The Reborn Noble Girl is Hard to Find | Chapter 42: The Princess Yun Ni
Chapter 42: The Princess Yun Ni
Ji Lan tugged discreetly at her mistress’s sleeve, breaking her daze. Though clueless about the identities of the two men before them, the red-clad one was strikingly beautiful, while the white-robed one… well, he made hearts race.
Han Yan snapped back to her senses and replied nonchalantly, “The names of maidens from proper households aren’t revealed to unrelated men. If there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave.”
“Not so fast—” blurted He Lianyu, the red-clad man, without a second thought. How could he let her go? This young lady had dared to play tricks on him, and now that they’d crossed paths, she owed him an explanation. Before he could continue, the man in white interrupted. “Hmm.”
Startled, Han Yan looked up in disbelief. Was he permitting her to leave? The man’s aloof expression betrayed nothing, and he didn’t even glance in her direction. Seizing the moment, she quickly curtsied and pulled Ji Lan along, hurrying away like a frightened rabbit.
Watching her swift retreat, He Lianyu took a while to react. “Yun Xi! Why did you let her go? I’ve been looking for her forever!”
“She attended the palace banquet,” the white-clad man, Fu Yunxi, said coolly.
“Mu Yan,” he called.
A black-clad figure appeared instantly. “Your Highness?”
“Shadow the crown prince. Ensure his safety.”
“Understood!” The figure vanished as swiftly as it appeared.
“Your shadow guards are impressive,” He Lianyu remarked with a mischievous grin. “How about gifting me a couple?”
Mu Feng, the remaining guard, instinctively edged away. Serving a chatterbox like He Lianyu would be unbearable. But his master’s reticence wasn’t much better—surely, a balance between the two extremes would be ideal.
Still caught up in his thoughts, Mu Feng grew excited. His master had actually inquired about the young lady’s surname earlier! This was unheard of; Fu Yunxi had never shown such interest in anything unrelated to official duties. Could it be that his master… liked her?
“She’s too young,” Mu Feng muttered under his breath, lost in contemplation. She seemed no more than eleven or twelve, while his master was already twenty-one.
“What did you say?” He Lianyu asked, puzzled.
Mu Feng realized he’d spoken aloud and hastily shook his head, denying everything.
He Lianyu squinted suspiciously before turning to Fu Yunxi. “How did you know she was at the banquet?”
“Instinct,” Fu Yunxi replied, his tone as cold and sparse as ever.
He Lianyu rolled his eyes dramatically, while Mu Feng was near tears of joy. His master had admitted to having a “feeling”! Surely, this meant he was smitten. Mu Feng resolved to share the good news with Mu Yan later—it was worth celebrating!
When Han Yan and Ji Lan finally returned to their seats, Zhuang Hanming was already there. Shu Hong sighed in relief at their arrival. Han Yan sat down beside Deng Chan, who expressed concern. “You were gone for quite a while. I was worried something might’ve happened.”
Across the table, Zhuang Yushan chuckled. “The palace is vast and the scenery beautiful. It’s understandable if she got caught up admiring it.”
Li Jiaqi, however, sneered, “Or perhaps she was meeting someone in secret.”
Han Yan’s smile didn’t waver. “They say those with a Buddha in their heart see everyone as a Buddha.”
Li Jiaqi froze for a moment before understanding the veiled insult. Han Yan was implying that she was the one accustomed to clandestine liaisons, hence suspecting others of the same.
“How could you say such a thing, Fourth Sister?” Zhuang Yushan immediately feigned outrage. “You shouldn’t speak ill of Miss Li.” However, her tone betrayed a hint of schadenfreude.
Deng Chan intervened calmly. “Miss Zhuang, that’s quite a leap. We all heard the Fourth Miss’s words—she never named anyone. Why would you assume she meant Miss Li?”
Zhuang Yushan’s face stiffened, realizing her over-eagerness had backfired. Li Jiaqi shot her a displeased glare but chose to let it go for now.
Han Yan, disinterested in further conflict, shifted her thoughts elsewhere. Her earlier confrontation with the crown prince nagged at her. While she wasn’t particularly afraid of Zhang Wei, as they were already estranged from the Zhou family, offending the crown prince was another matter entirely.
More troubling were the two men she’d just encountered. Glancing toward the male guests’ section, she saw the red-clad He Lianyu and the white-clad Fu Yunxi settling into their seats. He Lianyu, with his reckless nature, might do something impulsive, which was concerning enough. But it was Fu Yunxi who unsettled her the most.
She sneaked another glance. Fu Yunxi sat with a calm detachment, sipping tea as if the lively banquet around him didn’t exist. His ethereal demeanor drew attention despite his apparent indifference.
For a moment, their eyes almost met, and Han Yan hastily lowered her head, her heart pounding. Had he noticed her watching him?
- 5 December 2024