I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Yang Nian'er moved gently, slowly wiping away the whip marks on her sister's back, and said vaguely, "Just use it, why are you talking so much? Can't I buy it?"

"You haven't left the Clear Water Pond all day, where are you going to buy it?"

Lu Mingyang sat up and took the small celadon jar from his sister's hand. The imperial emblem was clearly printed on the bottom of the jar.

Yang Nian'er had no choice but to confess honestly: "This afternoon I saw Prince Ningyuan applying medicine to a little white dog. The little white dog was limping, but immediately after the medicine was applied, it jumped up and down. I also heard him tell the dog that this medicine would not leave scars. I thought the cut on your back was so deep, and this would help it heal faster."

"Yang Nian'er, when will you be able to change this habit of stealing?"

Yang Nian'er retorted aggrievedly: "I didn't steal it. He put it on the stone table and forgot to take it away."

"That won't work either!" Lu Mingyang covered the medicine jar, got out of bed and left.

Yang Nian'er quickly jumped out of bed and grabbed Lu Mingyang, "Second sister, he has so many good things, he's forgotten about them a long time ago, why do you want to send them back?"

She couldn't bear it, as it would leave an ugly scar on her second sister's back.

"Yang Nian'er, this matter can be a big deal or a small one. If he is narrow-minded and thinks about it tomorrow, you will be dead." Lu Mingyang pushed his sister away, put on his cloak and went out.

The yard was quiet. Lu Mingyang went to the pavilion her sister had mentioned and put down the medicine jar. Then she heard footsteps behind her and turned back nervously.

Prince Ningyuan was standing not far away, walking towards them.

"What is Miss Lu doing here?"

"I can't sleep, so I'm walking around."

Chu Mingzheng looked at the medicine jar on the stone table, frowning slightly, "Then sit down for a while!"

"No, I'm going to sleep now. I won't disturb Your Highness's leisure time."

"The young lady was so passionate towards me a few days ago, but now she is so polite that it makes me very sad." Chu Mingzheng climbed up the pavilion, blocking Lu Mingyang's way, with three big words written on his face: no conscience.

Lu Mingyang's heart skipped a beat, and he mumbled, "Your Highness, you're joking. Your Highness will be leaving for the Xiongnu early tomorrow morning, and I'm just worried about disturbing your rest."

"It's okay, just for a moment."

Chu Mingzheng went to hold Lu Mingyang's hand, but Lu Mingyang pretended not to see it and quietly retreated to the stone table. When King Ningyuan sat down, he sat down as well.

"So I left this bottle of medicine here!" Chu Mingzheng picked up the bottle and asked casually, "Is your foot wound healed?"

"Okay!" Lu Mingyang answered with his head down.

"Let me see!"

Chu Mingzheng reached out to grab it, and Lu Mingyang stood up in shock. He looked at the panicked girl in front of him and said with a smile, "Yangyang, we've already had physical contact, why are you shy?"

Oh no! Lu Mingyang was speechless and awkwardly explained, "I am a vulgar person and I am afraid that I have offended Your Highness."

"Yangyang, you weren't so reserved that day."

"I was drunk that day and I apologize for any disrespect I may have caused. Your Highness, I beg to forgive you. I will take my leave!"

"sit down!"

His voice was gentle but contained an irresistible command.

Lu Mingyang sat down for some unknown reason and let him lift his feet. When he came to his senses, his right bare foot was already resting on his lap.

His bony fingers smeared the ointment, applying it little by little to the bite marks, massaging it gently. A comfortable pressure spread from his feet, and gradually, Lu Mingyang forgot about the tension.

The soft moonlight sprinkled on his majestic outline like a mountain and his smooth jawline like water, adding to the charm of nature.

Lu Mingyang couldn't help but sigh: "I didn't expect you to be so gentle. No wonder those girls in the brothel are thinking about you."

A hawk-like gaze was cast over.

"Your Highness, please forgive me for my words!"

Lu Mingyang tried to pull her legs out in a hurry, but instead of pulling them out, she almost fell into Chu Mingzheng's arms. She was so scared that she held on to the stone bench and dared not move.

Chu Mingzheng looked at the woman in front of him with a burning gaze, a mixture of inquiry and admiration. "Miss Lu, the Empress Dowager is already selecting a concubine for this prince. Are you willing to... be my princess?"

Lu Mingyang was so frightened that he quickly waved his hands, "Your Highness, you are not responsible for me."

"Why?"

Chu Mingzheng was really confused. "Although His Majesty has ordered a silence, it's impossible for the Marquis' Mansion to be unaware of it. Moreover, the girl has lost her parents, so it's probably difficult for her to find a good match."

Lu Mingyang was actually moved by his sincere words and asked, "Your Highness has so many women. Does that mean you have to take responsibility for all of them?"

"You are the daughter of a distinguished family. Reputation is so important. How can you compare yourself to those courtesans in brothels?"

As Chu Mingzheng spoke, he suddenly realized what the woman in front of him was worried about, and solemnly promised: "If you don't like it, I will never see those brothel girls again, and I will not let you become a laughing stock among the women in Beijing."

"So, Your Highness is pitying me?"

Lu Mingyang suddenly became angry: "Why do I have to get married just because I'm a woman? Why do I have to settle for second best and marry someone I don't like after losing my innocence?"

"……Second-rate?"

"In your eyes, I am... a defective product?"

Chu Mingzheng's eyes froze and his throat ached.

"Your Highness, please forgive me for my words!" Lu Mingyang knelt on the ground, her head buried deep in the dirt. She had never seen such a hurt look in his eyes before, and for a moment, she felt a pang of pain in her heart.

"A slip of the tongue is not a lie."

Chu Mingzheng stood up, clenched his fists behind his back, and laughed at himself coldly.

"Indeed, ever since the Empress Dowager decided to choose a concubine for this prince, officials of the fifth rank and above have been avoiding her. Even officials of the sixth and seventh ranks are only considering marrying their concubines to this prince. The most active are probably the merchants. Their only hope is that after this prince's death, my grandson will inherit the title of Prince of Ningyuan, thus securing an opportunity for their own sons and nephews to serve in the court."

"You are the daughter of the Marquis of Chengyang. Even though your father and brother are both dead, you still have your uncle, the Duke of Wei. If you marry into Yunzhao one day, you will surely be the mistress of a high-ranking family, and you and your wife will live happily together. Or, if your cousin, the commander, finds you a young talent, your future will be limitless."

"Your Highness, that's not what I meant..." She looked up and wanted to say something, but Chu Mingzheng raised his hand to stop her from saying it.

"Xiao Wang is delusional and rude to the girl."

When a person is unhappy, any comfort he gives seems like a cover-up. Lu Mingyang was speechless.

Chu Mingzheng's gaze fell on the woman's bare feet, which were shivering from the cold.

"The ground is cold, put on your shoes!"

Chu Mingzheng looked away, knocked the medicine bottle on the stone table, and said with a smile: "Take it. Even if the person is not good, the things he gives are always good. Scars on girls are always not good-looking."

"Your Highness!"

The gentle cry received no response, and Chu Mingzheng's back disappeared into the vast night. Lu Mingyang picked up the celadon medicine bottle on the stone table. It was cool, but it made his heart tremble with heat.