Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Due to the suddenness of the event, and not knowing what Le Yao Yao liked, Leng Junyu found himself unprepared.
He quickly arranged for some fireworks, hoping to bring a smile to the Little One's face.
When Le Yao Yao heard Leng Junyu's words, she was momentarily taken aback.
However, she soon shook her head and replied, "I am already very content with my life now; I have no other desires."
In the past, she had been focused solely on earning money to leave the palace and live well outside.
But ever since the cold-hearted man had expressed his feelings for her, and with his gentle treatment, Le Yao Yao found herself slowly growing fond of this seemingly aloof man who was so tender towards her.
Moreover, now that she was living well in the palace, with good food and comforts, her strong desire to leave had gradually diminished.
Perhaps in the future, she might even choose to stay in this palace forever.
At this thought, Le Yao Yao felt a slight shock within herself; she realized that she had unknowingly begun to accept this man. Even she was surprised by this revelation.
Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, the man sitting across from her lowered his head in contemplation. Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, he reached for a crimson bracelet on his wrist and removed it.
He then placed it on Le Yao Yao's wrist.
Le Yao Yao was taken aback at once.
Her beautiful eyes lowered as she gazed at it gently.
In that moment of daze, the man had placed a bracelet on her wrist.
The bracelet was made up of deep red beads, exquisitely crafted, and it emitted a faint yet pleasant fragrance.
"What is this?"
"This is the Antidote Pearl that the Wei Kingdom offered as tribute this year. As the name suggests, the Antidote Pearl can ward off all poisons.
With this Antidote Pearl, no toxic substance would dare to come near you.
Originally, this Antidote Pearl was just a stone, but I turned it into a bracelet. It suits you perfectly."
"Ah, isn't this too precious?!"
Upon hearing Leng Junyu's explanation, Le Yao Yao's delicate face froze in surprise, and she exclaimed as she tried to remove the bracelet from her wrist.
After all, just hearing his words was enough to prove how valuable this bracelet was; it was worth its weight in gold. How could she accept such a gift?!
However, as Le Yao Yao attempted to take it off, Leng Junyu reached out to stop her.
"Don't take it off; wear it properly! This thing is merely decoration for me, but if it's on you, I can rest easy."
After all, no one knew what might happen in the future. If someone dared to harm her, at least with the Antidote Pearl, it might prove useful.
This was how Leng Junyu felt, and upon hearing his words, Le Yao Yao realized he was concerned for her, warming her heart.
"Alright."
Since it was his heartfelt gesture, she accepted it.
Moreover, this was the first time he had given her a birthday gift! She would definitely cherish it.
...
Today was an unusual day; Nangong Junxi, who had disappeared for several days, finally returned.
Le Yao Yao was quite surprised.
However, what surprised her the most was that ever since Nangong Junxi came back, he had resumed his previous carefree demeanor, looking as if he were just asking for trouble.
It was as if the desperate person from a few days ago had never existed at all.
Seeing this, Le Yao Yao thought to herself that during Nangong Junxi's absence, he must have come to terms with things.
A fruit that is forcibly picked will not be sweet. Knowing that a relationship without a future would only lead to self-harm if pursued further.
Thus, upon seeing Nangong Junxi return to his old self, Le Yao Yao couldn't help but engage in some playful banter with him, and their relationship quickly returned to its previous state of constant bickering.
At this moment, it was noon.
Outside, the sun blazed fiercely in the clear sky, with not a cloud in sight. Even the wind blowing by carried an unbearable heat, making it seem as if a layer of Azure Smoke hovered above the ground.
The cicadas in the trees buzzed incessantly, like batteries charged with energy, making the already sweltering heat even more unbearable.
Due to the scorching weather, Leng Junyu had moved his study to Bamboo Garden Xiao Xie.
After all, Bamboo Grove was filled with various types of bamboo.
The bamboo swayed in the wind, providing a refreshing breeze even in the midst of summer.
