Free Web NovelChapter 168: Chapter 168: The One Who Misses You Is Someone Else
Marquis Yong’an’s first wife, from the Cui Family, passed away from illness not long after giving birth to Ming Yan.
After his stepmother from the Ji Family married in, she soon became pregnant and gave birth to Ming Hong.
The women of the Ji Family were renowned for their beauty, and Ji Fangmin bewitched Marquis Yong’an with her good looks alone, making him lose his senses.
The siblings’ position in the Marquis Yong’an Mansion was precarious. As children of the first wife, they naturally received less care and attention than the legitimate son of the new mistress, who now ran the household.
But they were never bullied, because as a child, Ming Yan had an unruly and overbearing temperament.
Anyone who dared to slight him would have it returned to them twofold.
Even though Ming Yan knew his father doted on his younger son to no end, if Ming Hong dared to provoke him or touch his things, he would find the little brat, pin him down, and beat him half to death.
But Ming Hong was a troublemaker himself, tough and resilient. Even after being beaten into submission by his older brother, he would dare to do it all over again.
As Ming Yan grew older and joined the military, his personality underwent a drastic change. He learned to conceal his edge, growing colder and more indifferent to everything and everyone, as if nothing could pique his interest.
As the older sister who had watched him grow up, Princess Hua Chang knew better than anyone that this coldness was merely a facade.
A man truly without desire would not have repeatedly fought his way out of perilous situations to claim the Emperor’s throne.
Anyone in that position is a person of great desire.
The desire for slaughter, the desire for power, the desire of the flesh...
Today, it was obvious that Wu Su was deliberately suppressing his emotions. He seemed on the verge of an outburst, but his temper instantly dissipated because of that scene of a fish frolicking amongst the lotuses.
Perhaps this was a case of one being the perfect counter to the other.
Inside the carriage, Princess Hua Chang lifted the curtain to see where they were. They were just one turn away from the Princess Mansion.
But she said to the coachman, "Don’t return yet. Change course for the Ji Mansion."
Ji Qingwu was in the middle of "conspiring" with Mrs. Qiao when she received news of the Eldest Princess’s visit.
After hearing Mrs. Qiao’s arrangements, she was still somewhat hesitant, unsure if she could pull it off.
Mrs. Qiao rose and lit a stick of calming incense. "Xiao Wu," she urged, "don’t keep the Eldest Princess waiting. Go on ahead. We can discuss this matter later."
Ji Qingwu made up her mind. "Mother," she said, "let’s do as you say. Just tell me if there’s anything I need to prepare in advance."
Mrs. Qiao said gently, "Alright. We’ll give this method a try. Now, hurry along."
Ji Qingwu hurried to the front hall. As she gazed in from the doorway, she suddenly understood what it meant for a humble dwelling to be graced by a radiant presence.
Princess Hua Chang was seated in a plum-blossom elmwood chair with crescent-shaped armrests, her expression languid as she rested her head on her hand.
When a household maid came to serve tea, the princess’s gaze swept lightly over her.
The maid, having never before witnessed such celestial grace as the Eldest Princess’s, was momentarily dumbstruck.
Just as the tea was about to spill from the cup, Ji Qingwu stepped forward and steadied the maid’s arm.
"Be careful," she reminded her gently.
The maid was a young girl who had only recently arrived. Assigned to serve in the front hall, she rarely saw the Fifth Missy on a normal day, let alone Ji Qingwu after she had removed the effects of her Disguise Technique.
The young maid glanced at the ethereally beautiful Eldest Princess, then turned to look at the young woman holding her arm, and gasped.
’A woman of such ethereal grace... I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before.’
Caught between two women, each beautiful in her own unique way, Xiang’er’s head swiveled back and forth like a pellet drum, looking from one to the other.
Feeling the soft, fragrant body of the woman behind her, the young maid, half-supported in Ji Qingwu’s arms, was about to pass out from sheer bliss.
