Second Marriage

“Why are you going to Datong?!” Xiao Youning immediately got up. Her eyes lit up.

It was not appropriate for Ye Shen to break into her room while she was napping. However, seeing how her hair was slightly messy and she appeared so delicate with her blushing cheeks, his thoughts were: Let’s put aside all the rules. Outsiders will not know. So what if I were to go beyond the rules? 

He looked into her beautiful eyes and raised his hand to put a strand of hair behind her ears. 

Xiao Youning realized belatedly how ambiguous they were at the moment. Her pink face blushed thoroughly again and she moved back uncomfortably.

He reached out again and gently squeezed her shoulder before she retreated further. ”I am going to Datong because I was ordered to find something and it is related to your father. Yesterday, His Majesty finally let me go. If you go with me, you might obtain more information about your father sooner.”

Hearing his words, Xiao Youning forgot that she was trying to evade him. “Really?” Amidst her surprise, she even grabbed his sleeve and asked, “Then when are we leaving?”

Both hands were on his sleeves. Ye Shen looked at it and suddenly wondered what it would be like if these hands were held by him.

But just when he was thinking of how he would not dare to touch her, his heart was racing with impulse. His expression was still as calm as water, and he could even speak to her seriously. “Today, if possible. If we leave now, then we can reach the dock soon. We’ll take this route since it’s easier and faster than by land. What do you think?”

“Then I’ll have Yuan Guo go prepare for it!”

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Xiao Youning was absolutely willing. If she could, she would put on a pair of wings and fly directly to Datong.

She swiftly lifted the blanket and hopped out of bed without even wearing shoes, and the pair of white feet on the red carpet was blinding.

Ye Shen finally became conscious that he was inside of the most private place of a young girl’s home. It was where an outsider couldn’t peep into the soft, spring sceneries.

He had rushed in at the beginning, so he stood up and did not dare to linger any longer.

If he did, he was afraid he would really do something wild to the little girl.

Xiao Youning put on her embroidered shoes and realized that he left in a hurry. Yet, she did not know that she had inadvertently aroused his fire.

She was focused on going to Datong. Yuan Guo came in and secretly sighed when she saw her Young Miss happy.

If it wasn’t for her Young Miss’s happiness and how she really liked Fifth Master Ye, Yuan Guo would have definitely fought him like her life depended on it.

“Young Miss, are you going to Datong with Fifth Master Ye?” Yuan Guo was pulling out a chest for her and her mouth was idle. “Have you thought of how you would spend your days together on this trip as a single man and a single woman? Did Fifth Master Ye make any promises to Young Miss?”

Ye Shen’s attempt on her Young Miss couldn’t be more obvious, but she still had to mention it to her foolish Young Miss. Even if she was once married to the Li Family, she was still a virgin maiden. If there was any chance that Fifth Master Ye was a prodigal son that was greedy for a young lady’s beauty, then what should she do if her Young Miss were bullied?!

Xiao Youning, who was in a very good mood, was stumped for words by her. The hand that was choosing a piece of jewelry stopped halfway, heat rose in her cheeks. “What nonsense are you talking about? I only think of him as the Daoist Priest,” she reluctantly exclaimed. “And what promise would the Daoist Priest give? He is just being kind enough to take me to Datong to find out more information.”

Yuan Guo couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

Well, she had been worried for a long time. Ye Shen had never clarified anything with the Young Miss. As for her Young Miss, she didn’t know which hurdle she had not crossed, but still had an illusion that Ye Shen was a benevolent Daoist Priest.

Yuan Guo exposed Ye Shen’s illusion in her mind and said, “Just now Commander Huo sent a man with a message saying that he already knew what was going on in the palace. He doesn’t know how County Princess Huijing knew you and Huo Daren1 are connected, she used it to forge the note, and make you responsible for the crime of having an illicit relationship in the palace. Fifth Master Ye found out and was one step ahead in capturing and torturing the servant in contact with County Princess Huijing. He reported it to His Majesty before arriving at the imperial garden.”

“Aside from this, Master Ye killed the servant in front of Princess Huijing. I heard that the princess fainted out of fright and was carried out of the palace. In addition, His Majesty has stripped her of her title. Now, she is only the daughter of the Eldest Princess, and no longer has any honor!”

