by La Mi Tu
Xia Yun Xi was clearly acting shamelessly, but Wanyan Lei also had no way out. He had also heard about the recent gossip. Outsiders were rumoring that Feng Cang lived at Wanyan Kang’s. Only he knew that Feng Cang snuck out every night to Long Autumn palace.
Now, Xia Yun Xi was pretending to be sick like this, it was nothing more than wanting to force Feng Cang to appear. This lass wanted to trick him, but she was still inexperienced.
“Feng Cang’s Jin Mo’s medical skills are high. Zhen3 wants to let him come check princess!”
When she heard that it was just letting Jin Mo come and not Feng Cang, Xia Yun Xi shouted louder. Her hand clutched her chest and pretended like she couldn’t breathe. She acting like this let the disgust Wanyan Lie had for her become stronger.
“Is not that princess got love-sickness, right?!”
Just one sentence revealed Xia Yun Xi’s thoughts. Hearing Wanyan Lie say that, Xia Yun Xi’s face immediately became red. Now, her chest and head didn’t ache. She lifted the quilt and came out of bed. She knelt in front of Wanyan Lie.
“Since your majesty already knows, then I won’t hide it from your majesty anymore…,” She didn’t even complete two sentences, when Xia Yun Xi began to cry. Wanyan Lie looked at her tears. He frowned even more.
Xia Yun Xi rambled a lot. It was nothing more than how much she liked Feng Cang and that aside from Feng Cang, she wouldn’t fall in love with another person. If she couldn’t become Feng Cang’s bride, she would rather become a nun!
Xia Yun Xi cried and threw a tantrum. However, she forgot that these tricks of women would only be effective when using it in front of the man who loves them. Putting it on another person, no one would give you face.
“Zhen understands princess’s meaning. Princess likes Cang er4. It is his blessing. After two days, it would be the palace banquet. Princess could prepare very well! Zhen still needs to look over documents. Zhen will go first.”
After leaving this sentence, Wanyan Lie left Guanyu building. Looking at Wanyan Lie’s departing back, Xia Yun Xi was somewhat stupefied. What was this situation? According to common sense, Wanyan Lie should immediately send a decree to make Feng Cang come to her. How could he just pat his butt and leave?
“Prin-, princess, now what should we do?” Hong Ye was also dumbfounded. Originally, they thought that this approach would work. They didn’t expect that Bei Zhou’s emperor wouldn’t fall for this. Then,eae what to do?
‘Pa, pa…’ Hong Ye had just finished speaking, when Xia Yun Xi gave her two slaps. “All this was because of you had thought of such a silly idea! My face is completely lost! What could we do more? We could only wait till the palace banquet!”
Don’t know who spread the rumor that Xia Yun Xi got love-sickness. For some time, Xia Yun Xi became the joke of the citizens of the capital. A country’s princess acting so cheap was the first and the last.
Fortunately, Xia Yun Xi was at wangfu and didn’t hear these rumors. Hong Ye also didn’t dare to let Xia Yun Xi know lest to let herself become Xia Yun Xi’s punching bag.
In a blink of an eye, the day of the palace banquet arrived.
The cold winter had passed. The spring was back on earth. All things recovered and everywhere was green. Yan capital was thriving.
Early in the morning, Xia Yun Xi woke up and let Hong Ye help her dress up. After thinking calmly this time, Xia Yun Xi finally understood Feng Cang’s meaning. He didn’t like to see her. No matter how petty and low she put herself, he wouldn’t give her any chance.
Xia Yun Xi couldn’t accept it. She felt that nothing was wrong with her. Why didn’t Feng Cang want to give her a chance? Could it be that there’s another person in Feng Cang’s heart? Or was it that he had heard some rumors? In short, if she couldn’t see Feng Cang and find out the reason, Xia Yun Xi wouldn’t give up. Let her give up on the man she loved for ten years, she wasn’t willing!
“Hong Ye, did you already prepare the things?” Xia Yun Xi faced the mirror and checked her make-up once again. She added one more brush to the eye, before she was satisfied.
“Princess, everything is ready!” Hong Ye handed a pearl hairpin and a thing wrapped in paper to Xia Yun Xi.
From the outside, there was nothing wrong with this pearl hairpin. Xia Yun Xi turned the pearl on the hairpin and took it out. It turned out that there was an empty space inside the hairpin. “Put the drug inside. Be more careful!”
“Yes!”
