Chapter 20: Go Back to Where You Came From!

Yuwen Che sat across from Feng Xiaoli. At the spacious dining table, only Feng Xiaoli, Yuwen Che, and Jin Ning were present; compared to the lively crowd on the other side, their corner seemed much quieter. Yet, upon seeing Yuwen Che, the gloom that had weighed on Feng Xiaoli for days seemed to lift all at once, and her face was alight with joy.

Jin Ning teased, "Miss, you look so delighted to see Yuwen Che!"

"But of course, that's only natural. Ah Li is always thrilled to see me!" Yuwen Che admitted without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

Feng Xiaoli shot him a look of disdain. "Seeing you act so smug makes me want to come over and beat you senseless!"

Yuwen Che leisurely waved his folding fan. "Ah Li, whenever you want to hit me, you may. Your brother here has trained in martial arts since childhood, my body is tough as can be. Even if you beat me, I won’t fight back!"

Feng Xiaoli’s eyes sparkled as if she had stumbled upon a treasure. "I like those words, Ah Che. Be sure to let me hit you, then!"

Little did Yuwen Che anticipate that, later on, Feng Xiaoli would indeed beat him so badly that he was left battered and bruised, hanging on by a thread, his once-handsome face so swollen that even the Emperor and Empress Yuanmin could not recognize him. But that is another story.

Still, something puzzled Feng Xiaoli. "Ah Che, you’re a prince. Why are you sitting here? Don’t you have your own seat? Why are you still here? Go back to your place!"

Hearing Feng Xiaoli trying to send him away, Yuwen Che felt a pang of disappointment and replied, aggrieved, "Sigh! Here I was, seeing how lonely and forlorn you looked, so I came to keep you company. I thought you’d be overjoyed to see me, but I was wrong. I’ll leave now!"

He made a show of rising, hiding his face behind his folding fan, gazing at her with reluctant affection.

Feigning, always pretending!

Looking at Yuwen Che’s pitiful expression, two faces flashed through her mind: one was Yue Wanqing, the queen of fake displays, and the other was Zilin, ever grinning and in need of a good thrashing.

She smacked her forehead. Missing Wanqing was understandable, but why would she think of that wretch Zilin as well?

"Ah Li, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Should I escort you back to the Prince Chun’s residence?" Yuwen Che, halfway up, now stood before her, reaching to take her sleeve.

Feng Xiaoli slapped his hand away impatiently. "Go back to wherever you came from! If you stay, Yuwen Hao will surely pick a fight with you!"

Yuwen Che hesitated, then nodded and headed back the way he came.

"Miss, why did you send His Highness away? Weren’t you happy to see him?" Jin Ning asked in confusion.

"I was very happy," Feng Xiaoli replied, breaking into a broad grin. "Didn’t you see me smiling just now?"

Through Jin Ning’s figure, Feng Xiaoli saw Yuwen Hao approaching with Mu Xinmi. Many people greeted them as they passed; if not for the Emperor’s decree, she would never have become the Crown Princess. Mu Xinmi’s blissful expression was truly enviable.

Many officials knew about Feng Xiaoli’s betrothal to Yuwen Hao, and that she was the prince’s intended Crown Princess. Yet, judging by Yuwen Hao’s current attitude toward Mu Xinmi, it seemed likely she might become his secondary consort. Yuwen Hao had just turned twenty-one and was still unmarried, without even a concubine. Everyone could see his affection for Mu Xinmi, but none could discern how he truly felt about Feng Xiaoli. It was no wonder; the news from Prince Chun’s residence had been tightly sealed, and only Empress Yuanmin, Yuwen Hao, and Yuwen Che’s appearance there became known.

But most were well aware of Feng Xiaoli’s daring act of flinging the imperial edict aside. She had not sought to hide what she’d done; on the contrary, she seemed intent on broadcasting her unwillingness to marry Yuwen Hao, as if to deliberately slight the royal family—just as Yuwen Hao himself had said in the prince’s residence.

But what did it matter to her?

Alas, it was Prince Chun who suffered most. With only Feng Xiaoli as his daughter and no sons, he had to manage everything personally. Though he had many subordinates, audiences with the Emperor could not be delegated.

Before the Emperor, he could not plainly state his wishes, only skirt around the issue, though the Emperor clearly knew what he meant, yet feigned ignorance, claiming old age and tiredness, leaving the prince no choice but to endure.

"By the way, Jin Ning, what’s the occasion today? Why has His Majesty found time to host a feast? It isn’t Yuwen Hao’s wedding, nor Yuwen Che’s coming-of-age, nor the return of some general. What’s so special today?"

"Miss, I can’t blame you for forgetting. Truly, I can’t," Jin Ning replied, somewhat sympathetically. Ah, when will Miss regain her memory?

Feng Xiaoli rolled her eyes.

Jin Ning sighed. "Today is the Emperor’s birthday!"

Feng Xiaoli nearly spat out her tea in shock. She genuinely had no idea—why hadn’t she heard anything? That wretched old man had kept her locked in the residence for days; who knew what he was scheming.

"Damn that old man!"

A few black lines seemed to streak down the back of Jin Ning’s head, but after days together, she was immune to Feng Xiaoli’s complaints.

She repeated Prince Chun’s words verbatim: "The prince said, ‘Ah Li has never liked banquets. If I told her in advance about the Emperor’s birthday, she’d pack up and leave without a second thought. I don’t want her to go so soon, so Jin Ning, you must keep silent in front of her.’"

"The old man knew I’d run away?"

"He also said, ‘Ah Li hasn’t left yet only because she can’t bear to leave me, but if she learned of the Emperor’s birthday, she’d depart immediately!’"

Feng Xiaoli spat out her tea again, exasperated. How could that old man boast so shamelessly? Yue Wanqing never went so far; how had she corrupted Prince Chun as well?

"Oh, there’s one more thing!"

"Go on, tell me!"

"Envoys from all the neighboring countries will be attending!"

Feng Xiaoli pressed a hand to her forehead; she sensed Jin Ning wasn’t finished, and that the old man had further motives.

"The prince also said, ‘Ah Li’s temperament is such that she’s bound to offend people the moment she opens her mouth. Only those as ill-matched as she is can tolerate her, so rather than risk her causing an incident when the envoys come to Huaijing, better to keep her locked up!’" Jin Ning mimicked the prince’s manner to perfection.

Feng Xiaoli ground her teeth in frustration, forcing a smile more wretched than tears, her face shifting from white to blue to red, and finally to black. Jin Ning trembled at the sight, wondering if she had said something wrong—otherwise, why would her mistress react so violently? Watching the teacup in her mistress’s hand nearly shatter, and hearing the bones in her grip creak, Jin Ning silently pleaded: Miss, please set down the teacup, or you’ll frighten me to death!

"The Emperor arrives! Empress Yuanmin arrives!"