The conversation with Shopkeeper Xing left no clue. His natural explanation was flawless. Even if Mo Xuetong mentioned that man in black consciously or unconsciously, Shopkeeper Xing did not show any look of surprise or suspect, but just said with a smile that the man was just a passerby and bargained with him for a few items.
No crack could be found!
It showed that either there was no secret trick indeed, or Shopkeeper Xing was a crafty old scoundrel. Mo Xuetong preferred the latter possibility.
After having some casual talks with Shopkeeper Xing and looking around the shop, Mo Xuetong took more new embroidery in the shop and led He Xia out of the shop.
The carriage stopped outside. Mo Xuetong pondered, as she raised her leg to the carriage. A voice rang suddenly. “Is that Princess Anping?”
“You are…” Mo Xuetong looked up at the clean servant.
“My master is in the teahouse in front. He invites Princess Anping to have a talk. And he brings some medicines, and perhaps they can help Princess to cure your hands more quickly.” The servant replied politely and pointed to the teahouse beside. Bai Yihao’s handsome face was exposed in the upper left window, with a faint smile, and he nodded at Mo Xuetong.
If it were before, Mo Xuetong would have pretended not to see him and got on the carriage to leave. But after the event that Bai Yihao hugged her to fall into the cliff, wrapped her regardless of his own safety and took her out of the cliff when he recovered himself, Mo Xuetong thought she could not regard him as a stranger any longer, no matter for which assistance.
Although it was not the proper time to meet with him at this time, Mo Xuetong thought she needed to make some of her thought as clear as possible to him. In the last life, the two seemed to be destined, but seemed not. In this case, why were they entangled any longer? That engagement paper was just a casual remark. Even Mother did not take it seriously, and who would care?
Her marriage was oncoming. She was unwilling to marry into the King Xuan’s manor with such entanglement, and did not hope there were inexplicable affairs between her and Feng Yuran. Some matters, as long as made clear, were not a big deal. Therefore, even if it was inappropriate to some extent, Mo Xuetong still wanted to see Bai Yihao make things clear in person.
She followed the servant into the teahouse and came to a box on the second floor. She pushed the door open, only to see Bai Yihao sit there with a gentle smile on his face as beautiful as the moon. He looked refined and elegant. He pointed the seat with his fan and said with a natural and unrestrained smile, “This scenery is very wonderful, and it is good to sit here!”
He behaved like an old friend without any alienation, as if they just met yesterday. His white sleeves drew a beautiful radian elegantly. On his handsome face, he wore a gentle expression, lofty and charming. Even though Mo Xuetong was always alert to Bai Junhao, she had to admit that Bai Yihao was as handsome as the fairy in the legend.
Mo Xuetong just walked into the box and sat there. She looked out of the window. It was really a good position where she could see clearly the pedestrians coming and going on the street, even the bright smiles on the pretty girls’ faces. But looking from the position, Mo Xuetong could also see her own carriage clearly as well.
The position was just where Bai Yihao sat.
“You retire now.” Bai Yihao waved his hands contentedly, stood up to pour a cup of tea for Mo Xuetong, and served it to her.
Bai Yihao’s servant replied and retired, but He Xia looked at Mo Xuetong a little uneasily, unable to identify who the man was and whether she needed to retire.
Mo Xuetong softly said, “Just retire.”
As for some affairs, Mo Xuetong thought she had to make them clear to Bai Yihao, and now she just grasped this opportunity.
After receiving Mo Xuetong’s order, He Xia retired and closed the door slightly. Judging from Mo Xuetong’s words, He Xia knew that her lady had something to say with the man. He Xia was the senior maid around Luo Xia, so she was good at taking the cues.
“This bottle of ointment is much better than the last bottle, because that was the one I brought with casually. Take this one back and try it, the injury on your hands will recover faster.” Bai Yihao said with a smile as he raised his eyebrows slightly to look at Mo Xuetong, took a jade bottle out of his arms and pushed it in front of Mo Xuetong leisurely.
The sunlight radiating from the window fell on the jade bottle, exuding faint shiny rays. So just judging from the appearance, it was easy to guess how valuable the jade bottle was.
“Thank you, Sir Bai. Since I still can’t pay for your life-saving kindness, how dare I accept your precious gift?” Mo Xuetong gave a polite smile, reached out her wrapped fingers and pushed back the jade bottle to Bai Yihao.
