Chapter 186: Let’s Be Friends

Mu Yunzhu had come to cause trouble for Xiao Li. She had heard from Liu Xueyin that her cousin had been utterly ruined by this so-called sister of his.

Not only had Xiao Li gotten her cousin thrown in prison, but she had also nearly killed him on two separate occasions.

And Xiao Li herself was notoriously infamous. She had not only killed her own husband but would cut down anyone who offended her—a veritable she-devil.

Although Mu Yunzhu was alluring in appearance, her personality was anything but soft. With formidable martial arts and ruthless methods, she was a classic femme fatale.

Liu Xueyin couldn’t handle this Princess Xuanyang, but Mu Yunzhu wasn’t afraid.

She had expected to see her at the welcome banquet, but the princess hadn’t even bothered to attend. Impatient to meet her, Mu Yunzhu had decided to show up at her door.

She arrived aggressively, fully prepared for a direct confrontation with this Princess Xuanyang. But... from the moment the other woman opened her mouth, things started to get absurd.

When she arrived, Xiao Li was just about to have a meal. It would have been awkward to make her just watch, so Xiao Li had a pair of chopsticks added for her.

Mu Yunzhu didn’t dare to casually eat someone else’s food. But Xiao Li paid her no mind at all, eating with great relish all by herself.

The food smelled so good that Mu Yunzhu felt it would be rude to interrupt her meal.

So Xiao Li ate while Mu Yunzhu watched. It was then that Mu Yunzhu slowly calmed down and began to study Xiao Li’s appearance.

As someone with outstanding looks and a noble status, she had always looked down on others. But even she had to admit that this Princess Xuanyang was truly beautiful.

Her beauty wasn’t the kind that stunned you at first glance; you’d just think she was pretty. But if you kept looking, you would find yourself unconsciously drawn in, as if every part of her was beautiful.

There were no particularly striking features, yet every detail was perfectly proportioned.

Her eyes, her profile, her expression—they all possessed a quality that words or paint could never capture.

In her own residence, Xiao Li never liked to wear cumbersome clothing. All her hair was tied back in a high ponytail, held in place by a beautiful coronet. She usually wore narrow-sleeved brocade robes cinched with a sash—a very sharp and clean-cut look.

Yet, she didn’t have the valiant, heroic bearing of a military general’s daughter. Instead, her spirited air was infused with a noble grace.

She ate with gusto, yet her movements were unhurried. Without any conscious effort, she exuded an ineffable, natural elegance.

So at ease that it was as if Mu Yunzhu, right beside her, didn’t even exist.

Mu Yunzhu stared for a long while, only snapping back to her senses when Xiao Li put down her chopsticks to drink her soup.

She was surprised to find she had been staring, lost in thought. At the same time, she couldn’t help but wonder, ’Is this person really the wicked princess they all talk about? She doesn’t look particularly malicious. In fact, she’s quite handsome.’

Xiao Li didn’t care whether Mu Yunzhu ate or not. Once she finished, she had the servants clear the table and immediately stood up.

"Let’s go."

Mu Yunzhu was baffled. "Go where?"

Xiao Li glanced at her. "I’m a lazy person, but since a guest has come all the way to my door, I suppose I must entertain you."

And so, Mu Yunzhu was led out of the residence and seated in Xiao Li’s absurdly luxurious and comfortable carriage, parading through the city.

Xiao Li took her to a gold and jade shop. The shopkeeper brought out the finest items. Was she supposed to pick what she liked?

No. Xiao Li had the entire box packed up, telling her to take it back and choose at her leisure.

Mu Yunzhu quickly refused. "I don’t need you to give me anything."

Xiao Li took her by the arm and laughed heartily. "It’s rare for you to visit. Let’s be friends. Don’t be so polite with me."

Afterward, at the jewelry store, the jade emporium, and the antique shop, she repeated the same trick.

Mu Yunzhu was dragged along like this, from one shop to the next. She’d barely step inside and glance around, her butt not even touching a chair, before Xiao Li had already made her selections, had them quickly packed, and whisked her off to the next location in a whirlwind.

