Chapter 56
“A Challenge?” Murong Qiufeng looked at Zhao Xiru in confusion, only to see her wearing a proud and provocative expression.
The Empress, not wanting her to embarrass herself, quickly interjected, “The Seventh Princess wishes to have a contest of skills with you.”
“Haha, since the Princess hasn’t heard it before, I’ll gladly repeat it. Ever since I heard of Prince Ye’s name, I’ve developed feelings for Brother Ye, and I’ve resolved that I must marry him in this lifetime.”
“I heard Brother Ye was returning to court and wanted to find a good opportunity for Father to propose. But unexpectedly, the Princess has taken advantage of the situation, so I can’t help but feel unwilling. However, now that it has come to this, there’s nothing I can do.”
“But this heartache has lingered in my mind for a long time. If today the Princess can convince me, give me a reason to let go, then I shall regard Brother Ye as just an older brother. However, if you prove that you are not as good as me, then I might just have to steal him away.”
Murong Qiufeng was taken aback, looking at her with surprise. How bold and straightforward this girl is!
Turning to look at Shangguan Ye, she noticed he was watching Zhao Xiru. A wave of discomfort washed over her. The humility and yielding that had been on her lips turned into, “Throughout history, beautiful women have loved heroes. The Prince is renowned, and the Seventh Princess’s affections are understandable. But the Prince is not an object, how can he be treated as a wager? The Prince’s preferences will be his own. If he loves the Seventh Princess, then I have nothing to say. This competition seems unnecessary and disrespectful to feelings.”
Zhao Xiru was slightly taken aback, raising an eyebrow at Murong Qiufeng. She then looked at Shangguan Ye, who was sipping his wine with narrowed eyes and a slight smile, seemingly in a good mood. She frowned slightly, feeling a heavy weight in her heart. A smirk crossed her lips, “Oh, so you’re encouraging me to steal him away? And from your words, it seems that if the Prince really does like me, you might be willing to step aside?”
Murong Qiufeng’s heart sank, and she smiled self-deprecatingly. Step aside? What right did she have to do that? She was merely an imposter. If Shangguan Ye really did take a liking to Zhao Xiru, how could she…
At that moment, her hand trembled, her face paled, and her heart tightened. Why was she thinking about stepping aside? Why was she competing with a woman for a man?
Noticing her change in color, Zhao Xiru assumed she had finally regained the upper hand and grinned smugly, ready to press on, but Shangguan Ye spoke up first.
“The Seventh Princess is overly kind. This Prince is honored but has only ever loved Murong. I have no other intentions. I hope the Seventh Princess will not waste her time.”
He referred to her as “Murong,” not “Murong Qiufeng,” but everyone naturally took it to mean Murong Qiufeng.
Her heart quaked at his words, and she looked at Shangguan Ye in shock, her heart racing. His dark eyes were filled with affection, so clear as if he were gazing at the person he loved most dearly.
It seemed as if something had been revealed unknowingly, but she didn’t dare to explore further, as if dispersing the fog would lead to unbearable truths.
To outsiders, their exchange appeared to be a tender gaze filled with deep feelings, causing them to sigh in admiration, confirming the rumors that the Prince truly loved his Princess.
Zhao Xiru’s expression soured. Watching the two of them, her hands clenched tightly under her sleeves. However, she was reminded by the middle-aged man beside her and snapped back to reality. Quickly masking her jealousy with a smile, she said, “Haha, it seems the rumors are true. The Prince and Princess truly share a deep bond. What a wonderful story! I’ll toast to both of you.” Raising her cup, she drank it all in one go.
Murong Qiufeng also snapped back to attention, hurriedly lifting her cup to drink, trying to cover the panic in her eyes and the confusion in her heart.
Shangguan Ye calmly raised his cup, “Thank you.” He drank as well, but his smile only deepened.
“However, regarding feelings, it has always been hard to express. I still don’t want to give up; I must at least give it a try. You two can’t interfere with whom I like, right? Besides, let this be my proof to you both that this affection can indeed withstand the test.”
The banquet continued for a long while, but no one mentioned anything regarding them again. The atmosphere among these three was so strange that no one dared to intrude.
By the time the music ended and everyone departed, it was already late at night.
Murong Qiufeng had mostly sat without doing anything all night, but she didn’t feel tired. Instead, her mind felt increasingly clearer.
After inhaling the aroma of wine in the hall, stepping outside into the cool night air felt refreshing.
Shangguan Ye took the cloak that Youxiang offered and stepped forward.
As a weight settled on her shoulder, Murong Qiufeng turned in surprise, only to meet Shangguan Ye’s gentle gaze.
“The night is cold, and there’s heavy dew. Take care of your health.”
Murong Qiufeng bit her lip, turning her gaze away as she adjusted the cloak and walked alongside him. Some things seemed to be becoming clearer.
The two walked in silence, each lost in their thoughts. There was no awkwardness; the previous disputes seemed to have disappeared, and they tacitly avoided discussing any unhappy topics.
Youxiang followed behind at a distance, smiling softly as she sighed in relief. It seemed the storm was over, and the sun was shining once more.
“Your Highness, Princess.”
As they approached, the coachman hurriedly knelt down.
Shangguan Ye nodded, and they both got into the carriage.
Outside, the atmosphere wasn’t awkward, but once they were in the same carriage, Murong Qiufeng felt a little uneasy. She furrowed her brows tightly, and her hands under her sleeves felt cold.
Shangguan Ye turned his head, observing Murong Qiufeng’s tightly pursed lips and her closed eyes that trembled slightly. Her breathing was unsteady, prompting a smile to form on his lips. He spoke softly, “Tonight… thank you. The tune was lovely.”
Surprised by his voice, Murong Qiufeng stiffened, then opened her eyes in confusion, looking at him. When she met his gaze, she quickly turned away, finally realizing what he meant. She hastily took out the jade flute and handed it to him, “How did you know I would?”
Shangguan Ye gently took the jade flute, feeling its warm temperature, evidently still warm from being held, and smiled deeply, “Just a guess. I guess I was lucky.”
Murong Qiufeng was taken aback, surprised by his answer. She stammered, “I didn’t expect you to say that.”
Seeing her dazed and adorable expression, Shangguan Ye couldn’t help but pinch her cheek gently, his tone tinged with affection and a hint of helplessness, “You’re so easy to fool.”
Murong Qiufeng’s eyes widened, her entire body tensed. Suddenly feeling as if she had been electrocuted, she hurriedly turned her face away, frantically changing the topic. “What do you think of the Seventh Princess?”
Shangguan Ye’s eyes flickered as he watched him turn away, exposing his delicate neck, which was tinged with a lovely flush, and his earlobes resembling small red fruits. It made him feel restless, and he quickly turned his gaze away.
His mood was particularly good; perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. Murong Qiufeng had finally started to come around. More importantly, he hadn’t shown any signs of rejection but was pretending to be oblivious.
Since he wasn’t making it clear, he was happy to remain ambiguous. Once the time was right, he would have no choice but to accept it.
