The Next Of Phoenix
Chapter 8. The Cold is Getting Thicker

Wu Zeyuan waited anxiously for Xiao Mingyui's arrival, the reason was that he had gone long enough to deliver food to Xiao Jiwang, but had not returned until late afternoon.

"Miangjiang! It's the Prince's horse!" exclaimed the personal servant Wu Zeyuan, making Wu Zeyuan quickly turn his head and watch his son's horse that ran into the Palace.

The woman stared at her son's horse from the height of the Palace building with her forehead folded. He saw his son return with ... a woman in his arms??

Wu Zeyuan sharpened his vision again, upon getting to know who the woman in his child's arms was, his two eyes were quickly perfectly rounded!

"YES!!" wu Zeyuan exclaimed spontaneously, then quickly turned around and ran down from the building.

While Xiao Jiwang was still speeding his horse to run faster towards his mother's Palace, he was about to escort Xiao Mingyui first.

The maids and other officials who had their respective flurry in the Palace instantly stopped moving and gazed full of surprise at Xiao Jiwang's speeding horse. They repeatedly shook their heads to restore vision, but the results remained the same. There was a woman in Xiao Jiwang's arms!

Arriving at Wu Zeyuan Residence Palace, Xiao Jiwang rushed down while still holding tightly to Xiao Mingyui. His face was looking very bad, as if he was dissatisfied with something.

Xiao Jiwang put Xiao Mingyui roughly on top of the long sofa, just about to turn around to leave, suddenly the figure of Wu Zeyuan appeared.

"Yinwang!!" Wu Zeyuan placed both his hands on his waist, his eyes staring furiously at his son.

Xiao Jiwang simply stared flat at his mother, then sighed thinly and bowed. "Morufei."

Wu Zeyuan tried to regulate his breathing properly, then slowly walked gracefully towards Xiao Mingyui and sat down on the edge of the sofa.

"Aiya ... What happened to you two? Was there a sudden attack?" wu Zeyuan asked worriedly, his right hand stroked Xiao Mingyui's cheek, while his left hand grabbed Xiao Jiwang's palm to check their body temperature.

"Not a big deal, we just accidentally slipped when we were about to return. Mufei need not worry too much," Xiao Jiwang replied, then looked for a chair and sat there no matter the condition of his soaked clothes.

Wu Zeyuan glared towards his son again. "Not to worry? Wang'er! You are the only son of Mufei and successor to the throne of this Empire! Then the woman you carried was the daughter of the late Xiao Wangye! Geneally speaking, Princess Mingyui is your Imperial aunt! Then you two came back soaked and Princess Mingyui's legs sprained?!"

Xiao Jiwang closed his eyes indifferently, enjoying the back of the chair. Xiao Mingyui noticed Xiao Jiwang's cold demeanor to her own biological mother, the woman had not said anything since the beginning of her return.

"Mufei, wouldn't it be better now to call the healer for princess Mingyui?" xiao Jiwang asked, the man tried to quell his mother's nagging.

Wu Zeyuan regained his senses, the woman quickly turned her head towards her personal servant to call the healer. Before the healer came, Wu Zeyuan took out his thick coat and placed it on Xiao Mingyui's shoulder.

"Is there any other part of the body that hurts?" wu Zeyuan asked attentively.

Xiao Mingyui smiled faintly, her head shaking slowly. "No, thank you very much Niangniang." Hearing Xiao Mingyui's reply, the woman heaved a sigh of relief.

When the healer came, Xiao Jiwang was still in his position while staring intently at Xiao Mingyui. The man's gaze was hard to interpret, even by the man himself. There was a glimmer of hatred, of resentment, but .. there was also something that felt awkward.

"Princess Mingyui suffered a cramps and her legs were hit by a stone when splashed into the river. For now Mingyui princess is advised to travel using a cane as a walking aid. In less than a week, the condition of his legs will recover if diligently given herbal ointment." The healer reported the condition of Xiao Mingyui's legs, Wu Zeyuan's face gradually relieved. The woman was grateful that Xiao Mingyui had not sustained any severe injuries.

Xiao Mingyui did not speak anything, his eyes only stared flat at his ankles. He did not mind the condition of his legs, as indeed this wound was a wound he had intentionally made.

After the physician's departure, Wu Zeyuan ordered the maid to change Xiao Mingyui's wet clothes. While he was busy choosing the clothes he was going to wear to Xiao Mingyui, suddenly the personal Eunuch Xiao Jihuang came to him.

"Greetings, Niangniang. His Majesty the Emperor called you."

Wu Zeyuan raised his left eyebrow, then he nodded briefly. Before actually standing up and leaving, the woman pointed at the sweet pink hanfu for the servants to take the hanfu for Xiao Mingyui.

Wu Zeyuan's eyes glanced at his son who was already bare-chested. "Jiwang, stay here and accompany Princess Mingyui. You must learn to take responsibility and wear your clothes right!"

Xiao Jiwang simply rolled his two lazy eyeballs, he could not utter or be rude to his mother. He was indeed not an obedient son, yet at least he was not rude to his mother.

Before long the pink hanfu that Wu Zeyuan had pointed at earlier was taken by the maid, then the figure of Xiao Mingyui emerged from the dressing room. Her white skin seemed to be matching juxtaposed with pink hanfu, really looking very sweet and graceful. He was like a puppet now even though his right hand was tightly grasping the stick.

