After Transmigrating as the White Lotus Crown Princess - Chapter 4

Enthusiastic?

Mu Jinyu looked at Ning Huan with cold eyes. This woman truly knew how to distort the truth and argue with fallacious logic.

Xiao Xi knew that His Highness currently couldn’t suppress his anger. Recently, the Prince’s health had been deteriorating, and he had thinned out considerably. A few nights ago, he had even been coughing up blood; the imperial physician said he had “excessive internal heat.”

Mu Jinyu was suffering from an illness brought on by depression, aggravated by the fury of being forced into this marriage by the Emperor’s “random matchmaking.” It would be a miracle if he were well.

Ning Huan’s eyes carried a trace of a smile. He mentally calculated Mu Jinyu’s current age… Tsk, just barely twenty (weak cap), not yet fully mad, and naturally lacking the deep, calculating city-foundations he would develop later for killing and decison-making.

The Crown Prince’s every word and action right now reflected his truest thoughts. Naturally, Mu Jinyu would have to endure more hardships—the double blow of family and court—before transforming into a tyrannical monarch.

Though Ning Huan wasn’t very old himself, he was precocious. Born with a “seven-apertured heart,” he was skilled at reading people. While his martial arts couldn’t compare to his brothers’, his strategic wit surpassed theirs. He could see that Mu Jinyu was still in the midst of a major illness; he was absolutely not the robust, head-chopping tyrant of the future yet.

Mu Jinyu’s narrow, deep eyes landed on Ning Huan’s face. “You are indeed eloquent; your tongue is quite formidable.”

Ning Huan instantly felt his tongue ache. He knew the other man’s mind was dark; he harbored many thoughts a normal person would never have. The novels often described Mu Jinyu’s tyrannical and lawless ideas, and since his youth, those thoughts had already taken root in his mind.

He spoke indifferently: “I wouldn’t dare.”

Mu Jinyu let out a cold snort.

Ning Huan said: “Since there is nothing else, this subject’s daughter will take her leave.”

As he passed by Mu Jinyu’s side, Mu Jinyu caught a whiff of a light, clear fragrance on Ning Huan. It was absolutely not the lotus scent from the hand warmer in his sleeve—it was utterly unfamiliar. No such fragrance existed in the capital.

Their eyes met; Ning Huan’s gaze was extremely pale, while the other’s was naturally very dark.

Mu Jinyu flicked his sleeve and walked away. Xiao Xi hurriedly followed behind him.

“Your Highness, Your Highness—”

Mu Jinyu only felt that seeing Ning Huan this time, the other’s attitude was different from before. Though they still loathed each other, the other’s expression and aura had undergone a change. Previously, Ning Huan’s eyes always held a bit of calculation, as if there were a scale in his heart weighing everything he saw, approaching more if something felt “heavier.”

Thinking this, Mu Jinyu couldn’t help but look back. He saw the other man suddenly glance back as well. Ning Huan’s lips curved slightly; those flirtatious eyes seemed to carry a bit of “adoring love” when looking at others—but actually, that was just how he naturally looked.

Mu Jinyu asked A-xi: “When is the wedding?”

A-xi replied without thinking: “Eight days from now.”

Eight days—

Mu Jinyu’s gaze grew colder. He’d see how he’d torment Ning Huan then.

Mu Jinyu had just returned to the Crown Prince’s mansion when two people were delivered. It was a pair of siblings, sent by Mu Jinyu’s brother, Mu Jinming.

Prince Yue, Mu Jinming, was nineteen this year. Titled a Prince at a young age, he actually resembled the Emperor quite a bit—no wonder the Emperor favored him.

“Imperial Brother!” Prince Yue laughed heartily, stepping forward to address Mu Jinyu. “These are my maternal cousins. You are about to marry the Third Miss of the Ning family. I heard the Third Miss isn’t a generous person. Before the wedding date arrives, I’ve brought these two to fill your back courtyard as a congratulation on your marriage. Li-er, Cang-er, come greet the Crown Prince.”

A girl of fifteen or sixteen had apricot eyes and peach-colored cheeks. Beside her, a youth was clean-cut and fair, looking very well-behaved. Both stepped forward to bow to Mu Jinyu: “Greetings to the Crown Prince.”

The Crown Prince held high status; men and women offering themselves were numerous, and the Emperor had frequently shoved people into the Prince’s side. Today, Prince Yue used the upcoming wedding as a pretext to shove in two more.

A-xi sniffed at his side. It was quite cold outside, and he rubbed his hands.

The Emperor had ascended the throne after killing his biological elder brother and taking his sister-in-law as his Empress. Over the years, the Emperor felt uneasy, so he hated sibling rivalry most. If any prince treated his siblings poorly, the Emperor would surely summon and scold him severely. Though everyone knew the Emperor’s actions were hypocritical, in public, the princes were all affectionate. Even if not born of the same mother, they acted closer than blood brothers.

Prince Yue was always full of “ghostly ideas.” If he were rejected, he would certainly file a complaint with the Emperor, saying the Imperial Brother was dissatisfied with the Imperial Father’s arranged marriage and still resented him, resenting even the younger brother by extension. A-xi could almost imagine the tone Prince Yue would use.

Mu Jinyu naturally accepted them. A-xi watched the siblings’ eyes glow with joy and curled his lip. Though many concubines had been sent to the Prince’s mansion, His Highness never touched them.

His Highness touched no one.

