Facing the Crown Princess’s gaze, the disciples were both nervous and expectant.
Her gaze was firmly locked on the farthest edge of the crowd. In that corner, a young man in plain clothes was lowering his head, lost in thought.
Who would have thought that the next moment, Ji Xuanyuan’s steps suddenly halted.
He wore the customary plain robe of a collateral disciple, the fabric washed white. The silk and finery of the direct-line disciples around him made him look like a white dove that had mistakenly wandered into a flock of cranes.
But in Ji Xuanyuan’s eyes, there was only him in the world.
Chu Yunlan, walking ahead, had not yet noticed her gaze and continued to lead the way:
“Crown Princess, this way, please…”
Ignoring this, Ji Xuanyuan directly deviated from the path Chu Yunlan was leading.
She did not walk quickly, but each step was resolute, as if that path was originally meant to extend in that direction.
Many disciples standing in her way simultaneously stepped aside, their hearts filled with shock and uncertainty.
Sensing that something was amiss, Chu Yunlan finally noticed and turned around to see the Crown Princess already walking among the crowd.
Following Ji Xuanyuan’s gaze, he saw that collateral waste standing at the edge of the crowd. His pupils contracted slightly; even though he had already guessed, the proper smile on his lips could barely be maintained.
Under the varied gazes of the crowd, Ji Xuanyuan walked up to the one her heart desired:
“Young Master Yuan.”
Her voice was not loud, but it fell clearly into the ears of everyone present.
Those four short words struck the hearts of everyone present like a heavy hammer.
In an instant, the courtyard of the Chu Mansion fell into a deathly silence.
The gazes of all who focused on that plain-clothed youth were as unfamiliar as if they were seeing him for the first time.
“What?” No one knew who first made a sound, hoarse and dry like a broken bellows: “How could the Crown Princess… be with that waste…”
Hearing this, many disciples came to their senses and whispered in agreement: “Yeah! Could it be that Brother Linfeng was right? They know each other?”
A direct-line disciple opened his mouth wide, his jaw nearly dropping.
He rubbed his eyes vigorously, thinking he was hallucinating.
But after rubbing, he looked again, and the Crown Princess was indeed standing before Chu Yuan.
The smile on her charming face was many times more genuine than when she had treated Young Master Yunlan earlier.
“Th-this is impossible.” The disciples of the Chu family murmured, their voices filled with a confusion that came from their worldview collapsing.
In their eyes, what was Chu Yuan? He was nothing but a waste orphan whose parents died early! That face? Ordinary. That cultivation? Insignificant. That family background? Not even fit to hold his shoes.
But for such a waste, the Crown Princess actually walked over on her own and said “Long time no see”? That tone, that expression—clearly they were old acquaintances!
Another disciple shook his head vigorously, as if trying to shake off some absurd thought: “No no no… it must be a mistake. The Crown Princess might have mistaken him. Yes, she must have mistaken him!!!”
Just as everyone couldn’t believe it, Chu Yuan sighed: “Crown Princess, what long time no see? Didn’t we meet just yesterday? Counting the time, it’s only been one night at most, right?”
After saying this, his face was full of helplessness that said “Why are you here?”
This helpless expression looked more like showing off in the eyes of the disciples.
Especially when Ji Xuanyuan replied with a smile: “As they say, a day apart feels like three autumns. One night apart counts as many days!”
Seeing the Crown Princess’s affectionate gaze, anyone not stupid could tell their relationship was extraordinary.
Some disciples in the crowd turned pale.
When they had come over earlier, they had mocked Chu Yuan for “climbing high branches” and “dumb luck,” and said that the Crown Princess would “throw him back to his original form once she got bored.”
But now, the Crown Princess had actually walked over on her own.
This was definitely not Chu Yuan clinging on, but the Crown Princess taking the initiative.
The mockers’ faces were slapped resoundingly, and they wished they could find a hole to crawl into.
Of course, more people were amazed.
A collateral disciple huddled behind the crowd and couldn’t help muttering quietly: “Tsk tsk tsk!! What background does this waste really have? He actually managed to charm the Crown Princess…”
The senior disciple beside him shook his head, his gaze complicated: “I don’t know. If this kid really has that skill, we’ll have to learn from him later!”
That collateral disciple agreed: “Indeed! For him to make the Crown Princess not even glance at our Young Master Yunlan, this kid definitely has great skill!”
Many similar whispers arose, and gazes turned to Chu Yunlan in the corridor.
Sensing the mocking gazes, Young Master Yunlan standing in the shadows twitched at the corner of his eye, his smile growing more rigid. The gloom in his eyes almost overflowed.
Actually, he was already used to this pair’s intimate interactions.
But the young master hadn’t expected this scene to happen within the clan.
In Chu Yunlan’s view, this was the Crown Princess slapping his face in front of everyone.
Since that was the case, he would have even less psychological burden about his methods toward the Crown Princess from then on.
Taking a deep breath, Chu Yunlan put his smile back on and walked over: “Haha! I didn’t expect Yuan Di and the Crown Princess to have such a deep relationship! In that case, how about letting Yuan Di attend to the Crown Princess’s daily needs? I can make other arrangements as well, to avoid slighting Your Highness.”
His tone was natural, his posture composed, as if that momentary loss of poise had never happened.
But the tips of his fingers inside his sleeves had already dug deeply into his palms.
Chu Zhenshan nearby sensed trouble and quickly said: “How could such an important matter as attending to the Crown Princess be entrusted to…”
Before he could finish, Chu Yuan transmitted a sound to stop him:
【Chu Great Elder, let this disciple attend to the Crown Princess. It just so happens that this disciple has matters to handle with the Crown Princess.】
Although he didn’t know why this fake young master arranged it that way, Chu Yuan needed to use the Crown Princess anyway, so this gave him an opportunity.
Seeing this, although Chu Zhenshan was confused, he could only respond:
【Yes.】
Just then, Chu Yunlan interrupted: “Chu Great Elder, what kind of talk is that! The key to the person attending the Crown Princess is that the Crown Princess likes them; status doesn’t matter.”
Ji Xuanyuan also chimed in: “Yes! Great Elder, I think Young Master Yuan… is very good!”
After saying this, her gaze at Chu Yuan was so ambiguous it seemed to be drawing threads.
Facing such a gaze, even though Chu Yuan was mentally prepared, he couldn’t help shivering:
‘Why is this woman so reluctant to let me go?’
Chu Zhenshan sighed and, following his Holy Son’s words, could only bow and say: “In that case, let this Chu Yuan attend to the Crown Princess! I have already had someone prepare the East Courtyard in the mansion. Chu Yuan, take the Crown Princess there.”
Chu Yuan accepted the order and led the way.
As he turned his head, he caught a glimpse of a nine-tailed phantom in the shadows.
Seeing that his own chef was going to attend to that woman, the young dragon that had been lazily coiled in the Fox Venerable’s arms became unsettled.
Su Xuanxuan had already brought Gu Su Die to stand nearby.
Its dark golden vertical pupils suddenly widened, and the tip of its tail stiffened: “Why is that woman here again?!”
Gu Su Die’s voice rose an octave, with a kind of explosive fury.
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