sjar Chapter 157 Sweet Words
Chapter 157 Sweet Words
“Yes,” Jiang Zhi said without changing his expression, “I personally gave you this method, so how can it not count?”
"But you won't be disappointed, will you?" she asked tentatively.
"Disappointed?" Gu Liang turned to look at her. "How could I be disappointed?"
Jiang Zhi smiled. "Don't the stories say that men like women who cook and clean?"
"Will you be disappointed if I don't cook now?" Gu Liang asked back.
Jiang Zhi pretended to think for a moment, "Maybe."
Gu Liang almost thought she was genuinely worried about disappointing her.
"Bamboo Peach." He raised the corners of his lips. "I never cared whether you could cook or not. If everything were as the stories say, then the most popular women with men in the world would all be cooks."
"Your Highness is quite the smooth talker," Jiang Zhi teased.
Gu Liang said seriously, "My wife doesn't need to change. She should be the way she is. If she needs to change, it must be because I haven't done enough."
Jiang Zhi felt a warmth in his heart, "Your Highness has read so many romance novels, how can you speak such sweet words?"
“Speaking of storybooks, I haven’t read as many as you have,” Gu Liang chuckled.
She thought back carefully, wondering if there were any storybooks she had taken from Wu Shi that hadn't been put away properly inside the room.
"Your Highness, you're peeking at my things." Jiang Zhi raised his chin.
“You read storybooks before bed, and they often fall to the floor,” Gu Liang said. “Why don’t you thank me for putting them away for you?”
A ripple appeared in Jiang Zhi's eyes.
She thought it was the midday sun that had placed it for her.
After she finished speaking, she looked at Gu Liang, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Gu Liang tilted her head and looked at her, "I also know that the sweet words you said to me back then were learned from storybooks."
Jiang Zhi smiled, pursing her lips, "Reading widely means you have to read everything."
Gu Liang stared at her and chuckled, "Has no one ever told you that you're despicable?"
Jiang Zhi looked back at him and said, "At least I've seen it and I know how to use it."
"Could it be that Your Highness is the kind of person who does good deeds silently without seeking anything in return?" She put her hands behind her back and shook her head. "I'm not that magnanimous. If I did something incredibly good, I would definitely announce it to the world."
"Then tell me, what did you do?" Gu Liang asked.
Jiang Zhi's gaze shifted to the kitchen behind Gu Liang. "Hmm, for example, if I make pear soup, whether I made it myself or not, you'll praise me for being virtuous."
Gu Liang sized her up. "Is it enough if I'm the only one praising her?"
Jiang Zhi's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "A single kind word from Your Highness is worth a fortune!"
"Smooth words and charming words."
Gu Liang gave a low groan and pulled her into his arms.
Jiang Zhi leaned against his chest and gently chided him, "Your Highness, aren't you worried?"
Gu Liang held her close, looking down at her, "What are you worried about?"
"After returning to Beijing, things might change."
"I only care if you're alright. You have no idea how terrified I was when you were kidnapped that day."
He had never been afraid of anything until that day when he saw Jiang Zhi tied up and trembling all over. Even though Jiang Zhi was standing right in front of him, countless tragic images flashed through his mind.
“In the future, when making decisions, please tell me. Don’t take risks alone; I’ll worry,” he emphasized again.
"I understand." She raised her hand and touched his face.
Gu Liang took her fingertips and kissed them.
Jiang Zhi's heart softened, and he leaned against her, calling softly, "Gu Liang."
Gu Liang's chest trembled.
Before she could speak, his breath was already on her neck.
"Ah."
He responded softly, his tone overflowing with joy.
This was the first time he had heard Jiang Zhi call his name seriously, not just a cold "Your Highness".
It's the phrase "Gu Liang".
“Gu Liang,” Jiang Zhi looked up and smiled at him, then suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Liangliang.”
She didn't know if anyone had ever called him that, but her cousin had always called her Zhizhi since she was little, which she felt was an extremely affectionate term.
She whispered in his ear again, "Langlang."
My older cousin always calls me that, and it feels really warm and familiar, but I don't know if you like it?
Gu Liang held her even tighter. "I like it very much, but I can't bear to part with it."
"Huh?" Jiang Zhi asked, puzzled. "You can't bear to part with it?"
Gu Liang's voice was low and deep, "I don't want anyone else to hear."
The person in his arms probably didn't know that when she called him "Langlang," her voice was as soft as a gentle stream, making one wish she would just melt into his arms.
Jiang Zhi's ears burned. "Then all my words were wasted?"
Gu Liang nuzzled her face and whispered something in her ear.
Jiang Zhi felt a sudden heat spread through her body to her cheeks. She pushed the person away and went to the door to get some fresh air.
Gu Liang saw her slightly flushed cheeks and smiled.
Jiang Zhi felt a breeze, and his expression returned to normal. He pondered, "Since neither of us is in the capital, is the Liang Prince's residence still peaceful? Is the capital still peaceful?"
"Don't worry, everything was arranged before leaving the capital. The Emperor is probably busy with matters in Qingzhou right now."
-
The sound of an inkstone shattering on the floor came from the imperial study again.
"Get out! All of you, get out!" the emperor roared.
The palace maid silently picked up the inkstone from the ground and replaced it with a new one.
The eunuch Zhang, who was guarding the gate, kindly closed the palace gate for them.
“Look,” said Eunuch Zhang, seeing the palace servant splattered with ink, “Hurry up and change your clothes. You have to serve in the palace later. Be careful, or you might be accused of disrespecting the Emperor.”
"Yes, yes, yes," the official in charge of ink replied.
Eunuch Zhang advised, "It's hot and you're easily angered. If you've been wronged, don't keep it to yourself."
"This humble servant dares not," the palace attendant said in a low voice. "His Majesty was so angry because of the matter in Qingzhou."
"Qingzhou?" Eunuch Xu looked puzzled. "What happened to Qingzhou?"
The palace attendant looked around and leaned closer. "Isn't this because the newly appointed Minister of Revenue, Pei, was auditing the accounts and discovered a huge shortfall? Not to mention that this year's tax revenue can't be made up, if we want to rebuild the water conservancy project, the national treasury will probably have to subsidize a large sum of money again."
Eunuch Zhang hissed.
"Don't worry, I only dare to say this to you. I wouldn't dare to mention it to anyone else."
"Alright, alright, go change your clothes."
After the person left, Eunuch Zhang shook his hand and was about to stroll back to the palace gate when he saw Prince Jing, Gu Yuan, approaching from afar.
Eunuch Zhang went to greet him, "Your Highness Prince Jing, what brings you here?"
“I’ve come to visit my mother,” Gu Yuan said, glancing at the palace gate behind him. “I’ve also heard that my father hasn’t been feeling well lately, so I came to see him and ease his mind.”
Eunuch Zhang gestured for Gu Yuan to follow him a little further away, and whispered, "Your Highness, why don't you come back later?"
Gu Yuan noticed the look in Zhang the eunuch's eyes and understood, "What is troubling Father Emperor this time?"
"I don't know about that," Eunuch Zhang said with a cupped hand and a smile. "How could a servant like me have a say in court affairs? Your Highness is too kind."
Gu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll go see my mother first, and I'll come back later."
"Yes," Eunuch Zhang replied with a smile, "Your Highness, please take care."