Chapter 175: Great Waves (Part 1)
His kisses were hot but the silver mask was cold, as if it was carrying some unspeakable emotions that overwhelmed Heavens and earth. The more Shen Miao struggled, the more tighter he held her and lock her in his arms and took her lips like making an oath.
The flowers bloomed in winter, the butterflies flying in autumn, the ice springs in summer and the snowflakes in spring could not describe the bizarreness of this moment. There was the sound of wind by one ears but that beautiful youth’s hug was strong and his kisses was burning, as if one had exhausted one life and could not escape.
When Xie Jing Xing let go of Shen Miao, Shen Miao almost went limp and could not breathe. In the previous life, she desired Fu Xiu Yi but from the beginning till the end was a one-sided enthusiasm. Even during Fu Xiu Yi’s wedding night, it was just a perfunctory gesture. She had never been this intimate with any man.
Shen Miao was flew into a rage out of humiliation as she felt that she had lost her self-control just now. Xie Jing Xing supported her so that she would not fall as she glared angrily at Xie Jing Xing.
However she did not know what after she was being kissed just now, her eyes were almost watery. With eyes full of life and charming with a blushing face and red lips like petals, it made one want to feel tenderness towards.
Xie Jing Xing covered it up and looked away.
Other than being embarrassed and angry, Shen Miao was a little overwhelmed and did not know what to do. In all fairness, her heart more or less expected this scenario.
As to why did she not block it or let it develop, it was because her heart had unconsciously reacted to it but Shen Miao did not want to go into the reason behind it.
“Talk about your marriage.” Xie Jing Xing had restored that frivolous tone of voice, “What is your plan now?”
Shen Miao looked at him unfathomably, “What plans?”
Xie Jing Xing looked at her with squinted eyes and spoke in a somewhat dangerous tone, “The Crown Prince, Luo Ling, Feng Zi Xian, Su Ming Feng and Pei Lang. Who do you want to marry to?”
Shen Miao frowned and had a serious look of consideration.”
Xie Jing Xing’s eyes coagulated and his tone was unkind, “You really want to marry to someone else.”
“Why can’t I marry someone else?”
“After kissing me, touching me, you still dare to make me wear a green hat. Shen Miao, you really have the nerves.”
Shen Miao smiled slightly, “You cannot be thinking to let me marry you?”
“You are finally smart for once.” Xie Jing Xing said unhurriedly.
Shen Miao was startled. It was not that she did not think about the relationship with Xie Jing Xing before. Both of them are allies but they were more ambiguous than allies. About matters between male and female, though one had not eating any pork, one at least saw pigs running. On those night when her heart beat that quickly, Shen Miao discovered some things.
However this did not mean that Xie Jing Xing could marry her. Xie Jing Xing is Prince Rui of Great Liang and she was a Di daughter of Ming Qi’s General. Not to mention that Ming Qi side would not agree to it, one feared that it would not be easy to explain to Emperor Yong Le’s side.
Especially in the current situation, Xie Jing Xing has a high status in Great Liang and the greater the power he has, it meant that Emperor Yong Le valued Xie Jing Xing heavily. There would be many things that one would not be able to act independently when being valued heavily by an Emperor.
This included one’s own marriage.
Just as Shen Miao was still distracted, she heard Xie Jing Xing saying, “You do not have to worry about anything and just embroider the wedding dress obediently in the room and wait for me.”
“When did I promise to marry you?” Shen Miao retorted back with a question.
“Oh?” Xie Jing Xing thought about it a little and a smile appeared on his lips, “I also don’t mind turning the raw rice into cooked one tonight.”
Shen Miao looked at him in vigilance but Xie Jing Xing laughed, “You look like you are looking forward to it.”
Shen Miao decided not to speak to XIe Jing Xing about it. This person appeared genuine but was actually devious and would speak obscenities in every three sentences. She said, “With regards to the Crown Prince matter, I have an idea.”
Xie Jing Xing raise his eyebrow, “You have a countermeasure early on?”
