mtl008 Chapter 180 Chance Encounter
Chapter 180 Chance Encounter
The Emperor of Dongzhou passed away, and the entire Dongzhou fell into deep sorrow.
But the sadness could not last long, because war was imminent.
Xuanyuan You was forced to ascend the throne with the assistance of Regent Shen Peiqing.
A six-year-old child walked through the long corridor of the imperial palace. His round face pretended to have an expression that did not belong to his age. Wearing an imperial crown that was perhaps heavier than he was, he walked step by step towards the position that countless people yearned for.
Shen Peiqing was dressed in a luxurious red brocade robe, and his body appeared particularly tall and straight under the golden light, as if everything around him was dull because of him.
He placed one hand on his waist and the other behind his back, his eyes deep and firm as he looked into the distance.
That was the entrance and exit that Xuanyuan You was about to walk out of. As a sharp and high-pitched voice rang out, a small figure slowly walked into the hall under the guidance of a palace servant.
Every step he took seemed so heavy and solemn.
When he saw Xuanyuan You, Shen Peiqing's eyes softened a lot. He leaned forward slightly and stretched out his hand towards the other party, waiting with a serious attitude.
When the tender little hand finally touched his palm, Shen Peiqing gently and calmly led the tender and ignorant little figure to the supreme position.
Immediately afterwards, all the ministers came to pay homage, with solemn cheers rising one after another.
Rong Su, who was standing below and watching this scene, felt a little sorry for the little emperor.
Such a young child had to shoulder the fate of the entire country without any knowledge of the situation.
An inexpressible sigh slowly flowed in her heart, and she could only express such emotion as a bystander because she had no ability to help him.
As his thoughts wandered, the coronation ceremony had already ended, and all the ministers had left. The little emperor and Shen Peiqing were no longer on the dragon throne. It seemed that they had gone to discuss state affairs.
Rong Su felt that she was not needed here for the time being, so she turned around and prepared to leave.
Suddenly someone called her.
"Your Highness!"
Originally, she came here just because Xuanyuan Yuance canonized her as Princess Huine.
Now that Xuanyuan You has ascended the throne as emperor, she, as his adopted sister, has suddenly been promoted to the position of Huining sir.
Turning around, I unexpectedly saw Bei Xin, the son of the Lord of Ancheng.
She was not familiar with Bei Xin. She had only seen him from afar at the birthday banquet of the former Emperor of Dongzhou.
He is the future lord of Ancheng, and her current identity is that of a lady from Dongzhou. So, they are of equal status.
"Young Master Bei Xin, I wonder why you called me?"
When Bei Xin heard her ask this, his face suddenly turned slightly red, and he looked a little embarrassed, but also a little annoyed. So he turned sideways, coughed lightly a few times, blinked his eyes, looked around, and seemed to be thinking for a while before speaking.
"That's right...that's right, I want to ask for your hand in marriage, Your Highness."
"?" Rong Su was stunned by this sudden marriage proposal. She looked at Bei Xin in astonishment, then suddenly thought he was joking. She couldn't help but say with a half-smile on her face, "Young Master Bei Xin, please don't tease me with such words. After all, marriage is a serious matter, not a joke."
Her words seemed to have stepped on Bei Xin's tail, which was about to explode. He immediately turned around and stared at her head on.
"Where was I joking? I said it so sincerely! I was serious!"
Bei Xin's eyes were wide open, sparks were about to burst out, and he was obviously angry, and it didn't look like he was joking.
This time she couldn't trick Rong Su anymore. She didn't know what to say for a moment and could only give Bei Xin a forced smile.
"Then may I ask why Young Master Bei Xin suddenly proposed to me? I remember that we haven't officially met, right?"
Bei Xin's face instantly turned red like the glow of the sunset. He raised his hand, clenched his fist, bit his lips, and his eyes flickered. He looked as if hesitant and a little irritated.
He clenched his fists and then unclenched them several times. Finally, he seemed to have mustered up the courage to make a breakthrough. His eyes looked determinedly at Rong Su's watery eyes, which were slightly doubtful but still gentle.
"I...I just, oh my, I took one look at you at the birthday party, and then I fell in love with you. That's right, that's it!"
His words were as low as a mosquito at the beginning, but later he spoke without hesitation, as if he was showing his cards.
The sound suddenly became louder, attracting the attention of many officials who were about to leave.
