Chapter 8, Deep Misunderstanding

Both Dingxiang and Peilan felt a bit uneasy, contemplating whether to go in and take a look. They knew that it was absolutely impossible for their young lady to take her own life, but they were worried that she might have exhausted herself and fallen asleep, catching a cold

Your Highness

Zhang Long immediately brought five shadow guards and silently followed behind Yelv Yan as they exited the Chrysanthemum Garden

Did he agree?

Yuan Chenglie, who was overwhelmed by happiness, did not catch her insinuation at all and asked with a cheerful smile, "What does the young lady mean?"

Murong Xue decisively slapped the table and said: "Tonight, I will go find Young Master Yuan"

Yuan Chenglie was taken aback at the sight of the name Murong Xue

She repeated the words she had said to Yelv Yan at noon. The difference was that when speaking to Yelv Yan, she was filled with overwhelming excitement and sweet anticipation as a young girl, while when addressing Yuan Chenglie, she was remarkably calm, as if discussing a business deal

Yuan Chenglie ultimately could not resist the temptation of such a beautiful woman's invitation, and with a slight blush on his face, he said: "Please wait a moment, young lady, I will go inform Young Master Ye."

Yuan Chenglie was both surprised and delighted, yet felt an overwhelming sense of difficulty. The woman before him, regardless of her wealthy background, was already enough to captivate anyone. However, even though she had not yet been selected as a candidate for the imperial beauty, she had already been marked by the royal seal. The selection process, personally overseen by Prince Zhaoyang, was of great importance to the state. How could he dare to act?

As a result, only thirty-two women were selected from the entire county, among which the one ranked first was Murong Xue

The small town in Jiangnan has a simple and unpretentious folk culture. By nightfall, the streets are eerily quiet, as if devoid of human presence. The spring breeze caresses the face, carrying an inexplicable floral fragrance along with a hint of moist air. Unbeknownst to him, he has wandered to Huanhua Creek. Ahead lies a wine house. Although it has closed for the night, the two large red lanterns hanging at the door still glow vibrantly, their light spilling onto the crescent moon bridge, illuminating two figures.

Murong Xue looked at her rival with a serious expression and said, "I would like to invite Young Master Yuan to take a walk on the Crescent Moon Bridge; the moonlight there is unparalleled in Yixian."

Yelü Yan raised his head and asked, "What is the matter?"

He stood up and said, "Zhang Long, let's go out for a walk"

She has always been proud and haughty, looking down on others. When has she ever suffered such a blow? Without waiting for Yuan Chenglie's response, she lifted her skirt and hurried down the crescent bridge, saying to the lilac and peilan waiting at the bridgehead: "Let us go"

In a fit of irritation, she pulled over a piece of white silk satin that she had just bought to make a summer shirt

Dingxiang hurriedly handed over an old apron, saying, "Miss, tear this, it is soft and easy to tear"

Thank you, Your Highness, I will return shortly

Yuan Chenglie apologetically declined Murong Xue's invitation

At this moment, Murong Xue finally awakened and recalled her original intention of meeting Yuan Chenglie

The pain in Dingxiang's eyes was so intense that they felt sore, not only because she was distressed over the money but also for her young lady. Based on her understanding of Murong Xue over the past decade, the worse Murong Xue's mood was, the longer she would tear the fabric, and the more expensive the fabric would be. Tonight, it was evident that the young lady was heartbroken, as the duration of tearing the fabric reached an unprecedented length. She thought resentfully about those heartless men, whose eyes seemed to be set too low, possessing vast fortunes, exceptional culinary skills, and beauty akin to celestial beings. How could they not want her? May they regret it in the future, their insides twisted in knots, hm.

Yuan Chenglie resolutely said: "No."

A surge of inexplicable irritation welled up in his heart. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly heard her ask, "Brother Ye, you like women, don't you?"

At the mention of this name, the malevolent energy that had been roaming around suddenly erupted from within. Ye Luyin turned his head and said, "Do not mention this person again in the future"

After dinner, Murong Xue brought Ding Xiang and Pei Lan to the Chrysanthemum Garden. All the way, she felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment and gloom in her heart. She simply could not understand how, in terms of both appearance and inner qualities, she was truly exceptional, yet he would still reject her. The more she thought about it, the more incredible it seemed, unless he did not like women. The moment this possibility crossed her mind, she was suddenly startled, as if from the moment she first saw him, he had always been inseparable from Yuan Chenglie, appearing together everywhere. Could it be? As she pondered this, she felt increasingly suspicious.

Returning to the Chrysanthemum Garden, one could see that Yelv Yan under the lamp had a very unpleasant expression, so I asked with concern: "Your Highness, are you feeling unwell? Would you like me to invite Miss Murong to take a look?"

