“Hmph… Now you remember this young lord? What were you doing before? You slapped me and then offered me candy, do you think I’m so easily fooled!”
Gu Beichen’s attitude was firm, ignoring Lu Shi’s presence and walking straight ahead, as if he couldn’t go back.
“Young Lord, my young madam also said that she has something to discuss with you tomorrow at Lianxin Pavilion in the East City. If you don’t go, she will spread the word about your nighttime visit to the Yunyan Pavilion girls.”
Gu Beichen’s steps forward faltered slightly. He turned and glared at Lu Shi, gritting his teeth, “Go back and tell Feng Jin that this young lord is not done with her.”
“Young Lord, are you going or not? So I can go back and report.”
“I’m going!” Gu Beichen’s molars creaked.
His life was destined to be ruined by Feng Jin. If he could choose again, he would absolutely never provoke Feng Jin again.
Feng Jin was definitely his biggest bane in this life; their horoscopes did not match, and they were naturally incompatible.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Since he didn’t need escort, it was better to go back and get a good night’s sleep. Just as Lu Shi turned the carriage around, Gu Beichen urgently stopped him, “Stop!”
“Young Lord Gu, what is it now?” Lu Shi asked impatiently, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep.
“Take me back!”
The Ling Mansion was still some distance from the Zhennan Prince’s Mansion. It would take him half an hour to walk back.
To refuse the carriage and walk back, he would truly be a fool.
With a flip, Gu Beichen stood steadily on the carriage, lifted the curtain, and got in.
“Return to the Zhennan Prince’s Mansion,” Gu Beichen said lazily, leaning back in the carriage seat and propping up his chin.
Lu Shi sighed helplessly. If he had known, he would have run faster just now. Now, he was caught anyway. It was truly bad luck.
…
In Lianxin Pavilion, Feng Jin brewed tea, sipping it from time to time and admiring the scenery, calculating that the person should have arrived.
“Young Madam, the Princess of Xiliang has arrived,” Cai Qing said softly beside Feng Jin.
Feng Jin put down the teacup, tidied her elaborate dress, and lifted her eyelids to meet Murong Jinyun’s gaze.
“Thank you for making this trip, Princess. Please sit.”
Feng Jin gestured to the chair behind her, and Cai Qing ushered Murong Jinyun to sit.
“Why has the Young Madam summoned me here?”
This was the first time Murong Jinyun had observed Feng Jin so carefully. In an instant, Murong Jinyun felt that she paled in comparison to Feng Jin.
Her most proud asset had always been her appearance, but now, compared to Feng Jin, it seemed much less dazzling. She ultimately could not compete with Feng Jin.
A person with such beauty, even as a woman, could not help but steal a few more glances. How could men resist? Her Highness seemed to understand why Ling Mohan treated Feng Jin with such gentleness.
That tenderness and care in his eyes filled her heart with envy.
“Princess, why are you looking at me like that?”
Being stared at by Murong Jinyun, even Feng Jin, with her thick skin, felt a little embarrassed at this moment.
“No… I… I just think the Young Madam is beautiful, and I couldn’t help but look a few more times. For a peerlessly beautiful woman like you, it’s no wonder the Young General likes you so much. Standing next to you, I feel insignificant.”
Murong Jinyun’s directness made Feng Jin’s heart tremble slightly. It was truly rare to hear such words in the restrictive ancient times.
“You flatter me, Princess. In this life, there are all sorts of people, and everyone has their own good qualities. There’s no need for comparison. Why should you feel ashamed because of a difference in appearance?”
“The Young Madam is truly open-minded,” Murong Jinyun replied with a smile. At this moment, she felt that Feng Jin was not someone who relied solely on her beauty. “Young Madam, why did you ask me to come?”
“I naturally want to ask about the matters between the Princess and my husband,” Feng Jin cut straight to the chase.
Seeing Murong Jinyun愣了片刻, Feng Jin quickly explained, “Princess, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not here to question you. I just want to know what happened between you two.”
“If I tell you, are you willing to divorce General Ling and give me your position as the main wife? Perhaps I can consider letting you stay as a concubine.”
Murong Jinyun’s words were sharp and aggressive, leaving no room for sentiment.
“Just because you are the Princess of Xiliang, you are acting so outrageously. My young madam entered the Ling Mansion with a proper marriage. Even if the Young General truly marries you, you will only be a concubine.”
Cai Qing could not stand it any longer and, disregarding Murong Jinyun’s status as Princess of Xiliang, retorted impolitely.
“A mere servant dares to speak to this princess like this. As expected, what kind of master raises what kind of servant. A little maid dares to be so arrogant. Young Madam, is this how you manage the Ling Mansion? If you are incapable, then step down and yield!”
Murong Jinyun was determined to force Feng Jin to abdicate. She had waited for three years, so why should Feng Jin, a newcomer, win the heart of Ling Mohan?
She truly wanted to ask Ling Mohan face-to-face, if he truly loved Feng Jin, then what about what happened between them three years ago? What did his vows of love mean to her?
As a woman herself, Feng Jin could understand Murong Jinyun’s feelings at this moment. If she were the one Ling Mohan had made vows to, and after meeting again, he married someone else, even forgetting who she was.
No woman could withstand such a blow. She could understand what Murong Jinyun was saying to her today.
“Have some tea and rest your throat.”
Feng Jin poured a cup of tea and offered it to Murong Jinyun, showing no anger at her words.
When she came, Murong Jinyun had thought of many ways to deal with Feng Jin, but she had not considered how to react if Feng Jin did not argue with her.
She could defeat any formidable enemy, but she was truly at a loss for how to deal with Feng Jin’s subtle tactics.
“Stop pretending. If you want to persuade me to give up Ling Mohan, it’s absolutely impossible. I waited and looked for him for three years to find him, and I will never give up.”
Last night, she had thought carefully. Even if she became a concubine, she wanted to marry Ling Mohan, which would be a fair outcome for her years of persistence.
“I am not trying to persuade you to give up. If this happened to me, I might be even more aggressive than you and use harsher methods. I would definitely defend my position without hesitation, but…”
“But what? What exactly do you mean?”