Offered As A Lucky Bride To The Mad Princess To Ward Off Misfortune - Chapter 38

38: Could Xiao Qiling Really Like Her?

The melody reached its climax with a sharp pluck of the strings, like a phoenix soaring into the ninth heaven, its golden wings gliding through the forest, evoking a clear, crisp tone reminiscent of apricot blossoms in a gentle rain.

Then, it abruptly stopped.

Xiao Qiling leisurely raised her gaze, her brows slightly arched, her peach-blossom eyes shimmering with a smile that accentuated her stunning beauty. Her gaze landed on Yu Nanqing’s face.

Their eyes met, and Yu Nanqing’s pupils trembled.

Every note Xiao Qiling had played lingered in Yu Nanqing’s ears. She didn’t need to see Xiao Qiling’s fingering to visualize each moment; the music seemed to echo endlessly.

It resonated in her ears, but it felt as though it had settled in her heart.

The fragrance in the room grew increasingly rich. In the moment Yu Nanqing was lost in thought, Xiao Qiling had already moved to the soft couch, crouching slightly before her, tilting her head up with a pleasant voice: “Did you like it?”

Her tone was as gentle as ever, softened further by the dreamy ambiance of the incense, sinking into Yu Nanqing’s ears. Yu Nanqing’s back stiffened, her mind inexplicably flashing back to the day Xiao Qiling’s poison flared.

“Do you think I’d use such a sinister poison on myself?”

“Did you like it?”

Though the two questions were entirely different, when spoken by Xiao Qiling, they seemed to conceal the same trap.

Yu Nanqing’s heartbeat quickened, growing intense, almost suffocating her. “It’s… it’s alright, I guess.”

“What does ‘alright’ mean?” Xiao Qiling tilted her head, as if genuinely seeking clarification. “Does it mean the piece pleased the Princess Consort, or is it comparable to that panda you adore, or perhaps to the embroidered pouch Miss Yao made for you?”

“Alright means alright—everything’s fine!” Yu Nanqing wanted to steer the conversation away quickly. “I’m not well-versed in music, so I can’t critique Your Highness’s performance or discern what you played. Besides, you insisted on playing for me, so if I can’t tell if it’s good or bad, you can’t blame me.”

“So it doesn’t measure up.” Xiao Qiling gave a helpless smile, her tone tinged with regret. “It seems I’ll need to find another gift.”

She appeared to genuinely ponder this.

Yu Nanqing hurriedly stopped her. “No! Your Highness doesn’t need to give me anything.”

The impact of “Phoenix Seeking Phoenix” on Yu Nanqing was profound—not only because of the piece’s inherent meaning but also its technical difficulty. The composition consisted of four sections, each with over twenty variations in melody.

The piece wove together complex emotions: the youthful pride of pursuing a beloved, the sweet joy of companionship, the heart-wrenching pain of being unable to attain love due to societal constraints, and the triumph of overcoming obstacles to stand side by side. These intertwined emotions made “Phoenix Seeking Phoenix” a timeless masterpiece.

Yu Nanqing had studied the zither since childhood and could play most pieces effortlessly, but even she wouldn’t dare claim she could perform “Phoenix Seeking Phoenix” flawlessly.

Yet, in the months she’d spent at the Ning Prince’s residence, she had never heard the sound of a zither from Lanshi Garden. Instead, the familiar hum of Xiao Qiling’s sword swings was far more common.

From a doomed, frail former crown prince to the masterful performer of such an intricate piece, Yu Nanqing’s gaze fell on Xiao Qiling’s focused, slightly furrowed brows. Only now did she realize how many surprises Xiao Qiling had brought her.

When Xiao Qiling’s eyes met hers, Yu Nanqing froze, as if caught red-handed.

Xiao Qiling raised an eyebrow. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Yu Nanqing gave an awkward smile. “No reason.”

She averted her gaze. “I’m hungry. Let’s have some food brought in.”

Xiao Qiling didn’t respond. Instead, she suddenly stood, her knee brushing against the couch.

Caught off guard, Yu Nanqing was pressed back against the couch, with no room to retreat as Xiao Qiling leaned in.

They were too close, especially in the romantic ambiance of the Ningxiang Pavilion’s private room, where sheer curtains fluttered around the couch. Every emotion seemed to blur into ambiguity with their intertwined breaths.

Only Xiao Qiling’s eyes, dark pupils reflecting the candlelight, shone with a vivid, captivating brilliance.

For a fleeting moment, Yu Nanqing thought Xiao Qiling might lean closer—perhaps even—

Realizing her thoughts, Yu Nanqing’s expression stiffened further.

Xiao Qiling caught every subtle shift in her demeanor, the corner of her mouth curling into a faint smile. “Are you nervous?”

Yu Nanqing pushed at Xiao Qiling’s shoulder, trying to create distance. “You’re covered in that incense—it smells awful.”

Xiao Qiling grabbed Yu Nanqing’s wrist, pulling her closer with a laugh. “And you’re not?”

“I am, but yours is stronger. It’s unbearable.” Yu Nanqing seized the chance to slip to the side, finally escaping Xiao Qiling’s presence. “Isn’t this all because you chose this place? Couldn’t you have played somewhere else?”

Xiao Qiling let her slip away, remaining seated, lazily leaning against the couch’s armrest. “This place was close, and you’ve been here before, so it’s familiar. Why are you suddenly complaining?”