“Suddenly thought about it.” Shen Miao stressed, “Need your help.”
“Need my help?” Xie Jing Xing smiled lightly and whispered to her, “This husband will help you.”
Shen Miao, “…”
When Shen Miao returned back to the Shen mansion from the residence of Prince Rui, the skies were almost in the early hours of morning. Naturally it was Xie Jing Xing who ‘brought’ her back and when he came to know that Shen Miao climbed over walls when coming over, Xie Jing Xing laughed till Shen Miao almost got angry. However as this night passed, there were many things that had quietly changed.
During the discussion with Xie Jing Xing in the residence of Prince Rui on the countermeasures against the Crown Prince’s marriage, Shen Miao had a strange feeling. All the while when she was in the road of revenge, she was always alone and now unfathomably having a strong enough backing, it made her feel secure. Especially this support was intelligent and could see the loopholes in her countermeasures in a glance and propose improvements. Shen Miao felt that their partnership was very cooperative.
Unconsciously the words that Xie Jing Xing had said during the night floated up in Shen Miao’s mind. Just embroider the wedding dress obediently.
Xie Jing Xing was one who would look at certain things casually but what Princess Rong Xin said was correct. He knew what he wanted and did not want from the very beginning and Shen Miao was not clear how much words that Xie Jing Xing said was true. However on the matter of Shen Miao’s marriage, Xie Jing Xing had revealed his absolute strength and tyranny that no one had any room to refute.
Shen Miao sighed again. The road ahead was long and the muddy waters of Ming Qi was not cleaned yet. This was just too extravagant to mention about one’s feelings. Counter soldier with arms and water with earth, if Xie Jing Xing really had that ability and he dared to marry the daughter of another country’s General then there was no reason for her not to dare to marry.
Her lips were slightly tingling in pain, as if there was still a lingering heat on it which made her lower her head.
The mouth that could not deny and the heartbeat that could not be suppressed.
That youth was handsome and beautiful, and was intelligent and decisive.
It was difficult for anyone not to be tempted.
In the residence of Prince Ding, the lanterns were brightly lit the entire night.
After Fu Xiu Yi knew that Shen Miao’s and the Crown Prince’s marriage was suppressed because Prince Rui ‘unintentionally’ mentioned that one sentence. On this night, all the aides had reached the residence of Prince Ding and discuss about this matter from the beginning to the end.
“Previous I had guessed that the relationship between Shen Miao and Prince Rui was not that simple. Now after using the Crown Prince to test, the cloven foot had been revealed.” Fu Xiu Yi laughed coldly, “Once anything happen to Shen Miao, Prince Rui will not be able to sit still.”
Pei Lang stood beneath and did not say a single word. These day Fu Xiu Yi had changed his treatment to him and would not ask for his opinions on many things. Because the contrast before and after was too great, other aides noticed it and thought that Pei Lang had offended Fu Xiu Yi and took joy in his misfortune. However Pei Lang knew that as Fu Xiu Yi was an intelligent person, for him to inexplicably neglect him, he must have discovered some clues or perhaps his relations with Shen Miao was discovered by Fu Xiu Yi. Even though his heart was on fire, Pei Lang did not display even a little of it. Fu Xiu Yi still did not drop all pretences so it meant that he had his own intentions or perhaps he only suspected it but it was not confirmed yet. A full set of show must be performed when acting and one could not abandon it halfway. Pei Lang knew this truth well and only portrayed the reaction of a normal aide that was being shunned.
“What is Gentleman Pei’s view on it?” For the first time, Fu Xiu Yi asked for his opinion.
Pei Lang’s heart moved and dropped his head to say, “This subordinate thinks that one should immediately investigate on the relationship between the Shen family and Prince Rui or Great Liang. Shen Miao’s position is special as she represent Ming Qi’s most important military power. If there is some private agreement between the Shen family and Prince Rui, one fear…”
The aides started discussing. Even though they were not satisfied with Pei Lang, they did not admit that Pei Lang’s words were incorrect. Shen Miao was after all a young female and not a great beauty that could overthrow cities and ruin states. It is better to say that Prince Rui valued the Shen family behind Shen Miao then to say that Prince Rui targeted for a beauty. This was then reasonable.
