GTB Chapter 184

Chapter 186: A Plan Within a Plan

“What on earth?” Xiao Li glared at her brother, not wanting to waste words with him. She turned and walked out, waving her hand behind her without looking back. “I’m not talking to you. The weather’s nice today, I’m going to find Jiang Jiuchu to play.”

Xiao Yi shook his head, saying nothing. Although his sister was a bit willful, she was clear-headed when it came to important matters.

Besides, it wasn’t easy for her to agree to the marriage alliance. He should meddle less in her affairs!

…

Outside the Lan Zhu Courtyard, Fan Yuwan’s maid looked at the courtyard entrance ahead and said, “Miss, isn’t that the princess from Bei Guo?”

Fan Yuwan’s eyes narrowed slightly. This Bei Guo princess was truly persistent. If she had known that Seventh Prince liked this type, why would she have waited until today?

She took the box of pastries from the maid beside her and walked over.

Right now, she didn’t care about the Bei Guo princess, nor did she care about Jiang Jiuchu. She only wanted Shi Yan to notice her.

She loved Shi Yan, had loved him since she was little, but he always had an aloof and unsmiling demeanor, making it impossible for her to get close.

Later, although he was a frivolous playboy, he was still aloof and unreachable, never looking sideways at her. He still didn’t see her.

Therefore, she also worked hard to practice music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, becoming the most talented woman in Kyoto, wanting to be the woman most worthy of him.

However, her portrait entered Cining Palace, but there was still no news…

Later, he actually chose that Jiang family girl who had just arrived in Kyoto… Jiang Jiuchu.

She pursed her lips, her steps forward becoming more determined. Now… it was her turn to come from behind and surpass them.

She stepped up to the door. Although she felt that the guards in this courtyard seemed a bit numerous, she figured it was understandable since it was a prince’s residence.

She spoke to the leading guard, “Please report that Fan Yuwan requests an audience.”

Mu Lin’s eyes darted around, then he turned and went inside. However, he didn’t report immediately. Instead, he waited for Xiao Yi to enter the study before going to the study door and reporting, “Your Highness, Fan Yuwan has brought pastries for you.”

Inside the study, Xiao Yi had just picked up his brush, preparing to write a letter to the Bei Guo Emperor, when he heard Mu Lin’s words outside the door. Without even asking who Fan Yuwan was, he immediately refused, “I won’t see her.”

In the past two days, some women had been trying to take the opportunity to offer him their favors.

At first, he thought he wouldn’t refuse those who threw themselves at him. But after checking their identities, he found that these women were all concubine daughters with no status in their families.

It seemed they had no hope for the future, so they were trying to get his attention.

He was a prince, after all. It was fine to play around, but if he wanted to take them, he would have to accept them.

But that was absolutely impossible. If he brought a concubine daughter back to Bei Guo from Dong Yue, wouldn’t he be disgracing himself and Bei Guo?

Therefore, of course he had to refuse.

Mu Lin outside the door seemed to have expected this. After responding, he hurried back to the courtyard and said to Fan Yuwan, who was waiting, “His Highness is busy, Miss Fan, please return.”

Although Fan Yuwan was disappointed, it was within her expectations. She had even thought that if she couldn’t get in, she would come again tomorrow. If she couldn’t get in tomorrow, she would wait outside the courtyard.

Thinking of herself as the leader of the four talented women in Kyoto, she paused slightly, a hint of jealousy appearing in her eyes. She stole her title, so she would steal her husband.

She didn’t believe that if she, Fan Yuwan, lowered herself to this extent for Seventh Prince, he could remain unmoved.

As she thought this, she turned around, preparing to leave. However, when she turned her head, she saw a dozen women in thin, gauze clothing walking towards this way.

She was stunned. Seeing these women go inside, she reached out to the maid beside her and said, “Bring ten taels of silver.”

“Yes, Miss,” the maid responded, quickly taking a silver ingot from her purse and handing it to her miss.

Fan Yuwan handed the silver to Mu Lin, “May I ask, Guard, who were those women just now…?”

Seeing this, Mu Lin’s eyes lit up. He quickly took the silver and said respectfully with a smile, “Oh! Them? His Highness likes to watch dance, so they come here every day at this time to perform for him.”

Fan Yuwan nodded with a faint smile, then turned and left.

Her eyes drooped slightly. Every day at this time? Likes to watch dance?

Yes! At the palace banquet that day, whether it was the Bei Guo princess’s dance or Jiang Jiuchu’s dance, Seventh Prince seemed to watch them extremely attentively.

The corners of her lips curved up. Dance? She wasn’t bad at dancing either…

The next day, Fan Yuwan spent a sum of money, replacing one of the main dancers, and successfully entered the Lan Zhu Courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, there were small bridges, flowing water, wooden buildings, and pavilions, making it look extremely elegant.

With a heart full of trepidation, Fan Yuwan followed the group to the pavilion.

The pavilion was surrounded by gauze curtains. In the gentle breeze, one could vaguely see the luxurious hem of a man’s robe.

The sound of the zither rang out, and the dance was light and seductive.

Xiao Yi sat in the pavilion, leisurely drinking the fine wine sent by Shi Yan, his slender fingers tapping lightly on the table.

He thought to himself, this Shi Yan was quite good at making arrangements. If he hadn’t rejected Xiao Li on the spot, he would have really thought he was interested in his sister.

His gaze fell on Fan Yuwan through the thin gauze.

He had to say, the women of Dong Yue were all extraordinary in appearance.

A dancer actually had such a temperament. Although her appearance couldn’t compare to that of the Seventh Prince’s wife, she could surpass many noble women in his Bei Guo.

Xiao Yi’s lips curved up. He picked up the wine in his hand and drank it all in one gulp, a growing interest in his eyes.

After a stick of incense’s time, the music and dance stopped. Xiao Yi raised his finger and pointed at Fan Yuwan, “You, come up here.”

Although the figure behind the thin gauze was a bit blurry, the direction of the finger was clearly in Fan Yuwan’s direction.

Fan Yuwan’s heart was about to jump out of her throat. She didn’t notice that the voice of those three words wasn’t Shi Yan’s voice at all.

She was so nervous that her breathing stopped for a moment. He recognized her! Was he calling her over because he was interested in her?

As she thought this, she raised her foot and walked towards the pavilion.

However, as she got closer and closer, the figure behind the gauze curtain became clearer and clearer.

Fan Yuwan seemed to finally realize that the person in the pavilion didn’t seem to be Shi Yan.

She hurried forward and lifted the gauze curtain. Her entire body was instantly stunned, her face filled with extreme horror.

Seeing Fan Yuwan being so impolite, Xiao Yi’s guard immediately said in a cold voice, “How dare you, upon seeing His Highness the Crown Prince, you don’t quickly pay your respects.”

Fan Yuwan was startled and hurriedly took a step forward to salute, “Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Come over and have a drink with me.”

Fan Yuwan’s face paled. Not knowing what to do, she subconsciously shook her head, “I… this woman doesn’t know how to drink.”

“How dare you! It is your blessing that the master asks you to drink with him, yet you dare to refuse.”

Xiao Yi was not only not angry, but his eyes became even more interested.

He raised his hand, signaling the guards beside him to leave the pavilion, then said to Fan Yuwan, “Come, sit.”