"What is Your Highness saying? I don't understand," Xie Fengran blinked her eyes, looking innocent and confused.
Qin Junxing leaned forward, getting closer to Xie Fengran. He stared directly into her eyes. "The first emperor bestowed private guards on the marquis families who had fought with him to establish the country. Over the years, many families have had their titles stripped and their properties confiscated, and their private guards have been taken back by the emperor. Do you think for what reason the private guards of the Marquis of Dingguo's Mansion haven't been taken back? Do you think these private guards bestowed by the first emperor are just ordinary guards?"
The hatred that flashed across Qin Junxing's face made Xie Fengran tremble with fear. She couldn't help but move backward. "Your Highness, there are no private guards in the Marquis of Dingguo's Mansion. Please stay away from me!"
"Are you scared now?" Qin Junxing leaned forward again, forcing her into a corner. "Didn't the old lady tell you anything about these private guards when she handed them over to you?"
"Xie Fengran, you're really brave!"
"Get out of my way!"
Qin Junxing was so imposing that Xie Fengran couldn't stand up to him. In desperation, she kicked him directly.
When her embroidered shoe hit the man in front of her, it was like tickling. Instead, her toes hurt from the kick.
"Ouch~" Was this man's leg made of iron?
"You kicked me?" Qin Junxing looked down at the dirt on his calf. He gave Xie Fengran a strange look. With her puny strength, could she even move him?
Xie Fengran instantly showed weakness. She put on an obsequious smile. "Please forgive me, Your Highness. I didn't mean it."
Only a fool would confront him head - on. A wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him. She had to appease him.
Qin Junxing reached out to brush off the dirt. He leaned back, found a comfortable position, closed his eyes and said, "I'm going to Jingyueju anyway. Please do me the favor of taking me there, Miss Xie."
"You..." How could this man be so shameless!
"Hmm?" Qin Junxing gave her a cold look. Xie Fengran immediately backed down.
She tried to reason with him. "Your Highness, it's improper for a man and a woman to be in the same carriage. If others find out, it will surely damage Your Highness's reputation."
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Xie. But my reputation is already ruined, so there's no need."
Xie Fengran rolled her eyes secretly. He knew his reputation was ruined, but she still had hers!
"It seems Miss Xie is worried about ruining her own reputation. If so, I'll get off the carriage right away!" Qin Junxing suddenly opened his eyes. He saw Xie Fengran's expression clearly and pretended to get off.
"Don't! Your Highness, please sit back down!" Xie Fengran was startled. She quickly grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back.
If he got off the carriage in public like this, it would spread across the capital tomorrow.
"Oh~ It seems Miss Xie doesn't want me to get off!" Qin Junxing glanced at the fair little hand on his sleeve. There was a hint of amusement in his tone.
Xie Fengran turned and saw his smile. She realized this man never really intended to get off. She angrily let go of his sleeve and stepped back. "Is it fun for a noble prince to tease me?"
Qin Junxing didn't answer. Instead, he asked irrelevantly, "What's the old lady of your mansion's attitude towards my plan to marry you?"
"Your Highness, please respect yourself! There's no possibility between us!"
Xie Fengran straightened her back. She couldn't understand how this man could be so shameless!
Anyone who had been rejected and exposed by her several times would either cut off all relations or at least not want to see her again.
But this man was so thick - skinned. It was as if he didn't know what shame was, and he even got into her carriage.
Qin Junxing seemed not to hear her words. He said to himself, "But I guess the old lady of the Xie family definitely won't marry you to me. She doesn't dare!"
"..." Why did this sound so strange?
Xie Fengran's lips twitched. She had an intuition that she shouldn't ask, but she couldn't help it.
Qin Junxing seemed to know what she was thinking. He glanced at her and chuckled. "Your grandfather never used the private guards of the marquis mansion when he was alive, but the old lady allowed you to use them. I can guess this, and the one in the palace may not be unable to guess. Do you think there will be an imperial edict to marry you to the crown prince or the second prince?
"After all, good things should stay within the family. The emperor has long been troubled by the powerful families. He doesn't have the courage of Emperor Dezong, so he can only use these despicable means to win over the powerful families. Do you think you can escape?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Grandmother did this for the honor of the marquis mansion!"
"Exchanging a private guard that makes the royal family jealous for the position of queen and ensuring the glory of the Marquis of Dingguo's Mansion for two generations. Do you think this deal is worth it?"
Xie Fengran looked calm on the surface, but there were waves in her heart. She didn't want to believe Qin Junxing's words, but she couldn't help thinking about them.
At this time, Lanfang's voice came. "Miss, we've arrived at Jingyueju."
Xie Fengran breathed a sigh of relief. She got up as if fleeing and left a sentence, "Your Highness, do as you please." Then she got off the carriage!
Qin Junxing looked at Xie Fengran's flustered back. He hooked his lips and murmured, "She's still just a little girl!"
After getting off the carriage, Xie Fengran saw that the Sun family's carriage had already arrived. Sun Yuelan was waiting at the door. When she saw Xie Fengran, she waved quickly. "Over here, over here!"
Xie Fengran didn't have time to think about what Qin Junxing meant. She quickly entered Jingyueju with Lanfang.
When Sun Jiming saw Xie Fengran and her maid come in, he quietly took a few steps back, slightly averted his eyes and bowed. "Miss Xie."
Xie Fengran returned the salute. "Mr. Sun."
Sun Yuelan couldn't stand the way these two behaved. She put her arm around Xie Fengran's. "Hurry up. I'm starving!"
Sun Jiming shook his head and said helplessly, "I've already asked the kitchen to serve the dishes. Let's go up."
After they went up, another group of people entered through the door. At the head were the second prince and the third princess.
"Zhaoyang, during the days you were under house arrest, Jingyueju has come up with several new dishes. Brother will take you to taste them."
The third princess's expression froze. A hint of hatred flashed in her eyes.
If it weren't for Xie Fengran, would she, a noble princess, have been put under house arrest?
The second prince caught the third princess's look. There was a hint of amusement on his face. He looked at the upstairs, closed his folding fan and tapped the third princess's shoulder. "Let's go up. The seats have been reserved in advance!"
The third princess nodded. "Thank you, brother."
"We're siblings. No need to be so polite!"
Behind the second prince were several young masters and ladies from the prince's faction.
It was lunchtime. If Sun Jiming hadn't ordered the dishes in advance, Sun Yuelan would have starved to death before the food arrived.
Half of the dishes on the table were Sun Yuelan's favorites, and the other half were Xie Fengran's.
As for how Sun Jiming knew Xie Fengran's preferences, needless to say, it must have been revealed by someone.
Xie Fengran looked at the dishes on the table and gave Sun Yuelan a disgruntled look.
Sun Yuelan touched her nose and pretended not to see.