A Stolen Romance - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: I Like It

“It was when I was learning court etiquette in the palace,” Shi Yuning said. “Whenever you saw me, you’d always walk away as if you hadn’t seen me at all. I wanted to be friends with you, but I never had the chance.”

As she spoke, a feeling of hurt welled up inside her. Back then, she was new to the palace and felt scared and alone, yet Xie Zhaoran completely ignored her.

Xie Zhaoran was taken aback. It was true that she had tried to avoid Shi Yuning during that time.

She just never expected that Shi Yuning wanted to be friends with her…

“When you returned to the capital, the political climate was a moment of impending turmoil. If I had gotten close to you then, you would have been in trouble,” Xie Zhaoran said, without going into the specifics of the danger. This was indeed one of the reasons she had avoided Shi Yuning, but it wasn’t the whole truth.

There were other reasons, but it wasn’t the right time to tell her. She was afraid it would frighten Shi Yuning.

Shi Yuning heard Xie Zhaoran’s words, which were vague but sincere. She thought of the Crown Prince’s health during that time and how Xie Zhaoran had married into the Eastern Palace a month later.

She had attended that hurried wedding.

The Crown Prince wasn’t present at the ceremony. Xie Zhaoran was the only one to complete the rituals. Her mother had even sighed, feeling that Xie Zhaoran had been wronged.

Thinking of this, Shi Yuning’s face flushed with embarrassment at her baseless speculation. To get an answer, she decided to move on.

“So, that means you don’t dislike me?”

Xie Zhaoran looked at the person in front of her, who seemed to stubbornly wait for her answer.

Unfortunately, although the question was about ‘liking’ or ‘disliking,’ it wasn’t about the emotional kind of ‘liking’ she wanted to ask.

Xie Zhaoran’s eyes flickered, and her gaze became a little sharper.

Behind Shi Yuning, a dim lantern hung under the eaves of a nearby mansion, illuminating the small area where they stood.

“Look at the light under those eaves,” Xie Zhaoran said, nodding slightly toward the lantern. The light in her eyes flickered.

Shi Yuning looked in the direction she was pointing.

“There are always many moths around a flame. People say that a moth flying into a flame is its destiny. I didn’t used to believe that.”

Shi Yuning was completely confused as to why Xie Zhaoran was suddenly talking about this.

“What about the moths?”

Xie Zhaoran looked deeply into Shi Yuning’s eyes. It was as if a cluster of flames had ignited in her eyes, making them very bright.

“You are to me what that flame is to a moth.”

“Do you think I like you?”

A gust of wind blew by. The wick of the lantern under the eaves struggled to stay lit. The flame flickered but ultimately resisted the wind and burned brighter.

The clouds also drifted away, revealing the moon that had been temporarily obscured.

All was silent. The only thing hanging in the air was the rising lilt in Xie Zhaoran’s question.

Shi Yuning stared blankly as the moonlight bathed Xie Zhaoran’s face. Her long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly, like the wings of a butterfly about to take flight.

She’s no moth, Shi Yuning thought. With such beautiful features, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she’s the most beautiful butterfly.

But what did Xie Zhaoran’s words mean? What did she mean that she was to her what a flame was to a moth?

Did Xie Zhaoran want to fly into her?

Shi Yuning’s mind was in a jumble. For the first time, she agreed with what her father had once said—that her brain hadn’t quite developed, so she wasn’t very quick on the uptake.

And she was definitely not quick on the uptake right now.

Xie Zhaoran’s invasive gaze remained fixed on Shi Yuning’s face.

Every time she saw Shi Yuning, her heart would pound with such a fervor that it felt like she had just finished a round of swinging her meteor hammer.

When they first met, the Crown Prince was in critical condition. Prince Yu and Prince Qiwei were colluding, the political climate was unstable, and the border was in turmoil. Her and her sister’s plan was only half-finished.

To better prepare and prevent Prince Yu from succeeding in his scheme, Xie Zhaoran had resolutely married into the Eastern Palace.

For the past six months, she had worked tirelessly day and night, making numerous plans and arrangements. Everything was going smoothly now.

She could no longer resist the urge to see the flame that burned so brightly in her heart.

Now that the flame was right in front of her, it was as warm and dazzling as ever.

And a little bit dense.

