The Prince Can Do Divination-Chapter 91 - 87: Wagering Agreement, Mu Xue’s Affection, Heaven and Earth Oath
Huo Hongling pondered her father’s words for a long time.
She felt deeply conflicted.
She wanted to participate in the struggle for succession to better the Huo Family’s standing.
Her father, however, wanted to withdraw from it all peacefully.
While his reasoning had merit, she still refused to marry Lu Mingyuan, whose reputation was abysmal. The Eighth Prince had a much better name, not to mention a more powerful background.
She didn’t look down on scholars. Her father hailed from the Confucian Temple Military Family, which was why he was invincible on the battlefield. She herself had studied military strategy since childhood and was quite keen on scholarly pursuits.
"I have already asked the Holy Emperor to decree this marriage. The matter is settled, and there’s no turning back. Go and prepare for the wedding."
Huo Qing informed her coldly.
Today at the Imperial Court, he had learned of his daughter’s actions and had been so angry he almost cursed out loud.
That he wasn’t erupting in fury now was a testament to his extreme self-control.
"Father!"
Hearing this, Huo Hongling’s pupils constricted.
’I can’t believe Father would actually go this far.’
In that instant, she was overcome with a profound sense of grievance.
Huo Qing narrowed his eyes, his tone a clear warning. "If you dare to run away from the marriage, I will disown you as my daughter, and you will no longer be part of the Huo Family."
Huo Hongling was utterly shocked. She never imagined her father could say something like that.
In her entire life, her father had never spoken to her so harshly.
He was clearly furious.
"I understand, Father..."
With a dim look in her eyes, Huo Hongling could only resign herself to her fate.
Huo Qing continued, "Also, your remarks in the Imperial City require an explanation to the Wang Family and the Sixth Prince. Because of your words, they have utterly lost face."
His daughter had previously rejected the arranged marriage, making the Wang Family a laughingstock.
Now that she was to marry the Sixth Prince after all, wasn’t this putting both families in a difficult position and slapping the Wang Family in the face?
Therefore, the relationship had to be mended.
"What should I do?"
Huo Qing thought for a moment and said, "You will issue a wager to the Sixth Prince. Challenge him to a duel, and declare that if he defeats you, you’ll marry him. If you win, you won’t. Then, you’ll intentionally lose to him."
Huo Hongling was stunned. "Why must I do that?"
Huo Qing said irritably, "Wasn’t it you who said it, spouting nonsense like, ’I won’t marry a man who can’t defeat me’? If we don’t do this, how can we give the Wang Family a way to save face?"
"After you lose, the Wang Family will regain their honor, and our two families won’t harbor any ill feelings."
Huo Hongling hadn’t expected her father to have already planned out her retreat.
This way, it would be consistent with her persona while also restoring the Wang Family’s honor. It was an excellent compromise.
"Father, must we really go to such lengths?" Huo Hongling sighed.
"You’ve brought this on yourself for saying such things."
After saying this, Huo Qing ignored her and turned to leave.
"Hurry home, don’t make your mother worry. She hasn’t seen you at all lately. Do you have the heart to make your mother so distressed?"
Hearing this, Huo Hongling could only follow behind her father.
...
「Qingzhu Hall.」
Lu Mingyuan calmed his mind, his consciousness sinking into darkness as he began to check the movements of the Blood Glutton Puppets in various locations.
He hadn’t been idle these past few days.
He had sent out forty-five Blood Glutton Puppets and kept five for himself.
They were spread throughout the major areas of the Imperial City, the corners of the Imperial Palace, and outside the various Princes’ Mansions.
In his mind, it was as if a surveillance screen had been added, allowing him to monitor the situation in various areas.
He had placed the most—a full eight of them—around the residence of the Second Prince, Lu Guangjing.
He would know of any slight disturbance.
However, nothing seemed to have changed over the past few days. All was calm.
He was waiting for Lu Guangjing to reveal a weakness. Grasping even a single bit of leverage would be a success.
"Your Highness, look who’s here."
Smiling, Hong Wan led a lovely woman in a ruqun into the courtyard.
Lu Mingyuan froze when he saw the visitor. The longer he looked, the more captivated he became.
After a whole month, Qi Muxue was finally standing before him again.
"It’s been a long time, Miss Qi," Lu Mingyuan said, his voice filled with genuine emotion. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞
"My father was reinstated, and I returned to the Academy. I’ve been terribly busy, so please forgive me, Your Highness." Qi Muxue smiled sweetly, like a clear spring in a mountain valley, a refreshing sight to behold.
"Besides, with your wedding approaching, I didn’t want to intrude."
