Once Madam Song left, Song Yalin could no longer maintain the facade on her face. A cold light burst forth from her usually calm eyes, almost as if she wanted to kill Ji Xinhe on sight.
Instead of leaving, Xinhe looked down at Song Yalin who was still kneeling on the ground, her lips curling slightly. "Choosing the monastic life or getting engaged, have you considered it carefully? After all, this is a lifetime decision, one that cannot be handled carelessly," she said.
Song Yalin crawled up from the ground angrily and gritted her teeth, "You know everything, don’t you?"
Xinhe blinked, "Know what?"
"Stop playing dumb with me! The Emperor wants to grant a marriage, you’re afraid that I might steal your favor and place, aren’t you? You, a woman with such a devious and cruel mind! How dare you block my path?"
Xinhe laughed slightly, "Why? Because your path blocks mine, I should cut it off. What’s so strange about this? Did you really expect me to wait with open arms at home for the arrival of the Imperial Edict? There’s no need to curse me, if you were in my shoes, you would definitely be more cruel."
The color drained from Song Yalin’s face.
Xinhe said softly, "Instead of looking for trouble with me, you’d best hurry up and ponder which path to pick for yourself. After all, you will have to make a decision by tomorrow morning. Without a plan, perhaps Madam Song and Master Song will have to make that decision for you."
Song Yalin gritted her teeth, her usually calm face twisted with anger, pain erupting from her hand tightly clenched within her sleeve.
Xinhe turned and left. Just as she stepped out, the sounds of objects being smashed came from inside the room.
The servants outside the room were frightened by the noise, their faces turning pale. They had never seen their Third Miss with such a temper before.
Looking at each other in fear, they didn’t dare to enter the room.
Seeing Ji Xinhe come out, they lowered their heads in terror, afraid of getting into trouble.
Who would have thought that the Princess, at that very moment, seemed to be in a good mood, even speaking to them cheerfully, "Take good care of your Third Miss."
The servants, their minds full of questions but lacking any clear understanding of the situation, could only reply in unison, "Yes!" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Xinhe smiled and left, with Chaihuo following her silently.
Perhaps because she had resolved one matter, Xinhe felt much lighter, even her footsteps seeming more relaxed and joyful.
Chaihuo’s face, however, was serious. His usually emotionally steady self was now knitting his brows.
Noticing his mood, Xinhe slowed down and turned to look at him, "What’s the matter?"
After a pause, Chaihuo said, "It’s okay."
Xinhe chuckled, "When did you start beating around the bush? You’ve really grown up, even starting to have things on your mind. Could it be that, like Xiao Bei, you’ve taken a fancy to one of the girls from the Song Family? Tell me, perhaps I could arrange a marriage for you."
She quickly added, "Song Yalin is not an option though, she’s too cunning, and I don’t think that would suit you."
Chaihuo: "······"
Chaihuo then asked seriously, "Is the Emperor going to issue a decree for the Prince’s marriage?"
Xinhe was taken aback for a moment, but there was no surprise on her face, "You heard that?"
Chaihuo, who looked unhappy, grunted in affirmation.
Over the years, Chaihuo had been diligent in everything but his studies. Even his martial arts had been diligently practiced, with Xinhe teaching him many of her killing techniques because she saw his potential and dedication.
Even his sensory skills had been specifically trained. Therefore, his senses were much sharper than the average person. If he wanted to hear something, a wall wouldn’t be enough to stop him.
Xinhe sighed lightly, "Our Emperor, he just can’t stand to see us live in peace."
Speaking in a solemn tone, Chaihuo said, "There can always be a second time. If this time it’s Song Yalin, and you solve it in secret, what will you do next time someone else comes up? There are innumerable women in the kingdom, if the Emperor truly wants to grant a marriage, where would he have trouble finding a woman?"
Xinhe quirked an eyebrow, "Why are you suddenly concerned about this?"
Chaihuo was clever, but most of the time he didn’t think too much, nor did he bother to use his intelligence. She hadn’t expected him to see through this matter so thoroughly this time.
Speaking in a dull voice, Chaihuo asked, "If a new woman were to enter the Royal Mansion, would you be happy?"
Xinhe laughed, "Worried about me? You underestimate me. As long as I am still here, the Royal Mansion will not have room for a second woman."
Chaihuo beheld the radiant woman before him. In the world, there probably wasn’t a second person who had the audacity to speak with such confidence and righteousness.
Yet her self-assurance was not at all annoying.
"What if we were forced by circumstances?" Chaihuo asked.
Xinhe curled her lips, lifting her eyes to him, "I trust him."
Chaihuo’s demeanor faltered slightly. Before he had a chance to say anything, Xinhe briskly continued on her way.
Chaihuo was filled with a mix of joy and sorrow. Happy that she always found ways to solve problems and protected herself from harm, there was no need for him to worry about her. Yet sadness filled him because of the importance that man held in her heart, and how steadfastly she believed in him.
The momentary flash of disappointment in Chaihuo’s eyes was fleeting, soon replaced with the calm and clear gaze he normally wore as he followed Xinhe’s steps.
Shulan, following closely behind Xinhe, said with a giggle, "Princess, you’ve effectively crushed Song Yalin’s dreams with swift precision! At least we won’t have to worry about her stirring up any trouble. But, honestly, we should not even give her a day to make a decision. The nights are full of dreams. We should have immediately shaved her head and tossed her into a temple!"
Xinhe shook her head, "Excess is as deficient as inadequacy. We can’t be too hasty either, or else the Song Family could become suspicious. As it stands, she’s out of options. The two choices in front of her will have to be faced whether it’s today or tomorrow."
Xiaoyu said with concern, "What if Duan Lan secretly interferes... "
Xinhe sneered, "Duan Lan? Do you think he has the free time to interfere with this matter? I suppose he can barely protect himself now."
Xiaoyu was taken aback, quickly comprehending the implication that the Prince and Princess had preemptively struck against Duan Lan. If they hadn’t, why would they bother dealing with Song Yalin, a mere pawn, instead of the mastermind behind the scenes?
With Duan Lan out of the picture, Xiaoyu was thoroughly reassured. After all, what could Song Yalin possibly amount to, that her master would need to worry about her? A mere squeeze and she would be finished.
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