In a suit of deep red, thick and smooth silver hair, a wolf shaped mask that covered half his face, deep green eyes and smooth white skin, all of these made him look exceptionally different from others. Even though that was the case, that mysterious and aloof air around him still drew everyone’s eyes where they could not help but stare measuring him up, leading to the pretty and lively Ninth Princess, Yue Xin Yan beside him to be neglected for the first time.
But Yue Xin Yan did not mind. She had long gotten used to it. Whenever she was with Big Brother Ye Li, she was always the one being overlooked.
“Sis, Sis! Look! The Duke of Vast Seas!” The lad’s slightly excited voice awoken the almost half asleep Qing Yu.
She rolled her eyes at him. She was so bored she was almost falling asleep and this kid was not even letting her rest peacefully. He’s just too much.
Because their identities were lowly in there, they could only sit right at the back of the hall. There was basically not much people where they were and it was quiet in that area. Hence, even if they were to discourteously fall asleep, no one would even notice as all the big shots were all the way right in front.
After being disturbed by Qing Bei, she not longer felt like sleeping anymore and she raised her eyes up lazily to take a look. The man who had everyone’s eyes on him was just sitting there quietly, his thin lips pressed slightly together, his gaze indifferent. His head of silver hair was luxuriant, the midsummer season seemingly haven’t warmed his person up in the slightest, as a chilling wintry aloofness seemed to emanate from him.
Qing Yu gaze suddenly froze in shock, and her eyes that were originally lazily half open suddenly flared wide, looking a little stunned.
Qing Bei saw the way she was staring and he could not help but chuckle gleefully. “How is it? Isn’t he a very special person? The Duke of Vast Seas is very powerful and I heard that he was actually able to go up into the higher leveled lands but because of a promise he made, he remained here. What a righteous man he is who stands by his word.”
Qing Bei really worshipped the Duke of Vast Seas from the bottom of his heart, and he did not mind that he was a leading general of an opposing kingdom.
[Wait a minute….. Wonder if there will be a chance to at least say a word to him?]
Qing Yu had not been able to regain her senses for a long while. [Had her senses been wrong?]
[Why does this person….. feel so familiar to her, like she already knew him from her previous life.]
[But there was something different about this man and that person. Regardless whether it was in terms of outlook or that icy demeanor, they were greatly different.]
The look in Qing Yu’s eyes grew complicated. [Could he have been reborn as a completely changed person like she had?]
[No, there couldn’t possibly be so many coincidences. It was enough that she had suffered that alone.]
Her eyelashes fluttered as she blinked, her gaze lowering down slowly. And it was just after that that Qing Ye Li who was a far distance away suddenly turned to look her way. The green eyes dimmed and darkened. [Who was the one that was just staring at him?] That stare had been so intense that he was not able to ignore it. It was different from all the other gazes filled with curiosity or admiration. That one stare had clearly felt complicated and profound.
A pity the other party had already averted his eyes and hence he was unable to see who it was.
“The Duke of Vast Seas is just as exceptional as the rumours say. Outstanding flair, a dragon among men!” After the Green Wave Kingdom’s Emperor’s surprise passed, he then heaped words of praise upon Qing Ye Li, and seeing the young lady beside him thereafter, the Emperor’s eyes brightened. “This must be the Ninth Princess I assume, rightfully deserving of being the Water Edge Kingdom’s greatest beauty. Come, come take your seats!”
Palace servants came over to lead the guests to their seats, directly opposite Yan Su’s table.
Although Yan Su could be said to have met Qing Ye Li before, but over the past seven years, the man had changed quite a lot, seemingly even more unfathomable than before. Yan Su then recollected his thoughts and raised his cup up to say: “Duke of Vast Seas, it’s been a long time. Welcome to the Green Wave Kingdom, and let this Duke offer you a toast!”
Chapter 44.2: Love Snatched Away
Qing Ye Li then turned his gaze back indifferently, and his large hand with clearly distinct joints picked up the incomparably exquisite purple crystal cup, raising it up to empty the cup down his throat before his magnetic and faintly cold voice that very rarely said much sounded. “Thank you.”