Lu Mingyuan waved his hand. "What wedding? It was called off long ago."
Qi Muxue didn’t seem surprised. Instead, she asked calmly, "Why?"
"She looks down on me."
Qi Muxue smiled faintly. "The Saint said, ’When serving one’s lord with full propriety, others may see it as flattery.’ Your Highness need not worry about what outsiders think. Just be yourself."
"Your Highness, why not take a walk with me in the garden?"
Her clear, heart-stirring gaze was impossible to refuse.
At this, Hong Wan and Zi Yun started frantically winking and signaling to Lu Mingyuan with their eyes.
Lu Mingyuan found their behavior very strange, but he could only agree.
"Alright."
And so, Lu Mingyuan and Qi Muxue walked side by side. Zi Yun and Hong Wan were tactful enough not to follow. The two of them walked out of the Cold Palace, passed through the seemingly endless vermilion palace walls, and headed toward Bihu Garden.
The garden was idyllic, with waterside pavilions and a glittering lake. Spirit Birds chirped in the trees, their calls not a nuisance, but rather crisp and melodious. Surrounded by such beautiful scenery and a warm atmosphere, neither of them wanted to break the silence. They simply walked on quietly.
Looking at Qi Muxue’s beautiful face, Lu Mingyuan’s heart couldn’t help but soften.
However, using his [Recognizing People] ability, he could tell that Qi Muxue had something heavy on her mind.
It seemed like she was hiding something from him.
The two walked under the largest cypress tree. The early spring sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the grass with specks of light. Qi Muxue was suddenly struck with a whim. Her feet moved lightly, her embroidered shoes seeming to want to step on the sunlight. Though it was an absurd idea, a sweet smile appeared on her face, and Lu Mingyuan, at her side, was captivated by the sight.
"What are you looking at, Your Highness?"
Even a simple glance from Qi Muxue held an indescribable charm.
The two had known each other for a long time, almost half a year. Counting from the Lantern Festival, they had become extremely familiar, playing music, discussing poetry, and admiring flowers under the spring moon. In their time together, unknowingly, feelings had taken root in their hearts.
"I was thinking that Miss Qi is so gentle and virtuous, I wonder which man will be lucky enough to have you in the future."
Hearing him praise her, Qi Muxue felt a small, secret joy in her heart, but her expression remained proper. "Your Highness knows how to say nice things now. I remember when we first met, you said you didn’t like my type."
"That was then, this is now."
Lu Mingyuan laughed, a very happy laugh. He plopped down on the ground, not in a formal kneeling posture, but with his legs splayed, leaning his back against the cypress tree. A lazy aura enveloped him, and he slowly closed his eyes.
"Your Highness, how can you sit so wantonly?"
Seeing him like this, Qi Muxue couldn’t help but comment.
Facing Qi Muxue’s protest, Lu Mingyuan replied leisurely without opening his eyes, "This isn’t being wanton, it’s being relaxed." He then took on a look of pure enjoyment.
"Relaxed?" Hearing this, Qi Muxue was slightly taken aback.
"Yes. You always have to be mindful of etiquette: no talking while eating, no speaking in bed, sitting up straight, being respectful in your dwelling, being reverent in your duties... Don’t you think living like that is tiring?"
"Now that you mention it, it does seem..."
"Come on, try it like me. It’s very comfortable." Lu Mingyuan’s eyes opened slightly, his lips curving into a brilliant smile.
Qi Muxue dazedly said, "Oh," and clumsily imitated Lu Mingyuan by sitting down. But she felt that spreading her legs was too unladylike, so she kept them together, bending her knees slightly so the hem of her skirt just covered them. This pose, however, only served to accentuate the long, straight lines of her legs against the fabric. Preoccupied with the novel and thrilling sensation, she was utterly oblivious to the breathtaking beauty she was unintentionally displaying.
Lu Mingyuan savored the view.
He said half-jokingly, "It would be even more comfortable if you rested your head on my shoulder."
To his surprise, after a moment’s hesitation, Qi Muxue actually did it.
Suddenly feeling the soft, warm weight at his side, Lu Mingyuan’s entire body stiffened. He turned his head.
’I can’t believe she actually did it!’
[Azure Fate Grid - Fated to be Seductive, Refinement Level increased to 45%]
At the same time, text appeared before his eyes. The Refinement Level of the "Fated to be Seductive" Fate Grid had increased by another ten percent.
Lu Mingyuan was stunned.
In an instant, it seemed he understood something.
He saw a hint of imperceptible anticipation on Qi Muxue’s face, something he would have missed without his [Recognizing People] ability.
"Haha."
