After getting the satisfactory answer, Huyan Nan casually touched Shan Xiaoya and suddenly released her. “This subject, Huyan Nan, thanks the emperor’s grace!” He knelt before the emperor.
Freed, Shan Xiaoya discovered her strength had returned. Hearing the emperor’s decree of marriage, she showed a disdainful expression. Whatever, she would leave eventually, and it was all the same.
Titles like princess or wife were just fleeting clouds to her.
Looking at the cold man kneeling beside her, Shan Xiaoya, who had never suffered humiliation, kicked Huyan Nan’s buttocks…
Hu Yannan turned back, glaring at the culprit, who was provocatively looking at him without a hint of remorse. Damn it! I will make you pay for this kick. Hu Yannan stood up and, before anyone could react, hoisted Shan Xiaoya and strode out of the hall… Shan Xiaoya rebelliously pounded his back. “You barbarian, put me down! I’m not someone to be bullied. Do you hear me? Put me down now…”
Hu Yannan carried Shan Xiaoya to the imperial flower pool and stopped, his face showing coldness. He easily threw Shan Xiaoya into the pool. Shan Xiaoya felt her body suddenly airborne, falling into the water, creating rippling waves and choking on the water. A voice interrupted: “This is punishment for your recklessness. See if you dare to be so presumptuous again.”
Shan Xiaoya was furious in the water. He actually threw her in without checking if she could swim.
But then she thought, as the princess of Man Yi country, if she were to die by his hand, he would likely be unable to bear the responsibility. With that thought, Shan Xiaoya, who was already familiar with swimming, raised her head above water, took a deep breath, and pretended to be drowning, thrashing about before sinking underwater, observing everything through the refracted sunlight…
Watching her seemingly drown, Hu Yannan inexplicably felt excited. A rare smile appeared on his face. Looking at the nearby palace maids trembling in fear, his faint smile disappeared, replaced by impatience… Could she have drowned? She deserved to die and wasn’t worth mourning, but he couldn’t explain this to the emperor. Forget it! He’d better rescue her. Keep her alive to slowly torture later… With this thought, Hu Yannan leaped into the imperial flower pool…
Chapter 019
Shan Xiaoya, desperately holding her breath, felt a massive change in the water surface as a dark shadow jumped in. She knew it was definitely Hu Yannan. Fortunately, he had jumped in now; a moment later, she wouldn’t have been able to hold on. She stretched her arms upward, kicked her legs casually, and floated up, quickly swimming to the surface and climbing out… Breathing heavily, she ignored her wet clothes clinging to her body.
She gently pushed back her hair that had fallen across her face and sat by the flower pool, looking at the water surface…
After jumping into the water, Hu Yannan opened his eyes, trying to find the woman he had just thrown in. If she had truly drowned, he couldn’t explain it to the emperor. After searching the bottom twice, he found no trace of her. Even if she had drowned, there should be a body.
Huyan Nan disbelievingly poked his head out of the water again. Sure enough, sitting on the shore was a woman completely soaked, looking disheveled, but her contemptuous gaze was obvious… The first thought that entered his mind was that he had been tricked. While he was searching in the water, she had been sitting on the shore watching him…
Huyan Nan swam to the shore with a dark expression, narrowing his eyes and looking at Shan Xiaoya. He reached out and grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his anger. “You’re something else, daring to play with me.”
Shan Xiaoya didn’t move, letting him grip her chin. Her eyes were cold as she looked into his, disdainfully curling her lips. “You threw me down, I didn’t ask you to jump down, right?”
Huyan Nan frowned, his emotionless face now covered with a layer of coldness. “What a sharp-tongued woman, believe it or not, I’ll make you mute?” As he spoke, he increased the force of his fingers.
The pain on her chin made Shan Xiaoya lightly furrow her brow, her disdain even more apparent. “Believe it! You don’t even blink when killing, what can’t you do? But, don’t forget, I’m the princess of Manyi Country. Before touching me, you’d better think carefully.”
At this moment, Shan Xiaoya realized that her princess status still had some use.
Huyan Nan nearly roared, “You’re threatening me?”
“Not daring! This lowly woman’s life is cheap. How could I dare to threaten the great general?”
Huyan Nan looked at her disdain, and his unwillingness and hatred surged. After staring into her cold eyes for a long time, he suddenly smiled evilly. “I’ll remember this account. In the future, I’ll make you pay bit by bit. You’ll wish you were dead! Hmph!”
After finishing, he let go of her chin and strode away…
Shan Xiaoya rubbed her sore chin, thoughtfully watching his disappearing direction…
Dan Xiaoya was dressed and about to push open the door when she heard chaotic footsteps approaching from a distance.
She quickly opened the door slightly and saw through the crack that the heartless general was swaying and walking towards her, almost reaching the doorway…
Dan Xiaoya swiftly moved to the window, opened it, and looked outside. She jumped out, landing on the ground. Looking back, she accidentally knocked over a flower pot. Hu Yannan, hearing the noise, instantly sobered up from his drunken state and approached the window, feeling a stirring in his heart when he saw the figure below…
Dan Xiaoya bent down to pick up the overturned flower pot, suddenly feeling a burning sensation on her back. She turned defensively and met a pair of melancholic eyes.
When Hu Yannan realized the person on the ground was not his Sisi but Dan Xiaoya, his momentary excitement turned to rage. He walked up to her, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her up. Looking at her with a sinister gaze, he said menacingly, “Who gave you the courage to touch Sisi’s things?”
Dan Xiaoya looked up innocently, frozen by his cold demeanor, and stammered, “What Sisi? I found these clothes in this room. Can’t I wear them?”
“No! I won’t let you touch her things. Take them off,” he said, reaching to remove her clothes. Dan Xiaoya reflexively resisted. The mansion’s servants and guards, hearing the commotion, approached but kept their distance upon seeing the general. Amidst their struggle, with a “rip” sound, the clothing tore in half, and both fell silent.
Hu Yannan looked shocked at the torn clothing, feeling his heart shatter. This was Sisi’s favorite dress, now ruined. He grabbed Dan Xiaoya’s hand, raised it, and struck her face hard. “Impudent!”
Hu Yannan’s hand was incredibly fast, and Dan Xiaoya couldn’t dodge in time. She felt a burning pain on her cheek and saw stars. Without thinking, she struck back, hitting Hu Yannan’s face while shouting, “Bastard!”
The guards and servants gasped and quickly disappeared, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
Hu Yannan was caught off guard by her boldness. His fiery eyes locked onto Dan Xiaoya, a sinister smile playing on his lips. “Good! Quite brave! But I never allow women to be insolent in front of me. You will regret this,” he said, approaching menacingly…
Dan Xiaoya watched his terrifying approach, involuntarily swallowing. She knew her slap had struck a nerve, and he wouldn’t let it go. But why such a severe reaction over a piece of clothing? She began to retreat, saying, “Wait, it’s just a dress. I’ll return it.” She started removing her outer garment.
When Hu Yannan saw her disrobing, revealing her figure, he remembered their first meeting and looked at her with contempt. “Shameless woman!” he spat.
