Chapter 12

  "Haha——" Sima Rui downed the wine in his cup, he ate very little, and while listening to Bai Min's words, he kept drinking. At this time, his face was slightly flushed, but his eyes were sharp and cruel. "Brother Bai, you're so clever, I indeed kidnapped Murong Xue, she's now at Yuejiao Pavilion. And I do intend to let Murong Xue replace Murong Feng. I can betray the world, but no one is allowed to betray me. Hmph, that Murong Qinglang actually dared to play this trick on me. Originally, I didn't necessarily have to marry Murong Xue, but now I must."

  Bai Min shook his head, "You're not really in love with Rong Xue, you just can't swallow your pride, and it's all because you didn't get what you wanted. What does any of this have to do with Murong Feng? If that's the case, then you should have gritted your teeth and refused to marry her from the start. Murong Feng at least knew to kneel in the rain and beg his father to take back his promise, but you? You're truly ruthless."

  Simarui let out a cold laugh, "Then do you know why Murong Feng refused to marry me? And who is it that lingers in Murong Xue's heart?"

  "Si Ma Zhe." Bai Min said lightly.

  Simarui was stunned on the spot, suddenly laughed loudly, drank up the wine in his cup, and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. He looked at Baimin and couldn't look away. "What else do you know?"

  Bai Min sighed inwardly, and Sima Rui's endurance in his eyes made him feel unbearable. He hesitated for a moment before speaking slowly: "Murong Feng has been living with her grandmother since childhood and returned to the Wang Fu at the age of 14. All she heard about you was your misdeeds, yet she had an excellent brother-in-law who excelled in every aspect. Would you be willing to trade places? As for Murong Xue, she was always the most favored by Murong Qingliang and had a close relationship with Murong Juan. She could often enter the Crown Prince's residence, facing a future king of the Great Xing Dynasty, someone everyone admired, and her father's most cherished man. It's normal that she would have feelings for him. How could she possibly fall in love with you, the fourth prince who is mischievous and has a bad reputation in her eyes? If it were you, wouldn't you also choose Sima Zhe over Sima Rui? Why be angry?"

  Simarui was speechless, lowering his head and drinking cup after cup of wine in silence, although he was angry, he couldn't refute.

  Bai Min stopped talking and looked at Sima Rui, thinking to herself: "Is it because my words were too direct and harsh?" She paused for a moment before continuing: "How you deal with Murong Feng is up to you, without any emotional attachment. Whether you want to keep him or replace him, I'm sure Murong Feng won't mind. What I want now is to take Murong Xue away. If you still want to marry her, you can propose to the Wang family later. However, for now, you must let her return home. If news of this spreads, perhaps Murong Qinglang will have no choice but to marry his daughter off to you. But given his power in court, it's inevitable that rumors and gossip will arise. Even if the Empress Dowager and the Empress favor you greatly, it would be pointless. In the end, it would just be a dull and uninteresting affair."

  Simarui glanced at Baimin, "Alright, I can let Murong Xue go home, but I must put my words first. Even if she has already belonged to Sima Zhe in her heart, I can still make her willingly marry me. As for Murong Feng that girl, it's just her bad luck. I, Simarui, am not a sentimental person, don't expect me to fall in love with her, and divorcing her is only a matter of time. However..." Simarui smiled strangely, "Wouldn't it be too humiliating for you to take the person away like this? I'll make a bet with you instead. From now on, within three days, whenever you find Murong Xue, you can take her away at any time. Will you?"

  Bai Min smiled and said without hesitation, "Alright, a gentleman's word is his bond."

  Simarui looked at Bai Min and blurted out, "Brother Bai, I'm really happy to meet you. Unfortunately, you're a man, or else I'd be willing to put my heart into chasing after you."

  "Haha." Bai Min shook her head and smiled, but didn't say anything.

  After parting with Xiang Lou, Bai Min seemed to have vanished from the world. Sima Rui sent someone to quietly inquire at Murong Wang's mansion, but no one recognized or had heard of a person named Bai Min.

