Chapter 858: Luminous Moon Spin-off: Pearl (Part 2)_2
Situ Jiuyue was beautiful, but unfortunately, her thods were vicious and she was skilled in poisoning. Although she was a princess, even if she were to be chosen as the Royal Husband, it wasn’t certain that she would hold much power, she might even be controlled by Situ Jiuyue. God knows, if she did sothing wrong and irritated Situ Jiuyue, even her life might be at risk.
Therefore, those from the civil official families who had a good reputation and decent young masters, all got wind of the selection early. Noble young n of an age similar to Situ Jiuyue were either already betrothed or, in the past few days, hurriedly had their engagents arranged by their families.
As a result, those who were left for the final selection either ca from families that spoiled them to the point of being incorrigible and heartless roués without any real talent, or they were from impoverished households that had fallen from grace, hoping to latch onto a princess to freeload a living and take advantage of her to support their entire family.
In short, after one glance over, they were all a sorry sight of misfits. Even if there really was soone as obedient and easy to command as Situ Jiuyue had told Suo Jing she needed, they were extrely cowardly. Not to ntion taking on any responsibilities, they looked simply like an additional servant — and the most nial kind at that. If Situ Jiuyue truly chose such a person to be her Royal Husband, she might beco the laughingstock in the history of Molan.
Suo Jing was at a loss, too. As soon as they heard it was Situ Jiuyue, the good young masters from decent households ran away as if escaping, how could they ever step forward to volunteer for the selection? It was indeed unbelievable. Situ Jiuyue was not lacking in appearance, so how had she co to a point where no decent household was willing to commit to her?
Hai Tang was also anxious.
As for Situ Jiuyue herself, she didn’t seem to think much of it. She had seen all the misfits and surprisingly wasn’t angry. Instead, she looked as if she had expected this all along, revealing an expression of “just as I thought.”
If a Royal Husband was to be selected before the coronation ceremony, that ant Situ Jiuyue had to make up her mind during this ti. But with not a single reliable candidate, Suo Jing couldn’t bring himself to approve of any of them. Beating around the bush, he enquired about whom Situ Jiuyue thought was passable. She pondered for a long while before pointing at a young master from a civil official family, saying, “That one is not too bad.”
Suo Jing took one look and nearly fainted. That one… indeed, he didn’t look too bad. At the very least, his background was neither good nor bad, and he didn’t have any vile habits, but he was just too diocre. Whether in looks or in deanor, or even in talent or temperant, he would be lost in a crowd. Such a person was to be the future Royal Husband of a Molan princess? Suo Jing found it hard to accept.
“He looks very well-behaved, timid too. He should be incapable of doing anything like regicide,” Situ Jiuyue said.
Regicide? Suo Jing’s heart chilled. What was this? The princess’s requirent for a Royal Husband had been reduced to “just not harboring the intent to kill her”? Besides, who would commit regicide out of the blue?
Situ Jiuyue seed to think of sothing and suddenly laughed. She knew what Suo Jing found strange. But was regicide—or rather, the act of killing one’s wife—so astonishing? At least in her acquaintance, the Xue Family, Xue Zhao’s sister Xue Fangfei, had died at the hands of her own husband. Couples that could grow old together were rare; most beca resentful partners. She didn’t wish to beco one such resentful partner, nor did she harbor any hope for lifelong companionship. So, being strangers to each other, as long as they respected each other like guests and ensured peace of mind and safety, wasn’t such a bad thing.
Suo Jing still wanted to say sothing, but seeing that Situ Jiuyue did not wish to discuss it further, he had to let it be. Just as they were talking, suddenly, a palace maid ca to report that the guards outside the palace had caught an assassin who, nevertheless, was insisting on seeing the princess.
“It’s not like we’re short of assassins in this palace,” Suo Jing said irritably. As far as he knew, in the last three days alone, there had been no shortfall of them. It was fortunate that the princess was formidable in her own right, otherwise, she might not have known how many tis she would have died by now.
“Don’t see him, just kill him,” Situ Jiuyue said indifferently.
However, that palace maid hesitated, saying, “Princess, this assassin… he says he knows you from Northern Yan. Although we don’t know who he is, he’s a cripple, and the guards have checked him, it’s not fake. If he really is an assassin… a cripple doesn’t seem to pose much of a threat. Could we have made a mistake?”
At this, Hai Tang and Situ Jiuyue both looked astonished. Hai Tang said excitedly, “It must be the young master, the young master must have co!”
Situ Jiuyue asked sharply, “Where is he?”
Suo Jing had never seen Situ Jiuyue in such a state before, and the palace maid was also startled, hastily replying, “He’s being detained by the guards in the garden in front of Siyin Hall.”
Situ Jiuyue turned and walked away, and Hai Tang hurriedly followed. The palace maids looked at Suo Jing in confusion, while Suo Jing himself appeared utterly baffled. Hai Tang called that person ‘young master’? So he was a man? But why was Situ Jiuyue’s reaction so extre? It seed this person was extrely important to her.
Suo Jing made up his mind and decided to go have a look, to see who this person was that could affect the princess’s emotions so deeply.
…
Situ Jiuyue arrived at the garden in front of Siyin Hall, where, on the ground, a young man was being accosted by the sword points of two guards. It was none other than Xue Zhao.
Hai Tang shouted, “Young master!”
Xue Zhao looked in the direction of the voice and, seeing Situ Jiuyue and Hai Tang, imdiately smiled, saying, “Miss Jiuyue, Hai Tang.”
The surrounding guards and Suo Jing, who had followed behind, were all shocked. This young man was actually calling the princess “Miss Jiuyue.” If the princess had been traveling in Northern Yan, concealing her identity until now, anyone with a shred of sense would know her true identity by this point. So why did he still address the princess in such a manner?
Situ Jiuyue angrily said to the guards, “What are you doing? Let him go at once!”
The guards quickly sheathed their swords and bowed to apologize. Hai Tang ran over to help Xue Zhao to his feet. His wheelchair was lying on its side nearby, discarded on the ground. Hai Tang settled him into the wheelchair and asked, “Young master, when did you co? How did you end up in Molan?”
When they parted, Xue Zhao had still been in Yanjing. The distance between Molan and Yanjing was not small. Did he… co all by himself?
Suo Jing, who had initially admired the young man for his impressive presence and deanor, felt a pang of pity upon seeing Xue Zhao’s wheelchair. He was indeed disabled, the kind that couldn’t even walk. Such a pity, such a pity.
Situ Jiuyue said, “Co inside and talk.” She then said to Suo Jing, “You may leave. I will summon you if I need anything.”
Suo Jing left.
Situ Jiuyue brought Xue Zhao to her own palace. After dismissing everyone, Hai Tang went to prepare tea. Situ Jiuyue sat at the table and asked Xue Zhao, “How did you co here? Where are the others?”
“I ca alone, there are no others,” Xue Zhao replied with a smile.
His smile was as easy and free as ever, and it seed as if the gloom of the past days dissipated a bit with his presence.
“This is not a place you should co to,” Situ Jiuyue finally said after a long while. “You’ve taken too much of a risk, Xue Zhao.”
The young man looked slightly stunned, then gently shook his head and said seriously, “I ca for you.”
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