Chapter 10
King Yi
The banquet, because of Bai Yu Chen and Yan Ruyu, turns ugly.
Xia Hou Shang Yue noticed the empress dowager’s weary and tired appearance. Even Bai Yu Xuan stopped drinking, sending Xia Hou Shang Yue signal with his eyes.
“Imperial grandmother, Yue Er noticed you look pretty tired. Why don’t you rest early?”
Because of the earlier incident, the empress dowager’s good mood turned sour. Looking at the food on the table, she no longer has the appet.i.te. As soon as she heard Xia Hou Shang Yue’s considerate words, she grabs her hand with a face full of concern.
“Yue Er, imperial grandmother really is sorry towards you. I allowed you to be wronged!”
“Imperial grandmother, don’t say things like that. Yue Er understands everything. Besides, the emperor was just drunk, Yue Er did not feel wronged.”
Hearing the empress dowager’s words, Xia Hou Shang Yue’s heart feels warm, she immediately said words to comfort her.
What ‘wronged’? From the day she arrived for the wedding, she already prepared herself for grievance. Xia Hou Shang Yue merely smiles.
“Mo Yuan, bring the empress dowager to rest!”
After that, she help the empress dowager to her chamber. Bai Yu Xuan follows them, unceasingly talking about things to make the empress dowager happy.
“Alright, aijia is fine. Both of you should go back! Xuan Er, this time, you must stay here longer. You rarely come to visit aijia!”
“Of course. Then, imperial grandmother rest! Grandson withdraw first!”
Xia Hou Shang Yue and Bai Yu Xuan leave Ci Ning Palace together. As they left Ci Ning Palace, Bai Yu Xuan look over at Xia Hou Shang Yue with a meaningful smile.
“You are different!”
Xia Hou Shang Yue who was getting ready to go back to Feng Qi Palace stop upon hearing Bai Yu Xuan’s words, calmly looking at him, her eyes neither surprised nor confused.
“King Yi flatters me.”
“Oh? When did I praise you?”
Bai Yu Xuan feels like this woman in front of him is different than the other women he saw. Not the same at all. Not only is she elegant and refined, she is also intelligent. She did not possess the high-and-mighty air of a princess at all, her entire body is elegant, like a banished immortal.
“Did King Yi forgot you just said I was different?” Xia Hou Shang Yue calmly says, as though everything he said has nothing to do with her. Bai Yu Xuan was taken aback for a moment, before he laughs.
His face did not lose to Bai Yu Chen, in fact, the brothers resembles each other a lot. Just King Yi has a lazy and eased air that are contrary to Bai Yu Chen. It is as though he is just a normal son of a n.o.ble family. He did not possess the arrogance that a lot of princes have.
Xia Hou Shang Yue merely watch Bai Yu Xuan laughing. After a while, when she realize he isn’t going to stop, she wordlessly turns around and leave for Feng Qi Palace.
“Imperial sister-in-law….”
“Do you have anything else?”
“Imperial brother, towards you……..”
Xia Hou Shang Yue turns around and face him, a helpless smile forming on her face. “He hates me. He considers me his disgrace.”
Bai Yu Xuan erase his smile before he frowns. A few years ago, a war indeed broke between Yue and Mu, and because of that war, their Imperial Father died while Mu Kingdom lost their crown prince.
And because of that, the two kingdoms becomes like fire and water. There were tensions between them, one that only ceases after his Imperial Brother married Princess Yue Feng. Perhaps that’s why his Imperial Brother perceives Princess Yue Feng as a shame placed on him. That high and mighty Bai Yu Chen, how could he readily accept the fact that his lands’ peace depends on a woman?
But still, Bai Yu Xuan admires Xia Hou Shang Yue. Marrying his Imperial Brother is not her fault. She too has no other choice. After all, she is a member of the royal family. A lot of things are out of their control. If she has the freedom to choose, perhaps Xia Hou Shang Yue wouldn’t be willing to travel thousands of li away to marry and endure so much humiliation.
She must endure all those humiliation. She no longer is just a princess. In Yue Kingdom, she is the symbol of Mu Kingdom. She has to be the empress and the mother figure of the populace, that way, it will befit her position as a princess and allow the people of Mu Kingdom to live in peace.
“Maybe Imperial Brother disagree with the method of your marriage. Once time pa.s.ses by, he will change his perception of you! He—- his heart is actually very innocent, just, as a member of the imperial family, a lot of things—- I believe Imperial Sister-in-law understands what I am trying to say!”
Excluding the fight over the throne, Bai Yu Xuan has to be the person who understands Bai Yu Chen the most. They are so similar, both excellent, both prideful.
Luckily, Bai Yu Xuan is not as willful. Perhaps, the imperial throne that so many people strive for is not as easy as it seems.
“I heard, when the seventh prince and the emperor fought for the throne back then, both of you reached the point where both of you were no longer amiable to each other. Who would’ve thought you would speak for the emperor today. You too are different!”
Xia Hou Shang Yue smiled lightly, the curl in her lips beautiful. Her red clothes look elegant and luxuriant under the candle light. Such strong color, when put on her complements her delicate face. The brighter the red, the more refined her appearance become.
“There is this saying, ‘the person who knows you the best in this world is not your friend, but rather your enemy.’ What do Imperial Sister-in-law thinks of that saying?”
Even though he lost the fight for the throne, he lost in resignation. Especially after seeing Bai Yu Chen’s ability to govern the country. Yue Kingdom becomes stronger by the day. Bai Yu Xuan now peacefully a.s.sists him. As for the throne, he no longer cares for them.
As long as he can help protect the Bai Family’s country and can help ensure the common people’s peace and prosperity, whoever sits on the throne is not a problem to him.
“Indeed, only your enemy can see your weaknesses and strength clearly. They can only beat you once they fully understand you. Is King Yi still…..”
“Imperial Sister-in-law thinks too much. Imperial Sister-in-law better hurry and rest, chendi will retreat first.”
Bai Yu Xuan gives her ceremonial farewell and head outside the palace. Xia Hou Shang Yue watches his back, contemplating what he said. Bai Yu Chen is innocent?
She really could not see it in him. Whatever, innocent or not, it has nothing to do with her. As long as she can live in the palace peacefully, other things does not matter. She also has no intention to ask too much.
But, after their confrontation earlier, living peacefully suddenly sounds far-fetched. Xia Hou Shang Yue sighs, before hurrying over to Feng Qi Palace.
After she left, a person wearing bright yellow clothes comes out from behind a fake rockery. Hmph, she actually went speaking and laughing around with another man! Seems like her life these past half month had been too laid back!
Bai Yu Xuan too comes out of a hidden place, watching the person in yellow clothing leaves. He suddenly feels worried. She—seems like trouble will come to her soon!