Moreover, there was a large pond nearby.
In the pond, schools of koi were swimming gracefully.
These koi, with their diverse patterns and vibrant colors, glided through the shimmering water, resembling a moving watercolor painting—truly a sight to behold.
Today, Leng Junyu finished court duties early but still attended to official matters.
After lunch, he headed to Bamboo Grove to handle his affairs.
Nangong Junxi had returned; however, he was typically a carefree person. At that moment, he lay leisurely on the Palace Couch, enjoying the gentle breeze while fanning himself with a hand fan, looking quite comfortable.
Le Yao Yao had just wrapped up her tasks at Elegant Breeze Pavilion and had eaten lunch. Now she needed to attend to the busy lord of hell.
Yet she knew that whenever the lord of hell dealt with official matters, he would be fully engrossed.
With nothing much to do herself, she grabbed some bread crumbs and tossed them into the pond to feed the fish.
Watching the once shimmering pond, now stirred by the frantic fish competing for the breadcrumbs thrown in, was quite a sight. The splashes of water created a lively scene that was amusing to behold.
However, in the midst of this leisurely afternoon, a small eunuch suddenly rushed over, his expression flustered.
Upon entering the room of Xiao Xie, he immediately knelt on the ground and addressed Leng Junyu, who was seated at his desk reviewing documents.
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! A group of people just arrived at the residence, saying they are here to find—find..."
The little eunuch seemed to be out of breath from running and could barely finish his sentence.
Hearing this, Leng Junyu did not lift his head; he continued writing with his brush on the paper before him. His composed demeanor suggested that even if the sky were to fall, he would not furrow a brow.
Beside him, Le Yao Yao grew curious. Could it be that someone had come to cause trouble at Duke Rui's Residence?
If that were the case, that person must have been incredibly bold, not even bothering to inquire about what kind of place Duke Rui's Residence was. It was like a birthday celebrant hanging themselves—asking for trouble!
Le Yao Yao's thoughts mirrored those of Nangong Junxi. However, Nangong Junxi felt even more excited.
"Could it be that someone has come to stir up trouble at the residence? Perfect! I've been feeling so bored! Master Brother, let me handle this!"
"Nangong Junxi" finished speaking and stood up without a second thought, rubbing his fists together with excitement on his face.
Hearing "Nangong Junxi's" words, "Leng Junyu" slowly lifted his proud and cold face. He first cast a thoughtful glance at the excited "Nangong Junxi" before lightly parting his "Red Lips" to speak.
"Are you really going to handle this?"
"Heh heh, what's the big deal? Big Brother trusts my abilities, right? I'll take care of the matters outside while you focus on your official duties."
"Nangong Junxi," seemingly afraid that "Leng Junyu" would not let him handle the situation, immediately patted his chest in response.
Upon hearing this, "Leng Junyu" merely curled the corner of his mouth slightly and said, "Perfect. This matter is related to you; it couldn't be better for you to handle it."
After "Leng Junyu" spoke, the previously excited expression on "Nangong Junxi's" face froze for a moment, and his beautiful "Peach Blossom Eyes" were filled with confusion.
Just then, the young eunuch who had come in to report finally caught his breath and continued speaking under "Nangong Junxi's" puzzled gaze.
"The people who came in earlier said they were looking for the 'Seventh Prince' of the 'Great Xia Kingdom'!"
"What!? They are looking for me!?"
...
The "Great Xia Kingdom" is prosperous and powerful, maintaining a long-standing friendship with the "Celestial Yuan Dynasty." Moreover, many princesses from both kingdoms have married each other to strengthen their ties.
In the Great Xia Kingdom, there were seven princes and over ten daughters.
Nangong Junxi was the Seventh Prince of the Great Xia Kingdom, born to the Great Xia Empress. Being the youngest son, he was particularly favored by the Great Xia Empress.
