"She... is different," Rongjing replied with a smile.
The Prince of Southern Liang seemed to understand something. He snapped his folding fan open and then shut it, teasing Rongjing meaningfully, "As I recall, the Yun Prince's residence has only one legitimate daughter. For you to treat her so differently, are you perhaps aiming to unite your families? But I imagine that could be tricky!"
"You're reading too much into it, Crown Prince. I simply don't consider her to be... a person," Rongjing responded calmly.
"Uh..." The Southern Liang Prince was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter. His laugh, rich and dashing, even caused the magnolias to seem to bow shyly. Unfazed, he laughed even more freely. Finally, he said, "Years ago, when I happened to meet Prince Dye, he mentioned that Rongjing could insult others without ever using a single crude word. Now I've witnessed it for myself! Just meeting you, even without sharing fine wine or playing this game, has made this visit worthwhile."
"Ye Qingran has wandered the world for seven years, unmatched in charisma. I hear that in the past, a woman you admired once shifted her affections after meeting him. Seeing you so delighted at the mention of Prince Dye, Crown Prince, I assume you no longer hold any grudges over the past?" Rongjing said with a faint smile as he observed the Southern Liang Prince's cheerful expression.
The Prince's laughter stopped abruptly. He swung one leg up to rest casually on the stone table, in true playboy fashion, and grumbled, "I'll remember that about Ye Qingran forever!"
Rongjing smiled subtly, saying nothing further.
Several of the Southern Liang Prince's attendants averted their eyes, clearly embarrassed by their prince's behavior.
"Come, let's play! I'll go first, though I'm not very skilled," the Prince announced, putting down the first piece.
"Very well!" Rongjing waved his sleeve lightly. Without any visible wind, a piece floated gently onto the board, landing precisely where he intended.
"Incredible! Moving pieces through the air so precisely—Rongjing, your skill is remarkable!" The Prince praised, then placed another piece.
"I admire your game, Crown Prince; indeed, your reputation for a meticulous approach is well-earned," Rongjing said, sweeping his hand gracefully as another piece landed perfectly.
"I heard that ten years ago, you and Master Lingyin once played a game of Linglong here but never managed to solve it. Did you keep that layout, by chance?" the Southern Liang Prince inquired.
"The Linglong board was a dangerous puzzle. Master Lingyin and I never managed to solve it, and we nearly fell into its snares. I threw it over the cliff, lest it lead others into harm," Rongjing replied coolly.
"A pity, but better left gone if it posed a danger," the Prince sighed, seeming to drop the topic.
Both men fell silent.
Piece by piece, the board quickly filled, with over ten moves exchanged in a short time. The Southern Liang Prince's movements gradually slowed, while Rongjing remained relaxed and at ease.
Just then, footsteps sounded from below, approaching the mountain top. One sounded like a man's, light and steady, likely an expert martial artist. The other four, more hurried and slightly breathless, had a faint trace of perfume.
"Hmm, who's coming? A beauty, perhaps? What's their name?" the Southern Liang Prince looked toward the approaching footsteps, unable to see clearly due to the high elevation, rocky terrain, and thick foliage, so he asked one of his attendants.
"Your Highness, it appears to be one man and four women. The man seems to be the Heir of Yun Prince's residence; the ladies are unfamiliar to me," a young guard replied promptly, embarrassed that his prince's focus shifted so quickly to wine and beauty.
"Ah, so it's the Heir of Yun Prince's residence—the elder brother of Miss Yun here?" The Southern Liang Prince glanced at Yun Qianyue, a quick flicker of something in his gaze before it vanished as quickly as a blink.
"Yes, Your Highness," the guard confirmed.
"With the young heir of Yun Prince's residence here on Xiangquan Mountain, there's hardly any need for Rongjing to play her protector," the Prince remarked with a grin.
"Indeed, but Yun Muhan must have been otherwise preoccupied with a beauty of his own, leaving this unruly girl unattended," Rongjing replied lightly.
"Is that so? Haha, now I'm curious to see what kind of lady could make the Heir leave his sister behind!" The Southern Liang Prince laughed heartily, pushing the game board aside as he bowed to Rongjing. "I'm afraid I must admit defeat. My skills are no match for yours, so I concede this match."
"Very well," Rongjing nodded.
The Southern Liang Prince's attendants turned their faces aside once more, stifling their embarrassment. To forfeit so quickly against Rongjing's renowned skill, when so many would be thrilled just to play him? Truly, their prince lacked resolve.
As they spoke, the group from below reached the mountaintop. The young man leading was Yun Muhan, with four women following—Princess Qingwan, Qin Yuning, Rong Linglan, and Leng Shuli.
Qin Yuning had sought out Princess Qingwan, and by chance, encountered Rong Linglan and Leng Shuli, who were both chasing after Ye Tianqing. After a few words, the three of them joined her in finding Princess Qingwan. The princess had been with Yun Muhan, who had initially intended to stay behind, but when Qin Yuning mentioned that Rongjing and "Sister Yue" were also here to view the magnolias, Yun Muhan, after a brief pause, agreed to join them. This led to the current situation.
"Well, well, if it isn't Yun Muhan! Such a pleasure to meet!" The Southern Liang Prince, his eyes sparkling with interest, looked over Yun Muhan and the four ladies behind him, all exquisite beauties, and chuckled, "One beauty after another! It seems Yun Muhan has an even greater way with ladies than I do—truly admirable!"
"It's a pleasure to see you too, Crown Prince of Southern Liang," Yun Muhan replied, slightly taken aback by seeing Nanling Rui here. For a moment, his gaze turned dark, but he quickly looked away and settled his eyes on Yun Qianyue, who lay fast asleep on a stone across from Rongjing. His face hardened as he turned to Rongjing, asking, "How did she end up drunk like this?"
"She was being mischievous and drank too much. I was wondering how I'd take her back, but now that you're here, you can carry her. That'll spare me the trouble of sitting here in the cold, waiting for her to wake up," Rongjing replied.
Yun Muhan frowned, "How much did she drink?"
YOU ARE READING
The Dandy's Duchess
ChickLit"The Dandy's Duchess" tells the story of the youngest and most talented general of the National Security Bureau, who sacrifices his life for his country and finds his soul transported to another world, where he is reborn as Yun Qianyue, the only leg...
