The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 464 - 463 You are really pitiable (One more update)

Chapter 464: 463 You are really pitiable (One more update)

Murong Ce set aside the memorial in his hand and leaned back on the Taishi Chair with a casual air, his cold gaze fixed on the woman kneeling on the ground.

"Won’t you tell the truth?"

Bai Mengling knew she could not deceive him.

If the palace maid had noticed her disappearance, she would inevitably have searched the purification room thoroughly.

Left with no choice, Bai Mengling said, "A masked man broke into Qionglu Palace. He said he would take this common girl away."

"What were his terms?" Murong Ce asked indifferently.

"His condition was for this commoner to tell him where the people from Ji Shi Tang were being held."

"And what was your reply?"

Bai Mengling hesitated briefly before saying, "This humble woman agreed."

Murong Ce flicked his sleeve, exhibiting a suave elegance.

Xu Sheng, understanding, bowed and withdrew, closing the door from the outside.

Xiang Rong’s eyes flashed with a cold light. Inside the study, only Murong Ce and that despicable woman remained, alone together in a room, driving her to the brink of jealous madness.

At times like these, Xiang Rong’s hopes lay with Li Xianyun’s medicine, wishing for it to take effect soon.

The guard poised to take away the palace maid who had brought the message asked Xu Sheng in a low voice, "Guard Commander, what should we do with this palace maid?"

Xu Sheng said, "Since His Majesty has kept Miss Bai, naturally he will not deal with her palace maid. Let her go."

"Yes."

The two guards then released their gripping hands.

The rescued palace maid, overwhelmed with joy, burst into tears and scurried away.

Murong Ce looked at Bai Mengling and said, "Come here."

Bai Mengling got up and walked over, knelt beside Murong Ce, looked up at him — the two were so close that their clothes nearly touched.

Murong Ce looked down at Bai Mengling, "How old are you?"

This was the first time Murong Ce had asked her a question; before, he had treated her as if she were another woman.

"Fourteen," she replied.

Murong Ce said, "When I first saw her, she was only thirteen years old."

That bright and charming smile had burst into his vision, stunningly beautiful.

At first, he thought nothing of it, but as time passed, that moment fermented like fine wine, haunting him over and over in the dark nights.

Bai Mengling clenched her teeth; so, it was still about that woman.

Murong Ce looked down, foolishly fixated on the eyes that resembled Li Xianyun’s.

Bai Mengling pursed her lips. Being loved by such a foolishly devoted man did not seem like such a bad thing. He might be cruel to those around him, but at least he was kind to the woman he loved.

If it were not for the overwhelming vendetta of annihilating her family between them, she might have already lost herself in the company of such an exceptionally handsome face.

Murong Ce seemed to recall something, his expression suddenly turned stern, and the previous infatuation vanished into thin air; he commanded in a detached tone, "Leave."

"Yes."

Murong Ce was known for his unpredictable moods; one moment could be sunshine and warmth, and the next, a violent storm, with no one knowing what was on his mind.

Bai Mengling had long since become accustomed to this.

She stood up and respectfully exited.

Stepping out of the Imperial Study Room, Bai Mengling closed the door behind her from the outside.

More than half an hour had passed since Bai Mengling entered, enough time for a man and woman to finish their affair.

Bai Mengling knew Xiang Rong was watching her, so she turned around and faced those eyes filled with deep hatred and ridicule, neither servile nor overbearing.

Xiang Rong approached and whispered in a lowered voice, "You are nothing but a replacement, don’t get so ahead of yourself."

Bai Mengling sneered, for she never considered accompanying Murong Ce a matter of pride.

"At least I am fit to be someone’s replacement, you don’t even have the qualifications for that."

"You..." Xiang Rong raised her hand.

She was skilled in martial arts, and such a slap would naturally not be light.

Xiang Rong put her hand down and sneered, "You merely want to provoke me to strike you so that His Majesty would send me away. It’s nothing but wishful thinking."

Bai Mengling looked at Xiang Rong coldly and said, "You truly are pitiable."

To fall deeply in love with a man who doesn’t love you, isn’t that both foolish and pitiable?

After Bai Mengling spoke, she walked away with her palace maid, not concerning herself with anyone else.

Xiang Rong was left alone in the dark night, her resentment growing ever stronger.

-

The chirping of birds outside the window was incessant, a gift from Yelu Yan to Li Xianyun to cheer her up.

Youlan ordered the birds to be moved elsewhere, so as not to disturb her master’s sleep.

Li Xianyun slept until the sun was high in the sky.

She slowly opened her sleepy eyes, a wave of soreness and lethargy sweeping over her.

Li Xianyun lay in bed for a moment, struggling to sit up, but just as she moved, a tingling sensation in the root of her thigh spread like pleasure from its center, bit by bit.

Yelu Yan had truly made her miserable the day before; she could hardly bear to move.

Even she found her own delicate body to be too frail.

Li Xianyun rested for another moment before forcing herself to sit up and called out, "You, Youlan."

Her voice, because of the wild cries from the previous day, had lost its usual clarity.

Youlan, hearing the voice, hurriedly pushed the door and entered, "My lady, you’re awake."

Li Xianyun hummed in response, gathered her clothes, and stepped out of bed to put on her shoes.

Youlan opened the wardrobe and asked, "My lady, which outfit will you wear today?"

"The treasure blue men’s attire."

Youlan took out the clothes and brought them over to Li Xianyun beside the bed.

Li Xianyun raised her hand to remove her clothes and saw Youlan still standing facing her, so she cleared her throat.

Youlan let out an "oh" and turned around.

Li Xianyun removed her sleeping garments and put on the men’s attire.

Behind her, Youlan heard the rustling sounds and asked, "My lady, would you like this servant to help you?"

"No need, don’t turn around."

She had too many kiss marks on her body, and it would be far too embarrassing if Youlan were to see them.

Li Xianyun, after getting dressed, went over to the dressing table to do her makeup.

Youlan attended to her on the side, "My lady, Khan had the kitchen stew bird’s nest porridge for you to nourish your body."

Li Xianyun’s face flushed lightly at the mere thought of yesterday’s events.

"Don’t mention him to me."

She was sore and powerless now, all because of Yelu Yan, who entangled with her desperately, without any sense of moderation.

Youlan was stunned.

Did Khan have a quarrel with the princess consort?

That didn’t seem likely.

When Khan had left, he was full of vigor and looked nothing like someone who had just quarreled with the princess consort.

Moreover, Khan cherished the princess consort dearly, more valuable than his own eyes; how could he bear to make her angry?

Li Xianyun realized she might have overreacted and said, "I meant to say, there are many tasks to handle, and there’s no time to delay."

"Yes."

This excuse seemed far-fetched; just mentioning Khan delayed things?

The princess consort seemed to be hiding something deliberately?

After doing her makeup and washing, Li Xianyun had her meal in the main hall, then returned to her chamber to complete an unfinished draft.

She had already done most of it the day before and could quickly finish it.

Li Xianyun was always meticulous and focused in her work, soon reaching a state of utter absorption.

When Yelu Yan found the time to come back from the Hall of Diligent Governance, he saw Li Xianyun in the Warm Pavilion, deeply engrossed in her painting, so much so that she didn’t even notice him approaching.

Li Xianyun disliked being disturbed when she was deeply focused on her work.

As Yelu Yan had tormented her quite harshly the night before and knew he was at fault, he didn’t dare to anger her further.