Chapter 194 - Uncle, Can You Let Us Have a Look at Her?
Chapter 194 Uncle, Can You Let Us Have a Look at Her?
Ning Xueyan was really helpless now. She had a hard time getting rid of Heng Yuqing. No sooner had she crossed a path than she saw Eunuch Zhu, who worked for Ao Chenyi, waiting. He took her into a courtyard. After changing her clothes in the room, they walked out from the back door. Now she had dressed up as same as the woman in veil.
On the other hand, the woman in veil had put on an ordinary palace maid's clothes and mingled with the crowd.
After getting everything ready, Eunuch Zhu took Ning Xueyan to the seat next to Ao Chenyi.
Ao Chenyi and the two princes had the highest status among all the gentlemen present.
But the two princes were his juniors. Therefore, he was at the first table alone, and Third Prince and Fourth Prince were at the second table, which was lowered than his. Several noble Princely Heirs were at the third table. Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was sitting at the third table and looking at the female guests breezily.
His lovely charming eyes were filled with appreciation of the beautiful Young Ladies.
Being stared by such a man, who was even as beautiful as a woman, all the Young Ladies, no matter if they knew him or not, blushed shyly. They wanted to look at him, but felt embarrassed to do so.
People in the capital all knew that Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was extremely beautiful, and he was the most well-known charming man. Except for Prince Yi, Ao Chenyi, no other man was more attractive than him in terms of appearance. But nobody dared discuss Prince Yi's appearance. Even though he was unbelievable handsome, he was as cold and cruel as Asura who came from the hell. Who dared look at a handsome, cold-blooded demon?
When Ning Xueyan passed by Wen Xueran, she saw him blinking his eyes and flirting with a Young Lady, who was enjoying the plum blossoms not far away. He was in a good mood and shook his fan when he saw that Young Lady blush shyly. Then he turned his head and made eyes at another beautiful lady who was looking at him secretly.
He was busy flirting with those women, and seemed to be enjoying it.
All the women would blush while being sized up by a beautiful and romantic man, who showed great interest in her.
Suddenly, Wen Xueran stopped shaking his fan and turned his head to look at Ning Xueyan, his lovely charming eyes shining. But soon, he became a little serious and sized up Ning Xueyan with interest. Although in the veil, Ning Xueyan could see him smile at her, extremely charmingly.
The Princely Heir of Commandery Prince Min was really bold, and he even dared to seduce Ao Chenyi's 'favorite concubine' to his face!
Ning Xueyan pretended that she did not see anything. She walked to Ao Chenyi gracefully, under the gazes of other people.
She wore a light black skirt, with a few beautiful peonies embroidered on the hem. Her jacket was made of gauze of the same color, and her face was under a veil. People could only vaguely saw a pair of beautiful eyes under the veil. They knew that she must be a beautiful woman, and they became very curious about the appearance of the 'favorite concubine' of Prince Yi.
In spite of this, nobody dared to talk to her. Only Wen Xueran, was still making eyes at her. It seemed he did not think it was a big deal.
Ning Xueyan did not know whether he was too insensitive, or he was used to flirting with women, and did this subconsciously.
She came to Ao Chenyi's side and was about to sit down. She did not feel any pressure to pretend to his favorite concubine.
She had observed that 'favorite concubine' carefully just now when she was at the female guest zone. She found it quite simple to be Ao Chenyi's 'favorite concubine'. What she needed to do was sitting beside him, said and did nothing, just like a log.
Ao Chenyi did not want the emperor to designate any women to him, so he should only take her as an excuse. It was enough that people knew he had already had a 'favorite concubine'.
But to her surprise, before she could take a seat, Prince Yi who was lazily leaning against the armchair suddenly reached out, and intimately brushed off a plum blossom from her hair with his fingers. Then he turned his palm and pulled her into his arms. Ning Xueyan looked at him, eyes full of disbelief.
Ning Xueyan had no preparation at all. She tripped over her feet and slammed into his arms. Looking from where other people were, she was throwing herself into Prince Yi's arms on her own initiative. Now they knew why she could become the favorite concubine of the cold-blooded Prince Yi. An ordinary man might not get used to her wild behavior. Some people gave a knowing smile and looked in their direction secretly.
The chair was big enough to hold both of them. Besides, Ning Xueyan could only be taken as sitting on the thigh of Ao Chenyi. Her waist was firmly held by his arms, and she could only lean against his chest, without being able to move. She knew at such a moment, she should not struggle.
Leaning against his broad chest, she could sense his cold aura. This man's blood was really cold!
With a woman in his arms, he still breathed smoothly, without any fluctuation.
Ning Xueyan was so angry that she really wanted to bite him, but she also wanted to know what he would do next. Fortunately, she was all wrapped up. Otherwise, she would feel too humiliating to face people.
He was such an arrogant man! How could he be so intimate with her in front of people without her permission?
But Ning Xueyan knew that even if she did not agree, Prince Yi would not change his mind. Therefore, after moving slightly a little to show her disapproval, Ning Xueyan buried her head in his arms and comforted herself, "Nobody knows who I am, so it's unnecessary to feel embarrassed."
