Chapter 36: Getting Along

The young noble ladies and gentlemen were at an age where they loved to play and frolic, how could they endure sitting quietly here for long?

Moreover, this time the feudal kings who came to pay homage also brought their children along. The Emperor intended to let the noble ladies and gentlemen of Fengling City interact more with them.

So she didn’t restrain them, and even ordered several princesses to take people around for a good stroll.

The sky had darkened at some point, and the palace lanterns for illumination had been quietly lit by the palace servants.

Shen Ruo pulled Wei Jing Mo along, following behind everyone else, speaking in a low voice.

At this moment, a young gentleman suddenly ran to Shen Ruo’s side and said anxiously: “Ruo Ruo, why are you still here? The Fifth Princess has been entangled by that gentleman from the Guangji King’s family! Aren’t you going to check on her?”

“What?”

Shen Ruo’s face immediately turned unpleasant, “Didn’t he just say he liked the Seventh Princess? How come he’s now entangled with the Fifth Princess?”

“I don’t know!”

The young gentleman shook his head and urged again: “Oh! How can you still have the mood to ask so much? Hurry up and go check!”

Wei Jing Mo also spoke up at the right time: “Cousin, go quickly! I still have Dong Qing and the others with me.”

Hearing this, Shen Ruo nodded and ran forward with the young gentleman.

After Shen Ruo left, Wei Jing Mo still walked slowly forward, keeping some distance from the crowd in front.

“Why are you walking so slowly?”

Suddenly, a lazy voice sounded beside his ear.

Wei Jing Mo turned his head to look and saw that Feng Bai Su had somehow walked to his side. She was now looking at him with a smile in her eyes.

Seeing her, Wei Jing Mo couldn’t help but think of what had happened earlier.

His expression was somewhat cold, and his tone was neither salty nor light: “Why didn’t Your Highness lead those children of the feudal kings for a stroll? How did you appear here?”

His voice had little fluctuation, and even conveyed a hint of coldness.

Cong Bai, Dong Qing, and Dong Gua, who were following behind them, immediately slowed down their pace tactfully, giving the two space to be alone.

“Why should I lead them around?”

Feng Bai Su rarely didn’t understand the meaning behind his words, her voice conveying a bit of confusion.

Wei Jing Mo still spoke coldly: “Jing Mo just saw that Your Highness stared at the son of the Gongyang King for a long time earlier, and then was publicly pointed at by the son of the Guangji King, saying he wanted to marry you. I thought Your Highness would be happy to take them around.”

Feng Bai Su: “…”

She suddenly laughed, her voice slow: “Young Master Wei, why do your words sound so sarcastic? Could it be that you’re jealous?”

Her expression became somewhat playful, those peach blossom eyes still shining brightly in the night flashed with a hint of teasing.

Wei Jing Mo, however, frowned and pursed his lips: “What nonsense is Your Highness talking about? You and I are merely betrothed, we’re not in a real wife-husband relationship. Why should Jing Mo be jealous?”

Hearing this, Feng Bai Su said with a smile in her voice: “Alright, then it was I who misspoke. Young Master Wei is definitely not jealous.”

After her words fell, Wei Jing Mo’s thin lips pursed even tighter, and the aura around him even conveyed a hint of coldness. He was obviously in an angry state!

Seeing this, Feng Bai Su sighed inwardly, feeling that she was really bored enough to tease the young gentleman for no reason.

She suddenly quickened her pace, turned around and stopped in front of Wei Jing Mo, looking at him helplessly: “Alright, don’t be angry! I was just teasing you! Besides you, who else is there?”

Wei Jing Mo bit his lip and didn’t look at her, after a long while he said softly: “You just looked for a long time earlier… and… and were reluctant to look away…”

“What did I look at?”

It took Feng Bai Su two seconds to react before remembering who he was talking about, her face became somewhat between laughter and tears: “Where was I reluctant?”

She raised her hand and knocked on his head, “You’re not that old, but you think quite a lot!”

“Besides you, who else is there around me? Don’t slander me anymore!”

Feng Bai Su’s voice conveyed a hint of jest: “There have been enough rumors in Fengling City these days, don’t add more crimes to my name.”

Hearing her mention the rumors circulating in Fengling City, the stuffy feeling in Wei Jing Mo’s heart rarely dissipated a bit.

However, he didn’t fully believe her words that seemed both true and false.

What nonsense about having no one else besides him, this was obviously false!

Although Wei Jing Mo knew she wasn’t as flirtatious and unrestrained as the rumors outside said, he also didn’t believe that a princess like her would truly have no male attendants serving her.

Thinking that she might be sleeping in the arms of other men every night, he couldn’t help but feel sour again.

Seeing his still downcast mood, Feng Bai Su felt somewhat thorny.

She thought for a moment, suddenly suggesting in a low voice: “Want to experience the feeling of flying in the air?”

Wei Jing Mo heard this and raised his head in confusion, not knowing what she meant.

Seeing that he didn’t refuse, Feng Bai Su chuckled lightly.

She bent down and held him in her arms, lightly tapping her toes to land in the nearby lake.

Under the cover of night, the crowd in front had no awareness at all.

Wei Jing Mo curled up in Feng Bai Su’s arms, only able to hear the constant sound of wind in his ears.

“Lower your head.”

Suddenly, Feng Bai Su whispered in his ear.

Wei Jing Mo lowered his head in a daze, only to see the sparkling lake surface flickering with faint light. The two seemed to be walking on the lake. Everything around became quiet.

A patch of reeds grew in the center of the lake, with a lone canoe quietly hidden behind the reeds.

Feng Bai Su held Wei Jing Mo and landed lightly on the small boat, slowly putting him down.

