The Story of a Stroppy Princess

Chapter 17: The Osmanthus Chamber Was Sealed

Sitting in front of Hua Yueling, Mo Wushuang smiled broadly, and showed great interest in Hua’s dramatic change of tone. What a sophisticated woman! It seemed that the Third Prince was bound to lose this time.

"Ok, ok. I will go to fetch the title deed." The landlady ran down the stairs with a pale face.

"Ye You, please go to ask my father for some money and give her a double pay. It is uneasy for a woman to manage such a big restaurant." Finishing her words, Hua Yueling lowered her head and drank a mouthful of fragrant tea for releasing herself; the moment she raised her head, she found that the handsome man opposite to her had been staring at her for a long time.

"What do you think of me, this time?" Looking at Mo Wushuang, Hua Yueling revealed a sly smile. She withdrew her arrogance and dominance, and put on a beaming smile on her face.

Siting on the bamboo chair and looking at her delicate face, Mo Wushuang appreciated, "It is a great pleasure to have a competition with you tomorrow, madam."

"Me, too." Hua Yueling smiled and turned her eyes towards the outside of the window. To her astonishment as well as enjoyment, what came into her view were the infuriated Nangong Lieye with a gloomy and solemn look.

As soon as Mo Wushuang saw her smiling face, he straightened his body and turned his head to see what happened, but what he saw made him burst into laughter again.

"Ling’er, from now on, you will be the neighbor of the Third Prince." Mo Wushuang changed the way he addressed her.

"A fantastic drama is waiting for you?" Hua Yueling smiled more brilliantly, while on the opposite Nangong was livid.

"Ling’er, that’s what you think of me?" He thought, with a smile on his face, that the woman in front of him was extremely smart.

"It isn’t?" Hua Yueling revealed an exaggerated expression at Mo’s question.

"All right, I just feel a little bit curious." Mo Wushuang laughed and confessed outright.

"Let’s wait and see." Hua Yueling showed a confident smile, which found its way to all the sense organs of Mo Wushuang.

"Childe Wushuang, may I call you Wushuang? We’re young; don’t be so stuffy, okay?" Hua Yueling always disliked titles like Miss and Childe. After all, she lived in modern times.

Mo Wushuang smiled and nodded, "Although I’ve never seen you before, I think you are nothing like the rumored Miss Hua. I must have missed something important."

"No, you didn’t. I was too stupid before and I believed that as long as I tried I would get something back, but it proved totally wrong. Finally, I know that love cannot be forced, so I’m sober now. I’m not the nymphomaniac anymore because such a man does not deserve my love." Hua Yueling said with hesitance and there was reminiscence in her eyes. She missed her romance in the modern world. Although she had broken up with her boyfriend for various reasons, they did love each other deeply; their love was so warm that even "the broken-up" could sense its strength and support. She was wondering whether she was able to find her Mr. Right in this ancient world.

Mo Wushuang never let his stare leave from Hua Yueling’s charming eyes, which, as we knew, could tell everything; the slight melancholy in her eyes would make people feel sorry. He was sure the deep love led to deep hatred.

"Sorry to make myself an idiot. Wushuang, you were not born in the capital?" Hua Yueling found her way out of her reminiscence and looked at Mo Wushuang’s delicate face with a smile.

"No. Actually, I’m an orphan. I have been adopted by Master Zhichan and lived in Yongling Temple in the capital city since my childhood. It has been nearly twenty years until now." Mo Wushuang looked out of the window, and the transient sorrow in his eyes did not escape from Hua Yueling.

"I’m sorry. I don’t know you are... Cheer up! You are so great now, and you are so handsome, rich and free, so you are not inferior to any others at all; I am very envious of you." His poor background startled Hua Yueling. Universally, orphans in her mind tended to be unsociable, while Mo Wushuang was so gentle and imperturbable. Perhaps his brooding eyes might hide his sharpness and profundity but his appearance as well as temperament at least made people feel comfortable.