However, despite this favoritism, Nangong Junxi was not allowed to act recklessly.
For instance, there was the matter of his elopement!
Everyone in the Great Xia Palace knew that the Great Xia Empress had a beloved treasure.
Yet, that treasure was not her biological son but rather her adopted daughter, Princess Lulu.
Princess Lulu was originally an orphan left behind by General Luchen, the National Guardian of the Great Xia. The Former Emperor, recognizing Luchen's loyalty and patriotism, felt deep sympathy for Luchen's orphan after he sacrificed himself for the country.
After giving birth to the Seventh Prince, the Great Xia Empress was informed by the Imperial Physician that she could no longer bear children.
The love of a mother was well-known to all. It was a great sorrow for the Great Xia Empress to have a son but be unable to have more children.
Seeing his beloved empress in constant melancholy, the Great Xia Emperor brought Lulu into the palace, thinking it would cheer her up. To his surprise, the Great Xia Empress took an immediate liking to Princess Lulu.
Lulu had lost her mother at a young age, and with Luchen's death, she had no other relatives left.
Seeing this, the Great Xia Empress took Lulu under her wing and treated her as her own daughter.
Later on, noticing that Lulu had always been fond of her son, she kept a watchful eye on their relationship.
After all, she cherished both her daughter and son.
However, as her daughter grew up, she would eventually have to marry.
If she married into another family, the mother worried that her daughter might suffer. Seeing that Lulu had always liked her son since they were young, she made up her mind to pair them together once her son grew up.
That way, both her son and daughter could stay by her side for a lifetime, which would be wonderful!
Unexpectedly, the Great Xia Empress's decision made Nangong Junxi develop a dislike for Lulu from a young age.
In his youth, he often bullied this little shadow who followed him around.
Later on, after meeting the Tianshan Daoist, in order to shake off this shadow, Nangong Junxi resolutely left the palace and went to study under the Tianshan Daoist.
He was gone for many years.
He thought that during his absence, the Empress Mother would change her mind. However, when he descended the mountain intending to return to the palace, he discovered that the Empress Mother had been waiting for him and was planning to choose an auspicious date to pair him with that little shadow.
Upon hearing this news, Nangong Junxi immediately turned and fled.
But in such a vast world, having grown up in the palace and later in Tianshan, he knew very few people and had even fewer friends.
In the end, he could only hide in his senior brother's residence.
He thought that if he hid for three to seven years, the Empress Mother would give up on the idea of marrying him off to that Hated Pest. However, after hiding here for just two months, the Empress Mother's people came knocking at his door!
The speed left Nangong Junxi utterly shocked.
Amidst the shock, he contemplated how to escape.
However, sitting at the desk was Leng Junyu, who seemed to see through Nangong Junxi's desire to flee. He coolly spoke up.
"Don't even think about escaping. Since your Empress Mother has sent people to find you, they naturally know you are here. The outside is surely surrounded by a Heavenly Net. Do you really think you can get away?!"
"Uh..."
Hearing Leng Junyu's words, Nangong Junxi realized he was right. His previously excited expression instantly turned pitiful as he turned to Leng Junyu, who was still reviewing documents.
"Senior Brother, you have to save me! I absolutely refuse to marry that... whatever it is that's like a pesky bug!"
Nangong Junxi looked utterly miserable, tugging at Leng Junyu with a hopeful expression, expecting him to help.
"Senior Brother, you must have some secret passage or something like that, right? Can I borrow it? Please?!"
"No."
Leng Junyu flatly refused Nangong Junxi's desperate pleas without a change in his expression.
Upon hearing this, Nangong Junxi's face grew even more sorrowful.
"Senior Brother, how can you be so heartless?! If I'm captured and taken back, I'll be living in dire straits! Can you really bear to let that happen?!"
"Then let me ask you, can you hide for a moment and hide for a lifetime?! If you truly dislike that woman, then everyone should openly and honestly discuss everything. If you are resolute, would your Empress Mother really hold a knife to your neck and force you to marry?!"
