Second Floor of Chu Xiang Ge
A dazzling figure rushed out of the private room, nearly colliding with a waiter carrying a tray laden with dishes. Murong Ting leaped forward in the same instant to pull the woman back, but she was just a fraction too slow—the crimson sleeve slipped through her fingers.
"Watch out!" Almost simultaneously, Ye Li calculated the trajectory of the steaming pot of soup that was about to be knocked off the tray. She grabbed an empty bowl from the table and hurled it with precision, altering the pot's path just enough to send it veering left. The pot clattered to the floor a short distance away, while the waiter, gripping the tray tightly, managed to prevent further disaster—save for one dish that fell near a guest, splashing their clothes with sauce.
The entire second floor fell silent. The waiter, pale-faced, glanced at the spilled soup and then gratefully at the young woman in green seated nearby. Had it not been for her quick reflexes, the scalding pot would have landed on the head of the man sitting with his back to the stairs—or worse, tumbled down to the first floor.
The red-clad woman, however, seemed oblivious to the potential catastrophe. When Murong Ting finally caught up and grabbed her arm, she angrily shook her off and snapped, "How dare you lay hands on this princess?!"
It was then that Qin Zheng and the others recognized the red-robed girl as the Nanzhao Kingdom's Qixia Princess, whom they had seen at the Hundred Flowers Festival a few days prior.
Murong Ting wasn’t intimidated. She sneered, "Save your royal airs for Nanzhao. Running wild in a crowded restaurant—what if you’d hurt someone?"
Qixia Princess’s expression darkened, clearly in no mood for lectures. She scoffed, "So what if I hurt a few lowly commoners?"
The moment those words left her mouth, the entire floor tensed. Chu Xiang Ge was one of the capital’s finest restaurants, far beyond the means of ordinary folk—its patrons were either wealthy or noble. By insulting them as "commoners," Qixia Princess had just offended everyone present.
Hua Tianxiang rose to her feet, her beautiful face now edged with frost, though her smile remained poised and regal. "Even if they were lowly, they are our Great Chu’s people. A mere princess from a minor kingdom like Nanzhao has no right to scorn them. If not for the balance of power among the three great nations, a weak little country like yours would have been swallowed up long ago."
"How dare you?!" Qixia Princess glowered, her rage fixed on Hua Tianxiang, who lifted her chin defiantly. A minor princess from a vassal state—courtesy was extended for Princess Zhaoyang’s sake, but did she truly think the nobility of Great Chu feared her?
"Princess Qixia," Qin Zheng interjected coolly, her usual gentleness absent from her gaze. "You must know what kind of place Chu Xiang Ge is. If you’d harmed someone here, even Princess Zhaoyang would find it difficult to smooth things over."
Qixia Princess’s face flickered with unease. With a dismissive sniff, she glanced at the man who had nearly been scalded and said, "He’s fine, isn’t he? Why meddle in others' affairs?"Hua Tianxiang withdrew her gaze from Qixia Princess and smiled faintly at Murong Ting, saying, "Murong, let it go. After all, she's a foreign princess who doesn't even know how to apologize. We'll just steer clear when we see her next time—who knows who'll be unlucky enough to cross her path again?" Murong Ting gave Qixia Princess an exaggerated once-over and nodded solemnly. "You're right, Tianxiang. Let's just consider ourselves unlucky today. Who made our great Qixia Princess so displeased? Waiter, haven't you snapped out of it yet? Clean this up!" The waiter, startled by the sudden commotion, hastily apologized to the affected customers before rushing to tidy up the mess.
"You wretch!" Qixia Princess's face turned livid with rage as she snatched the whip from her waist and lashed it straight at Hua Tianxiang's face.
"Tianxiang!" Qin Zheng cried out in alarm.
A flash of blue swept past, intercepting the oncoming whip. With one hand, Ye Li pulled Hua Tianxiang aside, while with the other, she caught the tip of the whip mid-air. The slight sting in her palm made her frown. Due to their seating arrangement, she could only pull Hua Tianxiang back slightly, leaving herself to bear the brunt of the whip. However, the pain wasn't as severe as she'd expected. Glancing over, she realized Qixia Princess's whip had somehow slipped from her grasp, and the princess was now clutching her hand, pale-faced and glaring at Ye Li. Ye Li arched a delicate brow, scanning the surrounding diners before her gaze settled on a man by the stairs who hadn't turned around throughout the commotion.
