Chapter 165: Chapter 107: Mother and Son at Odds Once Again

Shen Ruoxi lightly shook her head, “Cousin, not at all, don’t say things like that. I mainly wanted to tell you, I’m sorry! I didn’t expect that incident, the Emperor really made you take the beating.”

Lan Jue took a deep breath, reached over to take the Mandarin Duck Pillow from Lin Xuening’s arms, and said in a low voice, “Cousin, really it’s fine, come in and let’s have a talk.”

Lin Xuening stood to the side, her arms empty, as if her heart was empty too.

She just felt out of place at this moment, unable to get between these two people.

A slight bitterness arose in her heart. She had heard that the Princely Heir already had someone in his heart, but no one knew who it was.

It wasn’t until that night when he disguised himself as Shen Ruoxi and sent her to the border city, and later suffered the Emperor’s punishment for it, that the woman he liked was revealed—it was actually his cousin Shen Ruoxi.

In Dayi Country, it wasn’t uncommon for two families to join through marriage. They were a talented man and a beautiful woman, and by rights, they should be a perfect match.

At this moment, she saw Shen Ruoxi coming out with red eyes, holding the pillow, and Lin Xuening finally seemed to understand why they could never be together.

She should have been relieved, after all, she was getting married too, but in her heart, she felt twisted and miserable, thinking maybe Lan Jue really liked her a lot!

Shen Ruoxi bit her lip, shaking her head once again to refuse, “Cousin, I’m not going in. I really have something to do. When you’re free, bring Miss Lin to the Shen Mansion to play. Farewell.”

“Alright, then I’ll intrude.” Lin Xuening tried hard to appear very familiar with Shen Ruoxi.

Shen Ruoxi slightly nodded to her, turned, and was about to climb into the carriage.

She suddenly seemed to remember something, and handed the painting tube to Lan Jue before getting into the carriage and leaving.

The wheels rolled, raising a cloud of dust.

Lan Jue stared intently at the departing carriage, his gaze frozen, as if in a daze, unable to snap out of it for a long time.

Lin Xuening bit her lip tightly, and after a long silence, she opened her mouth gracefully, “I didn’t expect Cousin Ruoxi to be so beautiful, I was taken aback as a woman myself. I think only someone like Prince Zhan can be a match for her!”

Lan Jue closed his eyes briefly and quickly opened them again. He glanced at Lin Xuening indifferently, his expression calm, his tone distant, “Miss Lin, what exactly do you want to say?”

Lin Xuening’s lips were bitten even tighter, even though they were soon to be married, he still called her Miss Lin so distantly. She could never truly get close to him, not even a step.

However, this was her choice.

Only because he had never hidden it from her, and it was she who was determined to marry him, even knowing that his heart belonged to another.

When that woman appeared, she was so breathtakingly beautiful.

Uncontrollable jealousy arose from the depths of her heart, her heart fluttered in panic, losing all the composure and calm she had before.

“I’m just praising my cousin’s beauty, and I remember Prince Zhan is also the Princely Heir’s idol. I just think the two of them are a match made in heaven.” She tried her best to sound genuine and sincere.

Lan Jue just gave her a casual glance, then said no more and walked straight into the Prince Mansion.

Lin Xuening bit her lip, tasting bitterness in her mouth.

Whoever said Prince Lan was gentle like jade?

In her eyes, he was so aloof, always wearing a false face.

He wouldn’t easily lose his temper, nor would he ever show a smile, always so proper, but making one feel so unreal.

Maybe only when facing her, would he show genuine emotions and have feelings like joy and anger.

When seeing Lan Jue arriving with Lin Xuening, Xu Jingwan treated her completely differently than she did with Shen Ruoxi.

Seeing her respectfully salute, Xu Jingwan displayed a kind smile, “Xuening is here, please have a seat.”

But when her eyes landed on the Mandarin Duck Pillow in her son’s arms, Xu Jingwan’s expression instantly changed, “Where did you get that?”

