CH 20

Chapter 20: The crown prince appears

“Young Miss Gu is cold. After all, the climate in Jiangnan is warm and the capital cannot compare to it.” With a smile, Yun Yi took off his cloak and put it on Gu Yu Qi’s shoulders.

Although his actions were simple, the people present were stunned.

Even Gu Yu Qi was dumbfounded as she watched Yun Yi wrap herself with his cloak. She forgot to dodge and momentarily forgot about ceremony. It was not until the cloak fell firmly on her shoulders did she regain her senses. She took two steps back hastily and took off the cloak, “I dare not. I do not feel cold. Fifth Prince, please take it back.”

“Just wear it first,” Yun Yi smiled and waved his hand, saying to Gu Yu Qi, “Your father the Ding Yuan Marquis is my cavalry and archery teacher, and you are my younger junior sister. This is not the palace, so you need not be restrained.”

This… Gu Yu Qi then remembered that her father, Gu Huai Zhong, was indeed Yun Yi’s and Yun Ke’s cavalry and archery teacher.

Gu Yu Qi could not think of how to evade and unconsciously looked at Yun Ke.

Yun Ke looked coldly at Gu Yu Qi who was a little panicked. She was only ten-years-old now and if everything in the previous life was repeated, she would become his concubine in five years. Now his fifth brother had developed a strong interest in her. This was not something that he had experienced in his previous life. Upon feeling something quietly deviating from the established track, it made him very unhappy.

Fortunately, she was not stupid and knew courtesy. However, seeing his fifth brother’s cloak falling onto her petite shoulders still made him unhappy, very unhappy.

He could not explain why he felt unhappy. Although he still did not like Gu Yu Qi, she had been his concubine in his previous life, someone in his back palace. In the previous life, she had always loved him, liked him, and only him. In this life, she had not grown up yet but standing there, she was seducing his brother. This made him very unhappy!

Perhaps the focus in her eyes in the previous life had also been faked? Yun Ke could not help but snort coldly in the bottom of his heart. If it had been fake, then he could only say that she had pretended too well, so well that he had remembered it for decades!

At this moment, her gaze drifted towards him and Yun Ke’s unhappiness was inexplicably relieved. It was good to know that she turned to him for help. His eyes, in which a slight storm had already raised, instantly calmed down.

“Fifth Brother, you caught a cold a few days ago. You’ve only just recovered, so don’t be blown by the wind,” Yun Ke raised his hands and took off his own cloak, then handed it to Gu Yu Qi, “Here, put on mine and return Fifth Brother’s. If Fifth Brother gets sick again, let alone you, I’m afraid even the Ding Yuan Marquis wouldn’t be able to bear this responsibility.”

Gu Yu Qi was stunned… She stared fixedly at the fox fur cloak that Yun Ke was offering. Something this special, was she supposed to take it or not?! Just because she did not like using Yun Yi’s things did not mean she had to accept Yun Ke’s things. Moreover, even if she had shivered in front of him in the previous life, he would not have given her a second glance or shown any care. What had happened to this life? What the hell.

“What are you doing standing still?” Yun Ke said coldly when he saw Gu Yu Qi’s hesitation. He frowned impatiently.

“Seventh Brother, really, Younger Sister Gu is so beautiful that even you spoke up.” Zhang Wan Yi felt unpleasant. Were these two cousins possessed today? They were scrambling to hand over their cloaks. She smiled and took Yun Ke’s cape, then said to Gu Yu Qi, “Younger sister should wear this one, don’t let Fifth Brother catch a cold.”

Yun Yi was her goal, so she naturally did not want Yun Yi to have too much contact with Gu Yu Qi.

Gu Yu Qi had no choice but to take off Yun Yi’s cloak, hand it to Zhang Wan Yi, then drape Yun Ke’s cloak over her shoulders.

The cloak was very thick and when she put it on, her shoulders sagged slightly. Her nose was instantly filled with Yun Ke’s scent, the faint sandalwood fragrance that she was familiar with.

