Chapter 681— Delulu
The manservant confirmed, "It is true. The crown prince even brought a few large boxes of betrothal gifts, indicating that he is here to propose."
Nalan Feixue covered her flushed face and exclaimed shyly, "Aiya, why didn't he discuss it with me? I'm not mentally prepared at all!"
Mrs. Nalan dismissed the manservant and reassured her daughter with a happy face, "Silly girl, he is the crown prince, and he has many responsibilities. How could he find the time to discuss it with you? The fact that he is willing to come personally to propose shows how important you are to him."
"Mother~" Nalan Feixue called out playfully, then quickly instructed her maid, "Siqin, quickly, bring out my pleated Luanfeng natural silk skirt and the set of eight-treasure azure stone jewelry..."
Meanwhile, in the main hall, Nalan Ziyun and Nalan Zhengze were warmly hosting Prince Shangguan Qi.
Shangguan Qi held a teacup in his hand and assessed Nalan Mansion with a gentle smile on his face. However, his eyes revealed a hint of arrogance and pride. In his eyes, as the crown prince of the Jinling Kingdom, everyone in the kingdom should treat him with respect.
Although he had come to the Nalan Mansion to propose, he couldn't help feeling a sense of superiority.
Nalan Ziyun, being his former fellow apprentice, maintained a slightly more casual attitude and asked, "Your Highness, if you like my second sister, why didn't you mention it at Breaking Spirit Mountain or the Qixing Palace? I heard that you and my sister have known each other for a long time. How did you two meet?"
Shangguan Qi was taken aback. He remembered that he was supposed to marry the Third Miss of the Nalan Mansion. Had he remembered it wrongly? When did he meet Nalan Feixue?
Just as he was about to express his confusion, a maid announced, "Master, Madam, and Second Miss have arrived."
The room was filled with a delightful fragrance as Nalan Feixue gracefully entered the main hall, escorted by Mrs. Nalan.
Upon seeing the crown prince, Nalan Feixue's face flushed, and her almond-shaped eyes shimmered with shyness and affection. She bowed to him and greeted, "Greetings to Your Highness."
Shangguan Qi couldn't help but be captivated by her affectionate gaze, her alluring figure, and delicate curves. His eyes revealed a hint of amazement.
Nalan Feixue had spent a long time preparing herself, and the effect was exactly what she desired.
Seeing the infatuation in Shangguan Qi's eyes, she smiled brightly and said, "Brother Prince, it has been a long time since we left Fanyun Mountain. I have always missed you. If it weren't for your help in Fanyun Mountain, I would have suffered greatly. I never expected you to come to our Nalan Mansion today..."
Blushing, she lowered her head shyly, adopting a well-behaved and submissive demeanor that contrasted with her usual stubborn and domineering attitude.
Nalan Zhengze was extremely satisfied with the scene unfolding before him. He had wanted He Xi to replace Nalan Feixue and marry Zhu Zhongba, subjecting her to his mistreatment. Then, when she was desperate, Nalan Ziyun and Nalan Zhengze would come to her rescue. He was confident that she would eventually hand over An Lingyue's relics.
Chapter 682— A Twist of Events
Nalan Zhengze's smug smile quickly faded as he realized the arrival of the Zhu Family could complicate matters. His original plan was to marry Nalan Hexi to Zhu Zhongba, but he was unsure if the Zhu Family would agree. After all, He Xi's appearance was not considered conventionally beautiful, and Zhu Zhongba had always been attracted to outward beauty. The Zhu Family's influence in Yanjing City was not to be underestimated, and if they caused trouble, Nalan Zhengze didn't know how it would all unfold.
However, fate had a different plan in store. The crown prince had arrived, not to propose to Nalan Hexi, but to propose to Nalan Feixue. With the crown prince's involvement, even if the Zhu Family was powerful, they would have to submit to him. In the end, they would have no choice but to agree to marry He Xi.
Nalan Zhengze's smug smile returned to his face as he thought about the outcome he desired. It seemed like everything was falling into place.
