Bai Shengyi regretted it the moment she followed Qin Si into the grand hall.
Barely stepping half a foot inside, gazes from all directions seemed to possess built-in speakers, turning towards her and Qin Si with piercing intensity, scanning them back and forth.
"Is that the Underworld King?!"
"Why is the Underworld King attending the banquet today?"
...
Seizing the moment before anyone noticed her, Bai Shengyi, with no regard for loyalty, abandoned Qin Si and quickly walked to the Bai family's seating area.
"Thank you, Underworld King, for leading the way. I'll be going ahead."
Ungrateful woman!
Qin Si paused but did not pursue her.
It was better for them to separate.
He was already accustomed to all sorts of scrutinizing glances. A smile played on his lips as he casually met each one. "What? Are you all displeased to see this King?"
Instantly, the banquet hall erupted with sounds of choking and coughing, and everyone hastened to say, "No, no, we're overjoyed to have the Young Prince here, and can barely wait to welcome you!"
As Qin Si was the late Emperor's youngest son, some people also referred to him as "Young Prince."
"Indeed, after so long, the Young Prince's demeanor is even more impressive."
"The Underworld King, with his five thousand soldiers, was enough to send the Qi Zhou Kingdom scurrying in fear. His reputation is vast and awe-inspiring, truly making us revere you!"
One by one, they lavished praise upon Qin Si, fearing he might have another outburst.
A couple of years ago at a banquet, a young nobleman had exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Qin Si. Qin Si had then called him up and insisted he explain precisely what he was surprised about.
The nobleman couldn't articulate it, but Qin Si proceeded to share his "impressions" of the nobleman, after which the man and his family vanished from the capital the very next day.
It could be said that Qin Si was regarded as a malevolent deity in everyone's eyes.
Qin Si was pleased with their perceptiveness. He walked over to Lord Rong, raising his phoenix eyes slightly. "This King thought Grandfather had gotten lost."
Lord Rong smiled. "He did get lost, but was brought back by a eunuch. A'si, is the young lady not bad?"
Qin Si frowned tightly and said coldly, "Grandfather, be careful with your words."
Anyone else might have been intimidated by him, but who was Lord Rong? He understood his grandson perhaps better than his grandson understood himself.
"Speaking of which, you should have learned how to please young ladies back then, otherwise you wouldn't have had Qin Zhao coax the young lady away. That person originally didn't want you to be too involved with the Bai family. It wouldn't surprise me if they changed the engagement when the opportunity arose."
"But, do you truly not care?"
The direct question caught Qin Si completely off guard.
Qin Si's face tightened as he said coldly, "It's nothing. Just a woman."
His eyes, however, involuntarily drifted towards where Bai Shengyi was seated.
Bai Shengyi was currently contemplating whether to feign blindness or not.
Her eyes had been blind for a long time.
Initially, when her father was still around, Duke Rong had specifically assigned a young maid to take care of her. But after her father's prolonged absence and the results of her spiritual root detection, all the servants had left. Duke Rong, whether he had forgotten or didn't care, had not arranged for anyone else.
Fortunately, the original owner had become accustomed to bumping into things, and in areas with simple terrain, she could move around almost like an ordinary person.
It was precisely for this reason that Bai Shengyi's movements in places like her residence were unhindered, and in areas like the Eastern Yue jungle, where there were few people, she didn't need to be concerned.
However, at this banquet, with people and ladders every few steps, and all sorts of decorative items, if she were to walk like a normal person, it would attract attention.
As Bai Shengyi hesitated, a young palace maid approached. "Third Miss Bai, shall this servant guide you to your seat?"
Bai Shengyi breathed a sigh of relief. Well, no need to agonize over it.
"Then I'll trouble you."
On the other side, Qin Si watched as Bai Shengyi was already seated and couldn't help but curve his lips. In a turn of his gaze, he saw Sun Mingyu seated at Bai Shengyi's upper hand.
He frowned. "Who arranged this seating?"
Lord Rong had no idea and leaned over to ask someone else before relaying the information to Qin Si.
