Coming Kingly Son-in-Law: Don't Provoke the First Daughter - Chapter 29

Chapter 29 Be Different
Seeing Shen Zhongbai’s face darken instantly, Empress Dowager coughed lightly. When she was about to say something, the eunuch shouted in a thin voice, “The Ninth Duke arrives.”

Everyone was surprised. Gu Qiang turned around only to see Shen Qianshan in white too. He was so charming that Gu Qiang was slightly absent-minded.

After greeting Empress Dowager, Shen Qianshan turned around to look at Shen Zhongbai and beamed, “Long time no see, brother.”

Shen Zhongbai looked up at Shen Qianshan, his younger brother. They seemed to get on well, but they had no private contact in fact. Shen Qianshan appeared suddenly today. He must come here for Gu Qiang.

Shen Zhongbai’s secret guard told him this morning that Gu Qiang stayed with Shen Qianshan last night. Their relationship must be not so simple as it seemed to be.

“Though it has been a long time since we saw each other last time, you must have seen Miss Gu for many times, right?” Shen Zhongbai said with a smile. No one found there was something vicious in his eyes.

How could the woman he couldn’t get be won by Shen Qianshan?

Empress Dowager meant to match Shen Zhongbai and Gu Qiang, but now it was not appropriate, so she told them, “You guys are of similar ages and have many common topics. I’m tired and will go to take a rest.”

Then she rose. Before she left, she told Gu Qiang to get a reward from her before going out of the palace.

After Empress Dowager left, Gu Qiang stood up and was ready to go home. The best solution to the embarrassing situation was to leave here as soon as possible.

Finding Gu Qiang intended to leave, Shen Zhongbai moved to her immediately and wanted to hold her hand, but she dodged and asked calmly, “Your Highness, what’s up? If there is nothing else, please allow me to leave.”

Touched by Shen Zhongbai, Gu Qiang had an aversion to cold. The man was gloomy all over. Others couldn’t feel it, because they didn’t know him well. Maybe Shen Zhongbai thought Gu Qiang didn’t know him well, either.

So long as he controlled his ambition in front of Gu Qiang and pretended to be kind and gentle, she could believe that he was just that kind of man.

However, Shen Zhongbai didn’t want to give up. He wanted to hold her hand again and said, “Listen to me…”

Gu Qiang struggled and failed to break free from him. But then she was pulled into someone’s arms. She turned around and saw white clothes, the color of which was just like hers.

It was Shen Qianshan.

“Do you want to put Miss Gu in a tough spot, brother?” Shen Qianshan gave an elegant and faint smile as it used to be. It couldn’t be judged if he was angry, but his tone made Shen Zhongbai uncomfortable.

Obviously, Shen Qianshan was defending Gu Qiang. Shen Zhongbai couldn’t accept that his brother offended him for a woman.

“Do you love the woman? We are brothers. You are always smart and know that, for us, women are actually…” Shen Zhongbai said and glanced at Gu Qiang without finishing his words.

Women were not important. They could get as many women as they wanted. It was not worthwhile to worsen their relationship due to a woman. But Shen Zhongbai didn’t say it.

“Of course. But this woman is different from others.” Shen Qianshan responded and then left with Gu Qiang.

Watching them swagger away, Shen Zhongbai gnashed his teeth in anger. Shen Qianshan dared to take the woman away in his presence. Did he want to die?

Why was Shen Qianshan worth being defended by Shen Qianshan? Hadn’t he met a better woman?

After entering the imperial garden, Gu Qiang panted heavily. She was extremely nervous on the way. The palace was in a solemn and awe-inspiring atmosphere. She even didn’t dare to breathe freely. There were few people in the imperial garden. Gu Qiang had a chance to relax finally.

The pavilion was decorated with colorful flowers, over which multicolored butterflies were dancing. It was a pleasant scene. The fragrance made Gu Qiang smell good too.

Shen Qianshan sat on a nearby chair and raised his head slightly. His profile was clear and his expression was cool. He looked very relaxed.

Gu Qiang turned around, saluted Shen Qianshan and said softly, “Your Highness, I’m grateful for your help.”

Shen Qianshan turned around. Breeze fluttered his hair, which looked attractive. He was nearly expressionless, but Gu Qiang knew he was smiling. His mouth corners were slightly upturned. He seemed to be glad.

