But casting this spell wasn’t easy. The first thing needed was a strand of Royal Heir Ye Chengyan’s hair. This posed a challenge for Marquis Wuyang. Heir’s Palace was heavily guarded, and the attendants were carefully selected, not easily bribed by him.
Seeing this, Tiancheng gave him a disdainful look and slowly said, "Looks like I’ll have to handle this myself."
Having been accustod to using unconventional thods, he found it relatively easy to obtain Ye Chengyan’s hair. After figuring out which attendants served him and using puppet charms, he could obtain the strands of hair that Ye Chengyan shed.
Seeing Tiancheng achieve this with little effort, Marquis Wuyang couldn’t help but admire him a bit more. He trusted that Tiancheng would succeed this ti, allowing the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang to prosper.
Tiancheng set up the altar, put Ye Chengyan’s hair in a vessel, recited an incantation, let Qiao Yu drop a few drops of blood, burned a charm, and the spell was complete.
Qiao Yu felt no different from before.
Tiancheng had expended quite a bit of energy and was sowhat out of breath, his face a bit pale. He said, "Next, Miss only needs to et with the Royal Heir."
Qiao Yu was half-believing, half-doubting.
Marquis Wuyang spent a little money to find out Ye Chengyan’s recent whereabouts, allowing his daughter to have a chance encounter with him.
On this day, Ye Chengyan was going to Chunxi Tavern for dinner and had invited several young gentlen. Qiao Yu knew the news and hurried over.
Learning that Ye Chengyan was in a private room on the second floor, she sat conspicuously in the lobby.
She felt nervous, but finally, when Ye Chengyan and the others ca downstairs, she quickly adjusted her hairpin and sat dignifiedly.
However, Ye Chengyan was engrossed in conversation with others and didn’t notice her at all.
Qiao Yu’s heart sank, silently cursing Tiancheng for being a fraud.
After Ye Chengyan left Chunxi Tavern, seeming to have boarded a carriage, Qiao Yu sighed and instructed her maidservant, "Settle the bill, let’s go."
Her efforts had been in vain.
Lost in her thoughts, she collided with soone, nearly falling, but was caught around the waist and steadied. A strong fragrance wafted into her nose.
Qiao Yu’s heart pounded as she slowly looked up, eting Ye Chengyan’s deep and affectionate eyes.
"Your... Royal Heir," she stamred, breaking free and hurriedly attempting to bow.
Ye Chengyan stared at her, reluctant to let go, as if her entire soul had been drawn into him.
It was only the reminder from a eunuch attendant nearby that made Ye Chengyan release her.
He still hesitated to step back, and the two stood very close, appearing intimate.
The other young gentlen looked at each other in surprise.
Soone recognized Qiao Yu and whispered, "Miss Qiao is indeed beautiful, but how co the Royal Heir didn’t notice her before? Why does he seem obsessed today, like his soul is being drawn away?"
No one dared to say more, just smiling at each other, knowing that this young lady from the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang would have a boundless future.
Qiao Yu’s heart raced. She lowered her eyes and softly said, "This maiden thanks the Royal Heir."
Her voice was lodious, as charming as a oriole’s.
Ye Chengyan felt a throbbing ache in his lower abdon, wishing he could indulge in intimacy right then and there. He had never experienced such thoughts before, especially not in public. He managed to restrain his impulse and said, "There’s no need to thank ." His voice was tense and slightly stuttering.
Qiao Yu, unaware of a man’s desires, recognized that Tiancheng’s spell had taken effect. However, with so many people around, she couldn’t pursue further. She nodded politely, then left with her maidservant.
If Ye Chengyan truly harbored affection for her and couldn’t forget her, he would take action without her having to say anything. As Qiao Yu expected, after encountering her, Ye Chengyan couldn’t get her expressions out of his mind.
Hurrying back to Heir’s Palace, he once again looked at the portraits of the eligible ladies but didn’t find Qiao Yu’s figure. "She’s not here..." Ye Chengyan muttered. "Could it be that she didn’t attend the flower banquet?"
According to custom, engaged young ladies could skip such events. A eunuch attendant explained, "Your Highness, Miss Qiao did attend, but she wasn’t selected."
"Why?!" Ye Chengyan asked urgently.
"It was... chosen by Her Majesty personally. This servant doesn’t know any further details," the eunuch replied.
Hearing this, Ye Chengyan couldn’t focus on any state affairs. He imdiately went to Fengxi Palace to inquire about the matter.
Empress Xie, busy with her costics, was sowhat surprised to hear Ye Chengyan’s request. He rarely had ti to visit her in the palace, especially during the day.
Allowing him in, Empress Xie asked, "Which of those ladies have you chosen?"
"I don’t like any of those ladies. I’ve set my sights on Miss Qiao from the Mansion of Marquis Wuyang," Ye Chengyan said solemnly. "I want to marry her as the Royal Heir’s consort."
Empress Xie’s expression stiffened. Not only did her son defy her wishes, but he also wanted to marry Qiao Yu. Didn’t Nanli say that Qiao Yu was untrustworthy?
Suppressing her emotions, Empress Xie sipped her tea delicately before calmly saying, "I don’t favor Miss Qiao. You should choose soone else, Royal Heir."
Hearing this, Ye Chengyan hesitated for a mont, but deep down, he was adamant. He wanted Qiao Yu; he wanted to build a life with her!
He knelt down, pleading, "I only want her. Please, Mother, grant this!"
Empress Xie was furious, slamming the teacup onto the table. "You’ve lost your mind! What kind of spell has Qiao Yu cast on you to make you so obsessed with her?"
"It’s not a spell. I’ve simply fallen for her at first sight. She didn’t do anything to enchant ," Ye Chengyan explained hastily, fearing his mother’s misunderstanding.
"Fallen at first sight?" Empress Xie sneered. "Your marriage is not solely your decision. As the Royal Heir, your marriage affects the entire nation. Do you understand?"
As if bewitched, Ye Chengyan persisted, "In that case, I’d rather not be the Royal Heir. Then I can be free to marry the person I want."
"Outrageous!" Empress Xie stood up abruptly, her eyes blazing with anger. "Your father’s health is deteriorating, and you’re his only son. You bear the responsibility of the nation. How dare you speak such nonsense!"
As she finished speaking, soone entered, announcing, "Your Majesty, if the Royal Heir is unwilling, then don’t force him."
Emperor Muwu had arrived, followed by Ye Siheng.
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