Chapter 1168: The Princess Consort Whose Memories Were Altered (43)

“Your Highness, why does everything around me feel so strange?” Tang Jiao said with a bewildered expression. “But I can't quite put my finger on what's strange.”

Shangguan Jing finally came back to himself.

This was Jiao'er.

Judging by her reaction, the memory exchange had clearly succeeded. In an instant, his heart overflowed with joy. From now on, Jiao'er would be his Princess Consort, and he would no longer have to suffer alone in the manor, consumed by longing.

“Elder Sister, I'm heading back to the palace now.”

At that moment, Tang Guo approached from behind. She seemed slightly more lively than before, though still not quite like the real Tang Jiao.

“I'll come visit you at the manor another day.”

Then, smiling brightly, she greeted Shangguan Jing. “Prince Jing, I'll be leaving first. You must treat my elder sister well.”

For a moment, Shangguan Jing was speechless. In that instant, all the joy in his heart was washed away.

He watched helplessly as the woman walked past him with light, graceful steps, the fragrance of her robes brushing by his side. He almost reached out to grab her, but forcibly stopped himself.

From this moment onward, the woman walking out of the manor was no longer his Princess Consort.

She was Consort Jiao of the imperial palace.

He could not reach for her. It would be improper. If word spread, it would tarnish all their reputations.

But that was not the most important thing.

The most important thing was that everything before him was exactly what he had wished for. The result of spending a fortune and waiting a year.

Jiao'er was right beside him.

The person leaving Prince Jing's Manor had nothing to do with him anymore.

“Of course.”

Coming back to his senses, Shangguan Jing hurriedly replied, “This prince will naturally take good care of the Princess Consort.”

“That's good.”

She said no more and left without hesitation, stepping into the carriage that carried her toward the imperial palace.

Long after the carriage had disappeared from sight, Shangguan Jing still had not withdrawn his gaze.

Watching his absent-minded appearance, Tang Jiao sneered inwardly.

So this was a man.

Just as Elder Sister had said—despicable to the core.

“Your Highness,” Tang Jiao called out. “What's wrong with you?”

“Nothing… nothing at all. Let's go inside.”

Seeing the confusion on Tang Jiao's face, the joy returned and suppressed the earlier melancholy. He stepped forward, took hold of her hand, and led her back into the manor.

Tang Jiao asked, “Your Highness, you're acting strangely today. You weren't like this before. Ever since I entered Prince Jing's Manor, this is the first time you've held my hand.”

Watching Shangguan Jing's smile freeze for an instant, Tang Jiao nearly burst with delight.

“From now on, this prince will hold your hand every day. How about that?”

“Of course I'd like that. I've waited for this day for a very long time.”

These were words he had always longed to hear, yet now he found that he did not want to hear them.

Because Tang Jiao had never been waiting for him.

The reason she said such things now was only because their memories had been exchanged. At present, the memories in her mind belonged to Tang Guo.

So this sentence…

Should really be considered Tang Guo's words.

“This prince will treat you well from now on.”

“Your Highness, why?”

Shangguan Jing looked at Tang Jiao with gentle eyes. “You are this prince's Princess Consort. Naturally, this prince should treat you well.”

As soon as he said it, he froze.

Because Tang Guo had once told him that he was her husband, and taking care of him was only natural.

“Though I don't know what's happened to Your Highness, hearing such a promise makes me very happy.”

Tang Jiao could not cook.

When Shangguan Jing watched her prepare a meal according to Tang Guo's memories, only to end up with a pan full of burnt food, he comforted her, “Princess Consort, you needn't cook anymore in the future. This prince will summon a physician to examine you. You must have overworked yourself before.”

“Is that so?” Tang Jiao asked in confusion. “Your Highness, why do I remember that my cooking skills should be quite good?”