“When I’m in a bad mood, I come here alone. Today, seeing that you were in a bad mood, I made an exception to bring you here.”

Her expression was rarely relaxed, her gaze casually falling on Wei Jing Mo.

Seeing that she sat down after finishing speaking, the motion causing the small boat to sway left and right.

Seeing this, a flash of panic crossed Wei Jing Mo’s expression, and he hurriedly sat down next to her. His hands didn’t forget to tightly grasp her arms.

Seeing his nervous appearance, Feng Bai Su couldn’t help but laugh softly again.

On this quiet lake surface, it sounded particularly lazy and alluring.

The two sat quietly on the canoe like this, neither speaking, yet feeling very calm and comfortable in their hearts.

For a moment, people and night and nature seemed to merge into one!

_ _ _

When the two returned to the shore, the crowd had not yet returned.

Feng Bai Su sent Wei Jing Mo to a place not far from the crowd, then spoke in a low voice: “You go over first.”

Wei Jing Mo nodded, walked two steps and suddenly turned around.

He lightly bit his thin lip and said softly to Feng Bai Su: “Thank you, Your Highness.”

After speaking, he turned and ran towards the front.

The moment he turned around, a faint smile appeared on his cold eyebrows.

He always felt that on the small boat, he seemed to have touched Feng Bai Su’s true appearance.

This bit by bit of getting closer and understanding made Wei Jing Mo’s heart feel somewhat happy.

Feng Bai Su looked at the young gentleman’s somewhat excited back, and couldn’t help but click her tongue.

Are all young men so fickle?

Cong Bai came over at some point, standing behind Feng Bai Su and asking: “Your Highness, aren’t you going over?”

“Didn’t you see your future master getting jealous?”

Feng Bai Su turned around and looked at her deeply, “I, need to avoid suspicion!”

Cong Bai: “…”

She felt it was really unnecessary, the future master was indeed overthinking!

Although Her Highness had a face that attracted bees and butterflies, she was actually a loner!

As the words fell, Feng Bai Su walked in the opposite direction from the crowd, her steps light yet conveying a hint of laziness.

——

On this side, as soon as Wei Jing Mo walked into the crowd, Shen Ruo ran over with sharp eyes.

Looking at him, he asked: “Cousin, where did you go? I couldn’t see you at all.”

Hearing this, Wei Jing Mo replied lightly: “I was walking slowly earlier.”

After speaking, he changed the subject, “How’s it going on your side? Did he really take a liking to the Fifth Princess?”

Shen Ruo became a bit angry when he heard about this.

“Yes! When I went over, he was chasing after Her Highness asking this and that.”

“But it’s fine.”

Shen Ruo suddenly smiled sweetly, in the manner of a young man: “The Fifth Princess has already righteously rejected him, and also told him about her existing engagement. After hearing this, he ran away embarrassed.”

Speaking of this, he laughed a bit amusedly. His heart didn’t feel very angry.

“I think that gentleman just purely likes people who look good. That’s why he just said he wanted to marry the Seventh Princess, and then immediately set his sights on the Fifth Princess.”

Hearing this, Wei Jing Mo also found this young gentleman interesting. A smile appeared in his eyes.

——

A few days after the banquet ended, news suddenly came from the palace that the Sixth Princess Feng Bai Jiang and the son of the Gongyang King were engaged.

As soon as the news spread, it caused quite a stir.

The Sixth Princess Feng Bai Jiang had never been favored by the Emperor, and had been bedridden with illness for years. There were already rumors in the palace that the imperial physician had predicted she wouldn’t live past twenty.

Yet this Gongyang King was one of the feudal kings valued by the Emperor.

The sudden news that the son of the Gongyang King was to marry the Sixth Princess left everyone bewildered.

What was the Emperor thinking? Was this forming an alliance or creating enmity?

Imperial Palace, Hanfeng Hall

When Feng Bai Su walked in, she saw Feng Bai Jiang sitting alone by the window, her eyes gazing into empty space.

“Sixth Sister.”

She called softly, seeing her distracted state, and asked, “What are you thinking about? Do you have any thoughts on the arranged marriage?”

Hearing her voice, Feng Bai Jiang immediately brought her gaze back, habitually curving her lips into a faint smile.

“What thoughts could I have? I just feel guilty towards that young gentleman! After all, I don’t know how long this body of mine can hold on, wouldn’t this be wasting his time?”

“Sixth Sister is overthinking it.”

Feng Bai Su pulled a chair to sit beside her, her eyes teasing: “Sixth Sister probably doesn’t know, right? I heard that this marriage was requested by that young gentleman himself. He truly has intentions towards you.”

Feng Bai Jiang was stunned upon hearing this, but quickly returned to her calm demeanor: “Regardless, it’s still a disservice to him.”

Feng Bai Su was long accustomed to her pessimistic attitude, and didn’t respond to that. Instead, she changed the subject: “I heard that the Imperial Astronomer’s Office has already set a date for your wedding, it’s set for before the new year. That’s only half a month away, I’m afraid you won’t have much idle time during this period.”

“By the way…”

She suddenly suggested: “You’re about to start a family soon, you can’t go without recognizing your young gentleman. There’s a lantern exhibition in Fengling City the day after tomorrow, do you want to invite the young gentleman out for a stroll?”

“Who knows, after seeing that young gentleman, you might have an unexpected discovery?”

Feng Bai Su suddenly smiled somewhat meaningfully, her expression carrying some deeper intent.

After hearing her words, Feng Bai Jiang instinctively wanted to refuse.

She had just opened her mouth, but suddenly paused.

Perhaps meeting would be good… some things are better said face to face.