The Cry of the Phoenix Which Reached the Ninth Heaven-Volume 2 Chapter 74
Chapter 74: An Unfavored Prince
"Even if these things were thrown onto the streets, beggars wouldn't touch them. They're too crappy!" said Chu Moxin in complete earnest. Upon hearing this, Yao Mowan's lips twitched.
"So if one is going to be a beggar, it'd be best to be a beggar in great Shu!" exclaimed Yao Mowan with similar sincerity. No matter how worthless her possessions were, it wouldn't be bad to the point that not even beggars wanted them, right? She had personally picked much of these decorations.
"It's completely unpresentable! Even my imperial father's cold palace is more luxurious than this! Big Sister Moxin has truly suffered." Chu Moxin shook his head so hard Yao Mowan felt dizzy on his behalf.
"Isn't this place still pretty good? It's not that unpresentable, right?" Yao Mowan was blushing slightly from embarrassment. When she had lived here in the past, she had even disliked this place for being too extravagant.
"On the whole, the entire palace of Chu is unpresentable!" replied Chu Moxin confidently.
"You feel like His Majesty doesn't love Eldest Sister based on just this?" Yao Mowan didn't feel like continuing this discussion on whether the place was presentable or not.
"Of course not. How could love be measured using money?" replied Chu Moxin. It was probably the first reasonable thing he had said since coming to Chu.
"Why?" asked Yao Mowan.
"It's been fifteen years since Imperial Mother has passed away, but Imperial Father spends at least ten days every month in Imperial Mother's resting palace. One time, when this prince quietly snuck over, this prince saw that Imperial Father was smiling at the mirror that Mother used to use and was telling Imperial Mother about everything Big Brother had done recently. That's probably what real love is?
"But look at this place. There isn't even a blanket on the bed, so Ye Hongyi probably never comes here! If he loved Big Sister Moxin, then he'd be like Imperial Father and would visit several times a month. After all, this place contains a lot of his memories with Big Sister Moxin!" Chu Moxin lifted his head and looked towards Yao Mowan.
"He han'st come here even once since Eldest Sister died." Yao Mowan gazed at the empty bed as countless emotions slowly drifted up in her heart.
"I really don't know why Big Sister Moxin would like someone as rotten as that. If only Big Brother had been able to encounter Big Sister Moxin earlier," muttered Chu Moxin as he continued to scrutinize the room.
"What?" Yao Mowan calmed down her feelings of sadness and turned to look towards Chu Moxin.
"Big Brother's the only in this world that's a match for Big Sister Moxin!" explained Chu Moxin in a matter-of-fact tone.
Please, she was too unworthy! Chu Moxin's words caused Yao Mowan's hair to rise on end. If it was someone else, she could consider it, but Chu Mobei? No way!
"You said earlier that your father would look in the mirror while talking about your older brother, but what about you?" Yao Mowan suddenly realized that the topics Chu Moxin was interested in weren't her cup of tea. She seriously couldn't carry on the conversation.
"Imperial Mother died from blood loss after giving birth to me… Imperial Father doesn't like me… That's why Imperial Father never mentions me in front of Imperial Mother. However, it's fine. This prince will just tell Imperial Mother personally!" Chu Moxin lifted his face obstinately with a smile, but tears flickered in his eyes.
"Sorry…" Yao Mowan's voice choked as she looked at the slight smile on Chu Moxin's face. Her heart ached with pain. In this moment, she finally understood why Chu Moxin had already moved out of the imperial palace back then to start living in his own courtyard even though he only been ten years old.
"You're strange. Why are you saying sorry? Let's go. If this prince has to keep looking at this, this prince won't be able to resist tearing this place apart!" Chu Moxin didn't seem to find his situation sad and continued walking spiritedly.
Ever since Chu Moxin arrived at Guan Osprey Palace, Ye Hongyi had visited Huan Caier's Moon Crossing Pavilion several nights in a row. Meanwhile, after Huan Caier got the message Huangfu Junxiu sent her, she got things approved on the bed.
Presently, Moon Crossing Pavilion's main hall was filled with the fragrant scent of delicacies that aroused people's cravings.
