Her heart skipped a beat. Even the hand she had raised to push him away went limp as she stared blankly at her own foolish, dazed reflection in his deep eyes.
Zhan Haoting let out a low chuckle. “Don’t move. Let this prince hold you for a while.”
Cheng Yao’s mind was in turmoil, and she had no idea what she was thinking. She nodded absently, feeling the warmth of his embrace and the steady, powerful beat of his heart.
After a long while, Zhan Haoting slowly released Cheng Yao. He cupped her face in both hands and gazed into her eyes. “Yao’er, I still want to let you go.”
How could he bear to make such a wonderful girl live each day in fear and anxiety alongside him?
Cheng Yao froze for a moment, then shook her head.
“I don’t want to leave.”
With the bastard emperor keeping an eye on her, she couldn’t leave even if she wanted to.
More importantly, she wanted to accompany him for a while, so that the road to his rise would not be quite so painful or difficult.
He deserved that much.
The moment she finished speaking, a storm of emotions swept through Zhan Haoting’s eyes.
In this world, aside from his parents, she was probably the only person who truly treated him well!
He gripped her chin, the gesture leaving no room for refusal, and bent down to kiss her.
It was not a fierce, possessive assault, but a tender kiss filled with care, carrying the cedar-scented warmth of his body.
Cheng Yao’s breath caught. It felt as though the gentle touch had set all the blood in her body ablaze, leaving even her fingertips weak and powerless. Before she knew it, she was sprawled against him.
Her breathing grew hurried, and her cheeks flushed so deeply they looked ready to bleed. Only then did he pull back slightly, the tip of his nose brushing against hers as he chuckled. “Silly girl, don’t you know how to breathe?”
She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
The warmth of his lips still lingered on hers, along with that maddening tingling sensation. Her dizzy mind could think of only one thing: Cheng Yao, have you no shame? Your legs went weak just from being kissed by a man!
Zhan Haoting pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Yao’er, with you by my side, I will no longer fear the road ahead, no matter how thick with thorns it may be.”
Lazily nestled in his arms, Cheng Yao toyed with one of his buttons and said softly, “Remember what you said today. No matter what happens in the future, you must never give up. As long as you have even one breath left, you have to keep living.”
Zhan Haoting’s heart tightened, and he kissed Cheng Yao again.
This kiss was even more passionate than the one before. It came fiercely, brimming with love and longing.
Cheng Yao was utterly unable to withstand it. Her mind went blank as a tingling sensation traveled down her spine, leaving even the base of her tailbone aching with weakness. The hands that had originally been braced against his chest had somehow wound around his neck. Her body instinctively pressed closer to him, the tip of her nose brushing against his warm neck as his scent filled her every breath.
Lost in desire, she did not even realize when Zhan Haoting lifted her into his arms and used his qinggong to carry her back to her room.
It was only when she woke and saw clothes scattered all over the floor that her normally thick-skinned face finally grew hot with embarrassment.
Fortunately, Zhan Haoting had gone to the imperial palace. She would not have to face him, sparing her the awkwardness.
After being washed and dressed with the help of the maids and older servants, Cheng Yao finished her meal. Seeing the bright sunshine outside, she was in an excellent mood and decided to take a walk through the streets alone.
The streets were bustling, filled with the cries of vendors and the mingled sounds of laughter and conversation.
What a pity. In another five months, this flourishing prosperity would be trampled into the mud by the vassal states.
Sighing, Cheng Yao was passing a teahouse when she suddenly heard a commotion.
Her brows drew together as she looked toward the noise. A richly dressed man, surrounded by a group of men who looked like household servants, was harassing a young woman.
The surrounding commoners were furious but afraid to speak up. They could only stand at a distance and watch.
Cheng Yao took a closer look and recognized the man as Feng Jing'an, the empress’s younger brother.