Yu Nanqing refused to be complicit. “I was tricked into coming here by my cousin—it’s not like I chose to come. But you, Your Highness, seem to know exactly what music is played in these private rooms.”

Xiao Qiling reached out, lightly tapping Yu Nanqing’s pouting lips, and said playfully, “I’ve had a few drinks here before. Shall I bring you along next time?”

Yu Nanqing immediately backed down. “No, no need! If word got out, wouldn’t people say the Princess Consort is so jealous she follows the Prince to pleasure houses? I’d be laughed at.”

Her tone was pleading, hoping Xiao Qiling would drop the idea.

In the silence, Xiao Qiling suddenly chuckled. “What’s wrong with being jealous?”

“Didn’t you ask the Emperor at West Mountain to forbid me from taking concubines or maids?”

Yu Nanqing: …Wasn’t that because she was looking out for Xiao Qiling?

She snapped, “That was to protect you from spies at West Mountain!”

Xiao Qiling seemed to ponder this. “Just for that?”

Under her intense gaze, Yu Nanqing grew flustered. “What else could it be?”

“Oh, alright then.”

Xiao Qiling replied lightly and stepped off the couch.

“The desserts at Ningxiang Pavilion are decent. Want to try some? Or shall we go to the restaurant next door?”

Yu Nanqing hesitated. “Ningxiang Pavilion has good food?”

Xiao Qiling nodded, adding thoughtfully, “It’s only two streets from the residence. We can have the guards bring the carriage while we eat.”

Yu Nanqing opened her mouth but stopped. As Xiao Qiling moved to leave, she instinctively grabbed the hem of her robe.

Xiao Qiling paused. “What’s wrong?”

Yu Nanqing frowned, unsure what to say. She just felt Xiao Qiling’s reaction was off—too calm. Given Xiao Qiling’s temperament, she should’ve retorted sharply or mocked her for her picky tone.

Not this… thoughtful inquiry about dinner or arranging a carriage.

Yu Nanqing tugged at Xiao Qiling’s robe again, whispering, “If you leave, you’re not… not coming back, are you?”

“Why wouldn’t I come back?” Xiao Qiling’s tone held a trace of helplessness as she stepped closer to Yu Nanqing.

Her gaze wasn’t condescending but gentle, like the soft glow of a crescent moon.

Mesmerized by that look, Yu Nanqing blurted out the truth: “You played such a difficult piece like ‘Phoenix Seeking Phoenix’ for me, and I didn’t even praise you. Aren’t you upset?”

“Aren’t you upset?”

If it were anyone else, Xiao Qiling would indeed be upset.

But she wouldn’t play this piece for anyone else—not even her mother, who taught her the zither, had heard it.

When she saw the embroidered mandarin duck pouch, she played it instinctively. When Yu Nanqing didn’t respond, it wasn’t as embarrassing as she’d expected.

Perhaps she just wanted to play it for Yu Nanqing. That was all.

Xiao Qiling hid the shadow in her eyes, and when she looked up, her emotions were composed. She smiled lightly. “Oh?”

She caught a flaw in Yu Nanqing’s words. “So you were lying when you said you didn’t understand music?”

Yu Nanqing’s eyes darted away. “What? What did I say?”

Xiao Qiling reminded her, “You knew it was ‘Phoenix Seeking Phoenix.’”

Yu Nanqing denied it. “I didn’t.”

Xiao Qiling: “You did.”

Yu Nanqing covered her ears, playing dumb. “No, I didn’t.”

Xiao Qiling was amused by her childish antics. “Fine, let’s say I told you. It was indeed ‘Phoenix Seeking Phoenix.’”

Yu Nanqing thought denying it would let her off the hook, but Xiao Qiling’s admission made her heart race, as if cornered. She rambled, “So what if it’s ‘Phoenix Seeking Phoenix’? I don’t understand music, I don’t know if you played well, or how many mistakes you made—”

Without warning, Xiao Qiling pressed her thumb to Yu Nanqing’s lips, leaning in with an imposing presence.

“Say less. You’re too loud.”

Yu Nanqing bit her finger.

“So fierce.” Xiao Qiling said, staring into her eyes with a smile.

Yu Nanqing, embarrassed, let go, her ears red. “Stop laughing.”

Xiao Qiling chuckled a bit longer before stopping.

“Her pouch had mandarin ducks, so I thought I’d try phoenixes. Phoenixes are more noble than mandarin ducks, aren’t they?”

Yu Nanqing, contrary as ever, said, “Really? I prefer mandarin ducks.”

Xiao Qiling added for her, “Especially ones that bully their mates.”

Yu Nanqing didn’t catch it at first, but she soon realized from Xiao Qiling’s look—she was mocking the mandarin ducks she embroidered.

Before Yu Nanqing could react, Xiao Qiling deftly took the pouch from her, slipping it into her sleeve.

“Like mandarin ducks if you want. It’s fine if you don’t understand phoenixes.”

She paused, softening her voice. “I won’t leave you here, regardless.”

Yu Nanqing’s ears burned, the heat spreading to her cheeks, igniting an unprecedented warmth.

Xiao Qiling’s gentle gaze, full of reassurance, held her.

The chaotic thoughts that began with “Phoenix Seeking Phoenix” converged in that moment into an unbelievable realization.

A thought not just from the piece but from every moment Xiao Qiling had been kind to her—a thought she’d dismissed with reasons like Xiao Qiling’s noble status, grand ambitions, or lack of interest in romance.

Could Xiao Qiling really like her?