Chapter 33: Courage Has Grown

Yao clenched her sleeves, a chill ran down her spine, the courage she had just mustered instantly vanished.

She said in a low voice, “Marquis.”

Ling Xiao came up to her and stood still, like a mountain of oppression.

He stared at her, his black eyes were unreadable: “Jiang Yao, your courage has grown.”

This was the first time he had called her by her full name.

Yao was startled, her face tightened, she swallowed: “No.”

A eunuch hurried over, smiling: “Marquis, the coming-of-age ceremony has begun, please enter the hall to watch the ceremony.”

Yao felt like she had found a savior, she hurriedly stood up: “Let’s go in.”

She looked at Ling Xiao’s slightly cold eyes: “The Princess must be happy.”

She said, and then turned around and rushed into the hall, as if she was escaping for her life.

Ling Xiao looked at her back, she was afraid again now.

She had been quite bold when she was provoking him just now.

He always said that Jiang Yao was honest, that she was gentle, but he felt that she was more cunning than he thought, she would take advantage of any opportunity, she would run faster than anyone else if the wind was in her favor.

Now she was looking at him with those cold eyes, she was acting innocent, more innocent than anyone else.

He could feel a little bit of calculation in her, seeing her honest and simple appearance, he was annoyed again, he was just feeling suffocated and uncomfortable.

Even the eunuch felt the oppressive atmosphere, he immediately held his breath and dared not make a sound, he just came to announce.

“Aiya, I’m not late, right? The coming-of-age ceremony has begun, right?” Ji Huai rushed over.

Ling Xiao’s eyes were still following Yao’s back, his tone was flat: “Not yet.”

“It’s good that you’re not late, if you were late, the Princess would…”

They had known each other since they were in Youzhou, who didn’t know Princess Huai Ning’s temper?

Ling Xiao saw that Yao had already entered the inner hall, he finally retracted his gaze, and then asked: “Why are you only coming now?”

“I was planning to come to the palace today, but then I heard that you were approving paintings, so I brought them to Yu Jun Shun, I’ve been thinking about this painting for a long time, I’ve been waiting for a while.”

Ji Huai said, he looked around: “Where’s Yu Jun?”

Ling Xiao didn’t bother to answer: “He’s not here.”

But Ji Huai suddenly brightened his eyes: “Aiya, look!”

Then he excitedly walked around the tree.

As soon as he arrived, he suddenly heard voices from behind the tree.

“Now this marriage should be settled, Father is so anxious to marry her off, but at least we should get engaged first, otherwise all the good men in Yanjing will be snatched away.”

The speaker was Madam Qin, she was dressed in a luxurious robe, but she was very sharp.

The girl beside her was wearing a blue embroidered dress, she was beautiful and her eyebrows added a touch of heroism, she was lowering her head, she hadn’t said anything.

Madam Qin said meaningfully: “I heard that the Ling Marquis broke off the engagement with the Chen family, we might as well try to get it, Mother has also been circling around, the best man in Yanjing is still the Ling Marquis.”

Qin Yu Jun pursed her lips: “The Ling Marquis is now a hot commodity in the court, all the noble ladies in Yanjing are eyeing him, even the daughter of Chen Xiang, how could she possibly get him?”

“After all, we are old acquaintances of the Ling Marquis, when we were in Youzhou…”

“Mother, the Ling Marquis hasn’t said anything.” Madam Qin frowned, then suddenly thought of something: “Where’s Ji Zi? Ji Huai, you’re always familiar with him, I always felt that he wasn’t serious, now he’s searching for a wife in Yanjing, he’s found a bunch of dissolute young masters, at least he can do some practical things.”

Madam Qin became more and more excited: “And he’s not bad, the two of you are also familiar, Ji Feng is upright, he has a good background, why don’t we just settle this marriage, wouldn’t that be better?”

Ji Huai immediately pricked up his ears when he heard this.

Ling Xiao didn’t want to listen to this gossip, he turned to leave, but Ji Huai directly grabbed him.

Madam Qin asked again: “What do you think of this marriage?”

Qin Yu Jun fell silent.

“This girl, I’m asking you a question!”

Qin Yu Jun finally raised her head, her expression was resistant: “Mother, I don’t want to marry.”

“I didn’t ask you to marry immediately, I just said to get engaged…”

“I don’t want to marry Brother Huai.”

Ji Huai’s face stiffened, the knuckles of his fingers holding the painting scroll turned white.

“This child, Huai and I have known each other since we were young, and he has a good background, although he’s a little impetuous, he’s actually quite talented, Ji is the best among all the young masters!”

Qin Yu Jun lowered her head, she said “okay” but she still didn’t nod.

Ji Huai couldn’t wait any longer, he directly stuffed the painting scroll into Ling Xiao’s hands and turned to leave.

He made a noise, Qin Yu Jun heard the sound and turned her head, her face changed slightly.

Madam Qin was also embarrassed, she felt awkward being caught gossiping behind someone’s back, she smiled awkwardly and greeted Ling Xiao: “Ling Hou.”

–

The coming-of-age ceremony was held in the inner hall, the person who helped her put on the hairpin was the Princess Pingchang’s wife, she had both parents, her children were all grown up, her husband and wife were harmonious, she was a very blessed woman, she was a perfect example of a virtuous woman.

All eyes were on Princess Huai Ning as she completed the coming-of-age ceremony.

Huai Ning happily gave Yao a hairpin: “Do you like it? Do you like it? My mother specially ordered it for me.”

It was a very exquisite phoenix feather hairpin, it was very dazzling.

Yao couldn’t help but reach out to touch the hairpin: “It’s beautiful.”

Huai Ning immediately said: “I’ll have another one made like this and give it to you!”

“You’re too kind.” Yao hurriedly said.

“Don’t tell anyone, in the future, if you need anything, just ask!” Huai Ning patted her chest confidently.

Yao hurriedly refused, but Huai Ning suddenly asked: “Hey, where’s Brother Xiao?”

Yao finally realized that Ling Xiao was nowhere to be seen.

It seemed that he hadn’t entered the hall when the coming-of-age ceremony began.

Huai Ning immediately pulled Yao to look for him.

They walked through the hall, then along the garden, they suddenly saw a man and a woman standing behind a tree in the distance, talking.

Yao hurriedly pulled Huai Ning back, she covered her mouth, the two of them hid behind the bushes, they quietly peeked at the scene.

The man by the tree, besides Ling Xiao, who else could it be?

They were far away, they could hear them talking, but they could see that Ling Xiao was handing something to the woman, it was beautifully packaged, like a gift.

Yao widened her eyes, Ling Xiao actually gave a girl a gift!

Huai Ning also widened her eyes, at the coming-of-age ceremony, Brother Xiao actually gave another girl a gift!

She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Yao could tell that Ling Xiao’s attitude towards this girl was better than his attitude towards her.

Actually, it wasn’t really better, it was just normal, but normal was already very rare for Ling Xiao, after all, his usual state was cold and indifferent.

Could this be the reason why Ling Xiao broke off the engagement?