Shi Yuning’s mind had been replaying what Xie Zhaoran said. She felt that even though she didn’t quite understand what Xie Zhaoran was trying to express, she certainly didn’t dislike her.

Shi Yuning thought that Xie Zhaoran was probably saying that she liked her. Many people had expressed their liking for her. Her father said she was like a clever little squirrel. Her mother said she was as resilient as a monkey.

Her aunt and uncle said she was the most beautiful sunflower in Linzhou.

Many people had told her they liked her, but why did what Xie Zhaoran say feel so different?

It felt like a kitten had burrowed into her chest and was gently licking her with its barbed tongue, a tingling sensation all over.

As she stood there stunned, a sound of horse hooves suddenly came from ahead.

Xie Zhaoran quickly pulled the dazed Shi Yuning back, retreating to the shelter of the eaves.

A four-horse carriage with silver saddles and gray horses, followed by a team of guards on either side, galloped past them with a great clamor. They didn’t even spare a glance for the wonton stall they knocked over.

The owner had long since pushed his cart to the side and didn’t dare to hold them accountable for damaging his tables and chairs.

“It’s Prince Yu’s carriage,” Xie Zhaoran said after the carriage had passed. “It looks like he’s going to the palace.”

Now, the mere mention of Prince Yu made Shi Yuning feel sick and angry. The anger that had just subsided flared up again.

“Is there really no way to punish a person like Prince Yu, who has a blackened, vile heart and no regard for the law?!”

“How do you want to punish him?”

Shi Yuning puffed out her cheeks angrily. “Even if we can’t bring him to justice, we should at least beat him up so badly he can’t get out of bed for three months!”

Xie Zhaoran let out a small laugh. “Alright.”

Shi Yuning: “?”

She turned and looked up at Xie Zhaoran, who didn’t seem to be joking. “Are you serious?”

Xie Zhaoran saw Shi Yuning’s excited expression, the fiery glint in her eyes, and she seemed to love seeing her so animated.

“Of course.”

Otherwise, why would she let Shi Yuning know all of this? She couldn’t possibly let her know the truth and then tell her to suppress her anger and let the culprit go.

Now that her sister’s plan was going smoothly, Prince Yu wouldn’t be able to pull off many more tricks.

Shi Yuning ground her back teeth. “So when are we going to do it?” She was so furious she could barely stand it. She wanted to beat him up right now.

“Tonight,” Xie Zhaoran said. Seeing the look on Shi Yuning’s face, she figured that if they didn’t beat him up tonight, she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep.

This time, it was Shi Yuning’s turn to be shocked. “Just like that? Shouldn’t we plan it out?”

Xie Zhaoran found the way she stared with wide eyes so adorable, like a stubborn little donkey. She told her that she could do whatever she wanted today, and her ears perked up in excitement.

“It’s just beating up a Prince Yu. You can do it whenever you want.”

The hard work of the past six months was all so that the people she cared about would not be restricted in what they wanted to do.

Xie Zhaoran’s words were incredibly domineering. Shi Yuning felt that the person in front of her was glowing with a kind of brilliance, dazzling and powerful.

“Okay! Perfect, I’ve got enough energy now that I’ve eaten!” Shi Yuning patted her stomach. The wontons tonight weren’t eaten in vain.

She pulled Xie Zhaoran, ready to chase after the distant carriage, but Xie Zhaoran stopped her.

Shi Yuning looked at Xie Zhaoran in confusion, her brows furrowed.

“Are we not going?”

Xie Zhaoran reached out, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and gently pinched Shi Yuning’s plump, soft earlobe.

“We need to go back and get some help first.”

…

At the Eastern Palace, in the Crown Prince’s courtyard, the Crown Prince was listening to Eunuch Lin report what had happened.

Eunuch Lin hadn’t wanted to disturb the Crown Prince’s rest, but the Crown Princess had hurried back to the mansion and taken all her top-tier experts and assassins with her.

Something major must have happened.

So, he nervously woke up the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince was a little curious when he heard that Xie Zhaoran had come back herself to get them.

“Send someone to follow them and see what’s happening,” he said. He then paused and added, “The Crown Princess is a sensible person. The people you send are only to protect them from the shadows. Do not interfere with what the Crown Princess wants to do.”

Although he didn’t know what Xie Zhaoran was going to do so late at night, she wasn’t an impulsive person, so she must have a thorough plan.