This time, Leng Junyu could no longer withstand Nangong Junxi's desperate pleas. He set down his brush, lifted his face, and spoke coldly.
Knowing that Leng Junyu's words were not without reason, Nangong Junxi let out a heavy sigh before softly replying, "Fine."
After all, this matter had to be resolved sooner or later, right?!
Thinking this, Nangong Junxi took a deep breath and marched boldly toward the outside with the determination of a warrior charging into battle.
Seeing Nangong Junxi like this, Le Yao Yao couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle to herself.
Who would have thought that this guy would also be forced into a corner one day!
Le Yao Yao giggled with delight, looking like a proud little kitten. Leng Junyu, witnessing this, could only smile helplessly.
"You."
"Hehe..."
In response to Leng Junyu's helpless remark, Le Yao Yao just chuckled.
"Yun, why don't we go take a look in the front hall as well?"
Le Yao Yao proposed.
Because she was incredibly curious.
What kind of woman could make Nangong Junxi so disgusted that he would run away to escape marriage?
Could it be that she looked like a monster with three heads and six arms!?
Leng Junyu, hearing Le Yao Yao's words, naturally understood that she wanted to see the drama unfold.
However, he simply couldn't refuse 'his' request.
"Alright." Since 'he' wanted to watch, he would let 'him' have his way!
...
Ye Hong was the most trusted confidant of the Emperor of the Great Xia Kingdom. Over forty years old, he was highly skilled in martial arts and completely loyal to the Emperor, which made him greatly valued by the Emperor.
Moreover, he only served the Emperor of the Great Xia Kingdom and disregarded the words of others.
So when Nangong Junxi saw that it was Ye Hong who had arrived, he knew that disaster was imminent.
He figured that this time he would definitely be taken back.
Thinking about it, Nangong Junxi felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and a deep sense of helplessness washed over his face.
The once charming Seventh Prince suddenly felt disheartened.
"Ye Hong, haha, it's been many years!"
Although he knew he couldn't escape his fate, Nangong Junxi still held onto a glimmer of hope. Upon seeing this steadfast man he hadn't met in years, he laughed heartily.
When Ye Hong saw Nangong Junxi appear, his rugged and heroic face turned towards him, ready to pay his respects.
However, Nangong Junxi quickly stopped him.
"Haha, Ye Hong, no need for such formalities."
Nangong Junxi understood that this man was a trusted confidant of his father and was fiercely loyal to him, so he naturally didn't dare to accept such grand gestures from Ye Hong.
As Ye Hong stood up beside him, Nangong Junxi glanced at him and sighed.
"Ye Hong is here on the orders of Father and Empress Mother to bring me back, right? I never expected you to be so well-informed. I thought I had evaded everyone's notice, yet you still found out I was here."
At this point, Nangong Junxi felt somewhat helpless.
Ye Hong simply replied calmly, "Actually, as soon as the Seventh Prince arrived here, the Emperor and Queen were already aware."
"What?! Father and Empress Mother knew already?! But why did they only send you to find me now?!"
Upon hearing Ye Hong's words, Nangong Junxi was quite surprised.
After all, based on his understanding of his Empress Mother, if she had noticed his whereabouts, she would have immediately sent someone to bring him back.
Why then, did it take two months for her to act?
It was truly strange!
Perhaps sensing Nangong Junxi's confusion, Ye Hong did not hold back and revealed the purpose of his visit.
"This time, I have come here not to bring the Seventh Prince back to the palace, but because Princess Lulu has gone missing!"
"What!?"
Ye Hong's words detonated in Nangong Junxi's mind like a missile, causing an explosion of thoughts.
"Oh my! That little pest is missing!?"
Nangong Junxi exclaimed, and then felt a surge of joy within him.
The fact that that Hated Pest was missing was good news for him!
