Chapter 17: Confrontation
“Fine, we’ll do as you say.”
Yinxin frowned, about to object, but was cut off by Li Xuanyue.
“Yinxin, send someone to Langya Hall with a message. Say that I have something to discuss with Shijun Lang and that he should come to Fenghe Hall at once.”
When Lang Hua received the message, he was naturally puzzled, but he kept his confusion hidden in his heart.
“This subject greets Your Highness.”
As Lang Hua stepped into the hall, he was met with the thick smell of medicine. It was clear that this Princess Xuanyue was indeed gravely ill.
“Shijun Lang, I hear you were disrespectful to Princess Qinghe in the imperial garden today?” Li Xuanyue skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.
A flicker of confusion crossed Lang Hua’s eyes. “Who told the princess this?”
Could it be that Li Qinghe’s maid had sent someone personally to report it? It seemed Feng Yi’s guess was correct after all.
Seeing Lang Hua’s confusion, Wen Shuo, who was standing to the side, stepped forward. “Who doesn’t know about your great disrespect to Princess Qinghe in the imperial garden today, Shijun Lang? The palace maids all saw it with their own eyes. Did you think you could hide it?”
This palace was filled with the eyes and ears of others. Even if he didn’t report it, someone else would have.
Only then did Lang Hua understand.
“Ha!” He snapped open his ink-black fan and let out a cold laugh. “Since when did Shijun Wen become so close with Princess Qinghe? To personally run to the princess to tattle and stand up for her? It seems I have truly underestimated this Princess Qinghe. To think she could even incite the princess’s own pillow companion to speak for her.”
Though his words were dripping with sarcasm, every sentence accused Wen Shuo of having an improper relationship with Princess Qinghe.
Wen Shijun’s face changed. “Shijun Lang, what nonsense are you spouting?” he stammered, his heart pounding in terror. “I simply couldn’t stand your arrogance and decided to speak a few words for Princess Qinghe. You stop your slanderous accusations right now!”
Slander? Lang Hua didn’t see it that way. But seeing the man so agitated he looked ready to jump, the displeasure in his heart instantly turned to delight.
“I was merely speaking casually. Why are you so worked up, Shijun Wen?” Lang Hua’s gaze, full of meaning, fell upon Wen Shuo, making the hairs on his body stand on end. “Could it be that there really is something going on between you and Princess Qinghe?”
By the end, Lang Hua’s voice had taken on a shocked tone, as if he had truly discovered some illicit affair between Princess Qinghe and this Wen Shijun.
Wen Shijun nearly fainted from fright at Lang Hua’s words. His knees went weak, and he fell to the floor with a thud before Li Xuanyue’s bed.
“Your Highness, don’t listen to his nonsense! This subject is completely innocent in his relations with Princess Qinghe! It is Shijun Lang who is slandering me and sullying my name! You must stand up for me!”
What a coward.
Looking at Wen Shuo kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly, a flash of contempt crossed Lang Hua’s eyes. With so little courage, he dared to stand up for someone else in front of Li Xuanyue. How utterly embarrassing.
“Since you want me to stand up for you, Shijun Wen, why are you still kneeling?”
With Yinxin’s help, the pink curtain was slowly drawn back, revealing Li Xuanyue’s fair, elegant, and stunningly beautiful face. Her pale pink lips were like jelly, inviting one’s imagination. Her long eyelashes were like a feather fan that gently brushed against one’s heart, stirring it. Her eyes, large and bright like black grapes, were now fixed on Wen Shijun, sending a chill straight down his spine.
A voice in his head told him: It’s over.
“Princess, this subject… this subject… this subject…” Facing Li Xuanyue’s gaze, Wen Shijun’s eyes darted away. He stammered the word “subject” three times but couldn’t form a single coherent sentence.
This, in turn, made Lang Hua, who was standing nearby, let out a cold snort.
“That’s enough, Shijun Wen. If you really can’t find the words, then just shut your mouth. Stop trying to argue.” Wasn’t he just speaking with such righteous indignation a moment ago? Why was he suddenly struck dumb now that Li Xuanyue had drawn back the curtain and was sitting before him?
“You!” Wen Shijun turned his head and glared at Lang Hua through gritted teeth. His eyes were impossibly cold, like ice that had formed over ten thousand years, freezing one’s heart. If he had known this Shijun Lang was so skilled at verbal sparring, he never would have been foolish enough to stand up for Princess Qinghe himself. He would have found another way.
“‘You’ what? You think you’re so great just because you have big eyes?” Lang Hua had no patience for this kind of traitor who bit the hand that fed him. He continued to lash out without mercy. “Save your energy. This isn’t something you can solve by staring. You’d better think about how you’re going to explain yourself to the princess.”
Hmph, trying to complain about him. As if he would give him a chance to defend himself. He was simply asking for trouble. Serves him right!
“Princess, look! Shijun Lang is still slinging mud at me, slandering me!” Wen Shijun’s eyes were red as he abruptly straightened his back and said to Li Xuanyue, “If this were to be spread by someone with ill intentions, not only would Princess Qinghe be unable to hold her head high in the Phoenix Clan, but this subject would also have no face to continue living in this world. I would rather die!”
His passionate and righteous speech was quite stirring to hear.
Li Xuanyue, however, was an exception. Not only was she not moved by his words, she instead appeared completely nonchalant.
“Then you should go die,” Li Xuanyue said lightly, tapping her index finger on the table.
Everyone present was stunned, thinking they must have misheard.
Wen Shijun’s face was also a mask of bewilderment. It took him a long moment to come to his senses.
“Princess, you!” His face was filled with disbelief. He couldn’t believe those words had come from Li Xuanyue’s mouth.
Li Xuanyue paid him no mind and continued speaking to herself.
“A thing that bites the hand that feeds it…”
The words seemed to be addressed to everyone, but they all knew she was clearly talking about Wen Shijun. They all lowered their eyes and hid their smiles.
“Eating my food, wearing my clothes, living in my palace, and being cared for by my maids, yet now you’re here, ready to live or die for another woman. You really think I’m already dead!”
By the end, Li Xuanyue’s voice had turned cold and heavy.
Wen Shijun’s face flushed red, and he frantically kowtowed on the ground. “This subject wouldn’t dare, this subject wouldn’t dare!”
However, Li Xuanyue gave him no time or opportunity to explain, continuing in a cold voice, “I don’t think you wouldn’t dare. I think you have the heart for it, just not the guts! You have repeatedly stood up in front of me to defend another woman, not even hesitating to openly clash with Shijun Lang. Do you think I am so broad-minded that I would tolerate you putting a green hat on my head?”
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