"Princess Qixia, as a guest, the people of Great Chu have shown you courtesy. However, your habit of brandishing a whip is hardly befitting of our customs. I suggest you comport yourself with dignity." With a flick of her wrist, Ye Li's cool gaze settled on the princess. Slowly, she coiled the whip into her own hand, making no move to return it. "Even the most spirited young ladies of our time, like Murong Ting, know their limits. How is it that you, Princess, play with such dangerous toys? I'll have this delivered to the Princess Manor."
"Ye Li, do you think winning some 'Flower Queen' title makes you special?" Qixia Princess sneered. "Weren't you still cast aside by Prince Li? Aren't you still being married off to that useless prince of Ding Royal Palace? Hmph, I almost pity you."
Ye Li's eyes remained icy. "Given your limited understanding and intellect, Princess Qixia, I doubt you could grasp the significance and stature of Ding Royal Palace in Great Chu. Nor could you fathom the boundless grace of His Majesty. Or perhaps your forgetful mind has already erased the fact that the so-called 'useless prince' once swept through the Southern Border at fifteen—Nanzhao included? Tell me, Princess of a kingdom that can't even measure up to 'useless,' how do you dare show your face here, let alone spout such nonsense? As for your pity, I’ll have to decline. Keep it for yourself." Ye Li's tone wasn’t angry or rushed, but her leisurely, almost conversational delivery turned Qixia Princess's smug gloating into a cycle of paling, purpling, and darkening rage. Many of the diners stifled quiet laughs.
Hua Tianxiang, having recovered from the near-miss that could have scarred her, stepped beside Ye Li and chuckled. "A Li, don’t expose her shortcomings. How could someone from a petty kingdom like Nanzhao understand such things? Let’s just hope that with the Princess Manor's guidance, certain people might learn what true royal decorum looks like. After all... the Princess Manor is the very model of noblewomanly virtue in our dynasty."Murong Ting stomped over angrily. The earlier scare of nearly failing to save Hua Tianxiang had almost shattered her nerves. Now that she'd regained her composure, she had no pleasant expression left for Qixia Princess. Tianxiang was right—Qixia Princess was merely jealous of A Li. Though A Li couldn't become Princess Li, she could still become Princess Ding. Unlike a certain princess who traveled thousands of miles just to... Hehe... Qin Zheng pinched her discreetly, forcing Murong Ting to swallow the rest of her words and replace them with two giggles. But the unspoken implication was clear enough to those who understood.
"You... you all..."
"What's going on here? Qixia, what are you making a scene about?"
The private room's door opened again, revealing Mo Jingli's cold expression and furrowed brows as he took in the scene. His face darkened further when his gaze landed on Ye Li.
"Jingli-gege, they're bullying Xia'er!" Seeing Mo Jingli emerge, Qixia Princess immediately sidled up to him, her demeanor taking on a coquettish charm.
"Oh..."
The onlookers pretended to focus on their meals, but their ears perked up intently. Wasn't Li Wang Dianxia getting married at the beginning of next month? Why was he secretly meeting Qixia Princess in a restaurant? Had Li Wang Dianxia, after abandoning the Ye family's Third Miss, now decided to discard the Fourth Miss as well?
Mo Jingli frowned and stared at Ye Li. "Why make a fuss over trivial matters? Or is it that you, Ye Li, want to show off? Give up—this prince will never marry you!"
Were they not in public, Ye Li would have taught him an unforgettable lesson. "Would you die without being so narcissistic?"
"Li Wang Dianxia, have you seen a physician?"
"What?" Mo Jingli was taken aback.
Ye Li replied coolly, "Unrestrained delusions at any time and place are an illness. Seek treatment early."
"Pfft—" Someone finally couldn't hold back their laughter.
"Ye Li, how dare you!" Mo Jingli had never been known for his patience. Being openly mocked by a woman he'd discarded enraged him instantly. A flash of malice gleamed in his cold eyes as he reached out to grab Ye Li. A cold glint flickered in Ye Li's gaze as she subtly turned her wrist, something concealed in her sleeve ready for when Mo Jingli came within reach.
A shadow darted past swiftly, freezing Mo Jingli's hand just a step away from Ye Li. A deep, gentle voice spoke calmly, "Li Wang, do you have some grievance against this prince's future princess?"
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Awooo~ They're finally about to meet! Isn't Feng'er excited?
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