Chapter 10: Chapter Ten: Another Marriage Proposal

In the main hall, Meng Juesè stood to the side, her face deathly pale, hands hanging limply at her sides, her eyes seemingly having lost their focus.

She lifted her head, meeting the disappointed face of Minister Meng. Whether it was due to the original owner's lingering emotions or something else, upon seeing the deep helplessness in Minister Meng's eyes, her lips trembled slightly as she whispered, "Father—"

Before Minister Meng could speak, Meng Juemei at his side had already stepped forward with a pained expression. "Elder Sister, how could you be so muddleheaded? Could it be that last night you truly—" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes flashing with deep disgust and smugness as they landed on Meng Juesè.

"Elder Sister, so you truly don't like the Crown Prince. Last time in the Imperial Garden, I thought it was a misunderstanding, but I never expected you actually like the Third Prince. Is it because of this that you took the initiative to annul your engagement with the Crown Prince yesterday?"

"But, Elder Sister, you are after all the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister's residence. Even if you and the Third Prince are deeply in love, how could you commit such a licentious act before your wedding? And not just once. If this gets out, where will our face be?"

Meng Juemei spoke softly, her voice gentle and pleasant to the ear, but at this moment, every word smashed into Meng Juesè's heart!

Juesè had thought she could control this fate, but in the end, she was still being toyed with like this! The events of last night were vivid in her mind; her heart felt as if it were being sliced by a sharp knife, a piercing, bone-deep pain!

No, she couldn't let this continue! Digging her nails into her palms, she raised her head, the panic in her eyes retreating, replaced by a cold gaze directed at the still-rambling Meng Juemei. "Are you done? If you're done, you can scram—"

The previously non-stop Meng Juemei was abruptly cut off. She froze for a moment, then lowered her head aggrievedly. "Elder Sister, Younger Sister is just worried about you—" She reached out, trying to take Meng Juesè's hand.

Meng Juesè straightened her spine, standing to the side, hands curled, nails digging into her palms. Her cold, stern gaze fell upon her, devoid of a shred of emotion.

Gritting her teeth, she ground out coldly from the depths of her throat, "Scram!"

That voice was saturated with chill, causing Meng Juemei to shiver involuntarily.

Meng Juemei bit her lip unwillingly, and the next moment turned to look at Minister Meng, Meng Qingyun. "Father, Elder Sister she... I was clearly just caring for Elder Sister."

Watching the scene below, Minister Meng merely narrowed his eyes slightly, concealing a trace of pain and complexity in his gaze, and did not speak further.

Just then, Meng Juesè's cold voice rang out. "I am speaking with Father. What are you butting in for? Have you forgotten your own status? You are merely a concubine-born daughter of the Meng residence. Is this how a concubine-born daughter speaks to her legitimate elder sister and father?" Her eyes held endless coldness. In this world, one could only rely on oneself! Meng Juesè understood this all too well.

Meng Juemei's face instantly turned ghastly pale. Her lips trembled, her hands twisting her handkerchief uneasily. She didn't understand why, even at a time like this, Meng Juesè would still put on such an act, such an act that humiliated her.

Eyes brimming with tears, she looked at Minister Meng, her gaze full of grievance. She refused to believe that at this moment, Minister Meng would still protect Meng Juesè! But reality completely defied her expectations. Minister Meng slowly opened his eyes, looked at Meng Juesè, let out a soft sigh, and without even glancing at Meng Juemei, said, "Enough. You go out first. I still have some things to discuss with Sè'er alone."

Meng Juesè clenched her fists tightly, nearly grinding her silver teeth to dust. Only after the silent Lady Yao at the side kept signaling to her did she relax her expression and leave.

Once the people around had dispersed, Minister Meng finally looked at Meng Juesè and asked with some hesitation, "He... is it truly the Third Prince?"

He... Third Prince...? Meng Juesè was startled. How could she not know who the "he" Minister Meng referred to? But, could it be the Third Prince? The figure she had seen the night she transmigrated flashed through her mind. Could it be him?

Thinking this, Meng Juesè merely smiled bitterly, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Minister Meng shook his head lightly. "Sè'er, it's not that Father doesn't want to help you, but this time the matter has blown up. Father will only ask you one thing. That night at the palace banquet, were you truly with the Third Prince? And last night..." He hesitated a few times, asked no more, merely narrowing his eyes slightly as he looked at Meng Juesè.

At court this morning, Minister Li, who had always been at odds with him, had impeached him, claiming someone had accidentally witnessed an intimate relationship between Meng Juesè and the Third Prince, Qiao Chufan. He had thought it was merely groundless rumor, but Minister Li actually produced several palace maids as witnesses. The Third Prince tried his best to prove his innocence but couldn't explain himself clearly. All signs and coincidences pointed to the fact that on the day of the public banquet, Qiao Chufan and Meng Juesè had a private meeting. Even if nothing happened, the fact that a lone man and a lone woman met late at night was enough to condemn an illicit affair between them. Coupled with the Meng Huan Pavilion incident that had caused an uproar the previous day, the truth of the matter was self-evident.

He had originally thought these were all fabrications by Minister Li, just to seek justice for Li Yingxue a few days prior. Who would have thought that today he would personally catch Meng Juesè... committing adultery...

