Chapter 43 Astonishment: It Was the Crown Prince

Those passersby were utterly stunned by Yan Huaijing’s beautiful appearance. They cast their gazes simultaneously at Wei Yuewu as Yan Huaijing walked gracefully towards her. The eyes of those young girls in particular, were directed with jealousy and hatred at Wei Yuewu like arrows.

Wei Yuewu sighed in her heart. Not to mention his identity, the bewitching appearance of the heir-apparent alone was enough to plunge her into an unfavorable situation.

She thought for a while and bent her neck even lower, staring at the ground and pretending that she didn’t notice Yan Huaijing coming towards her.

Yan Huaijing walked up to her in a tender manner. His rippling eyes landed on Wei Yuewu who lowered her head and drooped her eyes. Watching her feigned ignorance of his presence, he revealed a smile in his narrowed eyes. He said affectionately in a low voice, “Why did you come here alone? Where’s Jin Ling? Why isn’t she here with you?”

Now there was no way for her to avoid him. Besides, those words sounded as if there was some kind of intimacy between them. However, Wei Yuewu was just unable to refute him because what he said were all facts.

Wei Yuewu grasped her handkerchief tightly in her sleeve and took a step back. Coincidentally, this step not only distanced her a little away from Yan Huaijing, but also enabled her to hide herself near the door of the store. In this way, she avoided part of those burning gazes.

After distancing herself from him, Wei Yuewu curtsied respectfully to Yan Huaijing and said with a voice that was only audible within the near circle of people around her, “Thank you for your help that day, Your Highness. I will definitely ask my father to take me and Jin Ling to express our gratitude to you at your mansion.”

She uttered the word “father” very forcefully and articulately. She understood very well that she must give a clear explanation to what Yan Huaijing had said. Otherwise, she would definitely be caught in endless trouble in the future. She had just been back to the capital for a few days, and she did not want to set herself against the young ladies of the aristocratic families and become their enemies.

In fact, Wei Yuewu also found his manner strange. Although this prince appeared gentle and refined, he was actually an apathetic person. He had never showed gallantry towards her during their travel to the capital. Although their cooperation would be continued, not a single trace of intimacy existed between them.

Then why did he behave in such a manner today…

Yan Huaijing’s rippling eyes were still carrying a hint of a smile. However, everyone sensed that his smile somewhat faded. He didn’t reply but continued asking in a soft tone that sounded a little concerned and reproachful, “Why didn’t you have Jin Ling come with you? You’re a young lady. How come you don’t have anyone aside to serve you?”

She wanted to get rid of him, but how could that be possible? He had been thinking about how to find an excuse to politely refuse today’s meeting. Now what a coincidence it was that he ran into this shrewd little girl. She wanted to draw a clear line between her and him, right? But how would she succeed if he didn’t agree to do that?

Such a gentle and elegant young man was standing there in a friendly and languid manner. His posture perfectly revealed his innate grace and nobility. His words were as tender as a spring breeze. However, his expression was only directed at Wei Yuewu. The hearts of the girls were broken. All of them bit their handkerchiefs in secret and their gazes swished like arrows at Wei Yuewu.

Sure enough, this prince couldn’t be as cooperative as she wished!

Wei Yuewu secretly gritted her teeth in hatred. She felt herself powerless and aggrieved. She clenched her fists in her long sleeves and took a deep breath. She was about to speak when she was interrupted by another voice.

“Prince Yan, who is this young lady?” The young master near the banister asked with a smile.

“This is the Sixth Young Lady from the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. She came with me to the capital. Come here and pay respects to His Royal Highness.” It seemed that Yan Huaijing didn’t notice other people’s presence until now. He turned his head and smilingly bowed with his hands folded in front at the young master. He then said those words smilingly at Wei Yuewu in a low voice. Both his expression and his tone carried a sense of intimacy.

So, the young master was the Crown Prince, Wen Tianyao! Wei Yuewu raised her eyes in shock and looked at the man in front of her! There was an inexplicable boom in her head!

Wen Tianyao! The person who seemed to have no ties with her mother on the surface!

However, he was the reason why her mother was distressed by mixed feelings and wrote down his name with tears. What on earth was the reason for that?

She remembered vividly the stains of her mother’s tears. How could Wei Yuewu not be shocked now she saw the Crown Prince in person?

“This is the Sixth Young Lady from the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang?” Wen Tianyao was also eyeing Wei Yuewu from head to toe. Wei Yuewu’s reputation for being untalented and plain-looking was spread so far and wide that even though the Crown Prince, who had never cared about such matters before, heard about it from time to time.

The Sixth Miss Wei had never appeared in front of the public. She had actually become a negative example for the young ladies in the capital. Every time they talked about some young lady who was not good-looking or talented, they would definitely compare that lady with the Sixth Miss Wei. They would say that compared with the Sixth Miss Wei, who was at the bottom, no matter how inferior a young lady was, she would be considered a fairy and a gifted girl.

But now he saw the young lady, Wen Tianyao couldn’t help but sigh how mistaken the rumors were and how they misled people.

The Sixth Miss Wei in front of him had her black hair tied up in a bun, into which was stuck a light-colored orchid hairpin only. Without the decoration of luxurious accessories, she looked more beautiful and attractive. Although she still had the appearance of a little girl, everyone could foresee how beautiful the girl in front of them must be when she grew up.

