Chapter 7 Foolishness Mu Qingheng slowly narrowed his eyes, staring intently at that spot…

The discomfort was too obvious. Mu Qingheng frowned slightly, and then suddenly heard Mu Meng say, "Brother, I have resolved the matter in Yunze Realm. No one will bully you anymore."

Mu Qingheng paused.

Mu Meng looked up from his embrace, her eyes still red, but the corners of her lips curled up slightly: "Brother, I went to see Immortal Lord Xi Chao, and he sent General Xuan Tian to examine the wound on my back..."

As she said this, she couldn't help but tremble slightly.

Although the Xuan Tian General was very polite and did not touch her skin at all, he was still a stranger, and it would be embarrassing to remove half of her clothes and show him the wound on her back.

With her eyes closed, she could still feel the tingling sensation of that wisp of spiritual energy sweeping across her back, and the cold aura unique to men.

"...After the inspection, Immortal Lord Xi Chao had no further objections. Brother, you don't need to be troubled."

"Have you already gone to see Immortal Lord Xichao?"

Mu Qingheng stared at her, his gaze intense, his brows furrowed tightly. "He actually dared to let Sheng Yuanting examine your injuries?"

Mu Meng didn't know General Xuan Tian's name; she only noticed that Mu Qingheng's expression was somewhat sinister: "Brother, are you angry?"

Mu Qingheng said in a deep voice, "You are an innocent young lady, a princess, of such noble birth? How could Sheng Yuanting be worthy of looking at you?"

He was unusually unsteady, speaking very quickly: "Even if we are to conduct an examination, we should ask your sister. I have been at odds with her for many years, and she will never be biased towards me. If she conducts the examination, Chao Yu will surely be convinced."

Mu Meng stared blankly into her clear, bright eyes.

Yes, my sister is indeed a suitable candidate.

However, at the time she was both heartbroken and anxious, and only thought about testifying for her brother, so she didn't think about her own future.

Mu Meng lowered his head, feeling a little annoyed as he thought about it: "I... didn't think of that at the time..."

Mu Qingheng held her, silently wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, his brow furrowed, his dark eyes filled with deep emotion.

He thought that Mu Meng would come to him crying and sobbing when she found out about this, but he didn't expect her to be so resolute. Normally, he should say something softly to coax her now, but he didn't want to say a word at the moment.

I knew from the beginning that things would turn out this way, and although the outcome is somewhat different from what I expected, the difference is almost negligible.

But he didn't understand why he felt a tightness in his chest that he couldn't get rid of.

It's probably because she's too stupid.

The Celestial Princess actually agreed to let a strange man examine her injuries.

Mu Qingheng's hands, hanging by his sides, were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned a bluish-white.

He lowered his eyes, concealing the sarcasm within them.

So stupid it's unbearable to watch, so stupid it provokes anger.

He looked at Mu Meng, the little girl was leaning against him, and from this angle he could only see her smooth black hair and a small patch of skin on the back of her neck that her hair didn't cover.

Its skin is smooth and porcelain white, making even the finest jade pale in comparison.

Mu Qingheng slowly narrowed his eyes, staring intently at that spot. After a long while, his tightly clenched hand unconsciously opened, revealing bruises all over his palm.

It will be soon.

Soon, he would no longer need to waste his energy on such pointless things.

...

Two days later, Immortal Lord Chaoyu personally filed the evidence of the Yunze Realm incident and presented it to the Heavenly Emperor. The matter was settled and sealed in a thick secret scroll, and gradually no one mentioned it anymore.

However, because he caused trouble, he not only tarnished the prince's reputation but also wronged the princess. The Heavenly Emperor was displeased and banished him to guard the southern border river for a hundred years.

When he heard this news, half a month had passed, and Mu Meng had already returned from his second secret investigation of Yunze Realm.