Ye Shen is so ruthless that he could kill in front of my Young Miss! I don’t know any girl who wouldn’t be scared and lose half her life!

However, when these words fell on Xiao Youning’s ears, she thought it was sweet.

“The Daoist Priest did this for me. I will thank him later.”

Yuan Guo was completely speechless. Sure enough, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Was she talking about Ye Shen protecting her? It was obvious that Ye Shen had a vicious personality! This kind of personality had no regard for men and women!

“I’ll pack a few autumn outfits for the Young Miss to wear!” Yuan Guo gave up talking to her for anything she said would go in through one ear and out the other.

When Xiao Youning appeared in front of Ye Shen, she had changed into a scarlet dress and called out to him with a smile, “I am all packed. What about you, Daoist Priest?’

“You don’t have to bring so many things. If you want anything, you can buy it on the road.” Although Ye Shen had some bad habits, he could manage and endure traveling lightly.

Upon hearing his words, Xiao Youning looked back at some of the chests and became embarrassed.

Ye Shen followed her eyes and saw all of it.

A young girl wouldn’t be able to make do without any of it, so he thought about it and instructed Jian Yin, “Prepare another carriage.”

Her maid was also coming so that she could watch over the chests. Ye Shen didn’t even think about it and gave Xiao Youning her own space. She should have her own carriage.

Ye Shen ordered to leave, and Xiao Youning could only hastily tell the steward to look after the home. Fortunately, her dowry was still in the yamen’s storeroom and she didn’t need to worry about it.

While Ye Shen and Xiao Youning were about to leave the capital, Madam Li was currently pale as she listened to the new information spreading about the palace.

“How could County Princess Huijing offend His Majesty? And her title was taken away? How… how can such a thing happen when the wedding date for our families has just been decided?!”

Madam Li was in a terrible mood. She wanted the marriage for Huijing’s County Princess title. Now the daughter-in-law-to-be had unexpectedly offended the Emperor. If she married into the Li Family, wouldn’t that be troublesome?!

But even if it was like this, they still had to divorce from that fox charmer of the Xiao Family!

The fox charmer did not have any backing, while Huijing still had the Eldest Princess even though she was detested by the Emperor. The Li Family still had to consider the Eldest Princess’s identity.

“I… I have an awful headache. Quick, find me a doctor.”  Madam Li lied down and took a long time to catch her breath.

Everyone in the capital will be laughing at my family!

At the same time, the reply from Madam Ye that she had long since been waiting arrived.

She asked a trusted servant to read the letter. There were only five short words on it:

Disaster was brought to oneself.

Did her mother write a letter of reprimand because she knew what had happened to Princess Huijing?! Madam Li’s eyes rolled back and she completely fainted.

Unfortunately, she only figured out one thing from it. It was that Old Madam Ye criticized her for insisting on the marriage into the Eldest Princess Residence, and now she had set herself on fire. There was another meaning to this letter. It was in response to what she had asked earlier about why Ye Shen had appeared at Xiao Youning’s place. Old Madam Ye responded with those words to say that Xiao Youning wanted to remarry her brother because of her, so that later, she had to call Xiao Youning sister-in-law. Thus, she had brought disaster to herself.

But Madam Li failed to grasp the second meaning, otherwise she might have heaved a mouthful of blood

There was a new topic of gossip in the capital because of Huijing, and Xiao Youning could hear everyone talking about it while she sat in the carriage.

She thanked Ye Shen. “Fortunately, it was the Daoist Priest, or else I’m afraid I might have lost my life at that moment. The Daoist Priest has saved me twice.”

Ye Shen sat straighter. His expression was unclear in the dim light. He asked her, “How will you repay me?”

This stumped Xiao Youning. Is it possible that he wants another courtyard? Oh, but that will be my own trouble!

She bit her lip and didn’t know what to do. Ye Shen stated, “Let’s be husband and wife.”

Xiao Youning was so shocked that she jumped and hit the carriage roof. She held her head, squatted, and cried out in pain.

Ye Shen did not expect her to have such a big reaction. He leaned over to see where she had hit her head and gently touched her bulging head. He sighed softly. “I did not make myself clear, along the way, you have to pretend to be husband and wife with me. I’ll make it easier for you and take it as a repayment.” Let’s not scare her away, and take the roundabout route first.