Chapter 8 Mistakenly Recognizing a Beautiful Woman [The First Meeting of the Male and Female Protagonists]
Facing the sunlight, Qingwu could only see the man in the lead wearing a silver saddle brocade robe. The corners of the robe were pulled straight like a blade by the strong wind. His ink-black hair and horsetail flew in the same streamline. The people behind him followed closely like a formation of geese. The cold light of silver armor cut through the sky, but always fell behind him, just like stars chasing the moon.
Such a momentum was not something that ordinary people could do. Those who saw it moved their horses to make way, and the group of people riding horses also reined in their horses and slowed down.
It was not until the horse trotted to the road not far ahead of her that Qingwu saw a heroic young man with a face as clean as a spring willow amid the neighing of the horse.
It's not entirely true to call him a teenager, and it's too mature to call him a young man. There's still some childishness in his cheeks, but there's pride hidden between his brows. The two are mixed together, and he feels just like a willow in spring: the trunk is already tall, but the leaves are only halfway out, shimmering with emerald green. As soon as you see him, you feel the vitality and youthfulness of his being.
At first glance, he is obviously a prince, a man raised in an aristocratic family, Qingwu judged secretly.
Everyone loves beauty. Qingwu thought that there was nothing wrong with standing among the crowd and admiring the handsome young man, but she forgot that her skin color was also a part of the scenery in the eyes of others.
When she met the sharp and arrogant gaze of the leading young man, Qingwu was shocked. She didn't know why the young man was looking at her, but what surprised her was yet to come. The young man actually turned his horse's head and came towards her.
Looking at the crowd of people following behind him, Qingwu didn't dare to act rashly and could only stand there and wait. While she was wondering who this person was and why he came, the young man was already riding his horse closer and closer.
Amid the sound of horse hooves, the figure and face of the person coming became clearer and clearer, and his slightly arrogant temperament became more and more apparent. When he stopped, he was only slightly taller than Qingwu standing on the carriage while sitting on the horse, and he looked down.
The woman in front of him had skin as radiant as pear clouds embracing the moon, clear and bright. A few rouge flowers were painted between her eyebrows. The pair of slightly drooping phoenix eyes under her dark eyebrows like distant mountains were so attractive that one could not take their eyes away. The tails of her eyes were like fine brushstrokes, stretching out from the inner canthus and slanting into the temples at the outer canthus, like the lingering sound of an ink brush when it was retracted. It was really intriguing. Regardless of her beautiful nose and red lips, her pair of phoenix eyes and delicate face were more beautiful than anything else.
Even Xiao Ji, who had seen countless beauties, couldn't help but be dazed for a few breaths. He had to admit that his concubine was indeed beautiful, and she amazed him more and more each time.
Thinking of what the personal eunuch said a few days ago, Xiao Ji blinked and asked, "Why are you here?"
He spoke softly, his voice hinting at concern.
Qing Wu was puzzled by his familiarity, but was certain that the man before him must be a descendant of a high-ranking family, so he lowered his eyes slightly and replied respectfully, "I'm here to attend the banquet."
Xiao Ji paused slightly. Of course he knew that she was here to attend the banquet. Wasn't this redundant?
However, he didn't care about these details. Thinking about how he saw her stop here from a distance, he asked, "Didn't anyone lead you in?"
He glanced around and saw that there was no eunuch there. He couldn't help but think of something and became angry.
Did those people disrespect him so much when they saw him showing even the slightest sign of weakness? They even made things difficult for the women just because he wasn't traveling with them?
Looking at the woman in front of him wearing her clothes, Xiao Ji frowned even more tightly.
Previously, he was only focused on her appearance and ignored her clothes. Now, when he took a closer look, he found that she was just wearing an ordinary brocade dress, with a few pearl hairpins missing from her bun.
Although her outfit was well-matched and quite elegant, when had Xiao Ji become so embarrassed? He asked her to dress so... plainly?
Noticing the air pressure around the young man in front of him getting lower and lower, Qing Wu was puzzled, but he also realized that he had no ill intentions. He quickly looked at the servants waiting by the carriage and said:
"There were people, but they saw the young master and his entourage galloping majestically, so they stopped to watch and delayed their entry into the garden."
However, he didn't expect that these words would take on a completely different meaning when they fell into the ears of the young man in front of him.
When Xiao Ji heard the word "My Lord," his body, sitting upright on his steed, stiffened instantly, and he felt a little bewildered. He had always been addressed as "Your Highness," and no one had ever addressed him that way before.
When he first heard the word "My dear", he felt as if a feather was scratching his heart, making it tremble slightly, and an indescribable strange feeling came over him.
But it didn't stop there. She also said that because he was so powerful, he even forgot to go to the garden. Xiao Ji felt his cheeks getting hot and he couldn't help but pursed his lips.
How could his Consort Liang be so eloquent? How could she speak so... beautifully?
But still outside, isn't that too conspicuous? Xiao Ji felt a little dizzy. While he was thinking about the reason, he didn't notice that the girl in front of him quietly took a step back.
Qingwu felt that the young man in front of him was becoming increasingly strange, and he did not want to talk to him any more. He turned around and called to the old man standing at a loss, "Old man, please lead the way for me. Let's go."
The old servant kowtowed repeatedly, fearing that these nobles in front of him would punish him again. His body was no longer healthy. If he was kicked and his ribs were broken, how would he carry out the spring plowing this year?
The old servant came to take the horse, and Xiao Ji came back to his senses. Seeing that only the old servant was there, he became angry again. Had those people already disrespected him so much? Why was there only one person to take Liang Di?
But seeing the old servant's gray temples and dark, aged skin, Xiao Ji didn't want to argue with him. This must have been someone else's instruction. What was the point in making things difficult for the old man?
Forget it, let’s just send her off first.
Xiao Ji turned his horse around and prepared to escort his Consort Liang a few steps, but he saw Qing Wu bowing and saying, "Please, sir, make way for us. We need to enter the garden."
Xiao Ji was taken aback by such cold and polite words. What did this mean? Didn't want him to accompany her?
Is she mad at him?
Was she angry that he hadn't come with her earlier?
Thinking of this, Xiao Ji pursed his lips, thinking to himself that it was indeed a girl, and she got angry just like that, but looking at that peach blossom cold face——
Well, you still have to give him face in public, and it doesn’t hurt to coax him a little.
Thinking of this, his voice slowed down again, "Don't be upset, isn't it here?"
Xiao Ji's voice was always cold and clear, and he usually spoke indifferently to his subordinates. When he said this, the guards behind him all got goose bumps, looked at each other, and exchanged glances.
Qingwu was so shocked by these words that he took a step back, feeling confused and a little angry.
Were you speaking to her just now?
Why... so frivolous?
Seeing the beauty's increasingly solemn expression, Xiao Ji raised an eyebrow slightly. On the day of their wedding, he hadn't realized she was such a hot-tempered girl. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "We're still out there, so give me some face, huh?"
He was quite humble and his tone was gentler than before, but the girl in front of him widened her eyes as if she had seen a ghost. The word "lonely" resolved all the doubts in Qingwu's heart.
Why did he seem to know her and why was he so considerate to her? It turned out that he was the prince, the husband of her twin sister - he mistook her for Xi Qingtong.
Xi Qingtong was only a concubine, so the prince naturally didn't need to marry her in person. The prince wouldn't accompany her when she returned home, so the two had never met.
Thinking that the Crown Prince had mistaken her for a twin sister, Qing Wu was momentarily shocked and embarrassed. She quickly bowed and said, "Madam Xi Qing Wu greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
For a moment, it seemed that even the sound of the spring breeze blowing the leaves had stopped, and everyone held their breath, not daring to make any sound.
Did His Royal Highness the Crown Prince mistakenly recognize his concubine? Are these twin sisters so similar? He couldn't even recognize the person next to him?
Even the reserved Xiao Ji couldn't control his expression. He quickly scanned the entire place and discovered clues everywhere: the simple clothes, the plain carriage...
All of this is not what Donggong Liangdi should do, and yet he actually recognized the wrong person?
A faint blush quietly appeared on the side of his cheek. Xiao Ji's hands gripping the reins slowly tightened, and after a long while, he squeezed out a sentence: "No need for formalities."
When Qingwu stood up, her legs were already a little sore. She secretly wondered if the prince was making things difficult for her because he was angry and embarrassed. When she raised her eyes, she saw that his cheeks were flushed. His originally cold eyes seemed to be full of shame and anger. It was obvious that he was ashamed that he had recognized the wrong concubine in public.
Just like an ordinary boy.
Somehow, Qingwu's uneasiness disappeared, and he even smiled. He thought to himself that no matter how high his position was, he acted calmly and retained some of the demeanor of a young man.
Glancing at the faint curve at the corner of Qing Wu's lips, Xiao Ji felt even more embarrassed. He almost couldn't help but leave immediately. However, as the crown prince, his every move was under scrutiny, so he could only pretend to be calm and said:
"I've heard that twin sisters look exactly alike, and now that I see them, it's true."
His tone was steady, seemingly unfazed by the embarrassing situation. He continued to explain, "Liang Di has just entered the Eastern Palace, and I am usually busy with government affairs, so I don't have much contact with her. Therefore, I admit my mistake. I hope Madam will forgive me."
Every move he made was polite, and he never blamed others for his own mistakes. This made Qingwu feel a bit favorable towards him. This crown prince was indeed a man of noble character.
Seeing that he was calm and composed, Qingwu also wanted to help him resolve the awkward situation. However, before Qingwu could open his mouth, the young prince revealed his true colors.
"Ahem, I have something else to do. Chengping, please see Madam Xi off for me." After saying that, he immediately reined in his horse and left.
Although the horse wasn't moving fast, the implication of its flight was clear. Could it be that even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince couldn't handle such embarrassment? Qing Wu couldn't help but burst out laughing.
She thought the prince had already left and the sound of horse hooves covered up her laughter, so no one would notice her low laugh. However, she didn't expect that the prince who was leaving would suddenly look back.
Xiao Ji saw the woman smiling brightly in the crowd. Unlike the ordinary women's lip-pursed smile, her smile was open and unconcealed, and was particularly bright and charming.
His heart skipped a beat, but before he could appreciate the strangeness, Zhao Tong, the eunuch of the Eastern Palace, who was a step behind, had hurried over.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, what happened earlier?"
Before Xiao Ji could answer, Zhao Tong noticed the slight blush on his master's face and couldn't help but say with concern, "I had advised Your Highness not to ride the horse and come in a carriage. Now, Your Highness's face is flushed."
Xiao Ji replied subconsciously: "I have only ridden the horse for half a minute, how could it be..."
His words stopped abruptly when he touched his cheek and felt the shocking warmth.
In an instant, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's head exploded, and the toes hidden in his boots couldn't help but curl up.
No wonder she laughed like that!
Zhao Tong, who had served Xiao Ji for more than ten years, never thought that his master would blush. He just thought it was because he was riding a horse, and kept saying earnestly:
"If you hadn't let the horse go, why would you be blushing? Could it be that Your Highness has seen some peerless beauty? Your Highness, please don't lie to me..."
"Nonsense!"
Now he was really angry and embarrassed.
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