There was a moaning sound and Gu Zuo was freaking out from the side. He wanted to stop Lin Shan, but suddenly, there was an reaction from Du Hao.
Du Hao spat out a mouthful of water, and his breathing became normal. His eyelids also started to flutter.
“He’s awake! The Crown Prince is okay!!” Everyone was exclaiming from the side. Many people were praising Lin Shan from the side:
“The Prince Consort has saved the Crown Prince once again!”
“The Prince Consort is truly amazing!”
“The Prince Consort is a young hero!”
But out of nowhere, someone suddenly remembered and screamed: “Oh no! Yang beauty is still in the water!”
Everyone actually forgot that they were missing a person. When they looked towards the lotus pond, they saw Yang Yu Er on the shore. Her hair was a mess and she was damp and alone. The wind blew and two dead leaves spun in the air. It gave off a very mournful feeling.
Pshhh, beauty my ass! She looked pretty damn bad right now!
How could someone like her be the ultimate Imperial concubine?
Yang Yu Er’s vixen image was thoroughly ruined.
Once again, the news that Lin Shan had rescued the Crown Prince had spread throughout the entire Palace. All the servant girls voluntarily helped her washed her clothes, and there were also many who daydreamed about their hero from the window side. Even the two Imperial bodyguards with no facial expression greeted Lin Shan with respect.
In short, Lin Shan felt invincible.
However, Lin Shan honestly didn’t care much for praise. The moment she changed into her new garments, she found an excuse to stay in the room so she could look at what Yang Yu Er had given her.
Wow! I knew the vixen would be generous, but I didn’t think she would be this generous!! The two sacks were filled with golden sticks! There was a total of ten of them. It was enough to buy a house in the Capital, two acres of land, and raise a young and attractive man.
Lin Shan felt like she was floating. Suddenly, being stuck in the Crown Prince’s residence didn’t seem so bad.
Lin Shan kept recounting the ten golden sticks as she imagined buying her new home and leisurely living with an attractive young man.
She was still daydreaming when Gu Zuo’s voice appeared from the doorway: “Prince Consort. Our Highness wants you to attend a meal with him.”
Lin Shan quickly hid the golden sticks as she opened the door.
The Sun had already set. Gu Zuo stood by the entrance as he looked at Lin Shan with renowned respect.
The Crown Prince is okay? Lin Shan asked using her questioning glance.
Gu Zuo understood and nodded: “There is no need to worry, Prince Consort. The Imperial physician had already taken a look at our Highness. He is fine.”
The fact he is fine is more worrisome, okay? Lin Shan cringed from the inside.
Lin Shan followed Gu Zuo to a quiet and secluded building. There was an old servant waiting for their arrival. Gu Zuo turned around respectfully and said: “Our Highness is waiting for you upstairs. Please head up, Prince Consort.”
Since Lin Shan didn’t really have any other choice, she could only follow the old servant. They walked straight up to the third floor. The old servant pushed open the door and gestured her to go inside.
Lin Shan was cautious with every step she took. When she turned around, the door had already been shut behind her. She felt like she was being separated from the real world. It was extremely quiet, and there was a faint scent of orchid in the room.
Huh? How come there’s nobody here?
Lin Shan was confused. She took a couple of steps around the area but soon ended back at the entrance once more. She scattered her eyes around the room and noticed there was a circular table filled with goodies.
Eight treasure rice, osmanthus flower cake, sweet fermented sticky rice ball, angelica sinensis stew chicken….there were desserts and meat dishes!! Lin Shan’s eyes gleamed. She was drooling.
Seeing the food, Lin Shan instantly recalled how she hadn’t eaten lunch yet. Her stomach started to growl.
Du Hao is such a jerk! He tells me to come for a meal, yet he isn’t here. Does he want me to suffer from looking at this?
Lin Shan hesitated for a bit longer. But after awhile, Du Hao still hadn’t arrived. She was unable to resist the temptation in front of her, and she bravely took a few steps forward. Like a thief, she reached out and took the closest walnut cake to her.
The cake was rich in flavour and soft to eat. Lin Shan couldn’t help but silently praised: Delicious!
She quickly gobbled the rest of the walnut cake. Seeing how Du Hao still hadn’t arrived, she decided to head for butter cookie platter. She took a bite. It was sweet, yet non greasy; loose yet crispy. So heavenly!!
Lin Shan was enjoying herself so much that she didn’t realized a person had stopped behind her. His mouth was curved into a smile as he watched her eat without the least bit of apprehension.
Lin Shan was half way through her butter cookie when the person behind her spoke up: “Does it taste good?”
That one line frightened her so much that she gulped the whole thing in her mouth. She nearly choked.
*cough cough* After coughing vigorously, Lin Shan turned around and glared at Du Hao. She noticed that he had switched to a greenish black gown. His complexion was completely opposite of it was when he struggled in the waters.
Wow, he’s definitely the Crown Prince. Even his healing abilities are stronger than a regular citizen. Lin Shan thought to herself.
Du Hao opened his mouth: “Why aren’t you eating?”
Eat your sister! I was nearly frightened to death by you!
Lin Shan pointed at Du Hao angrily and gave him a warning stare.
This reaction did not bother Du Hao. Instead, he pulled out the chair next to her and said: “Come. Sit down and eat slowly.”
At this moment, Lin Shan’s mind was flashing the words: Conspiracy!
Lin Shan was quite sure she knew Du Hao’s personality by now. Treating her to a meal? Helping her pull out a seat? Thanking her for saving his life? You’ve got to be kidding me.
She was very skeptical as she sat down. The moment she sat down, Du Hao sat on the right seat next to her. They were sitting very closely together.
There’s so much space! Sit further! Lin Shan silently fumed. She leaned her buttocks towards the left side. For the longest time, she didn’t lift her chopsticks from the table.
Du Hao didn’t force her. Instead, he picked up his own chopsticks and started eating on his own. The dishes were definitely one of the finest. The standard was even higher than the Imperial kitchen. Lin Shan could tell just from the aroma. Seeing Du Hao enjoying himself, she could barely restrain herself.
Umm.. so what if he has a conspiracy? I still need to be full in order to fight back! Thinking this, Lin Shan grabbed her chopsticks and started eating.
The moment Lin Shan started eating, Du Hao stopped. He poured himself a glass of wine and silently observed her. Although he was alright, he did nearly drown. He was mentally exhausted and his eyes looked far less intimidating from his usual self.
At this moment, Lin Shan’s mental strength increased substantially.
Since I have decided to eat, I don’t give a shit if you watch me! The more you watch, the more I shall eat! Plus, I’m not paying for the bill anyway!
This was definitely the first time Du Hao witnessed a woman eating so ridiculously. It was as if she did not give a damn about the rest of the world. The rules in the Palace did not apply to her. The way she ate was truly a gruesome sight. Yet, it was very interesting. The way she focused on the fish was comparable to a kitten. It was rather cute.
It wasn’t just cuteness. Du Hao had experienced so much emotions from her. She stunned him. He missed her. He was disgusted by her. He was conflicted because of her. He wanted to push her away yet couldn’t stay away. Sometimes, she made him laugh his ass off. But sometimes, she made him so angry that he was speechless. It was as if he had used all his emotions on just her alone.
The feeling was too difficult to describe. However, he was certain of one thing. He truly liked her; regardless if it was the past or now.