Meanwhile, Shangguan Qi, the crown prince, snapped back to reality from being captivated by Nalan Feixue's beauty. He wore a look of confusion on his face.
"I came here to marry Nalan He Xi, not Nalan Feixue," Shangguan Qi thought to himself, feeling puzzled by the sudden turn of events.
Before he could speak, the sound of gongs and drums could be heard from a distance. Soon after, Zhu Yiqun, the head of the Zhu Family, entered the main hall with great pomp and show, shouting loudly, "Be careful! Those things in there are expensive. If anything breaks, you won't be able to afford it with your life!"
Zhu Yiqun, accompanied by Zhu Zhongba, swaggered into the main hall. Zhu Zhongba, who had gained weight and still had Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, walked with a light step, his eyelids swollen from indulging in excessive activities.
Zhu Yiqun greeted Nalan Zhengze with a laugh, saying, "Brother Zhengze, we will soon be family. Please support my son in the future!"
As his gaze swept the room, Zhu Yiqun's eyes landed on the elegantly dressed Nalan Feixue, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Is this the Second Miss of the Nalan Family? My, oh my, you are truly charming. Achieving Foundation Establishment Stage at such a young age. My Chongba is indeed fortunate to have you as his wife, hahaha..."
Zhu Zhongba's eyes widened when he saw Nalan Feixue, and a droplet of saliva even escaped from the corner of his mouth. He slurred, "Sister Feixue, we will be family from now on."
Nalan Feixue, repulsed by Zhu Zhongba's gaze, retorted, "Who said we will be family? Don't get ahead of yourself!"
But realizing the presence of the crown prince, she quickly composed herself, holding back her emotions and lowering her head, tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't afford to make a scene in front of the crown prince.
Nalan Zhengze coughed lightly, expressing his displeasure. "Master Zhu, please choose your words carefully. Can't you see who is here?"
Zhu Yiqun was taken aback and immediately looked fearful and respectful when he saw Shangguan Qi. He bowed deeply and greeted the crown prince, "Greetings to the crown prince!"
Seeing Zhu Yiqun and Zhu Zhongba kneel and kowtow, Shangguan Qi wore a satisfied expression. He enjoyed the respect and fear shown towards him.
Zhu Yiqun stood up, a sly smile playing on his lips, and said, "Since the crown prince is here, it is truly a wonderful honor for the Zhu Family to have you witness the marriage between my son and the Second Miss of the Nalan Mansion."
Before Nalan Zhengze could say anything, Mrs. Nalan immediately interjected, her voice filled with determination, "Master Zhu, let me make it clear. We never agreed to marry Feixue to your Zhu Family!"
Chapter 683— The First Misunderstanding
"What?!" Zhu Yiqun raised his eyebrows in anger upon hearing Mrs. Nalan's words. He exclaimed, "You, the esteemed Nalan Mansion, are going back on your word? It was Nalan Zhengze himself who agreed to the marriage in this very hall. The Sixth Prince was also present that day. After I returned, I reported the marriage to the noble concubine. Now, you want to retract your words? Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by the world? Aren't you afraid of the noble concubine's punishment?"
Mrs. Nalan flinched at Zhu Yiqun's outburst, but her confidence was quickly restored when she saw the crown prince sitting beside her.
"So what if the Sixth Prince was there? Can't you see the crown prince sitting right next to you? Are the Sixth Prince and the concubine more important than the crown prince?" Mrs. Nalan retorted with pride and smugness. "Master Zhu, do you know why the crown prince is here today? He is here to marry our He Xi. Do you still want to snatch the marriage from the crown prince?"
Zhu Yiqun was shocked by Mrs. Nalan's words. "What did you say?"
Zhu Zhongba, still oblivious to the situation, stared fixedly at Nalan He Xi, occasionally wiping the saliva from the corner of his mouth.
Nalan Zhengze coughed lightly and spoke seemingly gently, "Master Zhu, we don't want to embarrass you, but you can see that the crown prince is interested in our young lady. He has personally brought betrothal gifts to propose. Master Zhu, you wouldn't want to go against the crown prince, would you?"
