Er Ya looked at the gorgeous, colored glass carriage with its ornamented jade hood. Silk curtains were draped around the carriage and delicate golden bells dangled from the four corners, making clear tinkling sounds as the wind swept past. The carriage had an soft elegant scent that made people feel as if they were walking in the fragrant world of the celestials.
Upon seeing this ostentatious display of luxury, longing and a trace of envy emerged in Er Ya’s heart.
The two processions didn’t speak to each other and the atmosphere became very heavy. There was only the sound of the flags fluttering in the wind and the tinkling of the bells.
“Princess, this general will take his leave,” said Duan Xinghui as he pulled on the reins. Ning Shu just said ‘en’ without even lifting her head, continuing to stroke the little gray ball in her hand.
Duan Xinghui was slightly embarrassed from being ignored and left without further words.
From start to finish, Ning Shu didn’t glance at Duan Xinghui even once. At her side, Yuan Dong’s facial color was very poor, but she didn’t dare to speak. When Duan Xinghui’s troops entered the city, Yuan Dong finally couldn’t endure it anymore and asked, “Princess, who is the woman in General Duan’s arms?”
“How could General Duan treat you this way?” Yuan Dong seemed to be fighting for justice for Ning Shu. “How could General Duan let a woman join the army’s march?”
Ning Shu didn’t speak as she was currently thinking things through. Now that the main actors have come back, what should she do next? How should she get revenge on Duan Xinghui and Er Ya, and force them apart? Well, forget it. All people tended to feel reverse psychology. The more you tried to prevent someone from doing something, the more the person would feel like doing it.
Ning Shu knitted her brows, a bit annoyed. When she first saw Duan Xinghui earlier, all sorts of complicated emotions had arose in her heart. There was resentment and hatred, yet it was still mixed with love. When she saw Er Ya, envy and enmity flooded her heart. It was to the point she itched to just rip off Er Ya’s face.
It was seriously too much. The original host’s emotions were too strong, to the point she had to struggle to suppress it.
Forget it. The most important thing was to curry favor with the big boss, Li Wen. She felt like the most important part of this task was to not be married off.
Not long after Ning Shu returned to the Princess Residence, she got a imperial decree from Li Wen that asked her to hurry and enter the palace.
Ning Shu tidied herself up and headed to the palace. Every time she had to see Li Wen, she would have to give herself a silent prep-talk. She seriously felt way too uneasy every time she faced Li Wen’s expressionless face.
After walking into the Imperial Study, Ning Shu curtsied towards Li Wen. “This subject-sister respectfully greets Imperial Older Brother.”
Li Wen put down his cinnabar brush and glanced at Ning Shu. After a pause, he said, “Duan Xinghui has returned.”
“En. This subject-sister saw him at the city gates,” replied Ning Shu mildly.
Li Wen inspected Ning Shu’s expression with his sharp gaze before saying, “We found out that Duan Xinghui was still alive a few days ago and sent people to get him. Originally we wanted to inform you, but you weren’t in the Princess Residence.”
Ning Shu lifted her brows and walked over to pat Li Wen’s shoulder as she said, “Bro, I’m not criticizing you, but this Duan Xinghui is nothing but a defeated general. Why’d you even take the trouble to send people to retrieve him and allow him to return so grandly?”
Li Wen glanced lightly at the claw on his shoulder and Ning Shu immediately retrieved her hand. She lowered her head and said, “This subject-sister overstepped.”
“If you still wish to continue the earlier engagement with Duan Xinghui,” – Li Wen looked at Ning Shu expressionlessly – “we can give an imperial decree.”
“No need, there’s no need at all.” Ning Shu waved her hand as she said, “Imperial Older Brother, no matter what please don’t make this subject-sister get involved with Duan Xinghui. Moreover, Duan Xinghui already has a woman by his side.”
A trace of brightness flashed through Li Wen’s eyes and a smile actually appeared on his lips as he said, “You are our Imperial Younger Sister, the noble princess of the Great Yong dynasty. What need is there for you to cling onto Duan Xinghui? Moreover, he’s even a general that got defeated the first time he went into battle.”
Ning Shu: Pfff…
So this was what Li Wen thought of Duan Xinghui. Then in the storyline, the fact that Princess Jiahui was trying to snatch Duan Xinghui, a person Li Wen viewed as a useless general, from a village girl, was practically an act tantamount to throwing Li Wen’s face on the ground and stomping on it.