Lan Jue’s lips curled into a mocking smile, “Mother, why didn’t you wait until Ruoxi was far away to throw it away?

Sometimes I wonder what happened to you to treat your elder sister’s only daughter so harshly?

Son really can’t understand, when the time comes, how would you face your elder sister?”

As Lan Jue finished, he could no longer contain the anger in his heart, and his tone became increasingly intense.

Lin Xuening never expected that he would give his mother no face at all right in front of her.

Seeing Xu Jingwan turning beet red and fuming, she quickly bowed, saying, “Princess Consort, I came today to learn embroidery from Qingzhu, I’ll head over now.”

The atmosphere was extremely suppressed, like frozen frost.

Xu Jingwan pondered with a cold face, one was understanding, the other was actually complaining about her son to her, the comparison was evident.

Forcing a smile, Xu Jingwan spoke softly but with a hint of helplessness, “Go ahead.”

Lin Xuening looked at Lan Jue, her beautiful eyes full of meaning, as if to remind him that the person before him was his mother, and he must not lose respect.

However, Lan Jue’s gaze never stopped on her for even a moment.

She gritted her teeth, gave a courtesy, and left in sadness.

Inside the room, only mother and son remained, the atmosphere grew colder.

Xu Jingwan could no longer control her emotions and shouted angrily, “She, being a woman who married again, even the best things she sends are unlucky.

This Mandarin Duck Pillow passed through her hands, does it mean you want to separate from Xuening and remarry like her? Such ominous things should be thrown away!”

Lan Jue had always thought his mother simply didn’t like Ruoxi’s personality, always remembering that bit of family bond.

But he never expected she would say such unlucky, ominous words to her own niece.

In that moment, he truly despaired of his mother, as if she had no heart.

“Very well, Mother, I will break off the engagement with the Lin Family, take all the consequences upon myself, and not tarnish the Prince Mansion’s reputation.” Lan Jue’s voice was cold and resolute, his gaze filled with determination.

Xu Jingwan was dumbfounded, her lips trembling with anger for a long time, “You, you say this because I threw away the Mandarin Duck Pillow Shen Ruoxi sent you, so you want to break off the engagement with the Lin Family?

Was this marriage arranged for me? Stop using this to threaten me.” Her voice was sharp and piercing, completely losing the Princess Consort’s composure.

Lan Jue smiled faintly, but that smile was full of bitterness and disappointment, “I’m not threatening you, Mother, but thinking that having a mother-in-law like you would do harm to the girl.

A person who doesn’t even love their own niece, how can they be expected to love others? Being my wife would be a grievance for her, I can’t ruin her life.”

“You shut…” Xu Jingwan, the dignified Princess Consort, nearly spouted vulgarities.

Her fingers trembled with anger, her face twisted by rage, “Lan Jue, stop making excuses, you just feel I wronged the woman you love, and you’re standing up for her, fighting with me saying you won’t even get married.

This is your marriage, even the Emperor knows, I refuse to believe you could really break off the engagement with the Lin Family.”

Lan Jue’s face remained solemn as he spoke decisively, “Even if I am unreasonable, I wouldn’t use my marriage to fight with you.

But I’ve suddenly realized that, since I don’t like her and you’re indifferent by nature, do you intend to let the girl fall into this fire pit?

This engagement must be broken off. The Lin Family would only be temporarily annoyed, which is better than the girl marrying in unhappiness and regretting it for a lifetime!” With that, he turned to leave.

Xu Jingwan knew well that her son always stuck to his word and never changed once he made up his mind. He really might go to break off the engagement with the Lin Family.

The arrogance from before vanished in a moment; her tone softened, “Leave the thing, didn’t you say it wasn’t thrown away? Why do I do these things, after all, for whom? Fine, fine, at worst I’ll go apologize to Ruoxi.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep