Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 249: Mao Sui recommended himself, and the young man had a heart like iron.
248. Naively Putting Oneself Forward, a Heart as Cold as Iron
When Miss Murong arrived, Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao naturally could not stay any longer. However, neither of them left. Mo Xiuyao casually picked up the teacups they had both used and led Ye Li through a hidden door. There was a reason Xu Qingchen chose this inn to lodge in; it was originally a secret outpost of Prince Ding’s Mansion in Ancheng City. As Ancheng City was the fourth largest city in Xiling, Prince Ding’s Mansion would naturally pay close attention to it. Behind the hidden door was a small secret room. It wasn’t as well-furnished as the outer rooms; there was only a table, a few stools, and a bamboo couch. They had just settled down when they heard Miss Murong’s voice outside requesting to see Xu Qingchen, followed by the sound of him opening the door.
Xu Qingchen looked down at the elegantly dressed woman standing before him and offered a light smile. "Miss Murong, what brings you here?"
Miss Murong’s beautiful eyes, visible from behind her veil, stared blankly at Xu Qingchen. She saw that the refined and otherworldly gentleman standing at the door had no intention of inviting her in. She couldn’t help but bite her lip and ask, "Won’t Young Master Qingchen invite me in?"
Xu Qingchen gave a faint smile. "It’s getting late. Miss Murong’s visit at this hour... might be damaging to your reputation. Miss, please return." As he spoke, Xu Qingchen took a step back, clearly intending to close the door again.
Miss Murong, alarmed, reached out and grabbed Xu Qingchen’s sleeve. "Young Master Qingchen..."
Xu Qingchen looked at her with some surprise. He hadn’t expected Miss Murong to be a martial arts practitioner as well. Although Xu Qingchen himself did not know martial arts, he knew many experts among the people he associated with. Therefore, with Xu Qingchen’s eye, he could naturally judge that this Miss Murong’s skill was about upper-middle rank, which was quite good among women.
"Miss Murong, what is the meaning of this?" Xu Qingchen retrieved his sleeve, lowered his gaze, and asked indifferently.
"Young Master Qingchen... I... Mingyan has something I wish to discuss with you privately. Please, Young Master, grant my request," Miss Murong looked up at Xu Qingchen and pleaded sincerely.
Xu Qingchen pondered for a moment and eventually stepped back, allowing her to enter. Miss Murong clearly breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped into Xu Qingchen’s room.
Xu Qingchen’s room was arranged with a serene and refined elegance, vastly different from the opulent grandeur of the Murong family. Miss Murong turned to look at Xu Qingchen, dressed in white, appearing simple and otherworldly. She suddenly felt rather embarrassed.
She was initially very confident in herself. She was the most beautiful girl in Ancheng City and the sole heir to the Murong family. Therefore, she could afford to adorn herself with the most beautiful jewelry, wear the most extravagant clothes, and enjoy the most exquisite cuisine. However, when she saw the man in front of her, she suddenly felt ashamed of her magnificent attire. It was as if the jewelry and fine clothes that people usually admired had instantly become common and vulgar.
She even began to regret taking her maid’s advice to dress up so grandly to meet Young Master Qingchen. Would he despise her for being vulgar? Yes, the Xu Family, for generations a renowned scholarly family, naturally appreciates refined and serene things. At this thought, Miss Murong wished she could immediately go back and give the maid who had suggested the idea a sound thrashing.
"Miss Murong, please sit. Have some tea." Xu Qingchen sat down and poured a cup of tea, placing it on the table opposite himself.
Miss Murong thanked him, lifted the teacup, and took a sip, but couldn’t help frowning. Since childhood, she had used only the best and most exquisite things. Even a princess of the imperial family might not compare to her in terms of material wealth. The tea Xu Qingchen poured for her was not particularly good; even the water wasn’t freshly brewed to the right temperature. If anyone else had served her such tea, she certainly would not have drunk it. But seeing Xu Qingchen drinking his own tea with an unconcerned expression, clearly feeling nothing was amiss, she could only silently endure it.
Seeing the frowning, forbearing woman opposite him, a hint of cold amusement flashed in Xu Qingchen’s eyes. He certainly knew what she was enduring and why she had to endure it. Tea appreciation was naturally an elegant affair, and the Xu Family had always been somewhat more adept at such elegant affairs than any other. Xu Qingchen naturally knew the inn’s tea wasn’t good. However, although Xu Qingchen was a man of refined tastes, he was, after all, living in the mortal world. When official duties were at their busiest, it was good enough to have some tea to drink. Who would still pay attention to whether the tea leaves were good, the water for brewing was good, or if the temperature was just right?
"Miss Murong, what is it that you wish to say?" Xu Qingchen asked straightforwardly.
