CHAPTER 448: CHAPTER 448: ESCAPE

After the Old Prince left, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The Old Madam leaned against the large pillow, as if all the color had been drained from her face.

Mrs. Wang looked at her, unsure of what to say.

The most common method of harm in the inner mansion was poisoning.

The Heir’s wife had exceptional medical skills, no wonder the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion was confident in marrying her off with just a little maid accompanying her.

The Heir’s wife didn’t want to expose her medical skills, so she continually tolerated and retreated.

The more they tolerated, the more Princess Nanzhang escalated her actions.

In the end, she poisoned the Young Master at a family banquet, angering the Prince, and lost her position as the Princess Consort.

It’s all fate.

Initially, Marquis Dongxiang refused to marry off his daughter; Princess Nanzhang, driven by temporary pride, went to the palace to request the Emperor’s permission for marriage, timed it perfectly to bring the Heir’s wife into the family, but in the end...

Princess Nanzhang really ended up shooting herself in the foot.

Agarwood Pavilion.

Su Jin stepped inside.

A little maid came forward and said, "Heir’s wife, the Prince just summoned the Young Master."

Xingxing’s small face instantly showed worry, "He must have gotten scolded because of this."

Getting scolded was certain.

"Has the Young Master returned?" Su Jin asked.

"He’s back," the little maid replied.

"Carried back?" Su Jin asked further.

"... He walked back."

Su Jin felt relieved.

As long as he wasn’t beaten, a few scoldings from his father were nothing.

Just consider it as strengthening the father-son bond.

Su Jin took a step forward.

Feeling a bit thirsty, she intended to return to the inner room, but upon reaching the steps, she turned towards the study.

Xie Jingchen wasn’t in the study, so Su Jin headed to the backyard.

In the bamboo house, Xie Jingchen was playing chess.

Su Jin’s mouth twitched, "Such leisure, seems like you took the scolding quite well."

The Hidden Guard, "..."

Xie Jingchen, "..."

"Can’t you see this look of suffering on my face?" Xie Jingchen asked.

"..."

"I only see joy," Su Jin blinked and said.

"..."

Xie Jingchen nearly spat out blood.

The Hidden Guard’s shoulders almost dislocated from chuckling.

Su Jin suspiciously furrowed her brows.

To have the leisure to study a chess manual, can it still be called suffering?

However——

Xie Jingchen was truly in distress.

This chess game was sent by the Emperor’s people.

Of course, only the manual was sent.

The black pieces represented the Emperor.

The white pieces represented Marquis Dongxiang.

From the manual, the black side had already lost by one and a half points.

The Emperor had one request when sending the manual: to turn defeat into victory, leaving Marquis Dongxiang defenseless.

For Xie Jingchen, this game was undoubtedly like being roasted on a fire rack.

On one side was the Emperor, whose words were as unchangeable as a royal decree.

On the other was the revered father-in-law, whose side you couldn’t betray.

If he helped the Emperor, he’d have to endure his father-in-law’s wrath.

If he wore joy on his face, he must be a masochist.

Knowing the cause and effect, Su Jin silently sympathized with Xie Jingchen.

Her father no longer pressed Xie Jingchen to write self-reflection memorials; now it was the Emperor’s turn to ask him to reverse the situation.

Born with a destined to be oppressed life, indeed.

Su Jin sat down and started nibbling on some fruit.

After finishing a piece of fruit, a little maid ran in and said, "Heir’s wife, Manager Li has brought something for you."

Brought something for her?

Su Jin raised an eyebrow.

"Let him in."

The little maid stepped out.

In no time, Manager Li entered, carrying a tray.

The tray was covered with a red silk cloth, concealing its contents.

Su Jin glanced at it and asked, "What is this?"

"The Old Prince sent this for the Heir’s wife’s amusement," Manager Li explained.

He set down the tray.

Su Jin lifted the red silk and saw a pomegranate.

For a moment, she thought it was real.

Carved so lifelike, just looking at it made one’s mouth water.

"So beautiful!" Xingxing said happily.

"I thought the Old Prince was sending you a paddle."

Manager Li, "..."

The pomegranate represents many children and much happiness.

The Old Prince’s gift of a Jade Pomegranate was a wish for a thriving lineage for the Heir’s wife and Young Master.

Of course, it was also because he felt guilty about the Old Madam being angered to the point of spitting blood, so he sent it to console her.

However, encountering the unconventional minds of Su Jin and Xingxing, such indirect gestures were likely going to be a miss.

