“Feng Wu, do you think I am pitiable?” Xue Xing Yue looked up and asked Feng Wu.
Upon hearing this, Feng Wu turned her head away and said sullenly, “Your Highness, please do not think that way.”
Xue Xing Yue chuckled lightly, then tilted her head up. “I do not think I am pitiable. The Snow Country is prosperous and peaceful now, and my imperial brother is also well. What more could I be dissatisfied with?”
Feng Wu was taken aback and said, “Your Highness, what you say is right.”
“Let’s go. We mustn’t keep Madam Ning Guogong waiting too long.”
“Yes,” Feng Wu replied.
Ever since the palace banquet ended, Xue Xing Yue had moved out of her chambers in the imperial palace. Fortunately, she also had a princess’s mansion outside the palace. Now, as she exited the princess’s mansion, she saw Ning Guogong’s carriage waiting there.
Xue Xing Yue walked forward, and at that moment, someone emerged from Ning Guogong’s carriage.
Meng Jiang Ming had been forcefully pushed out by Madam Jiang. Seeing Princess Xing Yue, he knew it was impossible to turn back now. He could only brace himself, dismount the carriage, and step forward to Xue Xing Yue, bowing and saying, “Your Highness, Princess.”
Xue Xing Yue nodded slightly. “Where is Madam?”
At this moment, the carriage curtain was lifted, revealing Madam Jiang’s beaming face. “Princess Xing Yue, this humble one did not come out to greet you earlier.” As she spoke, Madam Jiang was about to alight from the carriage with the assistance of her maid.
Xue Xing Yue stepped forward a few paces and took Madam Jiang from her maid’s hand. “Madam, there is no need for such formality.”
Madam Jiang smiled like a flower. “Princess Xing Yue, you speak well. We are family from now on.”
Xue Xing Yue nodded faintly and said with great respect, “Please board the carriage, Madam!”
“Yes, yes,” Madam Jiang said, her smile exceptionally happy. However, when her gaze fell upon her son, Meng Jiang Ming, the disappointment gnawed at her. Why was her son acting like a block of wood today?
“Ming’er, why aren’t you coming to help Your Highness, the Princess?” Madam Jiang said, glaring at Meng Jiang Ming through gritted teeth.
Under Madam Jiang’s disappointed gaze, Meng Jiang Ming forced himself to step forward. Before he even got close, he caught the faint, lingering fragrance from Princess Xing Yue. He was startled, and a slight blush crept onto his face. Feng Wu, standing nearby, was displeased. She stepped forward and squeezed her way in. “Young Master Meng, allow me to assist.”
Meng Jiang Ming was unceremoniously pushed to the outside of the carriage. The carriage was now occupied by Madam Jiang, Princess Xing Yue, and the intrusive Feng Wu.
Meng Jiang Ming had no place to sit and was somewhat dazed, wondering what he had just done.
Madam Jiang was stunned. Seeing the opportunity she had carefully created for Princess Xing Yue and her disappointing son ruined, she looked at Feng Wu and said, “Guard Feng Wu, there is another carriage behind us. Perhaps…”
Feng Wu interrupted directly, “I am responsible for protecting Your Highness’s safety. Madam, you need not be so polite.”
Madam Jiang was so blocked by Feng Wu’s words that she almost choked. Polite? What politeness? She didn’t want to be polite, but Feng Wu’s words clearly told her that if anything happened to Princess Xing Yue, the Ning Guogong’s mansion would bear the brunt of it.
Madam Jiang was a person who considered the overall situation, so she had to abandon her thoughts.
Feng Wu snorted coldly in her heart. That weakling Meng Jiang Ming actually wanted to sit with Their Highness? What a dream.
Meng Jiang Ming had to ride in the carriage behind. As soon as he boarded, he felt something was amiss. He grabbed the young servant following him, and after a single glance, he was greatly surprised. “You, come into the carriage with me.”
