Chapter 266 - Out in the Shade (2/2)

Prince Yi instantly froze and knit his brows but quickly corrected his expression to an unaffected one as he continued to play with the snake, ”She's none of my concern...”

Princess Nalan quietly took a sip and then handed over the bag to him.

”But I heard you two were together before she marri-”

”That was just a stupid rumor -!” Prince Yi irritatedly interjected with a frown and then changed his tone to a softer one and said, ”The rumors said you were a frail and delicate beauty but yet here you are strong and brave - Although still a beauty, so at least the rumors got one thing right~” Prince Yi said with a smile.

Princess Nalan nervously chuckled as she took a sip of wine as light blush spread on her face. The snakes slithered off and the two quietly drank as they stared at the flowery landscape.

”So you really don't like Lei Xing?” Princess Nalan quietly asked, glancing at Prince Yi. Although the last few weeks had been different, in the past, she had been getting the sense that he liked Lei Xing.

Even if the rumors were false, he always seemed to be focused on Lei Xing whenever they were together in the past. She even caught him staring at her a few times...but perhaps those might have just been her imagination fueled by the rumors.

”Of course not.” Prince Yi swiftly denied sending her an incredulous frown, ”Watch what you say.” He warned.

Princess Nalan frowned and defended, ”It's just you always se-”

”I did nothing! She's the Emperor's wife, it is impossible for me to have any designs on her. Y-” Prince Yi cut in with irritation but quickly stopped himself, those words came out harsher than he intended. It was just that the subject of Lei Xing and the Emperor greatly irked him.

Thankfully he swallowed back the rest of his words before he ruined everything for himself, he promptly softened his tone and went, ”Moreover, she's too delicate for my tastes...I prefer a more valiant kind of woman...one just like you~” He finished with a sly smile.

Princess Nalan froze and blinked at him as her heart skipped. Although she had been getting the sense that he liked her, this was the first time he ever mentioned it and she was not sure how to react.

Prince Yi put on a serious expression and turned to fully face her and took her hand and went, ”I prefer a woman who I can ride at my side ride towards the horizon without me having to worry about her passing out or falling off her horse.” He then chuckled as he remembered Lei Xing struggling to get on her horse and then panicking when Princess Nalan had slapped the horse that one time.

Prince Yi quickly refocused his mind and continued, ”A woman who is adventurous, who can hold her own in a fight, someone to spar with to pass the time...You know, I'll be honest. I've actually liked you for quite a long time. Actually, it was since the first time we were here, your beautiful form as you raced towards the horizon that day is seared into my memory. You looked like a goddess, beautiful, valiant, and free. It reminded of a long lost dream of mine but -... I thought it was impossible, believed it to be. You came here to marry my brother, the Emperor...And I knew I would never be enough so I tried my hardest to forget it, to forget you but...”

Prince Yi lowered his head and knit his brows, hesitating and Princess Nalan watched him completely transfixed.

Prince Yi took a deep breath and then looked back up at her and smiled and said, ”But when you sent me that letter...asking about my welfare. I could not help myself and when you kept replying it was the most wonderful thing in the world. I truly became helpless...and even though I knew this was going nowhere, I could not help wanting to see you...”

Prince Yi brought up a hand to the frozen Princess's face and stroked her cheek and then said, ”I...I love you.”

Princess Nalan blinked rapidly, opened her mouth, closed it...No one had ever confessed their feelings to her. She wanted to tell him how she felt, how she had felt since their first meeting but she was struggling to find her words, ”I - I...”

She too had been holding back. She never would have thought she would have any interest in the dignified scholarly type but he was different. He seemed to radiate a certain glow that always drew her eyes. Moreover, he clearly could fight as well, she had even tested his skills. He was definitely not a weak scholar, that she definitely had no interest in.

But she thought he never saw her and so had always tried to shift her mind elsewhere. But now, here he was telling her he loved her. Her heart was in a frenzy and her mind, a jumbled mess.

With Princess Nalan apparently speechless, Prince Yi leaned forward and kissed her, a quick light kiss. He sat back and stared at the wide-eyed Princess and quietly said, ”This is enough.” with a weary smile.

A rejected smile.

Princess Nalan blinked at him and then knit her brows, took a deep breath, and then leaned forward herself and gave him a quick kiss of her own and then sat back and smilingly blinked at the happily surprised Prince Yi.

She was never one for words, actions suited her a lot more.

A slow smile spread on Prince Yi's beautiful face, he caressed her face again and leaned in for another kiss, this time for a longer, deeper sensual kiss.

And Princess Nalan haphazardly kissed him back. This was her first, so she was clumsy and a bit aggressive with it at the start, but she was a quick study when engaged and she gradually got softer as they progressed until it felt seamless.

Princess Nalan was not sure whether it was the amazing weather, the cool breeze, the wine, or the man before but...

This was amazing.