Qi Muxue looked at Lu Mingyuan, puzzled, "What are you laughing at, Your Highness?"
"I’m just very happy."
Lu Mingyuan turned his head to the side, looking at her trembling eyelashes, and replied with a smile.
He finally grew bold and took that small, fair hand he had dreamed of.
"Your Highness... you aren’t toying with me, are you?"
Qi Muxue said, biting her thin lip.
She was very afraid that Lu Mingyuan was teasing her, or even making a fool of her.
"Of course not."
Lu Mingyuan saw through her thoughts and her expression, and smiled faintly.
At this, her small hand struggled for just a moment before it stopped resisting. Her gaze shifted to the side, not daring to look at him.
"Miss Qi, you seem to have something on your mind. Why not tell me about it?"
Qi Muxue’s eyes dimmed. "You have a keen eye, Your Highness. But even you would find this matter difficult to resolve."
Lu Mingyuan chuckled lightly. "Why not try me?"
Qi Muxue thought for a moment. "I have a close friend who fell in love with a young master from a Noble Family. But that young master is engaged to another lady. Fortunately, this lady doesn’t like the young master. Your Highness, do you think my friend... should she confess her feelings?"
Lu Mingyuan could tell she was alluding to something, and said calmly:
"If it were me, I definitely would."
"You should naturally pursue the person you love. Seizing the present moment is what’s most important; you can’t let the opportunity slip away. In this world, the only thing others have no right to ridicule is true love."
"The only thing others have no right to ridicule is true love... I understand."
Qi Muxue seemed to have an epiphany.
He couldn’t help but tease, "This close friend... it couldn’t be you, could it, Miss Qi?"
A blush crept across Qi Muxue’s face.
"What if it is, and what if it isn’t?"
"If it is, then I’m curious which young master Miss Qi has fallen for. If not, then forget I said anything."
Facing the gentle breeze from the lake, Qi Muxue lowered her head and said, "This person is as distant as the horizon, yet as close as the one before my eyes."
Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan squeezed the hand he was holding and whispered beside her earlobe:
"Miss Qi, I like you too. Not one bit less than you like me."
"Your Highness... you aren’t joking with me, are you? Is this real?"
Qi Muxue turned her head away, not immediately believing him, her gaze unnatural as she lowered her head and spoke.
[Azure Fate Grid - Fated to be Seductive, Refinement Level increased to 55%]
Only now did Lu Mingyuan truly understand Qi Muxue’s feelings.
There were no barriers between them, only a single step remained.
’If you like someone, you have to go for it. Don’t be wishy-washy.’
After thinking it through, he no longer hesitated. He sat up straight, his gaze resolute, and said word by word, "I, Lu Mingyuan, in this life and the next, will have no one but you. Let heaven and earth be my witness!"
"So, is that enough?"
Hearing his oath to heaven and earth, Qi Muxue whipped her head around, her eyes filled with disbelief.
She saw Lu Mingyuan’s determined face, without a trace of hesitation or fear.
Her eyes couldn’t help but moisten. Her gaze fixed on him, captivated, and she tearfully laughed, vowing:
"In this life and the next, I will be your wife. Let heaven and earth be my witness!"
Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan was also overjoyed. He smiled and wiped away the teardrops from the corner of her eyes, and tentatively called out:
"Mu Xue?"
"Lu Lang..."
Qi Muxue called out shyly.
The two of them just stared at each other, captivated, without saying a word.
Qi Muxue’s palms were sweaty with nervousness, her face completely flushed as she said, "How much longer are you going to stare, Lu Lang?"
Lu Mingyuan smiled gently. "Until you fall asleep on my shoulder."
Qi Muxue said, "Oh," and closed her eyes, her expression calm, but her trembling eyelashes betrayed her inner turmoil.
Bihu Garden fell completely silent, with only the sound of the wind, the water, and their barely perceptible breaths.
[Azure Fate Grid—Fated to be Seductive, Refinement Level increased to 65%. Trait (Peach Blossom Luck) promoted to Middle Level, (handsome man) promoted to High Level]
[Peach Blossom Luck (Middle Level): Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; you are destined to be surrounded by beautiful women. Women will take a strong liking to you at first sight, with a high degree of affection.]
[handsome man (High Level): Extremely high charisma, exceptionally handsome appearance, deeply loved by women. Your face will not age, and your charm will increase with age.]
Seeing this, Lu Mingyuan was slightly surprised.
It had gone from women having an excellent first impression of him to them taking a strong liking to him, with a high degree of affection from the start.
And as for "handsome man," getting more handsome with age and being unaffected by the passage of time... that was just too heaven-defying!
...
