Chapter 4
Chapter 4
The matter of Chen Xiang was settled.
A heavy stone lifted from my heart as I crossed one name off the blacklist in my hand.
I hadn’t yet thought of ways to deal with the others, so I had to set them aside for the time being.
Liu Xu invited me out to celebrate. I left the palace and walked with him through the bustling streets.
He bought me a stick of malt sugar candy and smiled. “Father and I had also deduced the occurrence of Mars guarding the Heart through calculations, but we didn’t dare be certain. How did the Princess know, and with such conviction?”
I looked at him. He didn’t believe that I knew through a dream.
If I were him, I wouldn’t believe it either.
But that was exactly how it happened.
I tilted my chin up and gave a light laugh. “I am the favored daughter of Heaven; naturally, the heavens informed me.”
Liu Xu: “…”
I burst into a hearty laugh. Seeing him shake his head with a helpless smile gave me a strange sense of satisfaction.
Suddenly, a cool voice came from behind us.
“Why is Fuyun laughing so joyfully?”
My name is Li Fuyun.
But very few people dared to call me by my name.
Who was so bold as to address me directly?
I turned around and saw Cheng Su’s peach-blossom face. He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold, harboring a hint of irritation.
I: “…”
I haven’t married him in this life, so I have no reason to feel guilty!
My smile didn’t fade as I said calmly, “Oh, it’s you. Is something the matter?”
The smile on Cheng Su’s face widened bit by bit, even as the coldness in his eyes began to saturate. “There is. Might we have a word in private?”
The Cheng Su in my dream was wonderful, a paragon of a husband. I had never seen him like this before.
For a moment, I was unsure what to do.
Liu Xu stepped in front of me, gentle and humble yet firm. “I’m afraid it is inconvenient for Her Highness.”
Cheng Su’s smile vanished. He said indifferently, “Since when was it not her place to decide her own affairs?”
I cleared my throat, feeling a bit awkward. “If you have something to say, say it here. Between the two of us, there is nothing that cannot be said in front of others.”
Cheng Su’s breath hitched. Then, he let out a low chuckle and pulled out an object wrapped in a silk handkerchief. He suddenly grabbed my hand and thrust the item into it.
“Take it!”
I: “…”
This blatant, public exchange of private gifts… it’ll be the death of me!
I was momentarily speechless, a flush of shame rising in my heart.
“What is this?”
“Open it and see.”
My chest felt hot. As if possessed, I opened it to find a pair of emerald jade bracelets of exceptional quality.
In the dream, these were the tokens of affection Cheng Su had given me.
I felt as if the objects in my hand were burning, making my heart sear along with them. But then I thought of Cheng Su’s end in the dream, and then of my own fate.
Hardening my heart, I said, “Lord Cheng, you have overstepped.”
Cheng Su’s body stiffened. He leaned down slightly, staring into my eyes with an overbearing intensity, and said word for word, “And if I overstep, will you kill me?”
I: “…”
Cheng Su smiled and said softly, “I was going through my storehouse yesterday, and the moment I saw these, I thought they would suit you. Wear them if you like, or give them away if you don’t.”
“They aren’t anything precious. The truly precious thing, I already gave to you a few days ago.”
“Did you like it?”
My heart panicked, and my mind raced.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration hit me as I thought of that list of Chen Xiang’s crimes.
I looked up at him in shock.
Cheng Su nodded with a smile. “You remember? It seems you liked it very much.”
I was truly stunned, my heart fluttering wildly. “You… how did you know?”
Cheng Su’s eyes darkened slightly, looking thoughtful. “How did I not know you were a little stutterer?”
I: “…”
I’m going to execute this short-lived ghost. I’m going to charge him with lèse-majesté.
“Hahahaha!” Cheng Su laughed heartily. “I’m just teasing you. If you want to know how I found out, I’ll tell you at the Huazhao Festival. You must come.”