Ch 517: Feelings Stirred In A Past Life

There, Lu Qing, seizing the dim pre-dawn hours when fewest people were about, made contact with Prince Qin’s informant embedded in the Xie Mansion.

Lu Qing received the silver and was responsible for reporting on Miss Ruan’s daily activities, including what she ate at each of her three meals.

Prince Qin’s man relayed this information to Prince Qin.

Lu Qing’s face showed doubt. Lowering her voice, she said, “It seems rather strange. Miss Ruan has forbidden any maids from approaching her during her baths these past few days. Even Chunlv, who attends to her personally, has been barred.”

Upon hearing this, Murong Shen’s first thought was that Sister Ruan might have been injured.

But the informant reported that Miss Ruan had no wounds.

Murong Shen harbored doubts.

What could be the reason… that would cause Sister Ruan to bar maids from attending her while bathing?

In the past, Sister Ruan would even have Chunlv present during her morning toilette, chatting away to relieve boredom.

In a short span of time, the implications hit him. Murong Shen’s aura abruptly shifted, his stunningly beautiful face turning utterly gloomy.

He recalled the love bites on her chest… that he had glimpsed while Sister Ruan was teaching him to read and write in Wen Guang Hall.

The teacup Murong Shen held in his fingertips suddenly developed hairline cracks.

Could Sister Ruan be involved with someone…?

A chill ran through Murong Shen’s body.

Suddenly, Murong Shen was overwhelmed by a profound sense of betrayal, his breath even carrying the scent of blood.

On this day, Ruan Ningyu’s wedding gift for his investiture as Prince also arrived.

Feng Gonggong opened the box, his smile splitting his face. “Your Highness, look! Miss Ruan has sent you a superb ice-type jade bottle. The clarity! Truly excellent! It’s the height of winter; insert a few branches of plum blossoms, and the sparse shadows within the bottle will surely be elegant. Miss Ruan is thoughtful.”

Feng Gonggong then retrieved the items behind it.

“Miss Ruan has also sent a Dragon and Phoenix Linked Jade and a gilded jeweled mandarin duck hairpin…” Feng Gonggong paused, his smile deepening. “It seems this hairpin is for Miss Wan.”

But today, Your Highness was unusually silent.

It seems Miss Ruan already knows that Miss Wan Yi’an is to marry Your Highness. This is a congratulatory gift in advance.

Hearing this, Murong Shen felt a stinging sensation in his heart, a chilling presence seeping in.

Murong Shen turned his back.

Feng Gonggong had been secretly observing him the whole time.

Now, His Highness should place Miss Ruan’s gifts into the treasure chest. Thinking of Prince Qin’s heartbreaking situation, Feng Gonggong subconsciously raised the corner of his lip, unable to suppress his schadenfreude.

Ever since he pledged his loyalty to Prince Qin, this old body of mine has been tormented, living in constant fear, always afraid that Murong Shen would cause a huge mess.

Now it’s all good. This devil finally got what he deserved. Feng Gonggong wished the Seventh Prince more pain! It’s satisfying!

The imperial marriage edict will be issued after the Empress’s mourning period ends.

Miss Ruan sent gifts to both him and Miss Yi’an.

Now, His Highness should give up hope.

Feng Gonggong suppressed his laughter. “Your Highness, please place Miss Ruan’s gifts in your treasure chest.”

Murong Shen’s treasure chest was normally off-limits to others. If pastries could be preserved, even the Seventh Prince wanted to put the pastry Miss Ruan had only taken a bite of into it. When he found that this was not feasible, the Seventh Prince regretfully gave up…

But today, Murong Shen kept his back to him, standing in the corner, not daring to even glance at the linked jade in his hand as if it were some kind of ferocious beast.

Feng Gonggong felt a surge of exhilaration wash over him!

Feng Gonggong looked at his back view.

“Your Highness, this old slave has placed the items in your treasure chest.”

About a cup of tea later.

Murong Shen was still standing in the same spot, not having moved an inch.