Rong Su was afraid of being watched, so she immediately reached out and took Bei Xin's hand and walked to the side.
Bei Xin was slightly stunned. Looking at her small hand holding his, his ears became redder and hotter. He did not forget to ask in a loud voice, "You, Your Highness, why are you holding my hand? Where are you taking me?"
As if she was afraid that Bei Xin would continue to talk about that topic, she said seriously, "Do you want people to watch and talk about what just happened?"
Bei Xin felt that what Rong Su said made sense, so he stopped asking questions and followed her silently, staring at her back. He felt his heart beating faster. He just came to ask for a marriage, so why did it turn out like this?
Just when he was wondering, he saw Rong Su had stopped. He quickly came back to his senses and looked over. Rong Su had already let go of his hand and kept a distance from him.
But seeing that she suddenly kept a distance from me, I felt a little uncomfortable.
"Alright. Young Master, I was hesitant to tell you when I saw someone was around, but now that there's no one around, I'll be frank. You came to ask for my hand in marriage, so you must have a purpose, right? And that purpose isn't just because you say you like me, but there must be something else, right?"
Upon hearing this, Bei Xin's eyes widened again. That expression was really easy to guess, and it was very obvious, as if he was telling her how did you know.
But he seemed to be making excuses, his face flushed and his eyes flickering: "What purpose do I have? I just like you, that's why I asked you to marry me!"
Seeing that he just refused to admit it, Rong Su sighed. She didn't have time to play emotional games with a young master. She said directly: "Since you don't want to say it, then forget it. Then my answer is, I refuse."
After she finished speaking, she was about to turn around and leave. When Bei Xin saw her leaving, he became anxious and immediately walked over to block her way.
"No, you just rejected me and left like that?"
He was obviously shocked, staring at her in disbelief, as if he was not convinced.
Rong Su felt that a young master like him must have felt wronged for being rejected, so he showed such an expression. She was a little speechless and looked at him coldly.
"What else? Master Bei Xin, I don't care what your reasons are. But there is one thing I can tell you very clearly: I don't like you."
"Why?" Bei Xin blurted out, with a little resentment in his surprise, and then stared at her in shock and questioned.
She didn't want to answer such nonsense questions at all, so she just walked past him, too lazy to talk nonsense with him.
Bei Xin saw that Rong Su was indeed leaving, and became even more anxious. This time he finally told the truth.
"Wait! I'm telling you! I actually have something I want to ask Your Highness!"
He blocked her way again, closed his eyes, and shouted as if he was risking his life.
This time, Rong Su stopped and looked at him indifferently, wanting to see what this young master wanted to ask of her by stopping her.
Bei Xin opened one eye and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Rong Su had not left. Then he patted his chest and opened his other eye.
"Aren't Beizhou and Zhongzhou going to war with Dongzhou?"
Bei Xin looked worried as he paced back and forth in front of her.
Rong Su looked at him calmly, without saying anything, just agreeing.
Bei Xin glanced at Rong Su, and seeing that she didn't respond, he finished what he was saying.
"My father is interested in forming an alliance with Dongzhou. He sent me here to discuss a marriage between the two countries. Now, I look down on the unmarried princesses and princesses of Dongzhou who come and go."
As he spoke, his gaze drifted over to look at her intentionally or unintentionally, and he pretended to cough to cover up his awkwardness.
"My father wants me to marry Princess Yunying. But I don't like the one he finds for me. I want to take the initiative. Even if it's an arranged marriage, I want to find someone I like!"
Bei Xin immediately looked over after he finished speaking, sometimes glancing at her, sometimes looking away, with a nervous and awkward expression, and said, "So you come and marry me. If that person is you, I'm quite willing."
After hearing what he said, Rong Su's face was calm. She stared at his shy look. Without thinking too much, she said directly: "I don't want to."
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned and left.
Bei Xin, who stayed behind, was surprised, and when he turned to look at Rong Su, his bright and clear starry eyes gradually became deep.
After leaving the Dongzhou Palace, Rong Su turned around and went to the post station to get the letter paper.
There are two types of correspondence between Aku and her. Those involving confidential information are generally delivered through Fat Head, while ordinary letters are sent through the post station.
The postman saw her and came up to her warmly: "Your Highness! You are here? I have taken good care of your letters. In fact, you can ask me to deliver them to you. I don't want any tips."