After being led around in a complete daze, she was dropped off at the entrance of the posthouse.

Mu Yunzhu was ushered out of the carriage. Xiao Li leaned against the window frame and gave a suave smile. "That’s all for today. Princess Yunzhu, you’re welcome to visit again anytime."

The carriage sped off. Mu Yunzhu stood there, so furious she was speechless for a long moment. When she turned her head, she saw that every single one of the attendants she had brought was laden with all sorts of treasure boxes, practically buried under the pile of gifts.

"Who wants this junk from her?" She felt like she’d just been taken for a ride. ’Damn it!’

One of her attendants couldn’t help but turn and whisper a rebuttal, "Princess, these are the most expensive and finest items from those shops. Even the tribute we send from our country isn’t this good."

Mu Yunzhu shot him a glare and strode into the posthouse.

Xiao Jingyu, wearing a disguise mask, was passing by. He had only intended to glance over casually, but when he saw the scene clearly, he stopped in his tracks.

"Why did you buy so many things?"

Mu Yunzhu didn’t recognize the boxes, but Xiao Jingyu was all too familiar with them. They were from the most famous shops in the Capital City, and the items inside were not cheap. Mu Yunzhu’s pile of boxes came from several different treasure houses, and there were quite a few of them. ’How much did all this cost? Is the silver she brought even enough to cover it?’

Mu Yunzhu was thoroughly irritated, and even for Xiao Jingyu, she couldn’t muster a pleasant expression.

"Princess Xuanyang gave them to me. She insisted on taking me shopping and wouldn’t listen to a word I said. What do you think she’s trying to do?"

How could Xiao Jingyu possibly know what Xiao Li meant? It wasn’t the first time that woman had defied all logic.

He hated Xiao Li, but his fear of her was just as strong as his hatred.

"Stay away from her."

’Xuanyang must be dealt with, but until I’m absolutely certain of success, I have to avoid her at all costs.’

’Dealing with the Emperor is easy, but Xuanyang is a powerful and unpredictable variable.’

It was hard to believe. A person who, just a year ago, was so timid and low-profile as to be practically invisible had, in less than a year, become the most dangerous and uncontrollable presence in the entire court.

Having nearly died at Xuanyang’s hands twice, no one knew better than him just how dangerous and bizarre she was.

Mu Yunzhu frowned. "I didn’t provoke her."

’I wanted to,’ she thought, ’but I never got the chance. I was led by the nose the entire time.’

Snapping back to the present, she saw a box in Xiao Jingyu’s hand and couldn’t help but light up. "Is that for me?"

With lightning speed, she snatched it from him. Before Xiao Jingyu could stop her, she had already opened it.

Inside was a white jade hairpin.

The smile on Mu Yunzhu’s face instantly vanished. One look and she could tell it wasn’t for her.

The jade hairpin was snatched back. Xiao Jingyu’s face was cold with anger. "I told you not to touch my things."

Xiao Jingyu hurried away with the item, and Mu Yunzhu knew he was off to appease that Liu Xueyin again.

"Who cares," she muttered.

They were husband and wife, so being affectionate was normal. But that Liu Xueyin always wore a mournful expression, like her husband had just died. She was either throwing a tantrum or being cold and aloof, always putting on an "I don’t care about anything" act. In reality, she’d get pouty at the slightest displeasure, as if she needed everyone to revolve around her.

On the journey here, she had watched Xiao Jingyu coax her the entire way. At night, the sounds of their intimacy were enough to make the guards blush, yet during the day, they would pretend to be at odds. One was always acting high and mighty, cold and proud, while the other shamelessly tried to appease her. She had no idea what kind of game they were playing.

Her father, the king, had said he would help her cousin become the Emperor of Longsheng. Then, he would marry her to him, forging a permanent alliance between their two nations.

Her cousin was indeed incomparably handsome, enough to make her heart flutter. But after this journey, she found herself less and less willing to marry him.

’I am a Princess of Chi Rong, a flower that blooms on horseback! Why should I have to compete with another woman for a man?’

’Especially when those two are so disgustingly intimate, at it every single night. The thought of giving my chastity to my cousin in the future is just... so filthy!’