Before long, the person Eunuch Lin sent to investigate came back and reported.

“The Crown Princess took Miss Shi from the Marquis’s family toward the palace gate. Your subordinate followed them for a while before being discovered by Miss Qin Xiao.”

“Miss Qin Xiao sent your subordinate back to inform Your Highness that the Crown Princess is going to ambush Prince Yu. Miss Qin Xiao also had your subordinate bring you a message…”

The chief guard thought of the message he was told to deliver and started to stutter a little.

The Crown Prince saw his expression and knew that it was not a polite message.

“Just say it. You will not be punished.”

The chief guard let out a sigh of relief and bravely repeated the Crown Princess’s words.

“The Crown Princess told Your Highness to go to bed early… and not to meddle… that this was an impromptu whim of hers… that she wouldn’t take Prince Yu’s life… just… just break one of his legs…”

After speaking, the chief guard took a deep breath. Listen to that! Prince Yu was, after all, the Crown Prince’s brother and the Emperor’s only other son. The Crown Princess was being far too arrogant.

The Crown Prince was stunned.

He had just told Eunuch Lin that the Crown Princess always had a well-thought-out plan. He could still hear his own words echoing, and now he found out that Zhaoran was acting on an impromptu whim!

“Who did you say the Crown Princess brought with her?” The Crown Prince suddenly felt as if he had heard a name just now.

“It was the daughter of Marquis Shi, the young lady who used to come to the Eastern Palace often, Miss Shi,” the chief guard answered truthfully.

The Crown Prince was confused. “It’s so late. Why are the two of them together?”

“That… your subordinate doesn’t know,” the chief guard said. He thought for a moment and added, “The Crown Princess climbed over the wall alone earlier this evening, and when she came back, Miss Shi was with her.”

“I see!” The Crown Prince pursed his lips, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes. “I understand. You can go back and keep watch. Only protect the Crown Princess from the shadows. Don’t worry about anything else.”

“Yes, your subordinate takes his leave.”

After the chief guard left, the Crown Prince was too awake to sleep. He looked up at the moonlight through the window. It was a gentle night.

To be honest, after he had found out about Zhaoran’s different ‘preferences,’ it took him a while to accept it. At first, he thought Zhaoran was in love with his sister, the Grand Princess.

After all, Zhaoran had loved playing with her sister since they were children.

If it were his sister, it would have been much more difficult to handle. But now that he knew it was Shi Yuning, he was much more at ease.

If Zhaoran really liked her, then if things came to it, kidnapping a Shi Yuning would be much easier than kidnapping his sister.

On a sheltered patch of ground next to an official road outside the city, a small bonfire was burning. The Grand Princess, Xiao Liju, whom the Crown Prince was just thinking about, let out a loud sneeze.

A maid beside her anxiously draped a thick padded cloak over Xiao Liju. “Your Highness, you’ve sneezed three times in a row. Are you catching a cold?”

Xiao Liju took a big gulp from the wine skin in her hand, warming her body. “I’m in perfect health. I’m sure someone in the capital is thinking of me.”

She took another big drink, feeling that the chill from traveling all night had dissipated. She turned to the maid next to her and asked, “Did the Crown Prince send a homing pigeon today?”

The maid shook her head. “We haven’t received any messages from the Crown Prince in five or six days. I’m sure he knows that you’ll be arriving in the capital soon and that he can talk to you in person.”

Xiao Liju smiled. Her brother was too impatient. He wouldn’t wait for her to return to the capital to share any gossip. She figured there had just been no gossip to tell him recently.

Thinking of what the Crown Prince had told her, that Zhaoran’s secret crush was the granddaughter of Marquis Yun Xiang, Shi Chao.

She had once fought on the battlefield with Marquis Shi. Although he was now over fifty, he was still often praised for his handsome and magnificent appearance in the military.

Even though his face bore the marks of time, it was still clear how handsome and dashing he had been in his youth.

She figured his granddaughter was probably a stunning beauty, or how else could she have captured the heart of someone as aloof as Zhaoran?

She heard that she grew up in the south. Xiao Liju immediately pictured a gentle and graceful southern woman.

“Pass down my order to rest for half an hour, then we’ll depart.”

She was a little impatient to meet this gentle beauty.

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