Liu Manyun covered up her face and smiled: "Thank you for your praise, Miss Bai. You are the one that I am jealous of."
"Your Highness, you are too modest. And I can't move my eyes away from Your Highness since I’ve seen you. It is natural that His Majesty loves you so much." Bai Aoxue said with a stunning look.
When Liu Manyun listened to Bai Aoxue’s words, the smile on her face became more and more obvious.
Her impression of Bai Aoxue also became better.
Of course, such a good impression was based on that Bai Aoxue wasn’t her competitor.
"My love, don't forget me." Jun Wuhen said when he found those two women echoing each other.
Liu Manyun immediately turned back: "How could I forget you, Your Majesty? I just feel joyful when I see our sister-in-law."
Then she walked toward Jun Wuhen.
Looking at that slender figure with slightly-twisted waist of Liu Manyun, Bai Aoxue couldn’t help criticizing. Wasn’t she afraid of breaking her waist?
Jun Wuhen looked at Liu Manyun and said with a smile: "It seems that you and I are really connected."
Liu Manyun couldn’t help smiling and looked at Jun Wuhen when she heard that.
Their flirting let people beside them continuously break out in cold sweats.
Jun Wuhen felt that the time was almost up, and then he said: "Let’s go to dinner."
After that, he took Liu Manyun to take the lead with arm around her. Bai Aoxue and Jun Yeyan followed them.
Bai Aoxue has been quietly peeping since she stepped into Liu Manyun’s Hall.
Liu Manyun's bedroom all reflected luxury. There were white marble columns on the four corners of the room. The walls were made of white stone bricks. The gold orchids bloomed in the white stone, and the white curtains lingered in the wind.
If Bai Aoxue really needed to describe, she could only choose "luxury". In addition to this word, she couldn't find a more suitable one.
And all of these revealed Jun Wuhen’s favor towards Liu Manyun.
However, compared with such decoration, Bai Aoxue preferred that bamboo sea and that beautiful jacaranda.
Thinking of this, Bai Aoxue quivered. She was shocked by her own thoughts.
"What happened?" Jun Yeyan first noticed her abnormal, and immediately approached Bai Aoxue.
Jun Yeyan remained Bai Aoxue of her ridiculous thoughts. She couldn't help frowning slightly and retreated away without a trace. She answered: "Nothing." Her tone was indifferent like speaking to a stranger.
But Bai Aoxue didn't notice that Jun Wuhen, who talked with Liu Manyun, saw all of these in eyes.
Jun Yeyan looked at Bai Aoxue’s retreating, raising up his eyebrows carelessly, while he secretly felt doubtful about the disgust in Bai Aoxue eyes towards him for a moment.
*
During the meal, Bai Aoxue did not say a word, and only wanted to leave the palace soon.
"Royal brother, let your princess-to-be eat a little more. Aoxue is too slender." Jun Wuhen looked at Bai Aoxue who had no appetite at all.
Listening to Jun Wuhen's words, showing no expression on her face, Bai Aoxue felt annoyed of Jun Wuhen for making her become the target of public criticism.
"Hehe, thanks for your concern, royal brother. I also feel that princess is really a little thin." Jun Yeyan looked at Bai Aoxue and smiled.
Liu Manyun, on the other side, didn’t seem to have a good mood. Jun Wuhen not only didn’t care about her, but also cared about Bai Aoxue during such a banquet, which made Liu Manyun feel that Bai Aoxue brought her a sense of crisis.
"Men!" Although Jun Wuhen agreed with Jun Yeyan, he still called some servants.
"Your Majesty." Eunuch Zhao knelt on the ground.
"Go to prepare some light meals for Aoxue. Those meals are too greasy to eat even for me. How dare you?" Jun Wuhen said with a slightly scornful look.
Eunuch Zhao immediately answered: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I will go prepare immediately."
"Go ahead." Jun Wuhen got annoyed and waved.
Liu Manyun, who sat beside him, couldn’t pretend to be happy anymore.
What she asked the imperial dining room to prepare were all Jun Wuhen's favorites. She did not expect that he would change them for Bai Aoxue so easily.
"Your Majesty, don’t enjoy those meals? I have been negligent. Please forgive me." Liu Manyun immediately got up and was about to kneel.
Originally Liu Manyun thought that Jun Wuhen would stop her. It never occurred to her that this time Jun Wuhen just looked at her indifferently without any move.
Liu Manyun lowered her head and made people unable to see her expression. Bai Aoxue, however, still guessed her emotions from her trembling hands.
"My love, what did you do? You kneel for what?" Jun Wuhen smiled faintly and looked at Liu Manyun.
Looking at Jun Wuhen, Bai Aoxue even loathed the emperor more. He could show love to a concubine while pushed her to Hell in next second.
Probably this was emotion of an emperor. He could extremely spoil his concubines when he was in love. But he would also abandon them like treating ants when he didn’t care them anymore.
Liu Manyun heard what Jun Wuhen said and immediately raised her head with tears around eyes: "It’s my fault that I didn’t notify the imperial kitchen in advance to let them prepare some light meals. I made Your Majesty didn’t enjoy it."
However, Jun Wuhen did not let Liu Manyun stand up, but smiled and said: "What else?"
After hearing Jun Wuhen’s words, Liu Manyun felt perturbed. She wondered what else she has done.
