This Lady Is Trying to Kill Me - Chapter 61
Chapter 61: So It Was You Who Threw It!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
After leaving the Prince of Jing Estate, Ye Jingtang had breakfast on the street and returned to Dye Workshop Street.
He led his horse into the courtyard and looked up to see the white bird squatting on the steps. There was a pile of small wooden boxes in front of it, containing dried meat, fish, and so on.
Seeing him return, the bird politely used its wings to gesture at the snacks. “Chirp-”
The meaning was probably: Do you want some?
“Who bought it for you?”
“Chirp chirp chirp-” The bird spread its wings and made the gesture for Sister Big Chest.
After such a huge incident yesterday, Third Lady must have heard the news and came to visit.
There was no sign of Third Lady in the courtyard. It seemed that she had guessed he wouldn’t return from the Prince of Jing Estate in a short time and had already returned to Heavenly Water Bridge.
He went to the steps and jumped up. From the birdhouse under the eaves, he took out the page of the Roaring Dragon Chart that the bird had hidden.
Luo Ning and Zhe Yunli were not at home, and it was really boring to stay home alone. After Ye Jingtang watered the flowers and plants Luo Ning planted, he carried the bird and prepared to go to Heavenly Water Bridge to report his safety to Third Lady.
But to his surprise, before he could walk out of Dye Workshop Street, a fast horse came running over from the street. Sitting on it was a constable from the Black Office. He dismounted and said, “Young Master Ye, Her Highness the Prince of Jing invites you over.”
Ye Jingtang had just returned from the prince’s estate. When he heard this, his heart sank. Could the Prince of Jing have discovered that the Mr. Horn is missing and asked me to go over to question me?
Ye Jingtang was indeed in the wrong. Without any delay, he mounted his horse again and returned to Jasper Pavilion.
This time, he didn’t go through the back door of the Black Office. The constable led him straight to the main entrance of the Prince of Jing Estate. There were imperial guards standing guard along the street, and there were even more guards at the entrance of the estate. Not only were there many maidservants standing there, but Dongfang Liren, who was wearing her silver python robe, was personally standing at the foot of the stairs and looking up.
Seeing this from afar, Ye Jingtang quickly dismounted and walked to the entrance of the majestic estate. “Greetings, Your Highness. Your Highness can just get someone to greet me. Why go out to welcome me in person?”
Dongfang Liren had a smile on her face. When Ye Jingtang arrived in front of her, she walked into the estate side by side with him. “Don’t say such formal words. Yesterday, you risked your life to save me. 1 originally wanted to wait for you to wake up and thank you in person, but someone from the Imperial Court came, so 1 could only get you to go back first. Don’t worry.”
When Ye Jingtang heard that someone had come from the palace, he thought that Miss Yuhu had told on him. So without waiting for the Prince of Jing to ask, he directly confessed his crime. “Speaking of which, I have committed a crime. When I woke up earlier, I strolled around Jasper Pavilion and discovered a red sandalwood box on a bookshelf. Inside was… Eh?”
Before Ye Jingtang could finish speaking, he suddenly saw the arrogant and noble Dongfang Dumdum abruptly stop in her tracks, turn around, and grab his collar with her hands. Her eyes were brimming with anger, and her eyebrows were bristling!
The surrounding maidservants hurriedly lowered their heads. The bird shrank its neck!
Ye Jingtang was confused. He raised his hands and explained, “I didn’t lose anything. I threw it into the lake… Huh?!”
Thud!
There was a soft sound.
Dongfang Liren’s fat-headed dragon was about to explode from anger. She pressed Ye Jingtang against the screen wall of a coiling dragon and gnashed her teeth. “So it was you who threw it?!”
Ye Jingtang felt that Dongfang Liren was unusually angry. He raised his hands and gestured. “Yes… Um… Did it break?”
Dongfang Liren had wondered why she had explained this matter to her sister for so long, but her sister had looked at her with a ‘you still dare to lie to me’ expression. So this was the problem!
“You…” Dongfang Liren had almost been embarrassed to death. She wished she could beat Ye Jingtang up.
