Chapter 142: Dragon Boat Race (1)
Murong Xue blinked, “But I’m only fourteen years old. Isn’t it too early to find a man?” In modern society, she was only a middle school student.
“Of course not. Women in Qingyan usually get engaged at the age of 12 or 13 and get married when they reach 15. You are 14 now. Even you don’t get married, at least you can get engaged first!” said Ouyang Shaochen.
Getting engaged? But she had just cancelled the engagement with Ye Yichen and hadn’t had a few days’ free life. And now getting engaged again? Then she had to stay in her own boudoir and embroider her own bottom drawer until the day she got married? Such a boring life was the last thing she wanted!
Murong Xue pursed her lips and said slowly, “I don’t wanna get engaged. I plan to wander around the capital. If I am lucky enough to meet a keeper, then I’m gonna marry him directly. But if I am not lucky enough, I’m gonna stay single as always…”
“So you mean you haven’t met your keeper yet?” muttered Ouyang Shaochen, then he raised his head and looked at Murong Xue with that pair of sunken eyes as dark as a pool, like they were going to suck in everything.
Murong Xue’s eyelid twitched abruptly, she then nodded subconsciously.
Ouyang Shaochen’s pretty face immediately darkened, “Then be a single lady for your whole life!” He said those word by word while gritting his teeth. He flipped with his tiptoe and jumped into the sky, then flew out of the mansion without turning back.
Watching him fly away, Murong Xue got evidently confused, “Did I say something wrong?”
“You said nothing wrong, but a little stupid. Didn’t you get what he was saying?” A sigh came from the dark. Murong Xue turned around and saw a young man standing under the tree. He was wearing an ebony black cotton robe with the neckline embroidered with exquisite flowers slightly open. And that evil but pretty face could even take one’s breath away. That was Mu Liufeng from Duke’s Mansion.
He was looking at her with a fake smile. Some kind of teasing could be told from his glittering eyes, which made Murong Xue steamed up, “Mu Liufeng, you are stupid!”
“At least I understand what Ouyang Shaochen means, but you don’t.” Mu Loufeng heaved a long sigh, then curled up his lips to put on a bitchy smile.
Murong Xue’s pretty face immediately darkened. Ouyang Shaochen wanted her to get married. Of course she got him.
Mu Liufeng was Ouyang Shaochen’s best friend, of course he would speak for him. So she ain’t in no mood to argue with him, “Mu Liufeng, what are you doing here?”
“To invite to watch the dragon boat race!” said Mu Liufeng smiling. Then he opened his folding fan and fanned himself lightly once in a while.
Murong Xue was confused, “Dragon boat race?”
“Yeah. It’s the Dragon Boat Festival tomorrow. All folks of the capital, civil and military officials, even His Majesty and the Empress will go watch it by the lake. Quite a scene…” Mu Liufeng was in the mood, so he tried to explain to her, “My family has a pleasure boat on the lake. If you are interested, we can take it to have some fun around the lake…”
Murong Xue nodded. The original owner of this body had already been weak. So in her last few years, she had been staying in the Falling Snow Pavilion and never had a chance to watch the dragon boat festival, neither had she actually.
After she came to Qingyan, she was a lot better. So recreational activities like eating zongzi, watching dragon boat race, etc., she would never miss any of them, “What will the dragon boat race begin?”
“Nine to eleven in the morning.” said Mu Liufeng smilingly, with his eyes glittering, “I will pick you up then…”
“No, thanks. I can go by myself.” Murong Xue shook her head with a smile. Skywatrer Lake was in the city, not very far from her mansion. She could take a carriage.
“It’s getting late. I should go make some preparations. Suit yourself!” Speaking of which, Murong Xue jumped off the tree and walked away along the bluestone road.
Watching her fade away, the smile on Mu Liufeng’s face froze. Here was the Marquis Mansion. How would he suit himself? She was just making an expulsion order! Having stayed with Ouyang Shaochen for too long, Murong Xue had become a little black bellied now. Every word she said meant more that the word itself. He who lives with cripples learn to limp!
But Murong Xue was too young to know anything about relationship. So Ouyang Shaochen had a long way to go. As black bellied as he was, he finally met a rival in his life. Life wouldn’t be so easy for him as before! Today he left with anger. See how he would react after seeing Murong Xue tomorrow.
While Mu Liufeng was still drowning in schadenfreude, it was already the next day.
After having dinner, Murong Xue took the carriage and went to Skywater Lake.
Skywater Lake lied in the southwest of the capital. It stretched to the horizon. Seen from afar, it seemed like the water and the sky were united. So people named it Skywater Lake.
When Murong Xue arrived by the lake, it was already parked all kinds of extravagant carriages. Those civil and military officials and their families were talking and laughing while walking to the lake. Right ahead was a huge platform above the lake, in the center of which was placed the seats of the emperor and the empress. Below it was numerous smaller seats for those officials and their families.
Murong Xue stepped off the carriage and followed the crowd. Suddenly a familiar female voice was heard somewhere, “, Xue’er my cousin, don’t you always like staying at home? What brings you here?”
Murong Xue followed the source of the sound and saw Song Qingyan was walking toward her gracefully and slowly under the support of her maid. She was wearing a plum purple floor-length gown which revealed her hourglass figure. On that comely face was covered a thick layer of pearl powder, hiding the bruise but not the hatred glittering in her eyes.
“The dragon boat race is held once a year. I like it, so I am here.” said Murong Xue casually and then turned around and kept walking.
Song Qingyan immediately pulled her face, with only hate in her eyes, thinking, “Bitch! You should feel honored that I talked to you first! How dare you mock me? You are so dead. But today it’s my turn to mock you!”
“Xue’er my cousin, I’m glad you can come today. But your seat is not there in the front, but in the southeast session…”
Murong Xue blinked her eyes, then stopped and turned to Song Qingyan, “What do you mean?” She was the daughter of the Marquis Mansion. Her seat should be in the front.
Song Qingyan smiled, “Only those officials in the court and their families have the right to sit in the front. You have cancelled your engagement with Prince Jing, and your only elder brother doesn’t serve in the court. Even if you are the daughter of the Marquis Mansion, you are no family of any official in the court. So of course there’s no seat there for you…”
“Daughter of the Marquis Mansion? Prince Ouyang likes you? So what? You still have no right to sit in the front. This time I finally got you humiliated in front of everyone!” thought Song Qingyan…