The Princess Is On Top (GL) - Chapter 11

Su Luoyang and Xiao Le strolled to the riverbank, while Ah Zheng followed at a moderate distance behind them, protecting Su Luoyang’s safety.

“Didn’t the Commandery Princess return to camp?” Xiao Le had walked with Su Luoyang for quite a while. Seeing that Su Luoyang really seemed to have no intention of speaking, she had no choice but to break the silence first.

“Was my appearance badly timed?” Su Luoyang asked in return. Her tone was calm, and no emotion could be heard in it.

“Of course not. No matter when or where the Commandery Princess appears, it is always reasonable.” Xiao Le flattered Su Luoyang without the slightest change in expression. According to her experience, at a time like this, no matter what Su Luoyang said, she had to go along with it. Otherwise, her life might be in danger!

Su Luoyang found Xiao Le’s action somewhat adorable, a faint smile appearing between her brows and eyes. “Is that what Commandant Xiao thinks?”

“Naturally,” Xiao Le answered with incomparable seriousness.

“Commandant Xiao seems very interested in my affairs.” This was a statement.

That certain tone made Xiao Le’s heart jump. She could not be sure how much Su Luoyang had heard or how long she had been standing behind them, so she could only brace herself and speak in an official tone. “This subordinate would not dare. Liu Yu was indeed presumptuous today. It is because I failed to strictly discipline my subordinate. In the future, I will certainly discipline him severely. I ask the Commandery Princess to show mercy and give him one chance.”

Su Luoyang did not respond to Xiao Le’s words. Instead, she stopped walking, fixed her eyes on Xiao Le’s, and said, “Since Commandant Xiao is so interested in my affairs, why not ask me directly?”

Xiao Le was intimidated by this move from Su Luoyang. She immediately felt that the distance between the two of them seemed a little too close. She also felt that her face was heating up and her legs were going a little weak. Was the night wind too strong? Had she caught a chill?

They did not seem that familiar, right? Wouldn’t saying something like this be a little overstepping? But the Commandery Princess seemed to think there was nothing improper about it… The Commandery Princess was playing unfairly, wasn’t she…?

While Xiao Le was struggling fiercely in her mind, she truly was very curious about Su Luoyang’s affairs, but she did not dare ask… But since the Commandery Princess had said so, it should be fine, right? Wait. Could she be trying to trick me into talking…

Xiao Le had no idea that all the conflict in her heart was written across her face, turning into embarrassment.

And when all of this fell into Su Luoyang’s eyes, it gave her another impression of this person. She truly did feel a desire to be closer to Xiao Le, though it all came from her appreciation of talent. Originally, she had wanted to tease this “young talent,” but she had not expected his skin to be so thin. It made her unwilling to continue playing with him.

“All right, I was joking. Commandant Xiao need not take it so seriously.” Su Luoyang stepped away from the topic at the right moment and continued walking forward.

Having missed a perfect opportunity, Xiao Le felt somewhat vexed, but she still had no choice but to follow Su Luoyang’s steps.

“Commandery Princess, you’re here too.” After the two walked a little farther, Qi Han suddenly appeared from who knew where. “I drank a little too much at the banquet, so I planned to walk off the alcohol before going back. I didn’t expect to run into you by chance.”

He said this while looking directly at Su Luoyang, completely ignoring Xiao Le beside her. Only after finishing did Qi Han pretend to notice Xiao Le. “So Commandant Xiao is here as well. How rude of me.”

“…”

Xiao Le had already felt an inexplicable resistance toward this Staff Officer Qi before, and now it seemed that human intuition was not without reason. Xiao Le forced herself to squeeze out a fake smile and nodded at him in a friendly manner. In reality, Xiao Le only wanted to give this person an over-the-shoulder throw. His arrogance was far too obvious.

Su Luoyang was also rather surprised to run into Qi Han here, but she still responded politely.

“I originally wanted to walk after the meal, but unexpectedly, I met Commandant Xiao on the road, and then happened to run into Mengchang as well. Tonight is truly lively.”

Mengchang was Qi Han’s courtesy name. Among ancient people, only those who were close would call someone by their courtesy name.

Xiao Le instantly felt a mix of emotions. She glanced at Qi Han’s undisguised gaze—only a ghost would believe this was a chance encounter.

“Is the Commandery Princess preparing to return? I wonder if I might have the honor of walking with a beauty?”

The moment Qi Han said this, Xiao Le felt even more disgusted.

Smooth-tongued. One look and you could tell he was no good!

Su Luoyang glanced at Xiao Le. Seeing that he showed no reaction, and that she was somewhat tired herself, she said, “Naturally… But I still must thank Commandant Xiao for accompanying me today…”

Xiao Le was just about to reply to the Commandery Princess when Qi Han cut in abruptly.

“This Qi must also thank Commandant Xiao for specially accompanying the Commandery Princess on a walk. I imagine the commandant must be tired after a full day as well. From here, allow me to escort the Commandery Princess back.” Qi Han’s words were skillfully spoken. They would not seem too abrupt, but they would make anyone paying attention feel that his relationship with the Commandery Princess was far from shallow—though judging from the surface, that did seem to be the case. And Xiao Le did indeed end up thinking too much.

“Then I will trouble Staff Officer Qi.” Xiao Le said this somewhat dejectedly, then watched the two of them leave.

Ah Zheng continued following behind Su Luoyang. When she passed by Xiao Le, she even gave her a rather meaningful look.

Xiao Le felt a little low. Thinking of the way Qi Han had faintly declared his claim over Su Luoyang to her, she felt irritated. Perhaps she was feeling indignant on Su Luoyang’s behalf. Such a wonderful woman—Xiao Le could not seem to imagine anyone worthy of matching her. She felt that Qi Han was nowhere near qualified to be the person standing beside Su Luoyang.

Just now, she had really wanted to ask the Commandery Princess whether what Liu Yu said was true.

A flash of inspiration suddenly struck Xiao Le, and she ran swiftly in a certain direction.

“Liu Yu!” Xiao Le lifted the tent flap and went straight in. At that moment, Liu Yu was changing clothes and was badly startled by her.

“My ancestor, what are you trying to do? You scared me half to death… Why does your face look so bad?” Halfway through speaking, Liu Yu thought of what had happened that evening and said with a mournful face, “Is the Commandery Princess… going to punish me severely? Just say it. It’s fine.”

Xiao Le was made dizzy by the way he circled around the subject, so she simply could not be bothered with it and went straight to the point. “Just now, you said the Commandery Princess and Qi Han once had a written marriage agreement. You said ‘once had,’ right?”

“Xiao Le, I’m about to be punished for my crime, and you still care about these things!” Liu Yu looked like an eggplant beaten by frost.

“Who said the Commandery Princess is going to punish you?” Xiao Le was nearly driven crazy, her voice rising half a pitch.

“Wasn’t it you… Hm? It seems you didn’t say that. But your expression just now made it look like that was what happened…” Liu Yu rambled on, only for Xiao Le to cut him off impatiently. “Can you answer my question now? Why are you like a woman?”

Liu Yu secretly glanced at Xiao Le’s expression, suspecting that if he still did not speak, he would be beaten. Xiao Le was far too strange tonight. Usually, he was the steadiest among them. Over these days, everyone had also seen Xiao Le’s ability, and gradually, they had begun treating him as their backbone.

“They did indeed have a marriage agreement. Basically, all the noble families know about this…” Seeing Xiao Le’s emotions gradually calm, Liu Yu secretly thought, Not good. This was the expression Xiao Le wore before dealing with someone. “But it’s already gone now!”

“Before, the Qi family was afraid of being implicated by the Prince of Luoyang. And at the time, didn’t Emperor Wu issue an edict intending to summon the Commandery Princess to become the crown prince’s consort? Not long after the Su family rebelled, the Qi family immediately sent over a letter canceling the engagement. It’s said that Qi Han even knelt outside his father’s study for two days and two nights because of it.”

“So now Qi Han wants to rekindle the old relationship?” Xiao Le gave a mercilessly mocking laugh.

“Probably… That should also be the Qi family’s intention. Maybe the Prince of Luoyang has the same intention too. Otherwise, why would he randomly give Qi Han the title of staff officer and have him come with the Commandery Princess to reward the three armies?”

“A fence-sitter like that is still worth valuing so much?” Xiao Le was somewhat angry.

Liu Yu sighed. “Xiao Le, is such a childish question really coming from you? The Qi family holds control over the economy around Jiangnan, and Jiangnan has been a wealthy region since ancient times. What is needed most in war? Money.”

“I understand.”

That’s right. Such a simple matter, and yet she actually needed Liu Yu to spell it out clearly for her. Had her brain broken?

Seeing her absent-minded expression, Liu Yu understood seventy or eighty percent of it in his heart.

“Xiao Le, my words won’t sound nice, but I still have to say them. Don’t fall for the Commandery Princess. The power games at their level aren’t something people like you and me can afford to play. Don’t look at how approachable the Commandery Princess usually seems. If she really starts playing political games, I dare guarantee that even two more of you and me combined still wouldn’t be her match. There isn’t a single easy person among those of royal blood. If you play with them, you’ll die without even a whole corpse left.”

Xiao Le lowered her eyes. “…You’re thinking too much. How could I like her?” Liu Yu’s words shook Xiao Le’s heart. Could this inexplicable concern she had for Su Luoyang truly be fondness? She tilted her head and deliberately said calmly, “The Commandery Princess is someone we are meant to be loyal to. I just feel that Qi Han is not worthy of her.”

“Is that really all…?” Liu Yu was somewhat suspicious, but Xiao Le’s expression could be called flawless. He could not find even the slightest crack.

Xiao Le looked at him with feigned disdain. “Auntie Liu, stop worrying so much. I’m leaving.”

After saying that, she rose and left the tent.

Whether it was fondness or not, it was not important, right?

Author’s Note:

When love rivals meet, their eyes turn especially red!

The author’s signing contract is slowly making its way here. Thank you, little cuties, for your support!

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