As soon as Manager Li left the bamboo house, Xingxing touched the pomegranate, saying, "So you made the Old Madam so angry she spat blood, yet the Old Prince wasn’t mad and even sent such a beautiful pomegranate."

"Miss, you must make the Old Madam angry more often in the future."

The Hidden Guard, "..."

Xie Jingchen, "..."

Poor Manager Li was just stepping down when he heard Xingxing’s words and almost tumbled down.

It’s not enough to make the Old Madam angry enough to vomit blood, now they won’t even spare the Old Prince.

Not daring to enter the room, Manager Li quickly left.

Inside the room, Su Jin was holding the pomegranate and cooperated with Xingxing, saying, "I surely won’t let the Old Prince down."

Xie Jingchen’s face had a black line.

Soon —

He laughed again.

"If you think so, Grandfather will surely feel comforted," Xie Jingchen said.

Su Jin looked at Xie Jingchen.

He can still laugh?

Was this grandson picked up from somewhere?

But when it came time to sleep at night, she understood what a true fox was.

After Xie Jingchen finished his bath, he lay on the bed reading a book. Su Jin crawled to the inside of the bed, but she had only crawled halfway when she was suddenly pounced on.

The unexpected move startled Su Jin.

Su Jin blushed, pushing Xie Jingchen, saying, "Did you take the wrong medicine?"

"Didn’t you say not to let Grandfather down?" Xie Jingchen said.

"..."

"I meant make the Old Madam angry!" Su Jin said stubbornly, isn’t she allowed to joke around?

"But Grandfather wouldn’t think so."

"..."

Su Jin was taken aback.

She couldn’t just speak carelessly in the future.

Xie Jingchen gazed into Su Jin’s clear, pure eyes, her lips tender and inviting, exuding temptation.

Xie Jingchen only felt his whole body burning hot.

He swallowed nervously.

For him, the most torturous time of the day was going to bed.

Xie Jingchen leaned in to kiss her.

Their lips touched, and a rush of electricity surged through.

Su Jin’s body trembled slightly.

Even her toes turned a shade of pink.

Xie Jingchen had never felt more elated before, as if he were floating on clouds.

However, just as he intended to deepen the kiss, Su Jin pushed him away, shouting, "Don’t mess around, or else not only will your grandfather not have a great-grandson, but he might also lose a grandson!"

Xie Jingchen’s eyebrows were knitted into a twist.

"You still want to marry someone else?" His eyes flashed with a dangerous light.

"... I’m not ready yet," Su Jin said weakly.

Not that she didn’t want to, she just wasn’t ready.

Xie Jingchen stared at her, "What do you need to prepare for?"

Su Jin pushed him away, hugging the quilt, and with a flushed face said, "There are lots of things to prepare for."

"What are they?" Xie Jingchen pursued the matter.

"Stop asking so many questions, let’s just sleep!" Su Jin avoided the topic.

"Whatever it is, let’s talk about it next year."

Su Jin swiftly grabbed a pillow and lay down near the foot of the bed.

She wrapped herself tightly in the covers.

She wouldn’t admit that just one kiss from Xie Jingchen had unsettled her stone-like steady heart.

She felt she came inexplicably.

She feared that one day she would mysteriously leave.

She didn’t want to leave, but her heart remained.

Tomorrow, she’ll burn a few more bundles of incense at the Great Buddha Temple.

Hoping the Bodhisattva opens his eyes and gives her a straightforward answer.

Su Jin turned her nape to Xie Jingchen, killing his mood entirely.

He stared at Su Jin for a long while.

This woman was clearly afraid.

What in her courage could make her afraid?

Xie Jingchen couldn’t figure it out.

But since Su Jin didn’t want to talk, he couldn’t force her in the middle of the night.

Whatever it was, they’d talk about it tomorrow.

Wait!

She seemed to say next year.

Xie Jingchen knitted his brows again.

Su Jin knew Xie Jingchen was watching her, afraid he would probe further.

Fearing this scenario, she had readied herself.

When Xie Jingchen wanted to ask, Su Jin was already "asleep."

Never had he met such a carefree woman.

Xie Jingchen tucked her in and lay down too.

But he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The candle in the room burned halfway, crackling softly.

He was used to sleeping with Su Jin in his arms. Now with an empty embrace, he couldn’t sleep.

Xie Jingchen sat up, planning to pull Su Jin back over.

And then —

Young Master Xie encountered the most awkward situation of his life.

He had just pulled Su Jin into his embrace, ready to turn over.

Su Jin was poked awake by the silver needle hidden in the quilt.

They locked eyes.

Su Jin, "..."

Xie Jingchen, "..."