Hong Ye carefully opened the package. Inside it was a thick layer of white powder. She took a small brush and swept a bit into the hairpin. Then, she turned the pearl back in its place and put the hairpin in Xia Yun Xi’s hair.
“Princess, do you really want to do this…”
Hong Ye had a bad premonition. She felt that Xia Yun Xi’s idea of giving Feng Cang the drug was a dangerous thing. If by chance they were found out, then what should they do? By then, the news that, in order to marry Feng Cang, Dong Lu’s princess had drugged him, would spread out. Could Xia Yun Xi continue to live, ah?!
Xia Yun Xi didn’t take Hong Ye’s worry seriously. She had gone mad from Feng Cang’s continuous alienation and indifference! She couldn’t wait a moment more!
Before coming, Xia Yun Xi told everyone proudly at Dong Lu’s palace that she had come here to be Nan Lin wangfei,5 to become Feng Cang’s wangfei. If this time, she was rejected by Feng Cang and needed to go back dejectedly; by then, wouldn’t she be made into a joke by those snobbish people? Xia Yun Xi didn’t want it to be like that!
Even if she knew that this was risky and an approach born out of desperation, but Xia Yun Xi still wanted to take the risk.
What thing you do in this world isn’t a gamble? She was gambling her happiness, gambling her future. What’s wrong with it?! Didn’t consort mother use this method and became emperor father’s pampered consort? Even if Feng Cang didn’t love her, it’s enough that she loves him. When she becomes Nan Lin wangfei, she would definitely make Feng Cang fall in love with her.
With the determination to win, Xia Yun Xi went into the palace. She had gone there early. Although many officials had come with their wives to the location, but the major characters still hadn’t arrived. Some maids led Xia Yun Xi to Taiji hall. However, she felt very bored. She didn’t want to sit there and just wait. So, she walked around.
After going a full circle, Xia Yun Xi discovered that the way those noble ladies looked at her was a bit different. Those ladies grouped together in groups of three to four people. When they saw Xia Yun Xi, their looks were strange as if they were saying, look, that’s Dong Lu’s princess who’d chased a man all the way to their Yan capital.
Xia Yun Xi wasn’t a fool. How could she not understand the gazes of those women? It was just, here was Bei Zhou. She could only endure! Humph! Xia Yun Xi glared fiercely at those women once. When I become Nan Lin wangfei, I will let you see!
Because empress Li Bing was imprisoned, the one who’d followed Wanyan Lie to these sorts of banquets was consort De, Lin Ke Xin. It could be said that Lin Ke Xin had everything going her way after the crown prince was disposed and the empress was imprisoned. Wanyan Lie let her oversee the harem. Although she didn’t have the phoenix seal, but Lin Ke Xin’s power was almost the same as the empress’s.
Now, the most important thing for Lin Ke Xin was to let Wanyan Yi become the crown prince smoothly. The day Wanyan Yi becomes the crown prince is the day Li Bing would be disposed and she would become the empress. She wanted this position of empress for a long time. Now, it was right in front of her eyes, how could she give up?
These days, Wanyan Yi listened to her and had been going to Long Autumn palace. It was just, every time, either Feng Cang was there or Wanyan Kang was there. He didn’t have any time to be alone with Murong Qi Qi.
Although the result was a bit inconsistent with what Lin Ke Xin had expected, but at least, she made a momentum. Plus, the fact that she’d spread some rumors in the palace, now many people thought highly of Wanyan Yi and Murong
Qi Qi. This made Lin Ke Xin feel quite satisfied. Next, it’s on today….
Lin Ke Xin sat next to Wanyan Lie. Her mood was very good. Without the empress, she sat like the mistress of this palace. Her every gesture was excellent.
The eunuch shouted, “Audience!”, and everyone who would participate in the palace banquet arrived.
When Ming Yue Cheng arrived at the scene, the hearts of those women present couldn’t help but ripple.
He was dressed in luxurious purple clothes. On his waist, a gold belt was buckled. From head to toe, aside from the gold belt, there was no extra decoration. This new emperor of Nan Feng appeared relaxed. There was clear carelessness in his beautiful eyes. His thick hair was only tied with an amethyst hairpin. On his feet turned out to be a pair of clogs.
‘Ka…ka…’ Ming Yue Chen’s steps were not fast nor slow. The clogs knocked on the marble floor and issued a clear sound. Sound after sound, it beat on the people’s heart.
