Chapter Eighty-Three: The Prince Turned Away at the Door

“Your Highness, since you’re already here, could you stay the night?” Lin Feifei was beginning to feel threatened. In the past, although Xiao Jingxuan never touched her, he was even more indifferent to Su Jingluo. As long as Lin Wanwan never entered the manor, Feifei felt she could wait a lifetime. But now that Lin Wanwan was rushing to marry Xiao Jingxuan, Fine—she could accept that. The greater threat, however, was Su Jingluo. The prince had actually allowed her to speak so boldly, and it almost seemed as if he was trying to please her.

She needed to break through this barrier, perhaps even leave behind a child. Wasn’t it because Su Jingluo was discovered to be pregnant with Yunbai that she turned her fortunes around?

“I’m busy with official business. Let’s talk about it another time.” Xiao Jingxuan brushed Lin Feifei aside with a hint of coldness, his gaze still following Su Jingluo.

Lin Feifei had heard the “busy with official business” excuse so many times over the years that it had become a callus in her ears. In the past, he really did spend every day with Zhuo Yue’an, but now, was his “official business” just keeping an eye on Su Jingluo?

“Your Highness, just for tonight, just…” Lin Feifei hoped Xiao Jingxuan would lower his eyes and look at her, see the tears brimming in her eyes, and perhaps feel a trace of pity for her, just once. But before she could finish, Xiao Jingxuan strode away in great strides.

Su Jingluo! Lin Feifei pounded the door, grinding her teeth in fury.

When Xiao Jingxuan reached the back gate of Luo Jing Pavilion, he found it already locked, leaving him shut out. He had wanted to speak with Yunbai about the young colt.

At that moment, Zhuo Yue’an suddenly approached, and seeing the prince unable to enter his wife’s door, he couldn’t help but think how hard it was to be a man.

“Your Highness, don’t bother staring, your eyes won’t unlock the door. If you like, I could jump over and open it for you,” Zhuo Yue’an said sincerely, feeling sorry for the prince.

“You think I want to go in? I most certainly do not,” Xiao Jingxuan retorted, only now realizing that Zhuo Yue’an had come up beside him.

“Yes, yes, Your Highness, you don’t want to go in—you’re just inspecting the princess’s security arrangements,” Zhuo Yue’an replied, regretting his words the moment they left his mouth. He was making things even more awkward for the prince.

“Are you mocking me?” Xiao Jingxuan’s expression grew strained; the excuse Zhuo Yue’an offered was painfully clumsy.

“Not at all, Your Highness. I actually have something to report. Today, the princess disciplined some of Lin Feifei’s maids,” Zhuo Yue’an said, having heard about the matter from his own men and deciding it was best to let Xiao Jingxuan know.

“So she disciplined them. What of it? Doesn’t the princess often discipline Lin Feifei herself? Sometimes she even disciplines me. Is this really worth reporting? If she disciplined everyone in the manor, so what?”

“Oh? When did that happen? Your Highness, were you especially angry or upset?” Zhuo Yue’an had just been called away by his subordinates. Besides, he was supposed to monitor everyone in the manor—except for Xiao Jingxuan himself. He was especially curious as to why Su Jingluo had changed so much from the past, and why Xiao Jingxuan had now become so attentive to her.

“Have you been eating too many salted turnips lately?” It seemed Zhuo Yue’an himself had changed a great deal from before.

“No, no, Your Highness, you interrupted me and I almost forgot to finish my report. This afternoon, after disciplining the maids, the princess grew worried they might do something outrageous and actually ordered the shadow guards to secretly watch them. The shadow guards firmly refused, stating they only take orders from you, Your Highness, and are unwavering in their loyalty to you—they rejected the princess’s request in no uncertain terms. But, out of concern for the peace of your household, they still followed a few of the maids in secret,” Zhuo Yue’an explained, figuring that after being locked out by Su Jingluo, Xiao Jingxuan would be harboring some pent-up anger. In order not to become collateral damage, he lavished the prince with a flurry of flattery.