Miss Murong had clearly never met a man who was so impolite to her. It wasn’t that Xu Qingchen was rude to her; in fact, Xu Qingchen was more modest and courteous than most men she had met. But his every word and action clearly conveyed his indifference towards her.
Miss Murong bit her lip, feeling somewhat wronged. She raised her hand and removed the veil that had been covering her face, revealing a beautiful countenance. However, this time, Miss Murong was still disappointed. There wasn’t even the slightest ripple in Xu Qingchen’s gaze as he looked at her. It was as if it made no difference to him whether the woman before him was veiled and her features indistinct, or possessed a beautiful face and outstanding looks. Miss Murong looked at Xu Qingchen for a long time. Finally, after confirming that he truly did not care about her appearance, she lowered her eyes to hide the vexation and frustration within them. "My name is Mingyan, Murong Mingyan. I have met Young Master Qingchen."
The room was silent. Murong Mingyan felt secretly frustrated. She had only perceived Young Master Qingchen as a man of mild temperament and refined manners, forgetting that from the moment he appeared, he had dared to offend her grand-uncle and the Murong family. How could he be an easy person to talk to? Waiting for a long while without Xu Qingchen speaking, Murong Mingyan looked somewhat aggrievedly at the emotionally detached man before her and, gritting her teeth, said, "Young Master Qingchen... are you willing to marry into the Murong family?"
At her words, not only did the hidden guards protecting Xu Qingchen nearly let their jaws drop, but even Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li in the secret room couldn’t help but change their expressions. Ye Li’s pretty face darkened, and she said coldly, "This Murong Mingyan has quite some nerve!"
Mo Xiuyao nodded in agreement. "Indeed, quite some nerve! The Murong family dares to try and poach from me? Don’t they want to live anymore?"
Outside, Xu Qingchen, however, was as calm as ever and said indifferently, "What does Miss Murong mean by this?"
A bitter smile appeared on Murong Mingyan’s beautiful face. She gazed fixedly at Xu Qingchen and said, "Young Master Qingchen also heard my grandfather’s words. They will choose a husband for me from among the top ten masters to be the son-in-law of the Murong family."
Xu Qingchen lowered his eyes. "I am not proficient in martial arts. Let alone the top ten masters, I cannot even win against a third-rate master. Miss Murong, I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong person."
Murong Mingyan shook her head. "No, Young Master Qingchen is different. You are famous throughout the world, your talent and wisdom unsurpassed. If Young Master Qingchen is willing to marry into the Murong family, even if it’s the number one master in the world, my grandfather would give him up for you."
Looking at Xu Qingchen’s indifferent expression, Murong Mingyan hesitantly asked, "Young Master... is unwilling?"
"I am not worthy of Miss Murong," Xu Qingchen said modestly, but in reality, he was rejecting Murong Mingyan’s proposal.
Murong Mingyan’s expression changed slightly. "Why? If you marry me, the entire Murong family will be yours. Isn’t possessing the entire Murong family thousands, even tens of thousands of times better than serving Prince Ding in Licheng? Or... or am I not beautiful enough to be worthy of Young Master Qingchen?"
Xu Qingchen shook his head, smiling as he looked at Murong Mingyan. "Miss Murong, matters of marriage depend on fate. I do not share such a fate with Miss Murong, so please do not insist. With your talent, looks, and the Murong family’s wealth, there are plenty of young, talented men in this world willing to seek your hand."
Tears welled in the eyes of the teenage girl who had personally come to ask a man if he would marry her, only to receive such a response. With some reluctance, she stared at Xu Qingchen. "Does Young Master Qingchen already have someone in his heart? No... Mingyan has never heard of Young Master Qingchen being close to any lady. Even Princess Anxi of Nanzhao is already married. I don’t believe there’s any woman in the world more worthy of Young Master Qingchen than I."
Young Master Qingchen leisurely sipped his slightly cool tea. Looking at the tear-streaked woman opposite him, he calmly said, "Matters of marriage sometimes have nothing to do with worthiness. Perhaps one day, I will meet a suitable woman. She might not be extraordinarily talented, nor possess heavenly beauty, and she could even come from an ordinary family. It is quite meaningless for Miss Murong to measure things by ’worthiness’. I presume Miss Murong has nothing more to say. Please take your leave."
Being so unceremoniously rejected by Xu Qingchen, embarrassment filled Murong Mingyan’s radiant face. Staring at Xu Qingchen, a hint of resentment crept into her beautiful eyes. Gritting her teeth, she said, "My entry was not unseen. If I were to say something happened between us, do you think the world would believe you more, or me?"
