Chapter 85 "Fighting a Love Rival." (First Update)...

Chapter 85: A Fierce Battle and Grab==

"Let's go." Realizing she had been tricked, the girl's eyes showed a hint of annoyance, but because her almond-shaped eyes were watery, like an angry little rabbit, just as she was about to retort, Xiao Yu's slender and tall body took a step back. He smiled slightly and spoke slowly.

Having realized the other party's true nature, Su Wanyue no longer held back. She led Qin'er forward, while Xiao Yu followed at a leisurely pace. Inside the main tent, the Emperor and Empress sat at the head of the table, while the Prince of Nan and others sat at the foot. The emperor and his ministers gathered together in a harmonious atmosphere.

Suddenly someone said, "His Highness Prince Cheng and Wanwan have arrived."

Everyone looked up and saw a beautiful young woman and a handsome young man walking over together. The two of them standing together were like a painting, especially since they both looked a little unnatural at the moment.

The young girl, in the prime of her youth, possessed a beauty as radiant as peach blossoms and plums; upon closer inspection, her cheeks even bore a hint of rosy blush.

The marriage between the two countries is a perfect match. Princess Su Wanyue of the Southern Prince's Mansion is beautiful, talented, and of noble birth. Emperor Nanqiong proposed the hunting trip to Lishan for this reason. He even planned to personally arrange the marriage between the two children. Unexpectedly, when Wanwan and Weiyang went to the archery range, His Highness Prince Cheng of Beili went there in person. His Highness Prince Cheng is not hiding his feelings for Wanwan at all. But it is a good thing after all.

The Emperor and Empress of Nanqiong exchanged a glance, and the Empress beckoned Su Wanyue over.

As for the Prince of Nan and Su Qingqing, they are Su Wanyue's parents, so they naturally understand their daughter best and each has their own considerations.

Madam Lu shook her head helplessly. After all, she knew her son's thoughts best, but what could she do? A good daughter is sought after by many families. In Nanqiong, the capital, the line of men who wanted to marry Wanwan stretched all the way outside the city.

A servant brought a steaming cup of milk tea to Su Wanyue, and the Empress smiled and asked her, "Wanwan, are you going hunting tomorrow?"

All eyes in the tent fell on Su Wanyue, who gently shook her head, saying that she was not good at archery and was afraid of making a fool of herself.

Knowing she was being modest, the Empress couldn't help but tap her forehead, her smile indulgent, "You."

Since Su Wanyue wasn't going, the Emperor of Nanqiong asked Xiao Yu for his opinion. Xiao Yu, with a lazy and relaxed demeanor, glanced at Su Wanyue with his narrow phoenix eyes and then said that he wasn't very skilled in archery and therefore wouldn't go.

But everyone knew that Prince Beili was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and his horsemanship and archery were second to none. But since he had said so, Emperor Nanqiong could not force him. Time quickly came to the next day. When it was broad daylight, Su Wanyue went to the military camp of Prince Nan and his wife to have a meal with them. During the meal, Su Qingqing looked at her gently and asked, "Wanwan, are you really not going?"

"I'm not going. Father and Mother should go instead," Su Wanyue said softly, shaking her head firmly.

"Alright, then Father and Mother will go. Wanwan, remember to stay in the military camp and don't run around." The Prince of Nan had always indulged this daughter. Anyway, she had their protection as her parents. No matter what decision she made, they would support her. The Prince of Nan wiped the corner of his mouth with a white handkerchief, his attitude gentle.

Su Wanyue nodded gently, her watery eyes exceptionally clear and bright.

It was only a few steps from the tents of the Prince and his wife to her tent with Princess Weiyang, but Princess Weiyang had been waiting for Su Wanyue for a long time. As soon as Su Wanyue entered, Princess Weiyang immediately stepped forward and grabbed her hand, "Wanwan."

"Princess."

Princess Weiyang leaned closer to Su Wanyue and whispered, "Lu Qingchen is looking for you."

Princess Weiyang didn't want to ask Su Wanyue, but since Lu Qingchen had grown up with them and they had a childhood friendship, and since he had already asked, Princess Weiyang couldn't refuse, so she had no choice but to go to Su Wanyue.

Su Wanyue's pupils widened in surprise for a moment, worried that the other party might have something to ask her. Su Wanyue asked Princess Weiyang where Lu Qingchen was, and Princess Weiyang told her that it was a small pavilion in the bamboo forest behind the horse farm. The pavilion was hidden in the bamboo forest and was not exposed to the sunlight, so it was exceptionally cool.

This was a great spot that Su Wanyue and her group discovered several years ago when the Emperor of Nanqiong brought his close ministers to Lishan for a hunting trip. So, apart from a few of them who knew about the place, ordinary people wouldn't go there.

"Young Master, the Princess has arrived." At that moment, Lu Qingchen, dressed in a blue robe and with a graceful figure, stood on the pavilion with his servant. For some reason, Lu Qingchen had been feeling uneasy lately. This unease made him eager to see Su Wanyue and tell her his deepest thoughts. He was gazing into the distance with his lips pressed into a straight line. Meanwhile, the servant behind him was observing the surrounding movements. When Su Wanyue arrived with her entourage, the servant secretly tugged at Lu Qingchen's sleeve.

Lu Qingchen only then came to his senses. He looked up and saw a girl in a light green dress and a pink shirt walking towards him. Her eyes were bright and she was clearly in high spirits. Lu Qingchen walked towards her in a few steps, "Wanwan."

Why didn't Second Brother go hunting today?

Every time they come to Lishan to hunt, Lu Qingchen will definitely participate, as he is extremely skilled in horseback archery.