"Ling’er, are you complimenting me?" Mo Wushuang gave a hearty laugh. He found it pleasant to get along with her.

"But don’t get me wrong that I am fond of you, or I will be Miss Idiot again, whom, you know, everyone used to talk about." Hua Yueling jokingly winked at him and continued, "But you do have an attractive face, ha ha."

In a daze, Mo Wushuang laughed like a drain, for this woman was really interesting! However, he wondered why Nangong Lieye was so cruel to such a smart and cute woman?

While Hua Yueling and Mo Wushuang were having a good time together, there was a commotion downstairs. Hua Yueling turned her head and saw a large number of officials dressed in the uniforms of the Ministry of Penalty quickly appear in the gate of the Osmanthus Chamber. Meanwhile, on the second floor, with a changed complexion, Nangong Lieye disappeared in an instant.

"Gee, what’s going on? Why are so many officials from the Ministry of Penalty?" Mo Wushuang frowned.

"Of course. It must be concerned with the Osmanthus Chamber. A thrilling story is ahead of us." Hua Yueling said gleefully. He knew that the Forth Prince eventually took some action.

"Miss! It’s the young Lord!" Ping’er called excitedly from behind.

Hua Yueling hastened to look and search, for she had never really seen her own brother till now. Soon she saw a young man in official hat come down from a tall maroon horse, striding to the Osmanthus Chamber with the documents of the Ministry of Penalty in his hand.

Hua Yujin’s face was invisible because Hua Yueling’s present location kept her from seeing the face of her brother, but a glimpse of his back figure plus her parents’ superior genes would make her assure that her brother was by any means a handsome man.

The crowd all around the Osmanthus Chamber was separated by the officials of the Ministry of Penalty. Clearly Hua Yujin had a high position in the Ministry of Penalty, for he was followed by two officials. But there was no sign of the Forth Prince Nangong Yixuan.

There was a dead silence, and people were too nervous to breathe. The Ministry of Penalty had always handled cases with vigorous and resolute measures. So no one dared to disagree. Any further objection would be handed over to the Emperor.

Nangong Lieye ran out with a grave face. When he saw Hua Yujin, he looked gloomy and said, "Lord Hua, why are you bringing so many officials here?"

"Pay my respect to Prince Chennan!" Said Hua Yujin loudly with carefulness, he and his men exerted respects to the Third Prince.

"Save formalities!" Nangong Lieye immediately stretched his arms to stop such formality and knitted his brows harder.

"Under the order of the emperor, written by Minister of Penalty Liao: Osmanthus Chamber is suspected of hiding spies from the Kingdom of Lanyue. Now the Osmanthus Chamber will be sealed up for few days, and everyone here can’t leave without permission so as to be checked by the Ministry of Penalty. Your Highness, here is the official document." Hua Yujin handed it to the Third Prince.

"What? How could it be?" Out of astonishment, Nangong Lieye took over the document and read carefully and hurriedly.

"The suspicion even goes to Xihe Chamber and Yueman Chamber?" Nangong Lieye’s face turned pale with shock and he stared at Hua Yujin with incomprehension.

"Yes, Your Highness. The Fourth Prince is investigating the two places. It’s my duty. Please cooperate with me. Thank you." Hua Yujin paid a respect.

Nangong Lieye said helplessly, "It’s no big deal. I will cooperate with you. But it’s still lunch time now, so can it be sealed up after lunch?"

"Well..." Hua Yujin was trapped into a dilemma.

Hua Yueling who was upstairs gave out a laugh first and then shouted briskly, "Lord Hua, business is business. If the spies run away because of your deliberate delay, then it must be a grand mistake. Besides, the reputation of our patriotic Prince should not be damaged because of waiting for the finish of lunch time. Is it right, Prince Chennan?" The evil smile of Hua Yueling revealed her intention to mock the Third Prince.