Looking at the girl's puffed-up expression, Kong Ming'an felt a strange emotion well up within him.
In his impression, princesses were either spoiled and willful, or dignified and elegant... How was it that the one in front of him didn't seem to fit either description?
Kong Ming'an narrowed his eyes slightly, his mental force like invisible threads, continuing to guide the conversation: "Don't you have any dissatisfaction with your Imperial Father's arrangements?"
"What dissatisfaction could there be?" Xu Tianzhen continued, as if stating a simple fact.
"I am a princess; having enjoyed the treatment of a princess, I naturally have to fulfill the obligations of a princess, and aren't the obligations of a princess to be used for political marriages?"
"Don't be so naive, friend. This isn't some storybook. So-called princesses are just like this." She spread her hands, with a casual, indifferent air.
"But... I heard that you are His Majesty's most beloved princess?" Kong Ming'an probed for deeper thoughts.
"Pfft... beloved? Please, if he truly loved me, why would he send me off for a political marriage?" Xu Tianzhen's tone was slightly mocking, as if she found someone too naive.
"You know, this marriage matter had been dragging on. That guy, my Imperial Father, had always been hesitant, trying to pick one of my less talented older or younger sisters to be the marriage candidate."
"However, a few months ago, after Grandfather Kong emerged from seclusion and revealed his ninety-eighth level spirit power cultivation to that guy, my Imperial Father, he immediately decided on me as the marriage candidate."
"Do you think this is love?"
Kong Ming'an looked at Xu Tianzhen, who was questioning him, and couldn't help but develop a bit of interest.
The girl was far more clear-headed than she appeared on the surface... truly rare.
"Are you just accepting your fate like this? Aren't you afraid your marriage partner will be terrible?"
"I already said, I am a princess." Xu Tianzhen gave Kong Ming'an an annoyed look.
"So this isn't accepting fate; it's just fulfilling my obligations as a princess."
"My aunt was like this, and my older sisters are also like this; I am naturally the same."
"Actually, my luck is pretty good. The person I'm marrying is quite handsome, and he's Grandfather Kong's grandson. Even if this guy is terrible and bullies me, I can still complain to Grandfather Kong."
"Furthermore, getting engaged this early can, to some extent, allow us to develop feelings beforehand. How is that not better than suddenly marrying a stranger after growing up and becoming an adult?"
Xu Tianzhen spoke logically and clearly, unlike a girl her age.
Kong Ming'an understood. This was a clear understanding based on her real identity and... to some extent, trust in his grandfather's authority, as well as recognition of his own good looks. There was no girlish fantasy or resistance, only practicality.
Rare.
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A flash of understanding crossed his eyes, and then he silently withdrew the subtle mental guidance.
Almost the instant his mental force retreated, a flicker of confusion passed through Xu Tianzhen's lively eyes, and then she suddenly became fully aware.
She looked at the "ordinary" young man in front of her with suspicion, finally realizing that something was amiss—how could she have told so many of her innermost thoughts to a stranger?
"You... who exactly are you?"
She subconsciously took half a step back, her eyes filled with vigilance, yet a possible guess had already flashed through her mind, and her expression was somewhat unnatural.
Kong Ming'an found her demeanor rather amusing.
With a faint smile, he slowly removed the mask he used for disguise, then looked up at the nervous purple-haired girl, chuckling as he answered her question: "I am the fiancé you were just talking about."
Xu Tianzhen froze. She looked at the unusually familiar face, her voice trembling slightly.
"Kong... Kong Ming'an?"
"Yes, it's me."
"?!"
No, wasn't this guy always in the lab? I didn't see him come out!
And this face... Xu Tianzhen uncharacteristically swallowed... Damn it, why is he so good-looking?!
Xu Tianzhen's mind raced, and after this brief shock, she suddenly realized how inappropriate everything she had just said was!
"Strange guy," "marriage obligations," "complain to Grandfather Kong"... those complaints were one thing, but she actually revealed her true thoughts about the imperial family!
If this got out... "You... you just now... did you remember everything I said?" Xu Tianzhen's voice trembled, and with a last flicker of hope, she stared pleadingly at him.
Kong Ming'an nodded, not denying it: "I remembered some."
Just as Xu Tianzhen was about to sigh in relief, she saw him leisurely pull out a silver, fingernail-sized metal chip from his pocket, then wave it in front of her.
"However, most of it has been recorded. Do you need to play it back to confirm? About 'strange guy,' 'marriage obligations,' and also..."
"No! Delete it! Quickly delete it!"
Xu Tianzhen instantly bristled, forgetting her princess demeanor and her earlier wariness. She lunged forward, jumping to snatch the metal chip, and pleaded pitifully: "Please! Delete it! If you delete it... if you delete it, I'll even warm your bed!"
He had only intended to tease this somewhat different Your Highness, the princess, but this sudden surrender made Kong Ming'an instinctively take a step back.
Even with his calm Heart-Nature, hearing the words "warm your bed," the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch slightly.
However, Xu Tianzhen showed no sign of shyness; her eyes remained fixed on the metal chip, looking as if she had thrown caution to the wind.
Kong Ming'an paused briefly, but his thoughts quickly re-adjusted. With a flick of his wrist, the metal chip instantly vanished.
Looking at Xu Tianzhen's pitiful and exasperated expression, Kong Ming'an thought for a moment, then leaned in slightly, close to her slightly reddened ear, and whispered softly in a voice only they could hear, with a hint of a faint smile: "How could I give it back to you? This secret of yours... I'll savor it for a lifetime."
After speaking, he straightened up, smiled, and no longer looked at the slightly petrified girl. He walked past her and headed outside.
He was going to find his old man and ask about this political marriage.
Behind him, Xu Tianzhen stood alone, her mind buzzing, with only the phrase "I'll savor it for a lifetime" echoing repeatedly.
Damn it... she hadn't even married in yet and already had a handle on her? How was she supposed to play this now?!
Shouldn't she have easily manipulated the dull, handsome young man who only knew how to research, and then developed feelings, living a simple, happy life?
Why wasn't it following her script?!
Given this situation, after she married in, wouldn't she be bullied terribly every day and posed in a hundred and eight different ways?
Xu Tianzhen's mind was in a whirl, but she quickly snapped back to reality, turning her head to search and spotting him about to disappear around the corner in the distance!
Without the slightest hesitation, Xu Tianzhen made a choice purely out of instinct and immediately chased after him!
At the very least, she had to destroy the leverage first!!!