Chapter Fourteen: You're Very Free?
Inside the study of Prince Jing's mansion, the candlelight was dim.
Mu Cenlin sat alone at his desk, his dark brocade robe gleaming coldly under the lamplight.
Between her slender fingers, a mutton-fat jade pendant gleamed with a warm luster. The jade surface had been rubbed smooth and smooth, and several dark red bloodstains were faintly visible under the candlelight.
This is the keepsake he personally tied to the little girl's waist in the bamboo forest of Jinfo Temple back then.
The image of Li Bao'er's frail and helpless appearance before she fell into a coma involuntarily flashed through my mind, along with her words: "My... jade pendant is missing."
Bloodstained fingers rose into the air, as if trying to grasp some fading old dream.
Mu Cenlin paused, his jade-like face reflecting his suddenly gloomy expression.
"Heh." Mu Cenlin chuckled softly.
Ten years have passed.
That heartless wretch still keeps this jade pendant.
Li Bao'er, what exactly do you want to do?
If you've fallen for Mu Yuan, then just be a good Third Prince's consort. Instead, you recklessly provoke him time and time again for his sake.
Mu Cenlin knew all along that Mu Yuan had sent people to infiltrate the military camp, and he withdrew all the guards.
They wanted to see who dared to be so audacious. They planned to capture the person alive after they left the military camp, skin them alive, and display their skin. But unexpectedly, it turned out to be this stupid girl. In her panic, she fell into the mass grave.
She was actually willing to give her life for Mu Yuan...
When Mu Cenlin found Li Bao'er in the pile of corpses that day, he had already decided to let go. Since she had chosen Mu Yuan and had survived by chance, they would only be strangers as uncle and sister-in-law for the rest of their lives.
But she ended up getting injured while shielding him from an arrow.
Since you've already chosen Mu Yuan, why provoke him in the first place?
Since you keep saying you love the Third Prince, why do you cherish this jade pendant that should have been discarded?
What's more, the two now have a symbiotic curse...
Suddenly, a bird crowing came from outside the window. When Mu Cen came to his senses, he found that the jade pendant had been gripped so tightly that it was hot.
“Li Bao’er…”
He slammed the jade thumb ring heavily on the table, startling the candlelight into a violent sway.
Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the mansion, followed by a guard's loud announcement.
"Imperial edict has arrived!"
Mu Cenlin paused slightly, raised his eyes to look outside the door, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
The guard strode inside, knelt on one knee, and presented the bright yellow scroll with both hands.
"Your Highness, the Emperor has bestowed this marriage upon us."
A marriage arranged by imperial decree?
Mu Cen frowned slightly, got up and walked to the courtyard, looking at the eunuch who was delivering the imperial edict.
"Your Highness, the Emperor has decreed a marriage; please accept the imperial decree."
But after waiting for a long time, Mu Cenlin still didn't kneel down, and the eunuch couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
Prince Jing is cold-hearted by nature and never kneels even when he sees the Emperor. So, without waiting for Mu Cenlin's reaction, he read out the imperial edict.
Upon hearing the contents of the imperial edict, Mu Cenlin's pupils suddenly contracted.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: It is hereby heard that Li Bao'er, daughter of Prime Minister Li Xiangyuan, is gentle, virtuous, and of outstanding character and appearance. I am greatly pleased to hear of this. Now that Prince Jing Mucen is about to take his wedding, a virtuous woman should be chosen as his consort. Therefore, I hereby betroth Li Bao'er to Prince Jing as his Queen. An auspicious day shall be chosen for the wedding. This is my decree."
Mu Cenlin's fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.
Li Bao'er?
Should we arrange a marriage for him?
His eyes suddenly darkened, his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and a strange emotion flashed across his eyes.
...It was her.
Mu Cenlin's lips suddenly curved into a very faint smile, his voice low and deep:
"Your subject obeys the decree."
The eunuch holding the whisk trembled slightly. He had expected to face the rumored sinister and ruthless Prince Jing, but Mu Cenlin accepted the decree so readily.
It seems that the rumors about the "living Yama" are not entirely true.