Fu Xiu Yi said, “Gentleman said it correctly but today I have heard something.”
Everyone was waiting for him to say the words next.
“Shen Miao had spend the entire day in the residence of Princess Rong Xin. The Princess’s health had not been good all the time but she still hold her till at night. It seems that after Shen Miao departed, the Princess’s mood was also not good.” Fu Xiu Yi smiled, “Could it be that the Princess knew something?”
After a moment of silence, an aide said, “Perhaps Princess Rong Xin had inside information. Your Highness may wish to start with Princess Rong Xin’s end and perhaps there would be some little clues.”
“I too think like this.” Fu Xiu Yi looked at Pei Lang and one was not sure if he was purposely saying it for him to hear, “Even though behind Shen Miao that is the big backing of the Shen family, she is very eccentric. Prince Rui only lend a helping hand to her every matters so there must be some hidden motive. If Princess Rong Xin is also involved then the matter would become interesting.”
“Paper cannot wrap fire. I must uncover the secret between them.” Fu Xiu Yi smiled meaningfully, “One have to rely on all of you.”
Everyone responded that they didn’t dared and Pei Lang lowered his head but felt a little uneasiness in his heart.
This night, the Princess residence was not at all peaceful. Princess Rong Xing had sat in Xin Zheng Yuan for the entire night.
Xie Jing Xing did not die and instead became the Prince Rui of Great Liang. This was something that Princess Rong Xin had never expected. In the past two years, Princess Rong Xin had countlessly hope that one day she would discover that Xie Jing Xing’s death was just a dream and also hope that when she woke up that handsome and proud youth would still be standing in front of him and call out Rong Yi lazily. However when the actual moment arrive, Princess Rong Xin’s first thought was not gratification.
He wore a noble purple gold robe and the corner of the robes were embroidered with a flying dragon with gold threads. He wore a cold mask and greeted her with familiarity but with a title of Prince Rui.
That was the biggest threat for Ming Qi.
Princess Rong Xin originally was angry due to the deceit and coverup but once she realised the true identity of Xie Jing Xing, Princess Rong Xin’s instinctive reaction was to be vigilant. This did not mean that the many years of relationship with Xie Jing Xing was false but because of one another’s position in politics, she was the Princess of Ming Qi and pride and suspicion of the Imperial family would always appear at such times.
She wrote a letter at the table to warn Emperor Wen Hui and stopped halfway before tearing the paper into small pieces. The entanglement and complication in her heart had poured over to her face but she was not willing to see Xie Jing Xing again because she did not know how to face him.
The initial part of Princess Rong Xin’s suspicion was that Xie Jing Xing did not die so how would he become Prince Rui, the blooded younger brother of Emperor Yong Le of Great Liang? Prince Rui’s name was obviously not something that could be use casually. Was Xie Jing Xing originally a person from Great Liang or was he bought over by Great Liang by coincidences. If it was the former then it was still excusable but if it was the latter then Xie Jing Xing had committed treason.
Xie Jing Xing was not close to Xie Ding and one would not be successful if one asked Xie Ding. Shen Miao must know some stuff but Shen Miao would definitely not say anything. Since Xie Jing Xing was also protecting her, it was not easy for Princess Rong Xing to touch her. After thinking about it, Princess Rong Xin finally thought of someone.
Grew up together when Xie Jing Xing was in his childhood, with good relations between both families and was considered to be Xie Jing Xing’s best friends in Ming Qi. Because they grew up together and spend most of the time together, there would be times when one would be able to see the differences with Xie Jing Xing.
The heir of the Count of Ping Nan, Su Ming Feng.
Princess Rong Xing instructed the servants to bring an invitation over.