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“At that time, the Crown Prince spoke rudely and acted frivolously, displaying a complete lack of decency. In the dim light, it was impossible to see who he truly was; I merely assumed he was an impudent scoundrel, which is why I resorted to violence.”
Luo Jingxian succinctly summarized the situation, causing a wave of whispers to ripple through the crowd. Her beauty was evident to all, but no one expected the Crown Prince to behave so disgracefully.
Murong Cheng was taken aback when Luo Jingxian suddenly regained her senses. He had approached her, enchanted by her beauty, not realizing that she was a concealed martial arts expert capable of easily overpowering him.
“Don’t be ridiculous! When have I ever done such a thing?” Murong Cheng quickly distanced himself from the accusation; otherwise, he would lose face and be unable to hold his head high before the Emperor and the other officials in the future.
However, Luo Jingxian calmly pressed on: “I was at the Imperial Garden with Miss Ye at that time. She left for no more than half a stick of incense. If you were there to sober up as well, it would be quite a coincidence that you happened to encounter me alone during that brief period.”
“This…” Murong Cheng caught a glimpse of the Emperor’s gaze and felt cold sweat trickling down his back. His mind was in chaos, and his responses became increasingly erratic.
“Although it sounds coincidental, I can swear that it is indeed just a coincidence,” Murong Cheng insisted stubbornly.
Luo Jingxian let out a light laugh, though there was no amusement in her voice: “The Crown Prince truly has a short memory. Just moments ago, you professed your infatuation with me. After I rejected you, you attempted to take advantage of me, and it was only after enduring your advances that I fought back.”
“Crown Prince, is this true?”
Lo Cheng was furious upon hearing that Murong Cheng dared to lay hands on his princess while no one was watching. He forgot all about royal etiquette; if Murong Cheng admitted to it, he would not hesitate to confront him in front of the Emperor.
“Father! Don’t listen to this woman’s nonsense! How could my son be such a base person?” Murong Cheng didn’t care about Lo Cheng’s opinion of him, but he could not afford to disregard the Emperor’s view.
Luo Jingxian looked at Murong Cheng’s desperate struggle with a cold smile and addressed the Emperor: “Your Majesty, my Exiled Nation has always held Dongchuan in high regard. This time we even sent royal representatives to Dongchuan specifically to ensure a century of peace between our two nations. How could I possibly speak ill of Dongchuan or Your Majesty within the palace?”
If she had any grievances, they would only be expressed discreetly; who would dare curse the Emperor of Dongchuan in front of its Crown Prince? That would be tantamount to courting death.
Murong Cheng had previously acted without restraint because he believed Luo Jingxian was out of her mind and unable to refute him. But now that she was clear-headed, his excuses shattered like bubbles at the slightest touch.
A person in a daze might indeed say things they themselves do not understand. However, a princess of a nation would never sell herself out to another.
Luo Jingxian's calm demeanor had already swayed most of the public opinion in her favor. Aside from Murong Cheng, hardly anyone would believe that Luo Jingxian would unjustly belittle Dongchuan.
The Crown Prince's words were utterly unconvincing; anyone with a bit of sense silently scorned Murong Cheng in their hearts.
"This... I..." Murong Cheng struggled to find an appropriate excuse. Indeed, Luo Jingxian had no reason to intentionally clash with the Crown Prince of the host country.
Unless, of course, this Crown Prince had acted inappropriately and offended the Exiled Princess first.
The Emperor watched his stammering son below, feeling a complex mix of emotions—regret mingled with heartache.
"Crown Prince, is what the Exiled Princess said true?" The Emperor looked at Murong Cheng with a serious expression, his tone laced with reproach.
Murong Cheng panicked. "Father, it's not like that! Son... Son..."
Yet the facts lay bare before them; Murong Cheng's injuries only served as evidence of his frivolous behavior towards Luo Jingxian.
He stuttered for a long time without being able to explain himself, which only intensified the suspicion against him.
