La pluie écarlate submerge la ville

Chapitre 20

"Bao'er." The Queen looked at him and me gently and beckoned, "Look how anxious you are. There are plenty of beauties out there. Come here quickly."

"No!" The little prince clung to my arm, gazing at me longingly. "I only want that beauty, I don't want anyone else!"

Those small, teary eyes were so full of love as she clung to my arm and shook it, crying, "Where's my beauty? Where's my beauty?"

King Licheng burst into hearty laughter, which startled me. He said with a smile, "It seems Bao'er really likes Xiao Su from the Saluo Sect! As expected of my son, he has good taste!"

Your son has his eye on someone far beyond me, a mere candidate for protector; he's chosen the young master of the Demonic Sect! You have excellent taste!

Although it was a misunderstanding, in order to get close to the little prince and rescue the young master, I still smiled shyly as a professional. But when I glanced at the leader's expressionless face, I instinctively restrained myself.

"Where is the beauty? Where is the beauty?" the little prince kept shaking me.

I leaned close to the little prince's ear and whispered, "Little Fatty... Little Prince, if you choose me, I'll take you to see a beauty tonight."

"Really?" The little prince looked at me expectantly. "You always lie to me..."

"Not this time," I said confidently. "I swear." Then I smiled shyly.

The little prince nodded with some doubt, then pulled me to the front of the palace and said, "Father, let's marry her, let's marry her."

I covered my face with a shy blush, and through my fingers I saw Luo Ziyi standing there dumbfounded, clearly still not recovered from the fact that the little prince was a fatso.

King Licheng readily agreed, saying that he would do as the little prince wished.

Just as I was about to thank the emperor, the beautiful queen suddenly spoke up, saying, "I think this decision is too hasty."

Twenty-three

"I think this decision is too hasty," the Queen said softly, her eyes smiling at me with a subtle, knowing smile.

I didn't expect the Queen to speak up and stop me.

Then the King of Licheng asked with slight surprise, "Does the Queen think it's inappropriate?"

The Queen smiled and nodded at him, poured a cup of wine and handed it to the King of Licheng, saying, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten about Princess Jinglian of Xiaoye Kingdom? It is too unreasonable to make such a hasty decision."

The King of Licheng nodded thoughtfully. "The Queen is right, but didn't the lady-in-waiting report that the princess of Xiaoye Kingdom is missing?"

The Queen smiled with her head bowed and eyes downcast. "I sent people out of the city long ago to inform the wedding procession from Xiaoye Kingdom. I suppose they have already sent Princess Jinglian here."

That silly princess actually went back and walked right into the trap...

The Queen patted the back of her hand affectionately, laughing so hard her fleshy muscles trembled, "Your Majesty is so thoughtful."

I froze on the spot. I never expected that the King of Licheng would be a man who was afraid of his wife... I was left speechless by the Queen's two casual words.

How could I be discouraged? I secretly tugged at the little prince's sleeve, signaling him to keep making a fuss, but he just glanced at me, completely oblivious to my meaning.

"Bao'er," the Queen said with a smile, beckoning to the little prince, "come here quickly, don't bother Miss Su."

"How could that be!" I quickly grabbed the little prince's sleeve and said shyly, "I really like Prince Baoze."

Someone nearby chuckled sarcastically. I turned my head and saw Gu Shaoting holding a wine cup, making a veiled insult, saying, "Shameless."

The leader only looked at the amber wine on her pale fingers, and didn't look at me.

Since he didn't mention his name, I naturally ignored him and smiled calmly at Lu Mingxiu behind him. The young boy was so frightened by me that he blushed and dared not look at me.

The little prince was still staring at me blankly, not knowing what to do.

Then the Queen said calmly, "Bao'er, be good. Miss Su still has talents to show. You should come back and sit quietly. Your father will arrange it after the banquet."

The little prince's eyes lit up, and he bargained, "Then I want that beauty!"

"Alright." The Queen smiled gently and virtuously, then beckoned to him, "Bao'er, you can marry whichever one you like, okay?"

The little prince immediately beamed with joy, ran over contentedly, and snuggled into the queen's arms.

I couldn't even stop him, that fickle, heartless man! He just dumped me like that! I looked at him resentfully, and the Prince of Licheng laughed heartily, "Su Xie, you may begin. What performance do you wish to give?"

