Phoniex Requiem
Chapter 66: Invitation

Chapter 66: Invitation

Everyone was shocked by the crown prince's sudden statement that Yun Ruoyan was a masked girl, including Yun Ruoyan herself.

That's not possible! He was so far away that no one could see his face clearly. How could the crown prince recognize him?!

“Crown Prince, I must admit I don't understand. What masked girl do you mean?”

Although Yun Ruoyan was shocked, she did not reveal her inner turmoil. A crack appeared in the middle of his forehead as he looked at the crown prince curiously.

His hands were still in the air, but when he met Yun Ruoyan's gaze, he couldn't help but daze once more. She had seen more of her fair, thin and plump beauty, old and young, and with all sorts of different personalities. But she had never seen someone with a clear gaze, as if she was a fairy who descended from heaven.

"Crown Prince?" The servant behind Li Qianxiao slowly nudged her, making her regain consciousness and retract her finger.

"Crown Prince, what masked girl do you mean?" Yun Lan asked curiously. "And what do you mean by trespassing on imperial lands?"

“Oh, I was hunting on Minghuang Mountain with Dad yesterday, and I met a masked girl at a hunting ground. For a moment, I feel your daughter looks exactly like her.” Li Qianxiao turned to face Yun Lan as he answered her question, but he could not help but glance at Yun Ruoyan.

When their gazes met, Yun Ruoyan immediately made an embarrassed expression as she lowered her head, the strands of hair on her ears fell down and covered most of her face.

Since yesterday, the crown prince had been dreaming of the masked girl he saw, unable to forget her graceful and supple figure. She often wondered what kind of beauty the masked girl was hiding behind her veil.

And when he suddenly saw Yun Ruoyan's beautiful smile, his mental image of the masked girl joining the physical girl in front of him, caused him to make baseless claims.

After that moment passed, even Li Qianxiao himself found his claim laughable.

Her closest bodyguard said that the girl's cultivation was at the seventh rank, and the Yun family's second daughter was widely rumored to be ugly and useless.

But. Li Qianxiao narrowed his eyes as he examined Yun Ruoyan closer. He knelt down in front of him, his back straight and dignified, his head lowered. She was wrapped in jewelry, and looked at every part of the noble lady.

It seems that the rumors about his ugliness are unfounded!

But it was true, at his age, reaching the peak of seventh rank cultivation was a laughable thing. 

The crowd did not know what Li Qianxiao was thinking, but the fact that his gaze kept on Yun Ruoyan all this time made his interest in her apparent.

Yun Lan's gaze shifted.

Matriarch Yun, on the other hand, looked at her grandson uncomfortably. He couldn't have really gone to the imperial hunting grounds, right?! But he quickly calmed down. No, no, of course not. With his current cultivation, he couldn't possibly enter without permission and find a way out safely.

“Crown Prince, you must be wrong,” matriarch Yun started. “Everyone in the Yun family is well aware that the imperial hunting grounds are off limits to outsiders. None of us dare risk the emperor's wrath."

"Of course." Li Qianxiao's gaze finally left Yun Ruoyan with a smile. “The girl is amazing, able to cope with even twenty imperial guards at once.”

He bowed and helped Yun Ruoyan stand up, gently muttering, “Sorry for being rash. I hope I didn't scare you too much, Miss Yun?

Yun Ruoyan's head was still lowered as she shook it gently. He did not speak, but the hair loss on his temple fluttered as he moved, making him seem more attractive.

Li Qianxiao smiled even deeper.

"Crown Prince, please come in." Yun Lan smiled as she looked at her daughter with judgment.

The procession led to the large hall.

The crown prince took the seat of honor, and Yun Lan and matriarch Yun sat on both sides. Madam An sat at the end of the table, and Yun Ruoyao, Yun Ruoyu, and Yi Qianying could only stand at the back.

Matriarch Yun pulled Yun Ruoyan to his side.

Yun Lan and Li Qianxiao chatted a little before a few servants walked in while carrying tea and snacks. Madam An quickly stood up and poured everyone a cup of tea.

“Crown Prince, it has been too long since you were last here. Is this honey bayberry tea still to your liking?” Yun Lan asked the crown prince politely.

A long time ago, when the Yun family hosted the crown prince, he wholeheartedly praised their honey bayberry tea when he accidentally found it. From then on, Yun Lan had tasked her servants to prepare her every day, just in case there was another opportunity like this.

Li Qianxiao stood up and sipped his cup politely, praising, “Even better than before! Madam Yun, your household still has the best tea and snacks, and if I want to quench my thirst in the future, it seems like I should visit your place more often"

“Of course, Crown Prince! For the past six months or so, Ruoyao and Ruoyu have always asked about you, and now you are finally here!” Madam An beaming.

“Mother,” Yun Ruoyu pouted, “We haven't done that!”

Everyone laughed at his tone.

He could not hold his breath before quickly turning around, resolutely staring at the ground instead. By his side, Li Qianxiao opened his mouth. “As a guest, I always play with Ruoyao and Ruoyu, but I rarely see Ruoyan. That's partly why I made a baseless claim on the front door when I first saw you, Ruoyan, and I'm sorry for the accusation."

