Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Ye Chan's mood had been rather foul lately.

Her two younger sisters had somehow gotten their hands on a portrait of the King of Chu and were acting as if they'd been brainwashed. Every other day, they'd come to her, fawning over her.

The reason was simple: Ye Chan was the future Crown Princess, soon to be the King of Chu's sister-in-law. By staying close to her, they'd have more chances to see the King of Chu in the future.

Just an incense stick's burn ago, the group had been sitting in the eastern warm pavilion of King Ning's Mansion, chatting and laughing.

As soon as the two left, Ye Chan's face darkened. She clutched the portrait of the King of Chu that she'd had someone procure for her and let out a cold laugh.

"It's like a toad lusting after swan's meat. They should look in a mirror and see what they really are!"

Hong Juan, her maid, stood by, not daring to utter a word.

She couldn't understand why the Princess was so angry.

After all, it was Ye Chan who had initially proposed breaking off the engagement. Now, there was no relationship between her and the King of Chu.

The King of Chu was unmarried, and with his looks and status, wasn't it normal for noble ladies in the capital to admire him?

But Ye Chan didn't see it that way.

Though she had been the one to break off the engagement, she didn't deny that their fleeting encounter on the official road had set her heart aflutter.

Upon returning, Ye Chan had thought more than once that if that face were on the Crown Prince's body, she might have been more willing to marry him.

But how many things in this world can be perfect?

Yet, even so, no other woman should dare to covet that man, not even a bit.

Even if she didn't want him, she wanted him to think of her every day!

With this thought, Ye Chan slowly calmed herself. "Hong Juan, send an invitation to King Chu's Mansion. Say that I'm inviting Miss Jiang to go boating with me."

Hong Juan hesitated, "Princess, that Miss Jiang is the Director of the Yin Yang Office. She doesn't have a day off today. If you send someone to King Chu's Mansion, they might make a wasted trip."

"Isn't the Yin Yang Office under the Crown Prince?" Ye Chan asked. "You go directly to the Yin Yang Office with the invitation. I'll send someone else to the Palace of the Crown Prince to ask His Highness to give her a day off."

"Yes, my lady."

Hong Juan took the invitation that Ye Chan had personally written and left through the side gate to have someone prepare a carriage. She was about to head to the Yin Yang Office when she saw a carriage from the Palace of the Crown Prince approaching from afar.

...

The Crown Prince had invited Ye Chan to appreciate plum blossoms, while Ye Chan wanted to go boating with Jiang Xiaoxiao.

Everything was converging.

Hong Juan whispered, "Princess, it's rare for His Highness the Crown Prince to invite you. It might not be appropriate to decline an invitation from the Palace of the Crown Prince."

Ye Chan frowned.

The Crown Prince could have invited her any other time, but he chose this critical moment to send her an invitation.

"Fine," Ye Chan suppressed her displeasure, "Help me dress. I'll keep the Crown Prince's appointment."

Murong Yuan's chosen spot for appreciating plum blossoms with Ye Chan wasn't in the Palace of the Crown Prince, but in a private estate in the western part of the city.

The estate was home to many plum trees, tended to year-round.

Murong Yuan personally rode his horse to King Ning's Mansion to pick her up.

Today, Ye Chan wore a goose-yellow, stand-collar, double-breasted long shirt, paired with a deep red, floral-patterned skirt.

Over this, she wore a red fox fur cape.

As she bowed in greeting, her fine brows and long eyes exuded charm.

Murong Yuan, seeing this scene, was quite satisfied. He extended his hand to her, "Chan'er, come."

Ye Chan walked over, and before she could react, Murong Yuan had scooped her up onto his horse.

She let out a startled cry, "Your Highness..."

Murong Yuan laughed heartily, "We're about to be husband and wife, Chan'er. Do you still care about such formalities?"

Ye Chan's face reddened slightly.

Murong Yuan said, "Don't worry, I know you can't ride. I'll go slowly."

With her back pressed against Murong Yuan's solid chest, the face that floated in Ye Chan's mind was Xie Xun's poetic and picturesque visage.

Murong Yuan sensed her distraction and asked, "Chan'er, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Ye Chan turned and smiled at him, "Let's go."

True to his word, Murong Yuan slowed his pace considerably. The two rode together through the bustling streets.

Suddenly, Ye Chan's gaze fixed on a certain spot.

Jiang Xiaoxiao did indeed request a month's leave from Bai Cheng, but not because she had overexerted herself and needed rest, as Xie Xun had said.