Kneeling was nothing more than a small trick to pander to the emperor. However, she didn’t know where went wrong to let Jun Wuhen ignore her kneeling.
How couldn’t Jun Yeyan, who stood aside, know the intention of Jun Wuhen? However, Jun Wuhen was still one step ahead of him when he was just about to speak.
"And you didn’t make sure of whether my royal brother and Aoxue would enjoy such a greasy dinner." Sweeping away his smile face, Jun Wuhen said majestically.
After listening to Jun Wuhen’s words, Liu Manyun only remembered the last sentence and began to hate Bai Aoxue. Not only did she misinterpret the meaning of Jun Wuhen but only she was guided by him to the abyss.
When Bai Aoxue listened to Jun Wuhen, she was suddenly alarmed. When she looked up, she saw that resentful sight of Liu Manyun.
At this time, Bai Aoxue probably guessed the intention of Jun Wuhen.
It seemed that Jun Wuhen tried to use Liu Manyun as a tool to let her hate Bai Aoxue. Then Jun Wuhen was the only one that can protect her. If she wanted to seek for protection, she must do something for him.
Bai Aoxue sneered at the strategy of Jun Wuhen. He thought some tricks could let her work herself to the bone for him.
"I know I was wrong, and I promise I will change. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Liu Manyun still looked pitiful.
"Well, that will be the best for you, my love. Get up. I’m distressed if you’ve been kneeling on the floor.” Jun Wuhen said with a distressed look.
And the rapid reversal of his face stunned Bai Aoxue.
Although Liu Manyun returned to her seat obediently, Bai Aoxue knew that this war centered on her was only at the stage of igniting the smoke.
"Aoxue, I heard that the second daughter of Prime Minister’s mansion is a Miss of everything about verses, ditties, odes and songs. I’m really happy for you to have such a talented sister." Liu Manyun said unintentionally.
All people in the banquet were strangely silent after listening to Liu Manyun's words.
In fact, how couldn’t they know Bai Aoxue’s circumstance in Prime Minister’s mansion? Especially the bullying and torture Bai Aoxue received from her sister and her mother.
Bai Aoxue disdained for that brainless Liu Manyun’s provocation.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My sister is indeed a rare woman, but she only knew a little about poetry. I believe that you are the one who is proficient in all forms poetry, Your Highness." Bai Aoxue replied calmly. But there was something behind those words.
Bai Aoxue knew that Jun Wuhen set this for nothing more than her obedience. Since he thought that, she would follow his plan. Let’s see who the winner would be!
"Oh, thank you for admiring me, Aoxue. I’m not talented enough; only know a little about them. Since the second daughter of Bai is already so outstanding, I believe you are even better." Liu Manyun seemed to look forward to something.
Although Liu Manyun covered herself well, Bai Aoxue still saw the provocation in her eyes.
How could Bai Aoxue follow her intentions? Although she cherished her life, not everyone could force her to tolerate nonsense and outrages.
"I feel gratitude about such appreciation, your Highness, but I’m afraid I will let you disappointed. In my whole life, I will only dance and create ditties and verses for my husband." Bai Aoxue stared at Liu Manyun, her eyes blazing like torches.
However, Liu Manyun was shocked by the words of Bai Aoxue, while Jun Yeyan, who stood aside, was stunned by the brightness in Bai Aoxue’s eyes.
"Hahn, it seems that royal brother has found a good princess for me. So thoughtful she is. Besides, I still want to ask for your forgiveness, Your Highness. This is my blessing." Jun Yeyan affectionately stared at Bai Aoxue.
Bai Aoxue frowned when she found he was getting her out of the fix. Jun Wuhen would definitely suspect Jun Yeyan for helping her. She didn’t want to see that happen.
Since she promised to cooperate with Jun Yeyan, she would solve his problems. The first step she had to take was to win his trust.
At this time, if Jun Yeyan went to releasing her from trouble, he would make suspicious Jun Wuhen hesitated.
"Please do not worry about me. I just said what was in my mind." Bai Aoxue looked at Jun Yeyan indifferently.
She just hoped that the current explanation would dispel Jun Wuhen’s doubts.
Indeed, as Bai Aoxue expected, Jun Wuhen had doubts when Jun Yeyan stood out. But now Bai Aoxue’s indiscretion made Jun Wuhen choose to believe that Bai Aoxue was more inclined to him.
After listening to the words of Bai Aoxue, Jun Yeyan was on the stormy wave which cannot calm down. He didn’t even expect that he would solve the problem for Bai Aoxue under such a circumstance.
His calmness seemed to disappear in the face of Bai Aoxue. Although he knew that this was wrong, he still became uncontrollable.
Slightly calming down, Jun Yeyan grotesquely glanced at Bai Aoxue.
"Humph, fail to appreciate my kindness!" Jun Yeyan murmured resentfully.
Jun Wuhen noticed that special atmosphere between those two people, and immediately said: "Don't be angry with your princess. She did that for you."
After listening to Jun Wuhen, Jun Yeyan immediately said aggrievedly: "Royal brother, I just want to comfort her. How dare her to be so unappreciative. "
Looking at Jun Yeyan who looked injured, Bai Aoxue sweated in mind. She didn’t expect Jun Yeyan, who was uncompromising, to be like this.
"Royal brother, you can’t be so childish. Aoxue is a young lady. How can a real man like you still feel wronged?" Jun Wuhen showed a big brother’s appearance and criticized Jun Yeyan.