The Story of a Stroppy Princess

Chapter 4: Fight Back

Nangong Lieye was utterly shocked and immediately turned to Hua Yueling whose radiant beauty deprived him of utterance. He had never seen her looking so confident over the past year! That was so strange.

“My daddy has come, my dear. You won’t be too impolite to meet your father-in-law and your brother, the Fourth Prince, right?” Her beaming smile jolted him.

“You asked them to come here?” said Nangong Lieye in a gloomy tone, and he cautiously stared this woman who profoundly transformed overnight.

“You will understand everything by their coming.” Hua Yueling changed her tone and shouted at the servant waiting for his master’s order, “You damned servant, go to greet our distinguished guests.”

The servant trembled out of fright and turned to Nangong Lieye.

“Hum! I’d like to see what tricks you will play. Go and usher Prime Minister and the Fourth Prince here.” Never would Nangong Lieye be afraid of this because it was this woman who had desired to marry him. And it was also she who agreed to allow the bridal sedan chair to get into the mansion from the side door. Besides, she was fully aware that Nangong Lieye didn’t like her at all, but she still tried all means to do so. Everyone in the Kingdom of Dayue knew about this, so there was no doubt that it was Prime Minister who would lose face, not he.

Hua Yueling reached out her hand and touched her cheek, knowing that the five fingerprints were still there; but when she turned to Nangong Lieye, she found those on his face were invisible. She attributed the invisibility either to her weakness in strength or to the toughness of the man’s face.

“Hum, you want to report to them? Don’t forget that you are my wife now, you should obey your husband when you are married (according to the wifely submission and virtue in ancient China). Thus, it is none of your father’s business.” Nangong Lieye sneered more deeply and stared fiercely at her like a night cheetah with his black and shiny eyes.

“Really?” Hua Yueling went toward him calmly with her gracefully-raised jaw. She cursed in her heart, “The height of this dammed man is really above the average, almost a head taller than me.”

Nangong Lieye had no idea of her sudden approach. He raised his heavy eyebrows and lowered his gaze, waiting to see her tricks.

Hua Yueling came closer and closer. All of a sudden, standing on tiptoe, she leaned her head towards that of Nangong Lieye, who instantly frowned and tipped his head backward slightly.

It never occurred to Nangong Lieye that Hua Yueling would blow at his earlobe, which set him in a sudden tremble. When he was about to scold her for her shamelessness, a whisper following a burst of laughter came to his ears. “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I won’t be yours anymore.”

With that said, she stepped back, cast a flirting glance at him and then burst out laughing.

Nangong Lieye was lost in a fog. Her obscenity set him up for angry roaring. “Shame on you!”

“Hahaha...Your Highness, you know, I should thank YOU!” Hua Yueling cared little about the curse. The angrier he grew, the happier she would feel.

“Ling’er!” Prime Minister Hua Tieying rushed in with his tense face. After reading the letter sent by Ping’er and knowing how the Third Prince had mistreated and abused his precious daughter, he was heartbroken and invited the Fourth Prince to pay an immediate visit to his baby girl.

“Dad!” The middle-aged man in front of her was no doubt her beloved father. Instantly and joyfully, she rushed toward him whom she would later count on.

“Ling’er, are you all right?” Hua Tieying, thirty-eight years of age, was still in his prime. When he was young, he had engaged in numerous battles, thus making unprecedented contribution to the Kingdom of Dayue. Not only the Emperor held a very high opinion of him, but also the people admired him very much.

Hua Tieying even didn’t cast a look at Nangong Lieye, which made the latter resentful. But he still greeted Hua Tieying first. “Father in law,” he said. Although he was a prince, he was still a junior after all. And then he looked at Nangong Yiyuan who was behind Hua Tieying. “Bother, what brings you here?”

“Third brother, I am not alone,” replied Fourth Prince as he stepped aside. There at the gate of the courtyard flooded in a group of officials who had just finished the levee. They were partly here to mediate when seeing Lord Prime Minister rushing in great anger to the Mansion of Third Prince, but more, to remain as bystanders and apple-polisher.

Nangong Lieye was totally startled by the sight. But what he could only do was to smile at every official who greeted to him in courtesy as they entered.

After the exchange of their greetings, Hua Yueling ran her eyes behind with curiosity and rested her eyes on Fourth Prince, a 19-year-old handsome lad.

He was tall and fair, wearing a blue silk robe with dark blue flowers on it. The sleeves were hemmed in white, and a black beaded belt with a delicate oval jade was fastened around his waist, which exactly indicated his nobility. His waist-long black hair was pinned by a golden crown, leaving only a few strands fluttering besides his cheeks, full of charm. On his face was a pair of curved black eyebrows, below which was the slender and slanted eyes that, though not big, were exceedingly bright. When he smiled, his eyes displayed such charming amiability that would inadvertently draw people closer. And there were two thin pink lips under his Roman nose. His gleaming white teeth added so much to his boyish charm that Hua Yueling couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“Third sister-in-law.” Nanggong Yixuan felt a little bit weird by such stare with unconcealed appreciation. It seemed to be the first time for her to admire his charm although she had seen his face for thousand times.

Hua Yueling felt that this man was absolutely different from Nangong Lieye. If Nangong Lieye was a ferocious cheetah, then he would be an elegant puma.

Indeed, every son of the royal family was excellent.

“Uh, uh, Forth Prince is especially charming today. “Hua Yueling felt a little bit embarrassed. She didn’t know how to address this man. Confirming his identity, she showed her politeness with a smile.

“Ling’er, why don’t you call me Brother Yixuan and why are you so restrained?” Just as Nangong Lieye did, Nangong Yixuan immediately noticed that she was not her usual self this day. A slight tint of shrewdness quickly flashed across his eyes as he frowned.

“Third Prince! I have never thought that you would treat my daughter like this. I used to think that you are heroic figure who can be relied on. I have never ever imagined that you would insult her and even beat her up. Obviously, you take no notice of me.” Hua Tieying was trembling with anger and couldn’t refrain any longer when seeing the trace of the palm on his daughter’s face and the dilapidated courtyard her daughter lived.

The only response given by Nangong Lieye was a cold sneer as a tint of sharpness flashed across his dark, unfathomable eyes. He continued in a rather cold tone by saying, “My father-in-law, who should be to blame for? Since Ling’er has been my wife, it is my privilege to choose the way of treating her. Am I right, everyone?” Nangong Lieye threw the problem to others cunningly. It was undisputedly acknowledged that a woman should obey her husband as long as their marriage could remain.

Those behind Hua Tieying wore embarrassed faces while the concubines behind Nangong Lieye laughed wantonly.

“My dear brother, the saying might be true, but you are not supposed to...” He was immediately interrupted by a gesture of stop given by Hua Yueling.

“My Dear Prince, you may safely say so. That’s why I can’t blame you for treating me so venomously. I deserve it, and I know that’s my fate! Well, speaking of the rule, those women and servants showed no respect to me, shouldn’t they be punished? Am I right, Your Excellencies?” With a sneer, she would endeavor to take her remaining dignity back before divorcing him.