"Where has Your Highness gone off to play again?" Lingwei had just reported on the matter of Xi Chao Immortal Lord, and seeing that Mu Meng had no reaction, she thought that Mu Meng was still in a playful mood. "Recently, Your Highness has liked to go out and play by yourself. Although the Azure Phoenix Feather is now in His Highness the Crown Prince's hands and is definitely safe, we still have to be careful. In the future, when you go out, you should have some people accompany you."

"I understand, don't worry, I'll be very vigilant outside." Mu Meng replied casually, fiddling with the tassels on her hairpin.

Both of their expeditions to Yunze yielded nothing; the city had become a ghost town, devoid of any life.

Who was that flash of spiritual power that day? If it was Yunze's person, was he planning revenge against his brother?

Mu Meng was worried that the person was lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike, but he hoped that he was mistaken. That day, it was just the wind blowing peach blossoms, and he was nervous about returning to the Cloud Marsh Realm after being seriously injured.

"What are you thinking about, Your Highness? You seem so lost in thought." Ling smiled and poured Mu Meng a cup of tea. "Are you thinking about the marriage His Majesty is arranging for you?"

Mu Meng was lost in his own thoughts and didn't pay attention to what Ling Wei was saying.

After a moment's reaction, Mu Meng turned her head and asked, "Father Emperor wants to arrange a marriage for me?"

"Yes, did His Highness the Crown Prince not mention it to you?"

No, my brother didn't say anything.

At this moment, Mu Meng didn't have time to think about why her brother hadn't mentioned a word. She grabbed Ling Wei's hand and asked, "So the Emperor summoned the clan members these past few days because of me? Has anyone been chosen?"

Ling smiled and said, "How can we be in such a hurry? Of course, we need to be very selective. Besides, we'll need to ask for your opinion on the final result."

"However, I have heard that the demon race and our race are on good terms. His Majesty originally favored Crown Prince Yue. However, although he is of excellent character, his family is complicated. On the day of His Highness's birthday, he had to leave early due to matters concerning the demon race. Given this situation, if you were to marry into the family, I'm afraid you would have too many worries."

It turned out that nothing was even close to being finalized. Mu Meng breathed a sigh of relief for some reason, and kept tugging at the handkerchief in her hand until it was almost deformed.

Lingwei carefully observed Mumeng: "Your Highness seems rather sullen."

"No, it's just that when I hear about the engagement, I feel like I've grown up, as if I'm leaving the Celestial Clan tomorrow."

Mu Meng rested her chin on her hand and sighed softly, "My brother hasn't married yet, and my sister... isn't married either, so why is it my turn?"

Lingwei looked at Mu Meng's worried face. The little prince was so beautiful that even his sighs softened people's hearts. She was still a young girl, and even when she was worried, she had the demeanor of a delicate young girl.

She smoothed Mu Meng's hair: "The daughters of all the clans are the same. Princess Chang was your age when she started to be engaged, but her marriage is still uncertain. It depends on when His Majesty calms down."

Mu Meng nodded, a hint of heartache appearing in her eyes as she brought up the matter.

Lingwei, afraid of upsetting Mu Meng, immediately continued, "As for His Highness the Crown Prince, it's not that His Majesty doesn't care, but rather that he is exceptionally talented and far surpasses others. Although the fairies of his relatives are all outstanding, none of them can please him."

As they were talking, someone came from outside with a visiting card, requesting an audience with the young prince.

Mu Meng never put on airs like a princess, and upon hearing this, she laughed and said, "Go and spread the word. Who is so polite as to send a visiting card?"

She was the youngest in the Celestial Clan, and usually it was her elders or older siblings who would come and simply announce her arrival. Mu Meng was a little curious that she was so honest as to present her visiting card.

The maid below said, "Your Highness, it is the newly appointed General Sheng Yuanting of Xuantian."

Mu Meng stood up abruptly: "What...what does he want with me?"

Everyone looked at her, puzzled. Mu Meng pretended to be calm and said, "Please invite him in first."