Taking the letter, Rong Su smiled faintly: "Thank you. I just happened to be passing by and came here to pick up the letter. I will still not be stingy with the tip."
After she finished speaking, she took out a tael of silver and handed it to the boy at the post station.
When the young man at the post station saw it, his eyebrows and eyes lit up a lot, as if they were blooming flowers. He hurriedly took it and thanked Rong Su several times.
After receiving the letter, I was ready to go home, but just as I was about to leave, I heard a quarrel nearby.
"Go! Don't hinder my business! Why send a letter if you don't have money?"
A man pushed a dirty little boy wearing coarse linen clothes to the ground and looked at the boy with contempt.
The little boy tightly grasped the envelope in his hand. It looked very simple, with many creases and wrinkles, and there were traces of being torn at the opening.
It must be an envelope that has been used by someone.
Being pushed to the ground, the little boy pursed his lips stubbornly and looked at the man, as if he wanted to argue.
"But I already gave you the copper! Since you don't want to help me post it, give me back my copper!"
The man was obviously embarrassed by what a little boy said, and he threw a few coins at the boy in anger.
"I'll give it back to you! Don't make trouble here again, or I'll make you pay!"
The copper coin fell to the ground with a plop and rolled around. The little boy saw it and hurried to chase it.
Just as the little boy was about to cross the street, a horse-drawn carriage was speeding past not far away.
Everyone who saw this scene cried out in shock, but no one stepped forward to save the person.
Rong Su frowned and was about to go over when a figure flashed by quickly, picked up the little boy, and landed on the other side with a few jumps. The carriage had already driven over.
The little boy, still frightened, bowed to the man who saved him and thanked him, then quickly took the copper coin and was about to leave.
But the man stopped him, and seeing his puzzled look, he took out a piece of silver and handed it to the little boy.
"I'll give it to you to mail."
The little boy was overjoyed and thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you, big brother!"
After the little boy hopped away, the man slowly turned around and happened to look up, meeting Rong Su's gaze.
At that moment, a faint smile appeared on that bright and handsome face.
Then the other person walked straight towards her.
Rong Su stared at his actions without moving, so the man's face seemed somewhat familiar, but she couldn't remember it for a while.
The man saluted her. The words "elegant young man" perfectly embodied him, and his every move revealed the temperament of a noble gentleman.
"Greetings to Her Highness Hui Ning."
She didn't react and was surprised: "Do you know me?"
The other party obviously didn't expect her to show such an expression. After a moment of silence, he raised his lips and smiled.
"Your Highness's reputation is extremely famous in Dongzhou. Who in Dongzhou doesn't know Your Highness? I am Ziyu."
Zi Yu? Rong Su thought about it and felt like she had never heard of this name in her two lifetimes. It must be someone she didn't know.
Glancing at Zi Yu, he showed a friendly attitude towards her, without any hostility. Perhaps he was trying to curry favor with her or make friends with her?
Unfortunately, she has no interest in making friends with strangers.
Rong Su just nodded to Zi Yu, then turned and left.
After walking for a long time, the man did not catch up with her. She thought he just happened to meet her and said hello to her. Then she didn't care about him and turned a corner to go back to the princess's mansion.
After Rong Su walked away, the smile on Zi Yu's face gradually disappeared.
At this time, the little boy who had left long ago returned to Zi Yu and bowed his head respectfully.
"Master. Why don't you tell Lady Tianfeng your real name? Isn't the reason we met her by chance to cooperate?"
Shen Fengyu narrowed his eyes, raised one corner of his mouth slightly, his gaze deep, but his voice clear, a strange contrast: "She is so familiar with my brother, I think knowing my real name may not necessarily make her willing to cooperate with me."
Xiaonan frowned, not quite understanding: "Then why is the master putting on this show?"
"Sometimes seeing is believing, hearing is not. I have to act differently in front of her. After all, my brother must have said a lot of unpleasant things to me." Shen Fengyu smiled with narrowed eyes, then turned and walked to the other side.
Xiaonan suddenly realized and then quickly followed Shen Fengyu.
Two days later, the man without beard came to look for her.
"Your Highness, please accompany me to Zhongdu to meet His Majesty as soon as possible. The Heavenly Phoenix Girl Ceremony must be approved by His Majesty before it can be officially performed before the people of Zhongzhou."
Rong Su thought about it and stood up: "Okay."