Chapter 179

"Alright, I know you're doing this for the good of the Duke's Residence. I was just saying it in passing. Let's get on the carriage, we mustn't be late and give others something to laugh at us about," Gu Ying said with a shallow smile.

Cheng pounded her fist into the cotton in frustration, having nowhere to vent her anger. She secretly signaled to Sun Mammy.

Sun Mammy understood and then Cheng boarded the carriage.

Seeing Cheng get on the carriage, Gu Ying turned around about to board her own carriage.

She walked slowly, but somehow a foot stretched out from somewhere, tripping her.

"Mistress!"

"Miss Ying!"

The people around were shocked.

Her body swayed to one side, just about to fall into the rouge's arms, when the sound of galloping hooves suddenly approached. The people hadn't yet reacted when a black shadow descended from the sky.

Gu Ying blinked. In the chaos, she only felt a pair of familiar big hands grab her by the waist.

She opened her eyes, only to see that person's smiling phoenix eyes.

She exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "Prince."

Zhao Changdu scooped her up and simply held the young lady in his arms. His voice was calm as he admonished her, "How can you be so careless? I don't see you for a couple days and you almost injure yourself? I pamper you so you don't wear yourself out."

Ever since he married her, he hadn't borne to see her suffer hardship and exhaustion at all. Everything at Changfeng Pavilion was made of the finest silks and foods.

How could he let an old servant bully his pampered wife, making others laugh?

"Hmm?"

"Do you understand?"

His tone was almost like scolding a child. The Prince doting on his wife was nothing new to the servants at Changfeng Pavilion. The maids from the other courtyards looked on curiously, never having imagined the usually cold and aloof Prince capable of such affectionate tenderness, blushing to their ears.

Huo Qiyun's face was stiff as she looked at the intimate couple before her, forcing out a bitter laugh. Her eyes swirled with complex emotions.

Gu Ying's face was flushed red. "Changdu, put me down first...there are too many people here."

Zhao Changdu's expression was cold. "Sun Mammy injured the mistress today. She needn't attend the palace banquet. Bring her back and lock her in the firewood shed."

Sun Mammy had acted without anyone noticing, but unexpectedly the Prince had seen everything. She hurriedly knelt and pleaded for herself, "Prince! This old servant is wrongly accused! I did not harm the Prince's wife!"

The man's expression was emotionless, his gaze so cold it was frightening. "Take her away."

Some guards came up, covering Sun Mammy's mouth as they dragged her away.

Zhao Changdu glanced at Huo Qiyun. His face was expressionless as he looked at her, no different than looking at his sister-in-law. Other than that there was nothing more.

Seeing him look over, Huo Qiyun forced a smile, trying her best to look more pitiful. "Changdu, why...did you suddenly come back?"

He should still be at the palace presiding over things.

Zhao Changdu didn't put Gu Ying down. His voice was cold and indifferent. "I had some free time so I came back to fetch Ying."

This sentence made Huo Qiyun freeze up again.

What virtues did Gu Ying have...that the usually aloof and uncaring Changdu would dote on her like this...

A stab of pain went through her heart. She felt so awful she wanted to cry. After all, she was the one who grew up with him. Back then, he'd also said he would marry her...

The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

Seeing he was unwilling to put her down and noticing Huo Qiyun's sad expression, Gu Ying figured they were still estranged over the matters of the past, perhaps using her as an intermediary. She awkwardly laughed. "Changdu, hurry and go. Don't delay the important palace affairs. Sister-in-law, it's cold outside. Hurry and get in a carriage. Be careful of catching a chill."

Huo Qiyun: "Alright..."

Gu Ying was wrapped up in the Prince's black cloak as he carried her onto the carriage.

His face was as cold as ice sculpture, brows knitted tightly like a mountain. It was evident he was in a bad mood.

Yet as soon as they entered the carriage, he pounced on her, kissing her lips like a starved, lustful wolf.

Gu Ying looked into his deep dark eyes. Her heartbeat suddenly lost its rhythm as he kissed her until she was breathless. Her small hands pulled tantalizingly at his jade belt, unwilling yet welcoming. "Changdu...don't...don't..."

He was always the one taking initiative, attacking fiercely.

Afraid he would really do something untoward in the carriage with so many guards, maids and matrons outside, Gu Ying hurriedly hooked her arms around his neck, leaning her body against his chest as she coaxed him. "Changdu, don't let others hear...it's inappropriate...we're about to attend a palace banquet. It was difficult enough making myself presentable." Zhao Changdu unabashedly buried his face in the crook of her shoulder, deeply breathing in her scent a few times, forcefully suppressing the heat and irritation in his body. His voice was hoarse and muffled. "Did you miss me?"

"I..."

"You're not allowed to say no."

"I missed you..."

"Really?"

"Mm...I really did, I'm not lying to you."

As soon as she finished speaking, that person's actions became more and more indecent.

Gu Ying gradually couldn't withstand it. Her flushed red face was stirred into chaos by his big hands, forgetting all about Huo Qiyun and past events.

The carriage was about to depart when Yin Lan lightly coughed outside. "Prince, Mistress, the wheel shaft on Madam's carriage is broken. There are no spare carriages at the residence at the moment. Lv Zhi came asking if Madam could temporarily ride in Mistress's carriage to the palace."

Zhao Changdu had been interrupted in the middle of enjoying himself. His handsome brows lightly knitted, just about to refuse.

Yet he heard the little girl in his arms hurriedly say, "She can come up."

Zhao Changdu was displeased, lightly biting her lips. "Why let her come?"

Could it be she was unwilling to be intimate with him?

Gu Ying had never done anything in the carriage before...with so many guards, maids and matrons outside... It was hard enough making herself presentable for the palace banquet today. Naturally she was unwilling. Blushing, she smiled. "Changdu, we're relatives. She grew up with you. Zhao Changxing isn't good to her while Cheng bullies her, making things difficult. You don't wish to see her standing in the snow waiting for repairs, do you? It's just sharing a carriage. Nothing will happen. Others will even say I'm a benevolent wife."

Seeing the man was still cold-faced,

she smiled and leaned forward, lightly pecking his straight nose. "Is it alright to agree now?"

The man's delight was visible to the naked eye. He forcefully reined in his fiery urges, bending his forefinger to flick her nose. "You're quite sensible."

After Huo Qiyun entered the carriage, Zhao Changdu dismounted to ride at the front.

She was somewhat disappointed. Bending down to enter the carriage, with one look she saw Gu Ying's disheveled hair and the mark on her lips. Her eyes froze for a few seconds, a complicated emotion rising in her heart.

Gu Ying smiled welcoming her over. "Sister-in-law, please have a seat."

Huo Qiyun collected herself, smiling back. "Ying, I'm troubling you again."

Gu Ying smiled. "It's just a tiny matter. Sister-in-law needn't take it to heart."

To her it was effortless to lend a hand, but she knew Huo Qiyun had difficulty taking even a step in the Duke's Residence. As long as she kept her peace, she was happy to help her.

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