Princess Strategy - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ten men were delivered to the Princess’s Residence.

I sat in my armchair, chin propped in one hand, looking down at the men below the steps.

Men on every side. Truly a difficult position.

My lady official, Yuanxu, introduced them to me one by one.

“Your Highness, this is Wei Qi, a concubine-born son of Marquis Yongning’s Mansion. He is nineteen. He has been frail since childhood and has a weak stomach, so he can only stomach soft rice-and living off a woman.”

The young man standing first bowed to me.

He was tall and slender, dressed in plain robes. The draft sweeping through the hall lifted his sleeves slightly, making him look even thinner.

The corners of his eyes were faintly red.

“I beg Your Highness to take pity on me.”

Lust stirred in me, but on the surface, I remained unmoved.

Before I saw the next man, I would not speak.

Wei Qi withdrew, and another young man stepped forward.

Yuanxu said, “This is Shen Xiao, the youngest son of General Zhongwu. He is eighteen. He has admired Your Highness for a long time and wishes only to serve you.”

The newcomer had brows sharp as cut blades, eyes bright as stars, and skin tanned to a healthy wheat shade. When he looked around, there was a youthful edge to him.

He looked at me, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

I straightened in my seat.

I grew even more uncertain.

The bullet comments had already begun voting.

[That’s enough for today. Pick Shen Xiao.]

[Does no one understand Wei Qi?]

[Where did the male lead go? Does nobody care?]

[Chasing the female lead, obviously. Forget all that. Let’s look at the other eight first.]

Right.

Keep looking.

Next, Yuanxu’s tone became a touch more respectful. “This is the Imperial Uncle, Su Zhenliu, Lord Su. He is eighteen.”

She got stuck for a moment.

“Er… the two beside him are his dowry attendants.”

The bullet comments were shocked too.

[Isn’t that the big villain?]

[He’s here for the selection too?]

[Good for him. Joining the selection saves him three years of detours.]

[The thought of those two killer bodyguards cosplaying as dowry attendants is killing me.]

Su Zhenliu.

I had met him a few times before.

He was my imperial sister-in-law’s younger brother, a famously refined nobleman in the capital.

He wanted to become my kept man?

I looked at the person below the steps.

He wore a moon-white robe, his eyes cool and clear as a deep pool.

The two young men at his sides were both dressed in gaudy red, with twin ponytails tied up like Lu Bu’s, making him look all the more fresh and otherworldly by contrast.

I propped up my chin and leaned forward slightly.

“If you’ve been kidnapped, blink.”

He looked over.

Our eyes met.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

He stared at me for a very long time without blinking, until his eyes turned red and tears gathered in them.

I applauded.

“Impressive stamina.”

He smiled faintly, his voice exceptionally clear, like cold spring water trickling down a mountain.

“It was not easy to finally meet Your Highness. I dared not blink.”

Hearing this, the two previous candidates for kept man both widened their eyes.

[Enough, my heart aches for you two. You just left the newbie village and ran straight into a max-level schemer.]

[You two got played by the powerful and privileged.]

I pondered for a moment.

Today, I chose Su Zhenliu.

He was too virtuous, his words were too sweet, and he even brought dowry attendants.

Rejecting a man like this was beyond me.