The woman's long black hair was still loose, her condition was still very wet. Just three steps running the legs, his movements immediately stopped. His face quickly turned away from Xiao Jiwang's figure, his forehead folded in annoyance. Goddamn it, is Xiao Jiwang crazy? She was bare-chested in front of him just like that??

Still with the same head position, Xiao Mingyui shook his head briefly. "There's still."

Xiao Jiwang noticed Xiao Mingyui's embarrassed behavior, the man immediately got up from his seat and gave the signal to the servants to immediately exit the room.

As soon as the servants came out, Xiao Jiwang slowly walked over towards Xiao Mingyui while saying, "Did Xiao Wangfu not teach you manners? How could an accomplished young noblewoman speak while throwing such a face away?"

Right before Xiao Mingyui, the man stopped. Xiao Jiwang's head lowered its head to stare at Xiao Mingyui, as indeed Xiao Mingyui was only as high as his chest.

Xiao Mingyui closed his eyes, his forehead folded even deeper, this time there was a feeling of annoyance. Is Xiao Jiwang teasing her now? Goddamn bum!

Xiao Mingyui stepped back slowly, trying to take some distance. However, no matter how many times he stepped back, because Xiao Jiwang would continue to follow his movements by stepping forward. The man did not let the distance between them decrease.

"Say. What else is your business here?" xiao Jiwang asked, his tone this time sounded cold. Secretly the man's lips grinned faintly at Xiao Mingyui's timid manner. This was the first time he had seen Xiao Mingyui not daring to look at him, as normally the woman always raised her gaze and spoke fearlessly.

Xiao Mingyui let out a thin breath. "Your Majesty, can you take three steps back? We-we're distance"

"What's with our distance? Isn't this what you want?" cut Xiao Jiwang quickly, his lips still grinning thinly.

Xiao Mingyui gritted her teeth in annoyance. Is Xiao Jiwang a lewd prince?! How could he be bare-chested in front of a woman who was not his wife?!

Xiao Mingyui clenched both hands. Well, it seems like he has to face this. If he continues to avoid, then surely the man will be increasingly aggressively harassing him.

Slowly, Xiao Mingyui turned towards Xiao Jiwang and opened his eyes. With full compulsion he had to look at the chest of Xiao Jiwang's field. Shifting his gaze quickly, Xiao Mingyui turned to look up to look at Xiao Jiwang's face.

The woman's forehead folded, her face red. Xiao Jiwang who saw this held back a laugh, he tried his hardest not to laugh.

"Say. What's your business?" xiao Jiwang asked again, he deliberately pranked Xiao Mingyui. Lately he was really upset about being bullied by that woman.

Xiao Mingyui was still staring at Xiao Jiwang's face. "I want to make sure of your appointment. I have plunged into the river, my feet even injured and now have to walk with the help of a cane. Will your Majesty keep your promise soon?"

Xiao Jiwang's excited face rotted away and was soon replaced by coldness again. The man took a step back once, their two eyes still staring at each other.

"What if I was just bragging?" xiao Jiwang asked, his lips smiling coldly.

Xiao Mingyui smiled back. "How can you brag while you're plunging into a river full of crocodiles to help me?"

Xiao Jiwang threw away his glance with a short laugh, then looked back coldly at Xiao Mingyui. "I'm helping you because of Mufei. If you die for delivering my lunch, then Mufei will curse me to old age." After that he paused for a moment to give a pause and continued, "Say, what would you answer if it turned out that I was boasting earlier?"

Xiao Mingyui's eyes were millions of times colder. Warmth, attention, although previously all that was pretending, but now completely disappeared and felt increasingly cold in his eyes.

"Then I will officially regard you as an enemy of Xiao Wangfu, just like any other noble official." Xiao Mingyui declared that without blinking, she was earnest with her words.

"Then what if I'm serious?" ask Xiao Jiwang again.

"Then I will devote my entire death and life to you," Xiao Mingyui replied quickly.

The atmosphere became silent after Xiao Mingyui replied thus. But before long, Xiao Jiwang came back closer and bowed his body towards Xiao Mingyui. In a low tone of speech, he whispered, "Then welcome to hell. I won't care if you live or die. So get used to living independently."

Xiao Jiwang re-enforced his body, his eyes staring intently at Xiao Mingyui. "I'm an asshole, but that doesn't mean I'm going to disavow my every word even if it's just a prank. The nobles who sided with Xiao Wangfu have already applied for the edict of our engagement, even though the Emperor has not officially granted it, but I am very confident. During whatever discussion between the Emperor and the Mufei, the answer must have been to agree. Besides because Mufei likes you, this relationship is indeed very profitable for politics."

Xiao Jiwang turned his head towards the window, the sky was starting to look like it was going to darken. The man quickly turned around, then walked away leaving Xiao Mingyui as he said, "I really hate this situation."

Xiao Mingyui did not move nor express herself, her eyes only fixedly staring at Xiao Jiwang. Secretly, the cold grew thicker in his heart.

His goal of preventing Xiao Jiwang from rebelling while receiving the engagement decree had been successful, but .. why did he not feel satisfied and happy? He should have felt very happy for having managed to save his family from a huge shock.

Xiao Mingyui had never expected a warm and happy marriage since childhood, she only loved her own family. He did not care whether his body would be broken or his heart would be crushed, all he thought about was his family. So, marrying a man she absolutely did not love and living a life full of emptiness in the Palace in the future, it was no big deal. He ... is used to the pain. His mother and father educated him to be a strong woman, Xiao Mingyui should not be weak to keep the name of his late parents.