ebookland Chapter 183 Xue Xiang inquires about Wang Ren and Murong Che's preferences.
Chapter 183 Xue Xiang inquires about Wang Ren and Murong Che's preferences.
Xue Xiang walked absentmindedly towards the Fourth Prince's residence, her steps slightly dragging, as if her soul had been bewitched. The words Su Wan'er had spoken to her kept replaying in her mind, those words seemed to have taken root, impossible to shake off.
Su Wan'er narrowed her eyes slightly, a mysterious glint in them, and whispered to her, "Your Highness, if you truly want to win the Fourth Prince's heart, you must get close to him and truly understand him. Think about it, why is he still so attached to the deceased Xu Wanwan? It must be because Xu Wanwan possessed a unique and captivating charm that made the Fourth Prince so deeply infatuated and unable to forget her. Why don't you emulate her and learn from her mannerisms? Moreover, if you want the Prince to feel that you are someone worthy of his affection, you must be a virtuous woman. Being good to him cannot just be lip service; it must be genuinely shown in every aspect. One very important point is to be good to those around him, so that they all recognize and praise you. In this way, the Prince will naturally look at you differently."
As Xue Xiang pondered these thoughts, she unconsciously arrived at the entrance of the Fourth Prince's residence. Suddenly pulled from her reverie, she abruptly stopped, her brows furrowed, her face filled with conflicted and thoughtful expression. She murmured to herself, "Be good to those around you?"
Her slightly trembling lips betrayed her inner unease and hesitation. She looked up at the vermilion gate, her eyes filled with both anticipation and confusion.
Just then, the heavy gate of the Fourth Prince's mansion creaked open, and the old steward, Wang Ren, came out. He looked up and saw Xue Xiang standing outside, motionless, looking rather strange. He then dragged his aged body and slowly approached Xue Xiang step by step.
As he approached, Wang Ren's face immediately lit up with a kind and gentle smile, a smile as warm as the winter sun, making one feel cozy inside. He said softly, "Your Highness, why don't you come in? It's so windy outside. You're delicate; it wouldn't be good if you caught a cold!"
Xue Xiang was lost in her thoughts when the sudden voice startled her. She snapped out of her reverie, a slightly flustered look on her face, and quickly replied, "Oh... I understand!"
As she spoke, she followed Wang Ren into the palace. Although she was walking, her thoughts were still shrouded in a fog, lingering on Su Wan'er's words, which she couldn't shake off. She looked somewhat absent-minded, and almost bumped into a stone lion while walking. Fortunately, Wang Ren was quick-witted and gently pulled her back. She then came to her senses, smiled awkwardly at Wang Ren, and continued walking inside.
Wang Ren bowed slightly, a respectful and gentle smile on his face, and said to Xue Xiang, "Your Highness, the Prince has gone to the palace. It's unclear when he will return. Before he left, the Prince specifically instructed you not to worry. If you are hungry now and want to eat anything, just tell this old servant. You don't need to wait for him here."
Xue Xiang seemed not to have heard him. Her eyes were unfocused, and she stood there absentmindedly, her thoughts still wandering in her own little world. She did not respond to Wang Ren's words at all.
Seeing this, Wang Ren frowned slightly, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. He raised his voice slightly and asked softly, "Your Highness?"
Xue Xiang seemed to be pulled back from her distant thoughts by the call. Her body trembled slightly, and her eyes showed a hint of confusion. She subconsciously responded with an "Oh?"
Looking at her like this, Wang Ren felt even more puzzled. His face was full of concern as he asked softly, "Is something on your mind, Your Highness? You seem rather distracted."
Xue Xiang quickly waved her hand, her eyes darting around, and stammered, "N-nothing... Um, Butler Wang, I wanted to ask you something, is that alright?"
Wang Ren immediately straightened his back, his expression becoming even more solemn, and hurriedly replied, "Your Highness, please feel free to give any instructions. This old servant will answer without hesitation."
Xue Xiang took a deep breath, as if she had mustered up a lot of courage, and looked at Wang Ren eagerly, saying, "Can you tell me what the prince likes and dislikes? In short, tell me everything about the prince."
Upon hearing this, Wang Ren was taken aback, his eyes filled with curiosity and doubt, and a look of confusion appeared on his face. He couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, what is this...?"
Xue Xiang's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly put on a smile and explained, "Oh, don't misunderstand. Now that I'm married to the Prince, I naturally need to know everything about him! Only in this way can I share the Prince's burdens in the future, don't you think?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Ren's wrinkled face immediately broke into a gratified smile. He nodded repeatedly and said, "It is truly a blessing for Your Highness that the Princess has such a kind intention." With that, he slowly walked forward, and Xue Xiang hurriedly followed.
As Wang Ren walked, he tilted his head slightly and lowered his voice, as if sharing a precious secret, murmuring to Xue Xiang, "Your Highness, His Highness has always preferred quiet. He loves spending his days reading and practicing calligraphy in his study. If someone is noisy nearby, it will annoy him. Also, His Highness dislikes all those complicated formalities, finding them too restrictive. Therefore, we try to keep things as simple as possible in the palace. As for food, His Highness prefers light dishes; he rarely touches anything with strong flavors..."
Xue Xiang followed beside Wang Ren, her steps unconsciously slowing down. Her gaze was fixed on Wang Ren, her head slightly tilted back, her eyes fixed on him without blinking, and her ears perked up, as if afraid of missing a single word.
As Wang Ren narrated, Xue Xiang would sometimes nod gently, and sometimes frown slightly, as if she were carefully sorting out and pondering these likes and habits of the prince in her mind.
Inside the Ninth Prince's residence, Lin Qianqian sat quietly, one hand supporting her head, her elbow resting on the table, her eyes slightly lowered, as if lost in deep thought. Her other hand unconsciously rested gently on her slightly protruding belly, stroking it again and again, the movement filled with unconscious tenderness and affection.
After a while, she sighed softly, a sigh that seemed to hold a great deal of helplessness and sorrow. She frowned slightly and murmured to herself, "I never imagined I'd be pregnant. I've been in this strange place for so long, I wonder how my parents are doing in the other world. Sigh, every time I think about this, it feels like a huge stone is weighing on my heart. Am I really going to spend my whole life here? But I can't bear to leave my family there. What am I going to do…" As she spoke, a trace of confusion and sadness appeared in her eyes as she gazed at the sky outside the window, her thoughts drifting far, far away.