"Why is that fool also here?" Huan Caier was standing at the palace doors in rich attire when she spotted Chu Moxin walking over with Yao Mowan.
"That's right, this servant only went to the west wing to invite Austere Prince, so why is she here too?" Zi Shuang was also surprised.
"Forget it, since she's here, it's not like we can drive her away. It's nothing but an extra pair of chopsticks." By now, Chu Moxin and Yao Mowan had already gotten near.
"Caier kowtows in salute to Esteemed Prince, Austere Prince, and Noble Consort Yao." Huan Caier walked up gracefully and curtsied.
"Big Sister Wan er, she's not as pretty as you!" In front of people, Chu Moxin still acted innocent and harmless just like Yao Mowan.
"That's why His Majesty likes this consort more!" Yao Mowan spoke the truth without holding back. When Huan Caier heard this, her expression changed slightly but quickly returned to normal.
As of now, what point was there in her bickering with a fool? She no longer cared for imperial favor either. Since Ye Hongyi wanted to take away Father's power, it meant that he intended to eradicate the Huan family. No member escapes unscathed from a family disaster, so if Huan Residence faced a calamity, she would be destroyed as well. As of now, what mattered most to her was helping her father find a reliable path of retreat.
"Noble Consort Yao is right. Who in the palace isn't aware of the fact that His Majesty favors Noble Consort Yao the most?" agreed Huan Caier with a smile.
"Prince, please come this way!" Once Chu Moxin and Yao Mowan walked into Moon Crossing Pavilion, Huan Caier turned to look towards Ye Junqing. Ye Junqing nodded slightly, then followed them in.
"This Shu subject, Huangfu Junxiu, kowtows in salute to Your Highness Consort Chen." The clear and melodious voice was moving to hear. Huan Caier looked towards the source of the voice and saw that it came from a man dressed in white. Huangfu Junxiu's hair was tied up simply with a hair crown and two strands were left framing the sides of his face, making him seem composed and elegant like he had come from a painting. The sight of those gentle eyes caused Huan Caier's heart to start racing.
"Your Highness?" called Zi Shuang softly when she noticed that her master was distracted.
"Please rise. Envoy Huangfu, please come this way." Huan Caier restrained the glow in her eyes and spoke in even gentler of a voice.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Upon hearing this, Huangfu Junxiu looked up and smiled briefly at Huan Caier. His smile seemed to shine in Huan Caier's eyes like the starry sky in the night.
At the dinner table, Yao Mowan and Chu Moxin were pulling out every ounce of their acting abilities and doing affectionate things like getting food and pouring wine for each other. Ye Junqing was completely baffled by their behavior. If this was acting, then he truly had no hope of ever being on par with them. At the very least, he couldn't smile as brightly as Yao Mowan was smiling in front of Chu Moxin. If they weren't acting, then he would have to prostrate himself in respect. They had been able to get from a mutual hatred relationship to being such close friends in a single day. It was seriously beyond the capability of normal people.
As he watched Yao Mowan and Chu Moxin's intimate gestures, he couldn't help but feel that time seriously flies. Was it because he was too old now and couldn't keep up with the trends? Or was it that they were seriously being extreme? He could almost see sincere affection in Yao Mowan's eyes. Had she fallen for Chu Moxin? But he was just a fifteen-year-old kid!
A strange sour feeling gradually spread in Ye Junqing's heart. It was already a sore spot that he couldn't bring himself to face.
On the other hand, from time to time, Huan Caier would command Zi Shuang to get some dishes for Huangfu Junxiu and she would patiently explain how each dish was made.
"Your Highness is truly skilled. Junxiu had never heard of this way of cooking before." Since there were several guests at this dinner, Huangfu Junxiu couldn't say too much, but based on the fact that Huan Caier had arranged this banquet, he had reason to believe that Huan Caier did intend to defect towards great Shu.
Hence, as Zi Shuang was getting him another dish, he quietly slipped the letter hidden inside his sleeve to her. After a moment of hesitation, Zi Shuang found a chance to pass the letter to Huan Caier.
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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira
[Chiyomira's Corner]
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