“I wasn’t feeling well today, so I didn’t go hunting. Wanwan, what about His Highness Prince Cheng…” Lu Qingchen smiled and replied.

For some reason, he suddenly brought up Xiao Yu. A rare look of surprise appeared in Su Wanyue's usually calm eyes. Then, she spoke with a hint of anxiety, as if she wanted to distance herself from Xiao Yu, "Second brother, there is nothing between me and him."

Lu Qingchen lowered his eyes to look at his bluish finger bones, a hint of something unsettling in his gaze. He had already sensed something was wrong. Wanwan had a very good temperament; if she truly had nothing to do with Prince Cheng, her emotions wouldn't be so volatile. However, Prince Cheng was indeed outstanding in every way, and it was normal for a young girl her age to be attracted to such a young man. Lu Qingchen took a deep breath. Even though he knew the timing was wrong, he had to speak.

"Wanwan, I have something to say to you." Lu Qingchen was a little annoyed that he hadn't brought his jade pendant with him today. Oh well, he would send the jade pendant to the Prince of Nan's mansion after returning to the capital. The gentle young master was trembling with fear. He had made up his mind for a long time before speaking to Su Wanyue.

"Please speak, Second Brother." Su Wanyue gently raised her head.

As soon as Xiao Yuren arrived, he saw this scene. His eyes suddenly darkened, and he strode towards them. Seeing that their prince was almost running over, Mo Yu hurriedly followed. He thought to himself, "Isn't His Highness in a bit too much of a hurry?"

"Princess Zilu." Just as Lu Qingchen was about to speak, he heard a clear and melodious voice beside him, "Young Master Lu is also here."

Su Wanyue and Lu Qingchen looked up together when they heard the familiar voice. It was as if Xiao Yu had deliberately ruined their time alone. Xiao Yu's lips twitched. He asked himself if he was any less than her childhood sweetheart brothers. His brothers wanted to take advantage of their childhood friendship. There was no such thing as a free lunch.

"Your Highness Prince Cheng." Lu Qingchen cupped his hands in greeting to Xiao Yu.

"Today is not a hunting day, so why are Young Master Lu and Princess Zilu here? Is it because the scenery here is so elegant?" Xiao Yu smiled faintly, as if he were just asking casually, but his powerful aura made people feel intimidated.

Only Mo Yu knew that their prince was jealous.

Before Su Wanyue could explain, Lu Qingchen spoke first, but his tone carried a hint of probing and displeasure: "I and Princess Zilu bumped into each other by accident. What brings His Highness Prince Cheng here?"

Both men were exceptional individuals, one gentle and refined, the other strikingly beautiful. They faced each other across the distance, seemingly able to guess what the other was thinking.

The atmosphere was tense, as if whoever backed down first would lose, until the arrival of Eunuch Sheng broke the silence. Su Wanyue greeted Eunuch Sheng with a light smile.

Eunuch Sheng replied with a smile, "Well, His Majesty and the others have already returned from the hunt, but His Highness the Crown Prince and the others have not yet returned. His Majesty's idea is that His Highness Prince Cheng, Princess Zilu, and Young Master Lu can go to the main tent to rest if they have nothing else to do."

Lu Qingchen smiled gently. "I can go if I have time, but His Highness Prince Cheng is an outsider, so it wouldn't be appropriate for Wanwan to go."

Eunuch Sheng's brow twitched. Their Princess Zilu had many suitors[1]. Eunuch Sheng understood Lu Er Gongzi's feelings for Princess Zilu, but as a servant, he couldn't disobey His Majesty's wishes. Besides, in the end, it would definitely depend on Princess Zilu's own wishes.

Eunuch Sheng smiled and said, "Second Young Master, Princess Weiyang is also here."

Lu Qingchen pursed his lips. Given the status of Prince Bei Licheng, he certainly couldn't be treated as an ordinary outsider.

"Your Highness, Princess Zilu invites you."

Inside the main tent, Emperor Nanqiong, Empress Nanqiong, and Chu Yao were all present. When Chu Yao saw two outstanding men accompanying Su Wanyue, he felt inexplicably annoyed. He couldn't understand why everyone was so willing to dote on Su Wanyue. Apart from her outstanding appearance, she didn't seem to have anything else.

The Emperor of Nanqiong was still wearing his hunting clothes. He casually raised his hand, gesturing for them to sit down. Lu Qingchen asked Xiao Yu to sit first, so there were only two seats left on the left: one to Xiao Yu's right and the other to Chu Yao's right. Su Wanyue subconsciously sat on the right, and Lu Qingchen followed suit.

Xiao Yu looked at the girl who was determined to sever ties with him, his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and he smiled faintly.

"I've heard that Young Master Lu is exceptionally skilled in martial arts. Why didn't you go hunting?" Xiao Yu asked unhurriedly, lifting the tea lid with his jade-like hand.

Lu Qingchen: "I am not feeling well today and did not want to spoil everyone's fun, so I did not go over."

"So that's how it is." Xiao Yu's lips curled into a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

His attitude seemed normal, but Lu Qingchen could vaguely sense the other party's hostility towards him.

Lu Qingchen was still unsure of Wanwan's thoughts, but Prince Cheng's thoughts were no longer concealed.

As for Chu Yao, he was also quite unhappy. Among the people present, apart from Prince Bei Li, he and Su Wanyue were of equal status. According to the order of rank, she should sit next to him, but she sat next to Lu Qingchen. Wasn't this a slap in his face? Did she still plan to marry Lu Qingchen?

After a long while, Princess Weiyang finally arrived late, and as soon as she entered the tent, she felt that the atmosphere was strange.

The three handsome young men present seemed to have their eyes glued to Wanwan.