Read Novel Full CHAPTER 29 PART1
CHAPTER 29 PART1
Xiao Luanfei casually lifted the curtain a little higher.
Inside the carriage, silence hung thick, the atmosphere stiff and unyielding.
Xiao Yanfei glanced out the window, then suddenly stood up, pushing open the carriage door herself. Without waiting for the maid to position the stepping stool, she jumped down from the carriage.
Xiao Luanfei smirked faintly, her gaze fixed on Xiao Yanfei as she walked toward the fallen red-gold jeweled bracelet on the ground. Her eyes remained unblinking, a trace of light mockery flickering in her gaze.
Xiao Yanfei was still the same Xiao Yanfei.
Even though their mother had been protective of her recently, she was still nothing more than a lowly concubine’s daughter.
When she ordered her to bow, she would bow; when she commanded her to bend, she would bend!
She was not worthy of harboring thoughts that didn’t belong to her!
She had to accept her fate and obediently remain beneath her feet.
A few beams of sunlight filtered through the carriage window, dividing Xiao Luanfei’s face into two halves: one side smooth and flawless like jade, the other cast in shadow, mysterious and inscrutable. Her eyes were deep like a quiet pool, silently watching Xiao Yanfei, filled with pride, certainty, and an air of superiority.
This time, everything would be different.
She could finally escape the shadow of her past life and change her fate…
As she saw Xiao Yanfei approach the bracelet, the smile on Xiao Luanfei’s lips widened, deepening further. She appeared graceful, dignified, and gentle, yet there was an unmistakable air of haughty superiority.
Now, she simply had to wait for Xiao Yanfei to kneel and pick up the bracelet for her.
In the next moment, the smile at the corner of Xiao Luanfei’s lips instantly froze. She watched as Xiao Yanfei slowly lifted her right foot and deliberately stepped on the bracelet lying on the ground, crushing it beneath her heel.
Time seemed to stand still.
Xiao Luanfei’s eyes widened, and she felt her heart shatter like glass, scattering into a million pieces.
This was the engagement gift from the Crown Prince, unique and irreplaceable, the bracelet she treasured most.
And Xiao Yanfei… she actually… she actually!
For a moment, Xiao Luanfei felt a lump rise in her throat, as though she had returned to her past life, once again being trampled under Xiao Yanfei’s feet, as insignificant as dust, forgotten and ignored.
Her face turned pale as she watched Xiao Yanfei turn her face and, through the carriage window, fix her gaze directly on her.
The two women’s gazes met in the air, silent and unwavering.
It felt as if an invisible bowstring had suddenly been drawn tight, the tension palpable in the air.
Outside the carriage, Xiao Yanfei stood tall against the wind, smiling faintly at Xiao Luanfei. Her smile was warm and playful, her dark eyes gleaming like stars in the sunlight.
She was smiling.
It was a smile full of provocation.
Xiao Luanfei: “…”
This was an outcome Xiao Luanfei had never anticipated. Her lips twitched, struggling for a response.
This was indeed a provocation.
Xiao Yanfei was actually provoking her.
A powerless, illegitimate daughter—how dare she!
“Xiao, Yan, Fei,” Xiao Luanfei enunciated each syllable of Xiao Yanfei’s name, her face paling slightly. “How dare you?!”
In her fury, Xiao Luanfei lost control, gripping the curtain tightly. With a sharp “ripping” sound, the curtain was torn open.
In response, Xiao Yanfei pressed her right foot down harder on the bracelet beneath her shoe.
“Crack.”
A red gemstone embedded in the bracelet popped off, rolling across the dusty ground…
In that moment, time seemed to slow infinitely, and every detail was crystal clear to her.
Xiao Luanfei felt as though her heart had rolled across that filthy ground, her face alternating between a sickly pale and a deep flush of anger.
“Hey, are you still not leaving?”
“If you’re not moving, don’t block the way for others!”
From behind the carriage, impatient shouts and urgent calls echoed.
At this moment, all the carriages from various households were lined up waiting to enter Qinghui Garden, and the Marquis of Wu’an ‘s carriage had remained motionless, naturally causing a disruption for the other carriages behind.
The noise from the back gradually grew louder, and the atmosphere became increasingly chaotic.
Some carriage curtains were lifted, and curious eyes peeked out from the carriages, all focused on the Marquis of Wu’an’s carriage.
There, standing outside the Marquis’s carriage, was a young girl in a plum-colored dress, nervously watching inside at Xiao Luanfei.