The Emperor exclaimed angrily, "As the Crown Prince of a nation, you have not set an example but instead brought shame upon the royal family. I am thoroughly disappointed! From now on, you will reflect on your actions in isolation and may not leave your quarters without my command!"
"Father!" Murong Cheng pleaded desperately with the Emperor, but it was too late; nothing could change the situation now.
What should have been a grand welcoming banquet turned into a farce, and the Emperor lost all desire to continue. He hastily concluded the feast.
Ye Xiaohan and the others exited the grand hall, preparing to return to their residence, as Luo Jingxian's condition seemed troubling. After Murong Cheng received his due lesson, Luo Jingxian appeared to have exhausted all her energy, as if she were drained of power, her entire being swaying precariously.
However, before they could reach the carriage, Luo Jingxian could no longer hold herself up and collapsed to one side uncontrollably.
"Jingxian!" Lo Cheng quickly caught her in his arms, anxiously asking, "What happened to her?"
Ye Xiaohan stepped forward to check on her and reassured him, "It's nothing; she's just fallen asleep. It must have been too much stimulation earlier. Let her rest for a bit."
Lo Cheng accompanied them back to the residence and confirmed several times that Luo Jingxian was fine before he turned back toward the Palace of the Empress.
His identity restricted his freedom of movement. Even though he was worried, he could only come over to check on her as much as possible without staying at will.
It was not until three full hours later that Luo Jingxian slowly awakened.
When she opened her eyes again, everyone could clearly sense that she had returned to being completely normal.
Yet, there lingered a profound sadness about her that made it difficult for anyone to approach.
"Sister-in-law, has the princess remembered everything from before?" Yang secretly inquired about Luo Jingxian's condition. He suddenly found it hard to distinguish whether this version of Luo Jingxian, who had regained her memory, was better than the carefree one who had lost it.
Ye Xiaohan shook his head. "I haven't talked to her about the past; it's hard for me to say. It seems she has remembered. Sigh... I wonder what she went through during those three years."
What kind of pain could cause the serene Luo Jingxian to display such sorrowful expressions?
However, after waking up, although her consciousness had returned, she became even more distant. Previously, she had instinctively feared strangers; now, it was a conscious choice on her part to silently reject the concern from those around her.
Ye Xiaohan had tried several times to communicate with Luo Jingxian, but she was always ignored. Even Lo Cheng received a cold treatment. Everyone felt helpless.
What had happened back then remained a mystery that they could never uncover from Luo Jingxian.
While the atmosphere in the house was heavy, the streets outside were bustling with excitement. It was the time for the annual Lantern Festival.
This was one of the traditional festivals that Dongchuan took seriously, where everyone would wear Masks while enjoying the festivities. Especially during this time, if young men and women could recognize their beloved beneath the Mask, it was said they would be blessed with a pair.
With this tradition in mind, more couples were eager to participate.
To alleviate the recent heaviness in the house, Liu Yang had been earnestly recommending it to Ye Xiaohan.
"Sister-in-law, you’ve been too tired lately; you really should take a good rest. It's a rare holiday; let’s go out and enjoy it. After all, we are in the capital for the first time to experience the Lantern Festival."
Liu Yang proudly presented the Mask he had bought: "Look at this peacock; its feathers are so lifelike. You’ll look stunning wearing it."
There were two Masks, one of which Liu Yang had prepared for himself. Ye Xiaohan glanced at it and laughed, "This one suits you perfectly; you look just like a little monkey!"
Hearing her words, Liu Yang immediately put on the monkey Mask, scratching his ears and making various monkey-like gestures, which made Ye Xiaohan burst into laughter.
"Alright, I’ll go if that’s what you want," Ye Xiaohan said, seeing Liu Yang's sincerity. Besides, so many unfortunate events had occurred recently that she truly felt exhausted.
After taking care of things at home, Ye Xiaohan set out with Liu Yang to enjoy the festivities in the streets.
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