Ming Yue Cheng went to his seat and sat down. His gaze swept once over the crowd, but he didn’t see Murong Qi Qi. It seemed that she hadn’t arrived yet.
Just as Ming Yue Cheng was thinking about Murong Qi Qi, a “Nan Lin wang arrived! Princess Zhen Guo arrived!” spread to his ears. Murong Qi Qi arrived! Hearing this, Ming Yue Cheng revealed an excellent smile. She had finally come…
* * *
Wang/wangye: prince of first rank
Wangfu: residence of the prince of first rank
Zhen: I, used by the emperor
Er: term of endearment
Wangfei: main wife/consort of the prince of first rank
Chapter 149: Shameless Couple (2)
* * *
At this point, it was like there was a big hand holding Xia Yun Xi’s heart in her chest, making her breathe unevenly. Unable to tear her eyes away, she stared at the entrance of the hall. She wanted to know what Feng Cang looked like now.
The sunlight sprinkled inside from the entrance and covered the hall with a layer of golden light.
Inside the golden light, a pair of heavenly people moved closer and closer. The man was dressed in a graceful white. His appearance was like a painting. The girl was in warm red and smiled like a flower.
‘Boom, boom, boom…’ Seeing Feng Cang once again, Xia Yun Xi’s heart started beating very fast. It’s him! It’s really him! Xia Yun Xi was so excited that tears almost came out. After so many years, he had become mature. From an elegant young master, he’d turned into a devilishly beautiful man. However, his facial features remained the same. Although he looked a lot colder, but it let him gain a layer of masculinity.
Ten years, ah! Xia Yun Xi bit her lips and forced her tears back. The man she’d loved for ten years has finally appeared.
Ming Yue Cheng’s expression was no better than Xia Yun Xi’s. When he saw the appearance of Murong Qi Qi, Ming Yue Cheng’s hand trembled once. A bit of the wine in the cup spilled onto the table.
She is actually him? Only today, did Ming Yue Cheng realise that Murong Qi Qi was also Guanghua gongzi;1 the person who’d come to find him, partnered with him in order to win Nan Feng’s throne.
After getting the throne, Ming Yue Cheng had contacted the people of Jue Se Fang many times, wanting to see Guanghua gongzi and to show him his gratitude in person. However, the shopkeeper of Jue Se Fang said that gongzi wasn’t in Nan Feng and that gongzi was very busy. Now, Ming Yue Cheng finally understood what exactly Guanghua gongzi was busy with.
Ming Yue Cheng couldn’t describe his inner thoughts. All the complex feelings poured into his heart. This woman had deceived him so bitterly! He’d searched everywhere for Guanghua gongzi, wanting to express his gratitude. However, this woman went to Bei Zhou and experienced so many things.
If he hadn’t come personally this time, then perhaps he wouldn’t have known the truth.
No wonder he’d felt that Murong Qi Qi’s eyes were beautiful and also wondered why someone with such beautiful eyes could look so ordinary. Now, he finally understood. This girl used an ordinary face mask and deceived everyone. It was just, her ordinary face already made people mesmerized. Now that she’d changed into a heavenly appearance; presumably, even more people would fall for her!
“Uncle!” Feng Cang and Murong Qi Qi bowed at the same time to Wanyan Lie. Just now, when the two had entered together, Wanyan Lie lost his soul for a moment. They’re really a match! If these two people really could be together, how great would that be?!
Wanyan Lie let the person in black continue to ‘monitor’ Long Autumn palace. After knowing that Feng Cang had slept every night at Murong Qi Qi’s, Wanyan Lie’s heart finally felt at ease. Before, he was worried that these siblings would put down this relationship because of their blood ties. Now, it seemed that, compared to them, he was the coward. That’s why he didn’t get happiness…
“You’re all here. Take your place!”
The banquet began. Songs and dance came up. Delicious food was also placed in front of everyone by the palace maids.
After Ming Yue Cheng looked at Murong Qi Qi, he couldn’t help but look at the man at her side. Don’t know why, Ming Yue Cheng had an intuition. He discovered that Murong Qi Qi treated Feng Cang differently compared to the others. At least, the feelings in their eyes weren’t as simple as that of siblings.
The moment he looked at Feng Cang, Ming Yue Cheng frowned. This man has a problem!
Before, between the eyebrows of Wanyan Lie, Ming Yue Cheng had seen that there’s a gu in his body. At this time, on Feng Cang’s face, he saw that same situation once again. Between Feng Cang’s eyebrows, there was a touch of back. Ordinary people couldn’t see this touch of black. It’s just, Ming Yue Cheng had been contact with gu ever since he’s young. That’s why he had a deep understanding of gu.