But when she recalled how he had risked his life to save her yesterday, she couldn’t say anything harsh. After gritting her teeth for a while, she let go of her hands and regained the calm bearing that a princess should have. “Why did you throw it away? Did anyone see you?”
“Just now, a palace maid came to see Your Highness and almost ran into me. 1 was afraid that if this thing were discovered, Your Highness would be misunderstood by the palace, so I threw it away. Is it very serious?”
Palace maid… Dongfang Liren immediately understood the situation. Her sister had already met Ye Jingtang, which was why she had kept asking her about her lover.
Judging from Ye Jingtang’s appearance, he probably didn’t know her sister’s identity…
Dongfang Liren breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just that when 1 was strolling around, 1 found the dirty thing thrown into the lake. It’s poor decorum. Did that palace maid see you?”
Ye Jingtang knew what the Prince of Jing was worried about, so he explained, “She just asked who I was. 1 was afraid of being misunderstood by the palace, so 1 clearly explained my background and why I appeared in Jasper Pavilion. Your Highness, don’t worry.”
Hearing this, Dongfang Liren nodded. Her expression returned to normal as she asked with concern, “Are you feeling better?”
“I’m fine now.”
“That’s good…”
Dongfang Liren recalled Madam Wang’s doctor’s orders and deliberated for a moment before casually asking, “You’re handsome, good at martial arts, and have a chivalrous heart. There should be many young ladies pursuing you, right?”
“There are quite a lot. In the past, in Liang Province, matchmakers came to propose marriage when 1 was thirteen or fourteen. Some valiant young ladies from rich families even wanted to come and snatch me.”
Dongfang Liren didn’t doubt this and asked curiously, “So, you have a lot of old acquaintances?”
Ye Jingtang had promised Heroine Luo, so he replied, “Your Highness, you’re joking. 1 only have one person I like, but she’s not in the capital now.”
Only one person he likes… When Dongfang Liren heard this, she didn’t suspect anything because Madam Wang had said that Ye Jingtang must have been clean this year and didn’t come into contact with women…
However, he had to come into contact with women, and it even had to be a few of them. Otherwise, he would suffocate…
Dongfang Liren hesitated slightly before saying tactfully, “Don’t you think of finding a few more?”
Chirp?!”
Not only Ye Jingtang, but even the bird felt that something was wrong.
Ye Jingtang blinked. He really couldn’t bear the fiery princess. “Your Highness, this… um…”
Dongfang Liren realized that Ye Jingtang had misunderstood. Afraid that he would misunderstand, she explained, “I’m just joking. 1 thought you were quite lecherous, but I didn’t expect you to be such a devoted man…”
“Hehe…” Ye Jingtang couldn’t figure out what the Prince of Jing meant, so he really couldn’t say anything.
While chatting, the two of them walked through the corridors and arrived at a waterside pavilion by the koi lake.
The waterside pavilion was decorated quite elegantly. There were colorful flowers outside and a bead curtain hanging near the lake. On the stage opposite the lake, dancers in colorful clothes were dancing and playing music.
There was a long table in the waterside pavilion. All kinds of delicacies had already been served. There were dozens of dishes and a few jars of old wine on the table.
■Heartless Hungry Chicken’, who was walking in front of the two of them, saw this scene, and its eyes lit up. But in front of outsiders, it still had to restrain itself. It just watched eagerly and didn’t fly over.
Dongfang Liren sat elegantly on her side behind the long table. Her tall figure paired with her majestic python robe made her posture gorgeous and imposing. The bulging section of her clothes could be placed on the table as long as she leaned forward slightly. Her shoulders, waist, and hips drew perfect and flawless arcs, just like the portrait of a beautiful woman carefully drawn by a famous master.
Ye Jingtang sat upright and didn’t look around. He just looked at the familiar bird.
Dongfang Liren raised her wine cup slightly in a toast. “You have done a meritorious deed in protecting me this time. What reward do you want?”
