Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Crown Prince Part II

So he's really done it.

Li Yingshan replied carefully, "I see. I heard the Seventh Prince was sickly though."

"He is. He's not destined to live past thirty. I don't understand why the Emperor named him Hei Apparent," Zhang Fangong said.

"Do you know what Hero Xu thinks of the Seventh Prince?"

"Young Master? He's not concerned with politics usually, but I know he doesn't agree with how the Crown Prince came to the position. Young Master heard some rumors that the Seventh Prince had made some underhanded deals to become Heir Apparent."

Hero Xu's snooping. This is bad. If he finds out about Moonlight Pagoda...

Alarm flashed across her face before she caught herself. Zhang Fangong noticed, but didn't think anything of it.

"That's right," he added. "If the Seventh Prince isn't honest, then he shouldn't be Emperor in the future. The Third or Ninth Princes would've been a better choice."

"Does Young Master believe that as well?" Qiu Ling asked.

Zhang Fangong nodded. "Of course!"

Dread began to pool in Li Yingshan's stomach. What if he finds out everything? His magnanimity towards me must only go so far. Once he knows, how fast will Qiu Ling and I be left to our own devices once more? I never should've agreed to leave Luoyang.

"Qiu Ling, let's return to Cherry Blossom Hall. I'm starting to get a headache."

"Yes, my Lady."

Zhang Fangong bowed as they departed. He watched them leave before going to find his Young Master.

∇

Back in her residence, Li Yingshan nervously paced around. "Qiu Ling, this is bad. Hero Xu is more astute than I anticipated."

"My Lady, perhaps he won't find out."

"That is a big if. He's a well-respected martial artist. Anyone in the Jianghu will surely answer him if he asks around. Eventually, someone will snitch. Then I'll be doomed."

"We can still flee now, my Lady."

"Flee? Where to? If we return to Luoyang, he'll just find us again. The Seventh Prince is busy now. He doesn't have time to take care of us. We would be on our own."

Qiu Ling grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. "My Lady!"

"What, Qiu Ling?"

"What if we went to headquarters?"

"If Hero Xu finds out, it'd be too obvious." She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Returning to Longxin City was a mistake. Agreeing to this marriage was a mistake. Is it even a marriage? We never had a ceremony. I rarely see my husband, and he has never visited my bed. In what sense are we married?"

This, Qiu Ling could not answer. She only released her Lady's shoulders and stepped back.

"There's no need to panic yet. After all, isn't tonight more worrisome? What will happen when you finally return to the Li family manor?"

Li Yingshan shuddered. "I don't even want to entertain any ideas regarding that. I never should've agreed to go. My family will be livid when I show up."

"My Lady, do you want me to accompany you?"

She shook her head. "No. You don't need to experience my father's wrath. Even if Hero Xu doesn't stand up for me, I have my own plans to deal with my father if worst comes to worst. Plus, I actually have a mission for you tonight."

"What do you need me to do?"

Li Yingshan tilted her head and sighed heavily. "Deliver a letter to Ten Thousand Ways Restaurant. Someone from Moonlight Pagoda will be there to collect it and take it to Han Shaolei."

"Who's the letter for?"

"His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, of course. It'll be a letter of my congratulations."

She walked over to the desk and sat down in the wheelchair. Bright sunlight filtered in through the window just over the desk, lighting the flat space well. Picking up the ink brush, Li Yingshan began to write. Qiu Ling watched her the whole time. When she had finished writing it, she blew on the wet ink and finally rolled up the paper. After tying it, she stood and turned, handing it out to her maid.

"When Hero Xu and I leave tonight, go deliver this letter. Then come straight back to Xu manor. Unless it's something dire, do not come to the Li family manor. Do you understand?"

Qiu Ling bowed her head obediently. "Yes, my Lady."

∇

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That evening, Li Yingshan dressed into a beautiful Liuxianqun. The colors flowed from windsor purple to white in an ombre style and there was silver trim on the neckline, sleeves, and bottom hem. She wore windsor purple embroidered shoes with silver stitching. Her hair was twisted up into a braided bun and struck through with a wavy silver hairpin. On the outside end of the hairpin was a simple design of a phoenix headlike . Some rouge was applied to her cheeks, and cinnabar was swiped over her smooth lips. Kohl lined her eyes, and a simple lotus decorated her forehead.

"My Lady, you look so beautiful."

Li Yingshan stared dully at herself in the bronze mirror. She sighed. "I don't want to do this. I regret agreeing to go tonight."

"Perhaps it won't be as bad as you believe."

"If not, then it's below what I expect from my family."

Qiu Ling pursed her lips. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Li Yingshan raced over to the waiting wheelchair and sat down quickly.

"Li Yingshan, are you ready?" Xu Haoran's voice rang out from the other side of the doors.

"Yes."

Qiu Ling wheeled her over to the doors and opened them. When Xu Haoran saw her, his eyes widened. He blinked a few times and cleared his throat.

"Let's go then."

Li Yingshan nodded. He took over for Qiu Ling and started to steer her towards the front gates. Qiu Ling and Zhang Fangong followed closely behind.

Out front, Xu Haoran hoisted her into the carriage and climbed in with her. Zhang Fangong sat out front on the platform and picked up the horse's reins.

"Ch. Ch. Ch."

The horse started to walk, and the carriage drew away towards the northwest. Where the Li family manor was in the elite northern sector of the city, the Xu manor was in the southeast sector where many of the richer but not elite families of martial artists lived. Once they were out of sight, Qiu Ling slipped away, heading straight west.

In the carriage, Li Yingshan and Xu Haoran sat across from each other. Her hands were folded nicely in her lap while his left hand rested on his knee and his right hand held onto his scabbard and sword. They sat in silence, both unsure of how to start up a conversation with the other.

Finally, Xu Haoran murmured, "You look beautiful tonight."

"Qiu Ling did a good job, but I also don't wish to outshine the bride."

"Of course not."

She glanced at him and decided to test him. "Surely you've heard of the Seventh Prince's promotion?"

He nodded and gritted out, "Yes."

"You're not happy about it then?"

"I hate to judge people, but the Seventh Prince seems conniving. I think there's more to the story than what people know."

You have no idea.

"Do you wish to explain your thoughts?"

He eyed her curiously. "Why do you care?"

She froze. Stammering, Li Yingshan replied, "I- I don't really. I'm just trying to carry on a conversation."

He leaned back, relaxing. "You brought up the Crown Prince. What are your thoughts on him?"

"I lived in the capital for five years. I've heard many things. I think the Crown Prince is intelligent and resourceful. But I also heard he has a chronic illness from childhood. A physician said he wasn't supposed to live past thirty."

"Then you seem to have heard a lot."

"Drunk men spill more than gossiping women," she replied evenly.

He chuckled, "I'm sure they do."

Changing the subject, she asked, "Do you disdain me at all?"

Xu Haoran's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "No. Why do you think that?"

After blinking once, she stated, "You know what I've been for the past five years. Surely you know the duties associated with such a life. I am not an innocent or pure woman. Is that the reason why you've not consummated this marriage? Three weeks ago, you defended me, as your wife, to my father. But why haven't you made me your wife? If it's because I'm not a maiden, then you shouldn't have looked to a courtesan for a bride."

He shook his head quickly. "That's not the reason at all. I assume you must've struggled in the beginning when you first left home. You became who you had to in order to make it in this world. I don't hold anything against you for that. Whatever you've gone through, Li Yingshan, I doubt I can imagine it. I haven't gone to you because I've been busy day and night. Truly, I've had no time. In the beginning, it was because I wanted to give you a reprieve, but then matters in the Jianghu started to pile up."

Can I trust his words? Or is he waiting so that he can divorce me on the grounds that we're not a true married couple? Is he just using me and doesn't plan to keep me around? Am I nothing but a pawn to him?

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