Listening to Minister Meng's words, Meng Juesè's pupils constricted slightly. She knew that the events of that night had ultimately been exposed. "That night... I did indeed encounter the Third Prince..."

"Regarding the Third Prince, you..." Minister Meng frowned at first upon hearing this, but then heaved a sigh of relief. Although he lost face, if Sè'er truly had feelings for the Third Prince, marrying him wouldn't wrong her. "Sè'er, Father will only say this to you: the matter of your private meeting with the Third Prince has already alarmed the Emperor. The Emperor has bestowed a marriage decree betrothing you to the Third Prince."

"Bestowed marriage?" Meng Juesè cried out softly, her eyes full of disbelief. She raised her head, meeting Minister Meng's slightly weary eyes.

Her heart trembled slightly. She lowered her eyelids, concealing the bitterness in her eyes. "Since it is so, then let it be so." It wasn't that she resigned herself to fate, but she didn't want to embarrass Minister Meng, nor make things difficult for herself. In this ancient era, a woman's loss of virtue before marriage was the greatest insult to a woman. She didn't want to be drowned in a pig cage; if this could resolve it, then so be it. Only, she feared she would be letting down that Third Prince.

A gentle breeze blew. In early summer, Dongjin was filled with a faint sense of restlessness.

This year's summer was exceptionally lively, and the hottest topic in Dongjin these past few days was none other than the matter of the Prime Minister's daughter, Meng Juesè. First, she was bestowed in marriage to the Crown Prince; then, Meng Juesè's actions at the Meng Huan Pavilion shocked all of Dongjin; that alone would have been enough, but then another imperial edict changed her from Crown Princess to Third Princess Consort. Such a reversal naturally aroused curiosity.

In a private room on the second floor of the Meng Huan Pavilion, a man in dark brocade robes leaned against the wall, his eyes filled with rage. Leaning against the wall, he drank cup after cup of dull wine.

"How is it? Has the Third Prince encountered some troubles?" A slightly low voice broke the silence of the private room.

Qiao Chufan looked over and saw a man in red approaching. That crimson robe, phoenix eyes slightly raised in amusement, straight nose, crimson lips, wind in his sleeves, slender fair hand holding a fan, corners of his mouth hooked in a smile, beautiful eyes like water. He smiled lightly, feather fan stirring gently; at this moment, it seemed as if heaven and earth could lose their color for him.

This was the current top courtesan of the Meng Huan Pavilion, Hua Rong.

Qiao Chufan looked at him, slightly dazed, until Hua Rong sat down opposite him of his own accord, only then did he recover, smiling bitterly. "So it's Master Hua Rong."

"Hehe—" Hua Rong's eyes shimmered. His long fingers casually picked up a cup, brows raised slightly, corners of his mouth curved. "Is the Prince troubled by a difficult problem? Drinking dull wine alone here?"

Mentioning the problem, Qiao Chufan's expression changed again. The hand holding the cup unconsciously tightened until his fingertips turned white. "What a Meng Juesè, truly bullying too far!" Having said this, he downed the wine, his face flushing red, unknown if from anger or the alcohol taking slight effect.

"So the Prince is worried over the Meng family's Second Miss." Hua Rong still smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. But if one looked closely, one would see not a shred of amusement in his eyes. "They all say the Meng family's Second Miss is vulgar and stupid, but sometimes rumors cannot be believed, and sometimes what the eye sees is not the truth. Perhaps this Second Miss Meng is actually a clever and exquisite person! Otherwise, how could she so easily make the Emperor bestow marriage? Hua Rong has met this Miss Meng a few times and truly did not find her as the rumors say." Hua Rong spoke lightly, downing a cup of wine, the smile on his lips deepening. He swirled the cup in his hand, eyes narrowing slightly, continuing to smile, "Has the Prince forgotten? A few days ago at the Meng Huan Pavilion competition, that Second Miss Meng defeated Miss Li."

Just a few faint sentences, but listening to them, Qiao Chufan's mind jolted. "What do you mean?"

Hua Rong merely shook his head lightly, revealing a stunningly beautiful smile. "This is merely Hua Rong's own opinion. Please forgive Hua Rong's loose tongue. Hua Rong just hopes the Prince does not misunderstand the Meng family's Miss, lest you wrong the young lady." Having said that, he glanced outside. "Prince, today Hua Rong must take leave—"

At this moment, Qiao Chufan was merely recalling the scene of his encounter with Meng Juesè that day. Thinking of that ugly face, the more he thought, the more annoyed he became. He downed a cup of wine and waved his hand. "Fine, you go first. This King will stay a while longer."

"Then Hua Rong will take his leave—" He smiled, then withdrew.

But just as he stepped out the door, he heard the sound of a wine cup shattering on the floor, followed by a roar of rage. "What a Meng Juesè, to actually dare scheme against this King!" At this moment, Qiao Chufan was completely convinced that their encounter that night was no coincidence. It was all Meng Juesè's doing, for the sake of today's imperial edict.

Outside the door, Hua Rong's brows raised slightly, the curve of his lips deepening. It was a beauty that could make one addicted, beautiful to the point of suffocation.