"However, the marriage between our Nalan Family and the Zhu Family was indeed agreed upon a long time ago. Since we made that agreement, we naturally cannot go back on our word, let alone let Master Zhu suffer a loss. What do you think, Master Zhu? I am willing to marry my third daughter, Nalan He Xi, to your son. This way, the Zhu Family and the Nalan Family will still be connected by marriage, and the crown prince will also be satisfied. What are your thoughts on that?"
Zhu Yiqun's complexion changed as he weighed his options. He thought about Nalan He Xi's outstanding talents compared to Nalan Hexi's pale complexion. He felt reluctant in his heart. After all, Nalan He Xi was a better match for his son.
But the crown prince was sitting right there. If they offended the crown prince and he condemned the Zhu Family...
Zhu Yiqun pondered, but in the end, he could only compromise. He gritted his teeth and was about to agree.
Suddenly, the crown prince, who had been silently observing, stood up and said, "Wait a minute!"
All eyes turned towards Shangguan Qi as he smiled slightly and placed his hands behind his back. He spoke slowly, "Doctor Nalan, have you misunderstood my intentions?"
"It is true that I wish to propose to a lady from the Nalan Family, but I want to propose to the Third Miss of the Nalan Family, Nalan He Xi."
As he spoke, he nodded slightly at Nalan Zhengze, displaying an air of nobility. "Doctor Nalan, I wish to take Miss Nalan He Xi as my concubine. Please grant my request."
The entire main hall fell into a strange silence. Nalan Feixue's pitiful expression froze on her face, as if she had become a joke.
Mrs. Nalan, who had been smug just moments ago, was now filled with astonishment and disbelief. Her face turned pale.
Nalan Zhengze was even more shocked. The lofty words he had prepared were stuck in his throat, unable to be spoken at this moment.
Chapter 684— Double Happiness
Even Nalan Ziyun, who was originally enjoying the spectacle from the sidelines, was dumbfounded by the turn of events. He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. After all, the crown prince had never even met Nalan He Xi, so why would he suddenly want to marry her as his concubine? Could it be that Nalan Ziyun's mention of Nalan He Xi's special physique had piqued the crown prince's interest?
As this thought crossed Nalan Ziyun's mind, he couldn't sit still any longer. He had mentioned Nalan He Xi to the crown prince in order to provoke jealousy in Nalan Feixue and incite her to harm He Xi. The claims he made about He Xi's pure yin physique and its benefits for martial artists were all lies. If the crown prince were to marry her and find out that she was useless for his cultivation, or worse, discover that she was an ugly woman, he might lay the blame on Nalan Ziyun.
Nalan Ziyun cursed Nalan He Xi in his heart a thousand times over, but he forced a smile and broke the silence in the hall. He addressed the crown prince, saying, "Your Highness, I recall that you and my third sister have never met each other. May I ask why you would want to marry her?"
Hearing Nalan Ziyun's question, Nalan Zhengze also snapped back to reality. He quickly interjected, "Your Highness, I am also surprised. Why would you want to marry He Xi? You must understand that my third daughter is just an ordinary mortal. She is not qualified to be the crown prince's concubine!"
Shangguan Qi glanced at Nalan Ziyun and smiled faintly. "Ziyun should know the reason better than anyone else, right? Moreover, even Xi Yue is interested in Nalan Third Miss. How could Third Miss be just an ordinary person?" He spoke with determination. "Doctor Nalan, am I not qualified to marry Nalan Family's Third Miss as a concubine?"
"No... no..." Nalan Ziyun and Nalan Zhengze's faces turned extremely ugly as soon as Shangguan Qi said this.
At this moment, Nalan Feixue finally regained her senses. The dullness on her face transformed into a mix of resentment and shock. She screamed, "No, this is impossible! Prince Brother, you clearly have feelings for me. Why would you want to marry that ugly woman, Nalan He Xi?"
"In Fanyun Mountain, you treated me with such care. You must like me... Prince Brother, please tell me that you are here to marry me!"
