Chapter 264 - Trouble Caused By a Beautys Portrait (1/2)

A painting was placed on a broad table. It slowly rolled open and a girl who was smiling brightly appeared in the painting.

The long-sleeved coat was decorated with hibiscus, and the dress was laced with golden begonia. Red and golden pearl ta.s.sel made the girl look more charming. Authentic pearls dotted magenta top laced with silver threads were, forming the shape of a Chinese rose. She wore a jade and flying swallow pedant, dancing in front of a bouquet of purple peony. She looked vivid and more delicate than the flowers.

“Your Highness, this is the top beauty in Qin Kingdom, the legal second miss of Ding General Manor. It’s said that the emperor of Qin will marry her either to King Chu or King Yan.” The aide was an elegant-looking scholar in his 30s. He spread his fan and pointed to the beauty in the painting, introducing. He looked casual and seemed to think little of her.

“It’s said that this top beauty is on good terms with both of the two princes. The Emperor of Qin really doesn’t seem to know how to choose.”

Standing beside the table, Bai Yichen sneered and looked closely at the beauty in the painting. He turned around to sit down and said meaningfully. “King Chu and King Yan are in a heated fight over supremacy. I didn’t expect they would also fight for women so hard.”

He was handsome, young, and resembled Bai Yihao. However, he wasn’t as ethereally handsome as Bai Yihao. Moreover, he didn’t look as pure as Bai Yihao. Between his brows, there was more fierceness.

The scholar smilingly lifted his fan and patted on his sleeve, saying, “I heard they are at peace on the surface. But if this doesn’t work out well, the situation won’t last long. They can wait for the country but not the beauty. Soon, there will be a selection for consorts.”

Emperor Zongwen wouldn’t step down in a short while, but the selection was imminent. If not properly handled, it might ignite the war between the two princes.

Bai Yichen said thoughtfully, “If Feng Yuzhen really makes it, we might as well give it a little push. I want to know whether they love country or beauty more.”

This time, Bai Yichen brought Feng Yuzhen back. On the one hand, the Empress demanded it; on the other hand, Bai Yichen offered an opportunity for him. Otherwise, as a royal hostage, how could Feng Yuzhen escape from Bai Yichen’s people and return to Qin Kingdom?

Thinking of the capable and powerful Empress in the central palace, the scholar slightly knitted his brows. Walking to and fro, he stood before Bai Yihao and asked in doubt, “Your Highness, do you really want to marry the newly-promoted Princess Anping? Her Highness hopes you can marry her legal niece, Fifth Princess in the Qin Kingdom. I heard Her Highness’s family all care for the Fifth Princess. Even the emperor of the Qin dotes on her because he has no legal children in the central palace. If you marry her…”

The benefit of marrying her was obvious. The scholar didn’t need to remind Bai Yichen of that. The Empress knew, and the First Prince too. However, why did First Prince give up on the most beneficial Fifth Princess? Instead, he wanted to marry Princess Anping who had no connections whatsoever. She was only recently adopted by Princess Royal Mingzhu.

Because of that painting?

The scholar was restless because of First Prince’s stubbornness.

Seeing his aide doubt his decision, Bai Yichen chuckled. “Do you also think I’m obsessed with her beauty?”

“You mean, you pretended to…” The scholar smiled wryly and shook his head. He had been a.s.sisting Bai Yichen long and never believed that his master would fall out with Empress, disobey her, and hurry to head to the Qin Kingdom for some woman. He thought his master had been lured by the woman’s beauty. He didn’t expect that his master could put on such a wonderful show that even he got fooled.

Bai Yichen’s smile slowly faded away. “I surely had acted that prurient and you even bought it. I guess everyone else, including my sharp brother, will think in that way!”

It was a trap for the crown prince.

“Last time you’re here, did you also trick the crown prince? But why did you gift the pair of hairpins that you tried hard to get from the eastern palace?” Though satisfied with his master’s att.i.tude, he felt relieved. However, though he thought his master didn’t betray Empress’s trust, he still had some doubt on his mind and brought it up.

The pair of hairpins took much effort to get. They were said to be closely related to the crown prince, who loved them very much. His Highness had managed to steal them out of the eastern palace. They were supposed to be the trump card during his master’s war against the crown prince at a crucial moment. Nonetheless, His Highness gifted them for no reason. He really couldn’t understand that.

“That day, I met King Xuan and King Chu of Qin Kingdom. I gifted the hairpins to the girl, who is close to King Xuan of the Qin Kingdom. I heard the emperor of the Qin Kingdom cares for this King Xuan. If Bai Yihao gets into a fight with this prince…” Bai Yichen didn’t continue and let the scholar finish the sentence on his own. He raised his lips in a smug smile.

What kind of man was King Xuan, Feng Yuran? He was so arrogant that no one could compare. Should Bai Yihao conflict Feng Yuran for a pair of sword-shaped hairpins, even if he was resourceful, Bai Yihao couldn’t have gotten away safe and sound. Therefore, though Bai Yichen secretly entered the Qin Kingdom, it wasn’t so hard to track him.

The scholar’s eyes lit up and he smiled understandingly. His gaze swept from Bai Yichen to a painting scroll on Bai Yichen’s right. Though closed, he knew the painting portrayed another dancing beauty.

Her dark eyebrows were long. Instead of pearl-decorated ta.s.sels, she only wore a pattern hairpin in her dark hair. She put on light makeup and looked as ethereal as an immortal. She danced in the snow and her fair and white skin against the snowflakes made her resemble an immortal from heaven. Such a girl was Princess Anping from the Qin Kingdom.

For the first time, the scholar became interested! He averted his eyes from his master and there was a trace of darkness inside his eyes. He lowered his head to hide his suspicion. “Does he really not care about such a girl? Then why does he always carry the painting with him?”

The news that Mo Manor had been robbed at night spread around the city the next day. The entire town was talking about it. The manor of the lord mayor, who was in charge of the safety administration, should have been stolen. Emperor Zongwen was raged and immediately ordered Mo Huawen to investigate thoroughly. If he found anything suspicious, he could directly arrest them for interrogating with inadequate evidence.

If anyone acted suspiciously, he could be deemed as violating the laws.

Instantly, the entire capital was going through an intense investigation. At that time, those young thieves were all doomed. The patrol found them from all kinds of rats holes and asked them what they were doing last night, as if they wouldn’t let the young men go unless they provided at least some information.

Their immediate boss’s manor had been robbed. How embarra.s.sing that was!

Knowing her brother was involved, in the Caiwei Palace, Consort Yu couldn’t sit tight anymore. She first knelt on the road which Emperor Zongwen took every day and stopped Emperor Zongwen’s imperial sedan chair to beg Emperor Zongwen for sparing Yu Mingyong. She swore and promised that Yu Mingyong absolutely didn’t have the guts to do this kind of thing.

At most, he would only want to do steal some incense or jade!

Kneeling on the ground and begging hard, she promised that she could directly found Yu Mingyong to make him tell the truth.

If he told a single lie, she was willing to let Emperor Zongwen punish him.