His Highness Duke of Qin is here?
Chu Qingge was the first to turn towards the door. Her tightly pursed lips exposed the agitation and nervousness in her heart.
Mu Liuyue followed closely behind, unable to hide the anticipation in her eyes. She hadn't seen His Highness Duke of Qin since the last time she'd served him tea and called him Imperial Uncle Qin.
Soon enough, everyone else was looking towards the entrance in disbelief as well.
His Highness Duke of Qin is here? How is that possible?
His Highness Duke of Qin only came to the palace a handful of times in a year. Unless summoned, he rarely showed himself, much less came to Empress Dowager Li's quarters. Today was a tea party between Noble Consort Chu and the imperial harem. It was impossible for His Highness Duke of Qin to come. He shouldn't have!
What was he doing here?
Han Yunxi was surprised as well. Like many others present, she thought she'd heard wrong.
But very soon, the announcement was heard again and again, each time louder and clearer than the last. Everyone was listening, it couldn't be wrong! Long Fei Ye was here!
Han Yunxi hadn't turned around, but she was looking at Su Xiaoyu with a sly smile. She knew she was fine!
Even if this place was a dragon's lair, a tiger's den, an inescapable net, a mountain of blades, a sea of flames, as long as that man was here, she'd be fine!
Han Yunxi only turned around when the eunuch at the entrance shouted out the last announcement.
The timing was just right. A second more would be too fast, a second too slow. She saw that tall and proud figure appear at the entrance, his back facing the sun. His perfect figure seemed to be covered in a layer of golden light, noble and mysterious, like a god.
Han Yunxi's lips curved upwards, her eyes sparkling as she smiled resplendently!
Silence fell all around. Han Yunxi's clear voice was especially pleasant to the ears. She bowed and said, "Chenqie pays respects to Your Highness. May Your Highness live for thousands and thousands of years!"
At her words, everyone recovered their senses.
The concubines all rose to their feet, including Noble Consort Xue and Noble Consort Ning.
They all bowed on the spot. "Greetings to Your Highness Duke of Qin."
"No need for formalities," Long Fei Ye said indifferently.
The consorts and concubines rose and returned to their seats. Next, it was Mu Liuyue, the youngest crown prince consort, who bowed. Mu Liuyue had no choice but to bow. "Imperial Qin Uncle is blessed."
Long Fei Ye didn't even look at her. He just waved his hand. Mu Liuyue stood up. Her blazing heart was about to break into pieces.
Then, Long Fei Ye bowed to the Empress Dowager.
As for Chu Qingge, she was a newcomer. Before she was introduced, she could only wait on one side.
Empress Dowager Li's eyes flashed coldly. Today, she had steeled her heart to make Han Yunxi lose her hair in front of the crowd and embarrass her in public. Even if the Long Fei Ye was here, Han Yunxi would still have to give Chu Qingge a gift.
Smiling like a tiger, she teased, "Someone come, hurry and see what kind of wind is blowing outside today to bring the Duke of Qin to my humble abode."
The mama by Empress Dowager Li's side wasn't stupid enough to look outside. She chuckled and said, "Esteemed Empress Dowager, today is Noble Consort Chu's first meeting tea party. If it wasn't for something important, His Highness probably wouldn't have come."
Tsk tsk!
Han Yunxi sighed with emotion in her heart. No wonder she's Empress Dowager Li's mama. She really knows how to talk.
"That's true. What business does the Duke of Qin have to find me at this time?" Empress Dowager Li asked seriously.
"It really is something important," Long Fei Ye said mildly.
Everyone grew puzzled at his words. His Highness Duke of Qin had only come for Han Yunxi's sake. What other important matters could there be?
As an imperial prince, it was inappropriate for him to appear at Noble Consort Chu's first meeting tea party.
Empress Dowager Li was also bewildered. Could it be that Long Fei Ye had caught on to something?
After doing so many bad things, Empress Dowager Li was nervous. She thought for a long time, then asked tentatively, "What is it?"
Unexpectedly, Long Fei Ye said, "Qin Wangfei's health hasn't been good recently, so this prince came to take her back to rest."
Uh …
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was immediately dumbfounded.
They weren't dreaming, right? Was this person really the cold and detached Duke of Qin?
When did this man learn to care about a woman's health?
Empress Dowager Li suddenly felt like she'd been played. What kind of important matter was this?
"Heh heh, Duke of Qin, this is why you came to find me?" Empress Dowager Li sneered.
"Empress Dowager misunderstands. This prince came to find the Wangfei." Long Fei Ye said.
Perhaps Han Yunxi would take it easy in front of Empress Dowager Li, but he never would!
Empress Dowager Li clenched her fists. Although she wanted to lose her temper, she was still rational enough to know that she couldn't win against the Duke of Qin.
Suppressing her anger, she laughed. "When did the Duke of Qin learn how to dote on people so well?"
Long Fei Ye didn't reply, but said to Han Yunxi, "Why haven't you bid farewell to the empress dowager yet?"
Just a moment ago, Han Yunxi had been as elegant and dignified as a queen, but now she was docile. With great respect, she said, "Yes, Your Highness."
Those who didn't know better might think she was being docile, but she was just following her husband's lead!
Empress Dowager Li didn't give Han Yunxi a chance to leave. She smiled and said before Han Yunxi could speak, "Duke of Qin, I'm afraid Qin Wangfei won't be able to leave for a while."
"Why not?" Long Fei Ye asked.
Empress Dowager Li grew calm and composed before introducing Chu Qingge, who had been ignored for a long time. "Duke of Qin, this is His Majesty's new noble consort, Noble Consort Chu. She's a member of Western Zhou's Chu Clan. "
Chu Qingge had been standing there for so long, staring at Long Fei Ye. She'd waited for so long before she was finally brought up.
Her cold eyes were filled with indescribable grief. Long Fei Ye, ah, Long Fei Ye. I, Chu Qingge, still haven't confessed my infatuation. Who knew that when we met again, we'd already be brother-in-law and sister-in-law!
She assumed that Long Fei Ye would look her way, but her pride and inferiority complex made her hide all the emotions in her eyes. She didn't want the shrewd man to see them.
But Long Fei Ye didn't even turn around to look at her. Chu Qingge's heart sank into a bottomless abyss.
"Noble Consort Chu, this is His Highness Duke of Qin. You should have met him at my birthday banquet before," the empress dowager continued with the introductions.
Chu Qingge was filled with grievance and unwillingness as she bowed. "Greetings to Your Highness Duke of Qin. Ten thousand blessings to Your Highness Duke of Qin."
"You may rise."
Long Fei Ye's impatience was obvious. "Empress Dowager, why can't Qin Wangfei leave?"
Only then did the empress dowager tell them about Han Yunxi and Chu Qingge's exchange of jewelry. While she spoke, Han Yunxi didn't even dare to look at Long Fei Ye. She figured that Long Fei Ye would definitely despise her for falling for something like this.
Han Yunxi didn't dare to look at Long Fei Ye, but Long Fei Ye's deep, cold eyes were fixed on Han Yunxi the entire time!
"Duke of Qin, this wangfei of yours shouldn't be a petty person, right?" the empress dowager said with a smile.
Even ten Empress Dowager Lis couldn't compare to one Long Fei Ye's IQ. Long Fei Ye glanced at Han Yunxi's hair and understood everything.
He was too lazy to waste words with Empress Dowager Li, so he tore off a long piece of brocade white cloth from his sleeve.
What was he doing?
Everyone watched in disbelief, not knowing what to make of it.
Han Yunxi was puzzled as well, but Long Fei Ye walked up behind her and used the cloth to draw a line on her hair. "How do I tie this?" he asked.
This …
In a flash, everyone sucked in a cold breath. They never expected His Highness Duke of Qin to tear off his own sleeve and use it as a hair tie for Han Yunxi's hair!
Moreover, it looked like he was going to tie up Han Yunxi's hair in front of everyone.
This was the high and mighty Duke of Qin! His hands were used to overturn the clouds and rain, devise strategies, and rule the world!
No one would ever dream that he'd do such a thing for a woman, much less in front of everyone!
Mu Liuyue pursed her lips, on the verge of tears. Meanwhile, Chu Qingge's heart was filled with bitterness, but she couldn't say a word.
She never believed that this man liked Han Yunxi that much. Even if he doted on her, there had to be a bottom line.
But today she realized that Tianning's icy Duke of Long Fei Ye really knew how to dote on women.
Cold Empress Dowager Li looked on, speechless.
She didn't have Mu Liuyue or Chu Qingge's heart. She was furious and unwilling to accept this!
She'd finally gotten her chance. She thought that even Long Fei Ye wouldn't be able to break out of her trap, but he'd done such a thing instead.
Han Yunxi only had two ways to break out of her trap. One was to directly take off her hair and give the jade hairpin to Chu Qingge before thinking of a way to tie up her hair. The other was to find a way to tie up her hair before taking out the jade hairpin and giving it to Chu Qingge.
Taking off her hair in front of everyone was an utterly humiliating act.
Although the second method prevented her from taking off her hair in front of the crowd, it was still embarrassing to borrow Su Xiaoyu's hairpin or tear off her own sleeve. If word got out, she'd become a laughingstock.
However, if His Highness Duke of Qin were to do this for her instead, it wouldn't just be a joke if word got out. It would be a beautiful story!
His Highness Duke of Qin doted on Qin Wangfei so much that he'd personally tie up her hair for her sake.
Which woman wouldn't be envious of such a thing?
All the women in the room stirred restlessly, but Long Fei Ye acted as if no one else was around. He held the strip of cloth in front of Han Yunxi's hair and gestured for a long time, his expression serious and solemn. His brows were furrowed so deeply that they formed a crescent shape.
Dammit, even an army of thousands couldn't stop him. Today, he's stumped over something as simple as tying up her hair.
He really didn't understand.
Meanwhile, Han Yunxi was still immersed in her unexpected happiness. She didn't help him.
She knew that Long Fei Ye would take her away, but she never expected Long Fei Ye to do it this way.
She looked at Long Feiye's tattered sleeve and suddenly felt like laughing.
Finally, Long Fei Ye grew unhappy and asked in a low voice, "How are you going to tie it up?"
Han Yunxi recovered her senses and took off her jade hairpin. She tidied up her hair and tied it into a ponytail with her bare hands. "Your Highness, this will do."
Everyone present was watching. She could have tied it up herself, but she didn't. He could have tossed the headband to her, but he didn't in the end.
Long Fei Ye's sword-wielding hand took great effort to tie up Han Yunxi's ponytail. Although it wasn't very neat, it was still tight enough that it wouldn't fall off.
Finally, the jade hairpin was removed.
"Noble Consort Chu, this white jade hairpin is for you," Han Yunxi handed it over.
Chu Qingge accepted it dejectedly. This white jade hairpin was very ordinary. Even ten of them couldn't compare to her bracelet.
All of the women present had sharp eyes. They could tell at a glance whether something was valuable or cheap. There was no such thing as exchanging gifts. If word got out, the Duke of Qin's estate would look very shabby.
Noble Consort Xue's eyes flashed with disdain. She was about to speak when Han Yunxi revealed her left wrist.
She gently stroked the white jade crystal bracelet on her wrist and said helplessly, "Aye, the Duke of Qin's estate is poor. This wangfei doesn't have any expensive accessories. I ask that Noble Consort Chu doesn't dislike this white jade hairpin. It's the thought that counts."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
