无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

However, His Highness said nothing and started walking.

Li Xiu hurried to catch up, cautiously asking, “Your Highness, should we send someone to the Prime Minister’s Mansion to escort the Princess Consort and young princes back to the palace?”

Li Hongyuan gave him a sidelong glance. “Escort? If you can manage to bring them back from the Prime Minister’s Mansion, you may as well replace me as the Crown Prince, OK?”

“I dare not!”

Li Xiu dropped to his knees in fright.

Li Hongyuan snorted, withdrawing his gaze.

By daybreak, everyone within and outside the Imperial Palace would know that the Princess Consort had gone home and not returned to the palace.

Undoubtedly many people would laugh at him, the Crown Prince, for not being able to control his Princess Consort.

Nevertheless, Li Hongyuan didn’t care.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t control Jiang Ning, but rather the Jiang Family that stood behind her.

To be precise, it was the brothers Jiang Mubai and Jiang Ruobai.

On the surface, Jiang Mubai and Jiang Ruobai seemed to be at odds, having a strained relationship. But this could only deceive their father the Emperor.

He would never believe it.

If those two brothers joined forces, even he, as the Crown Prince, would have to tread lightly.

So now, let alone the Jiang Family wanting to keep Jiang Ning at home for one night, even if she stayed for a year, could he forcibly take her back?

Let her stay then.

Li Hongyuan didn’t really care.

…

The same night, Jiang Ning changed into black clothes for a night expedition. Covering her face and revealing only a pair of eyes, she was dragged along by Gucheng, jumping between tree branches.

Around them was a full moon overhead, and the sound of wind rushing past their ears.

Other than excitement, Jiang Ning felt more excitement.

“Gucheng, just teach me martial arts. Then when we go out in the future, you won’t have to carry me around,” she proposed, gripping hard on Gucheng’s arm, worried that she may fall and be crushed to pieces.

Gucheng didn’t reply, contemplating solemnly.

“Sure.” He finally answered.

“How many years will it take for me to learn to scale walls and rooftops?”

“At least, ten years.”

“And acupuncture points?”

“Five to ten years.”

“… Is there any shortcut? It’s just acupuncture, once I memorize the chart.”

Gucheng glanced at her but remained silent.

Jiang Ning understood her implication: “Are you trying to say I’m stupid?”

Again, Gucheng kept silent.

That was as good as an admission.

Jiang Ning, unable to hide her embarrassment, could only console herself: “Although I am not naturally gifted for martial arts, I am smart. As the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens…”

But Gucheng was still indifferent.

Apparently, he didn’t resonate with her self-consolation.

So Jiang Ning could only stop awkwardly and concentrate on experiencing the thrilling sensation.

When they stopped on an octagonal pavilion, Gucheng suddenly said, “Not all doctors can manipulate acupuncture points.”

“Pardon?” Jiang Ning was taken aback.

She did not understand his unexpected, convoluted remark.

But Gucheng didn’t elaborate.

After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Ning finally understood.

He was responding to her previous statement.

She had said that if she simply memorized the body chart, she could learn acupuncture, hence Gucheng’s rebuttal: all doctors know all the acupuncture points by heart.

Yet, they couldn’t actually apply that knowledge.

Surely, his counterargument left Jiang Ning speechless.

However, Jiang Ning still asked: “Gucheng, are you always this slow? Why does it always take so long before you recall wanting to tease me?”

Gucheng shook his head quietly.

He looked innocent.

Which only made Jiang Ning feel that she was more under attack.

“We’ve arrived.” Gucheng said.

“Here?” Jiang Ning looked around.

Under the bright moonlight, the surrounding scene fell clearly into her view.