Ever since he first grasped power as a prince and made his debut in the Golden Luan Hall, Murong Shen felt a growing distance between himself and Sister Ruan.

Secondly, he began to study the Four Books and Five Classics, learned etiquette and rules, and He Kuang, the Imperial Inspectorate, taught him as well. If he were to interact with Sister Ruan in the same way as before, he would appear lacking in composure.

In Sister Ruan’s eyes, he should grow, to become an eagle soaring in the sky.

He had tasted the sweetness of power, but he could no longer be as unrestrained in his intimacy with Sister Ruan.

In the end, Murong Shen treasured Ruan Ningyu’s gifts in his chest.

As for the gilded mandarin duck hairpin, Murong Shen held it in his hand, wanting to break it, to stab his eyes.

Ultimately, he simply clutched it tightly in his palm.

It was Sister Ruan’s kindness, and even if he disliked it, he couldn’t treat it so carelessly and roughly. He would be the most loyal person to her.

…

Lately, Feng Gonggong had noticed something odd.

Prince Qin seemed to have become a different person.

Previously, his life was almost filled with the shadow of Miss Ruan, constantly talking about Sister Ruan this and Sister Ruan that.

But ever since he moved into Prince Qin’s Mansion.

Feng Gonggong noticed that His Highness rarely opened the treasure chest containing Miss Ruan’s things anymore.

He shifted his focus to other more important matters.

Feng Gonggong felt that the Seventh Prince had truly grown up.

Feng Gonggong’s face showed relief.

With Imperial Concubine Wan’s guidance, Prince Qin had developed a profound understanding of his own words and actions.

It seems Prince Qin knows he’s marrying Miss Wan Yi’an, and he’s become more composed.

Feng Gonggong smiled more each day. Prince Qin had become sensible; he was happy!

He was only seventeen; though he was a late bloomer, now he should be more mature.

Prince Qin’s Mansion was newly built on the site of an old mansion from the previous dynasty. The rooms were still mostly empty. Today, Murong Shen received an iron pear elephant-patterned desk as a gift from Emperor Ming and had it loaded onto a carriage to be transported to Prince Qin’s Mansion.

Unexpectedly, he encountered his elder imperial brother, Prince An Murong Sheng, at the palace gate.

Murong Sheng had always harbored ambitions for the crown prince’s position, and now there was another contender. How could he be happy?

Seeing Prince An, Feng Gonggong thought, “Oh dear, this is bad.”

Murong Sheng’s mother was another high-ranking imperial concubine in the palace. She had served His Majesty since his days as a prince, holding a special place in his heart, and His Majesty occasionally sought her opinion on matters of state.

Sure enough, Murong Sheng used the pretext that His Highness hadn’t shown him proper respect to lecture him publicly. Guards and officials bustled around, causing His Highness to lose face.

Watching Murong Shen endure humiliation on the palace path, Murong Sheng’s lips curled into a smile as he departed.

Murong Shen looked up at his elder brother’s back view.

Feng Gonggong’s low voice echoed in his ears.

“Your Highness, a little forbearance won’t ruin the greater scheme. Endure this for now, we have a long way to go…”

Murong Shen lowered his head again.

…

So when Wan Yi’an came to his Prince Qin’s Mansion to see him, Murong Shen gave her the hairpin.

Wan Yi’an was delighted to hear that it was from Ruan Ningyu.

On the Jade Belt Bridge, Murong Shen helped to place the hairpin in her black hair.

“Does it look good?” Wan Yi’an asked nervously.

“It looks good.”

Wan Yi’an laughed.

The nursemaid who had been observing from the side breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Prince Qin treating the young lady so well, showing consideration for her feelings during their tour of Prince Qin’s Mansion, proving he was sincere.

It seems Imperial Concubine Wan should feel comfortable entrusting her niece to Prince Qin.

Wan Guifei’s greatest fear was that Miss Yi’an would marry the wrong man.

If Prince Qin did not genuinely care for her, Imperial Concubine would never allow her niece to marry him, no matter how much Wan Yi’an liked him.