Today, she did not come for the sake of accepting kindness. She would try her best to thank him for saving her life, and she did not want to owe him anymore.
“My mother and your mother were like sisters, and they made an engagement for us. So can our relationship be weighed by an ointment?” Bai Yihao smiled slightly and pushed the jade bottle back to her.
His words dragged Mo Xuetong into a trance. The engagement paper was rather strange. Inexplicable arranged child marriages. Inexplicable decision right to the man. And the woman’s only role was to wait till 15 years old. Then, it had nothing to do with her afterward.
Mo Xuetong wondered whether Bai Yihao chased her so hard merely because she would get married before 15 years old.
Mo Xuetong let out a sigh in her heart and raised her head with a look of apology on her tender white face. In any case, the engagement paper which Bai Yihao could use to put pressure on her was stolen by Feng Yuran, and then, was burnt by Mo Xuetong. Perhaps, it would delay some of his plans. But Mo Xuetong showed great trust in his ingenuity, believing that he could go through it safely.
Moreover, she could not figure out what relationship was between her waiting to turn 15 years old and Bai Yihao’s grand cause!
In her last life, she had obviously been 15 years old, but still never heard of anything!
The most important was that she did not want to have any entanglement with Bai Yihao. The man was too dangerous…
“Sir Bai, the past is past. There is no need to talk about these things anymore. I am grateful to you for saving my life. If you have any requirements, I will do all I can to meet them.” Mo Xuetong answered politely, as a gentle smile took on her lips.
“Tong’er, you’re wrong. The engagement paper was made by our mothers. How can I treat it randomly? A few days later, I will take the engagement paper to marry you.” Bai Yihao gave a clear smile, as if he did not notice Mo Xuetong’s alienation. His eyes fell on her tender white face, and he raised the cup in his hand and took a sip. His smiling eyes were fixed on Mo Xuetong’s face, revealing unpredictable meaning.
Mo Xuetong was stunned at his words. Her eyes widened and stared at Bai Yihao in astonishment. She was temporarily unable to speak.
“What does Bai Yihao mean? What does it mean that he will come to marry her with the engagement paper? Where does he get the paper? Hasn’t it been stolen by Feng Yuran and burned by myself? Is it possible that the paper that I burned was not the engagement paper? How can it be possible? Feng Yuran did tell me that the engagement paper had been destroyed. How can Bai Yihao still have it?”
“Sir Bai, you’re kidding!” She constrained her puzzle in her heart and showed an indifferent smile with calmness in her watery eyes. She could not act rashly, but find out more. Perhaps, the engagement paper in Bai Yihao’s words was not totally different from what Mo Xuetong meant.
Bai Yihao could not definitely have another engagement paper.
“Your Highness, do you think I’m kidding? My mother had arranged my marriage with Your Highness because we’re perfectly congenial. Your mother and my mother hoped we could be much closer. Does Your Highness want to destroy the life-and-death relationship made by our mothers?” Bai Yihao said with a faint smile, as he put down the cup and leaned back.
What did he mean? Mo Xuetong was taken back a bit!
Life-and-death relationship? Mo Xuetong’s mother and Princess Royal Yunruo’s closest palace maid. If the memory did not fail Mo Xuetong, her mother did not have too much relationship with Princess Royal Yunruo. If Bai Yihao was really not the sun of Princess Royal Yunruo, it had nothing to do with her mother. Or perhaps, Bai Yihao’s mother was actually Princess Royal Yunruo. And the rumors were not true?
Those rumors came only because of the discord between Bai Yihao and his mother.
However, it was not right. The former emperor was the murderer of the Jin king. There was a blood feud between Princess Royal Yunruo and Mo Xuetong’s mother, so how could the Princess Royal make the engagement paper with Mo Xuetong’s mother?
Could it be that Princess Royal Yunruo saved the Jin King’s consort? So Mo Xuetong’s mother made that unreasonable engagement paper. No, it was impossible. Because Princess Royal Yunruo was at an early age. And how was she able to save the Jin King’s Consort? Besides, Princess Royal Yunruo was just a princess. How was she able to have helpers to rescue, even cheat the previous emperor? All of these could not be achieved by a little princess!
However, if this was not the case, how to explain that Princess Royal Yunruo made acquaintances with Mo Xuetong’s mother, became sister-like friends, and even made an engagement paper!
