Veil of Darkness: The Enchantress's Revenge

Chapter 16: Family Banquet (2)

"Princess, please eat." Just as she was lost in thought, that warm voice rang in her ears again.

Standing behind Shangguan Mo, Ouyang Lin, invisible to everyone else, wore a smug smile, pleased that this fox finally had someone to handle him!

Shangguan Mo glanced at the plate of tofu in front of her, then picked it up and said gently, "Your Highness, you should try it too. It's really delicious and very nutritious!"

As she spoke, she poured a large portion into Gong Jue Shang's bowl, looking at him with anticipation.

Gong Jue Shang appeared somewhat moved. "Princess... cough, cough..." Perhaps too excited, he began to cough uncontrollably.

Shangguan Mo quickly reached out to pat his back, concerned. "Your Highness, are you alright?" As she examined Gong Jue Shang's expression, a hint of a smile crept into her eyes. Surely he didn't enjoy tofu as much as he pretended?

"I'm fine! I'm just a bit moved. You're so good to me, Princess!"

Shangguan Mo blushed and poured the remaining tofu from the plate into his bowl, filling it to the brim. "If you like it, eat more! After all, we are... we are one, so it's only right for me to treat you well."

She almost let slip that they were like birds of a feather who would abandon each other in times of trouble. It seemed that dealing with Gong Jue Shang was truly delightful, causing her to almost make a mistake in her words!

Gong Jue Yi watched Gong Jue Shang eating tofu with great effort and couldn't help but chuckle, "Third Prince, didn't you say you didn't like tofu?" He had thoroughly investigated Gong Jue Shang's preferences, so he was well aware of this, though what he had found out was likely limited to what Gong Jue Shang allowed him to uncover.

Gong Jue Shang looked up at him, surprised. "How does Second Brother know?" But before Gong Jue Yi could respond, he smiled warmly, his eyes filled with happiness. "The Princess says it's nutritious!" He looked utterly enchanted by Shangguan Mo, as if he were hopelessly in love.

Shangguan Mo thought to herself that he was overacting, which might backfire.

Gong Mingxuan observed Gong Jue Shang with a complex expression.

He had always harbored suspicions about Gong Jue Shang, which was why he had sent people to keep watch over him. However, every woman he granted to Gong Jue Shang seemed to die shortly thereafter. Was it merely a coincidence? Was it really that Gong Jue Shang was just too lucky?

This made him even more suspicious of Gong Jue Shang, yet he found no evidence to support his doubts. Without proof, he couldn't take action against Gong Jue Shang. Each time he saw him in his frail state, he felt a pang of guilt, recalling that beloved woman who had perished so tragically. Even though he knew that nurturing a tiger would lead to trouble, he was still reluctant to eliminate him. He worried that if he made a mistake, Wan'er would never forgive him!

What he didn't realize was that the decision he made back then had already cost him Wan'er's forgiveness. She might have had her reasons, but the despair of knowing that the person she loved would harm their own flesh and blood had driven her to her end. Wan'er appeared gentle, but she was actually a resolute person!

Throughout the family banquet, everyone noticed Gong Jue Shang and Shangguan Mo constantly displaying their affection. More accurately, Gong Jue Shang was continuously showcasing how much he adored Shangguan Mo, while she merely played along. Watching their seamless performance, one could only wonder how these two had managed to stay apart for over three months!

Everyone else had their own thoughts, and it seemed that no one was truly focused on the food.

The carriage made its slow way back to the Wangfu, and Gong Jue Shang, lazily leaning against the carriage wall, asked, "Why don't you expose me?"

Shangguan Mo replied with a faint smile, "What benefit would I gain from exposing you? And why do you think I wouldn't expose you?"

Gong Jue Shang curled his lips, an unusual hint of mischief shining through. "I don't think you wouldn't expose me; rather, it doesn't matter if you do. Besides..." He narrowed his eyes at Shangguan Mo and said softly, "You are not someone Gong Mingxuan can control!"

Shangguan Mo raised an eyebrow but remained silent, and the carriage fell into a quiet stillness with no one else speaking.

Upon returning to the Underworld Courtyard, Yun Su immediately came out to greet her. "Miss, are you alright? Where is Lin?"

Yun Su had been worried about Shangguan Mo's trip to the palace. Although she had never been to the palace herself, she knew the complexities of court politics. While she was aware that her mistress was no ordinary person, her worry persisted, especially given the distant relationship between Shangguan Mo and the Ghost King.

Shangguan Mo smiled lightly. "Are you asking about me or Ouyang?"

Yun Su didn't hesitate to answer, "Of course, I want to know both!"

"Ha ha... Don't worry, I'm fine. Ouyang saw two wandering spirits on the way and went to deal with them. He should be back soon."

Just then, Ouyang Lin floated in. He now found being a ghost quite enjoyable, able to float around freely, which was better than using lightness skills. Although people couldn't see him, it was enough that Su Su could.

Ouyang Lin handed the small purple gourd in his hand to Shangguan Mo and curiously asked, "How did you know we would encounter ghosts outside?" She had even given him the gourd beforehand, instructing him to capture any wandering spirits he saw.

Shangguan Mo waved her hand, and the purple gourd hung at her waist like a beautiful ornament. She had made this gourd herself, specifically to contain spirits, and could release them whenever needed.

Shangguan Mo sat down in a chair, took a sip of the tea Yun Su had poured for her, and then said, "I don't know! I just thought we might encounter something."

Ouyang Lin was speechless; he had thought she was prophetic! Then, he curiously asked, "Why didn't you expose the Ghost King?"

Yun Su didn't understand the situation, so Ouyang Lin quickly explained for her.

Yun Su's eyes widened in surprise. "The Ghost King is pretending to be sick?" And he had managed to do so under the Emperor's nose without anyone noticing? But she was also curious as to why her mistress didn't expose the Ghost King. Did she have feelings for him?

However, her mistress didn't seem like that kind of person! Plus, Shangguan Mo had been in the Wangfu for quite some time now, and she had hardly interacted with the Ghost King. To anyone who looked, she seemed more like a young lady from a prominent family than a woman with a husband.