In Another World, Everyone Want to Kill Me!-Chapter 258: A Princess Arrives

In previous years, Concubine Keshun would have been busy as well, but this year she was occupied with something else and that’s her son had returned.

She needed to focus on selecting a consort for Rong Zishen.

Under the pretext of this selection, Rong Zishen had been summoned back, but appearances had to be maintained.

Choosing a consort to bring home would help reassure the Emperor’s heart.

People in Concubine Keshun’s palace bustled back and forth.

The preparations had begun even before the New Year and at last, on the fifth day of the first lunar month, the selection of a consort for the Second Prince officially began.

The Emperor attached great importance to it, so envoys from various countries all arrived.

What surprised Yue Mingxuan and Shang Qinghua was that Xieshang Kingdom had actually brought a princess.

It was said she was one of the Emperor of Xieshang’s most favored daughters.

As soon as she entered the main hall, she openly declared that she did not seek to become Rong Zishen’s principal consort and being a secondary wife would be enough.

"Xueyin, don’t be ridiculous." Shang Qinghua’s voice was calm, yet it carried an authority that brooked no defiance.

Yue Mingxuan could tell that he was truly angry.

It was already humiliating enough for Shang Qinghua himself to be in Beirong as a hostage and now a princess had lowered herself to say she would be satisfied with merely a concubine’s position.

Back when he was in Xieshang, Shang Qinghua had doted greatly on this younger sister.

Hearing her speak so recklessly now filled him with rage.

If not for the Emperor’s presence, he might have rushed forward already.

Shang Xueyin merely turned back with a faint smile and her eyes filled with quiet sorrow.

In that instant, Shang Qinghua finally understood... His sister too was a pawn, a sacrifice.

He clenched his fists and still trying to stop her. "Xueyin, come back."

But she stood beside the envoys, neither servile nor overbearing, her posture straight and dignified, every bit the bearing of royalty.

The Emperor found the girl interesting and cast a glance at Concubine Keshun.

Concubine Keshun naturally had no intention of letting Rong Zishen marry a foreign woman and certainly did not like the idea.

However, since the princess had said she only sought the position of a concubine, it did not seem worth making an issue of, so she let it pass.

Later, though, she would regret it bitterly.

The first day of the selection proceeded fairly smoothly.

With a princess from Xieshang Kingdom present, the local candidates seemed to lose some of their significance.

The princess was permitted to reminisce with Shang Qinghua and the group ended up returning to Yue Mingxuan’s residence.

Yue Mingxuan could not understand at all... Why did they have to go to his room?

"Greetings, Your Highness, Prince."

Princess Xueyin first offered her greetings to Yue Mingxuan, which left him with no choice but to return the courtesy.

He remained as easygoing as ever, waving his hand lightly and saying to her, "Princess Xueyin, things are very informal here. There’s no need for all this. It’s fine."

She was a princess who clearly understood etiquette.

In his presence she appeared poised and graceful, very much like a flower raised in a greenhouse.

Yet Yue Mingxuan found that he quite liked her; at the very least, among such sheltered flowers, she was far more pleasing to the eye than Rong Yuelin and so he treated her with equal politeness.

"Did Father Emperor send you?" Shang Qinghua asked.

She nodded while looking out the window.

In weather like this, even her hands and feet felt cold.

Although Yue Mingxuan’s room was well supplied with burning charcoal, the warmth still could not reach the heart. She let out a soft sigh and said, "Royal Brother, we are all chess pieces. Xueyin especially is a daughter; it is difficult to accomplish anything great. To walk the path of a political marriage is already quite fortunate."

Her voice was gentle, which is very similar in tone to Shang Qinghua’s.

It was clear that the bond between the siblings was deep.

Yue Mingxuan propped his head up and yawned.

"Sleepy again?" Shang Qinghua asked.

Gongsun Xing glanced over and said, "It’s nothing. He’s just bored. The color has returned to his face; it’s not a big problem."

No matter what, Shang Qinghua remained strongly opposed to Xueyin marrying Rong Zishen.

That man’s character was poor; under no circumstances could he treat his own sister as a sacrifice.

"Royal Brother, there’s no need to persuade me anymore. I will marry regardless—it’s only a matter of status."

With that, she left the palace.

That evening, Shang Qinghua stayed at Yue Mingxuan’s place.

During dinner it was obvious he was distracted and surely he was worried about his sister.

Yue Mingxuan set down his chopsticks and looked at him.

"Why did you stop eating?" Shang Qinghua finally came back to himself and asked.

Yue Mingxuan roll his eyes and said irritably, "Honestly, Prince Shang, you’ve been sitting in front of me all this time. Your chopsticks moved once and didn’t even make it to your mouth. Watching you makes it hard for me to have any appetite, you know!" Then, thinking it over, he felt that worrying about one’s sister was understandable, so he continued, "What exactly is Princess Xueyin thinking, insisting on marrying Rong Zishen? There are plenty of good men in this world and Rong Zishen doesn’t even count as one."

"It was Father Emperor’s intention."

Yet Shang Qinghua remembered that before he left, their father had still doted greatly on Xueyin.

If she were to be sent for a political marriage, there were many princesses to choose from and their father would surely have selected one less favored.

Why, then, had it been Xueyin?

He could not quite make sense of it.

That night, just as Yue Mingxuan was preparing to slip out quietly, he was stopped right on the spot by Shang Qinghua.