Chapter 62
Nangong Qian was stunned. This was the first time he held a man’s hand, and also the first time he held someone’s hand. He had never even held a woman’s hand before. No, Nangong Qian had held her hand when they were young, but gradually, Nangong Qian no longer held his sister’s hand when the two of them grew up.
Nangong Qian looked at the hand that was holding his. It was beautiful, fair and delicate, with ten fingers as slender as bamboo shoots and round fingers. In Prince Shang’s hand, his meticulous selection of ancient books seemed to pale in comparison.
Nangong Qian suddenly came to a realization and wanted to hold onto this hand tightly, but this thought was too fast for even Nangong Qian to notice. More importantly, Nangong Qian was too sensitive. He felt that the Crown Prince’s hand was too small and too soft. It was not like a man’s hand. Nangong Qian instantly caressed Prince Shang’s pulse.
Shang Wuxin had instinctively tried to dodge the book when she felt Nangong Qian was going to hold it, but she did not expect Nangong Qian to hold it by mistake. Shang Wuxin was prepared to withdraw her hand, but she found that Nangong Qian wanted to check her pulse.
Shang Wuxin had always known that even if her disguise was similar to that of a real man, it was still not real. For example, her height. Even if her height was considered pretty good among the girls, if she stood beside Leng Yufeng and the others, who were barely shoulder to shoulder, it could be said that the height of these men was too high. For example, her neck did not have a Adam’s apple. This was a very obvious difference. For example, her shoulders and figure were too thin and frail. She did not look thin and weak at all. For example, her wrist was too thin and her hand was too small. Normally, she wouldn’t be able to see it, but now it was too obvious when compared to Nangong Qian’s hand.
Shang Wuxin knew that Nangong Qian was very suspicious, and if he did not dispel Nangong Qian’s suspicions, he would not have to wait long for something to happen. Fortunately, Shang Wuxin had practiced her technique well and could confuse her gender.
Normally, martial arts practitioners could distinguish between men and women even though they didn’t know how to do it properly. Nangong Qian seemed to have inadvertently felt Prince Shang’s pulse when he doubted it. Although the pulse was very chaotic, it was a man’s pulse.
Knowing that it was the man, Nangong Qian naturally recalled the rumors regarding this Prince Shang, saying that he had been a medicine jar since he was young. Previously, Nangong Qian did not believe him. He thought that this was because of Prince Shang pretending to be in seclusion, but now, Nangong Qian believed him. The young man was too skinny; even his hands were so small and so cold. When he thought about how complicated the palace was, he felt a sense of pity for the young man in front of him.
Looking at the unreadable emotions in the man’s eyes, Shang Wuxin was impatient. She moved her tightly clenched wrist, her voice was cold and tinged with dissatisfaction. “When will you be holding my hand?”
Nangong Qian thought of his own little hand and slightly released Prince Shang’s hand. No one noticed that the ear tips of the calm Prince Qian started to turn red, and the hand on his back became a little stiff.
When Nangong Qian withdrew his hand, Shang Wuxin then let out a sigh of relief. Regardless of whether it was Han Xuanhao, Leng Yufeng or the others, none of them felt as much pressure as Nangong Qian. That was because this person was too shrewd. It was not that others were not smart.
The carriage quieted down, and Nangong Qian felt awkward, so he asked, “How do we resolve this?”
Shang Wuxin looked at the page that Nangong Qian was pointing at, which was a place where troops were deployed. Shang Wuxin had read such books in the modern world, so she did know about it. Thus, he didn’t hide anything and told Nangong Qian. The two of them were extremely smart people, and if they had a topic, they wouldn’t be able to stop themselves. They talked about their understanding of the arrangement, and the more they talked about it, the more they admired each other. Immediately, there was a plot of a hero cherishing a hero.
This was the first time Nangong Qian felt that a person treated himself like this. It was not that he didn’t think of himself as a person of equal standing. Shang Country’s General Leng was a man that he thought was his opponent. But now that he had met Prince Shang, Nangong Qian felt that if such a person became his enemy, he would truly become a regret.
“Thank you, Prince Shang, for your Imperial Sister-in-Law’s matter!” Although the two of them were talking happily, they were not kind people, so they only exchanged a few words. When Shang Wuxin put down the book, Nangong Qian brought up the matter. Originally, Nangong Qian did not intend to bring this matter up. To them, promises could not be said from their own mouths. But now, Nangong Qian still said something that was strange to himself, “If Prince Shang has any problems in the future, I will help!”
Shang Wuxin nodded but did not turn away. Originally, she had some thoughts about taking Nangong Lian in, but since Nangong Qian said thank you, Shang Wuxin would not refuse. In Shang Wuxin’s heart, this was a promise she should have made.
