Chapter 756
Extra 1
Chapter 756 Extra Chapter 11
"Hmph! Empty words, but you're the best at spouting nice things!" The twenty-six warriors, fueled by the alcohol, were even more irritable than before, and said in a muffled voice, "What you think is no different from ours!"
It's just that you're more cunning than us, so you speak so eloquently.
You say you don't care about fame and fortune, but how can you prove you're just saying that?
"When necessary, I will have my own ways to prove these things to the princess." The gray-clad man spoke coldly and indifferently, and when he spoke to the other four warriors, his attitude involuntarily carried a hint of arrogance. "But for you, I have no need to prove anything to you."
His words were practically a blatant declaration that "you are not worthy."
The other four were furious and about to lash out when the man in gray raised his hand and gestured to them: "You are so disappointed and resentful that you heard the princess could not provide you with the high-ranking official positions, wealth, power and status you wanted. Then what can you bring to the princess?"
Living together doesn't mean one person brings all the benefits to the other and the other person just takes it for granted.
Before you ask for anything from the princess, have you considered what you can give her?
"This..." The twenty-six warriors, who were just indignant, were now speechless after being asked a question by the man in gray. They stammered a few times and then fell silent.
The other three people were also left speechless when asked the same question.
They say they can provide the princess with a life of luxury? She is a princess, born into a life of luxury. In every aspect of her life, she is far more deserving of extravagance than all of them combined.
They claim they can protect the princess and ensure she won't be bullied? She's a princess! Who in the Jie Kingdom has the guts to bully the Jie King's most precious daughter?!
Furthermore, no matter how brave they are, one person can never be more powerful than all the guards in the Prince's mansion.
Besides these two points, what else can they bring to Princess Yanshu...? That really is a question without an answer.
The five warriors were the first to recover their senses. They sized up the unremarkable man in gray and sneered, "Then what can you offer the princess?!"
“I can accompany the princess to live the life she wants.”
If she wants to ride a horse and gallop across the grasslands, I will ride alongside her.
She wanted to travel and explore the famous mountains and rivers of the world, and I was happy to go with her.
She wants to practice with swords and spears; I can train with her.
If she likes poetry and songs, so can I.
I want to give her a free and unrestrained life, and I want her to be herself without any worries.
"And what I like and desire is the princess's truest nature." The man in gray said, taking a piece of paper from his robes and handing it to a nearby guard. "Please give this to the princess."
The guard took the paper and respectfully handed it to Yan Shu behind the screen.
Yan Shu unfolded the paper, and there were four lines of poetry written on it.
My horse neighs loudly as it chases the clouds over the border.
To catch the setting sun, I wield my golden whip.
Flowers bloom like blood at the foot of Yanzhi Mountain.
The vast sky stretches out to meet the distant heavens.
The poem was well-written, but it seemed somewhat unrelated to what that person had said earlier.
Yan Shu's gaze returned to the paper, focusing on the first word of each line of poetry—
"I am Yan Shu".
Yan Shu silently stared at the words on the paper, not uttering any more questions for a long time.
After a long while, she beckoned and whispered a few words to the guard.
The guard nodded, straightened up, and said to the five people outside the screen, "You warriors have shown extraordinary bravery and resourcefulness today. You have worked very hard."
The prince has prepared a banquet in the large tent on the other side of the training ground. Please move over there for your meal.
"Then... about the marriage proposal...?" the Twenty-Six Warriors asked with some doubt.
The guard smiled and said, "The princess's marriage is not a trivial matter; it cannot be decided so easily."
The Princess has witnessed everyone's performance today. After returning and informing the Prince and Princess of her intentions, she will naturally make a decision.
Upon hearing this, the group seemed to have a point, so they stopped arguing and got up to follow the servants waiting outside to another tent for their meal.
The man in gray seemed a little disappointed with the outcome, but he didn't say anything and got up to follow them.
However, the attendant who led him did not take the same route as the previous people. After a series of twists and turns, he was brought back to the main tent.
At this moment, the screen in the main tent was also removed, and Yan Shu sat upright in the tent.
Seeing the man in gray walk in, she coldly snorted: "I didn't know you had Lu Qing's skills, how to put on fake skin!"
It is truly unworthy of me, a mere princess of the Jie Kingdom, to have the dignified King Yi condescend to participate in the marriage selection ceremony.
"I wonder if Your Highness had a good time today?"
The man in gray was taken aback, then gave a wry smile. He groped around his cheek and carefully peeled off the fake skin after a while.
Underneath the fake skin was indeed Lu Zhang's face. "I don't know how to make fake skin. I borrowed this from my brother. He was moved by my sincerity and agreed." He smiled somewhat helplessly. "Without this, I'm afraid I wouldn't have even seen you. I would have been kicked out by now."
"And how did you get the recommendation from the Bayan family?" Yan Shu glanced at the round badge with the number "20" on his waist and immediately knew who his recommender was. "Did my brother help you?"