Xu Qingchen looked somewhat helplessly at Murong Mingyan, shaking his head. "Miss Murong, if you were an ordinary girl, people would naturally believe you more. But... I’m afraid that now, the people of Ancheng City are more likely to believe me."
In the eyes of the world, Murong Mingyan could be said to be a gold mountain. Who would believe that someone who obtained a gold mountain would still push it away? Moreover, now, never mind that there was nothing between him and Murong Mingyan; even if there were, plenty of people would be willing to believe they were innocent. A woman was simply too insignificant compared to the entire Murong family. Murong Mingyan was taken aback at first, but soon understood Xu Qingchen’s meaning.
Her threat having failed, Murong Mingyan’s pretty face flushed red. She bit her lip resentfully and said, "I will definitely make you marry me!"
Xu Qingchen smiled without speaking, but his calm, unwavering gaze made it very clear: I will never marry you.
Finally, Murong Mingyan covered her face and fled in tears. Xu Qingchen gave a faint smile, closed the door, and sat down again to pour himself a cup of tea.
"Elder Brother, what did that Murong Mingyan mean?" Ye Li walked out from the hidden door, came to Xu Qingchen’s side, sat down, and asked softly.
Mo Xiuyao followed her out, chuckling teasingly. "Does that even need asking? Naturally, Young Master Qingchen’s extraordinary handsomeness has stirred Miss Murong’s affections. Among the top ten masters, aside from the Southern Garrison Prince and Ling Tiehan... and that Ren Qining, there are no other particularly presentable figures. The Southern Garrison Prince is no longer young and has suffered a significant injury, Ling Tiehan is the head of assassins in the worldly society, and Ren Qining is not well-known. Since Miss Murong is at an age where she yearns for love, she naturally wants to choose a husband she finds pleasing to the eye."
Ye Li frowned and huffed softly. "Just because she fancies him, she wants Elder Brother to marry into her family? Who does she think she is? If Elder Brother really lost his mind for a moment and agreed, wouldn’t our maternal grandfather and uncles break his legs when he returned? For the eldest young master of the Xu Family to marry into a merchant family would be one thing, but to choose such a self-important woman on top of that!"
Xu Qingchen smiled, took another teacup from the side, poured her a cup of cool tea, and said with a smile, "Li’er, your elder brother has no plans to marry for now. Besides, this is just Murong Mingyan’s own wishful thinking. How could Murong Xiong and the Murong Family Head agree? Between them... I think Pavilion Master Ling is more likely."
The Murong family would definitely not marry their daughter to the Xiling imperial family, so the available choices were extremely limited. If they want to contend with the Southern Garrison Prince, the only people Miss Murong could marry were Mo Jingqi, Ling Tiehan, and Mo Xiuyao. However, Mo Xiuyao didn’t even appear, so the final candidates were only Mo Jingqi and Ling Tiehan. And Xu Qingchen believed that Ling Tiehan’s chances were higher. After all, King of Hell Pavilion itself is within Xiling territory; marrying into the Murong family would be a powerful alliance, a case of strong joining strong. Moreover, Ling Tiehan and the Southern Garrison Prince have a feud. Yet, King of Hell Pavilion and Ling Tiehan have existed safely and stably for so many years, which also shows the Southern Garrison Prince’s apprehension towards Ling Tiehan.
Mo Xiuyao frowned in thought for a moment, then said, "Not necessarily. If Young Master Qingchen were truly willing to marry into the Murong family, Murong Xiong might indeed give up Ling Tiehan. A marriage alliance between the Murong family and King of Hell Pavilion is certainly good, but the future head of the family would no longer be a Murong. But if Young Master Qingchen, whose intelligence is unmatched in the world, were to marry in, it would be completely different. Not only could they leverage the relationship with the Xu Family and Prince Ding’s Mansion to check the Xiling imperial family, they would also have Young Master Qingchen’s peerless strategies and Murong Xiong’s supreme martial arts holding the fort. The Southern Garrison Prince would have to think twice before trying to move against the Murong family."
"So... Brother Qingchen, you must be extremely careful this time," Mo Xiuyao urged earnestly. If he were to carelessly lose such an intelligent person to share the burden of political affairs, it would indeed cause him a great deal of trouble.
Xu Qingchen pondered the possibility Mo Xiuyao had raised, then after a moment, nodded with a smile. "Thank you for the reminder, Prince."
His saying so naturally meant he had a countermeasure. Mo Xiuyao didn’t say much more. Taking Ye Li’s hand, he stood up. "If you need to deploy anyone, Elder Brother, just do so yourself. Ah-Li and I will also remain in Ancheng City. Be careful with everything."
Xu Qingchen nodded calmly, watching them leave.