Murong Shen accompanied Wan Yi’an on a tour of Prince Qin’s Mansion, with its artificial hills and flowing water, pavilions and curved bridges, ornate carvings, elegant gardens, and winding paths.

Nurse Hao followed behind, watching Miss Wan’s happy smile. Her stern face softened into a smile. It seemed the young lady liked Prince Qin’s Mansion.

However, Prince Qin’s Mansion still lacked a touch of charm and grace, needing a woman’s delicate touch to soften it.

Once Miss Wan moves in, we’ll decorate the inner courtyard according to her preferences, plant flowers, and set up a swing. Then the mansion will be much livelier. Then, let’s give His Majesty a little grandson.

Passing through a screen wall, they suddenly saw a pond of clear water with a thin layer of ice on its surface, while the carp beneath swam slowly.

Wan Yi’an suddenly saw a large, fat carp and tugged at his sleeve, asking him to come and look.

Murong Shen smiled and went over to look with her.

Gazing at the icy lake surface, watching Wan Yi’an’s skirt lift as she walked across the curved bridge.

Sister Ruan had helped him so much; the first woman to visit his mansion should be Sister Ruan. Only that would be worthy of Sister Ruan.

But unexpectedly, another woman came first.

But Murong Shen knew what he was doing.

He coveted power, he wanted to hold power, never again to experience the feeling of being at someone else’s mercy. The days in the palace, scavenging like a stray dog, the most humiliating history engraved on his body; for Murong Shen, there was nothing more important than power, even Sister Ruan, who was like his life, could only come second.

Without power, he couldn’t marry Sister Ruan, let alone anything else. Even seeing her once would be difficult.

Therefore, he had to act according to Wan Guifei’s wishes, to win over the Wan family. Only by marrying Wan Yi’an could he secure his position.

Thus, he did his best to cater to her preferences, sending rare treasures from Jiangnan and exotic curiosities from the Western Regions to the Wan family mansion every now and then, winning Wan Yi’an’s favor.

Only by holding the supreme Imperial Seal could he do what he truly wanted to do. He, too, was not his own master.

He could only navigate skillfully, maintain multiple relationships, even at the cost of betraying his own heart.

Therefore, under Wan Guifei’s watchful eyes, he could only gradually distance himself from Sister Ruan. Even during the Laba Festival, he didn’t send Sister Ruan a greeting card, but Sister Ruan wrote to him, greeting him in her letter. Every festival, she would write to him.

Murong Shen didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.

He thought that every man climbing the ladder of power would understand and agree with his actions.

He couldn’t let his feelings affect his decisions and his grand ambitions. With his ambitions unfulfilled, love and family matters would only be a fatal weakness. To achieve something great, there must be gains and losses.

Murong Shen spent an hour playing with Wan Yi’an in the mansion.

As dusk approached, Wan Yi’an, tired from playing in the gardens, fell asleep.

Nurse Hao was standing by the carriage when she saw Murong Shen, dressed in a green silk robe with dark embroidered dragons, carrying Miss Wan out.

Wan Yi’an was sleeping soundly in his arms, her hand still clutching his clothes, her eyelashes drooping.

Nurse Hao had the maids help the young lady, wrapped in a cape, into the carriage.

Nurse Hao turned, her eyes kind. “Prince Qin is thoughtful. This old servant will speak well of you to Imperial Concubine.”

“At the imperial selection of consorts, His Majesty and Imperial Concubine will bestow a marriage upon Your Highness.”

Empress Du’s passing left the position of Empress vacant.

Unless something unexpected happens, their Imperial Concubine will be the next Empress. Then, if Prince Qin makes a bit more of an effort…

Nurse Hao’s eyes showed affection. Prince Qin was truly fortunate.

Murong Shen bid them farewell.

The Wan family’s carriage slowly drove away.

That night, Murong Shen lay on his purple sandalwood carved kui dragon bed and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Since moving into Prince Qin’s Mansion, Murong Shen had been sleeping soundly, for he had moved out of the palace, this was his own residence.

