Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

123. A Date

Translator: Flying Lines

“You are now the crown prince, and yet you let me walk in front of you. Doesn’t this mean that my position is deeply ingrained in your heart?” Xiao Shengnian asked as he laughed.

Hearing Xiao Shengnian, Su Jie didn’t retort back. He said, “Despite how my position may change, you are the only one in my heart.”

Su Jie’s words were extremely serious, which silenced Xiao Shengnian.

Wasn’t this the first time his little slave said such romantic things to him?

Xiao Shengnian found it a little strange. He replayed Su Jie’s words from just now, and the corner of his lips showed a warm smile.

Su Jie walked under the glow of the moonlight, a little satisfied. These days, he was indeed tired, but when he saw Xiao Shengnian today, it was like he suddenly had someone to rely on. His heart, which had been tightly strung taut, could finally relax, and he felt much more energized.

There were patrolling soldiers everywhere. When they saw Su Jie, they would stop respectfully and wait for Su Jie and Xiao Shengnian to pass by with lowered heads. Then, the soldiers continued on their patrol routes.

Because there was an unfamiliar handsome man by Su Jie’s side, the soldiers naturally became curious and tried to guess what Xiao Shengnian’s identity was secretly.

Walking shoulder-to-shoulder into the heavily-guarded mansion with Su Jie, Xiao Shengnian couldn’t help but give an inward sigh. Before, he always thought that Su Jie would stay by his side but now, Su Jie’s identity underwent an earth-breaking change. This made Xiao Shengnian realize that Su Jie couldn’t return to State Yanhui with him.

However, Xiao Shengnian couldn’t continuously stay in State Yanling.

Xiao Shengnian’s roots were in State Yanhui, so was his mother’s family. He lived in that country for so many years. No matter how he desired to live with Su Jie, as a prince, he simply couldn’t stay in State Yanling for long periods of time.

Unless…

Unless State Yanhui and State Yanling became one country someday.

The two people walked together, both lost in their own thoughts. Neither of them said anything. The night breeze brushed past their faces, bringing a silky coolness.

After walking for a while, Su Jie arrived at an isolated and quiet courtyard with Xiao Shengnian. He ordered the soldiers to retreat, looking like he wanted to speak with Xiao Shengnian privately.

“The troops are going to rest in this city for some days. Then, we will continue attacking cities.”

“How long do you plan to take the imperial city?” Xiao Shengnian asked.

“Less than a month, I think. The closer we are to the imperial city, the greater the resistance by those loyal to Lan Buhui will become. The obstacles will become larger.” Su Jie answered.

“In the days that you are fighting, I will stay by your side.”

“And you will leave after I’ve taken the imperial city?” This topic was a little heavy. After all, these two people had only met up again after so long, yet they were already talking about parting.

“I still have many things in State Yanhui that I haven’t taken care of. If Father knows that you are Wen Nianxuan, I will be facing the danger of losing his affections.” Xiao Shengnian said with a small smile.

Indeed, if State Yanhui’s Emperor knew that his seventh son was involved with State Yanling’s crown prince at the beginning, it would be difficult to say that he wouldn’t be suspicious. After all, this involved two countries. Also, State Yanling’s crown prince was rather legendary. If he knew that this crown prince had once shared an intimate relationship with his seventh son, State Yanhui’s Emperor would unquestionably have certain thoughts.

“Actually, you shouldn’t have come here.” Su Jie sighed lightly. From the moment he chose to leave State Yanhui, he thought he wouldn’t ever see Xiao Shengnian again. Unexpectedly, Xiao Shengnian chased him all the way here stubbornly.

Did it mean that his fate with Xiao Shengnian had yet to end?

Hearing Su Jie’s words, anger rose in Xiao Shengnian’s heart. His dark eyes stared at the white-robed handsome youth as he asked, “Why? You want to get rid of me after becoming a crown prince?”

“No. Other than the fact that we are fighting dangerous wars here, you also have many things to handle in State Yanhui.”

Seeing Xiao Shengnian staring fiercely at him, Su Jie sighed and said, “You are the son most adored by the Emperor, so it is natural that many people are monitoring you like a predator would to its prey. If people with ill intentions pass on the news of you coming to Yanling to find me, you will be in a lot of trouble.”

“I’m not scared of trouble.”

“… Whatever.” Su Jie felt moved, yet his facial expression remained unchanged. He organized a room for Xiao Shengnian and after a moment, he had some pieces of paper brought to Xiao Shengnian.

“What is this?” Xiao Shengnian glanced at it under the glow of the moonlight and discovered that it had information about Busha Pavilion’s strongholds. It also had rather detailed records about the cover identities the men of sacrifice used and the people they were around.

Xiao Shengnian flipped through it roughly and found Su Jie had also written down the hobbies and weaknesses of several princes, as well as the places they frequented. There were even records of princes almost drowning when they were younger.

“You… are that familiar with the situation of State Yanhui’s princes?”

Xiao Shengnian frowned, and before Su Jie could say anything, he said, “Why didn’t you write down what I liked?”

Su Jie didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. Originally, he wanted to give Xiao Shengnian some records of what he knew about State Yanhui’s princes. After all, Xiao Shengnian was lacking in terms of intelligence reports. Unexpectedly, this was what Xiao Shengnian cared about when he received the report.

Su Jie shook his head as he laughed and said in a tone like he was reading a book, “Xiao Shengnian, the Emperor’s seventh son, courtesy name: Youguang, title: Prince Rui. You received the Emperor’s affections because you were diligent, courteous, virtuous, and full of filial piety. You almost died when you fell off some rockery at seven. After that, your personality became gentle, and you treated your family well, thus receiving affection. You like gardening, behave well, and you are praised by the Emperor for your literacy talent. You share a mother with the ninth prince.”

After a pause, Su Jie added, “At first, the report I received was that you are not skilled in martial arts, but unexpectedly, you are more skilled than I am. Now I think about it, the information collected by the Guqin Master was lacking. The things I’ve written for you are the reports I received from the Guqin Master. There may be some disagreements with reality, but it should be helpful to you.”

Xiao Shengnian nodded and placed the stack of paper inside his pockets. He raised his head to look at Su Jie, and when he saw Su Jie’s serious expression, he couldn’t help it as the thought of teasing crossed his mind.

Xiao Shengnian’s eyes curved into pretty crescents. He then asked with a smile, “Your Highness, why don’t you stay here for the night?”

Su Jie chuckled, since the chance to be elegant was hard to come by. He answered, “How could I refuse if my husband asks?”

Xiao Shengnian also laughed. He clasped his hands behind his back and said with a shaking head, “Your Highness should rest early. If you don’t leave, the soldiers at the door are going to use their gazes to gorge out several holes in my body.”

Su Jie looked back, and discovered that the two teams of guards outside the door were staring at Xiao Shengnian like they were facing some sort of huge enemy.

Perhaps it was because they didn’t expect Su Jie to look back that the soldiers weren’t able to hide their fierce gazes.

Su Jie frowned. He didn’t understand why the soldiers would have such prejudice against Xiao Shengnian, or why they would display it so openly. Was it because the soldiers knew that Xiao Shengnian was someone from State Yanhui, and so they harbored hostility?

“I’ll take you for a walk around the streets tomorrow so you can experience Yanling’s local customs.” Su Jie said.

“Sure.” Xiao Shengnian nodded warmly and watched Su Jie leave.