Meng Jiangming chased her to the imperial garden. When he took another step forward, Feng Wu blocked him, saying coldly, "Young Master, please return!"
"Feng Wu, let me pass. There are some things I must make clear to the Princess," Meng Jiangming said.
Feng Wu glanced at her Highness in the imperial garden, then turned her head and said coldly, "Young Master, Her Highness does not wish to see you now. You should go back!"
"Feng Wu, if these words are not spoken now, I fear they will be even more misunderstood later."
Hearing this, Feng Wu sneered, "Since Young Master knows this, why did you do those things?"
"I..." Meng Jiangming was speechless for a moment, as he had indeed wronged Princess Xingyue.
"Tell Feng Wu to let the Young Master come in!" Xue Xingyue said to Feng Jiu beside her.
Feng Jiu was stunned and said anxiously, "Your Highness, you..."
"Some things need to be clarified. Let the Young Master come in!"
Feng Jiu nodded, "Yes, your subordinate will go now."
Feng Wu was in the midst of sarcastically mocking Meng Jiangming. When she saw Feng Jiu emerge, she immediately felt something was amiss. Feng Jiu looked at her and said softly, "Your Highness, let the Young Master in."
Feng Wu was taken aback. Although she was reluctant, she could not disobey her Highness's words. She had no choice but to step aside and say, "Her Highness invites you!"
Meng Jiangming was overjoyed upon hearing this. "Thank you!"
As he entered the imperial garden, he saw the person standing amidst the flowers at first glance.
Her crimson dress did not appear any less striking amidst the vibrant colors, but rather seemed even more stunning.
Perhaps sensing his footsteps, the crimson figure slowly turned around.
The golden thread patterns on her collar flashed into his eyes, and her exceptionally beautiful face also came into view.
She was noble, radiant, and captivating.
At that moment, Meng Jiangming felt his heart race.
"Young Master."
A clear, cold voice pulled him back from his racing heart. He stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Princess."
"Young Master, look how beautiful these flowers are?"
Meng Jiangming was startled. Following Xue Xingyue's gaze, he saw countless flowers blooming in competition. He instinctively turned his head, and what he saw was only half of her profile. Yet, even this partial profile was enough to make him marvel.
He wanted to say that even with all the charming beauty of these vibrant colors, it couldn't compare to half of her profile.
"But even the most beautiful will eventually wither, and then new ones will continue to bloom, repeating this cycle," Xue Xingyue said indifferently.
"Princess, regarding today's matter..."
"Young Master..." Xue Xingyue suddenly interrupted him. "There is no need to explain today's events to me. I remember what the Young Master said back then."
Xue Xingyue raised her head and gazed into the distance, continuing, "Young Master, you said that even after marriage, you would take your cousin as a concubine. I agreed to that. Therefore, what the Young Master did today was not wrong. If there was any mistake, it was only a matter of timing. If the Young Master has come to explain this to me, there's no need. Since it was going to happen anyway, does it matter if it happened earlier or later?"
Meng Jiangming's body trembled. He didn't know what he felt. Logically, he should have been relieved, as he had chased after her only because he was afraid Princess Xingyue would be angry about this matter?
And now, Princess Xingyue was reasonable, magnanimous, and tolerant. He should be happy, so why wasn't he happy at all? Instead, he felt an indescribable blockage?
This feeling made him extremely uncomfortable.
"If the Young Master is fine, you may leave. The palace banquet has not ended, and I do not wish for Qi to make a spectacle of us because of this."
Meng Jiangming bowed and said, "Your Highness is correct."
Watching Xue Xingyue's retreating back, her crimson figure growing smaller and smaller in the distance, he suddenly felt a sense of something important finally drifting away from him.
"Your Highness, why are you so magnanimous? The Young Master's actions clearly show no regard for royal dignity, no regard for the bestowed marriage, and even less for..."
"Feng Wu, stop talking..."
Feng Jiu suddenly stopped Feng Wu's words. Feng Wu was startled. She looked up at the faint coldness in Xue Xingyue's eyes and inexplicably felt a hint of sadness.
She regretted saying those things. How could Her Highness not care at all? How could that be possible?
"Your Highness, your subordinate..."
"Feng Wu, you are indeed right. The Young Master showed no regard for royalty. But should I publicize this matter? Let my imperial brother know, let the second prince of Qi know? Or let everyone at the palace banquet know?" Da Feng Novel Network
Feng Wu trembled, "Your Highness, your subordinate did not mean that."
"Feng Wu, sometimes, many things are not up to oneself to decide. Moreover..."
She gazed into the distance and said word by word, "In any case, Jiang Xiuyi will enter the Duke of Ning's mansion sooner or later. What does it matter if it's a little earlier or a little later?"
"Your Highness, you don't care?" Feng Wu asked, looking up.
Xue Xingyue laughed softly, her beautiful face displaying a smile that was soul-stirring. "Care? If there is no liking, where would care come from?"
Feng Wu was taken aback. Even with her Highness saying this, she could still see a trace of loneliness in her eyes.
She stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, Feng Wu will never betray you. Even if everyone in the world betrays you, Feng Wu will not."
Xue Xingyue smiled upon hearing this, "Naturally, you are the only ones I trust."
In the distance, a person stood there, a subtle change flashing across his handsome face.
Meng Jiangming returned to the palace banquet. Madame Jiang was already seated there. Seeing him return, she quickly asked in a low voice, "How was it? Did Princess Xingyue say anything?"
Meng Jiangming looked at the still empty seat opposite them and said, "Princess Xingyue didn't say anything. She just said it doesn't matter if cousin enters the mansion a little earlier or later, and she won't pursue it?"
"Really?" Madame Jiang was somewhat disbelieving.
Meng Jiangming said, "Does Mother think your son is lying?"
Madame Jiang shook her head, "No, I just didn't expect Princess Xingyue to be so generous. Ming'er must treat Princess Xingyue well after marriage."
Meng Jiangming said nothing, a thought crossing his mind: perhaps it was because she didn't care that she was so generous?
Thinking of this, he sighed softly and suddenly remembered Jiang Xiuyi. He looked around and did not see her, so he asked, "Mother, where is cousin?"
Madame Jiang heard this and said, "Xiuyi is affiliated with Noble Consort An, and Noble Consort An took her away."
"Then I'll go and bring cousin back." Saying this, Meng Jiangming was about to go find Jiang Xiuyi.
Madame Jiang quickly grabbed Meng Jiangming and said angrily, "Noble Consort An is doing this for you. Do you want anyone to know that you were secretly involved with your cousin before marrying Princess Xingyue?"
Meng Jiangming heard this and said, "But this is the truth. I took cousin's purity, so I must be responsible for cousin."
"Responsible, but not now. Mother and Noble Consort An have already discussed it. After you marry, Noble Consort An will publicly grant you maids, and then use that excuse to send Xiuyi over," Madame Jiang said.