Chapter 126 The Woman Who Covets Prince Jing (Part One)


    Confusion reflected on the faces of everyone present at the banquet. After all, the marriage edict


    issued by the Emperor during the New Year''s Eve feast was well known. However...


    They all looked at Prince Jing who seemed to be aloof. He calmly sipped from his teacup without so


    much as a nce at Yu''er. As for Princess Yun Shang who always kept to herself, she seemed to be


    calm as well. There was a faint smile of amusement on her lips.


    Emperor Ning contemted before replying, "Lady Yu''er has good taste in men. But, I have already


    permitted the marriage between Princess Hui Guo and Prince Jing. Although the wedding ceremony


    hasn''t been held yet, the marriage edict has been issued and is well known. An Emperor''s words


    should be taken seriously. Are you asking me to contradict myself?"


    Yu''er didn''t seem to be surprised. She did a small curtsy and blushed scarlet, "It''s fine. I want to be with


    Prince Jing, even if it means serving him as his concubine."


    Emperor Ning stopped smiling and spoke seriously, "When the deceased Emperor was alive, he


    promised that Prince Jing could make his own decisions. And the Prince asked me to issue the edict


    allowing his marriage with Yun Shang. Lady Yu''er, if you want to be his concubine, you have to ask his


    permission. If he isfortable with this proposal, I will respect his wish."


    When Yu''er heard these words, her eyes sparkled. She smiled and handed a cup of wine to Prince


    Jing, "Prince, I have admired you for a long time. Can you help me to achieve my dream?"


    Yu''er was confident. She was aware that polygamy wasmon in the State of Ning. She also knew


    that she was beautiful enough to enchant any man she met. Nobody would refuse her proposal.


    Prince Jing raised his head but didn''t look at Yu''er. He looked across the Hall at Yun Shang. Yun Shang


    raised her eyebrow wittily and proposed a toast to Prince Jing.


    Prince Jing sensed the slyness in her nce which seemed to convey that he was adykiller. Prince


    Jing couldn''t help smiling when he thought of Yun Shang saying this in her unique tone and voice.


    However, his smile surprised Yu''er and increased her confidence.


    As she mused over the possibility of such an attractive man bing her husband, she heard Prince


    Jing speak. His hoarse voice made her heart throb. At this moment, however, Prince Jing said, "I was


    thinking about other things, and didn''t hear what thisdy was talking about. But..." Prince Jing turned,


    looked at Emperor Ning and asked with doubt, "Your Highness, I have no idea how a dancing girl can


    talk to me in this way."


    Everybody in the Hall was surprised by his words. Prince Jing was thinking about other things and


    Yu''er was taken aback and smiled awkwardly although she was angry.


    Emperor Ning was also astonished. In retrospect, he was aware that he didn''t like Yu''er either. As


    Emperor, he should not have epted her outrageous behavior simply because she was part of a


    diplomatic mission. Despite being aware of Prince Jing''s marriage with Yun Shang, Yu''er was brazen


    enough to put forward the proposal of being Prince Jing''s second wife. This was clearly an attempt to


    embarrass Yun Shang. Emperor Ningughed heartily, "Prince Jing, can you tell us what you were


    thinking about? Thisdy standing before you is the daughter of the Chief Councilor of the State of


    Yng. She is a respectabledy."


    Prince Jing looked astonished, and replied, "I see. I was thinking that..." Prince Jing frowned faintly,


    which certainly made others curious about his thoughts. Then, he spoke leisurely, "The pattern


    embroidered on Yun Shang''s clothes is white pear flower. However, we were drinking jasmine tea at


    the tea house. So, I wondered which flower Yun Shang liked better, pear or jasmine. Yesterday, I asked


    the owner of Suiyu Shop to make a jewelry set for her."


    Prince Jing stopped for a moment before looking across the Hall at Yun Shang, "It was intended as a


    surprise for her. However, I couldn''t decide which kind of flower was better. So, the owner of the Suiyu


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    Shop suggested that I should observe her favorite flowers." He added after another moment''s silence,


    "Your Majesty, please forgive me for mentioning such trivial things. What did you want to know?"


    Prince Jing''s unexpected response truly astonished the Emperor as well as other officials who feared


    him. How could a man as cold and cruel as Prince Jing, think about such things in such a serious


    setting?