  Simarui could only guess that this person was a killer invited by Murong Qingliang with heavy gold, otherwise how could it be possible that no one in the Murong Wangfu recognized him yet he was familiar with some things about the Murong Wangfu? Moreover, Bai Min had not appeared again at the Drunken Flower Building.

  Simarui unexpectedly had a faint sense of disappointment, regretting that he had hidden Murong Xue's whereabouts too secretly, so that Bai Min couldn't find her. Subconsciously, he really wanted to see this white-robed young master named Bai Min again.

  In the late afternoon, autumn rain suddenly started pouring down. Today was the last day of the third day, and Bai Min still hadn't shown up. Sima Rui sat in the small pavilion in the courtyard, staring blankly at the fish swimming in the water. Ah, hiding Murong Xue here, wasn't it a place that ordinary people could find?

  Is the Fourth Prince's Mansion a place where ordinary people can come and go as they please?!

  Yan Yu walked over gently, Sima Rui's appearance was depressing and frightening. He had been back at the Fourth Prince's mansion for almost three days, but he hadn't seen him smile once. His study, where he spent most of his time, was off-limits to outsiders, and even servants were excused from cleaning it. Three meals a day were delivered punctually outside the door, but he seemed to be constantly preoccupied with worries.

  The fourth prince's concubine, Murong Feng, had been out for six or seven days. Because of the empress dowager's orders, she didn't need to worry about it. She could see that the empress dowager liked this fourth prince's concubine very much, and even spoiled her a bit. It was just a pity that this fourth prince's concubine didn't win the favor of the fourth prince. In fact, Murong Feng, in her opinion, wasn't inferior to Murong Xue at all. Especially with her gentle and peaceful temperament, and elegant demeanor, it wasn't something that ordinary people could learn. To say the least, she felt that this Murong Feng was actually the most likable concubine in the harem.

  "The Fourth Prince and the Grand Princess Consort have arrived. It seems they want to see you." Yan Yu walked closer to Sima Rui, saying softly.

  Simarui raised his eyelids, looked at Yanyu with a vague expression, "Got it, just say I'm not feeling well and don't want to see guests. Right, where's her sister?"

  "The fourth prince's consort returned to her maternal grandmother's place a few days ago to burn incense for her, and she hasn't come back yet." Yan Yu said softly, sighing, only thinking of Murong Feng now.

  "Oh, this is no small matter, who allowed her to leave here?" Sima Rui asked unhappily.

  "Empress Dowager." Yan Yu still spoke softly, she was originally the Empress Dowager's maid, naturally knowing this Sima Rui's temperament and character, it's best not to provoke him if possible.

  Simarui raised an eyebrow, this was somewhat beyond his expectations. Would the Empress Dowager really allow Murong Feng to leave the Fourth Prince's residence? How did Grandmother know that Murong Feng wanted to go out? Had something happened during these few days when he wasn't around? "Hmph, who else has been gossiping about her affairs to Grandmother?"

  Yan Yu shook her head, "On the second day that the Fourth Prince's consort went to serve tea to the Empress Dowager and the Empress, the Empress Dowager took a liking to your consort. For two consecutive mornings, she had De Gonggong come invite the Fourth Prince's consort to keep her company. The Empress Dowager also issued an edict," Yan Yu said this much, then paused slightly, looking at Sima Rui's expression, hesitating before continuing, "The edict is in the hands of the Fourth Prince's consort. The Empress Dowager's edict clearly states that you, Fourth Prince, must not force your consort to obey you. I am not speaking out of turn, but Yan Yu has observed that your consort is truly a lovely person, and it's likely that she is the only one in the harem who can gain the Empress Dowager's favor."

  Simarui knew the identity of Yanyu, although she was a slave in the Fourth Prince's mansion, but after all, she was someone assigned by her grandmother, so what she said still had some weight. Hearing Yanyu praise Murong Feng like that, Simarui really added a few points of doubt in his heart, how could this Murong Feng win over his grandmother's favor? And also get Yanyu's almost unreserved praise? It was indeed unexpected.