Ye Jingtang raised his wine cup in return and said, “1 have already learned the Heaven Equaling Saber. Yesterday, 1 even used it to fight against the enemy. Qiu Tianhe can be regarded as my teacher…”
Dongfang Liren understood what he meant and said readily, “1 will keep my word. You have already accomplished your task, so 1 won’t make things difficult for you. However, I can’t release him today. The Blood Bodhi hasn’t been brought to justice yet, and the capital is under martial law. If I rashly let Qiu Tianhe out of the dungeon, the people from the government will be easily distracted. I will make arrangements in two days. You don’t have to worry about it.”
Ye Jingtang calmed down. Seeing that the Prince of Jing was so straightforward, he said, “Then, the Dragon Slaying Decree…”
Dongfang Liren blinked and put on a serious expression. “Back then, we agreed that you would use a saber technique to exchange for the Dragon Slaying Decree with me. Have I learned the Heaven Equaling Saber?”
Ye Jingtang was stunned. You’re clumsy and can’t learn, yet you still have the cheek to question me righteously?
But he definitely couldn’t say this. He nodded helplessly. “I will definitely study the practice method seriously and teach the Heaven Equaling Saber to Your Highness as soon as possible.”
Dongfang Liren nodded slightly. After drinking two cups of wine, she suddenly remembered that Ye Jingtang was about to go out, but the empress had just asked Ye Jingtang to enter the palace to patrol…
“Ye Jingtang, you said that you were going to help your family deal with business. Are you in a hurry?”
Ye Jingtang was afraid that the Prince of Jing would keep him and ruin the Red Flower Pavilion’s business, so he could only say, “The time has been set. It’s a little urgent… If Your Highness has arrangements…”
Dongfang Liren sighed. “The Blood Bodhi has yet to be brought to justice. If anything goes wrong in the palace, 1 will definitely be impeached by the court officials. I wanted you to help me go to the Imperial City to work for two days, but if you have something urgent, forget it.”
Work in the Imperial City?
I don’t think I’m in a hurry anymore…
Ye Jingtang really didn’t expect happiness to come so suddenly. Seeing that Dongfang Liren was about to cancel the arrangements, he replied, “It is my honor to serve Your Highness. Hmm… There’s indeed an urgent matter at home, but I will just be patrolling the palace today and tomorrow. The time doesn’t conflict.”
Dongfang Liren nodded slightly. Thinking of Madam Wang’s ‘doctor’s orders’, she felt that she had to say it. She said tactfully, “Her Majesty is a woman, so there are no concubines in the harem, and it’s not too taboo for men to enter. When you patrol the area, if you like a palace maid, you can tell me openly. You’ve made a merit in protecting me, so it’s only right that 1 give you a few people to serve you tea.”
Ye Jingtang pondered for a moment and felt that these words were a test for him, so he said righteously, “Your Highness must be joking. Even if 1 need people to serve me tea, why would 1 go to the Imperial City to look for them? When do I start patrolling the Imperial City?”
Dongfang Liren had drunk a few cups of wine, so her face was red. She glanced at Ye Jingtang and said, “Do you find drinking with me boring and are in a hurry to leave?”
“Your Highness is being too serious. I’m just afraid that I’ll drink too much and ruin the official business.”
When Dongfang Liren saw Ye Jingtang’s gentlemanly appearance of ‘talking politely and being unmoved by beautiful women and wine’, she couldn’t help sighing inwardly. He really has the temperament of a gentleman. I wonder what kind of woman his lover is…
Dongfang Liren took out a waist token and threw it to Ye Jingtang. “No one knows if the rebel will disturb the Imperial City. The sooner the patrols start, the better. Take my token and look for Shang Jianli. He will explain what to take note of.”
Ye Jingtang caught the waist token, stood up, cupped his hands, and bade farewell.
The bird followed him while turning its head back three times with every step. Before leaving, it even flapped its wings. “Chirp-”
Goodbye, Sister Fat-Headed Dragon.
Dongfang Liren smiled and waved her hand.
“Chirp!”
After the man and bird walked out of the waterside pavilion, Dongfang Liren sighed faintly, and a complicated expression appeared between her brows…