    After hearing these words, Yun Shang lowered her head, and blushed.


    Prince Jing had offered an obvious answer, and there was no need to ask more. Emperor Ning was


    about to say something. However, Yu''er interrupted, "Never mind. I met you on the battlefield once.


    And, I came to propose a toast to you."


    Prince Jing''s eyebrows twisted, and he smiled coldly, "Guards, drag this shameless woman out of the


    Hall and flog her fifty times. How dare you interrupt my discussions with my brother? It astonishes me


    that the daughter of the Chief Councilor of the State of Yng has such poor upbringing. Rumor goes


    that the Chief Councilor adopted a daughter because he was unmarried at the age of fifty. If you can''t


    be taught proper etiquette in the State of Yng, and you dare behave like a wanton woman in the


    State of Ning, I will give you the lesson you need."


    Yu''er shivered with fear and had to steady the wine cup in her hand. Then, she tried to swallow her fear


    as she went down on her knees, "It''s my fault that I angered Prince Jing. Please forgive me."


    Prince Jing snorted in contempt and said nothing. Emperor Ning saw a faint bluish tinge creeping up on


    Qingsu''s face and hurried to settle the situation. He said, "Brother, calm down, you are frightening


    Yu''er."


    Prince Jing stayed silent. Yun Shang sensed the embarrassment and severity of the situation. She


    raised her head and smiled, "Lady Yu''er has a fragile heart. Prince Jing, your coldness will get us


    med and wronged for bullying a guest."


    Prince Jing nced at Yu''er with terrifying coldness. Then, he raised his head and looked at Yun


    Shang, "That makes sense. An adopted daughter as she is, Yu''er is also an envoy of the State of


    Yng. An envoy can''t be flogged no matter what she does. So, she will be forgiven. But, I''m warning


    her not to do it again." After saying these words, he looked at Qingsu and said, "The State of Ning is a


    great country where people aren''t as free as those living in the State of Yng. Lady Yu''er is our guest.


    For this reason, I shouldn''t me her. However, our Emperor, officials as well as envoys from the State


    of Xia are here. If reckless behavior gets no punishment, I''m afraid that the reputation of the State of


    Yng will bepromised. So, Your Highness, Please forgive me for what I did."


    Qingsu clenched his fist and simpered, "Your Highness, you are right. I won''t me you." After saying


    these words, he turned, frowned and said to Yu''er, "Get out of here."


    Yu''er gritted her teeth, did a small curtsy and left in haste.


    Emperor Ning proposed a toast to lighten the mood. He smiled, "It''s a small ident. Please forgive


    us. It''s our great honor to entertain all envoys thate to the State of Ning. Three days from now, a


    celebration will be held in the hunting grounds east of the Imperial City to celebrate the friendliness and


    peace between our three countries."


    Qingsu and the Prince from the State of Xia replied, "That is very kind of you."


    Stringed instruments began ying in the Hall, and the warm atmosphere continued.


    Yun Shang smiled faintly as she saw Grand Councilor Li gesticting under the table. Then, several


    officials came to propose a toast to Qingsu and the Prince from the State of Xia. Sounds ofughter


    echoed through the halls. Without being noticed, Yun Shang left with Qin Yi and Qian Yin.


    "Your Highness, Prince Jing is awesome. A few words from him frightened Yu''er to death." Excitement


    was evident in Qian Yin''s voice.


    Yun Shang smiled and said nothing. Then, Qin Yi whispered, "I saw Princess Hua Jing was angry."


    Princess Hua Jing? Yun Shang stopped and figured out what happened a moment ago. It was likely


    that the farce was ned by Hua Jing. Rumor goes that Hua Jing had a love affair with Qingsu at the


    Princess Pce. It is possible that Hua Jing talked Qingsu into plotting something. However, she must


    feel disappointed today.


    As Yun Shang stood contemting over the possibilities, footsteps were hearding in her direction.


    Yun Shang and her maids stopped talking. Qian Yin looked back and said with excitement, "Your


    Highness, it is Prince Jing."


    Huh? Yun Shang turned and saw that Prince Jing was walking toward them. He asked, "Why are you


    here?"


    Qin Yi and Qian Yin stepped back and left them alone. Yun Shang smiled, "The party is boring.


    Besides, nobody will miss my presence. But, somebody might propose a toast to you. If you are away,


    everyone will know."