Chapter 227
Chapter 227:I Believe He Won’t Marry You
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Looking at Zhuo Ma, Jiang Peihuan nodded, “1 understand.”
Zhuo Ma had expected that after she spoke, Jiang Peihuan would fly into a rage. She had envisioned all possible outcomes, but she hadn’t expected Jiang Peihuan to remain so calm.
Seeing Jiang Peihuan get up, she couldn’t help but rise as well. Staring at Jiang Peihuan, she asked coldly, “Aren’t you angry?”
“Why should I be?”
Zhuo Ma stared intently into Jiang Peihuan’s eyes, noticing that her expression was truly without a ripple of emotion. Zhuo Ma felt a flash of anger, “Stop pretending! I know the Emperor of the Qi Kingdom has decreed your marriage to King Cheng. I want to marry him, I don’t believe you aren’t angry.”
“Princess Zhuo Ma, as you said, you want to marry King Cheng. Thus, you should be speaking to him about this, not me.”
“If you can get His Highness King Cheng to agree, I definitely won’t stop you from marrying him.”
“Of course, I believe that he won’t marry you.”
“Huan Er?”
As soon as Jiang Peihuan finished speaking, she heard a familiar voice. She turned around and saw Xiao Nanye sitting on the horse’s back. Xiao Junhao was beside him.
Xiao Nanye got off his horse and walked to Jiang Peihuan’s side.
Looking at Jiang Peihuan, Xiao Nanye said directly,” Believe me, 1 have nothing to do with her.”
“When did you arrive?”
“A while ago.”
Hearing his words, Jiang Peihuan’s eyes sparkled, “So you heard everything I just said?”
Xiao Nanye remained silent, simply nodding.
When he heard Jiang Peihuan’s indifferent words earlier, Xiao Nanye felt a bit panicked, but after hearing her final words, he was delighted.
“Why did you leave the mansion?”
“Princess Zhuo Ma wanted me to accompany her on a stroll, so I went out.”
And
“Imperial brother asked me to inspect the situation of the guards in the capital.”
“King Cheng?”
Zhuo Ma had been standing by the side. Seeing that Xiao Nanye was only talking to Jiang Peihuan, a trace of jealousy flashed in her eyes. She walked up to him.
Looking at Zhuo Ma who was walking towards him, Xiao Nanye’s eyes revealed a hint of annoyance. The gentleness in his eyes instantly disappeared.
He looked at Zhuo Ma coldly, but he did not say anything.
“Your Highness King Cheng, we just met last night at your mansion. Do you still remember?”
Hearing Zhuo Ma’s words, Xiao Nanye frowned and subconsciously looked at Jiang Peihuan.
Seeing that she didn’t look upset, he let out a sigh of relief.
Without giving Zhuo Ma another glance, Xiao Nanye turned to Han Feng, “Order that aside from Huan Er, no other woman is allowed to step into my mansion.”
“Yes.”
When Han Feng heard his master’s order, he hurriedly nodded in response.
Zhuo Ma’s expression turned ugly when she heard this.
“Imperial Uncle, Princess Zhuo Ma is a distinguished guest after all. This seems a bit too cold-hearted of you.”
Xiao Junhao, who had been silent all this while, glanced at Zhuo Ma and Jiang Peihuan, then laughed.
Hearing his voice, a smile appeared on Zhuo Ma’s face.
Xiao Nanye sneered, “Since Prince Qing is so hospitable, you can take care of Princess Zhuo Ma. If you like her, you might as well take her into your mansion. After all, you’ve already chosen your main and side consorts, what’s one more?”
Hearing Xiao Nanye’s words, Xiao Junhao’s eyes darkened.
When Jiang Yan became his main consort, his position as prince had already been denied by the Emperor, mainly because of the rebellion of King Chujiang.
If he were to marry a princess from a grassland tribe, his fate would be sealed.
“Imperial Uncle, you must be joking. Princess Zhuo Ma is obviously in love with you.”
“What a joke. Just because she’s fond of me, does that mean I have to marry her? There are countless women in this world who are fond of me. Should I marry them all and let them eat freely at my mansion?”
Hearing what Xiao Nanye said, Zhuo Ma’s face was beyond the description of unpleasant.
However, Xiao Nanye didn’t even bother to look at the two. He turned to Jiang Peihuan and said, “Since we’ve left the mansion, why not let me accompany you for a stroll?”
When speaking to Jiang Peihuan, Xiao Nanye’s expression was tender.
Seeing Xiao Nanye’s change in demeanor, Zhuo Ma clenched her fists in frustration.
Xiao Junhao’s face was also unpleasant to behold.
From the beginning to end, Xiao Junhao gaze remained fixed on Jiang Peihuan, yet she never once looked back at him.
Did he really become an irrelevant stranger in her eyes?
Jiang Peihuan wasn’t aware of Xiao Junhao’s thoughts. Somehow, over time, her intense hatred for Xiao Junhao had somewhat waned, replaced more by annoyance.
Hearing Xiao Nanye, Jiang Peihuan whispered, “Don’t you have official duties?”
“No matter. No task is more important than you.”
After speaking, Xiao Nanye turned to Xiao Junhao. “Prince Qing, this duty is yours now.”
“Huan Er, let’s go.”
Saying this, Xiao Nanye reached out and took Jiang Peihuan by the wrist.
At that moment, Zhuo Ma blocked their path. Despite seeing Xiao Nanye’s ominous expression, she said softly, “King Cheng, I have received permission from the Emperor of Qi to have Eldest Miss Jiang accompany me around the capital. Are you going against the Emperor’s decree?”
“Hmph…”
Hearing Zhuo Ma’s words, Xiao Nanye sneered and took Jiang Peihuan’s hand and left.
Zhuo Ma wanted to follow, but Han Feng pulled out his sword and aimed it at Zhuo Ma.” Princess, 1 advise you not to follow.”
While Han Feng spoke with a faint smile, his eyes bore no humor, only a stern warning.
As he spoke, Xiao Nanye and Jiang Peihuan had already moved quite a distance away.
The streets were covered in snow, but many people had set up their stalls.
Since it was the capital, it was still bustling.
However, as they walked, Jiang Peihuan noticed several beggars.
Seeing them, she turned to Xiao Nanye and said, “There are so many beggars in the city now?”
Following her gaze, Xiao Nanye also saw the beggars, his eyes reflecting a moment of silence, “The recent heavy snow has affected the surrounding farmers. This year has been colder than previous ones, so many can’t survive.” “If it’s like this in the capital, isn’t it worse in the surrounding towns?”
“Indeed it is.”
Hearing this, Jiang Peihuan turned to him and said, “Does the Emperor know about this? Has he taken any measures?”
“The officials haven’t reported the situation yet.”
As he said this, Xiao Nanye’s eyes were filled with mockery. Seeing his expression, Jiang Peihuan’s face also darkened, “The Emperor cannot leave the palace at will. If the ministers don’t report, even if there are dead bodies everywhere outside the palace, the Emperor will never know.”