HomeSheng Shi Di FeiChapter 30: Princess Qixia

Chapter 30: Princess Qixia

Second Floor of Chuxiang Pavilion

A striking figure in red rushed out of the private room, about to collide with a waiter carrying a fully loaded tray of dishes. Murong Ting leaped out at the same instant, trying to grab the woman, but was still half a beat too late as the red sleeve slipped through her fingers.

“Look out!” Ye Li had calculated the trajectory of the steaming soup pot from the tray almost at the exact moment the woman in red was about to collide with the waiter. She grabbed an empty bowl from the table and threw it. With precise calculation of position and force, she managed to deflect the soup pot that had just left the tray and was flying toward someone’s head, knocking it slightly to the left. With a series of clatters, the soup pot fell to an empty spot nearby. Because the waiter had desperately held onto his tray, of the remaining dishes only one fell right in front, its soup splashing onto a customer’s clothes, avoiding more serious damage.

The entire second floor fell silent. The waiter, face pale, glanced at the fallen soup pot and looked gratefully at the young lady in blue sitting nearby. If not for that young lady’s timely thrown bowl, the waiter knew very well that pot of just-off-the-fire boiling soup might have landed on the head of the young master sitting with his back to him near the stairs, or might even have fallen to the first floor and hit customers below. The woman in red hadn’t realized what kind of accident she might have caused, and after being caught a step too late by Murong Ting, she angrily shook off her hand and berated her, “How dare you! You dare obstruct this princess’s rage!”

Only then did Qin Zheng and the others see that the young lady in red was Princess Qixia of Nanzhao, whom they had seen at the Hundred Flowers Gathering a few days ago.

Murong Ting wouldn’t tolerate such behavior, coldly laughing, “Go throw your princess attitude around in Nanzhao. Running wild in a restaurant full of people – what if someone had gotten hurt?”

Princess Qixia’s expression was ugly, clearly not in a good mood. She sneered disdainfully, “They’re just commoners, what does it matter if this princess hurts them?”

At these words, everyone on the second floor’s expression changed. Chuxiang Pavilion was one of the capital’s finest restaurants, its prices far beyond what ordinary people could afford. Its patrons were all either wealthy or noble, and Princess Qixia’s brazen words had undoubtedly offended everyone present. Hua Tianxiang stood up, her beautiful face taking on a trace of coldness, though her smile remained reserved and noble, “Even if they were commoners, they would be our Great Chu’s commoners. It hardly seems appropriate for a mere princess from tiny Nanzhao to look down on them.” Nanzhao was small and weak – if not for the centuries of the three great powers maintaining a balance through continuous warfare and mutual checks, tiny Nanzhao would have been annexed long ago.

“How dare you!” Princess Qixia’s face darkened as she glared at Hua Tianxiang. Hua Tianxiang slightly raised her chin, meeting her gaze without backing down. She was just a princess from a small country – the three parts of respect shown to her were only for Princess Imperial Zhaoyang’s sake. Did she think the nobles of Great Chu feared her?

“Princess Qixia, you surely understand what kind of place Chuxiang Pavilion is. If someone were injured, I’m afraid even the Princess Imperial would be quite troubled,” Qin Zheng said with a faint smile, though her eyes looking at Princess Qixia held none of their usual gentle air.

Princess Qixia’s expression changed slightly. She snorted, glancing at the back of the man who had nearly had his head doused with boiling soup, “He’s fine, isn’t he? No need for you all to meddle.”

Hua Tianxiang withdrew her gaze from Princess Qixia and smiled gracefully at Murong Ting, “Murong, let it go. After all, she’s a foreign princess who doesn’t even know how to apologize. We should just walk around her when we see her in the future – who knows who’ll be unfortunate next time.” Murong Ting made a show of looking Princess Qixia up and down, then nodded, “Tianxiang, you’re right. Everyone, let’s just count ourselves unlucky today. Who can help it if our great Princess Qixia is in a bad mood? Waiter, haven’t been scared senseless, have you? Hurry and clean this up!” The waiter, startled by the sudden situation, quickly apologized to the affected customers and hurried to clean up the mess.

“贱人!” Princess Qixia’s face turned green with anger. She pulled the whip from her waist and lashed it at Hua Tianxiang’s face.

“Tianxiang!” Qin Zheng cried out.