After seeing Mo Xiuyao and Ye Li off, Xu Qingchen frowned, contemplating what might happen the next day. Under the candlelight, a faint smile touched his handsome lips. There were many things where he was willing to make concessions and didn’t want to be too ruthless, but... he hoped the Murong family would be sensible enough tomorrow as well.
"Young Master Qingchen." A hidden guard stood at the door reporting.
Xu Qingchen sat up straighter and, turning his head slightly, asked, "What is it?"
The hidden guard walked in, presenting a letter with both hands. "This is a message just relayed from Baihu."
Xu Qingchen took the letter, and the hidden guard respectfully withdrew. He broke the wax seal and opened the letter, which bore a white tiger mark. Xu Qingchen raised an eyebrow. This Ren Qining... he doesn’t seem to show his capabilities, but it turns out he’s quite interesting. He can only blame himself for being too clever for his own good and trying to test Mo Xiuyao and Li’er. He resealed the letter and summoned a hidden guard, instructing him to deliver it to Prince Ding and the Princess Consort. Xu Qingchen shook his head and turned to go to the inner room to rest.
Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao returned to their inn, Ye Li still silently fuming. Seeing her pretty face still slightly dark, Mo Xiuyao couldn’t help but chuckle. "Ah-Li, how could your elder brother fancy a woman like that? If you remain so angry, your husband is going to get jealous."
Ye Li shot him an exasperated look.
Mo Xiuyao chuckled and pulled her into his arms. "Isn’t that so? It’s your elder brother’s marriage, yet you’re so concerned. Shouldn’t your husband be jealous?"
Leaning against Mo Xiuyao, Ye Li asked with some worry and hesitation, "Am I really meddling too much? Actually, Miss Murong wasn’t as terrible as she had made her out to be. It was just that, because it concerned her elder brother, she always hoped for a more perfect woman for him. But just as her elder brother said, whether someone was a good match or not didn’t solely depend on external conditions."
Seeing Ye Li’s worried and indecisive look, Mo Xiuyao couldn’t resist planting several kisses on her face before chuckling softly. "Ah-Li, you’re just overwrought with concern, that’s why you’re so anxious. What kind of person is Brother Xu? If he truly likes someone, even if none of you approve, how could you stop him? Since he has said so, it naturally means he truly doesn’t fancy Murong Mingyan. Your judgment isn’t wrong; that Murong Mingyan is indeed not worthy of Brother Xu." At times like this, Mo Xiuyao didn’t mind saying a few good words about Xu Qingchen.
Ye Li then felt a little more at ease. Silently reminding herself to offer fewer opinions on her elder brother’s choice of spouse in the future. People tend to be self-centered, thinking this is good and that is bad. Ultimately, as long as her elder brother thought it was good, others shouldn’t say much more about his marriage.
"Greetings, Your Highness, Your Highness Consort." A shadowy figure appeared silently in the outer room, standing respectfully with hands clasped.
Mo Xiuyao frowned in displeasure. "What is it?"
"Young Master Qingchen ordered this subordinate to deliver a letter."
"Bring it in," Mo Xiuyao said lazily, still leaning on the bamboo couch.
The person outside hesitated for a moment but still walked in. In the inner room, the window was half-open. On the bamboo couch by the window, the Prince was lolling lazily against the Princess Consort, showing no sign of getting up. Just as the messenger was thinking this, a piercingly cold gaze shot towards him, making him shiver involuntarily. He quickly presented the letter and said crisply, "This subordinate takes his leave."
Seeing his tact, Mo Xiuyao gave a noncommittal humph. The messenger immediately felt as if he had received a pardon and scurried out like a gust of wind.
Mo Xiuyao, half-lying on the bamboo couch with his head pillowed on Ye Li’s lap, leisurely unsealed the letter. After a short while, he chuckled softly.
Ye Li asked, puzzled, "What is it?"
Mo Xiuyao handed her the letter and smiled. "I said it, didn’t I? The Murong family put on such a grand show; it’s important to draw out a few formidable figures. This year’s Martial Arts Conference has been somewhat too dull. Looks like there will be a good show tomorrow."
Ye Li looked at the letter with a puzzled expression, her fine eyebrows gradually knitting together. "Even our people can’t find out Ren Qining’s identity. Such a person..."
Mo Xiuyao continued, "Such a person has either never appeared in the worldly society before, or they are from a mysterious power that has been hidden for a long time. Heh heh... rather interesting. For Ren Qining to appear so suddenly, surely it can’t be merely for the title of one of the top ten masters, can it? It seems your elder brother’s plan to unite with others against Murong Xiong is probably not going to work out."
"Do you have any thoughts on this?"
"Thoughts? Isn’t this your elder brother’s concern? My dear wife, we are merely two inconspicuous passersby. No need to worry."