Nanny Li, who was passing by, saw this and cried out, "Heavens!" as she hurried forward.
She scolded in a low voice, "Xiang’er, you must not be disrespectful to the Eldest Princess and the Fifth Missy."
Then, Nanny Li bent down, picked up the nearby pail, and said in a low, respectful voice, "Please forgive us, Eldest Princess. It is this old servant’s failure to train the maids properly that led to this breach of etiquette. I will have fresh tea brought for you at once."
Princess Hua Chang’s gaze, however, was fixed squarely on Ji Qingwu’s face.
"It’s nothing," she said coolly. "You are dismissed."
Frowning, Nanny Li led Xiang’er away. Ji Qingwu took a seat in the chair beside the Eldest Princess.
She said, "If Your Highness needed something, you could have simply summoned me to the Princess Mansion. Why trouble yourself with a special trip here?"
Princess Hua Chang stared at her face as if she had discovered some new marvel.
"Qingwu, come a little closer."
At her words, Ji Qingwu obediently leaned in.
Princess Hua Chang reached out with her long, slender fingers, as elegant as new spring onions, and suddenly took Ji Qingwu’s chin. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
Ji Qingwu’s eyes widened, not understanding what the princess was about to do.
The Eldest Princess’s fingertips traced her cheek, cool and soft to the touch.
"Is this your true face?"
Ji Qingwu’s fan-like eyelashes fluttered.
Someone not living with her day in and day out would not have noticed the subtle adjustments to her bone structure; they would only think she seemed more radiant. Princess Hua Chang, however, saw it in a single glance.
With a look of faint surprise, Ji Qingwu nodded.
At such a close distance, Princess Hua Chang gazed into those limpid, sparkling eyes, which were like the purest, most flawless jade in all the world.
Just one glance seemed to soothe the heart and sweeten one’s spirits.
Princess Hua Chang couldn’t help but take a few more glances, finding her own mood lightening considerably.
"So lovely she inspires tenderness even in me," she sighed, nodding. "No wonder..."
But she left the thought unfinished.
Ji Qingwu asked curiously, "No wonder what?"
Princess Hua Chang withdrew her hand but continued to gaze at her face without answering.
Ji Qingwu considered it. ’The Eldest Princess isn’t the type to pay social calls to build connections. She must have heard about the incident that shook the entire court today.’
She decided to ask first, "Did Your Highness also hear about what happened at the morning court session today?"
Princess Hua Chang said, "Yes. I just left the palace. I had intended to return directly to the Princess Mansion, but on a sudden whim, I wanted to come see you."
She wasn’t lying; it had truly been a spur-of-the-moment decision.
Ji Qingwu’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled teasingly. "Your Highness hasn’t seen me in a while. Could it be that you missed me?"
Seeing her bright, smiling eyes, Princess Hua Chang felt an urge to smile in return, but she kept her expression neutral.
She marveled inwardly. ’The more I see Ji Qingwu, the more I find her both pleasant to look at and captivating.’
It was only then that Princess Hua Chang realized what she had done—she had even taken the initiative to reach out and touch the girl’s face.
Recalling the scene by Taiye Lake, she suddenly understood why the Emperor’s mood had taken such an abrupt turn for the better.
’This little green lotus,’ she thought, ’really does have the power to brighten one’s mood.’
Princess Hua Chang gave a faint smile and a soft sigh. It seemed a sigh for herself, but even more so for someone else.
She replied, "I’m not the one who misses you."
As she spoke, an image surfaced in Princess Hua Chang’s mind: the shadow of her wild, unrestrained younger brother from their childhood slowly superimposed itself over the figure of today’s reserved, inscrutable Emperor.
Though she hadn’t intended to meddle, she opened her lips to say, "The Emperor is melancholic because of what happened to you."
Ji Qingwu’s eyes, which had been smiling crescents, instantly widened into full moons, filled with utter astonishment.
But it wasn’t just surprise.
Only she knew that there was also a faint sweetness bubbling up from the depths of her heart.