But for some reason, he was struggling in his dreams that night.

In his dream, he was also touring his mansion with a woman.

He turned a corner and walked with her through the corridors.

The only difference was that this mansion wasn’t his Prince Qin’s Mansion. It was completely unfamiliar to him, yet Murong Shen felt incredibly peaceful and relaxed here, as if it were his own home.

And the one he was holding hands with wasn’t Wan Yi’an. Turning his head, he saw Sister Ruan’s face, like a flower, misty and graceful.

It was Sister Ruan, and yet it wasn’t Sister Ruan.

The face was identical, but the expression was completely different.

This face, the eyes and brows were gentler, like a flower delicately nurtured by the waters of Jiangnan, pitifully charming.

She was originally in a garden with muted spring colors, holding a folding fan, chasing butterflies among the flowers.

He gazed at her with a smile in his eyes, his gaze never leaving her.

Suddenly, the woman stopped chasing butterflies. She knelt down and began to sob softly, tears falling one by one onto the light blue silk, creating large water stains.

Murong Shen felt as though his own heart was being drenched.

He walked over and asked her why she was crying.

She raised her face from her knees, looking at him with her bright almond eyes under the tree.

For some reason, the him in the dream lacked patience, even agitated; he was looking down on her.

She was still sobbing.

Murong Shen wanted to hold her in his arms, but the him in the dream couldn’t move his body, nor did he have any pity for her.

Suddenly, the softly sobbing woman grabbed his sleeve.

Her fingertips, clutching her embroidered handkerchief, were slightly white, and she spoke cautiously.

She glanced up at him from her low position.

“Your Highness, can you… marry me… as your concubine?”

The words in the middle were unclear, and Murong Shen didn’t hear them clearly.

He didn’t suspect anything and missed it completely.

Waiting for a long time without an answer, Sister Ruan’s face changed, her cheeks flushed red.

He suddenly grabbed her delicate chin and lifted it up.

Murong Shen felt his lips moving: “You, of all people, dare aspire to be this King’s concubine?”

“What gives you, a mere Xie family cousin, such audacity?”

A playful, almost callous curve formed on his lips.

“Ruan Ningyu, you are delusional.”

The him in the dream said things he would never dare to say to Sister Ruan in real life.

He couldn’t believe it. When Sister Ruan smiled at him, he would be happy for a whole day. Even his dreams were sweet. He couldn’t believe that “he” would treat Sister Ruan this way!

Murong Shen trembled with anger. He wanted to push away the “him” in the dream, to punch him, and not to allow him to treat Sister Ruan like that! Sister Ruan would be heartbroken!

But the “him” in the dream had done this, and even felt that it was justified and natural.

A mere cousin from the Xie Mansion, indeed unworthy of him.

Ruan Ningyu across from him was stunned.

Tears still lingered in her almond eyes.

She slightly pursed her lips.

He said those words purely out of malice. He just wanted to see her cry, her tears falling like rain, wishing that every single tear on her face would be shed for him.

But unexpectedly, Ruan Ningyu’s slightly bitten red lips relaxed. She suddenly took his hand with her soft fingers, gently shaking it. Even though he had just said such terrible and cruel words, she looked at him with affection, opening her mouth, her rouge faintly visible, smiling sweetly.

“If that’s the case, Ning’er will wait for the day Your Highness likes Ning’er. Ning’er can wait.”

The soft warmth in his hand, and the clearly bright smile on the woman’s face, momentarily dazzled his eyes.

But Murong Shen could see that her misty eyes were hiding sadness; she was suppressing her fear as she held his hand. She thought she was hiding it well, but Murong Shen still saw her slightly trembling slender neck, like a lamb, at the mercy of others.

She was genuine, not vain, timid yet courageous, surpassing all the common women he had ever seen.

In her beautiful, glass-like eyes, he saw the reflection of a fallen city and his own feelings, unrequited and hidden.

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