Rather, it was because her little Martial Uncle was about to emerge from his seclusion, and she had received a letter from her Third Martial Brother, planning to visit the Heavenly Master's Mansion.

However, based on the timing, Jiang Xiaoxiao would transform into her smaller form during the journey to the Heavenly Master's Mansion.

So for this trip, Jiang Xiaoxiao had to bring Xie Xun along.

The reason they went out today was for Xie Xun to prepare her medicines in advance and pick out gifts for Jiang Xiaoxiao's masters, grand masters, and the little Martial Uncle who was about to emerge from seclusion.

Jiang Xiaoxiao didn't understand things like social niceties.

While Xie Xun was selecting gifts, she just stood by and gnawed on her sugar figurine.

After wandering around for a day, they finally had everything ready.

Xie Xun arranged for a carriage.

The driver was one of the eight undercover guards from his mansion, named Er Gui.

Apart from Er Gui, Xie Xun didn't bring any additional people, mainly to avoid too many people and risk exposing Jiang Xiaoxiao's secret.

Er Gui was a diligent and dutiful guard. His only responsibility was to drive the carriage, and he never asked Xie Xun any unnecessary questions.

Even later, when Jiang Xiaoxiao transformed and he inadvertently caught a glimpse of the three-inch-tall Jiang Xiaoxiao, his reaction was merely a momentary surprise before acting as if he had seen nothing.

During Jiang Xiaoxiao's transformation period, Xie Xun played both father and mother roles, worrying about her food, worrying about her clothes, washing her clothes and utensils, and even supervising her bathing and watching her sleep.

When going out, he would place the tiny Jiang Xiaoxiao in the small pouch sewn into his sleeve.

For Jiang Xiaoxiao's transformations, Xie Xun had sewn a small pouch into the sleeves of all his clothes.

Er Gui was a skilled driver, and the journey was smooth without any jolts, until they finally reached the foot of Cangwu Mountain on a cold morning.

The carriage couldn't go up the mountain, so Er Gui stayed below to rest and watch over the carriage.

Jiang Xiaoxiao brought Xie Xun along, with Xie Xun carrying the gifts, and the two climbed up the stone steps.

Calculating when she would arrive, Zhang Hengyi and Zhang Junyi, her two Martial Brothers, had been waiting at the mountain gate.

Upon seeing Jiang Xiaoxiao, Zhang Junyi smiled, "Little Martial Sister, did you miss me?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao was honest, "No."

Zhang Junyi: "..."

Xie Xun handed the bundle containing the gifts to Zhang Hengyi.

Zhang Hengyi said, "The fact that you came from so far away is already quite difficult, yet you still brought gifts?"

Xie Xun replied, "It's only proper."

"Elder Martial Brother, Third Martial Brother, where is my little Martial Uncle?" Jiang Xiaoxiao asked impatiently.

Zhang Junyi said, "The Elder Martial Brother will take you there."

He walked over and placed his elbow on Xie Xun's shoulder, clicking his tongue twice, "The son-in-law of the Heavenly Master's Mansion, ah, you'll have to let the inner sect disciples have a look too. Come, son-in-law, it's time for your test."

Jiang Xiaoxiao was confused, "What test?"

Zhang Junyi said, "Don't worry about it, Little Martial Sister. This is a matter between us men. You want to see your little Martial Uncle, right? He's with the Grand Master, go on."

"Oh." Jiang Xiaoxiao nodded, then told Xie Xun, "I'll be right back."

Xie Xun nodded, "Go ahead."

Jiang Xiaoxiao left as Zhang Junyi led Xie Xun away.

Jiang Xiaoxiao went straight to the old Heavenly Master's courtyard.

As soon as she crossed the threshold, she saw the old Heavenly Master sitting on a stone bench beside a plum blossom tree.

Seated across from the old Heavenly Master was a man.

The man wore a long white robe, with a beautiful yet stern appearance that exuded an extraordinary aura - the demeanor of a Taoist cultivator.

Jiang Xiaoxiao's mind conjured two words: handsome.

As handsome as Xie Xun.

Instantly, she realized who this person was.

The old Heavenly Master looked at her, "Little girl, aren't you going to greet your little Martial Uncle?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao walked over and obediently called out, "Little Martial Uncle."

The man was indeed the old Heavenly Master's youngest disciple, Zhang Yichu.

Hearing this, Zhang Yichu smiled, "Not little Martial Uncle, but Father."