Reincarnation to the Past

Chapter 53

Lì's POV

I never wanted the banquet; I don't care for the fake attention or the newfound interest in me just because I won the war. All I truly wanted to do was see Yǔ and spend some time with her; things were always fun when she was around. But as a 'filial' son, I had to attend the banquet thrown for 'my' sake so I went.

Once our arrival was announced, I marched up to the stairs and took my assigned seat, with both Bai Zou and Bai Ze following and standing behind me. I didn't look at any of the officials, their sons (whom they'd want to get familiar with), or their daughters (whom they'd want to marry off to me). I didn't care for any of them or want anything to do with them. So I just droned out everything and stared off into space, something I had learned to do while on the battlefield (lock out everything unnecessary).

So I naturally didn't notice the girl who was staring daggers at me, not until Bai Ze inched forward to me and whispered in my ears, "Master, we may have a small problem; your female friend is sitting just a few feet away from you to your left, staring as though she wants to lop your head off." He whispers with urgency while maintaining a stiff smile.

I whipped my head in that direction and stared in shock.

Yǔ!!

Why??? Why was she here? At a time like this! She knew me as an enemy spy! Damn it, I should have corrected her when I had the chance. There was no way she'd just forgive me in a situation like this. I am so screwed.

Or at least I thought I was because at that moment she noticed me staring and her lips rose into a grin, the same kind she'd give every time she'd see me. And after being around so many fake people, I could tell a real smile from a fake. Her eyes were lit up like a child who had been given candy. She wasn't mad. She was happy to see me.

She was happy to see me.  My heart raced at that thought.

Well, at least for one whole minute, they were, after which her face turned to a neutral look and she glanced cautiously to her left and straight ahead before looking down at her food. So she was mad at me? As I was wondering what was going on in her head, I felt a weight on my shoulder, and her dragon appeared out of thin air, rubbing his snout against my cheek in affection. I looked to my sides and realized that for some reason, only I could see the dragon.

For the first half hour of the feast, I found myself staring solely at her without looking away, and from the way her lips would often raise into a half-grin before being consciously smothered into a thin line; I knew that she was aware of that. She never stared at me for too long, she'd only give short glances now and then before once again looking to her left and straight ahead and then ignoring me completely.

"Li Yǔ... Come and stand before me, child, it's been a while I saw your face...", the emperor spoke up out of the blue with a fond smile. Yǔ, who was enjoying a chocolate glazed biscuit, flinched, not expecting to have been called out by the emperor himself in front of everyone. How did Father know her???

I watched as she slowly raised her face in disinterest before masking it with a smile and standing up, walking in front of the stairs, and stopping. She raised her hands, brought them together, and bowed her head slightly. "Yǔ-er is honored that the great (sounding sarcastic at that word) emperor knows her." she started before raising her head, looking him in the eye, and giving a sweet smile. Oh sh*t, she's planning something bad...

Emperor (smiling fondly): Do you know how long it's been since I last saw you? Two years ago? Five??

She stared at the emperor dead in the eyes before tilting her head innocently to the side in mock confusion. "Yǔ-er wouldn't know, after all... Yǔ-er doesn't recognize the emperor at all. Yǔ-er has a perfect memory and can remember things from when she was four years old; however, Yǔ-er doesn't have a single (putting emphasis on that word) memory of emperor lord."

I choked on my drink as the hall was filled with silence. Everyone was shocked that she dared to back-answer the emperor. Not only did he call her from the crowd but he also treated her as though he were close to her. But she just outright called him out by saying that she had never met the emperor since she was four.

Emperor (taken aback): I guess it has been a long while... (Changing the subject) How was your engagement with the seventh prince??? Have the two of you come up with a date for the marriage???

My head whipped from the emperor to QinZheng before finally resting on Yǔ. She was engaged...

I did recall her saying that she had a fiancé but to think it was this bastard. I remembered what she had said about how her fiancé had betrayed her and how she wanted to be the one to kill QinZheng. At that time it never made sense but now...

I hated it... The very thought of her with my brother made me see red and want to cut him in two!!! Are you telling me that she's going to get married to him??? The said prince rose from his seat and walked to her side, much to my anger, before falling at his feet and kneeling on the ground. Something rare for princes. 

Wang QinZheng (sorrowfully): Father King, I never wanted to bring this up at such a time and place but now that the topic is up, I can't stand to lie in your presence!!! I would like to officially ask for a divorce!!!

Li Yǔ's POV

Hoo... I finally understood why they wanted me here so badly... for this... They wanted to break off my engagement in public, in front of all these important people, and defame me in the process. Divorce at this time was a very serious matter that could very well ruin the future for a girl and that is exactly what they wanted to do... They wanted to completely ruin me by asking for a divorce when we weren't even married yet...

I felt a small smirk appearing on my face as QinZheng went on and on fabricating a tale that made me seem like a spiteful whore who slept around, harmed, and shamed my family. I was considering what to do when I sensed a killing intent from above and raised my head to see a furious Lì who seemed to want to cut QinZheng into a million tiny pieces (not to mention the enraged dragon on his shoulder)... 'Aww...', I thought as I hid the smile spreading across my face with the fan, 'he's getting angry for my sake!!!'...

QinZheng (as though speaking of it killed him): Father King, the girl openly cheated on me, forcing me to wear a green hat!!! She broke my heart, and if Father King cares for me even the slightest, you will spare me from being bound to a vile human such as herself...

(A/N: 'Green Hat' here means that she shamed and embarrassed him by being unfaithful. Basically made him cuckold/ jealous/ etc.)

Lì stared at me in worry ready to jump to my defense or go on a killing spree, so I gave him a smirk that said, 'Don't do anything, leave it to me.', to reassure him. He seemed to have understood because he forced himself to sit and clenched the ends of his table, trying to redirect his anger...

QinZheng: I know that she will never let me go, so blinded by the wealth and power she'd earn by even being my concubine... 

Ooohh... I see an opening... Without missing a beat, I burst into laughter as though he had said the most hilarious joke in the world (which it was, heck I had more wealth than anyone here thanks to the treasures left by past cultivators in my domain and all the stuff I've made in the past and can make now). Everyone stared at me in shock, wondering if I had finally gone crazy. "You act as though I'm dying to get tied down to you...", I said in between laughs as a smirk formed on my face.

"What???", he asked astonished...

I glance at my father and smirk before gracefully walking forward climbing the first flight of stairs and making a bee-line over to the chair where Lì was sitting much to his surprise. I moved behind him wrapped one hand over his shoulder, from behind and brought my spare hand daringly to his face, running my fingers up to his cheek and gently turning his face to the side, "I'd much rather throw myself at the third prince and give myself to him, even if I were to remain an unnamed mistress, than be sullied by a worthless wimpy little swine such as yourself..."