Although Ning Xueyan was clam, she was only a teenage girl who had not gotten married. Being firmly held by a man in front of so many people for the first time, she could not help but feel uneasy. She told herself not to care about this repeatedly, but her heart still beat faster.
In her last life, Xia Yuhang and she were an unmarried couple, but they both followed the code of ethics, and had not even touch each other's hands. She had never been so imitated with a man like this, and she felt a buzz in her head. Like the most beautiful music, the low, magnetic laughter in her ears made her dizzy. She clenched her fist subconsciously.
"Uncle, you really love... so much. I'm surprised that after so long time, your love for her hasn't changed at all." Third Prince, Ao Mingyu's voice suddenly rang out. It made Ning Xueyan sober. She could not help but listen carefully. Now she knew why Ao Chenyi had suddenly pulled her into his arms.
Ao Mingyu did not know what to call the 'favorite concubine' of Ao Chenyi, so he addressed her title vaguely when he spoke. He smiled and sized Ning Xueyan up secretly. He felt that Ao Chenyi's favorite concubine seemed to be too stiff today, and she might have something wrong. But before he could think it over, the woman had resumed her intimacy with Ao Chenyi.
Could that because his mother and Honored Consort Shu had been here, she abided forms of etiquette and showed no intimacy with Ao Chenyi?
It seemed that Ao Chenyi loved this woman from his heart. Then it was important to find out her background.
"I'm an affectionate person!" Ao Chenyi always spoke as concise as possible. Although Ao Mingyu could not see any affection on Ao Chenyi's face, anyway, it was his first time to take a woman to an imperial party, so it was no ordinary.
"Uncle, all the Young Ladies on the party are daughters of high-rank officials. Do you like any of them?" Fourth Prince, Ao Mingwan asked with a smile. He and Third Prince were on the same site in terms of dealing with Ao Chenyi. Since Ao Chenyi took this woman so seriously, if she knew that Ao Chenyi came here to choose a concubine, she would be annoyed. After all, women were jealous.
He also heard that Prince Yi had quarreled with his favorite concubine once. It had happened the time when the emperor ordered people to send beautiful ladies to the Prince Yi's Manor. It showed that this woman was a person of jealous.
"They're not pretty!" Ao Chenyi held Ning Xueyan with one hand, and held up the wine glass with the other one. He took a sip of the wine and said slowly.
"Not pretty?!" The noble childes present almost dropped their jaws. If these Young Ladies were not beautiful, they could not imagine what kind of woman could be taken as beautiful in Prince Yi's eyes. If someone else spoke in this way, the others might protest him. But since the words came out from Prince Yi's mouth, they could only express their disdain secretly, but dared not to say anything to his face.
"So this lady must be more beautiful than all the other Young Ladies. Uncle, could you let us have a look at her?" Ao Mingyu asked, smiling.
He believed that if he saw the face of the woman, he would be able to find out who she was. Maybe she would be useful to him. By now, he did not hear that any woman could be intimate with Ao Chenyi. The women sent by him or the emperor could not even approach Ao Chenyi, let alone be intimate with him.
He had thought that Ao Chenyi was not interested in women at all. Now it seemed it was not that case!
Besides, he was Third Prince. He did not believe that Ao Chenyi would refuse a prince's request in front of so many people!
However, to his surprise, Ao Chenyi did not care about his feeling at all, and refused him straightly.
"No!" Prince Yi answered briefly, his eyes charming and mysterious, but when they looked at people, everyone could not help but feel chilly. "How can anyone see my favorite concubine easily?"
Third Prince blushed with embarrassment. He was the prince who was most popular among the officials. How embarrassing to be refused in front of so many people!
"Uncle, how can we see her face?" Ao Mingyu asked with a smile, holding back his anger. He believed that if he paid a high price, he could have any woman under his control. Furthermore, she was only a concubine.
"Would you like to see Third Prince?" Ao Chenyi suddenly asked with a sly smile. He looked at Ao Mingyu, who determined to see his favorite concubine's face, and pattered Ning Xueyan on the shoulder. He asked her gently with a smile, as if he respected her very much and was asking her permission. But Ning Xueyan did not think that way, and she gritted her teeth at anger.
How could she speak at this moment? She was worried that someone would recognize her if she uttered a word. The coquettish Princely Heir, Wen Xueran, was looking at her with a mysterious smile. She reminded herself to be more careful.
She wondered why Ao Mingyu had not made such a request when the former 'favorite concubine' was here, and now he was raising difficulties when it was her turn to act as the 'favorite concubine'.
So annoying!
She could not ignore Ao Mingyu's request. Ao Chenyi could say 'NO' to Ao Mingyu, because he was the latter's elder who was extremely powerful. But who she was acting was an only humble favorite concubine. In any case, she could not, and dared not ignore Ao Mingyu.
But how could she neither expose herself, nor embarrass Ao Mingyu?