Her breathing choked involuntarily and it seemed like there was an invisible hand pinching her neck, tightening more and more.

This would not do, she could not stay any longer. Gu Yu Qi was really afraid that she would slap Yun Ke’s face, then slap the cloak on Zhang Wan Yi and tell them both to stop pretending like this!

“Many thanks, Seventh Prince. I will return to the warm pavilion first.” She bent her knees, gave a curtsey, then regardless of whether the others agreed or not, she turned around and walked quickly in the direction of the warm pavilion.

“Cousins, I’ll go and see to Younger Sister Gu.” Seeing Gu Yu Qi run away, Zhang Wan Yi could only say this helplessly. Zhang Wan Yi could not help complaining inwardly that Gu Yu Qi was too clueless. This was a great opportunity to get in touch with the princes, but she did not know how to grasp it properly. What genius prodigy? She was afraid that she had read books until her mind had become silly. As a girl, what was the use in reading so many books? The most important thing was who she would marry in the future.

“It’s alright. We have to go too. Let’s go together.” Yun Yi smiled.

In this way, the three of them followed behind Gu Yu Qi and they walked back to the warm pavilion.

As soon as they reached the corridor of the warm pavilion, Gu Yu Qi hurriedly took off the cloak and stuffed it into Zhang Wan Yi’s hands. Then she curtseyed and entered the warm pavilion as though she was escaping, leaving Zhang Wan Yi, Yun Ke, and Yun Yi outside the door.

It was not that she did not know etiquette, but it was just that she instinctively wanted to stay away from these people. In Gu Yu Qi’s eyes, the three of them were just three troubles and it would be best to stay as far away from them as possible. So manners or not, it could all go to hell. If she truly loved her life, staying away from Yun Ke was key.

Zhang Wan Yi laughed secretly for a while. Country girls were stupid. Such a good opportunity to get close to the princes was wasted on her. If it had been her, she would definitely bring the cloak home, wash it, then find an excuse to send it back. In this way, not only could she get in touch with the princes again, but there may be another meeting afterwards.

After curtseying, Zhang Wan Yi also entered the warm pavilion in a dignified manner.

Yun Yi and Yun Ke were princes. There were female relatives inside the warm pavilion so it was inconvenient for them to enter. They stopped at the door.

After Zhang Wan Yi entered too, Yun Yi looked at Yun Ke with a smile and said, “Doesn’t Seventh Younger Brother think the young miss of the Gu family is very cute?”

“Cute? She’s just a country girl who doesn’t know etiquette,” Yun Ke said with a cold snort. He put the cloak back on. Although Gu Yu Qi had only worn the cloak for a short time, it had already been permeated by the fragrance from her body which was different to the cosmetic powders from other people. This kind of fragrance was like the condensed fragrance of flowers, unlike anything else, and it was very pleasant.

This was her scent. In the previous life, she had also had this kind of scent on her body. Yun Ke did not know why, but he suddenly felt relieved. He raised his hand and tightened his cloak, letting the scent surround him naturally as though she was still standing beside him.

“Haha, because she’s from Jiangnan, she’s different from these noble ladies in the capital. Don’t you think that her movements were swift just now, unlike those other shy and weak people? I think she knows martial arts,” Yun Yi said with a wide-eyed smile. “Not only does she have the title of a prodigy, but she’s also capable of martial arts. In the future, it’s likely she would be good at both literary and military matters. With that face, the Ding Yuan Marquis has given birth to a good daughter.”

“Even if she can, it would just be some showy moves for effect,” Yun Ke snorted disdainfully.

In his previous life, Gu Yu Qi really had known some showy but impractical moves.

“I think she has some foundation,” Yun Yi shook his head and said.

“What are two younger brothers talking about?” At this moment, a voice suddenly interjected. Yun Yi and Yun Ke were both shocked. Looking back, a young man in a bright yellow robe walked over.

“Greetings, Crown Prince,” Yun Yi and Yun Ke stepped forward and bent over in a salute, speaking in unison.