FID – Chapter 581

Chapter 581: Thinking She’s Smart

In the other wing, after entering the room, Shi Xianrou immediately collapsed onto the bed.

Qian Wanjin stood beside the bed with his hands on his hips. “Shi Xianrou, explain yourself properly now—why did it take you so long to get here? Feng Qingbai arrived several days before you!”

Don’t think that just kissing him could get her off the hook.

He wasn’t that easy to fool.

She was late by so many days—he almost thought he had fallen out of favor!

He remembered it all!

Shi Xianrou reached out, pulled him down onto the bed, flipped over to press him underneath her, and rested her head on his chest with her eyes closed.

As the man continued his endless chatter, she patiently explained, “I got the news a little later than Feng Qingbai. I didn’t know when he left. By the time Wei Zi informed me, it was already too late—I missed Feng Qingbai’s passenger ship. I had to ride here at full speed. Xiao Jinzi, I was so worried I nearly lost my mind…”

Her voice grew softer and softer, her eyelids drooping lower and lower, until she finally fell asleep against him.

Qian Wanjin’s initially tense body slowly relaxed.

Looking down at the woman who had fallen into a deep sleep, his gaze softened in a way even he didn’t realize.

She was much shorter than him. Normally, she acted tough, like a fierce woman, but when she was asleep, her body lay softly against him, showing a rare, delicate femininity.

The more he looked, the redder his face became.

He just felt like his Xiao Shi was getting more and more beautiful.

Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted outside the courtyard.

There were women chatting and laughing. Though their voices weren’t particularly loud, just at a normal volume, the sheer number of them made the noise especially disruptive.

It was particularly irritating.

Qian Wanjin frowned, carefully adjusting the sleeping woman in his arms before gently slipping out of bed.

He walked to the entrance of the guest courtyard, intending to scold the noisy group disturbing people’s rest. But when he saw the procession passing by the gate, he paused for a moment.

Then, he leaned leisurely against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the woman walking at the front of the crowd like a queen surrounded by stars. A smirk played on his lips as he let out a mocking chuckle.

Nannan had been absolutely right—some people just loved making fools of themselves, thinking they were putting on a grand performance, blissfully unaware of how ridiculous they actually looked.

Kang Ziyu walked ahead of a group of noble ladies, encircled by them, receiving occasional flattering remarks. Her smile was radiant, and the arrogance in her brows and eyes grew more pronounced with each step.

Ever since her engagement with the Ding family had been broken off, it had been a long time since others fawned over her like this.

Everyone had been avoiding her like the plague, afraid that her supposed ‘husband-dooming curse’ would bring them misfortune.

Even back in her prime, when she was still a prominent figure, surrounded by noble daughters and young masters from Xiangshan, she had never received such high regard.

Those were just the children of county gentry—people with hollow reputations tied to so-called prestigious families. Compared to the noble ladies of Yunzhou Prefecture, they were worlds apart. They were nothing.

And now, even these high-status women were showering her with compliments. The humiliation she had suffered from being kicked out of the Ding family finally felt like it had been washed away.

“Miss Kang, you’ve spent several days with His Highness. What kind of person is he?”

“I’ve heard that His Highness is as gentle as the bright moon, a true gentleman of noble character. We’ve never had the fortune to meet him, so our curiosity is overwhelming.”

“You all must not know yet, but His Highness seems to hold the county magistrate in high regard. He has been staying at the county office for several days now. Since we are here, thanks to Miss Kang, we might just get the chance to see him. Isn’t that right, Miss Kang?”

Kang Ziyu lifted her lips into a smile. “His Highness does indeed value my father highly. The two of them have been coming and going together these past few days, and His Highness never puts on airs in front of him. He should be returning soon, so you all will have the chance to see him for yourselves.”

Pausing briefly, she then added, “I see that all my sisters here are dressed in their finest today, as beautiful as heavenly goddesses. Compared to the noble ladies of the capital, you are certainly no less stunning. If one of you happens to catch His Highness’s eye, don’t forget to look after me in the future.”