What kind of art is this... I stiffened my back and grinned foolishly at the King of Licheng.

"Singing and dancing?" he asked me, "or playing musical instruments?"

I twitched my lips and said tactfully, "These... I'm not very good at."

The King of Licheng asked again in a very kind manner, "Then what are you proficient in? Show it to me."

The handkerchief I was carrying felt rather heavy. I glanced at the Alliance Leader, whose expression was utterly indifferent. I felt it would be humiliating to embarrass myself in front of him, and was pondering whether to change it when Luo Ziyi beside me said slyly, "Miss Su knows how to embroider." She glanced at me, "Why doesn't Miss Su show it to the Prince of Licheng?"

How utterly insidious! Her trick actually put me at ease; my embroidery skills are passable, you know. I pulled a white handkerchief from my robes and handed it to the lady-in-waiting, saying, "Time was short, please excuse my poor work."

The female official presented a handkerchief to the King of Licheng.

I was a little nervous as I watched the King of Licheng pick up the handkerchief, examine the two colorful butterflies on it closely, his brows furrowed, and then hand it to the Queen for a look.

The Queen smiled gently as she finished, praising, "Miss Su's embroidery of the two moths is quite nice."

Butterflies! There are two butterflies! How hard it is to tell them apart!

My heart is broken.

The little prince muttered, as if he were still half-dead, "What an ugly, fat moth."

How dare you laugh at someone for being fat! I hate him terribly.

The Prince of Licheng, holding the handkerchief, hesitated for a moment before finally saying tentatively, "Hmm... what does this moth mean?"

What does it mean? What could it mean? They're clearly two butterflies...

"Does it mean..." I pondered carefully, then put on a smile and said, "These two moths mean... that I love Prince Baoze like a moth drawn to a flame, willing to do anything!"

I think my reason must be very touching. I was even a little moved myself. I spoke with great conviction and deep emotion.

Everyone in the room was looking at me with varying expressions, except for the Prince of Licheng, who laughed heartily and said, "What a wonderful example of a moth drawn to a flame, willing to do anything! I heard from the lady-in-waiting that you saw Bao'er this afternoon. So you've been deeply in love with Bao'er all along!"

"Hmm... love at first sight..." I forced a smile, feeling genuinely unable to look at the expressions on other people's faces. Haven't they ever seen someone blatantly lying? Why were they so surprised and disdainful?

Just as I was about to express my shyness, I suddenly heard the leader's deep and quiet voice.

"Your Majesty, may I borrow your handkerchief to take a look?"

My heart skipped a beat. I looked up and saw the King of Licheng handing the handkerchief to the Alliance Leader. On a whim, I moved faster and stepped forward to pull the handkerchief back.

The leader of the alliance, however, pulled his fingers back and held onto the small, plain handkerchief. We each held one corner, neither of us willing to let go, and two plump butterflies were displayed under the bright lamplight.

His deep, well-like eyes looked at the handkerchief, then at me, without a ripple of emotion, only profound and quiet. "Was this moth embroidered by Miss Su herself?"

Those eyes made me inexplicably afraid to look directly at them. The man with the dead head tugged at his handkerchief desperately, saying, "This is a token of love from Su Xiexiu to Prince Baoze. I hope the Alliance Leader will forgive me..." I looked up, gritted my teeth, and whispered, "Let go!"

He still wouldn't let go, staring intently at me, his gaze deep and heavy. "The moth embroidered by Miss Su is extremely similar to one embroidered by an old friend of mine..."

"There are countless people in the world who know how to embroider moths; it's just a coincidence!" I categorically denied.

He said in a very low voice, "But there aren't many people who like to use red thread for wings and green thread for belly, are there?" He looked down at me, "She doesn't know how to tie knots either, and every knot she ties is a mess."

My heart was pounding wildly, like a hundred thunderclaps, and my fingers were trembling. I never dared to imagine that he would remember so carefully. I am clumsy with my hands, and I learned every stitch and thread with utmost care back then, afraid that he would find it distasteful. In the end... I never gave it to him.

He looked at me and told me that every knot was embroidered haphazardly. In that instant, I panicked and didn't know how to defend myself.

