After the waiter went downstairs, she curtsied, "This humble girl greets Your Highness."
Yan Rongxi strode into the room.
Liu Qingxu instinctively stepped aside, her heart involuntarily tightening.
She knew the Crown Prince would not let her off, but she hadn't expected him to find her so quickly.
Yan Rongxi did not take a seat either, standing with his hands clasped behind his back in the center of the room. His dark eyes, gleaming with a cold light, fixed directly upon her.
The moon-white brocade robe made him appear noble as an immortal, while the jade crown and golden belt added an aura of inviolability. Liu Qingxu admitted that this man was indeed exceptional—even standing casually, he could outshine the sun and moon.
Yet, precisely because of this, her heart held even greater disdain.
After all, no one liked being oppressed by power!
"May I ask why Your Highness has come here?" She slightly bowed, trying her best to appear fragile.
"You accepted Prince Zhen's marriage proposal?"
"Your Highness, matters of marriage are entirely decided by one's parents. Since my parents are still alive, I dare not arrange my own marriage."
"Did Liu Jingwu force you?" Yan Rongxi narrowed his eyes, his voice suddenly tinged with a chill. "Why did I hear it was your own choice?"
"Your Highness." Liu Qingxu raised her head, her tightly furrowed brows looking as if she had eaten too much bitter coptis, and said pitifully, "To be honest, my father sent me to the monastery for quiet recuperation precisely to prevent me from marrying you. The daughter he truly loves is Liu Yuanyin, and he only wishes to marry Liu Yuanyin to you as Crown Princess. Coincidentally, Prince Zhen also suddenly came to the Liu family to propose marriage, so my father naturally made the choice for me. As for who said it was my own choice, I believe Your Highness should know."
If you have a temper, go take it out on Liu Jingwu and Prince Zhen!
Anyway, she had already chosen Prince Zhen as her fiancé—no matter what, she could find someone to take the blame for her!
The chill in Yan Rongxi's eyes grew even more piercing to the bone.
Liu Qingxu pretended not to see it and continued, "Your Highness, I know your intention in wanting to marry me, but as I have said before, Liu Yuanyin is the daughter my father loves most. If you marry Liu Yuanyin, that would be most beneficial to you."
"What if I marry both you sisters at the same time?"
"…?!" Her eyes widened abruptly. What?!
A wave of nausea churned in her chest—she wished she could spit right in his face!
What she didn't know was that in the guest room opposite, Lord Si's tall figure stood by the door, facing it as if meditating. The entire room was enveloped in the anger radiating from him. Yu Hui and Jiang Jiu stood side by side behind him, neither daring to breathe loudly. Though they couldn't see their Prince's face, they could both feel his intense fury at this moment.
"What, you're unwilling?"
Yan Rongxi stepped closer to Liu Qingxu, his narrow eyes emitting a dangerous aura, like frost in the winter month striking her.
Liu Qingxu knelt with a thud.
"Your Highness, I beg you to spare me! It is not that I wish to embarrass you, but I am truly helpless. My father and younger sister cannot bear to see me do well. Even if you were to marry both me and my sister, my sister would rely on my father's favor to kill me. I fear that before the wedding even takes place, I would be left without a trace. I am afraid of death and truly do not wish to lose my life over this."
Damn it!
Having lived two lifetimes, she had truly never seen such a shameless man!
Yan Rongxi suddenly bent down, his pale, slender fingers hooking under her chin as his clear, sharp gaze fell upon her face. At this moment, there was not a trace of illness on her face; her delicate oval features were flawless and fair, more pleasing to the eye than the finest mutton-fat jade.
"Miss Liu is one of the capital's top beauties. If I were to let you go, wouldn't that be a pity?"
Liu Qingxu couldn't help but clench her teeth.
If she had known earlier that her beauty would bring her trouble, she would rather have disfigured herself than wear this face of peerless allure!
Suddenly, she struck his wrist with a swift chop of her hand and quickly pushed him away.
"You!" Perhaps never expecting her to lay hands on him, Yan Rongxi was first stunned, then rage instantly flooded his entire face.
"What do you mean, 'you'? I've been fucking trying to talk sense into you, but are your ears clogged with shit? Can't you hear? Pushing me again and again, do you really think I have no temper?" Liu Qingxu's eyes were filled with ferocity. Truly unable to endure any longer, she simply stopped pretending and began cursing outright. "If you want power, go find Liu Jingwu. Pestering me day after day—can I make you ascend to heaven?"
"You—" Yan Rongxi was beyond furious; it was as if a thunderbolt had struck his skull. His face darkened, eyes glaring as he raised a finger to point at her.
"I'm warning you, stay the hell away from me unless you want trouble. Otherwise, it's either your death or my survival!" After hurling these words, Liu Qingxu stormed out of the room, seething with anger.
With coercion like theirs, marrying meant death, and not marrying also meant death. Either way, she couldn't live freely. So why bother pretending? Better to let herself vent—at least she could piss off a bunch of people to accompany her in death!
Once out of the room, she quickly dashed to the end of the corridor, rushed into the farthest room, and then flung herself out the window.
As she had expected, the area below was filled with guards, hastily rushing into the inn.
In a flash, she swiftly left the dangerous place.
As for Lord Si and the others, when she left the room, she sensed someone behind the opposite door. She knew they must have heard her cursing the Crown Prince, so there was likely no need for her to specifically remind them.
Besides, the Crown Prince had never seen the three of them, so they should be safe.
Inside the inn.
After regaining his composure, Yan Rongxi chased out of the room.
But there was no sign of Liu Qingxu in the corridor.
His fair, jade-like face was nearly contorted, truly enraged to the extreme!
But what angered him even more came next—
His men searched the entire inn but found no trace of Liu Qingxu. Instead, they saw a familiar figure emerge from the opposite room.
Yan Rongxi's face instantly turned green!
"Little Imperial Uncle!"
Seeing his gritted teeth and complete loss of even the most basic decorum, a hint of mockery flickered in Yan Siyuan's deep, dark eyes.
He truly hadn't expected that the woman he had his eye on would be so fierce and shrewish, actually cursing the Crown Prince into losing his composure…
For some reason, far from feeling disdain, he was rather delighted.
"Rong Xi, you should know about my marriage arrangement with Miss Liu of the Liu family, shouldn't you?" Without any pleasantries, he only wanted to make him face reality as soon as possible.
"Little Imperial Uncle, how can you say that? Wasn't I the one who first proposed to the Liu family? Why must you interfere?" Yan Rongxi coldly stared back at him, his expression having regained its aloof nobility, but his hands were tightly clenched, the veins on the back clearly visible.
"Because she doesn't like you." Yan Siyuan stepped closer to him, his crimson lips curling slightly as he leaned in with a wicked and triumphant smile, whispering by his ear, "She's already mine. Next time you see her, don't forget to call her 'Imperial Aunt'."
Yan Rongxi's pupils abruptly constricted. "You two—"
Yan Siyuan snorted softly and stepped back, clasping his hands behind him as he cast a sidelong glance. The wickedness and triumph at the corner of his lips instantly hardened into an aloof, unyielding coldness. "With the Crown Prince's intelligence, you should know that Liu Jingwu has long held power that overshadows the throne. Your Emperor Father has long been wary of him and would never allow you to marry both of Liu's daughters into your household."
Yan Rongxi's chest heaved, his thin lips pressed tightly together, unable to utter a single word.
Marrying both of Liu's daughters at once was indeed impossible, as it would cause Liu Jingwu's influence to tilt overwhelmingly in one direction—a major taboo in his father's eyes. His father had only allowed him to choose one, while the other would become a pawn to keep Liu Jingwu in check.
If not for this, his father would have long issued an imperial decree for the marriage, and he wouldn't have had to personally propose at the Liu residence!
Yan Siyuan didn't spare him another glance, signaling Jiang Jiu and Yu Hui to enter Liu Qingxu's room and pack her belongings.
By the time the master and his two servants left the inn, Yan Rongxi hadn't spoken another word, but the hatred in his eyes surged like a collapsing mountain, terrifying in its intensity.
On the street.
Scanning the bustling crowd, Yu Hui frowned and asked, "Prince, where should we look for Miss Liu now?"
Before Yan Siyuan could shoot him a cold glare, Jiang Jiu chimed in, "Isn't it obvious? We're definitely going to Xiaoxiao Book Hall!"
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry!" Yu Hui urged immediately.
"No rush," Yan Siyuan said expressionlessly. "Going to the book hall now would only lead the Crown Prince there."
He had personally witnessed Yan Rongxi's repeated attempts to pursue Liu Qingxu, and the thought of it made his chest burn with anger.
If that woman weren't clever and decisive, he might have had no chance at all by now!
"Prince, where should we go now? Back to the manor?" Jiang Jiu asked cautiously.
"No need. Let's just wander the streets for a while," Yan Siyuan replied before striding toward a nearby rouge shop.
Jiang Jiu and Yu Hui couldn't help but exchange glances.
Was this just wandering?
Don't tell them the Prince was going to buy rouge and powder for himself!
…
After leaving the inn, Liu Qingxu hadn't gone far.
Knowing that the Crown Prince had found the inn, she realized her whereabouts were exposed. If she went to Xiaoxiao Book Hall now, she would only bring trouble to the place.
From a distance, she watched Yan Siyuan and his men leave the inn and enter a rouge shop. She knew they hadn't aroused the Crown Prince's suspicion.
She quietly made her way over and slipped into the rouge shop unnoticed.
Yan Siyuan stood by the counter, turning two items over in his hands. The shopkeeper, an older woman, greeted him warmly.
"Lord Si, buying something for your sweetheart?" Liu Qingxu approached with a smile. Had she not seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed this cold man would visit such a shop.