“I just walked past there. Don’t take it to heart.” Shen Qianshan said slowly and softly. Completely different from his coldness before, he seemed kind all over.

Of course, he didn’t know that his kindness and tenderness could conquer a woman. Just after a quick glance, Gu Qiang knew she would be conquered.

She pinched her thigh with force. It hurt so much that she was close to tears. Meanwhile, she admired that she could treat herself so fiercely.

She couldn’t think about anything about love at this time, especially when the man was Shen Qianshan.

Of course, she was moved by the Ninth Duke, because he always appeared suddenly to help her. But she knew that nothing came for free in the world. Whoever wanted to help her must hope to get something. But she didn’t know what it was.

Gu Qiang was only the eldest daughter of Gu Family. It had been traditional since ancient times that the royal family and official families united by marriage. Gu Qiang’s father was Prime Minister, and many princes were eager to marry his daughters. That might be the reason why the Third Prince and the Ninth Duke wanted to be close to her.

However, Gu Qiang was not cold-blooded. Shen Qianshan often helped her. If she still pretended that nothing had happened, it would be unreasonable.

Finally, Gu Qiang walked to Shen Qianshan, meditated, and rubbed her hands. She lowered her head and looked at her shoe tips. She was wearing a pair of beautiful embroidered shoes, which were clean and had clear lines.

“It might sound strange, but Your Highness, I hope…” Before Gu Qiang finished, she was drawn away and then held into someone’s arms with plum blossom fragrance.

Before Gu Qiang realized what happened, she saw a panicky maid in light green standing behind her. With a crash of porcelain, the maid kneeled on the ground immediately and kowtowed repeatedly to Shen Qianshan.

Shen Qianshan waved. The maid straightened up finally, wiped her tears, stood up in a trembling way and then left.

The maid meant to serve tea awarded by Empress Dowager to the two distinguished guests. However, she stumbled by accident and fell on the ground. The tea was nearly poured on Miss Gu Qiang. Fortunately, the Ninth Duke pulled Miss Gu Qiang into his arms.

When the maid went down the pavilion, she kneeled on the ground carelessly and didn’t realize what happened until a long while had passed.

Gu Qiang broke free from Shen Qianshan’s arms instantly, but she found herself flush. She put her cold hands against her face and stood there in a daze. She found her relationship with the Ninth Duke was increasingly closer.

But Shen Qianshan was expressionless. It seemed that he only had done something casually that was probably done by him every day. If it was true, he was not so simple as she imagined. Perhaps he was a womanizer.

Gu Qiang calmed down instantly, turned around and saluted, “Your Highness, thanks for helping me again.”

Shen Qianshan smiled faintly. Then he seemed to think of something and asked, “What did you want to say just now?”

Then Gu Qiang recalled that she just wanted to talk about Shen Qianshan and said instantly, “Your Highness, I wanted to remind you to be cautious.”

Shen Qianshan looked calm and idle originally. After hearing what Gu Qiang said, he sat up suddenly and looked at her carefully. Breeze fluttered his clothes. The white clothes flew in the wind. His smell was different from the fragrance of surrounding flowers. That meant Shen Qianshan was different.

“What do you mean? Am I in danger?” Shen Qianshan moved close to Gu Qiang. His face darkened and looked different from the past. Looking at it, she felt scared suddenly.

As he approached her, she became nervous. Why did he get angry suddenly? It was just a warning or a kind caution. Why did he look as if she would bring damage to him?

“Your Highness, please calm down. I… I just wanted to warn you, without any other intention.” Gu Qiang’s face became pale. But She was not a woman that could be bullied easily, so she wasn’t scared by Shen Qianshan.

While Shen Qianshan was approaching her, Gu Qiang, who stood in front of him, was suddenly pushed away by a gust of wind. She screamed and almost hit the column behind her. Shen Qianshan noticed that and held her immediately.

Gu Qiang steadied herself beside Shen Qianshan and saw Infanta Ziyan who she met last night. Ziyan was standing in the middle of the pavilion and looking angrily at Gu Qiang, as if she wanted to tear Gu Qiang into pieces. Rage was written all over her face.

Shen Qianshan turned around and saw Ziyan’s expression. Then a gust of cold wind blew into the small and beautiful pavilion. Gu Qiang shuddered, tightened her clothes, and smiled embarrassedly at Ziyan. After all, Ziyan once said she wanted to make friends with Gu Qiang.