"Rather than pointing out something obvious at a glance, why don't you tell me whether that line you just taught me is actually any good?"
"Why not try it and see?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the Rakshasa Phantom vanished into the shadow in the corner. No matter how Qian Yuhan called for her, she played deaf and stayed silent.
"I knew it..."
Qian Yuhan sighed, as if she'd expected the Rakshasa Phantom to be unreliable as usual, then decided to rely on her own cleverness and improvise.
"You... did you finish taking care of that personal matter you mentioned earlier?"
Xu Tianzhen had learned early that morning, through one of her spies in the palace, that Qian Yuhan had been brought to the imperial palace in Bright Capital by Xu Yan the day before. She'd even heard that her own father had summoned him late at night. Yet she pretended to know nothing, casually carrying on the conversation.
While speaking, she lightly clutched the hem of her robe with both hands. With a highly unnatural shake, she shifted her loose sleeping robe back into its proper, dignified position.
"Mm, yes. I finished taking care of the personal matter I mentioned earlier, and then I came to Bright Capital." Qian Yuhan nodded, then suddenly raised a hand and took a golden-red cloak made from the hide of a Millennium Fire Gold Lion out of a storage ring on his right hand. He stepped forward to drape it over Xu Tianzhen's shoulders and fastened it for her.
"It's... rather windy today. Standing outside dressed so lightly, you could easily catch a chill."
Remembering an ancient scene from ten thousand years ago, when she'd sat in the church banquet hall watching her relatives' matchmaking banquet, Qian Yuhan decided to "learn from the old ways" for once...
Drawing on her ancient memories from tens of thousands of years ago, Qian Yuhan quickly figured out how things worked:
As a matter of courtesy, you gave a small gift when you met. That... shouldn't be a problem, right? What came next? Oh, right. After admiring the person carefully, you complimented them.
After clumsily fastening the cloak around Xu Tianzhen, Qian Yuhan automatically took a few steps back and looked her over earnestly. He nodded and said, "It looks good on you."
Xu Yan: "!!!" Holy crap, I can't believe you already had this prepared! And here I was, working so hard to set you up! If you'd told me you were prepared, I wouldn't have gone to all that trouble acting like an idiot! I can't believe this!
The Rakshasa Phantom poked her head out of the shadow and crept along in the dark (shrimp bending over, eyes wide, computer desk, computer.JPG):
"Come on, man. You act like you've never been in love! The way you're handling this, you must be matchmaking every day!"
Damn it, I knew it! Not one person in the Qian Family is any good. You're all just here to fool an honest divine thought like me! I'm so mad I'm shaking! When will the Qian Family ever be honest with anyone?
Xu Tianzhen was just as stunned. After Qian Yuhan came close and fastened that warm cloak around her, her brain—already scrambled by his good looks—nearly crashed, yet still managed to produce one question:
What did my old man talk to him about last night? How did this guy suddenly... um, seem to have figured everything out?
Xu Tianzhen didn't quite understand what had changed, but she was sensible and willing to accept it.
As a precocious member of the imperial family—especially one whose father had seized power through the Xuanwu Gate coup and then worked hard to become emperor—Xu Tianzhen took everything in stride. At least, she was more open-minded than people's usual assumptions about her.
As a princess, she enjoyed the fine clothes and lavish food that came with being born into the imperial family. So, when she grew up, she should also be willing to shoulder the responsibility of a political marriage to someone else.
If she couldn't avoid that responsibility, why not take the initiative and choose a handsome, refined, talented consort to feast her eyes on?
And if that handsome, talented consort also had a good temper, knew how to care for her, and could treat her as an equal, with mutual respect and affection, then that would be the best thing in the world!
With so many requirements met, who needed some strange soul-guided flying car?
People had to know when they were well off! Happiness was something you had to fight for yourself!
Going all in was a kind of wisdom. If you saw someone who was right for you, you just went all in!
"This cloak is warm and pretty. I really like it! You probably haven't had lunch yet, have you? We've just gotten a few chefs from the Dou Ling Empire at my mansion. If you'd be so kind as to join me, I'll have them prepare a meal right away."
"Sure. I'm your guest, so I'll do as you say."
As Xu Yan stared in astonishment, the unruly princess Xu Tianzhen, who had always done whatever she pleased and never bothered with formalities, clutched the hem of her robe and gave Qian Yuhan a flawless, elegant courtly curtsy. Then she openly invited him to have a meal with her.
And Qian Yuhan, who had refused Xu Yan's invitation to eat at the entrance of the Princess Mansion just moments ago, even telling him with a stern face to act a little more mature and steady, readily accepted Xu Tianzhen's invitation. He even very courteously led over the gray-shelled tortoise that had been sprawled on the ground, slowly munching on a carrot, and helped Xu Tianzhen climb onto its back.
History always repeated itself in astonishing ways. Just like the shrimp-and-computer expression the Rakshasa Phantom had imitated earlier, Xu Yan wasn't about to be outdone. He promptly made the same sort of crestfallen face as the Rakshasa Phantom.
No, my little princess, what are you two doing?! One of you is eleven and the other is twelve. This is only your second time meeting!
How are you already treating each other like an old married couple who've been together for years?
Does this make sense?
It doesn't!
"Prin—"
Xu Yan was about to say something, but before he could get the words out, Xu Tianzhen delivered a "heavy blow."
Sitting atop the tortoise's thick shell, Xu Tianzhen looked back at Xu Yan and waved at him with a cheerful smile.
"Xu Yan, aren't you off duty today? You've been busy for so many days without going home, so I'm sure you have plenty of personal matters to take care of. Xu Yu is on duty today, so go on and take care of things without worrying. This princess won't keep you for lunch."
Xu Yan: "?"
666. She isn't even pretending anymore—she's just waving me off, right? Xu Tianzhen, you've really picked the wrong soft touch to mess with!
Xu Tianzhen, Xu Tianzhen, you really are my fourth imperial uncle the emperor's daughter.
The way you grind someone down after they've served their purpose... No, why would I call myself a donkey?! Yes, that's it—you're just like him, burning the bridge after crossing the river.
Fine, fine. Since you're telling me to leave, then I'll leave.
I'll go straight to the palace and complain to my fourth imperial uncle the emperor. Let's see how he reacts.
He was a marquis, after all. No matter how unserious Xu Yan usually was, he wasn't so shameless that he'd insist on staying for a meal.
He cupped his hands toward Xu Tianzhen and said, "This subject takes his leave." Then he turned and headed for the main gate of the Princess Mansion.
As soon as he was outside the gate, determined to make sure his fourth imperial uncle the emperor heard about this, Xu Yan didn't even bother with the ban on flying in busy areas. Under the disdainful stares of the crowd, he shot off toward the Imperial City.
Only when he neared the Imperial City's gates did he land, steady and composed. Then he ran straight toward Wenhua Hall, where the old emperor, Xu Kun, napped and reviewed memorials.
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