Chapter 71
Chapter 71
A Disturbance in the Winds (2)
Rong Qin looked at Zheng Wan’s mouth that was pursed so tightly that one could almost place two oil bottles on it, then covered her lips and smiled.
“It’s just a bit more money spent on clothes.”
She expected that this concubine-born lady who lived in the State Preceptor’s residence would have little money for clothes, and that the State Preceptor would obviously not be thinking about such things. This left Zheng Wan, but she probably wished more than anything that Liu would have no clothes to wear, and would even less likely speak up for her.
Rong Qin then got someone to send her a few sets of clothing that resembled Zheng Wan’s newly made ones, so as to make that little concubine-born shed tears of gratitude towards her. Then, she gave her some advice before the banquet, reminding her to dress according to her instructions—look, aren’t they both dressed alike now?
Wasn’t Zheng Wan a proud person? As the foremost noble lady of the dynasty, wouldn’t she be ashamed to be wearing the same clothes as a concubine-born at an imperial banquet?
If she starts a scene with that concubine-born at the banquet, and the State Preceptor happened to witness it, then abandon her, it would also be such a wonderful thing.
But unfortunately, Zheng Wan was able to hold her temper better than she had thought. She simply cast a cold glance towards that little concubine-born, then made nary a sound
“How boring.”
Rong Qin poured herself a drink, turned and saw the crown prince staring helplessly at that person as he downed cup after cup to drown his sorrows, and couldn’t help but let out a snort.
“Brother Crown Prince, stop looking. Any more and your eyes are going to roll out and fall into her lap.”
“Just one look, it doesn’t really matter.”
The prince said despondently.
“If Brother Crown Prince continues to be like this, when the State Preceptor sees this later on, there would be no telling what might happen.”
The vexations that Rong Qin brought upon Zheng Wan were only over petty issues. Even if that Wan’niang was shameless enough to complain, the State Preceptor would most likely not be concerned about such trivial matters as girls “wearing the same clothes as each other”.
But the crown prince was different.
He was clearly still lovelorn and missed her greatly.
“I thought, Ah Qin, that you feared nothing in this world.”
The crown prince said with an ironic laugh. Recently, Huai Wang and Jin Wang had made a lot of petty manoeuvres; then, he had provoked his Imperial Father’s displeasure and had been repeatedly reprimanded. He was already feeling unhappy, and when he heard Rong Qin’s words, he drank even more quickly.
“Ah Qin is still afraid of death.”
Rong Qin rolled her eyes.
“But I noticed the other day that it’s not like you don’t harbour any intentions towards the State Preceptor.”
The prince said quietly.
“Brother Crown Prince is wrong. May I ask, amongst all the unmarried daughters in our Great Liang, is there one that doesn’t admire a person such as the State Preceptor? With those heavenly good looks that can transcend the heavens——”
At this moment, outside the window, a snow-white horse crossed the skies. It brought with it a magnificent heavenly light that penetrated the entire night sky.
Almost everyone in the palace lifted their eyes and looked out.
But the white burst of light that sliced through the black curtain of the night was so sudden and violent that it almost blinded their eyes.
Zheng Wan couldn’t refrain from standing. The wine cups on the table spun and fell to the ground and shattered with a crash; the wine splashed out, and a few drops splattered on her pink gauze fabric.
But no one noticed, not even she herself.
She clutched the Phoenix Jade around her neck in a deathly grip. She could only feel that the heart in her chest was pounding wildly, as if it was being clenched tightly by someone else, and she was unable to catch her breath for a long time.
When she managed to breathe again, she had already broken out in a sweat all over. Rong Yi was called out to her softly in her ear, “Wan’niang, Wan’niang……”
Zheng Wan returned to her senses; her face was whiter than ever.
Luodai asked, “My lady, were you having heart palpitations again?”
She shook her head, then nodded; she wasn’t quite sure of it herself, but only felt that at that moment, it felt as if a flash of sword light had penetrated her. Before that heavenly light, her life had been taken by an overwhelming sword intent.
The ground was cold, the wilderness was dim and foggy, and her blood was still warm.
“I’m afraid my lady had a nightmare; why not go take a short rest at the dressing room?”
Luodai couldn’t help offering a suggestion when she saw her bewildered uncertainty and her alarmed expression.
Zheng Wan nodded, and dazedly let Luodai lead her away by the hand. She…… did have a nightmare.
The force of that sword’s blow through her had been too vivid and chilling, making her entire body still feeling cold; she felt as if her blood was about to be frozen.