Yan Siyuan was slightly taken aback.
"Don't know how to choose and want my help?" Liu Qingxu said, taking the items from his hands and speaking as if to herself. "This lip rouge looks good, but everyone's lip color is different, so the effect varies. Is your sweetheart's lip color deep or light?"
Yan Siyuan turned his head, his deep gaze falling on her two parting lips—tender, red, moist, vibrant in color and flavor…
His Adam's apple suddenly bobbed, and he turned away unnaturally.
Upon hearing Liu Qingxu speak, the shopkeeper quickly praised, "Miss, you're quite the connoisseur!"
Liu Qingxu shook her head, "I've never even used these things, how could I be a connoisseur?"
Seeing the shopkeeper about to say more, Yan Siyuan said to her, "You can attend to other matters, we'll browse on our own."
The shopkeeper glanced at him, then at Liu Qingxu, her shrewd eyes shifting as if she had just realized something. She quickly covered her mouth with a laugh, "Then please take your time, both of you. Call me when you've made your choice."
As the shopkeeper went to attend to other customers, Liu Qingxu couldn't help but nudge the man beside her with her elbow, lowering her voice so only they could hear, "Has the Crown Prince not discovered your connection to me?"
"Hmm."
"That's good." Liu Qingxu breathed a sigh of relief, but then she sighed again, "Today, I've completely torn face with him. I imagine he wants me dead now, so it seems I must leave the capital as soon as possible. How is your injury healing? If traveling far is inconvenient for you, then I'll go first…"
"Have you finished all the things you needed to do?" Yan Siyuan interrupted her.
"Not yet! I was originally planning to go to the brothel and the gambling den, but now that I've offended the Crown Prince, and the Liu family could find me at any moment, I can't go anymore. Thinking about it, I'll have to give up on those two ventures."
"Brothel? Gambling den?" A dark cloud seemed to pass over Yan Siyuan's face. He only knew she was busy outside, coming and going late at night and early in the morning, and had assumed she was engaged in some important business. He never imagined she was frequenting such places!
This woman…
He clenched his fist, suddenly feeling the urge to strangle her.
"What's wrong?" A chilling aura suddenly emanated from him, and Liu Qingxu looked at him, puzzled.
"I…" Yan Siyuan took a deep breath, inwardly telling himself to endure for now, and deal with her severely when the opportunity arose!
Liu Qingxu truly couldn't understand why his face had turned so dark and gloomy. But she didn't dwell on it, because in her view, this man had always been like this—unpredictable and inscrutable. If she hadn't sensed any ill intent from him, given her temper, anyone who dared act cool in front of her would have been torn to shreds long ago.
"Lord Si, are you going to choose or not?" She picked up a lip rouge and asked him, bringing the topic back to the present.
"Which one do you like?" Yan Siyuan stared at her lips again, his gaze deepening.
"Heh! Someone as naturally beautiful as me, do I even need these?" Liu Qingxu proudly touched her own face.
"Then the one in your hand." After saying this, Yan Siyuan walked toward the shopkeeper.
"…"
As they stepped out of the rouge shop, they saw Jiang Jiu and Yu Hui emerge from a secluded corner.
Seeing her holding something with a tense expression, Jiang Jiu stepped forward and couldn't help but ask, "Miss Liu, what's wrong? Couldn't you find anything satisfactory?"
Liu Qingxu stopped in her tracks, waiting until their Lord Si had walked ahead before she pulled a long face and asked, "Has your Lord Si ever been in love?"
Jiang Jiu frowned, "Been in love?"
"Meaning, has he ever been involved with a woman?"
"Uh…" Jiang Jiu scratched his head, not understanding why she suddenly asked such a question, but he answered honestly, "Miss Liu, our Lord Si has never been involved with any woman. He hasn't even held a woman's hand."
"No wonder!" Liu Qingxu looked disdainfully at the figure disappearing ahead.
She had thought he entered the rouge shop to buy something for his sweetheart, but in the end, he didn’t pick out anything—only casually ordered a box of lip rouge for her.
Saying it was a gift from him…
Damn it, he should have paid for it!
In the end, it was her who had to take out her purse!
"Miss Liu, what do you mean 'no wonder'? What exactly happened?" Jiang Jiu couldn’t make sense of the resentment written all over her face.
"Nothing." Liu Qingxu lifted her foot in frustration. This was just the classic case of "I treat, you pay"—how utterly infuriating! No wonder he doesn’t have a woman. Who would want such a stingy, miserly man?
"Elder sister!" Suddenly, a sweet, crisp voice called out from across the street.
Liu Qingxu turned her head to look, and her face instantly turned cold.
These people never give her a moment’s peace—truly unwilling to rest until they’ve driven her to her death!
Liu Yuanyin trotted up to her, asking with utmost concern, "Elder sister, why did you run out of the temple?"
"Am I not allowed to leave?" Liu Qingxu glanced sideways at her, unable to muster even a hint of a pleasant expression.