so much as she looked at the man with an extra trace of coldness in her eyes.

"Shut up."

Hearing that, Xiao Ye's face changed. He bellowed at her and cupped his hands at the man, “ Master Qian, please forgive me for not greeting you well today. Miss Ji is straightforward. She is unintentional. If there are any offenses, please forgive her for my sake.

Everyone on the boat was stunned when they heard his words.

An Su was slightly stunned. But following that, she let out a light snort. Her face was filled with ridicule but her heart was shaken because of Xiao Ye's words as she suddenly thought of a person.

Three years ago, at the Southern Martial Meet, he had shaken the entire Nine Continents with his Dragon Scale Sword and won the title of the Southern Leader of Martial Alliance. However, because of his unruly nature, he had pushed that position away. Later, he became a free swordsman that no one knew where he was. He was the Lord of Bodhi Villa that she had only heard of and always wanted to meet but never had the chance to.

Qian Puti.

In this world, there was only one person who could be called Master Qian. Bodhi Villa had a good reputation but was always independent of the world. It very rarely came into contact with the men practicing martial arts or with the court. So why would Qian Puti be together with Xiao Ye?

Qian Puti, Xiao Ye and that woman, what was the relationship among them?

"Your Highness, it seems that this lady does not wish to accept your favor."

Qian Puti heard the snort clearly. The smile on his face became even wider, "However, my lady has misunderstood. I am not a subordinate of the Highness. I am just an idle person with nothing to do. This time I did not commit adultery or crimes. The Highness will naturally not chop me into pieces to feed the dogs. I heard that the Highness just call you Miss Ji. Are you the apple of the eye of Marquis Yongning, Miss Ji, Ji Huashang?"

"What? You've heard of my name too? However, I do not know you. " An Su replied as she continued to size up Qian Puti. With a knot in her mind, the enmity and wariness she had towards the man shot to the peak.

"Of course I have. Being willing to pay half of the Mansion's wealth to ask the Emperor for an imperial edict of your marriage. The Marquis Yongning’s love to his daughter really has a well-deserved reputation. It is a pity that the beauty already has the one she loves. Otherwise I'd really like to ask to marry you.” The meaning of his words was unclear. As he proposed marriage, there was also a kind of ridicule in his words.

An Su was slightly shocked. "How did you know?"

So Marquis Yongning had requested that imperial edict in this way?

"When Marquis Yongning requested for the imperial edict, I was present as well. Naturally, I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears. Why does Miss Ji seem to not know anything? Didn't your father tell you? It seems like Marquis Yongning does not want to make you to feel guilty. I have said too much. " Qian Puti had a smile on his face but it did not look like he was apologizing at all.

An Su didn't understand either. Why would Qian Puti tell her this at this time? Was it like he said that he cared her and wanted to help her? It was obviously impossible. She wasn't too stupid to trust him who she only met once and there was even the possibility that he was her enemy.

But because of this, she felt that she could not see through this man. Although he said that he and Xiao Ye were partners, he still rejected Xiao Ye’s offer and helped her. If not, then Xiao Ye actually treated him as an important guest. And from the looks of them, both the guest and the host thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

"You're really funny. If my father doesn't care about me, who he would care about? You?" After a long while, An Su finally spoke. After she finished speaking, she pursed her lips and looked towards Xiao Ye.

She slowly stepped forward, and with each step her wet embroidered shoes left a mark on the shipboard. Her line of sight was locked tightly onto the man's face, "You are the Prince Xian and everyone says you are worthy of being called Prince Xian. I would actually like to know that whether the Highness has ever had any grievances in his heart or wronged anyone? Are you really as noble as the world says?”

"But in my opinion, you royals are naturally high up in the sky. Even if you want to put red as white, I estimate that no one can do anything to you. So what if it is a commoner and what if it is the daughter of a courtier like me? Didn’t you beat us up or scold us whenever you want? You can put any charges on us. Since Xiao Tianyue is like this, you are no exception. We were like grass! No matter you want to find someone to test my wounds or someone to confront me, I, Ji Huachang will be waiting for you. "

After the lady finished speaking, she brushed past Xiao Ye and stepped onto the boat string with quick steps, turned around and jumped in the moat.