A blue shadow flashed, catching the incoming whip. Ye Li pulled Hua Tianxiang away with one hand while firmly grasping the tip of the whip with the other. The slight pain in her palm made Ye Li furrow her brows – due to her position, she could only pull Hua Tianxiang slightly aside before having to directly catch Princess Qixia’s whip. However, her palm didn’t hurt as much as expected. Looking over, she saw that Princess Qixia’s whip had somehow slipped from her hand, and she was now clutching her hand’s back while glaring palely at Ye Li. Ye Li raised her eyebrows slightly, scanning the surrounding diners before finally letting her gaze rest on the man still sitting with his back to them near the stairs.

“Princess Qixia, you are a guest and our Great Chu’s subjects show you respect. But your habit of brandishing whips everywhere is hardly appropriate in Great Chu – please mind your status,” Ye Li said coldly as she withdrew her somewhat puzzled gaze. Slowly gathering the whip into her hand, Ye Li had no intention of returning it. Even vivacious young ladies like Murong Ting knew their bounds in this era – how did this Princess Qixia come to play with such dangerous toys? “This, I will have someone deliver to the Princess Imperial’s manor.”

“Ye Li, do you think winning some Hundred Flowers Champion makes you special? Weren’t you abandoned by Prince Li, and now have to marry that useless prince of the Ding Kingdom? Hmph, this princess pities you.”

Ye Li’s gaze grew cold, “I’m afraid with Princess Qixia’s insight and intellect, you cannot understand the meaning and position of the Ding Kingdom to Great Chu. Naturally, you also cannot comprehend His Majesty’s boundless grace. Or perhaps Princess Qixia’s forgetful mind has already forgotten that the ‘useless one’ you speak of once swept through the southern borders at age fifteen, with Nanzhao among them? A princess who can’t even match up to a ‘useless one,’ how dare you still live so shamelessly? Still spouting such nonsense here? As for your pity, I probably can’t accept it – better keep it for yourself.” Ye Li’s tone wasn’t angry or rushed, but these slowly delivered, casual words made Princess Qixia’s expression change from smug schadenfreude to blue, then purple, then black. Many of the diners present began to chuckle.

Hua Tianxiang, who had just recovered from nearly having her face ruined, walked to Ye Li’s side and smiled, “Li’er, don’t expose people’s shortcomings. How would tiny Nanzhao understand so much? We can only hope that with the Princess Imperial’s guidance, certain people will learn what a true princess’s demeanor is. After all… the Princess Imperial is our dynasty’s model for women.”

Murong Ting walked over, still fuming. She had been too late to save Hua Tianxiang and had nearly been scared to death. Now that she had recovered, she had no good expression for Princess Qixia, “Tianxiang speaks truly. Princess Qixia just envies Li’er. Though Li’er won’t be Prince Li’s consort, she’ll be Princess Ding. Unlike certain princesses who came from so far away… hehe…” Pinched secretly by Qin Zheng, Murong Ting barely held back the rest of her words, substituting two laughs instead. But the unfinished meaning was clear to those who should understand.

“You… you all…”

“What’s happening here? Qixia, what are you making a scene about?”

The private room’s door opened again, and Mo Jingli appeared with a cold face and furrowed brows, looking at the scene before him. His expression grew even darker when his gaze fell on Ye Li.

“Brother Jingli, they’re bullying Xia’er!” Seeing Mo Jingli emerge, Princess Qixia quickly moved closer to him, her face taking on a girlish coquettishness.

Oh…

Everyone present made a show of eating earnestly, though their ears were pricked straight up. Wasn’t Prince Li’s grand wedding early next month? Why was he meeting Princess Qixia privately in a restaurant? After abandoning the Ye family’s Third Young Miss, was Prince Li finally preparing to abandon the Fourth Young Miss as well?

Mo Jingli frowned, staring at Ye Li, “Such a small matter, why make such a fuss? Or does Ye Li want to attract attention? Give up – this prince will never marry you!”

If they weren’t in public, Ye Li would have taught him an unforgettable lesson. Would you die if you weren’t self-obsessed?

“Has Prince Li seen a physician?”

“What?” Mo Jingli was stunned.

Ye Li said flatly, “Constant, unrestrained delusions are an illness. Better treat it early.”

Pfft— Someone finally couldn’t hold back their laughter.

“Ye Li, how dare you!” Mo Jingli had never been even-tempered, and being so openly mocked by a woman he had abandoned immediately enraged him. His cold eyes flashed with murderous intent as he reached for Ye Li. A cold light flashed in Ye Li’s eyes as she turned her hand, her right hand hidden in her sleeve already gripping something, just waiting for Mo Jingli to come close.

A shadow flashed by swiftly, and Mo Jingli’s hand stopped a step away from Ye Li, unable to move further. A deep, gentle voice spoke softly, “Prince Li, do you have some objection to this prince’s future princess?”

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