This meant he no longer had to fear returning to the palace or worry about his Empress Mother dragging him back to marry that Hated Pest!
Thinking of this, if it weren't for Ye Hong being present, Nangong Junxi would have surely laughed out loud three times.
However, amidst his joy, Nangong Junxi couldn't help but feel curious and asked, "By the way, why did she go missing? Has she not been found yet?"
The latter question was what Nangong Junxi was most concerned about.
He prayed to the heavens that Ye Hong and the others would not find that Hated Pest; if they did, he would have no choice but to marry her.
Though thinking this made him feel somewhat guilty, he couldn't help it. God knows, if he had to marry her, he would rather spend a lifetime searching for her instead!
As Nangong Junxi pondered these thoughts, Ye Hong, upon hearing his question, immediately replied truthfully.
"It is said that Princess Lulu left the palace a month before the Seventh Prince was due to return. She reportedly left a letter saying she was going to find the Seventh Prince. After we learned of this, we immediately left the palace to search for her. However, we only found some belongings of Princess Lulu in the hands of bandits. After severe interrogation, we managed to extract from those bandits that they had robbed Princess Lulu. Just when they were planning to take her back to their hideout as their lady, she managed to escape."
"We were two months behind and only knew that Princess Lulu might have come to the Celestial Yuan Dynasty. But beyond that, we couldn't find any specific information."
"The Queen is heartbroken over this matter and has been in tears every day. Later, realizing that the Seventh Prince is here as well, she decided to ask for his help in finding her."
At this point, Ye Hong took out a scroll from his pocket and handed it to Nangong Junxi with both hands. "Here is a portrait of Princess Lulu; please take a look, Seventh Prince."
Receiving the scroll from Ye Hong and hearing that the person depicted was that Hated Pest, Nangong Junxi felt an overwhelming urge to throw it away.
However, due to Ye Hong's presence, he couldn't act on that.
Listening to Ye Hong, it seemed that the Empress Mother wasn't forcing him to return; she just wanted his help in searching.
But he would be crazy to help.
He secretly hoped that the Hated Pest would never be found.
He would enjoy that. However, the thought of the Hated Pest remaining lost would sadden the Empress Mother, and Nangong Junxi felt conflicted.
He didn't want to see the Empress Mother sad; after all, she treated the Hated Pest just like she treated him. He didn't even want to think about which one of them was her biological child.
Yet, just the thought of finding that Hated Pest...
Nangong Junxi couldn't help but recall a memory from his childhood—the little girl who always followed him around, missing a front tooth and constantly sniffling. Just thinking about it made him shiver.
Even after all these years, the image of that Hated Pest had not changed in his mind.
So even without seeing the portrait, he knew what she would look like as an adult.
In short, she definitely wouldn't be some stunning beauty!
Thus, Nangong Junxi merely glanced at the portrait but had no interest in opening it to take a look.
He simply spoke to Ye Hong.
"Alright! I will handle this matter, Ye Hong, you can rest assured."
"Then I will continue to search. Recently, I will be here in Capital City, staying at Ruyi Inn. If Seventh Prince has any news about Princess Lulu, please let me know as soon as possible."
"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Ye Hong."
After sending Ye Hong away, Nangong Junxi let out a sigh of relief.
He slumped onto the Palace Couch like a boneless snake.
The scroll he had been holding was carelessly tossed aside onto a nearby stool, with no intention of opening it to take a look.
Just then, Le Yao Yao, who had come to watch the drama unfold, entered the hall and saw that only Nangong Junxi was present, along with a teacup sitting nearby. She realized that the visitor had already left.
Not only did they not take Nangong Junxi with them, but their departure was so hurried that it left her unable to enjoy the spectacle.
Seeing this, Le Yao Yao felt a bit disappointed. Pouting her Red Lips, she casually glanced around with her Beautiful Eyes and was drawn to the scroll lying on the side.
Comment 0 Comment Count