Help! The innocent prince always tries to seduce me clumsily

Although Jianying had some difficulty, he still killed another tiger.

The bodies of the two tigers fell to the ground. The scene was extremely horrifying, with blood all over the ground and frightened people.

Chu Shitong pushed Chu Shihan away, feeling mixed emotions. He lowered his head and straightened his clothes to calm himself down a little.

Chu Shihan stepped forward and tried to help Princess Linglan up.

"Princess, are you okay?"

Chu Shitong also looked over.

She never expected that at that moment, the person Chu Shihan pulled out from the tiger's mouth was herself, not Princess Lily of the Valley.

As soon as Chu Shihan's hand touched Princess Linglan, Princess Linglan immediately dodged as if she had been electrocuted, even disregarding her own image, and crawled far away from Chu Shihan before stopping.

Looking at Chu Shihan, it seemed as if all the tenderness and sweetness of the past were frozen at this moment. The disappointment in his eyes was mixed with unspeakable sadness, so heavy that it made people feel hard to breathe when seeing it.

Chu Shihan met Princess Linglan's gaze, and the hand he had just extended remained in place, as if he didn't know how to take it back.

Jianying came over covered in blood and said, "Your Highness, I have confirmed that both tigers are dead."

"Well, it's hard for you."

Chu Shitong said: "Go around and see if there are any imperial guards. Let them handle it."

"Yes."

Before Jianying left, Chu Shitong extended her hand to her. Jianying understood and handed the last dagger left on her body to Chu Shitong.

Chu Shitong put it on his waist silently and left only after seeing Ying.

"Princess, brother, are you two okay?"

It seemed that as an outsider, Chu Shitong found it difficult to fit in to the scene before him.

Princess Lily of the Valley said nothing, but just looked at Chu Shihan again and again with a disappointed look on her face.

Chu Shihan was like a mute, and for a long while he did not utter a word to explain himself.

Seeing this, Chu Shitong didn't know how to say anything, so he turned to Xiaohong's body and began to search for his bow and arrow.

After Chu Shitong was some distance away, Princess Linglan finally spoke in a trembling voice.

And these first sentences were like a sharp blow to Chu Shihan's heart.

"why?"

Chu Shihan lowered his eyes and took a deep breath. Perhaps at this moment, he also realized that once some things were done, there was no room for recovery.

"What do you want to ask, Princess?"

Princess Lily of the Valley's long hair, which had been tied up so tightly, had already fallen apart because of her excessive movements while dodging. Her thick, curly hair was as messy as seaweed, unable to hide the traces of tears on her face. Her slender body slumped on the ground, the disappointment in her eyes was calm and suppressed, as if a heavy snow had suddenly fallen in June.

"Why just now...the person you rescued was Chu Shitong?"

It was also the first time in Chu Shihan's life that those fair and impartial attitudes could not give him a reasonable reason at all.

"Is it possible that in your heart, I am not comparable to His Royal Highness Prince Qi?" Princess Linglan said, her voice choking with sobs, and her grievance suddenly burst out at this moment, "Is it possible that in your heart, I am not even comparable to a half-brother?"

Princess Lily of the Valley is not stupid. She knows from her time in the Western Regions that the so-called brotherly love and respect does not exist at all.

On the surface, the princes of Beiqing are brothers, but the throne of Beiqing is more tempting than that of the Western Regions. Her brothers in the Western Regions have fought tooth and nail for the throne, let alone Beiqing.

When it comes to power, people can do anything.

But she was really disappointed. After being together for such a long time, was it possible that Chu Shihan didn't have any feelings for her or any reluctance to leave her?

Chu Shitong and Chu Shihan were born into a relationship where they were competing for the throne.

At this critical moment, would Chu Shihan rather choose Chu Shitong, who would pose a threat to him in the future, rather than save himself?

Chu Shihan pondered for a moment and said, "Your Highness, I am sorry that I cannot answer this question. Xiao Qi is my brother. I cannot just leave him alone..."

"What about me?" Princess Linglan interrupted him, gently placed her hand on her chest, her eyes filled with tears, but she stared at Chu Shihan stubbornly, unwilling to miss any of his movements and expressions, and asked: "What am I to His Royal Highness the King of Han?"

Chu Shihan lowered his head and remained silent.

Chu Shitong had already picked up all the bows and arrows, but she did not come over. She stood not far away and pretended to look at the scenery.

She heard what the two said very clearly.

Chu Shihan couldn't let go of the fight for the throne, and was unwilling to admit that he was in love with the princess.

Princess Lily of the Valley's gaze was so aggressive that even though Chu Shihan lowered his head, he could still feel the gaze that was almost burning his heart and lungs.

Perhaps he wanted to retain her, so Chu Shihan whispered, "The princess... is my friend."

When Princess Lily of the Valley heard this, she laughed out loud, as if she had heard a very funny joke and she couldn't stop laughing. Her laughter was so sarcastic that she didn't stop even when tears were flashing in her eyes.

"Friend...hahahahaha...it turns out that His Royal Highness Prince Han has always treated me as a friend..."

Chu Shihan felt that it had become very difficult for him to breathe. No matter how he looked at it, this matter was a secondary injury to Princess Linglan. Hearing Princess Linglan's forced laughter, his heart seemed to be thrown into a millstone, being crushed into foam bit by bit.

......

Jianying quickly brought the Imperial Guards, who put the three men on their horses and went back first.

Before Princess Lily of the Valley got on her horse, she looked back at the golden flower in the pool of blood.

The flower was stained with blood, and there were pieces of broken flesh dropped on it. The originally soft and tender flower had now become horrible and hideous.

Just like her happy heart.

The horn signaling the end of the game sounded, and the three finally came back.

The Imperial Guards had already returned to report this matter to Chu Shiyu. When everyone saw that the three men were covered in blood, they all had different expressions and thoughts.

Princess Lily of the Valley was surrounded by people from the Western Regions and was checked for injuries.

When Chu Shitong and Chu Shihan came back, they naturally paid their respects to Chu Shiyu first.

"Your son pays respect to His Majesty the Father."*2

Chu Shiyu glanced at the blood on the two men, his face terribly gloomy.

"You two were frightened by the tiger this time. Ultimately, it was the fault of the Imperial Guards. Two adult male tigers were in the forest without anyone noticing!"

During these two years, with the secret help of the Queen, Zhang Chunying slowly climbed back to the position of leader of the Imperial Guards.

I had just been in this position for less than a month when this happened.

Chu Shiyu shouted angrily, "Zhang Chunying, get out here!"

Zhang Chunying stepped forward and lowered her head, hiding her sad face.

"Your Majesty, I, Zhang Chunying, pay my respects to you."

"Why didn't the Royal Guards find out about the two tigers in the mountains? If the tigers hurt people, and hurt Xiao Qi and Princess Linglan, can you afford to pay for the loss of your head?!"

At this point, Zhang Chunying had no room for explanation at all.

The tiger is already dead and has already injured all the people. There is no point in explaining it now.

"There was something wrong with the patrol troops I deployed. I plead guilty. Your Majesty, please punish me."

Zhang Chunying's reinstatement was within Chu Shitong's expectations. As long as Zhang Sinuo was still the queen and Zhang Chunying hadn't committed a serious mistake such as beheading, it was only a matter of time before she was reinstated.

However, Chu Shitong didn't intend to let him go easily this time.

"Father, this may be due to the Imperial Guards' negligence. Commander Zhang should have arranged the patrol method long ago, otherwise this would not have happened."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chunying looked at Chu Shitong with eyes as big as copper bells.

Originally it was just a problem with his patrol arrangement, but after Chu Shitong's words, it directly became an issue of training for all the imperial guards.

You know, it was under his command that the Guards neglected their duties. This kind of problem had never occurred before when they were under his supervision.

Chu Shihan also said, "Father, I think Commander Zhang was also negligent. When the horse was bitten to death by the tiger, it roared for a long time, but the guards were slow to arrive. Although Xiaoqi and I were not seriously injured, Princess Linglan was frightened."

The envoy from the Western Regions could no longer hold back and stepped forward to pay his respects.

"Your Majesty, our princess has been frightened like this, you must give us an explanation in the Western Regions!"

Chu Shiyu said in a deep voice: "The Western Regions envoys should not get excited. I will naturally give an explanation to the Western Regions at this time. After all, the princess was sent here to marry, and I will definitely not let the princess suffer any grievances."

The Queen advised, "Although the princess was frightened, she was not seriously injured. She should just take good care of herself. It would be better if we ask the imperial physician to see her so that she does not develop any underlying illness."

Chu Shiyu glanced at her coldly and said, "I have said before that Zhang Chunying is not suitable for reinstatement. You have repeatedly asked me to vouch for him. I have not yet held you responsible for this matter."

The queen immediately stood up and knelt beside him, bowed her head and said obediently: "I am wrong, please calm down, Your Majesty. I am willing to bear any punishment, and please don't get angry and hurt yourself."

Zhang Chunying knew clearly that she would definitely be punished for this matter, but if the queen was implicated and was also punished, then the entire Zhang family would be implicated.

"Your Majesty, it is my fault. I am willing to resign from the position of commander. Please do not vent your anger on the Queen."