Not to mention the future, even now, how many noble daughters in the capital could be comparable with her? Those proud young ladies had specially placed her at the bottom. It was just incomprehensible how they got the confidence to mock her for being plain-looking.

They also teased her about her lack of talent, right? The corner of Wen Tianyao’s lips curled into a thoughtful smile. That was truly a joke…

The two of them studied each other while dwelling on their own thoughts. Silence suddenly fell between them and neither of them said anything. Yan Huaijing stood aside gently with a smiling face. He was graceful and nonchalant as usual. However, no one could ignore the strong sense of existence emitting from him. Even in her shock and absent-mindedness, Wei Yuewu subconsciously directed her eyes toward him, but she collected herself the moment she met his handsome and gentle eyes.

She held her sleeves and curtsied. “My respect to you, Your Royal Highness.”

Since the Crown Prince went out in a low profile, that meant he didn’t want to expose his identity. Thus Wei Yuewu greeted him in a low voice.

“Since Sixth Miss Wei is Prince Yan’s old acquaintance, you can come too.” Wen Tianyao withdrew his gaze and politely invited.

“No, thanks. I…” Although Wei Yuewu wanted to find out about the relationship between this Crown Prince and her mother, this was definitely not the right time. Hence she refused.

“Yuewu, there is no need to be so courteous. I have something to discuss with you. Now you’re here, let’s go in together.” Yan Huaijing looked at her with a faint gentle smile, in the way he constantly had an air of an immortal in heaven who was never tainted by a trace of dust.

But for some unknown reason, Wei Yuewu sensed the forcefulness in his words. There seemed to be a smile in his clear and handsome eyes. As his bright eyes fell on her, Wei Yuewu inexplicably recalled the evil side of this prince when Mo Huating had indicated that something bad had happened to his fiancée.

To her surprise, this prince had expressed his congratulations to Mo Huating…

“Then… I’ll bother His Royal Highness.” Whether it was because of this powerful pressure or the fact that Yan Huaijing had saved her life, Wei Yuewu felt that staying was the right choice.

She sighed with resignation in her heart and lowered her head.

“No worries. My third younger sister is up there too. You two can be companions to each other.” Wen Tianyao looked at Wei Yuewu’s helpless expression and comforted her.

“As you wish!” Wei Yuewu nodded and smiled at Wen Tianyao. However, a trace of confusion flashed in her eyes. She had heard that the Fourth Princess was born by the empress. Why did the Crown Prince bring the Third Princess out with him instead of his own younger sister? It seemed that the Third Princess was actually closer to the Crown Prince than the Fourth Princess, his own younger sister.

After the Crown Prince ordered his guards to wait for Wei Yuewu’s two maids to come over, they went upstairs together. Wei Yuewu saw clearly at this moment that the place was actually a teahouse. However, there were no other customers here. The seats below were all vacant. When they arrived at the second floor and entered a large private room, she found there were other people there apart from the Third Princess.

An indifferent-looking handsome man was drinking tea by himself. Therefore, the lady next to the man should be the Third Princess.

The two were speaking to each other in a low voice with their servants standing beside them. Hearing the voices at the door, the indifferent-looking handsome man raised his head and directed his eyes to Yan Huaijing. Even Wei Yuewu, who was standing beside Yan Huaijing, could feel the complicated coldness in his eyes.

That was aimed at Yan Huaijing…

As for the lady on the side, Wei Yuewu also sensed that the moment the lady looked towards them, her gaze fell on Yan Huaijing first before moving slowly to her with some scrutiny. In the end, she revealed a smile. It was a friendly smile, and her attitude was affable. She should be the Third Princess!

However, with Yan Huaijing’s handsome face that smiled gently like a spring breeze in front of her, Wei Yuewu was unable to judge whether the Third Princess was truly amiable or was just a smiling tiger like Yan Huaijing!

“Prince Yan, what showy manners you have! You’ve stirred up the entire street.” The man withdrew his gaze. As he casually swept his eyes across Wei Yuewu, his eyes grew thoughtful, but did not linger on her. He uttered those words indifferently to Yan Huaijing.

He was referring to the scene in which Yan Huaijing had attracted the attention of the whole street.

“It’s not that I have showy manners. It’s just that I’ve arrived in the capital for the first time and people in the capital are so hospitable.” Yan Huaijing sat down leisurely and replied with a bitter smile. He then pointed to a seat beside him and said gently to Wei Yuewu, “Yuewu, sit here. Now that we’ve met, you don’t have to stand on ceremonies.”

His words sounded so affectionate that everyone’s attention was immediately attracted to Wei Yuewu. Although Wei Yuewu desired to explain that she did not have a close relationship with Yan Huaijing, she knew that this was not the time. She only took her seat silently under everyone else’s burning gaze.

At this time, she really regretted that she had come out. If she had known that today was not a good day for her, she would not have gone out no matter what.

“This is…” As she expected, the gentle Third Princess spoke first, asking casually with a smile.

“This is the Sixth Young Lady from the mansion of Marquis Hua Yang. She came to the capital with me this time.” Yan Huaijing’s clear voice was heard. He answered the question for her.

Wei Yuewu could say nothing but remain speechless at what his words implied. Although what he said was true, it was very misleading when he put it in that way. Just by looking at other people’s eyes wandering between her and Yan Huaijing from time to time, she knew what they were thinking about her wrongly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep