Return Of The Swallow

His mind furiously racing through possible observer ident.i.ties, he bowed respectfully to Li Helan and a.s.serted solemnly, “Please conduct yourself with dignity, Your Highness.”

“Conduct myself with dignity?” Despair finally descended when Li Helan noted Pang Xiao"s att.i.tude. She tilted her head to look dumbly at him, tears streaming down with her words. “All these years, my only wish was to marry you when I grew up. If you had no feelings for me, why didn"t you refuse when my royal mother and brother joked about us?

“If you"d refused early on, would I have been shameless and clingy in return? You gave me hope so that my entire dream of adulthood was you, but now you cower and shrink back! Pang Zhixi, are you a man or not?!”

“You yourself say it"s a joke, Your Highness. So why treat jokes seriously? Besides, this one has never had any interactions with Your Highness. We are not familiar with each other, so please choose your words wisely.”

Pang Xiao took a few steps back with a frown, his left hand tucked behind his back. Huzi surrept.i.tiously traced the word "northern" onto his master"s palm.

The person observing them from the shadows was Ji Zeyu!

It was impossible that he"d pa.s.sed by coincidentally. Someone must"ve purposefully sent him a message!

The Princess of Anyang was engaged to Ji Zeyu and their wedding would be held soon. Even if Ji Zeyu had no feelings for Anyang, no man would feel good about his soon-to-be wife entangled with another man. Especially when the other man was his good friend.

Out of the current crop of Great Zhou generals, Pang Xiao dominated the south while Ji Zeyu held the north.

If they were close-knit and had a firm relations.h.i.+p, it would be the work of a quick partners.h.i.+p between them to arrange for a coup. How would the emperor tolerate the two of them being brothers? Thus there was no end of provocation and attempts to destroy their relations.h.i.+p.

Pang Xiao could understand why the emperor was doing all this, but he couldn"t accept or forgive such actions.

The prince gnashed his teeth so hard they ground on each other. It appeared that the very first of Anyang"s visits had represented him and Ji Zeyu unknowingly setting foot into a trap—a death trap with no way out!

Ji Zeyu couldn"t possibly defy imperial orders and refuse the marriage. Anyang would be his wife. What hot-blooded man would permit his wife to have someone else in her heart?

By this point, Pang Xiao understood that no matter what he did, it would be the wrong move. Anything he did would cause a misunderstanding. This was the sophistication of the emperor"s plot. Even though both brothers might have a very clear understanding of the matter, they would be forced to misunderstand each other and wear away at their relations.h.i.+p.

But was he, Pang Xiao, an easy target to be trampled however others would?

Though a misunderstanding was sure to develop, he wasn"t going to just take this lying down! If he was going to come out worse for the wear, he would make this a grand spectacle. Everyone would know that he"d gotten the short end of the stick!

When his thoughts travelled here, Pang Xiao"s tone took on a hard edge.

“Has the princess caught a cold and is sprouting all this nonsense because of a fever? If Your Highness is sick, you should see an imperial doctor. You shouldn"t be out and about like this.”

“What are you talking about?! I"m not sick! This isn"t nonsense! Pang Zhixi! Just admit that you"re not man enough to own up, why are you blaming everything on me?? I"m sick? Hah! I"m very clearheaded right now, the most I"ve ever been!”

“To be completely clearheaded yet also a shrieking shrew in the street means you didn"t learn your manners properly. His Majesty is busy with the nation"s affairs and Her Majesty is preoccupied with keeping the imperial harem in order. It seems that"s affected Your Highness" education. As His Majesty"s foster brother, I am half an older brother to you. Your Highness cannot continue to act out like this. It"s an affront to the rules of the home and disgrace to imperial dignity.”

Pang Xiao"s expression darkened and he gave orders to Hexiang and the other palace servants behind Li Helan. “Help the princess back into the carriage. This prince will personally escort the princess to see His Majesty!”

“How, how dare you say I have no manners!”

“And do you have manners?” Pang Xiao sneered. “I"ve never seen a daughter of the blood completely disregard her future husband"s dignity and waylay someone in the streets in order to make a scene! You might not care about your self-worth, but His Majesty cares about imperial dignity and third brother has his considerations of face! Your Highness, please get in the carriage. Don"t make me say harsher words!”

Pang Xiao was someone who would behead an enemy leader in the battlefield without even a blink. Now in the deep throes of anger, his bearing was on full display. A domineering bloodl.u.s.t made all of Li Helan"s hairs stand on end. No matter how she didn"t like how things had turned out, reverence of a superior and fear of danger made her shrink in on herself.

Putting on a threatening display but actually feeling quite terrified, Li Helan snapped back, “You"re the one who needs to learn his manners, Pang Zhixi! You"re just a prince, and an idle one without even a position these days! Where do you get the right to lecture this princess!?”

The prince glowered even more darkly, the black anger br.i.m.m.i.n.g in his phoenix-eyes morphed into a storm ready to erupt.

Li Helan regretted her words after uttering them. All men cared about face; Pang Xiao had no position right now because her royal brother didn"t want to give him one.

Actually, was Pang Xiao distant to her because her royal brother didn"t value him?

Long chapter, halfsies!!