Chapter 182 Absolute HeartacheHua Qiyue had a great shock. After all, she had never seen him weep so much after his adoption. She leaped down from the stone couch and dashed out of her room.
“Tianci!”
Hua Qiyue cried out. She saw Tianci sitting in the courtyard, weeping and wiping away his tears. Youshui and Lv Xin were very anxious. The moment they heard Hua Qiyue’s call, they instantly heaved a sigh of relief.
“Mom!” When he saw Hua Qiyue, the little fellow immediately crawled up and threw himself into her arms.
Hua Qiyue had after all been missing for the whole morning. Caining and Caiqing were searching frantically for her and everyone knew that she was missing. The little fellow thought that his mother had abandoned him. So, he was creating a big scene now, crying.
“Be good, don’t cry. Mom’s here… ” Hua Qiyue patted his back. The little fellow sobbed for a while and finally dried his tears. He widened his eyes, welling with teardrops, and stared at Hua Qiyue.
“Mom, where have you been?”
“Errr… Mom discovered something, so I went out by the backyard. Don’t worry. Mom won’t abandon you.” Hua Qiyue felt a twinge of pain. Although Tianci had forgotten the past, he must have suffered from a vague trauma deep in his heart!
Hua Qiyue took out a handkerchief and started wiping away the tearstains on his face. “Have you had lunch?”
“No!” Tianci said timidly. “Mom, are you sure you won’t abandon me?”
“Oh no!” Hua Qiyue nodded heavily. “No matter what happens, Mom will never leave you.”
Hua Qiyue’s guarantee made Tianci somewhat relieved. Pulling the young fellow, she was just about to return to her courtyard and get Youshui to bring them lunch, when she stood up and saw Yun Shimo standing silently by the side. Caining and Caiqing were glaring angrily at him.
Hua Qiyue quietly retracted her gaze. Since learning about his rendezvous with the Princess last night, she had decided not to concern herself with this man.
She pulled Tianci and walked into her courtyard, giving instructions to Youshui for their lunch. The little fellow happily beckoned to Yun Shimo. “Dad, come here, quick.”
“Tianci, in the future, you can no longer address him as Dad. After all, Prince Nan is still a prince of Changjing Kingdom. Call him His Highness the Prince.” Hua Qiyue was giving her son instructions solemnly.
Tianci looked with baffled eyes at the frowning Yun Shimo, and at the indifferent-looking Hua Qiyue.
Yun Shimo quietly followed the mother and son into the dining room. He sat opposite to Hua Qiyue. In the courtyard, the green veins on the foreheads of Caining and Caiqing were bulging. They really wanted to bash Yun Shimo badly.
But they remembered Hua Qiyue’s instructions and had to stifle all their anger.
“Mom, have you quarreled with Dad?”
In face of the boy’s innocent eyes, Hua Qiyue softened a little. What should she say?
Yun Shimo smiled. “It’s true. Your Mom’s in a bad mood now. Let’s have lunch first.”
Tianci’s bright, black eyes were staring at Hua Qiyue. Hua Qiyue could only smile quietly. She said to Yun Shimo politely, “Your Highness, both of us are unmarried. I hope that you can come here less often in the future.”
Yun Shimo continued to knit his brows. Why had Hua Qiyue changed so suddenly today? First, she went missing. Then, this cold att.i.tude!
Did she know?
Yun Shimo’s heart missed a beat and he sighed quietly, “Qiyue, I’ve said before: no matter what happens, you must trust me.”
Hua Qiyue’s countenance was black and she did not wish to speak to him. Yun Shimo felt helpless, and he glanced at Tianci for help.
Tianci immediately tugged at Hua Qiyue’s sleeve. “Mom, did Dad make you angry? As the saying goes, marry a rooster and follow the rooster. Marry a dog and follow the dog. Don’t be angry. Besides, Dad is no rooster or dog.”
Hua Qiyue was forced to smile by Tianci’s words. “And if he is one?”
“Then Mom can only bear with it. After all, you like him!” Tianci covered his mouth and started to chuckle.
“Mom doesn’t like him at all!” Hua Qiyue replied coldly and angrily. She really did not want to live together with such a guy.
After all, perhaps one day he would end up like Zhou Zhicheng? Hua Qiyue still had this hurdle in her heart she needed to overcome. They were not married, yet he was seeing the Princess in a midnight rendezvous! It was simply unforgiveable.
“If Mom doesn’t like him, why are you pulling such a long face? You must be angry about Dad not rejecting the Princess’s proposal, huh?” The young fellow was still bearing a grudge, rolling his eyes at Yun Shimo.
Hua Qiyue glanced at the craftily grinning Tianci and decided to keep quiet.
She would only make things worse with more words. It was better not to talk as the innocent always keep mum. Although… she could not deny that she had liked Yun Shimo, she no longer would.
Youshui and the others soon brought them lunch. Tianci had created such a ruckus that he was now very hungry. He picked up his bowl and started to wolf down the food.
“Eat slowly. Dad will pick off the fishbones for you.” Yun Shimo was acting just like before. He was still so normal and so considerate.
Hua Qiyue felt that this man was a hypocrite. Luckily, she knew about his character in advance and would not fall for his trick.
The three of them finished their lunch and Hua Qiyue prepared to go to Feng’s Yard. She wanted to impart all her lethal skills to them. Of course, except for the Spirit Summoning Art.
Even though Tianpi did not say it, Hua Qiyue still understood that the Spirit Summoning Art was her greatest a.s.set. If someone learned about it, the news would attract all those old creatures now living in recluse.
Then, they would have more enemies. She could simply say that her lethal skills had been mastered from some special place.
“Mom, you don’t look happy at all.” Tianci had mastered the art of observation. He spoke to her cautiously.
He thought that he had done something wrong which made Hua Qiyue angry.
Hua Qiyue silently shook her head. “Tianci, Mom’s thinking about something else. I’m not angry with you.”
“Not with Dad either?”
“Tianci, haven’t I said? Don’t call him Dad again!” Hua Qiyue and Tianci were walking out of Hua’s Mansion. Her words were overheard by many pa.s.sing before their mansion.
These people could not help but show a strange expression.
“Mom, I won’t say it again. Don’t be angry!” The young fellow admitted his mistake and no longer mentioned Yun Shimo. Hua Qiyue carried him up the carriage and went with him to Feng’s Yard. Yun Shimo was left standing there. He was indisputably the one left behind.
“Hey, aren’t Prince Nan and the Princess getting married soon?”
“Yes. On the tenth day of the tenth month!”
“It’s now the ninth month. But things must have changed. Look, Prince Nan’s not on the same carriage as Hua Qiyue. Didn’t someone say that she already has children? But she’s looking so well. She doesn’t look like a woman with children.”
“Exactly, it’s really strange… was it just a rumor?”
The commoners were making wild idle guesses. But everyone saw that Hua Qiyue had refused to travel with Prince Nan. Their relationship must be facing a crisis.
Hua Qiyue arrived at Feng’s Yard. She started to discuss with the others the ways to deal with the Venerated Supreme Devil. Yun Shimo came late. But it did not mean that he was nervous. He offered a few rather good suggestions.
After their plans were settled, Hua Qiyue imparted all her lethal skills to the company.
—
In the Princess Hall.
“Your Highness, Hua Qiyue really did not care about Prince Nan today. Prince Nan’s very unhappy. Looks like their relationship’s deteriorating. Your aim will soon be achieved.”
Fifth Venerable Master chuckled quietly.
Princess Qianyang was sitting on the couch, sampling the Biluochun tea given to her by Concubine Xian. When she heard this, she gave a faint smile.
“How can the Prince fall for such a powerful woman? Humph, I will surely take His Highness from her.”
Hongyi also nodded. “That Hua Qiyue’s so boorish. If I’m a man, I won’t fall for her. Junior Sister, when your relationship with His Highness deepens, you must get for me a pill. Otherwise, my face… ”
Hongyi was no longer the same arrogant girl before Princess Qianyang. After all, she needed her help.
If she could not get a Beauty Pill, she might not be able to see people for the rest of her life.
“Yes, Your Highness, your relationship with His Highness’s so harmonious now. Why don’t you ask him for a Beauty Pill on your Senior Sister’s behalf? The Beauty Pills which Prince Nan refines can make an old woman pretty again!” Fifth Venerable Master remarked enviously.
Although it was only hearsay, Prince Nan was so famous. They knew about his abilities long ago.
“Don’t worry. We’ll talk about it after the Gnawing Devils Sect affair. Now, he has to deal with Gnawing Devils Sect… but… since that Devil is so powerful, won’t Prince Nan be in danger?”
Princess Qianyang started to worry. After all, she was brought up by Heaven Sect. Naturally, she knew what the Gnawing Devils Sect was like.
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I will get our Sect Leader to personally protect Yun Shimo. After all… he is our state’s No. 1 Alchemist. Humph, if it weren’t for Hua Qiyue, Yun Shimo and Your Highness would be the perfect pair.”
Fifth Venerable Master snickered coldly. Princess Qianyang heard her and her face began to flush. “Master, you’re making fun of me again.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dare! But I am telling the truth! Don’t worry, Your Highness. Once the Gnawing Devils Sect affair is over, if Hua Qiyue gets heavily injured, humph… we will find a way to eliminate her!”
Fifth Venerable Master’s eyes began to glitter with a wicked light. For some reason, she felt that Hua Qiyue had hogged the limelight too much. She had cast Hongyi into the shade.
That woman would be a future enemy of Heaven Sect. She had her worries.
The women stared at one another and smiled. They felt that their future was bright. Once Hua Qiyue was eliminated, the world would be lovely.
Princess Qianyang got someone to fetch her the paintings which Yun Shimo made last night. She unfurled them on the table and started smacking her lips with admiration. “Oh, just look, Yun Shimo’s such a talented man. His gifts are stunning. No one can rival him. No man I’ve seen can match up with him!”
Princess Qianyang’s eyes were tender with feelings. Fifth Venerable Master quickly deferred. “Your Highness’s right. Yun Shimo is the best man in the country. No one can rival him!”
Princess Qianyang began to chuckle infatuatedly, caressing the young woman in the painting. The young woman was smiling under the moonlight. It was her.
Hongyi on one side poked her head out and was greatly surprised. She did not expect Yun Shimo to be so gifted in painting. She thought that the man was indeed a most extraordinary talent.
He knew not only Alchemy, Qi Art, but also painting and calligraphy. Anyone who married such a man would suffer no regrets.
For some reason, Hongyi’s heart suddenly felt quite empty. She had lived for 17 years and had not tasted the fruits of love.
And Princess Qianyang’s eyes and brows were so gentle. Hongyi thought about the scene of their rendezvous and started to blush. She swore secretly to herself that she must spy on them tonight and witness their rendezvous.