Free Web NovelChapter 163: Chapter 62: Gratitude
people were stupid, the title was wrong, it was supposed to be "fortunate".
Can’t casually change the VIP Chapter title, so everyone please understand, facepalm.
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"What about the Heir of Prince Rui?" Yunluo couldn’t help but ask again, "Do you think the Heir of Prince Rui is better?"
Princess Nanyan lowered her head, and just when Yunluo thought she would use the same excuses she used to brush off Mu Lianhui like "it’s not something I can control" or "it’s the Empress Dowager who decides", the princess slightly curved her lips: "Perhaps."
Yunluo pressed her lips, her cheeks puffed slightly, and she nodded thoughtfully.
The Duke Zhen Guo Mansion is not a way out. If things drag on and turn out like her past life, she might end up as Prince Rui Li Xiang’s second wife again.
If in the end she has no choice but to get involved with the Prince Rui Mansion, marrying Li Luan and spending a lifetime guarding the Imperial Mausoleum is better than being a young second wife and ending her life early.
At least that’s what Yunluo thought, but whether Princess Nanyan would still be willing if she knew the consequences of marrying Li Luan, she was uncertain.
Maybe she would still accept it.
Between two evils, choose the lesser one.
Princess Nanyan wanted to leave Princess Yunhua’s side, and this was her only option.
With her status and position, it was extremely difficult to find another suitable candidate for the Empress Dowager to approve of.
Princess Nanyan arranged her clothing, turned around, and gazed afar at the Great Heroic Hall, recalling the words Li Luan said to her inside the hall, her heart gradually sank.
Li Luan was straightforward. If he had to choose between Mu Lianhui and Nanyan, he would undoubtedly choose Mu Lianhui because behind her is the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, whereas behind Nanyan, there’s nothing left. Even though Nanyan’s father was a brave general who sacrificed for the country, after all these years, dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth.
The Mu Family still had a few brothers to rely on, but Nanyan had lost her maternal support.
This was the initial reason the Empress Dowager favored Mu Lianhui.
However, after the incident at Wangmei Garden, Li Luan no longer wanted to marry Mu Lianhui. He wasn’t a fool; how could he not realize there was something fishy that day?
One can’t force a melon to sweeten. As the Heir of Prince Rui, with his status and position, why should he marry a woman who has no interest in him just to become mutual annoyances?
Li Luan asked Nanyan two questions. One was whether Nanyan was truly willing or if she couldn’t defy the Empress Dowager’s wishes. The other, he could see that Mu Lianhui didn’t have anyone in her heart, so why was she avoiding him?
Nanyan was stunned on the spot; both questions were difficult for her to answer aloud.
But she had to answer.
Princess Yunhua was trying to stop her. Her only hope was in Li Luan. As long as Li Luan spoke up, and she had no faults or weaknesses, things would be stable with the Empress Dowager.
Nanyan said: "What is one person’s poison is another’s honey. Why Lady avoids you, I don’t know; I only know that I truly wish it, no matter what the Empress Dowager and the Princess think, I am willing."
Li Luan remained silent for a long time. His peach blossom eyes were calm, with no ripple, as if he hadn’t heard anything. In the end, he said nothing at all and walked away with his hands behind his back.
Nanyan watched his gradually receding figure, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
She had no parents, no backing. The princess she relied on now stood on the opposite side of this matter.
Nanyan really wanted to tell Li Luan that as the Prince Rui, besides the Holy Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Imperial Grandson, he was already noble enough, more than enough.
But such words could never be spoken. Once uttered, if distorted even slightly, it would be fatal.
Princess Nanyan turned to Yunluo and smiled brightly: "I have my path to walk, regardless of what means I must use."
After speaking, before Yunluo could react, Princess Nanyan lifted her long skirt, stepped out of the great hall, and descended the stone steps gracefully.
Until she could no longer see Princess Nanyan’s figure, Yunluo turned around.
Mu Lianxiao, knowing Princess Nanyan had left, then emerged from the corner.
Yunluo walked leisurely up to him and looked up at him.
With the unexpected presence of Princess Nanyan and Mu Lianhui, all the previous romance between Yunluo and Mu Lianxiao had dissipated. Even the awkwardness from being too close while hiding in the corner earlier had completely dissolved by now.
"Did you hear everything?" Yunluo smiled faintly, with a trace of helplessness in her eyes, "Do you think we girls are particularly dramatic? Calculating even the tiniest matters?"
Mu Lianxiao was taken aback.
He hadn’t comprehended much of Princess Nanyan’s and Mu Lianhui’s Tai Chi-like discourse, but the conversation between Yunluo and Princess Nanyan was straightforward, so even without knowing the backstory, he understood.
The marriage matters of Mu Lianhui and Li Luan were only something Mu Lianxiao recently learned of, and since Mu Lianhui was unwilling, as her brother, he wouldn’t interfere. Besides, the family had the Old Madam to make decisions; whether good or bad, it wasn’t his place to comment.
As for all the calculations...
Mu Lianxiao lowered his eyes and chuckled: "I only feel fortunate."
Yunluo, hearing this, was utterly puzzled.
Where was the fortune in this matter?
Seeing the confusion on Yunluo’s face, her apricot eyes fixed on him, waiting for his answer, Mu Lianxiao couldn’t help but chuckle, bending down to meet Yunluo at eye level: "I feel fortunate that you’re such an open person; when you’re happy or not, you make it clear to me."
His handsome face suddenly magnified before her, Yunluo could even count Mu Lianxiao’s eyelashes. Her cheeks heated, and without caring what Mu Lianxiao said, she nodded fervently.
Mu Lianxiao’s smile deepened. She truly was easy to understand, sparing him the trouble of guessing.
He wasn’t adept at deciphering intricate thoughts, so someone like Yunluo was just right.
If he had to deal with the Tai Chi-like minds of Princess Nanyan and Mu Lianhui, he’d be completely lost after one or two hours.
Outside, the bells tolled again.
Mu Lianxiao looked at the sun’s position. It was getting late, and if they delayed any longer, the monks would begin their evening lessons. With people moving around, it wouldn’t be convenient for him and Yunluo to be seen together.
Yunluo understood as well and gestured toward the jade pendant tassel at Mu Lianxiao’s waist, saying, "I came out to give this to you, and now I should head back."
"Alright," Mu Lianxiao smiled, "you leave through the back of the hall, and I’ll go through the front."
Yunluo comprehended, and just as she took two steps, Mu Lianxiao suddenly called her: "Yunluo."
Yunluo halted and turned to look at him.
Mu Lianxiao touched the tip of his nose and said, "With the princess, you just handle it. If her demands become overwhelming and you can’t refuse, come find me, and we’ll figure it out together."
Such a simple sentence, yet it warmed her heart, indicating Mu Lianxiao’s concern for her safety. He was worried about her being caught in the middle, unable to refuse Princess Yunhua, ultimately harming herself.
Yunluo couldn’t help but smile brightly: "Alright."
Her radiant smile was contagious, and Mu Lianxiao’s lips curled up as well. He watched Yunluo depart and only then left through the main entrance of the Heavenly King Hall.
Outside, the sunset painted the sky red, with clouds under the red glow resembling Yunluo’s blushing face. Mu Lianxiao leaned against a pillar and watched for a long time, as if he could still hear Yunluo’s voice in his ears.
She said she wished for her parents and elders to be well and for couples to grow old together hand in hand.
