Chapter 190
Lóng Wei thanked Huang Xi, who left for his home. Lóng Wei returned to his manor with Li Hua. Court Lady Hong was happy to see them and, at the same time, she was surprised. They were supposed to arrive a day later.
“I will ask the maidservants to prepare a bathhouse for the Prince and Princess Consort.” Court Lady Hong said and called two maidservants inside. She instructed them well and asked Lóng Wei, and Li Hua to wait for a while.
“Your Highness, I missed you both when you weren’t in the palace. I hope you both have enjoyed the time in Xinshui,” Court Lady Hong said and handed them water glasses.
“Indeed, we had a lot of fun in Xinshui,” Lóng Wei answered and drank the water. Li Hua drank after him and gave the glasses to Court Lady Hong, who put them on the table.
“Did something happen when we weren’t around?” Lóng Wei inquired of Court Lady Hong.
“Not much, Your Highness. But one thing happened,” Court Lady Hong said, and paused.
“What was it about?” Lóng Wei asked.
“The Crown Prince is not marrying the Prime Minister’s daughter after she openly tarnished His Royal Highness’s image,” Court Lady Hong answered.
.....
Lóng Wei chuckled and wondered how Xiaoming had got the strength to voice his opinion. “What did Kang Xi’s daughter do?” Lóng Wei inquired.
“The Crown Prince rejected Miss Cha Ying in the first meeting when she,” Court Lady Hong paused and looked at Li Hua before continuing, “dragged the name of Princess Consort. She commented that the Crown Prince rejected her because of the Princess Consort.”
Lóng Wei’s facial expressions changed. A grim expression had appeared on his face. Li Hua didn’t like the remark that Cha Ying made.
“Kang Xi’s son earlier pissed me off and now his daughter,” Lóng Wei remarked and rose from the chaise lounge.
“Your Highness, please don’t do anything,” Li Hua requested.
“Don’t worry,” Lóng Wei stroked his hand over her head, “I am going to the bathhouse. I can wash with cold water. You must stay in bed after taking a bath.” He then looked at Court Lady Hong and commanded her to take care of Li Hua.
“Yes, Your Highness.” She bowed while Lóng Wei left for the bathhouse.
“Princess Consort, I see a change in His Highness. He has turned gentler than before,” Court Lady Hong said with a warm smile. Li Hua agreed with her and told her how Lóng Wei acknowledged the Fourth Prince as his brother after so many years. She told him that Lóng Wei befriended Huang Xi as well.
“His Majesty will be happy to hear about it. He always desired to see changes in his son,” Court Lady Hong affirmed and smiled. Li Hua refrained from telling her about her brother. She decided to tell her about it later.
“Your Highness, Princess Jingfei, had again appealed to His Majesty not to let you two return,” Court Lady Hong informed Li Hua, who was stunned to learn about it.
Li Hua was troubled to hear it. “The First Princess is still upset with what His Highness did to her. I will personally apologize to Princess Jingfei. I do not want the Sixth Prince to fall in anyone’s eyes,” Li Hua said. Court Lady Hong was astonished to hear her, and it made her happy. Despite being from the Queen’s manor, she had served almost all the princes from their childhood. She had spent a limited time around Lóng Wei, but she always pitied the Sixth Prince.
“Your Highness, if the Sixth Prince stops troubling the people around him, then everyone will start respecting him. If Princess Consort succeeds in changing His Highness, then everything will be sorted out,” Court Lady Hong advised Li Hua, who fully agreed with her.
“Pardon me for intruding, but the bathhouse is ready.” A maidservant came inside and informed Li Hua. She stood up and left to freshen up.
~~~~~
“What?” Qiu Mu exclaimed when he heard from Eunuch Shi Rang that Lóng Wei had returned sound and safe.
How was that possible? It was impossible to defeat Chang Shi. Did Mingquan fight with him and kill him? Qiu Mu scrunched his brows in annoyance. His entire plan had failed, and now he was in danger.
“Your Highness, the Sixth Prince is here.” A maidservant rushed inside to inform Qiu Mu about Lóng Wei’s presence in the manor.
“Tell him that I am not here,” Qiu Mu ordered the maidservant. He needed time to think about how to escape the danger that was awaiting him.
“The Second Prince hurt the feelings of his youngest half-brother,” Lóng Wei pronounced. Qiu Mu promptly turned to look at him and clenched his fists on the scroll that he had in his hand.
“The Sixth Prince should not have come inside when my master had not permitted him to come in.” Eunuch Shi Rang scolded Lóng Wei for breaching the rule.
“The Second Prince can ask his talkative servant to go out so that we can talk in peace,” Lóng Wei suggested to Qiu Mu, and he took a seat on the chair. He laid his back on the cushion and waited for Qiu Mu to act on his suggestion.
“Leave us alone,” Qiu Mu said, gulping the anger inside him. Eunuch Shi Rang and the maidservant silently left the chamber, closing the doors behind them.
“That was not a wise move, Qiu Mu,” Lóng Wei said with a menacing grimace. All this time, he had never once taken his name, but now he decided to.
“So, going to Xinshui made you more manner-less and shameless,” Qiu Mu remarked and snickered.
“I am indeed mannerless, but I am not shameless, Qiu Mu,” Lóng Wei affirmed. “I told you to make certain that I died. Now, I have returned alive, I will turn your life upside-down,” Lóng Wei said with an intimidating tone.