Zhu Yiqun also realized that the situation was not going as planned. He sneered and said, "So, it seems that Your Highness wants to marry the Third Miss of the Nalan Mansion. That works perfectly. Nalan Feixue is already engaged to our Zhu Family. If both marriages are settled, the Nalan Mansion will have double happiness!"
Zhu Zhongba, with a contented expression, reached out to Nalan Feixue and said affectionately, "Sister Feixue, you will be mine from now on..."
"Don't touch me!! You fat pig, get out of my way!!" Nalan Feixue let out a sharp scream and launched a wind blade towards Zhu Zhongba.
Zhu Zhongba made no attempt to defend himself, but just as the wind blade was about to hit him, Zhu Yiqun rushed forward and took the blow in his place.
Zhu Yiqun's face immediately darkened as he looked at Nalan Zhengze coldly. "Doctor Nalan, the crown prince has stated his intention to marry the Third Miss of the Nalan Mansion. Are you still going to go back on your word and reject the marriage with the Zhu Family?"
Nalan Zhengze's face turned pale, and he was momentarily speechless.
Chapter 685— They're Desperately Helpless
At this moment, Nalan Ziyun suddenly spoke up, his voice filled with a hint of cunning. "Your Highness, you haven't met my third sister yet, have you? Why don't you wait until you meet her before deciding which lady to marry from the Nalan Family?"
Nalan Feixue and Mrs. Nalan couldn't help but feel a surge of hope. Nalan Feixue nodded eagerly and chimed in, "Yes, Brother Prince, once you see that ugly monster, you will never want to marry her!"
She then glared at the maid standing nearby and sternly ordered, "Hurry up and call Nalan He Xi!"
After a short while, He Xi, dressed in plain clothes, was brought forward by the maid. As soon as she appeared, all eyes were drawn to her, but most people couldn't help but feel contemptuous.
He Xi's appearance was lackluster. She didn't possess the exquisite and graceful curves of Nalan Feixue, nor did she have snow-white skin. Her face looked sallow, with dark patches around her eyes and swollen eyelids.
Zhu Zhongba immediately recognized He Xi at first glance. However, instead of feeling angry, his first reaction was fear. He instinctively shrunk his neck, hoping that she wouldn't notice him. Although the time for the slave's ownership had long passed, the fear of He Xi had deeply penetrated his bones.
Moreover, compared to his hatred for He Xi, he now desired to marry Nalan Feixue, the beautiful girl. The thought of marrying He Xi, the ugly monster, and enduring her daily punches and kicks sent shivers down Zhu Zhongba's spine.
Upon seeing Nalan He Xi, Shangguan Qi furrowed his brows. He hadn't expected her to be so ugly. She appeared shriveled, lacking the charm of Nalan Feixue. In his eyes, she wasn't even qualified to be a maid in the crown prince's palace.
Nalan Ziyun, noticing the crown prince's contempt and disgust, couldn't help but smirk. He leaned closer to the prince and whispered, "Your Highness, this is my third sister, Nalan He Xi."
Lowering his voice even further, he continued, "Your Highness, my third sister is truly just an ordinary person. It was she who told me about the special physique, but I later discovered that it was a lie she made up to gain my father's favor."
"In reality, my third sister is nothing more than an ordinary individual. Perhaps due to being raised in seclusion since childhood, she may come across as a bit uncouth."
The crown prince's frown deepened upon hearing this. In fact, when Nalan Ziyun had mentioned Nalan He Xi's supposed special physique, the crown prince had conducted his own investigation. The results didn't reveal anything about her true nature, but upon hearing descriptions of her ugly appearance and timid personality, his interest had waned.
However, during their time on Breaking Spirit Mountain, Shangguan Qi had accidentally overheard the young Miracle Healer, Xi Yue, inquiring about Nalan He Xi. This piqued his curiosity once again.
Xi Yue was the most dazzling rising star in Yanjing City in recent years. He had cured Ouyang Haoxuan's terminal illness, resolved the blood drunk poison in the Sealed Dragon Domain's Secret Territory, and had gained favor from the King of Hell himself.
Even the little princess Shen Qingchuo of the Shen Family and Xia Yichen from the Qixing Palace held him in high regard.