Xie Jiuan laid her on the shore and draped his outer robe over Gu Jiangyue to prevent her from catching a cold due to her delicate constitution. As soon as Gu Jiangyue opened her eyes, she saw Xie Jiuan wearing only his underwear. Flushing red, she quickly closed her eyes and quietly stayed aside, not daring to move.
Xie Jiuan seemed to recall something. He quickly put on his inner clothes, told Gu Jiangyue to wait for him there, and then left.
When Gu Jiangyue opened her eyes again, she found two maids standing beside her, each holding a white celestial dress in her hands.
One of the maids said with a smile.
"His Highness the Ninth Prince specially found this dress for Miss Gu. Miss Gu, please change into it quickly to avoid catching a cold."
In the warm spring just now, Gu Jiangyue didn't feel cold because of the steam. But now, even though she was covered with Xie Jiuan's outer robe, the gentle breeze still made her shiver slightly. So Gu Jiangyue didn't refuse and changed into the clean clothes.
This time, the maids were quite responsible. They didn't leave Gu Jiangyue alone on the way again but led her to find Xie Jiuan.
Xie Jiuan was half - lying on the couch. His white clothes were as spotless as snow, and his long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, casually hanging beside his face. He was holding a black chess piece between his fingers, frowning as he pondered the chess game in front of him, ready to make a move.
The door was pushed open from the outside. Xie Jiuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw Gu Jiangyue walking towards him gracefully. There was no trace of the panic just now on her face. Instead, a faint smile played on her lips, making her look elegant and proper.
"You're here?"
Xie Jiuan rolled the chess piece in his palm, showing a harmless smile to Gu Jiangyue, as if the person who had threatened to pull out someone's tongue and gouge out someone's eyes just now was not him at all.
This celestial dress was extremely rare. Even in the palace, it was considered precious. It was originally a treasure presented by a foreign country. But since it was of no use in the palace and the emperor didn't know which concubine to reward it to without causing a stir, he simply gave it to Xie Jiuan to do as he pleased.
Xie Jiuan didn't expect that this dress would actually be used here, and it seemed to fit Gu Jiangyue perfectly, as if it had been tailor - made for her. She looked extremely beautiful in it.
Gu Jiangyue had fair skin. The material and tailoring of this celestial dress were extremely special. Under the sunlight, the light gauze outside the dress could reflect the colors of the rainbow. Paired with her gentle hair bun, it added a touch of vitality and noble temperament to her.
Gu Jiangyue's previous white dress was too plain. Seeing her in this celestial dress, Xie Jiuan couldn't tell for a moment whether the dress was more beautiful or Gu Jiangyue wearing it was.
"The dress fits you well."
The smile on Gu Jiangyue's face faded a bit, and her expression became cold and distant again.
"Thank you, Your Highness the Ninth Prince. After I've taken care of it, I'll send someone to return the dress to Your Highness."
Although she didn't recognize this dress, from the fabric and workmanship, she could tell that it was not an ordinary item. It must be very valuable and perhaps even extremely rare. She wouldn't casually accept others' kindness, just as she wouldn't casually bestow her own.
She still couldn't figure out whether Xie Jiuan was a friend or a foe. Moreover, he was a prince. Gu Jiangyue didn't want to get involved with him too much and could only try to keep her distance. But if she really needed his help, she would also strive for it.
Seeing Gu Jiangyue's respectful manner, Xie Jiuan felt inexplicably annoyed. He didn't like this sense of distance between them.
He let out a sigh and waved his hand casually.
"I'm giving it to you. It's of no use to me anyway. I can't wear it, and it's boring to look at."
The atmosphere eased a lot. Gu Jiangyue thought Xie Jiuan's words made sense, so she couldn't decline anymore. She could only agree for the time being, but in her heart, she was already calculating how to return this favor.
Xie Jiuan lifted his chin slightly towards the seat opposite him, indicating for Gu Jiangyue to sit there.
"You didn't come here just to peek at me today, did you?"
Gu Jiangyue had just sat down and was taken aback by his words. When she was following the maid, she had also paid attention to the surrounding situation and casually asked a few questions. Now she understood that the guard had actually led her through the outer courtyard and into the inner courtyard where Xie Jiuan lived.
However, not just anyone could enter the inner courtyard casually. Only Xie Jiuan's personal guards and the maids who served his daily life could enter. That's why they only led Gu Jiangyue into the inner courtyard but didn't take her directly to Xie Jiuan.
The inner courtyard was so large that it was a bit excessive. Coupled with Gu Jiangyue's poor sense of direction, she had wandered around for such a long time.
Gu Jiangyue didn't intend to continue bickering with Xie Jiuan. She simply skipped this topic to avoid causing trouble for the kind - hearted guard just now because of her own loose tongue.
Seeing how respectful the guards in Bishui Yunju were, Xie Jiuan was not just a pleasure - seeking and good - for - nothing prince on the surface.
Either the emperor took special care of Xie Jiuan, or Xie Jiuan was not an ordinary person. At least in Bishui Yunju, no one dared to challenge his authority.
"I've almost collected the evidence of the Lin family's bribery. Does Your Highness the Ninth Prince need it?"
Xie Jiuan looked into Gu Jiangyue's eyes. Her words seemed to imply something else. He thought that Gu Jiangyue's visit today must not be as simple as just giving him information.
She clearly knew that he needed this information but still asked again. This was nothing more than re - confirming with him to put forward her own conditions.
This little girl, Gu Jiangyue, always knew how to maximize her own value. In a deal, she would never be the one at a loss. Instead, she would make the other party feel that they had gained an advantage.
But now the person she was facing was not an ordinary person, but Xie Jiuan.
Xie Jiuan let out a soft laugh. He reached out to pour a cup of tea from the table beside him and placed it in front of Gu Jiangyue. Then he nodded at her and softly replied with an "um", giving her the answer.
Seeing Xie Jiuan's response, Gu Jiangyue finally relaxed. She picked up the cup of tea on the table and took a sip.
"Of course, I can share this information with Your Highness the Ninth Prince. But I wonder if Your Highness would be willing to do a small favor for me?"
"Miss Gu, are you in trouble? Just say it. Don't be so restrained."
How could Xie Jiuan let Gu Jiangyue collect information on her own? These days, he had been disguised as a black - clothed man and followed her. A few days ago, he had encountered Lin Yeran trying to harm Gu Jiangyue. Fortunately, he had arrived in time. Recently, he had also sent people to guard near the Gu Mansion to ensure that he would know at the first sign of trouble.
Naturally, he had also known about the Lin family's proposal of marriage to the Gu family as soon as it happened.
How could he let the pig eat his cabbage before it had fully grown?
Xie Jiuan originally planned to use his status as a prince to help Gu Jiangyue solve this trouble. But now he suddenly thought that this little girl might have a better way.