The water splashed and but the lady was instantly submerged in the river, disappearing from sight. Shao Feng stepped forward and when he saw the calm surface of the river, his brows furrowed so tightly that they could even strangle ten mosquitoes to death. She clearly didn't know how to swim, yet she jumped into the river. Wasn’t she insane?

"Your Highness, should I go down to save her?"

"No need, she can swim."

"What? She can swim. Then why had she almost drowned? This damned woman. She actually tricked us. Could she be so afraid that she wanted to escape from the water?"

He looked at the green river.

Thinking about the look of the lady crying for help, Shao Feng seemed to have been mocked by her.

Could it be that she had been pretending all along?

Then what about the drowning death three days ago claimed by the Imperial physician?

Shao Feng felt that this woman was hopeless for being able to deceive his own father.

"…"

Xiao Ye did not answer. He only stared blankly at the sparkling river surface, thinking about the girl's posture and what she had said before jumping into the river. Did he have a clear conscience?

Only one word “Yes”.

However, he seemed to be mute and was unable to said it at all.

When he finally regained his senses, Qian Puti was already long gone from the pleasure boat. The only thing that remained was, on the shipboard, a sparkling blue-and-white porcelain bottle-ware with a narrow mouth and a round body and a few pieces of Bodhi leaves on it was lifelike.

Shao Feng had also seen it, "Your Highness, Qian Puti has left. How can we explain to the Emperor? This Qian Puti was also strange. He suddenly entered the palace and gave away a note worth five hundred thousand taels of silver and then meddled in Ji Huachang's business? Could it be that he had fallen for that shrew? Or did he have other plans? Should we send someone to follow him? "

"Shao Feng, what looks calm may not actually be calm."

Xiao Ye shook his head with his hands behind his back, "There are some things that people will still long even no one talks about. There are a lot of people in this world who take risks. These days, you have to pay more attention to the Capital and see if there are any movements. Many things may have just begun. "

"Your highness, he might be after the Linglong Jade Bone as well? But we haven't found it yet. Maybe it's just a rumor."

When he said the name, Shao Feng clearly felt a cold aura coming from Xiao Ye's body and then he said, "The matter has already passed, your Highness does not have to blame yourself. You have already done your best and have only done what you should. You are innocent."

Xiao Ye obviously did not want to discuss this topic so he only said indifferently, " Whether this is a rumor or not depends on people’s heart. Some rumors might not be believable. You don't have to worry too much about it either. Whether or not someone has ambitions on that, they will not cause trouble in the open. They will leave if they have no gains.”

"Shao Feng, go personally and bring Xiao Tianyue back to the palace. Bring all the things that Qian Puti left behind and those few people with you. If emperor asks, you need to tell the truth. No exaggeration is allowed. " Xiao Ye said coldly. His body flickered. With a few taps on the surface of river, he disappeared from the moat.

Shao Feng picked up the porcelain bottle and watched as the woman stuck her head out of the water and climbed onto the shore. She was picked up by the servants. He couldn't help but sigh.

If something was not mentioned, it did not mean it was over. Some people could deceive others but not themselves. Especially in the heart of the Highness, he might not be able to cross that barrier in his life.

Maybe it was because of this that the Highness would help her?

Rumors may not be believable.

The Highness clearly had a different view from him. That woman, she was actually able to say such words in front of the Highness and had forcefully grasped the weakness in his heart.

Was She intentional or not?

He should have made a visit to the palace to join in on the fun. Even if the Highness wanted to help, Third Princess and Ji Huachang had always been at loggerheads. So after suffering such a huge loss, how could she be willing to let her go? Adding on the Imperial Consort Jing who wasn't an easy woman to deal with, there might even be a good show going on in the palace.

This future daughter-in-law will battle her future mother-in-law and sister-in-law?

A 1v2 was indeed something to watch.

No, that's not right. There was also the future husband who didn't like her and wholeheartedly wanted to break off her marriage.

One against three?

Tsk. He even broke out in cold sweat for that woman when he thought about this!