The young girl was holding a handkerchief, gently pressing it to the corner of her eye. Clear tears, like pearls strung together, flowed down her cheek, looking pitifully delicate.
What on earth happened?
Curious glances swept between the Xiao sisters, speculating, pondering, and trying to figure out what was going on.
They didn’t recognize the unfamiliar girl, but since she was standing outside the Marquis of Wu’an’s carriage, she was most likely a young lady from the Marquis’s household.
Wasn’t it said that the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wu’an’s household was graceful and virtuous? How could she force her own sister off the carriage in such a public setting?
The surrounding noise grew louder and more chaotic, with more and more people looking over at Xiao Luanfei and Xiao Yanfei. Some even instructed their servants to inquire about the situation.
“Yanyan.”
A soft, delicate voice broke the awkward silence, its tone sweet as if laced with honey.
With the call, a magnificent carriage draped in emerald green and adorned with pearl tassels and eight precious treasures passed by. The bright golden paint shimmered under the sun, luxurious and flamboyant, drawing attention from everyone nearby.
The elaborate curtains, embroidered with blooming peonies and studded with colorful gems, were drawn halfway, revealing a delicate face.
It was none other than Princess Ning Shu.
“Yanyan, what happened?” Princess Ning Shu leaned forward, resting her hands on the window frame, furrowing her brows as she looked at Xiao Yanfei, who was dabbing her tears with a handkerchief.
Xiao Yanfei wiped the corner of her eye again with the handkerchief and shook her head at Princess Ning Shu, signaling that she was fine.
She pursed her lips and spoke to Xiao Luanfei, “Elder sister, I know you’re the eldest. I should respect you, yield to you. I’ll be obedient.”
Her voice was soft and fragile, like a cloud that would disperse with a single gust of wind.
“What nonsense are you talking?” Xiao Luanfei’s face darkened, and she snapped.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she noticed Princess Ning Shu slightly furrow her brows, prompting her to immediately bite her tongue.
The thought of the bracelet Xiao Yanfei had trampled on made Xiao Luanfei’s heart ache like a knife was slicing through it.
Xiao Yanfei flinched slightly and pressed the handkerchief to the corner of her eye again, her voice trembling like a rain-soaked pear blossom. “Please don’t be angry…”
“I’ll listen to you from now on, Elder Sister. Please don’t chase me away.”
Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, the words clear and distinct. Several people from the nearby carriages overheard and exchanged meaningful glances.
Princess Ning Shu glanced back and forth between the two sisters, unsure of what exactly had happened between them, but one thing was clear—Xiao Yanfei had been kicked off the carriage.
No matter what the reason, Xiao Luanfei shouldn’t have sent her sister off the carriage like that.
“Yanyan, come over and join me!” Princess Ning Shu called sweetly, waving her hand toward Xiao Yanfei.
Xiao Yanfei, still with wet eyes, squeezed her handkerchief and hesitated for a moment before asking Xiao Luanfei, “Elder Sister, may I go?”
She smiled brightly at Xiao Luanfei, her eyes slightly squinting in a subtle, confident grin that no one else could see.
Xiao Luanfei: “…”
Xiao Luanfei wanted to say no, but when her gaze met Princess Ning Shu’s dismissive look, reason returned.
One wrong step, and every step after would be wrong.
If she continued to argue with Xiao Yanfei, it would only create an impression of being overly aggressive.
Suppressing the frustration in her heart, Xiao Luanfei spoke softly, “Second sister, you may go.”
“Thank you, Elder Sister.” Xiao Yanfei gracefully performed a curtsy, observing the proper etiquette, then used her handkerchief to wipe away the eye drops before quickly walking over to Princess Ning Shu’s carriage. She then boarded the luxurious, gem-adorned carriage.
After the carriage door closed, the royal carriage driver skillfully cracked the whip, and the princess’s carriage passed grandly in front of Xiao Luanfei’s.
Xiao Luanfei tightly clenched her hands together, a heavy shadow darkening her eyes.
She didn’t understand. Princess Ning Shu was supposed to be her friend. Girls of such noble birth, like Princess Ning Shu, never associated with illegitimate daughters; they avoided them. So why was Princess Ning Shu treating Xiao Yanfei so differently?
Why?
They had only met twice, yet she had known Princess Ning Shu for five or six years, and now she had been abandoned!
Though she was sitting inside the carriage, Xiao Luanfei felt as though a bone-chilling wind was blowing through her. Her fingertips felt numb from the cold.
Everything felt like it was mocking her.
Mocking the fact that, even though she held the title of legitimate daughter, she still couldn’t compare to Xiao Yanfei.