"Do you think I will let you continue to be the commander of the Imperial Guard if you don't resign?" Chu Shiyu sneered, "Send me an order. Zhang Chunying led the troops carelessly. He is dismissed from his position as commander and expelled from the Imperial Guard! He is sent to the northern border as a soldier!"

The Queen was horrified and pleaded, "Your Majesty! The cold weather in the northern border is bitter! Chunying is only 25 years old. If she is sent to the northern border, won't it be difficult for her to even return to Kyoto?"

Concubine Li took the opportunity to say, "Empress, Commander Zhang was guilty of dereliction of duty. Fortunately, no one was injured this time. If the tiger had hurt the prince and princess, I'm afraid Commander Zhang would have had to die to atone for his crime."

Chu Shiyu glared at the queen and said angrily, "If you ask me for mercy for this good-for-nothing again, you will no longer be the queen!"

Hearing that Chu Shiyu was really angry, everyone around him knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, calm down."

Deposing a queen was a big deal; even if it was just mentioned casually, it would cause quite a stir.

The queen knelt on the ground, clutching the corner of her clothes tightly. She was naturally reluctant to let her cousin go to such a remote and desolate place in the northern border. Basically, once a person went there, there would be no chance of coming back.

But in the current situation, I am afraid that begging for mercy again will threaten myself.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. I know my crime."

Chu Shiyu seized on this mistake and had no intention of letting it go easily.

"The Queen has been very busy these days. Since you are feeling exhausted, the affairs of the harem will be handed over to Concubine Li and Concubine Yun. It is time for you to take a break."

Concubine Li immediately said happily: "I will definitely take care of the harem affairs for the Queen."

Yun Xiangrong was not in a hurry to thank him. She did not want to show too obviously that she was in power in the harem.

The Queen looked at Concubine Li unwillingly. In this situation, Chu Shixuan was not around yet, so she could only swallow her anger for the time being.

At worst, she could wait for Chu Shixuan to come back after resolving the epidemic, and even if it was a reward based on merit, she, as the queen mother, would naturally have to resume the management rights of the six palaces.

"The minister and concubine follow the order."

Chu Shiyu said: "From now on, the affairs of the harem will be handed over to Concubine Li and Concubine Yun to handle together."

Concubine Li couldn't hide her joy on her face. Yun Xiangrong also stood up and bowed to express her gratitude, but she was better at hiding it and her face was calm.

"I obey your order."*2

Zhang Chunying was taken away, and the Queen, Concubine Li and other concubines in the harem returned to their original positions.

Chu Shitong looked back and happened to see the young master looking at him with a worried look on his face from behind.

In front of others, Chu Shitong would not take the initiative to do anything, for fear of attracting other people's attention, so he had to look away.

But it happened to fall on Chu Shifeng who was not far away. Chu Shifeng had a disdainful smile on his face, as if he was watching something ridiculous. Following Chu Shifeng's gaze, Chu Shitong was stunned.

Chu Shifeng...is laughing at Concubine Li?

That smile of his was certainly not a smile of happiness because Concubine Li had obtained the power to assist in managing the six palaces. Instead, it was a smile of mockery and contempt.

Chu Shiyu gave a lot of gifts to Chu Shitong and Princess Linglan as consolation.

However, the reward Chu Shihan received was much less than that of any of the other two.

The Western Regions envoy asked, "Your Majesty, didn't you say that the princess' marriage would be announced today?"

Chu Shiyu said, "No hurry, the first prize of today's hunting competition has not been announced yet."

Wang Zexu objected and reported the number of prey caught by each contestant. Chu Shixuan was not there, so everyone was curious about who would win the first prize.

"First place, His Royal Highness Prince Duan, prey 117."

Everyone was surprised, and each had a beautiful expression.

In previous hunting competitions, Chu Shiheng also hunted so many prey. If it was the same before, how could Chu Shixuan always win first place?

Chu Shiyu fumbled with the topaz ring in his hand meaningfully and said, "Western Region Envoy, what does your Western Region King think of my fifth prince?"

The envoy from the Western Regions was stunned for a moment. He almost thought that Princess Linglan was going to be married to Chu Shihan.

The Western Regions had already inquired about it and knew that Chu Shihan was the youngest prince who might succeed to the throne. However, they were already content with that. After all, he was a prince. If they had not insisted, Princess Linglan might have married a minister.

Unexpectedly, at this time Chu Shiyu suddenly asked Chu Shihuan what happened.

The Western Region envoy immediately said, "Your Highness Prince Duan is mighty and strong. We in the Western Region admire masculine and strong men the most. Our princess is not a delicate woman. If she is paired with Your Highness Prince Duan, she will naturally be the most suitable!"