The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 255 An Abnormal Change (Second Update)

Chapter 255: 255 An Abnormal Change (Second Update)

Upon hearing the maid’s words, Xiang Rong’s whole body stiffened. Would the Crown Prince be moved by such a woman?

He shouldn’t, after all, the Crown Prince almost killed her once.

Throughout the banquet, Xiang Rong kept an eye on Li Xianyun.

She desperately tried to find faults in her: her hair too long and dense, her hairpin overly simple and elegant, her skin too pale, a bit of baby fat made her look too young and pure, not the type of appearance men would like. Those eyes were too clear and bright, the chest at the age of fifteen or sixteen... excessively buxom, her waist too slender...

Gradually, Xiang Rong realized something was amiss, as if the faults she picked were actually praises for Li Xianyun.

This made her somewhat unravel.

What drove her to the brink of collapse was that, although Murong Ce didn’t glance over at Li Xianyun very often, his eyes carried a focus when he did, which was very unusual.

After the banquet, the Houtang Emperor escorted Murong Ce to the main hall entrance, while the Houtang Crown Prince and Crown Princess Consort personally saw Murong Ce onto his palanquin.

The carriage slowly set off, just leaving the Imperial Palace, when Murong Ce ordered the palanquin to stop by the roadside.

Xiang Rong was very puzzled, but she didn’t dare to ask.

The Crown Prince did everything with his own strategies and schemes, not something people of her status could inquire about.

It was not until a young servant who often accompanied Murong Ce on his outings saw a carriage coming from afar and hurried to the window, respectfully telling Murong Ce, "Your Highness, it has arrived."

Xiang Rong was perplexed: Who has arrived?

As she wondered, she saw Murong Ce open the window, lifting the curtain with two slender fingers to reveal just a slit, and those attractive phoenix eyes peeked through.

Murong Ce had sculpted features, and his pale complexion looked even colder and more abstinent under the lanterns at the alley entrance.

He was a rare handsome man in the world, otherwise, the ninth Princess of Houtang wouldn’t be so infatuated with him to the point of desperation.

Xiang Rong was curious about who was coming, and as the carriage drew near, she saw a familiar figure, Li Xianyun’s maid, whom the palace maids said was probably called Huanhuan.

She sat in the front alongside the groom driving the carriage.

The Crown Prince was waiting in the alley just to see Li Xianyun.

This was what kind of special feeling that made the Crown Prince, who spared no effort and would stop at nothing, act in such a way.

The carriage from the Prince’s Mansion moved off into the distance, and Murong Ce then let down the curtain, speaking indifferently, "Back to the mansion."

"Yes!"

The carriage moved on slowly, and Xiang Rong didn’t know how she made it back to the prison.

Only then did she suddenly realize that many things had quietly changed.

It was just that she had not noticed before, but now it was all rushing in like a tide.

Drowning her, leaving her unable to breathe.

Xiang Rong finally understood why the rumors about Li Xianyun in the Capital City Chang’an were flying everywhere, yet there wasn’t a single word about her in the prison because those who dared to gossip about Li Xianyun had already been executed by the Crown Prince.

Xiang Rong also suddenly found that those profligate young men hadn’t come to report on Li Xianyun for a long time.

She found it very strange, so she sent people to find out, and it turned out that those young men either had their reputations ruined by Li Xianyun, turned insane, or had their offices stripped and titles revoked.

Yet Murong Ce never intervened, which was utterly shocking to everyone for his indulging Li Xianyun.

Not only that, but when Xiang Rong was tidying Murong Ce’s study, she even saw a portrait of Li Xianyun on the desk.

Li Xianyun was sitting on a blue stone with a medicine basket on her back, a gentle breeze blowing, her skirt fluttering, with woods in the background and a babbling stream beside her.

Li Xianyun was looking down at the stream, a smile on her lips, revealing her pretty dimples.

Her laughter was truly beautiful, as if all the splendor in the world paled in comparison.

Xiang Rong had to admit something, Murong Ce had fallen for Li Xianyun, and his feelings were anything but ordinary.

They say one reaps what one sows; had Li Xianyun not crossed Murong Ce’s bottom line, she could have lived in peace.

A year ago, the rumors about Li Xianyun and the top scholar from the recent imperial examination spread like wildfire through the Capital City, and even though Li Xianyun tried her best to explain, no one believed her because the top scholar had openly admitted to it.

When Murong Ce found out, he flew into a rage, startling everyone in the prison so much that they dared not even breathe.

One afternoon, Murong Ce was particularly somber. It was only upon inquiry that Xiang Rong learned Murong Ce had seen Li Xianyun talking with the top scholar in the street while attending to some matters.

Murong Ce stayed in the study for half a day, and when he emerged, he was seething with fury. He ordered the top scholar to be captured and also had Li Xianyun’s maid Huanhuan bound, allowing several men to defile her.

Li Xianyun went to the prison to demand her maid’s release, and Murong Ce dismissed everyone else.

What happened next, Xiang Rong didn’t know, but in the end, Li Xianyun was seen leaving with her maid’s corpse slung over her shoulder.

Since that day, Murong Ce was a changed man, he uncharacteristically ordered the execution of those who had wronged Li Xianyun and erased all his bad memories with her.

One would have thought that Li Xianyun would avoid Murong Ce after such an ordeal, but surprisingly, three days after her maid’s death, Li Xianyun took the initiative to visit Murong Ce at the prison.

At the time, Murong Ce was in a meeting in his study. Upon learning of Li Xianyun’s arrival, he swiftly concluded the meeting and went to find her.

What they discussed, no one knows, but from then on, the nightmare at the prison began.

They say you must destroy the roots when you cut the grass, yet Murong Ce, as wise as he was, kept a woman who despised him to his bones by his side, which was truly baffling.

******

Memories of the past vividly flooding back, Xiang Rong glared at Li Xianyun with clenched teeth, "Falling into your hands today, take my life or flay me as you please."

Li Xianyun looked at her with calm composure, smiling, "Why should I kill you? I will not only spare you, but I shall also set you free."

Xiang Rong looked at Li Xianyun in disbelief, "You... want to let me go?"

Li Xianyun chuckled softly and took out a small vial from her sleeve, placing it on the table.

"What is this?" Xiang Rong asked.

"This is a potion that will make Murong Ce fall for you. Don’t you like Murong Ce? You must certainly wish for him to feel the same. Sprinkle a bit of this into his tea or food every day, and he’ll grow fond of you."

Xiang Rong thought she had hidden her feelings well, but Li Xianyun saw right through her, which frightened Xiang Rong, "I don’t love the Crown Prince."

Li Xianyun laughed lightly, "The potion stays here, whether you take it or not is up to you."

As she spoke, she was about to leave.

Anxious, Xiang Rong blurted out, "When will you let me leave?"

"You will naturally be set free when I leave Tianshui County," Li Xianyun replied.

Li Xianyun had no intention of letting Xiang Rong go too soon to cause trouble for herself; the longer she kept her, the more Murong Ce would suspect her.

Waiting for them to tear each other apart like dogs while she reaps the benefits of the fisherman was an alluring thought indeed.

After leaving the side room, Li Xianyun took her people northward in Tianshui County.

Under the locust tree on the wide open ground, many villagers, attracted by her reputation, were already waiting there, having prepared what she had instructed, even setting up temporary stoves under the locust tree.

Actually, setting up stoves was quite simple, since these people came from humble backgrounds, many had worked as masons and found the task easy.

Next to the stoves were heaps of firewood for burning.

Higher tables and other kitchen utilities were also set up nearby.