A series of sighs sounded down below. [The Duke of Vast Seas was really as arrogant and cold as the rumours said.]
Seeing that, Yue Xin Yan smiled elegantly and went on to raise her wine cup as well. “Thank you for the Duke of Eternal Peace and the Emperor’s generous hospitality. As the Duke of Vast Seas does not often attend such functions, I hereby plead for forgiveness if we’ve shown any discourtesy. Xin Yan shall drink up first as a show of respect!”
Warming up the awkward atmosphere without batting an eyelid.
She was the Water Edge Kingdom’s most revered princess and although she was doted upon and greatly indulged in the Water Edge Kingdom, where she was still a rather childish and mischievous little lady in private back home, her great flair as the princess of a kingdom was not just for show, the way she handled herself and her candid personality bringing about a refreshing wave to wash over the people.
That there was the true flair of nobility, a grand magnanimous air that came from right in her bones.
Because of that, the Green Wave Emperor liked her very much and Yan Su also showed a sliver of a smile on his face, greatly admiring the Ninth Princess he had heard so much about.
And Yan Ning Luo who was seated in the first row among the womenfolk held quite a complicated looking gaze right at that moment.
For no other reason than the fact that Qing Ye Li had always rejected anyone from getting physically close to him. Even when he suffered heavy injuries back, he had not allowed anyone to touch him, but had forcibly endured the pain as he applied medicine and bandaged himself, while she merely watched him silently.
But at that very moment, that Yue Xin Yan was however seated right beside him, smiling brightly like a flower.
[Then, towards Yue Xin Yan….. his feelings were different?]
“That little princess’ personality is rather great.” Qing Yu lowered her head to take a sip of fruit wine, as she said distractedly.
From the moment earlier when she saw the Duke of Vast Seas appear, her mind had been a little chaotic. Although she knew that it was completely impossible, she still could not help having her thoughts run wild.
The lad beside her was however too excited and did not notice anything peculiar as he whispered softly to her: “The Duke of Vast Seas really has a great commanding presence! I admire him so much!”
No matter how aloof and arrogant he was, Qing Bei felt that that was how a powerful figure should act.
Qing Yu shook her head helplessly, her chin resting in her palm, looking highly bored and lazy. Suddenly, goose bumps rose up all over her body, as a incredibly strange and sinister feeling flashed very briefly past her.
A shiver ran down her spine and her originally lazy posture immediately straightened, causing Qing Bei to jump as he quickly asked: “What’s wrong Sis?”
“Nothing. I’m just feeling a little cold all of a sudden.”
“Oh, a gust of wind must have blown in from someplace.”
“Mm.”
Qing Yu did not say anything more but to turn her body to the side slightly, to look outside the palace hall.
The moon hung high up in the sky and as the All Saints Day was nearing, the moon had rounded up quite a bit, giving out a lustrous brilliance, hazily beautiful.
Just outside the hall, a row of very tall towering trees reached towards the clouds, looking like they were almost reaching the moon, cast several faint shadows. It was very quiet outside, and not even the sound of the wind could be heard, where the trees’ branches stood stock still, not moving in the slightest.
But just a moment ago, she had clearly felt a chilly gust. Could she be mistaken?
Her senses have always been highly accurate. It was better to be a little more wary.
Up above, the Green Wave Emperor and several of the high ranking ministers were chatting with Qing Ye Li and his group, discussing about the friendly relations between the two kingdoms. They had done enough of the perfunctory pleasantries, and it was time to get into the main topic.
Chapter 44.3: Love Snatched Away
“It is said that the Ninth Princess came here this time for matchmaking but wouldn’t the Ninth Princess’ name alone draw countless young and talented to want to become the Water Edge’s Ninth son-in-law? It then makes me wonder whether the princess has someone you have in your heart within our Green Wave Kingdom?” The Green Wave Emperor’s face was highly benevolent but he actually had some others thoughts in his heart. Even if the other party had no intention of starting a war with them, they had surely come here to with an aim to taunt and challenge them. He did not believe that the Water Edge Kingdom would do something as senseless as to come a thousand miles all the way to the Green Wave Kingdom just for leisurely sightseeing and fun.
Yue Xin Yan’s face still retained an unassailable smile. “Xin Yan has just undergone her coming of age ceremony and I am not exactly that keen to be seeking marriage currently. If someone is to come to win my heart, that person must definitely be someone stronger than I am.”
She paused a moment after she finished, her gaze turning upon Xuanyuan Che, the corners of her mouth lifting up. “I hear that this great kingdom’s His Highness, the Crown Prince is the top disciple of the Faint Mist Sect’s Sect Leader and although he is still so young, he has far surpassed many of his seniors fellow disciples who are older than him. I think he must be a very powerful and talented man.”
Once those words came out, everyone else were not that calm anymore.
[What is the Water Edge Kingdom’s princess seeking to do here?]
Her intentions were clear to see and everyone present knew what she was doing. She couldn’t possibly not know the His Highness the Crown Prince and Princess Ning Feng were engaged in marriage and here she was blatantly fighting for Princess Ning Feng’s man. That was just too arrogant wasn’t it?
Although she was the princess of another kingdom, she couldn’t possibly come in here and flagrantly want to snatch someone else’s fiance so shamelessly!
The people in the hall immediately started to try to locate Yan Ning Luo and they all found her seated right among the womenfolk. However, Yan Ning Luo’s demeanor was highly calm and indifferent, not showing the slightest trace of rage from being blatantly challenged in front of everyone, looking steady and unaffected, without even a ripple of emotion.
The people could not help but silently admire her. She was their topmost prodigious young lady as expected, as such strong willpower was not something any ordinary person could possess.
But how could they possibly know that Yan Ning Luo actually did not have feelings for Xuanyuan Che at all, and not to mention there someone was taunting her, it would be best if she could snatch Xuanyuan Che away, so she would be able to take the chance to annul the engagement.
Qing Yu began to develop a bit of interest towards this highly candid little princess. [Does she really like the Crown Prince at all? Why was she feeling that this lass’ true intention was not that simple?]
As the person directly involved, Xuanyuan Che was also startled by those words that felt so much like a confession of her feelings for him. He went on to merely nod his head politely at her, and then said in a gentle voice: “I thank the Ninth Princess for your strong praise, but my royal person is already engaged in marriage.”
The rejection was already clear through his words which also caused all the other ladies who harboured fantasies about Xuanyuan Che to have their little hearts broken to pieces onto the ground. With the Crown Prince so deeply in love, it was thought that they all would not stand a chance at all.
However, Yue Xin Yan just smiled, seemingly completely unaffected. “I know that. So, I only have one request to make, that I hope His Majesty the Emperor would grant.”
“I wonder what the Ninth Princess’ request is?” The Green Wave Emperor had showed that he was equally shocked by Yue Xin Yan’s feelings for the Crown Prince, but he was also rather curious what her objective really was.
“This princess here has never stepped out from the Water Edge Kingdom before for the past ten over years and have only focused on my cultivation training, hence I would think of myself as slightly above average in my skills. But I have often heard that there is a highly gifted and prodigious young lady in the Green Wave Kingdom, acclaimed to be the most highly skilled among the women of the Green Wave Kingdom, frequently comparing me to this young lady, which has perplexed me quite a bit.”
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Hearing those words come out from her, Yan Ning Luo’s gaze deepened, seemingly having already guessed what she was going to say next.
As expected, Yue Xin Yan’s next statement that was delivered with a disarming smile said: “I am also very curious, between me and this prodigious young lady in this great kingdom, who stands a notch higher. Hence, I have come here to issue a challenge to her.”
Yue Xin Yan had a small and petite figure, with mischievous and adorable looks. But if you were taken in by her looks, you would have already lost.
The lass was one who possessed strong battle lust through and through, and many of the Water Edge Kingdom’s men were not her match.