The head maid, Shuxiang, looked at her young mistress with a heart full of sympathy. She quickly got out of the carriage, carefully picked up the bracelet from the ground, along with the fallen ruby, and wrapped them together in a plain white handkerchief.
“Miss,” Shuxiang said, handing the bracelet wrapped in the handkerchief through the carriage window to Xiao Luanfei.
The bracelet was covered in dirt, with a small pit where the ruby had fallen off, which was disturbingly noticeable.
Xiao Luanfei stared at the bracelet intently, her eyes subtly reddening at the edges.
Shuxiang couldn’t help but offer some advice: “Miss, if you take it to Golden Jade Pavilion for repairs, they should be able to fix it.”
“…” Xiao Luanfei’s expression darkened, her grip on the curtain nearly pulling it down. Her mind replayed the scenes she had just witnessed, freezing on the image of Xiao Yanfei stepping on the bracelet.
Even if the bracelet could be repaired, it would never be the same again. There would always be faint traces of imperfection.
Some cracks, once they form, can never be fully repaired, no matter how much effort is put into fixing them…
Recalling the events of her past life, Xiao Luanfei’s hand trembled involuntarily as she slowly lowered the curtain.
As the curtain completely fell, her gaze flickered toward the distance, where, about a hundred yards ahead, Princess Ning Shu was being ushered into the palace by attendants in her luxurious eight-treasure carriage.
The warmth of the spring morning sunlight bathed everything in a golden glow, casting a radiant halo over the surrounding mountains, buildings, and carriages.
Once Xiao Yanfei had settled into the eight-treasure carriage, Princess Ning Shu immediately placed a piece of rose-flavored candy in her mouth.
“This is the new rose candy from Gourmet Pavilion,” Princess Ning Shu said with a smile, not asking about what had just happened. She looked at Xiao Yanfei with a beaming expression. “It’s delicious, isn’t it?”
The sweet, fragrant taste of rose filled Xiao Yanfei’s mouth, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“It’s delicious,” she said, her lips curving into a smile.
“Yanyan, come play with me today.” Princess Ning Shu raised her hand and gently brushed Xiao Yanfei’s ear, offering a reassuring smile. “Don’t be afraid.”
The little princess was so considerate. Xiao Yanfei smiled slightly at Princess Ning Shu, her expression warm. “Alright.”
Her smile flowed from her eyes like a radiant spring, brighter than the sunshine itself, shining with a beauty that outshone the very light of the season.
The cloud of gloom caused by Xiao Luanfei dissipated, fading completely from her heart.
So sweet! Princess Ning Shu also smiled in return.
Once the luxurious eight-treasure carriage passed through the first palace gate, it came to a smooth stop. The sound of palace maids respectfully greeting echoed outside. “Greetings, Princess Ning Shu.”
The carriage door opened, and the sunlight poured in.
“Yanyan, let’s get out,” Princess Ning Shu said, extending her hand and gracefully stepping down from the carriage, with the help of a round-faced maid.
Xiao Yanfei followed closely behind and stepped down from the carriage.
The round-faced palace maid, who was assigned to attend to the two, bent her knee and respectfully performed a greeting before turning to Xiao Yanfei. Just as she was about to inquire about her identity, a man’s cold and indifferent voice came from behind:
“Are you Luan’er’s sister?”
Xiao Yanfei turned toward the sound and saw a young man standing under a phoenix tree not far away. He was dressed in an apricot-yellow dragon-embroidered robe, tall and slender, his handsome features radiating elegance. The golden threads in his robe shimmered under the morning sunlight.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.” The round-faced maid quickly bowed to the Crown Prince, lowering her gaze, too respectful to meet his eyes.
Princess Ning Shu waved her hand and cheerfully called out, “Cousin!”
Crown Prince Tang Yueze walked over with elegant strides, every movement exuding the nobility and grace of a royal, making it impossible for anyone to act casually around him.
He gave a slight nod to Princess Ning Shu, then briefly glanced at Xiao Yanfei with a proud and distant look before asking, “Where is Luan’er?”
“She’s still outside,” Princess Ning Shu answered for Xiao Yanfei.
Crown Prince Tang Yueze gave them a brief, indifferent glance, his eyes flickering with a hint of curiosity.
Without bothering to engage with them further, he strode purposefully toward the main gate of the palace, scanning the long line of carriages outside. His gaze fell on the Marquis of Wu’an’ carriage among the group, his eyes brightening with a subtle smile, his expression clearly filled with anticipation.
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