A wind lamp hung high above the door, perfectly illuminating her graceful figure. That delicate face, as beautiful as a fish that sinks and a wild goose that falls, bore a contemplative expression, ethereal like a flower in the mist, stirring one's heart

Yuan Chenglie watched her departing figure, feeling immensely apologetic, yet unable to express the hardships he faced

It is naturally Murong Xue and Yuan Chenglie. The two individuals, surrounded by the hazy glow of the lights, are enveloped in a circle of enchanting shadows, resembling the moon reflected in water and flowers in a mirror, revealing a sense of beautiful moments and the subtle passage of time

Dingxiang anxiously asked, "Miss, have you made up your mind?"

Yuan Chenglie was taken aback; Yelv Yan was known for his ability to conceal his emotions, and it was indeed rare to see him so angry.

Watching Yuan Chenglie's retreating figure, Yelv Yan slammed the register in his hand onto the table with a loud clap. She truly is a fickle woman, changing her tune at the first setback, abandoning one lute for another. First Pei Jian, then himself, and now Yuan Chenglie; does she have no sense of shame left? Thinking back to how she had just proposed to him that afternoon, he felt as if a lump of lard had lodged in his throat, unable to swallow even half a cup of tea, stuck in a way that was both uncomfortable and nauseating.

At this moment, Dingxiang had already knocked on the gate of the Chrysanthemum Garden, and the one who opened the door was Yuan Chenglie. As expected from Dingxiang's description, he was indeed a handsome and outstanding individual. However, as Murong Xue looked at him, she suddenly felt a sense of rivalry upon seeing a romantic competitor.

Yuan Chenglie initially thought she had come to find Yelv Yan for some matter, but unexpectedly, she was here to invite him to enjoy the moon. He was momentarily taken aback, filled with both surprise and joy, yet also somewhat troubled. This was because his mission on this trip was to protect Yelv Yan; how could he abandon him to attend a rendezvous with a beautiful woman

Well, Brother Ye does not have a penchant for断袖之癖.

He clearly likes women, so why does he reject me

Yuan Chenglie joyfully said: "Miss Murong, what brings you here?"

Murong Xue observed him in silence; the usually self-assured her felt as if she had encountered some misfortune, as one, two, and three individuals had all simultaneously rejected her

Yet she fell silent, gazing up at the bright moon with her small face, filled with sorrow and heartache, entangled in deep anguish

Yelü Yan's gaze darkened as he handed the roster in his hand to Yuan Chenglie, "Look, the first one is her."

He stopped in his tracks

Murong Xue gritted her teeth, truly unable to voice her feelings. Within two days, she had been rejected by three men in succession, which was simply too damaging to her self-esteem. She was grateful that her inner strength was sufficient; otherwise, she would have shattered like powdered grains, drowned in the Huanhua Creek by the wind.

Brother Yuan, I have a matter I would like to discuss

The moonlight here is indeed beautiful; no wonder this place is called Crescent Moon Bridge. Miss Murong, I shall take my leave now. Yuan Chenglie noticed that Murong Xue was staring blankly at the bright moon, clearly in a mood to appreciate the moon, and thus he dismissed some of the romantic thoughts in his mind and decided to return.

Looking at this name, a face as clear as a water lily and as beautiful as a peony in the sunlight flashed before his eyes, along with those shameless and brazen words.

Seeing him hesitating, Dingxiang felt quite angry. My young lady is the most beautiful woman in Yixian, possessing both talent and beauty, and coming from a wealthy family. If it weren't for the master insisting on finding a son-in-law to come into the family, after countless selections until now, how could there be any reason to give such a chance to you outsiders

After a long time, the room became utterly silent

Murong Xue returned home and immediately ascended to the embroidery loft. Upon seeing this, Dingxiang knew that tonight, the white silk satin in the house would be in for a rough time. Sure enough, after a while, a hissing sound could be heard coming from the young lady's chamber. The sound of tearing good materials was particularly crisp and pleasant, but alas, that was pure white silver.

The young lady is wise.

Yelv Yan clenched his fist, endured several moments, and finally restrained the impulse to rush onto the bridge and beat that girl up. He gritted his teeth and watched to see what she would say next

Suddenly, as the door was pulled open, Murong Xue appeared at the entrance, looking refreshed and invigorated. Having torn half a bolt of white silk, she was fully revitalized and said cheerfully: "Prepare hot water, I want to take a bath. Tomorrow, I will personally deliver gifts to the magistrate of Qin County."

He felt inexplicably perplexed. How could the intelligent, lovely, beautiful, and capable Murong Xue have offended him?

Murong Xue tore her apron into more than twenty pieces in one breath, and only then did she pull herself together from the blow of her heartbreak

Yelv Yan naturally guessed Murong Xue's intentions. After subtly hinting to Yuan Chenglie, he coldly said: "You may go now; there are still Zhang Long and others guarding here"

Yelv Yan is reading the list of candidates for the selection of talented women sent by Qin Zhi'ang under the lamp. This selection is particularly special, as it requires women born during the Longchen period. The Astronomical Bureau claims that women who meet these criteria are most compatible with the Emperor's birth chart, making it more likely for them to bear a dragon son