Relying on his status as a member of the imperial family, this Imperial Brother-in-Law rampaged through the capital, behaving recklessly and outrageously. Today, he had actually chosen broad daylight to harass a respectable woman.
Cheng Yao considered the situation. She did not want to stand by and watch the woman be humiliated, but stepping forward openly might bring trouble upon herself.
Suddenly, an idea struck her.
She walked to the back of the crowd, quickly picked up a stone from the ground, and hurled it at Feng Jing'an. Then, with a single thought, she entered her space.
“Ow!” Feng Jing'an cried out in pain, releasing the woman’s arm.
“Who was that? Who dared ambush this Imperial Brother-in-Law?” Feng Jing'an roared angrily, looking around in every direction.
Before he could find the culprit, Cheng Yao reappeared behind him. Taking advantage of the crowd blocking the servants’ view, she gave him a hard shove.
Feng Jing'an stumbled forward and fell flat on his face.
“Damn it! Who did that?”
From her hiding place, Cheng Yao called out, “Oh my, what happened to the Imperial Brother-in-Law? Have you done so many wicked things that the wronged spirits have come to claim your life?”
Feng Jing'an charged toward the voice, but found no one there. His fury shot straight to his head, and he turned on his servants, shouting, “You useless fools! Search everywhere! Find the person who dared to ambush this Imperial Brother-in-Law!”
The commoners scattered like startled birds, while the servants searched in all directions without finding a thing.
When Feng Jing'an was shoved to the ground yet again, he finally realized something was wrong.
He looked around in terror, as if countless hidden eyes were watching him from every direction.
“There are ghosts! Ghosts!” Feng Jing'an screamed in panic before fleeing with his servants, completely humiliated.
Only then did Cheng Yao reveal herself and walk over to the young woman.
The woman looked at Cheng Yao gratefully, tears filling her eyes. “Thank you, Miss. If you hadn’t helped me, I… I…”
She broke down sobbing before she could finish.
Cheng Yao gently patted her shoulder and comforted her. “Don’t cry. It’s all right now. What’s your name?”
The woman wiped away her tears. “My name is Xiao Yunrong. I truly owe you my thanks, Miss.”
Xiao Yunrong?
A flicker passed through Cheng Yao’s eyes. She smiled and said, “Miss Xiao, there’s no need to thank me. When one sees injustice, one should naturally lend a hand.”
In the original novel, the person who happened to pass by this place today had been Cheng Lan. After recognizing Xiao Yunrong as the daughter of a wealthy merchant, she had used a little trick to save her.
From then on, Xiao Yunrong had become Cheng Lan’s devoted follower.
Xiao Yunrong was so grateful to Cheng Yao that she insisted on treating her to a meal to express her thanks.
Seeing how sincere she was, Cheng Yao readily agreed. The two of them went to an elegant restaurant and chose a table beside the window.
Once the food and wine had been served, Xiao Yunrong raised her wine cup to Cheng Yao. “Miss Cheng, I will never forget what you did for me today. If you ever need my help in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Cheng Yao smiled and waved her hand. “Miss Xiao, you’re too kind. It was only a small favor. You seem clever and perceptive, so I imagine you’re quite capable in your everyday affairs.”
A faint blush spread across Xiao Yunrong’s cheeks. “Miss Cheng flatters me. I’ve merely learned a few things about business from my father.”
An idea stirred in Cheng Yao’s mind. She looked at Xiao Yunrong and said seriously, “Miss Xiao, since your family deals in grain, I have a favor to ask. I wonder if you might agree.”
Xiao Yunrong hurriedly replied, “Please, Miss Cheng, ask whatever you like. As long as it’s within my power, I certainly won’t refuse.”
Cheng Yao took a deep breath. “I would like to purchase ten thousand shi of grain from your family. Would that be possible?”
Xiao Yunrong’s eyes widened in astonishment.
Ten thousand shi was no small amount. Even for a grain merchant’s family like hers, gathering that much at once would be no easy task.
