ASTRP -Chapter 13 The Prince Pays — Miss Feng Goes to Court

After coercion came temptation.

He decided to give it a try.

“Of course I want money!” Feng Jinge answered without hesitation.

As the saying goes, you can’t cook without rice—and without money, you can’t take a single step. She still wanted to roam the martial world; without money, that was impossible.

“You want money?” Xiao Jinghan said calmly. “Simple.”

“Play the role of this prince, and I’ll give you one hundred taels of silver a day.”

Feng Jinge didn’t agree right away. Instead, she asked, “As the Regent Prince, do you get a monthly salary?”

“Yes.”

Feng Jinge smiled slyly at him. “How much?”

“About three thousand taels a month.”

“Three—”

She nearly bit her tongue. “Three thousand taels?!”

“Mm.”

Feng Jinge rubbed her hands together with a grin. “Then… since I’m acting as you now, does that monthly salary—”

Xiao Jinghan shot her a glance, clearly seeing through her scheme, and said lightly, “You can have the monthly salary.”

Feng Jinge instantly lit up.

Three thousand taels!
Three thousand taels of silver!

But seeing the uncontrollable excitement in her eyes, Xiao Jinghan’s gaze flickered, and he added, “But! That depends on your performance.”

“Performance?” Feng Jinge frowned.

“You’ve seen how I performed from yesterday to today, haven’t you? Playing you isn’t a problem.”

“Attending court tomorrow?” Xiao Jinghan threw out the question.

The excitement in Feng Jinge’s eyes froze instantly. Her expression collapsed, and in a moment she went from lively to completely wilted.

“Your Highness, I really don’t know how to attend court!”

She wailed, full of grievance.

“Looks like you won’t be getting those three thousand taels.” Xiao Jinghan’s gaze swept over her calmly as he turned and walked toward the table.

The moment Feng Jinge heard the money was gone, she panicked. In a flash, she dashed forward and blocked his path.

Looking down at him, she said, “Your Highness, you already agreed—how can you go back on your word?”

“The salary isn’t given for nothing.”

Xiao Jinghan brushed past her, walked to the table, picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup, and drank it in one gulp.

The tea soothed his dry throat, easing the earlier discomfort.

“I don’t recognize a single civil or military official, and as for the palace concubines—I know nothing about what’s been happening at court lately…”

Listening to her voice behind him, Xiao Jinghan’s lips curled slightly, a faint smile appearing.

He turned back to face her. “None of what you mentioned is a problem. I can handle it all.”

“You’re sure?” Feng Jinge clearly didn’t believe him.

“If you can solve those problems, I’ll agree to attend court and assist the emperor.”

“I don’t trust you,” Xiao Jinghan said coldly.

Feng Jinge: ???

“Why don’t you trust me?”

Xiao Jinghan said nothing.

Feng Jinge exploded. She was being completely sincere, and this guy didn’t trust her?!

“Hey—Your Highness, why don’t you trust me?”
“Why not?”
“Why?!”

She circled around him, pestering him nonstop.

For the sake of those three thousand taels, she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Xiao Jinghan remained silent. Not a single word.

One word: steady.

Seeing that questioning wouldn’t work, Feng Jinge had no choice but to use her trump card—

Acting cute.

As the saying goes, no man can resist a woman acting cute.

Even though she was currently in a man’s body…

At heart, she was still an unmarried young lady.

Her eyes rolled mischievously.

Xiao Jinghan observed every move and expression of hers. Seeing her shifty look, he knew she was up to no good again.

Sure enough, while he was distracted for a moment, Feng Jinge seized the opportunity. Before he could react, she grabbed his arm and clung to it, calling out in a soft, coquettish tone—

“Your Highness~”

Xiao Jinghan froze.

He looked down at the tall figure hugging his arm and shaking it.

In an instant, goosebumps rose all over his body.

His face darkened like the bottom of a pot.

“Let go.”

The two words were practically squeezed out between clenched teeth.

Feeling the icy aura radiating from him, Feng Jinge realized things were going wrong. She quickly let go and stepped back, putting distance between them.

“You promised to play your role properly until we switch back.”

“Yet the moment I leave, you pack up and try to run away?”

Feng Jinge pouted. “Aren’t you the same? You said you’d trust me, but then you turned around and set a trap to catch me.”

Xiao Jinghan: “……”

She actually had the nerve to turn the tables?!

“So we’re even,” Feng Jinge said quickly, seizing the moment.

Watching his expression carefully, she asked cautiously, “How about… we give each other another chance to trust one another?”

“Your Highness, what do you think?”

Still no response.

Feng Jinge felt hopeful.

Step by step, she raised her right hand, curling her little finger. “If you agree, hook pinkies with me.”

Though confused, Xiao Jinghan frowned slightly—but still mimicked her, raising his little finger.

The moment he did, Feng Jinge’s hand shot forward, hooking her pinky with his.

“Pinky swear, no breaking it for a hundred years. Whoever breaks it is a puppy.”

Their thumbs pressed together.

“Seal it.”

Xiao Jinghan: “……”

Feng Jinge beamed. “Alright, Your Highness, we’ve made a pinky promise. No backing out now.”

The corners of Xiao Jinghan’s mouth twitched uncontrollably, utterly speechless.

This childish trick used to fool kids… she used it on him??

He glanced at the spot where their thumbs had touched, a barely noticeable smile tugging at his lips.

Surprisingly… he quite liked this childish trick.

“Mm…”

After a moment of thought, he said, “Since you’ve promised not to go back on your word, come with me.”

Without giving Feng Jinge any chance to react or refuse, he turned and walked out.

Feng Jinge: ???

Where was he going in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?

And wasn’t she supposed to attend morning court with the emperor tomorrow???

Muttering to herself, her gaze dropped—and she noticed she was still holding the disguise mask.

Her expression changed. She called out to his back, “Your Highness! Wait!”

Xiao Jinghan paused.

Before he could turn around, Feng Jinge had already rushed in front of him, waving the mask.

“This—this hasn’t been put on yet!”

“Please close your eyes.”

Xiao Jinghan complied.

Feng Jinge carefully pressed the disguise onto his face.