"Congratulations, Your Highness. I will return to the palace to report immediately." The eunuch bowed and retreated with a smile, but was stopped as he turned to leave.
"Wait a moment," Mu Cenlin said calmly.
The eunuch paused, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"What's the situation at the Li residence?"
As the eunuch turned around, a fawning smile returned to his face: "Your Highness, Miss Li was overjoyed when she received the decree, and publicly declared that she had long admired Your Highness!"
He glanced at Prince Jing's expression and added, "If you ask me, Your Highness and Miss Li are truly a perfect match, a match made in heaven."
That wasn't exactly flattery.
Everyone in the capital knew that although the scar under Prince Jing's right eye diminished his handsomeness somewhat, he still inherited the unparalleled beauty of the former Imperial Concubine.
The eldest daughter of the Li family was a renowned beauty.
Mu Cenlin ran his fingertips along the edge of the imperial edict, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
Will Lai Po-yee confess her feelings in public?
That's something new.
In the past, he had humiliated Mu Yuan in every way, but now he's putting on a good show.
"A reward," he said calmly, and a guard beside him immediately presented a bag of golden melon seeds.
After the eunuch left, someone in the Prince's residence began by saying, "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Then, bursts of congratulations erupted throughout the Prince's residence.
What surprised the servants even more was that their usually stern and unsmiling prince had a slight smile on his lips.
The smile didn't reach his eyes, yet it dimmed the lights in the entire courtyard.
Once they returned to the prince's private residence, Zhu Zhi, who had been holding his breath, finally couldn't hold back any longer.
Zhu Zhi rushed to Mu Cenlin in one stride, his face contorted in a bitter expression.
"Are you really going to marry that Miss Li? Last month she hid a needle in your saddle, the month before that she publicly said you were repulsive, and the month before that..."
Mu Cenlin slowly rolled up the imperial edict, the gold-embroidered dragon pattern faintly visible between his fingers: "Hmm?"
Just one "huh?"
Zhu Zhi was struck dumb, and suddenly knelt on one knee, clasping his hands in a fist: "Your subordinate dares to ask! Was it the Emperor who forced you? Or did the Prime Minister's residence use some means? Your subordinate will investigate immediately."
"All stop."
Mu Cenlin raised his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing in them.
"Have you been quite free lately?"
The air froze instantly.
Zhu Zhi's mouth was still open, but the words were stuck in his throat.
He mechanically turned to look at his colleagues at the door, Yuan Ting and Feng Li, his eyes desperately pleading for help: Say something!
As a result, they both took a half step back, looked up at the sky, and studied the floor tiles.
Mu Cenlin tapped the table lightly with his fingertips. "In that case, you may go and sweep the stables."
Zhu Zhi: "..."
Zhu Zhi turned around with a tragic air, but as he reached the door, he suddenly turned back and said, "Your Highness! If you were forced to do this, blink!"
His response was a teacup flying towards him.
Feng Li patted Zhu Zhi's shoulder heavily, a mischievous smile on his lips: "You, you're still so stubborn after all these years. Do you think you can fathom the Prince's thoughts?"
Yuan Ting stood to the side with his arms crossed, shaking his head in disdain: "After following the prince for so many years, you haven't even improved your basic sense of judgment. No wonder you can only sweep the stables."
The two brothers, one after the other, had expressions of utter disappointment and frustration on their faces.
Zhu Zhi, who was already resentful about the arranged marriage, was now so angry that the veins on his forehead were throbbing.
He snorted coldly and flicked his sleeve.
With a few whooshing sounds, several poisoned needles were driven into the spot where the two had just stood.
"Tsk tsk, what a temper." Yuan Ting, who had already dodged away, stood on the eaves and exaggeratedly patted his chest.
"Look, Feng Li, our groom is showing his power."
Feng Li flipped onto the courtyard wall and chuckled, "Oh no, oh no, if we don't leave now we'll be riddled with holes. Farewell!"
Before the words were even finished, two figures had already darted out of the palace, leaving only a string of gloating laughter echoing in the courtyard.
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