“My brothers don’t know that I participated in the marriage contest. It was when we were setting up camp in the Jin Kingdom that I saved Brother Bayan once, and he owes me a favor.” Lu Zhang shook his head.
"So what kind of trick are you playing now? Didn't you leave so casually before, without even glancing at me?" Yan Shu snorted, unaware that her words carried a hint of resentment.
Lu Zhang shook his head sheepishly: "I know that the longer I stayed here, the angrier you would get. I also heard about your previous martial arts contest to find a husband, so I was eager to go back and practice day and night, hoping to improve my horsemanship, archery and other martial arts skills, so that I wouldn't be knocked off the stage too early and wouldn't even have a chance to say a word to you."
"Why are you doing this?!" Yan Shu frowned at him. "Don't tell me that you're making such a fuss because you've actually fallen for me."
“That’s right.” Yan Shu asked directly, and Lu Zhang’s face, which had become much darker from the sun, blushed slightly. However, he did not avoid the question because of his embarrassment, but nodded frankly. “Ever since I saw you at the Prince Shuo’s residence, I have been unable to take my eyes off you.”
Knowing that you are the wife I have betrothed to, I am both happy and regretful. I feel guilty towards you, but I can't help but feel secretly pleased, thinking that although I have done wrong before, in time I will have a chance to make up for what I owe you.
But... in the beginning, I was misled and manipulated by my maternal grandfather, which was a terrible mistake that deeply hurt you, and it's not something that can be easily made up for.
Yan Shu opened her mouth, but suddenly couldn't find her own voice.
She has eyes, she's not blind. Ever since she returned to the capital with Lu Zhang, she's seen many changes in him, but at that time she felt more annoyed and repulsed, so she didn't want to pay any attention to them.
Therefore, this was the first time she had heard Lu Zhang's thoughts in such detail.
"Then...then why did you go to the late emperor to ask for a divorce from me?" She took a deep breath and successfully found her tongue.
"Because I want you to see my feelings, I can no longer lock you to my side with a golden chain."
The more I try to bind you with a marriage arranged by marriage, the more you will hate me. Anything I say or do will only increase your rejection and disgust towards me.
I don't want this to happen.
So, to win your heart, the first thing I must do is give you your freedom.
Lu Zhang paused, then sighed softly: "And I also need time to find my true self."
I was raised by my maternal grandfather from a young age, and he led me by the nose in everything I did. The outside world didn't know what I was thinking, and sometimes even I couldn't see myself clearly.
Fortunately, when I was at Fairy Castle, my brother had a heart-to-heart talk with me and enlightened me. I also saw my situation clearly through the circumstances at that time and realized what kind of life I really wanted.
So after sending you back to Jie Kingdom, I have been changing myself, getting rid of the shadow left by my maternal grandfather, and becoming my true self again.
I also hope that after we break up, once you've calmed down and see me again, you'll find that I'm different from before, and that you'll be willing to see what the real me is like.
Yan Shu pursed her lips and looked Lu Zhang up and down: "He does look quite different from before. He's darker, stronger, and not as stiff and aloof as he used to be."
“You were a pitiful caged bird because of a marriage decree, and wasn’t my life the same for the past twenty-odd years?” Lu Zhang smiled bitterly. “My brother and Zhu Yu’s perfect match makes me envious, and it also gives me the courage to try to win over the girl I like with my own abilities.”
Yan Shu glanced at him: "I won't just casually talk about marriage with you again."
"The marriage was arranged by imperial decree, then we divorced by imperial decree, and now, so short a time later, we're marrying again. This is utterly ridiculous and laughable!"
Lu Zhang's eyes dimmed slightly after hearing Yan Shu's words, but he quickly discerned a deeper meaning in them, and his eyes brightened again.
"I'm not begging you to choose me as your husband right away. As long as you're willing to look at me properly, get to know me again, and see if I can become the kind of husband you want!" He nodded eagerly to Yan Shu.
Yan Shu glared at him and walked out.
As she approached the entrance of the main tent, she paused, saying, "The poem isn't bad."
A look of delighted surprise appeared on Lu Zhang's face, and he hurriedly followed.
"You like this kind of poetry? I wrote a few more before, I'll write them down for you later, okay?"
"No, one song is enough. Watching too many will just make me sick of it."
"Well... I've also drawn many portraits of you. Tomorrow I'll take them to the Prince's mansion for a visit. Can you take a look and tell me if they look like you and capture your spirit?"
"Let's discuss it again tomorrow depending on my mood."
"Actually, when I was searching for winemaking recipes to please your father, I found a sweet and sour fruit syrup. Why don't I make some for you to try?"
"Hmm...this sounds rather interesting..."
The two figures walked further and further away.
The warm orange glow of the setting sun cast long shadows on the two figures.
They were also very close.
Thank you Yueyuxi x2 and I am Sister x3 for the monthly tickets!
Thank you, Sister, for the donation to Lu Qing and Zhu Yu!