Yun Ruoyan was still inspecting the ground solemnly, as if she had not heard a word of what the crown prince had said.

“Ruoyan,” matriarch Yun pulled her wrist and muttered, “The Crown Prince is talking to you!”

“Hm? Oh!" That was when Yun Ruoyan raised her head. "It's okay." He lowered his head once more.

What's wrong with this kid today? Why did he lower his head, as if he did not dare to look anyone in the eye? How futile was her attempt to dress it up!

"Ha ha." Li Qianxiao misunderstood her reluctance to look at him, only finding him shy. “Ruoyan is generous and willing to forgive me, but as crown prince, I definitely can't just cover this up. In the future, I will definitely bring a gift to apologize properly.”

Yun Lan laughed out loud. “It's okay, Crown Prince. My daughter had been bedridden for a long time due to illness, and she rarely had the chance to meet visitors. This is why he is a bit quiet, please don't think badly about him.”

"Of course not!" Li Qianxiao immediately replied before staring at Yun Ruoyan once more. "I've heard rumors about your poor health, Ruoyan, but are you better now?"

"He's fine," matriarch Yun replied. “Not only has his body recovered, his cultivation has also increased tremendously. He has been accepted into Kongming Academy and is just waiting for his acceptance letter.”

“Oh...” Li Qianxiao's eyes sparkle. He did not expect that, despite his weak appearance, Yun Ruoyan had actually gone through an extremely exhausting ordeal.

He had also undergone the recruitment trials of Kongming Academy, even the royal families of the four empires had to take part to be granted admission.

Of course, they only had to take part in the name, Li Qianxiao only brought a few higher-ranking blademasters, pillmasters, and summoners with him for a ten-day trip in the secret realm.

But he knew just how powerful the wild beasts roaming the realm were. On the tenth night of his trial, his entourage suddenly met a sharp-faced tiger, and only with the combined strength of the entire entourage did he manage to defeat it. For this feat, half of the soldiers he had brought had been killed.

“Ruoyan is really beautiful and capable,” praise Li Qianxiao.

Yun Lan smiled again. “Excellent in every way, save his personality in front of guests. Crown Prince, if you don't mind, please come visit more often and help teach my daughter.”

'Help teach my daughter.' These words were just an open invitation to her! He looked once again at Yun Ruoyan's dark and shiny hair, rosy lips, and elegant manners, unable to resist the smile on her face.

“Ruoyan obviously does not match the guest,” muttered Li Qianxiao, “Or there will not be so many false rumors about him in the capital.”

He looked as if he suddenly thought of something and quickly continued, “In a few days, this will be the beginning of summer. My mother always had a flower viewing party during this transitional period, and we would gather the descendants of the aristocracy in the palace. I've never seen Ruoyan there before, so, on behalf of my mother, I want to invite Ruoyan now.”

When the crown prince brought up the party looking at the flowers, everyone's gaze—other than Yun Ruoyan—'s gaze lit up.

The so-called flower viewing party was truly an arena for the descendants of the younger generation to compete, in cultivation, martial skills, scholarship, beauty, speech, and clothing.

Anything that could be compared was, and all of this would happen in front of the empress herself.

The imperial family consisted of eight princes and five princesses, none of whom had yet been betrothed. The object of their attention will be selected from one of these upper rods.

Members of the nobility will do their best to get an invitation to this illustrious flower viewing party. Even if they end up losing in whatever competition they choose to participate in, it is still an opportunity to shine and learn about their competitors.

“Excellent opportunity!” Matriarch Yun smiled widely, as did Yun Lan.

This really attracted Yun Ruoyan's interest.

In the past, he was curious about the party seeing this flower. However, even though she was the only daughter of the Yun family, she was never able to attend. It has been a constant source of frustration.

But now that he had a chance to settle this regret, why not?

"Ruoyan thanked the crown prince." Yun Ruoyan finally looked into Li Qianxiao's eyes and smiled.

“Saudari Ruoyao, can I attend this flower viewing party too?” Yun Ruoyu whispered, and Yi Qianying also bowed.

The place at the party was limited, one should not be too young, too ugly, or too weak, and preference was given to those of higher status.

Last year, Yun Ruoyao left on behalf of Yun Ruoyan. When he returned, he told the experience to Yun Ruoyu and Yi Qianying, making them so dreamt about the opportunity that they started salivating.

This was why they became so earnest once Li Qianxiao started the party.

“Hard to say,” Yun Ruoyao whispered back. “Didn't you hear the crown prince? He gave our family slot to Ruoyan directly. I performed well enough last year that I would be invited back, but in general, there are only at most two descendants from each family present.”

"Then does that mean we don't have a chance?" Yi Qianying sighed.

Yun Ruoyu started to pout, her eyes bulging towards Yun Ruoyan. The slot that was destined for him had been stolen by Yun Ruoyan, just like that! He refused to accept this harsh reality, and he would reclaim his slot!