“If Princess Fu’an were to learn that Qin Shuying and Liu Junqing are meeting secretly, Princess Fu’an would definitely go to catch them in the act. At that time, we just need to arrange for Prince Huo Luo to wait there. When Fu’an goes, bringing them together would be a wonderful arrangement!”
“But how would Prince Huo Luo go there?”
Annoyance flashed in Luo Meixiang’s eyes—this niece of hers was just too foolish!
How would Prince Huo Luo go? He was interested in Qiong’er. If she had Luo Jinniang deliver a message saying that Qiong’er wanted to meet him, Prince Huo Luo would naturally go!
“This will depend on you.”
After receiving Luo Meixiang’s instructions, Luo Jinniang returned to her room to prepare.
Speaking of which, it was very difficult to accomplish anything in the traveling palace. Prince Huo Luo lived in the front palace, while the female family members resided in the rear palace. The distance between the front and rear palaces was too great, making any undertaking extremely difficult. Moreover, the slightest carelessness would lead to discovery.
However, after Luo Meixiang met with Noble Consort De, having Noble Consort De’s assistance made things much easier.
Luo Jinniang easily reached the front palace and met with Prince Huo Luo.
Prince Huo Luo received a letter delivered by a young girl dressed as a palace maid. Half-believing, half-doubting, the palace maid smiled and said, “Prince Huo Luo, our young miss knows about the imperial marriage bestowed upon you. She wishes to meet with you. Miss says that Prince Huo Luo is brave, intelligent, and extraordinarily capable—surely you wouldn’t lack even this much courage?”
Originally, Luo Meixiang had instructed Luo Jinniang to reveal her identity clearly, as this would make Prince Huo Luo trust her more.
For some unknown reason, Luo Jinniang suddenly remembered her brother Luo Huan’s words. In a moment of inspiration, she changed her mind and decided not to let the other party know her identity.
Prince Huo Luo raised his eyebrows. He was the legitimate eldest son of the tribe, not some naive youth who understood nothing.
Liang Qiong was asking to meet him?
Nevertheless, he said, “Please return and tell Miss Liang that I will definitely arrive at the place she mentioned on time.”
After Luo Jinniang left, Prince Huo Luo looked at the delicate handwriting on the paper slip in his hand and suddenly smiled.
He was already handsome to begin with, and this smile made him even more radiant like sunshine—innocent young girls would easily be attracted to him.
A deep-eyed woman approached. She was around thirty years old, with gorgeous features and an excellent figure, possessing the mature charm of a grown woman.
She asked in the tribal language, “First Prince, what matter?”
Prince Huo Luo also replied in the tribal language, “Liang Qiong wants to meet me.”
The woman’s expression immediately changed. “Does the First Prince wish to go?”
Prince Huo Luo glanced around to ensure no one was present, then reached out to embrace the woman, pressing her fullness tightly against his chest while his hand wandered freely. “Nanny, with you here, how could I want anyone else?”
The woman laughed coquettishly while panting, “The First Prince forgets old lovers when he has new ones—how could he still remember this aging, beauty-faded old nanny? Ah… First Prince… you… ah…”
Then came the woman’s continuous moans of pleasure…
…
At midday, after everyone had finished lunch, many noble ladies chose to rest for half an hour.
Princess Fu’an had just put down her chopsticks when she received news that Liu Junqing had arranged to meet Qin Shuying secretly in the dense forest. Princess Fu’an immediately flew into a rage.
“Qin Shuying—truly a lingering ghost!”
Yun Jingshu wanted to remind Princess Fu’an that even if Liu Junqing had asked to meet Qin Shuying, Qin Shuying probably wouldn’t go. However, as if possessed by some demon, she said nothing at all.
Liu Sujiang immediately tried to stop her: “Your Highness, my brother is a rule-abiding person who would never do such a thing.”
“Would never?” Princess Fu’an was dizzy with rage and sneered coldly, “Do you know what your brother said to Qin Shuying that day in the palace after she fell into the water? He told Qin Shuying that everything he said to Father Emperor was true!”