"I heard it was arranged by the Empress. Tsk, the Empress truly dotes on Princess Mingyu. This is clearly meant to vent Princess Sun Mingyu's anger. The young lady will likely be in trouble again."
If he were to say it, he would say that Qin Zhao and the current Emperor were also dishonorable.
Both of them were trying to exploit the young lady, causing her no end of trouble, yet pretending to know nothing about it.
Furthermore, the Emperor knew full well that Bai Shengyi had an engagement with Qin Si. Even if it was just a verbal engagement, it was still decreed by the late Emperor. Yet, he tacitly allowed Qin Zhao to coax the young lady into acting recklessly and seize the opportunity to bestow a marriage.
It was truly shameless.
However, an engagement, as long as they weren't married, didn't count for much.
Moreover, for cultivators, who knew what the future held?
"Bai Shengyi, long time no see." Sun Mingyu's eyes were like poisoned daggers as she spat out the words through clenched teeth.
If it weren't for the banquet, Princess Mingyu would likely have rushed forward to tear Bai Shengyi apart!
The battle at the combat arena previously had left the meridians within her body riddled with holes, causing her so much pain that she lay in bed for a full ten days, and it took countless spiritual medicines to allow her to get out of bed.
And if it hadn't been discovered in time, she would never have been able to cultivate again.
Bai Shengyi smiled brilliantly. "Princess, have you become addled from staying at home? It seems we've only been apart for half a month."
Sun Mingyu looked at Bai Shengyi's bright and cheerful appearance, hating her to the bone. "Bai Shengyi, don't be smug. With your cruel and ruthless heart, Brother Zhao will only grow to detest you more."
Saying this, she raised her chin. "I am the most suitable for Brother Zhao. You are nothing."
Just then, Qin Zhao walked over from not far away, frowning, and said with clear displeasure, "Shengyi, why are you bullying Mingyu again? Can't you be a bit kinder, and learn from your sister and Mingyu?"
The experiences he had suffered at Duke Rong's mansion made him even more dissatisfied and disgusted with Bai Shengyi. If he hadn't kept Bai Shengyi around for some use, he truly wouldn't have wanted to speak to her.
Bai Shengyi shifted her gaze, adopting a scrutinizing posture.
"Your Highness, you're not blind either, are you? Didn't you see that it's Princess Sun Mingyu, who harbors unrequited love for you, that's causing trouble for me?"
Bai Shengyi did not lower her voice when she said this. At least many people around them heard it, and momentarily, many pricked up their ears.
After all, the love-hate entanglements between these few people had been spreading like wildfire recently!
It was practically a grand drama.
"Bai Shengyi!"
Bai Shengyi cowered her shoulders, looking innocently pleading. "Your Highness, are you going to hit me again?"
Holy cow! What did Bai Shengyi mean by that? Did the elegant Prince Gong frequently beat his fiancée in private?
The onlookers widened their eyes.
"Shengyi, how can you talk such nonsense? His Highness never hits anyone." Sometime later, Bai Murong had left her position at Duke Rong's and walked over.
With these few people standing together, it was a veritable scene of unspoken tension. Those around them quietly distanced themselves.
Bai Shengyi sat upright in her seat, her expression unchanged. "It seems my sister knows His Highness better than I do."
For a moment, Bai Murong not only felt pain in her feet but also anger in her heart. When had Bai Shengyi's words become so sharp?
"Shengyi, you know perfectly well that's not what I meant." Bai Murong pursed her lips, appearing as if she had been misunderstood.
Bai Shengyi let out a cold sneer. "I'm sorry, I don't know."
After speaking, she looked at the two people guarding Princess Mingyu on either side and curved her lips. "The banquet is about to begin. Aren't you returning to your seats?"
Bai Murong said gently, "Princess Mingyu specifically asked me to accompany her." The smugness and pride in her tone were almost impossible to conceal.
Qin Zhao also said, "Mingyu has difficulty moving, so this King is here to assist her."
Looking at the setup of these two, and recalling the Empress's dislike for her in her memories, Bai Shengyi's heart suddenly stirred.