The King of Licheng suddenly patted the Alliance Leader on the shoulder and laughed loudly, "Young lady, you're a bit sentimental and shy, Alliance Leader Ruan, please don't mind."

The leader looked at me, slowly released my hand, and said with a faint smile, "I was just thinking of an old friend. My apologies, Miss Su."

I stiffly took a few steps back, lowered my eyes and remained silent, afraid that saying even one more word would be wrong.

The King of Licheng's laughter still echoed in my ears, and I was so tense that I couldn't bear it. Just as I was about to announce my departure, I heard a female official rushing into the hall to report: "Your Majesty, the King of Xiaoye Kingdom has personally brought Princess Jinglian here to apologize!"

I was startled and looked outside. I saw Princess Jinglian being brought in by two people, bound and escorted, under the heavy darkness of the night.

The one who left earlier seemed to be the king of Xiaoye Kingdom. Upon entering the hall, he clasped his hands in a salute to the King of Licheng, saying, "This old man has personally brought this unfilial daughter to apologize to the King of Licheng!"

King Licheng hurriedly stood up and stepped forward to support him, saying, "Your Majesty, what are you saying? The children's affairs are not for us old men to decide, so why talk about apologizing?"

"No, no..." the king said with a troubled expression, "My daughter has been spoiled since she was little, and she has no sense of propriety in her actions..."

"I won't marry him!" Princess Jinglian, held captive to the side, struggled desperately, gritting her teeth as she said, "I'd rather marry a pig or a dog than marry this fat bastard!"

This statement was truly inappropriate, and the entire room fell silent.

The king turned around and slapped her across the face with such force that she was stunned, and her fair face immediately became red and swollen with finger marks.

“You hit me…” Princess Jinglian stared blankly at the king. “In all my life, this is the first time you’ve ever hit me, and it’s to force me to marry someone!”

I saw the king's trembling fingers, and he gritted his teeth and slapped Jinglian's face again.

King Licheng watched from the side, his brows furrowed, and waved to the Queen.

The Queen immediately nodded in understanding, stood up and said, "Let's stop here for today. Please go back and rest."

The female official responded and led the assembled high-ranking officials and dignitaries out of the hall in an orderly manner.

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I followed the lady-in-waiting who had come before me out of the main hall. I couldn't help but look back. In the brightly lit hall, Jinglian was kneeling on the ground, her trembling shoulders shaking like a butterfly without wings.

That was the first time I saw her cry.

After the banquet, the empty palace was eerily quiet.

After the girls returned, they all went to their rooms to rest, each with their own thoughts. I sat on the threshold of the side hall, the bright moonlight making me wide awake.

Just during the day, Jinglian was making a ruckus, telling me that she was going to marry a peerless hero and an unparalleled beauty. Now, she's kneeling in the main hall, completely at the mercy of others.

She shouldn't be like this...

I got up, took down the lantern from the corridor, took out the handkerchief from my bosom, lit it, and threw it at my feet. In the still night, the flame flickered and burned without making a sound.

Just as he was about to get up, someone behind him suddenly asked, "Why did you burn it?"

I was startled and turned around, bumping into someone's arms. I could hear his heart pounding, but I couldn't tell if it was mine or someone else's. I only heard him whisper in my ear, "Didn't you painstakingly embroider this? Didn't you say it was a token of love for the Little Prince? Didn't you say... like a moth drawn to a flame, you were willing to do anything?"

He asked me, "Or... are you afraid I'll see it again?"

Twenty-four

“Su Xie…you feel so familiar to me, inexplicably familiar.” His chest pressed against my back, humming and resonating, his pointed chin gently touching my hair, deep and husky, every syllable making my ears ring.

My heart pounded so hard it almost burst out of my chest. I hurriedly took a step back, knocking over the lamp, which then caught fire with a crackling sound.

Ruan Bicheng stood under the corridor, her back to me bathed in the clear moonlight, her lanterns swirling around, her eyes as deep as the sea as she gazed at me.

I could never see through his expressions and eyes. I couldn't decipher his words. Just like when he chose me because I was upright and well-behaved, his eyes were as deep as the sea. I presumptuously thought that there was some joy in them, even if it was just a little bit.

But on the day he broke off the engagement, I was completely confused. I couldn't see what was hidden in those eyes.

“Su Xie…” He stepped forward.