The princess regretted it.

Chapter 54 Gift

Before Zhong Chuzhou could reply, Zhong Wenqing spoke first, "What's the gift my mother gave me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhong Chuzhou smiled and replied respectfully, "Aunt, didn't you say before that you wanted a weapon that's easy to carry? Grandfather and grandmother thought you were good with a sword, so grandmother asked father to send someone to keep an eye out for news in this area. Not long ago, a soft sword was found. This sword is as thin as a cicada's wing and extremely rare. Grandmother asked my nephew to bring it to you." After saying this, he clapped his hands lightly, and the attendant who followed him came forward holding a long, beautifully decorated box. Zhong Chuzhou took the box, stood up, walked to Zhong Wenqing, presented it with both hands, and said respectfully, "Aunt, please open it and take a look. Do you like it?"

Zhong Wenqing stepped forward, smiled, took the box, and slowly opened it. When the soft sword came into view, her eyes flashed with astonishment and surprise. The blade was slender, like a transparent cicada wing, emitting a faint cold light, like a fine work of art. Zhong Wenqing's eyes were glued to the soft sword, filled with admiration and love. She raised her hand slightly and gently touched the blade, feeling its soft yet tough texture, as if she were touching a mysterious legend.

She gently picked up the soft sword, the slender blade seemed weightless. The moment she held the sword in her hand, her eyes instantly became bright and blazing, as if the soft sword had ignited a fire in her heart.

Then, she leaned slightly to the side, flicked her wrist gently, and the sword danced through the air like a serpent. Her movements were light and agile, each swing imbued with an elegant rhythm, as if she were performing a beautiful dance. The sword in her hand sometimes flowed like a ribbon, sometimes swift and sharp like lightning, exuding a breathtaking charm. Her posture also shifted in sync with the sword's movements, sometimes spinning, sometimes leaping, showcasing her valiant presence.

Her heroic figure stunned everyone present. Old Mrs. Xue's eyes welled up with tears, as she thought of her son Mu En, who was far away in the frontier. Jin An's eyes were filled with envy.

After a moment, she slowly stopped, breathing slightly, a smile of excitement and satisfaction on her face, and her eyes were full of love and cherishment for this soft sword.

She couldn't help but say, "This soft sword is extremely rare. Chu Zhou, tell your grandparents when you get back that I'm very satisfied."

Mu Zixuan, who was standing by, came forward and looked at the soft sword in the box. He said enviously, "Cousin, grandma is so kind to my mother. I'm a little jealous."

Zhong Chuzhou chuckled and said to Mu Zixuan, "You're jealous of this too. When have your grandparents ever wronged you?"

After saying this, Zhong Chuzhou suddenly turned around and faced Jin An, a smile on his face. He said softly, "Jin An, I actually have a gift for you, but I'm not sure if you'd like it."

Upon hearing this, Jin An's almond-shaped eyes instantly widened, his face full of surprise, and he said with a bit of disbelief: "For me?"

Mrs. Xue's mood had calmed down at this time. Like Zhong Wenqing, Mu Zixuan and others, she was also very curious about what the gift would be.

Zhong Chuzhou slowly pulled out an exquisite dagger from his pocket. The scabbard was inlaid with dazzling gemstones, emitting a mysterious and captivating light. He solemnly held the dagger in both hands and handed it to Jin An, saying softly, "I found this dagger by chance. I think it suits you perfectly, so I wanted to give it to you. I hope you like it."

Jin An carefully took the dagger and gently pulled it out. A flash of cold light flashed. The blade of the dagger was extremely sharp, and it was engraved with exquisite patterns. A surprised smile bloomed on her face, and she said, "Thank you, cousin. This gift is really precious. Jin An likes it very much."

Zhong Chuzhou looked at Jin An's happy face, and a sense of satisfaction surged in his heart. This time, he must let Jin An see him, with him in his eyes and heart. He didn't want to miss it again. He raised the corner of his mouth slightly at Jin An and said, "As long as you like it."

Mu Zixuan felt even more upset when he saw Zhong Chuzhou giving Jin An a gift. He couldn't help but feel jealous. He muttered, "Cousin, why didn't you prepare a gift for me too?"

Mu Zixuan chuckled, revealing a row of white teeth, his eyes sparkling, and said, "That's true, my cousin is the best to me. But cousin, when did you think of giving Jin'an a gift? Why haven't I heard you mention it before?" As he spoke, he winked at Zhong Chuzhou mischievously.

Zhong Chuzhou was slightly startled, then coughed lightly to hide his discomfort, and said, "I just think this dagger is suitable for Jin An."

Mu Zixuan's eyes curved as he nodded in agreement, continuing to tease, "Yeah! ~ Cousin, what you said makes sense!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and twisted his ear with a very skillful movement. Mu Zixuan quickly reached out to protect his ear, but he was a step too slow. He could only hold his mother's hand with his own, crying "Ouch, ouch," and begging for mercy: "Mom, mom, I was wrong! Jin An is still here. Please give me some face."

The other occupants of the room watched this scene with amusement, shaking their heads. Jin An thought to herself, this cousin is still the same as always. I wonder how he changed after following Zhong Chuzhou in his previous life, to become such a famous young general. Thinking of this, she casually looked up at Zhong Chuzhou again, only to find that he was also looking at her. Jin An quickly averted his gaze, feeling a strange emotion.

Lan Zhu watched the interaction between Zhong Chuzhou and Jin'an from the sidelines, her worries growing stronger. She wondered what Prince Zhong's motive was in being so attentive to Jin'an. She wondered if this would affect the Third Prince's plans, and she decided to find a way to pass on this news to him upon her return.

Ziyun stood quietly behind Jin'an, a faint smile on her face, watching everything unfold. Her only goal was to make the princess happy.