And if Bai Yihao’s mother were a palace maid of Princess Royal Yunruo, it even made no sense. What could a humble palace maid do? How could she move freely in the Yan palace? Or was Bai Yihao’s mother Prince Royal Yunruo… Of course, Mo Xuetong tended to believe that Bai Yihao was Princess Royal Yunruo’s son.
Mo Xuetong only felt her mind was in a whirl and was unable to figure out clearly. However, she needed to handle the current issue. Anyway, she decided not to admit it. So she took on a calm look and said with a smile, “Sir Bai, what are you talking about? I really don’t understand. My mother has passed away and said nothing to me. Besides, the marriage between the King Ning and I has got the Emperor’s permission, and the wedding date has been set. Princess Royal Yunruo was indescribably beautiful and striking. She married to the Yan Kingdom and became the Empress. And at that time, my mother was still very young and still unmarried. How could she arrange a marriage for the child in her belly?”
Her remarks were to make excuses, but the more Mo Xuetong said, the more she felt reasonable. When Princess Royal Yunruo married to the Yan Kingdom, Mo Xuetong’s mother was still unmarried, so how could she make an engagement paper with Princess Royal? She did not believe Bai Yihao’s words that Princess Royal went to the Cloud City secretly to set the marriage with Mo Xuetong’s mother.
It was not impossible for a princess to return to her own country, but why did she bother to act sneakily? There must be reasons behind, and the reason could not be told to the outsiders.
“Tong’er, do you think that as the engagement paper has been destroyed, I cannot put it on the table anymore?” Bai Yihao took up the teacup and turned it around in his hand. He did not answer but just gave an oblique look and raised another question.
When asked by him so plainly, Mo Xuetong was a bit embarrassed. She never doubted Bai Yihao’s IQ, and even was deeply afraid of it. As for using the Fifth Princess, he was doing, while Feng Yuran was doing as well. They two had different objectives, but both succeeded. However, after several thoughts, Bai Yihao could realize that the engagement paper had been in Mo Xuetong’s hands.
If there was someone else knowing about the engagement paper, no one but Mo Xuetong herself was the person!
“Sir Bai, no words can express my thanks to your great kindness. But I really don’t know what Sir Bai said. I want to select some embroidery here, so please forgive me that I cannot chat with you any longer. On my wedding day, I hope Sir Bai has time to come to enjoy a glass of wedding wine. “Mo Xuetong stood up and said all her wanted to say. She thought Bai Yihao could understand her words. Besides, only a man and a woman stayed in the same room. If it was seen by someone with evil intention, it was really inappropriate.
After finishing the words, Mo Xuetong saluted to Bai Yihao and turned to leave before he gave her an answer.
“Tong’er, I will get that engagement paper and will marry you. Just wait for me!” Bai Yihao behind smiled and looked at Mo Xuetong tenderly, “Very soon, I will return to my homeland. I am so happy to meet you today. Tong’er, remember to miss me!”
“Bai Yihao was leaving?” Mo Xuetong paused for a moment and resumed after a short trance.
Feng Yuzhen was about to return his homeland. As a royal hostage like Feng Yuzhen, Bai Yihao was about to go home naturally. Although the Qin Kingdom never detained Bai Yihao, he was still nominally the royal hostage of the Yan Kingdom, so he could be exchanged with Feng Yuzhen as this identity. Of course, Feng Yuzhen was being detained in the Yan Kingdom without any liberty, while Bai Yihao was allowed to go back from time to time. It was largely due to Emperor Zongwen’s attitude.
But now Feng Yuzhen was parading back to his homeland. So how could the Yan Kingdom put their Crown Prince in danger again?
And then, would the Yan Kingdom’s First Prince conspire the rebellion?
It seemed to happen much earlier than the last life. But all linked with one another appeared more clearly in Mo Xuetong’s mind.
The First Prince of the Yan Kingdom came to the Qin Kingdom and brought Feng Yuzhen secretly. In order to make Feng Yuzhen come back officially, the Empress Dowager fell seriously ill. And later, Feng Yuzhen came back while Bai Yihao returned to the Yan Kingdom… However, Mo Xuetong could feel that someone was setting a trap step by step, and an invisible line strung all up…
She hoped she was not in the trap!
“Wish you all the best, Sir Bai.” Mo Xuetong whispered and then left quickly. She did not notice that the tender smile took on the handsome man’s eyes behind her, even extending to the bottom of his eyes.