The servant followed Meng Jiang Ming into the carriage. In the carriage, Meng Jiang Ming looked at the servant and asked, “Xiu Yi, why did you follow me?”
Jiang Xiu Yi inwardly sneered but maintained a delicate and moving expression. “Cousin, Xiu Yi misses you.”
As she spoke, she moved closer to Meng Jiang Ming, observing his expression.
Compared to the noble and graceful Princess Xing Yue, Meng Jiang Ming found the fragile Jiang Xiu Yi, who seemed as weak as a white rabbit, increasingly unappealing. He even doubted how he had ever found his gentle cousin so captivating.
“Cousin, don’t you miss me at all?” Jiang Xiu Yi saw that Meng Jiang Ming did not refuse her approach and leaned into his embrace.
A strong fragrance wafted towards him, somewhat pungent. Compared to the subtle fragrance of Princess Xing Yue, it was like comparing heaven and earth.
“Cousin, we are outside right now,” Meng Jiang Ming pushed Jiang Xiu Yi away, saying with some impatience.
Jiang Xiu Yi bit her lower lip, feigning a pitiful look. “Cousin, are you going to abandon me now that you have Princess Xing Yue?”
Meng Jiang Ming frowned, looking at Jiang Xiu Yi’s tear-streaked face. Recalling their past intimacies, his heart softened. “Cousin, how could I do such a thing? It’s just that the situation is different today. My mother and Princess Xing Yue are both in the front. If someone discovered you secretly snuck in, it might affect your reputation as a maiden.”
Reputation? Her reputation was long gone. Jiang Xiu Yi lowered her gaze, masking the hint of gloom that had just flashed across her face. When she looked up again, she was still as pitiful as before. “Cousin, I will listen to you. As long as you don’t abandon me.”
Meng Jiang Ming looked at the obedient Jiang Xiu Yi and felt a pang of guilt. He stepped forward, put his arm around her shoulders, and said, “Cousin, the promise I made to you will not change. Rest assured.”
Jiang Xiu Yi nodded. “I know Cousin is not a heartless or unrighteous person.”
Having appeased Jiang Xiu Yi, Meng Jiang Ming breathed a sigh of relief.
He felt even more that Jiang Xiu Yi was gentle and considerate. If he had a beautiful wife by his side in the future, he would not have lived in vain. After traveling for a while, the carriage stopped. Feng Wu was the first to alight. “Your Highness, we have arrived at the hunting grounds.”
Xue Xing Yue alighted from the carriage but did not leave. Instead, she helped Madam Jiang out of the carriage.
At the entrance to the hunting grounds, many princes, nobles, and family members of officials were present. Seeing Princess Xing Yue assisting Madam Jiang, they were quite surprised. It was not surprising that everyone was astonished, as rumors had previously circulated that Princess Xing Yue was to marry into the Ning Guogong’s mansion, and the Madam of Ning Guogong’s mansion had vehemently disagreed, even causing several disturbances.
Later, under the Emperor’s might, she had no choice but to comply. Now, it seemed the rumors were not true. Princess Xing Yue could set aside her status as a princess to help Madam Jiang, and Madam Jiang showed no displeasure. It seemed they were getting along quite well.
“Your Highness, His Majesty summons you!” Eunuch Wei, the chief eunuch by His Majesty’s side, approached.
Madam Jiang saw this and quickly said, “Your Highness, please go quickly!”
Xue Xing Yue nodded upon hearing this. “This Princess will take her leave.”
Madam Jiang said gently, “Your Highness, there is no need for politeness. Go quickly!”
Xue Xing Yue left Madam Jiang and walked towards Emperor Chen Xing’s tent, asking Eunuch Wei, “Eunuch Wei, does the Emperor have something important?”
Eunuch Wei replied, “His Majesty feared that Your Highness would not be familiar with socializing with these people, so he specifically sent this old servant to summon Your Highness.”
Xue Xing Yue chuckled upon hearing this. “My imperial brother knows me best.” If only he knew how tiring it was for her to pretend in Ning Guogong’s carriage.