Princes generally understood “affairs of the heart” by age twelve or thirteen, but in this regard, the Crown Prince was extremely indifferent. A-xi knew the Crown Prince hated others approaching his body. When the Prince previously lived in the palace, an assassin had struck, leaving a scar on his chest and abdomen. Perhaps because of that scar, the Crown Prince became even more cold and never let anyone see his body.

The Prince didn’t even touch the clean palace maids by his side; how could he touch concubines sent by those with ill intentions? Furthermore, Prince Yue had even sent a young man. While a “preference for men” was common among the nobility, Mu Jinyu had no such hobby.

A-xi said: “I will take this young master and lady to their quarters.”

Mu Jinyu and Prince Yue went inside to drink.

Mu Jinyu was depressed, and Prince Yue knew he was unhappy with the marriage—Mu Jinyu had even clashed with the Emperor over it. As a rival, Prince Yue was naturally very happy. He came today not just to send people, but to see his brother’s joke.

But Mu Jinyu’s face was merely gloomier than usual; he didn’t say much more. Prince Yue was secretly delighted: Ning Huan is beautiful. If I didn’t only like men, I might have fallen for her myself. Everyone knows she has quite the bag of tricks, drifting among the noble youths of the capital and enchanting them to death. Once this woman enters Mu Jinyu’s estate, she’ll surely turn it upside down.

Moreover, rumor had it Ning Huan was exceptionally vain and spent money like water; who knew if the Crown Prince’s mansion could sustain it? If Mu Jinyu’s household was unstable and he was exhausted by the antics of his concubines, how could he find the strength to perform in court?

Mu Jinyu drank at the side.

Prince Yue couldn’t help but mention a recent assignment: “Imperial Father has ordered me to inspect Yingzhou. I might not make it back in time for the wedding of Imperial Brother and the Third Miss.”

But Prince Yue also found it funny. He still remembered the palace banquet that day—Mu Jinyu and Ning Huan’s marriage was already set, yet during the banquet, Ning Huan’s eyes were constantly darting toward him. Likely, Ning Huan also knew Mu Jinyu’s position as Crown Prince was unstable and that the Imperial Father might depose him at any time to name Prince Yue instead.

Prince Yue felt Ning Huan was interested in him. If, after Ning Huan and Mu Jinyu married, this little woman made scenes of jealousy in the mansion while simultaneously hooking up with him, that would be interesting. Though some palace matters were no longer allowed to be discussed, everyone knew the Empress was originally the Imperial Father’s sister-in-law. Prince Yue’s mother was the current Imperial Noble Consort—high-born and beautiful. He felt his status was not inferior to Mu Jinyu’s.

Thinking this, Prince Yue gave another light laugh: “The Third Miss and Imperial Brother seem to be at odds. I wonder if she can tolerate the ones I sent today—”

He stopped mid-sentence because he noticed the Crown Prince’s expression turn abruptly cold: “You need not concern yourself further with the affairs of my estate.”

Prince Yue was startled by the Crown Prince’s dark look. In fact, over the past six months, Mu Jinyu’s expression had often been this terrifying. If he didn’t know the Emperor would absolutely not tolerate sibling murder, Prince Yue would have suspected Mu Jinyu would kill him personally.

A-xi finally returned at this time, just as Prince Yue was leaving. He thought Prince Yue’s flushed face from drinking was quite ugly; he truly resembled the Emperor in this state, as that’s how the Emperor looked when drunk at banquets.

Mu Jinyu’s finger pressed against the small mahogany table. He closed his eyes, his thick lashes covering his narrow eyes. His deep, three-dimensional features had the quality of cold jade. A-xi knew the Crown Prince was sick of Prince Yue.

“How were those two arranged?”

A-xi curled his lip. “I shoved them into a side courtyard. That ‘sister’ even asked if Your Highness would go to her tonight.”

Mu Jinyu let out a cold laugh.

A-xi knew these two were Prince Yue’s maternal cousins; they would surely cause trouble in the estate. Being related by blood, they couldn’t be killed casually. He’d have to think of a way to make them “disappear” without anyone knowing. He didn’t dare ask the Prince about such a minor matter; the Prince was in a bad mood and had been very violent lately. If asked, he might reply with “a thousand cuts.”

At night, A-xi ground ink while serving Mu Jinyu as he wrote official documents. He couldn’t help but ask: “Your Highness, when the Third Miss marries in, will she also live in Qinfang Garden?”

All the concubines sent by others lived in Qinfang Garden; some were actually spies. A-xi had seen the Third Miss again today and felt she was a fairy-like figure; living with those people in Qinfang Garden wouldn’t be good.

Mu Jinyu raised his cold eyes slightly. “Where do you want her to live? Move in to live with me?”

“That’s not proper; there’s blood seen every day,” A-xi said. “Your Highness, your meaning is—”

Mu Jinyu felt the taste of blood in his mouth again. He wiped it with a handkerchief, the scenes of the day suddenly flashing in his mind. Ning Huan, wrapped in a white fox cloak, her face clear and indifferent in the north wind—the person seemed quite proud.

He seemed to have many faces, utterly hypocritical. At first sight, there was only loathing. Seeing her again, Ning Huan seemed transformed; inexplicably, he had a desire to torment her and see her submit and beg for mercy.

Mu Jinyu folded the bloody handkerchief. “She will live in Lixue Hall.”

A-xi thought about it. Away from the crowd in Qinfang Garden, yet close to the Crown Prince—that was quite good.