Chapter 11- Paying respects to the dead on the day of marriage
Prince Jing Mansion
Xu Tianyou looked at the pile of expensive ebony trunks in the courtyard and raised his eyebrows – Murong Xue actually refused and returned the bride’s price, sweeping Prince Jing’s face to the ground. How arrogant!
His cold gaze swept towards the servants who were carrying the trunks and saw their bruised faces. He didn’t understand and asked, “You’ve only carried the bride’s price to the Marquis’ Mansion. How is it that you all are injured?”
“Answering your question Mr Xu, Murong Young Mistress was angry that the Prince is forcing the marriage and ordered the guards of Mansion to chase us away. We couldn’t avoid in time and were injured.” The servant quietly said respectfully.
Xu Tianyou narrowed his sharp eyes, “Is it Murong Xue that personally ordered that?”
“Yes, sir.” The servant nodded his head, paused and then carefully said, “Seneschal Wang also had 2 teeth knocked out by Murong Xue.
“Really?” Xu Tianyou looked towards Seneschal Wang in surprise only to see him tighten his lip without a word. His sullen face showing that the servant was telling the truth.
Seneschal Wang had been taking care of Prince Jing since young and is deeply trusted by Prince Jing. Prince Jing’s advisors and staff and even friends are all respectful towards Seneschal Wang. Murong Xue actually dared to hit him? How arrogant and stupid! However, “Murong Xue is well-known for being gentle. How is it that she’s suddenly become so aggressive? Unless she’s trying to attract his Highness’ attention?”
“I don’t think so!” Ye Yichen walked out of the study, wearing loose purple long robes, long and elegant. His gold and purple crown reflecting brightly under the bright sunlight, complementing his unbelievably handsome appearance, “If Murong Xue is trying to attract my attention, she only needs to do things related to me. There wouldn’t be a need to cut off all five of your brother’s fingers.”
“What? Murong Xue cut off Tianan’s fingers!” Xu Tianyou was shocked and his face turned scarily black, “When did this happen?”
“Not long after the welcome feast ended, Murong Xue gambled with your brother in the coliseum. Your brother lost.” Ye Yichen lightly described.
Xu Tianyou gritted his teeth in anger after hearing about it. Fighting in animals in the coliseum usually uses money and precious items, or silk cloth, or antiques and paintings as stakes. Murong Xue actually gambled on fingers and really chopped them off making Tianan handicapped. What a bully! “Your Highness, Murong Xue is only pretending to be kind and gentle. The real her is arrogant and ruthless. This type of person will not be a good match.”
“I know. I have never thought of letting her be first wife,” Ye Yichen eyes were cold.
Upon hearing that, the shadows under Xu Tianyou’s eyes half dissipated. The Prince likes Princess Yuyan; he was being overly worried. “Then what should we do about the wedding three days later?”
“No need to make it big but definitely need to make sure that everyone knows. Invite all court officials and their families to the wedding celebrations and prepare a pink small sedan chair to carry her in…” Ye Yichen instructed in an orderly fashion.
Xu Tianyou eyes turned brighter as he heard more and more. The Prince’s concubine can sit on a four-person wedding sedan chair into the Mansion. The Prince actually is giving her a pink small sedan chair – obviously he wants to humiliate her, bully her. That’s a real concubine and is the lowest of rank in the Prince’s Mansion.
Murong Xue is so arrogant and refuses to be concubine. The Prince then demotes her to the lowest of concubines and step her into the mud, making her lost face in front of the all the court officials and suffer the disdain of the public. Let’s see how arrogant she can be then!
Murong Xue doesn’t know her abilities and time and again provoked Prince Jing. This is her best outcome. He can’t wait to see Murong Xue lowly like dirt and pathetic look.
The sun was bright, birds chirping and flowers blooming.
Murong Xue washed up and ate breakfast before slowly walking out of Ruoxue Court.
These three days, she had been staying in the treasury store in the main courtyard auditing her mother’s dowry. She had only finished doing so at 9pm last night. Including the three and a half trunks of jewelries, there was not an item missing; she can finally rest and breathe some fresh air.
Opening the door, she saw Murong Ye standing just outside pacing back and forth, his handsome with a slightly immature air was filled with worry. “Brother, what has happened?”
Murong Ye halted and looked at her confused before he signed heavily, “Today is the day Ye Yichen is preparing to take you as his concubine. How are you not anxious?”
“I am not going to enter Prince Jing’s Household as concubine, what is there to be anxious about? Can he force me to get married?” Murong Xue was not flustered and walked passed Murong Ye leisurely.
Murong Ye followed behind her closely. His eyes like black jade flashed an uncommon severity, “Ye Yichen has achieved a lot and holds the reins to the army. Even the Emperor’s princes give way to him. He could really force the marriage.”
Murong Xue tutted lightly, “Even if he dares to force me to marry, we have to give him a chance before he can success. If we are not in the Marquis’ Mansion, even if he carries the marriage sedan chair, he will have to return empty-handed.”
Murong Ye was stunned and stared closely at Murong Xue. She was wearing a dress that was white. Her black hair was only tied up loosely using a white jade pin. She wasn’t wearing earrings or jade bangles. The light breeze picked up the hems of her dress making her look like a fairy who was going to ride the wind. “Sister, why are you dressed like that?”
Murong Xue laughed lightly, “I am going to the ancestral cemetery to pray to our parents and grandfather. Of course I have wear simply.”
“Ah!” Murong Ye only then realized that Hongxiu and Anxiang were each holding a basket filled with paper taels, joss sticks and other items needed for prayers.
“Do you want to come along?” Murong Xue softly asked.
“Yes, yes!” Murong Xue nodded his head heavily. Ye Yichen is a powerful man. He had also sent out invitations to everyone, inviting all court officials and their family to attend his concubinage feast. Even if he cannot marry his sister, he will definitely not give up easily!
He is young and without much talent, and wouldn’t be able to oppose Ye Yichen. But before nightfall, he will stay by his sister’s side and protect her.
Murong family’s ancestral cemetery was located in the countryside and off the main road. After Murong Xue and Murong Ye got off the carriage along the side of the main road, they walked to the ancestral cemetery.
Lighting the joss sticks and putting it in front of the combined tomb of Murong Ye and wife, Murong Xue started to burn the paper money. In life they were together, in death they lay together; this couple is really loving. She can only hope that in their next life they will lead a good one, in peace and happiness for their whole life.
Murong Ye took the other basket to the Old Marquis’ tombstone and set up the joss sticks and prayer offerings. In the past, he will only come here to give offerings during festivals or the new year. This is really the first he has come here without no purpose to provide offerings and burn paper money…
“Ping ping ping ping!” Faint fighting sounds travelled into their ears and interrupted Murong Ye’s thoughts. He frowned, puzzled, and looked towards the source, “What happened?”
To protect his sister, he had brought twenty over guards when they left the Mansion and had asked that they guard the surrounding area. It was only just peaceful and quiet. Why has fighting suddenly start? The countryside of the Capital always has officers patrolling. He has never heard of any bandits and robbers.
“Nothing!” Following the cold answer, a young man strode out of the woods. He was wearing a formal red wedding clothes; his posture tall like an oak tree, handsome face cool like ice, sharp eyes like the stars. It was Prince Jing – Ye Yichen!