A person jumped into the carriage while the carriage was moving. Nangong Qian did not stop Shang Wuxin nor did she stop him, because the person who jumped in was indeed the Fifth Princess of Shang, Nangong Lian.
“What are you guys talking about?” Nangong Lian walked into the carriage and saw that the two of them seemed to be talking about something. She felt that it was very strange. After all, his imperial brother rarely talked to anyone else apart from business matters. Even he was pestered to the point of being unable to speak to him properly.
Shang Wuxin did not answer, and Nangong Qian did not answer. Although he doted on this sister, he was not doting on her. He believed that an extremely rational person would not give up some principles to doting on a person, but after years, he understood that it was because he did not meet such a person. If they met, the principles they followed were not principles.
“Crown Prince Shang, will you be attending today’s banquet?” It was not Nangong Lian’s fault for asking. After all, during the days when she was living in the crown prince’s mansion, Nangong Lian could tell that this Prince Shang did not attend banquets and such.
The ancients lived a boring life, so the banquets became more frequent. Many times, there were seven or eight banquets a month, which could be considered another form of entertainment and connection. However, Shang Wuxin rarely attended the banquet, let alone his previous self. Thus, although there were many rumors regarding Prince Shang, few people had seen Prince Shang himself.
Shang Wuxin nodded. This was not a matter of her going or not, but his father had already sent a message to Eunuch Xu. Moreover, he had been the one to welcome Nangong Qian today. His Imperial Father had done this to raise his position as the crown prince. How could Shang Wuxin not understand, let alone let such an opportunity slip by?
Because he was afraid of people spying on him, even if it was to welcome the king of the Nangong Kingdom, he did not walk down the main road. Instead, he walked down a relatively quiet main road, but even so, he encountered a situation outside of his current situation.
A burly man was chasing a white-clothed woman on the street. The girl ran forward in fear. Leng Yufeng and the guard stopped her when they saw her. They aimed their swords at the white-clothed woman and aimed at the burly man behind her.
“Who is it!” Don’t blame him for making such a fuss. To them, the more seemingly unharmed things were the more dangerous.
The woman did not bother about the swords and sabers. Instead, she kowtowed to the carriage and said, “Crown Prince, save me!” She continuously kowtowed, and the sound of her forehead hitting the ground was rather terrifying in the street.
Shang Wuxin’s gaze shifted to her own charm, but this charm was seen by Nangong Qian. Nangong Qian felt that the look in the young man’s eyes just now was too beautiful, so beautiful that his eyes couldn’t help but dazzle. His heart.
Shang Wuxin nodded towards Nangong Qian and Nangong Lian, explaining, “I have made Prince Qian and the princess laugh. I will not disturb the two of you when I leave the palace!”
Nangong Lian waved her hand indifferently. Nangong Qian then turned to Prince Shang and said, “It’s alright, I will wait for Prince Shang to enter the palace together!” Subconsciously, he did not want to leave just like that. More importantly, if the Crown Prince did not return to the palace and did not see the Crown Prince, then the punishment would be quite heavy. Nangong Qian remembered that this young man was going to face the injustice of the palace like he was before, and he had already made up his mind to help this Prince Shang.
When Prince Shang got out of the carriage, Nangong Lian asked her imperial brother, “Royal brother, do you think Prince Shang is very powerful?” In Nangong Lian’s eyes, the most powerful person was not her Imperial Brother but Prince Shang.
Originally, Nangong Lian did not desire Brother Huang to answer her. However, she still managed to hear his voice.
“Un, indeed!”
Nangong Lian knew that Prince Shang was very good. She jokingly mumbled, “If only Prince Shang was a woman. I have a feeling that no one in this world could be worthy of being royal brother. Only someone like Prince Shang is worthy of being royal brother. It’s a pity that he’s a man!”
Nangong Qian was already 24 years old. Previously, he had been struggling in the palace to survive. After gaining power and status, he had been plotting against the country. There had never been a woman in Nangong Qian’s life. He did not have a concubine or concubine, but because of his temper and his decisiveness, no one dared to say anything. More importantly, Nangong Qian was cruel and merciless. There was a woman who tried to seduce him, but in the end, she was rewarded by Nangong Qian to the guards below, torturing them to death.
Nangong Qian was a normal man, but this matter of lust had nothing to do with him. He was originally a cold-blooded person. To him, other than his little sister, women were all trouble. As for the matter of succession, Nangong Qian had never thought of it as an ambition in his heart.
When Nangong Qian heard his imperial sister’s words, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, as if something was different.
Many times, one’s heart would be moved without reason. However, what Nangong Lian had said today had caused a ripple in Nangong Qian’s heart. Even though it was only a trivial matter, it had become a heart that could not be erased.
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