Liu Sujiang didn’t understand what this meant. Princess Fu’an continued, “Your brother never forgot Qin Shuying at all! What he meant was that he truly favored Qin Shuying!”
Having said this, Princess Fu’an didn’t care whether Liu Sujiang understood or not and strode toward the dense forest in the rear mountains.
She had more to say that she hadn’t mentioned—her informant told her that during last night’s banquet, Liu Junqing frequently looked toward Qin Shuying, who sat not far across from him. That gaze carried infatuation and pain.
Qinghe Traveling Palace was enormous. The dense forest mentioned by the messenger was near the garden where they had admired flowers yesterday afternoon.
There, the scenery was picturesque, with winding mountain paths ascending upward.
Thick shrubs and flower clusters provided cover, making it difficult for people having conversations there to be discovered.
Princess Fu’an brought only two close personal attendant palace maids. Yun Jingshu and Liu Sujiang, seeing the princess in great anger, followed behind step by step, treading carefully.
Yun Jingshu looked at Princess Fu’an ahead of her, constantly telling herself that she wasn’t to blame for not stopping this—hadn’t Liu Sujiang also tried to stop her? Yet the princess still acted willfully.
When Princess Fu’an reached the location, she could see a figure in the pavilion halfway up the mountain from afar.
It really was Liu Junqing!
Princess Fu’an climbed up the mountain path.
This pavilion was halfway up the mountain, with paths on three sides and dense forest on one side. If someone entered the dense forest from the pavilion, it would be completely undetectable.
Princess Fu’an looked at the cypress trees beside the pavilion that were slightly taller than a person, nearly grinding her silver teeth to powder. If Liu Junqing and Qin Shuying entered through those cypress trees and walked into the dense forest, absolutely no one would notice.
She seemed to already see Liu Junqing and Qin Shuying in the dense forest, whispering intimately to each other.
Princess Fu’an hurried up the climb, gasping for breath. Only then did Liu Junqing notice someone approaching.
Could it really be her coming?
Liu Junqing felt very excited.
Ziteng had personally come to his place to deliver the message, saying that Qin Shuying wanted to meet him here and had something to tell him.
Only then had Liu Junqing hurriedly rushed over.
Liu Junqing dared not turn around, afraid that the person behind him might not be the one he was hoping for.
Who would have thought—
“Junqing, what are you doing here?”
Liu Junqing’s heart sank. Princess Fu’an? How had she come?
Liu Junqing turned around to see Princess Fu’an’s furious expression, showing surprise mixed with confusion. “Your Highness?”
Seeing his expression, Princess Fu’an immediately knew—he had been hoping for Qin Shuying to appear, only to discover it was herself instead.
Had she become an unwelcome intruder?
Instantly, anger and humiliation rushed to her head, and her usual spoiled temper surged up. “Who are you waiting for here?”
“Your Highness, this humble subject was here admiring the scenery.”
“Hmph! Admiring scenery? This is the boundary between the rear palace and front palace—who would come here to admire scenery for no reason? What kind of person do you take this princess for, trying to deceive me like this!”
Liu Junqing’s handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he offered no explanation.
Seeing his calm and composed manner, Princess Fu’an felt a cool breeze blow, and her mind gradually cleared. No, it wasn’t like this. He… he seemed displeased?
“Junqing, I’m sorry. I… I didn’t mean to. I received news that you would meet secretly with Qin Shuying here, so I… I became anxious and was somewhat hasty…”
Princess Fu’an hurried to explain, somewhat at a loss.
Liu Junqing’s handsome face remained indifferent. “Your Highness need not explain to this humble subject.”
Princess Fu’an immediately became delighted. “You… you don’t blame me for being too rash?”
Liu Junqing maintained his transcendent bearing. “Your Highness speaks too seriously.”
Looking at the man before her, Princess Fu’an couldn’t help but stare in fascination.
He really was too handsome!