Few people knew about the physical examination that day. Xi Chao Xianjun's testimony was evasive, and this part was almost mentioned in passing. General Xuan Tian was an upright man who kept his mouth shut about the matter. There was not even a rumor among the Heavenly Clan.

Mu Meng was very grateful for this, but her sudden visit today left her somewhat puzzled.

Sheng Yuanting was dressed in a black robe with the cuffs tightly tied, looking very clean and neat. He was tall and imposing, and his presence made the courtyard seem a bit cramped.

"Greetings, Your Highness." His voice was clear and gentle, and compared to his restrained and serious demeanor that day, it seemed to have been deliberately lowered, making him appear much milder.

Mu Meng nodded: "Lingwei, please take a seat. You may all leave now."

After everyone else left, only the two of them remained in the courtyard.

Mu Meng glanced elsewhere, not really looking at the man opposite her. She still felt embarrassed when she saw him—that day, when she turned her back to him and took off her clothes on her right shoulder, the feeling of being pricked on the back made her run away as soon as the examination was over.

Although she really wanted to cover her face and run away, she was a princess, how could she be so pathetic?

Mu Meng sat a few feet away from Sheng Yuanting with great composure and asked him politely, "May I ask what brings you here, General?"

She had a pair of large, round almond-shaped eyes, clear and innocent. She probably didn't realize it, but her unease and wariness were clearly written on them, making one want to laugh, yet also feeling pitiful and adorable.

The magnolia tree beside her was in full bloom, which made her skin look as white as snow and her beauty unparalleled.

Before Sheng Yuanting could even speak, his ears were already slightly red.

He paused, then sat up even straighter and said sincerely, "Your Highness, please don't be afraid. What I am about to say, please don't be nervous. If you find it annoying, just pretend that I never came here today, and I will not mention it to a third person."

His attitude was gentle, and after careful preparation, Mu Meng lowered her guard considerably: this General Xuan Tian seemed dignified and composed, but he was actually so thoughtful, taking care of her feelings even before explaining his purpose.

She wasn't nervous, but she always felt awkward around him: "It's alright, General, just say what you need to say."

Sheng Yuanting placed his hands on his knees and said respectfully, "Recently, I heard that Your Majesty and the Empress are discussing marriage for the young prince. As the eldest son of Yu Rujing, I am also among the candidates."

He paused, his deep voice revealing a hint of nervousness: "His Majesty has always doted on Your Highness, and the final choice requires Your Highness's approval. I have come today to ask you... please do not resent me because of what happened before."

Mu Meng understood, but she was still a little confused—it turned out that he had come to ask her not to hate him.

It's worth the trip, isn't it? General Xuantian is older than her, but how come he's more like a child than her?

Seeing that he still maintained a composed demeanor, but his fingertips resting on his knees were trembling slightly, it was clear that he was tense inside: "General, please relax. You acted impartially and did not overstep any boundaries. How could you have offended anyone?"

Sheng Yuanting seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said gently, "Actually... that day I wanted to apologize to you, but..." He touched his nose, "but you ran away too fast, and I didn't have time to speak. Later, I wanted to come and apologize, but I was afraid that this would make you unhappy, so I hesitated and didn't come. I hope Your Highness will not be offended."

Mu Meng waved his hand and smiled slightly: "It's not my fault, it's not my fault. I've never blamed you."

He spoke gently and calmly, and his manners were also appropriate and considerate. In a way, he resembled his older brother to some extent. Because of this, Mu Meng couldn't help but feel a bit of goodwill towards him.

Seeing the little girl sitting far away finally smile, Sheng Yuanting couldn't help but smile too. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly stopped and turned to look outside—

Upon seeing this, he immediately stood up respectfully, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Mu Meng followed his gaze.

My brother was standing at the entrance of the palace. The thin sunlight shone through the clouds and fell on him, making him appear somewhat cold. However, his appearance was unparalleled and his aura was even stronger than the sunlight.

He stood there quietly watching them, not knowing how long he had been there.

only--

Mu Meng blinked; her brother seemed a little unhappy today.