The group of ladies immediately covered their mouths, giggling. “Oh, Miss Kang, you must be joking. His Highness is already engaged, isn’t he? His fiancée is none other than our Xiangshan’s Lady Ruyi. She should be staying at the county office too, right?”

“For members of the royal family, having multiple wives and concubines is commonplace. Who will truly be in charge in the end is still uncertain. With all of your beauty and noble backgrounds, none of you are inferior to anyone else,” Kang Ziyu said with a smile, though a shadow of malice flickered across her lips.

Didn’t Qian Wanjin say that the King of Nanling only cared for Liu Yusheng?

Yet, here were so many noble ladies, each surpassing Liu Yusheng in both looks and family status. She refused to believe that he would remain indifferent after seeing them!

What prince or nobleman didn’t have a harem full of wives and concubines? Did they really think the King of Nanling would be an exception?

Her words were laden with implications. Though the noble ladies might have entertained such thoughts, none dared to openly express them. Instead, they exchanged glances and simply giggled, using laughter to mask their true intentions.

After a round of playful banter, Kang Ziyu finally turned her attention to Ding Wenxuan, who had been intentionally ignored by her for a while, standing at the edge of the crowd. “Miss Ding, why haven’t you spoken? Are you feeling embarrassed? Although our families’ engagement didn’t go through, I am not a petty person who holds grudges. There’s no need for you to be so reserved.”

Ding Wenxuan smiled faintly, “It’s not about being reserved. However, as the guest follows the host, there are so many people here today. Miss Kang, there’s no need for you to specially attend to me, lest it seems like you’re favoring me over the others. The other sisters might complain.”

The noble ladies quieted down unnoticeably.

Everyone present knew about the grudge between the two families.

The reason Kang Ziyu was rejected in the engagement was because she offended Ding Wenxuan at a noble ladies’ gathering in Yunzhou.

Now, with the tables turned, no one found it strange that Kang Ziyu would deliberately mock Ding Wenxuan.

However, Ding Wenxuan was the daughter of the Ding family, the head of the four great families in Yunzhou. She wasn’t someone these women could easily offend.

Thus, though their words had hidden barbs, no one dared to casually interject.

Supporting either side had its own advantages and disadvantages.

After hearing Ding Wenxuan’s words, Kang Ziyu’s eyes darkened slightly, her voice cooling, “If that’s the case, Miss Ding, feel free to do as you please. But don’t blame me for not attending to you properly when the time comes.”

She was hosting this gathering at the county office, inviting noble ladies from the major families of Yunzhou. Everyone knew her purpose for gathering them.

It was to let them meet the King of Nanling!

If luck strikes, and someone catches the king’s eye, it would be a matter of soaring to great heights, becoming the phoenix perching on a high branch—who wouldn’t rush to flatter and fawn over her?

Only the Ding family, led by Ding Wenxuan, stood by and acted aloof!

She was curious to see how long Ding Wenxuan could maintain her arrogance, pretending to be high and mighty. When the King arrives, she’ll be the one regretting it!

With this thought, Kang Ziyu joined the other noble ladies surrounding her, deliberately ignoring Ding Wenxuan, not even sparing her a glance or greeting her.

“Sister Ding, look at her, so full of herself. If you didn’t know better, you’d think she was the king’s fiancée.”

The daughters of the Gu, Zhao, and Guo families stood beside Ding Wenxuan, watching Kang Ziyu’s smug face from across the room and whispering in disdain.

Ding Wenxuan smiled faintly, “She thinks she’s clever. Just watch, it won’t be long before she falls, and she’ll break her bones.”

She dared to use the king to satisfy her vanity and even tried to interfere with His Highness’s engagement to Liu Yusheng. Ding Wenxuan truly didn’t understand where Kang Ziyu got her confidence from.

The King of Nanling, Feng Qingbai, was someone who ruined Prime Minister Zuo’s daughter without hesitation. 

Kang Ziyu was the daughter of a mere county magistrate. Did she think His Highness would care about her father’s prestige?