My System Is Three Thousand Years Early

Qin Gaozhi was covered in a cold sweat the moment he heard what Cheng Guang said.

"Princely Heir, I dare not."

Qin Gaozhi lowered his head.

His lips were tightly pressed.

In his eyes was a full display of discomfort.

He had never anticipated, that the normally approachable and kind Cheng Guang would hold onto this matter relentlessly.

By now, Qin Gaozhi was already regretting the situation.

After all, Qin Yanqiu's marriage to the Princely Heir was a done deal.

No matter how much it pained him, he could not change the tide of events.

His peeping at Cheng Guang's wedding chamber was simply because he couldn't let go.

Had he known he would be caught red-handed by the Princely Heir, he wouldn't have come.

He was merely a general's son, and when compared to Cheng Guang, the Town-Nation Duke's Heir, his status and position were nothing to speak of.

If Cheng Guang truly decided to trouble him over this issue,

it would be more than Qin Gaozhi could bear.

Therefore, after hesitating for a moment, Qin Gaozhi slapped his own face, a "slap" resounding so distinctly that his cheek bore a bright red handprint.

"Princely Heir, I was disrespectful. I was just worried about my sister and I hope for your understanding."

Qin Gaozhi lowered his head once more.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

His tone was very earnest.

A look of submission was evident on his handsome face.

Li Dabai watched in disbelief, and after a moment of stunned silence, his plump face was filled with disdain.

Qin Gaozhi really had no backbone.

In front of those with lesser status than him, he was all prim and proper, yet in front of the exalted Princely Heir, he became embarrassingly servile.

By now, Li Dabai had come to think that, given Qin Gaozhi's apologetic manner, the Princely Heir most likely wouldn't be too hard on him.

He felt somewhat disappointed.

If Qin Gaozhi had been more obstinate, he could have had the chance to give a good thrashing to a man down on his luck, especially with the Princely Heir at his side. But now the opportunity was lost.

Just as Li Dabai was thinking this, Cheng Guang's voice timely reached his ears.

"A mistake?"

"What if I don't accept your apology?" Cheng Guang said with a smile.

Li Dabai's face registered a flicker of shock, then he blankly looked at Cheng Guang before turning his gaze, filled with interest, to Qin Gaozhi.

It seemed he wanted to see how Qin Gaozhi would handle the situation.

Speaking of Qin Gaozhi,

Cheng Guang's faint smile combined with the words he uttered sent a chill down Qin Gaozhi's spine, disbelief mingling with a rising anger.

At the same time,

anger began to well up within Qin Gaozhi's heart.

He couldn't understand.

Why the Princely Heir was making such a big deal out of this.

Even though he had gone to the Capital city before, beseeching the Princely Heir to give up Qin Yanqiu,

it was merely a polite request, and he hadn't said anything offensive nor made any presumptuous moves.

Why then, was the Princely Heir treating him like this?

Qin Gaozhi was bewildered.

Even if Qin Gaozhi could endure it usually, facing Cheng Guang's aggressive demeanor was proving too much to bear.

He slightly lifted his gaze, looking into Cheng Guang's indifferent noble eyes, and asked with a slightly heavy tone.

"Then how would the Princely Heir like to proceed?"

"What must I do to earn the Princely Heir's forgiveness for my actions just now?"

At that moment, Qin Gaozhi felt utterly wronged; it was such a trivial matter!

He hadn't actually seen anything at all.

Why was the Princely Heir treating him this way?

Shouldn't he have bowed his head in apology, and then the Princely Heir, returning a smile, let bygones be bygones and simply let the matter go?

Cheng Guang laughed lightly and said, "You want my forgiveness for your actions just now?"

"You might as well think for yourself what you could do to earn it."

Hearing this, Qin Gaozhi finally raised his head slowly, straightening his posture as he looked at Cheng Guang.

"Princely Heir, I am, after all, a general's son, and if you succeed the Northern Expedition Army one day, I will also be a part of that army."

"Whatever punishment the Princely Heir deems fit, just state it."

Qin Gaozhi spoke with a level of measured articulation.

On one hand, he was asserting his own status and position, telling Cheng Guang that even if he, Qin Gaozhi, didn't match up to the dignified Duke of the State's Heir, he was by no means insignificant within the ranks of the Northern Expedition Army.

On the other hand, he was also showing his sincerity, indicating that whatever punishment Cheng Guang decided, he was willing to accept it.

This bit of cunning, had it been someone else, might actually have worked.

Even if not for the sake of Qin Gaozhi himself, out of respect for Qin Beifeng, they might have not made things too difficult for Qin Gaozhi.

Moreover,

Prying into the Princely Heir's wedding chamber is an issue that could be treated as major or minor.

In the end, it was likely to be brushed off.

Cheng Guang watched Qin Gaozhi and saw that though Qin Gaozhi's masculine face was filled with respect,

the faint trembling of his hands betrayed that inside, Qin Gaozhi was far from as composed as he appeared to be.

With merely a glance, Cheng Guang found it amusing.

"I just saw you slap yourself; why don't you continue doing that until I'm satisfied?"

As Cheng Guang uttered these words, Qin Gaozhi's face changed color again.

He froze, breathing sharply.

He looked at Cheng Guang in stunned silence.

His lips trembled slightly, as though he wished to say something, but ultimately, he found himself speechless.

He simply nodded silently, biting his teeth as he said,

"Princely Heir, isn't that going a bit too far?"

Cheng Guang's expression remained unchanged, "You also have the option not to slap."

Qin Gaozhi's lips quivered a few times, his fingers clenched tightly together before weakly letting go.

"I can slap myself, as long as the Princely Heir forgives me, but when will the Princely Heir be satisfied? Perhaps you could specify a time."