Wanyan Lie’s color was a light black. Feng Cang’s color was completely black. It seemed that Feng Cang had the gu for many years.
Although Feng Cang looked no different from an ordinary person, but it couldn’t change the fact that he carried the gu for many years. The poison of the gu was already pure black. If the gu was still not taken out, then if the gu acted on the person who’d manipulated the gu, Feng Cang would stop breathing and die.
It’s just, why would Feng Cang be infected with the gu? This question had been bothering Ming Yue Cheng.
Ming Yue Cheng’s birth mother Miao Chu Yun was an expert at gu and was also a member of Qiang tribe. However, Miao Chu Yun also once told him, if there’s no hatred, members of Qiang tribe wouldn’t have put gu in ordinary people because gu was an organism that’s difficult to manipulate. If the gu wasn’t manipulated well, it might bite back at the person who used the gu. Besides, using gu to harm a human life was a very negative thing. So, the person who put the gu in someone else would also not have a long life.
The Qiang people had been living at the south of Nan Feng. They lived in a tribal form. Under normal circumstances, the Qiang people wouldn’t leave their homeland. So where did the gu on Feng Cang and Wanyan Lie came from? Who had such a big gut to put gu on Bei Zhou’s emperor and Nan Lin wang? What motive did the person who used the gu had?
Ming Yue Cheng frowned. His gaze had been on Feng Cang, making Murong Qi Qi sense something strange. She looked around carefully, and discovered that Ming Yue Cheng was indeed staring at Feng Cang. Besides, he was staring at the area between the eyebrows. Could it be that there was something between Feng Cang’s eyebrows? Murong Qi Qi turned her head and also looked at the area between Feng Cang’s eyebrows.
There was a touch of black. Murong Qi Qi knew that this was the performance of gu. It’s just, why would Ming Yue Cheng stare at that area? Could it be that he knew something? Speaking of this, in this continent, the people who knew how to use gu were all in Nan Feng. Was it that Ming Yue Cheng had a way to lift the gu?
Murong Qi Qi’s attention moved between Ming Yue Cheng and Feng Cang. If it wasn’t because they were at a palace banquet, she would certainly have gone to see Ming Yue Cheng
personally and ask him about the situation clearly. If Ming Yue Cheng truly had a way to remove the gu poison on Feng Cang’s body, then it would be very great!
“Could it be that Qing Qing is comparing me and Ming Yue Cheng to see who is better?” Seeing Murong Qi Qi look at Ming Yue Cheng, Feng Cang was a bit jealous. If this wasn’t a public occasion; if in front of everyone, they weren’t siblings, then he would’ve put his hand on her waist and interrogate why she was looking at Ming Yue Cheng.
“Look at you…,” Hearing the strong jealousy in Feng Cang’s words, Murong Qi Qi chuckled. Her small hand pulled Feng Cang’s sleeve under the table, “Obviously, it was Ming Yue Cheng who had been staring at you, making me jealous. Now, you turned it over to me! Quickly confess, what kind of relationship is there between you and Ming Yue Cheng which shouldn’t be known to the public? Why was he looking at you? Besides, it was gazing at the area between your eyebrows?
After Murong Qi Qi said this, Feng Cang immediately understood her meaning. Ming Yue Cheng could see that there was gu poison in his body. Could it be that he had a way to cure it? It’s just, when he thought that Ming Yue Cheng had come this time to ask for Murong Qi Qi’s hand, Feng Cang’s expression sank.
If Ming Yue Cheng decided to use the cure of the gu poison as an exchange to get Murong Qi Qi, he wouldn’t agree.
How could Murong Qi Qi not know what Feng Cang was thinking? This man, ah, really eating vinegar incessantly! Could it be that she’s like the popular apricot? “I’ve met Ming Yue Cheng before. He’s not a nasty person.”
Murong Qi Qi spoke for Ming Yue Cheng. Feng Cang got another burst of jealousy, “Qing Qing, you actually have contact with Ming Yue Cheng. Why don’t I know?!”
Seeing Feng Cang pout like a child, Murong Qi Qi smiled, “Cang, could it be that you don’t know the matter of Guanghua gongzi and Ming Yue Cheng partnering up? Otherwise, how could I’ve have gotten the special access of Nan four states!”