He was some distance away, and under that cold, piercing gaze, Xiao Xueyi felt as if she had been frozen stiff. Compared with the former Prince Yu,
the current Crown Prince, Zhongli Mingye, seemed even more solemn. The maroon horse he rode carried the signs of wind and frost. He had traveled all the way in a bumpy journey. Xiao Xueyi nodded and saluted, just as she used to.
However, times had changed.
Xing Jian stepped forward, pointing his sword at her. "Please kneel and salute, Mistress Xiao!"
Xiao Xueyi raised her eyes and looked at Zhongli Mingye. The cold and aloof Crown Prince remained expressionless. She could only sigh and motion for Ling Feng to help her up from the wheelchair.
With difficulty, she saluted.
Suddenly, there was some movement in a carriage behind. Ning Yue had already sensed something was wrong. She lifted the curtain and looked outside.
At that glance, she couldn't tear her eyes away.
Her beautiful eyes gradually widened, as if she had seen someone extraordinary. She had a hunch that the man on the tall horse must be someone she knew,
or at least someone extremely familiar.
Otherwise, why would her head suddenly ache so badly?
The man was wearing a deep purple dragon - robe with silver - embroidered edges. In the darkness of the night, there was a faint glow flowing. His features were extremely refined, with a pair of captivating phoenix eyes that showed no trace of warmth. Only his sword - shaped eyebrows were slightly knitted, as if he was deeply melancholy. She wanted to step forward and smooth them out.
His figure was straight and elegant, as if he was a celestial being, exuding an air of royalty.
Ning Yue rubbed her eyes and eyebrows. She just felt that this person was very familiar, extremely familiar. It seemed that she had met him somewhere before, even more familiar than Ji Yeliu.
Who was he?
But when her gaze fell on Xiao Xueyi and saw her kneeling on the ground, Ning Yue immediately got angry. Xiao Xueyi had a serious leg injury and had difficulty walking.
Kneeling in the freezing snow would only aggravate her condition! She couldn't sit still any longer and immediately got off the carriage.
The maroon horse let out a long neigh. Then, it came to her side. The man she had seen before
bent down, his phoenix eyes filled with pain. Maybe it was because he hadn't had a good rest, for they were blood - shot. Ning Yue thought to herself that she should prescribe some soothing medicine for him.
Suddenly, she was startled by her own thought! How could she think about prescribing medicine for a man she had just met?
The man stared at her intently. Ning Yue felt quite uncomfortable and put down the carriage curtain, avoiding his gaze...
Zhongli Mingye tightly grasped the reins and said coldly, "Who is she?"
He was asking Xiao Xueyi. Ning Yue heard that no one answered outside, so she got off the carriage. She slightly saluted and said, "This servant is Ning Yue!"
Calling herself a servant? Ning Yue! Zhongli Mingye lowered his eyes and looked at the slender girl, observing her carefully, not wanting to miss any detail.
Just as Ji Yeliu had said, she looked almost exactly like Song Jinyu. However, she was a bit more innocent than before.
He could almost touch that familiar face with his hand, but now she had avoided him.
Was this his Song Jinyu? Zhongli Mingye felt a bit flustered... Ning Yue thought he was extremely impolite, so she quickly ran behind Xiao Xueyi.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, please don't scare her!"
His eyes were too sad. Although Ning Yue was afraid of this man, she couldn't help but worry about him... But... she really didn't know him!
Xiao Xueyi smiled and said, "Your Highness, she is just a stewardess in my Tingran Pavilion... It's just a coincidence that she resembles the former Crown Princess."
Zhongli Mingye ignored her and walked directly in front of Ning Yue. "Who... are you?"
Under that cold and stern gaze, Ning Yue shrank back. She didn't dare to look, for the look in his eyes was too complex. There was affection, disappointment, sadness, and... guilt.
"Ning... Yue." Suddenly feeling very cold, Ning Yue shrank her body and shivered slightly.
Zhongli Mingye looked up at the sky. Dawn was breaking in the east. Maybe it was too cold in the winter, but he felt extremely cold all over his body.
This was a feeling he had never had before.
The girl was hiding behind Xiao Xueyi. Her face was the same, but her eyes were so strange. It was as if the wound in his heart had split open.
The cold wind was howling, and a heavy snow was about to come. Zhongli Mingye slowly left. Had she forgotten, or was she just someone who looked alike?
He really couldn't bear to let her suffer in the cold winter, so he had to leave first.
However, Xiao Xueyi!
Zhongli Mingye turned around, his phoenix eyes coldly staring at her as he slowly said, "Today, I won't attend the court. I will pay a visit to the Mistress at the Mingyue Tower!"
Ning Yue gently patted Xiao Xueyi. "He is the current Crown Prince!" The Tingran Pavilion really had a great reputation. When they came to the capital, the Crown Prince actually came to greet them in person.
Xiao Xueyi forced a bitter smile. "Let's go!" In any case, there was no way back... She looked deeply at Ning Yue.
After all, she was not the one who belonged to her.
All her past greed was just a momentary tenderness from time.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince coming to greet us outside the Mingyue Tower is really an honor for me, Xiao," she said. They both knew very well that Zhongli Mingye's condescension to greet them was
just for that girl!
However,
Xiao Xueyi composed herself and immediately told Ning Yue to serve tea and then stand behind her. This scene fell into Zhongli Mingye's eyes,
and his anger flared up. Whether this girl was Song Jinyu or not didn't matter. Even if she wasn't, just based on that face, she shouldn't be used as a maid by Xiao Xueyi.
Zhongli Mingye put down his teacup. "Mistress Xiao, let's not beat around the bush! I..."
"I'm very interested in your maid. I wonder if the Mistress could part with her?"
When Ning Yue heard this, she immediately got angry. What was she? Part with her! She was a person, okay? This man was really annoying... So what if he was the Crown Prince? Did he want to rob a civilian girl by force!
But Xiao Xueyi ignored this and gently turned around. "Yue'er, go and get the qin. Play a tune for His Highness the Crown Prince."
Play the qin?
Ning Yue didn't understand. At this moment, why did Xiao Xueyi ask her to play the qin? Moreover, with her mediocre skills, wasn't this just embarrassing herself?
Ignoring Zhongli Mingye's murderous look, Ning Yue slowly sat down and raised her hands to play the qin skillfully. But before she could start playing,
Zhongli Mingye got up and left. "Sorry to bother you!" He staggered as if he was about to fall.
Ning Yue quickly stood up and supported him. Their eyes met. Ning Yue was confused, while Zhongli Mingye was heart - broken.
He so wanted to embrace her in his arms, but... the moment Ning Yue was about to play the qin, he woke up. Ning Yue was not Song Jinyu.
His Song Jinyu hated playing the qin the most. She only liked listening to him play.
Xiao Xueyi seemed to be lost in thought and quietly drank up the tea in her cup. Under her gaze, Ning Yue felt a bit nervous. She seemed to feel heartache and sadness.
She didn't know what was going on, but she had some... uncontrollable feelings for this Crown Prince.
Under his scrutinizing and inquiring gaze, her little face gradually turned red. Her hand that was supporting him also trembled. Zhongli Mingye looked at her.
Was it really her?