Luck Reliant Beauty – CH 102

Chapter 102: Love Begins Here

Cui Zi Xuan said Jiang Mi had not told him when she came out, making it difficult for her “husband” to find her!

Cui Zi Xuan said he was her husband!

Cui Zi Xuan himself said the word “husband”!

The men could still feel the tense atmosphere and had no interest in such petty matters, but for the noble ladies, Cui Zi Xuan’s words were like a thunderbolt!

Instantly, Princess Qingyue stood up abruptly, while the noble ladies of Nanping State, disregarding the men’s restraint, began whispering amongst themselves.

Jiang Mi stared blankly at Cui Zi Xuan.

She clearly saw the undeniable murderous intent in the Nanping Emperor’s eyes! She could even hear Li Wu’s cold laugh after Cui Zi Xuan arrived!

She also saw those Southern Tang and Southern Chu envoys. Their pity was apparent in her eyes!

So, Jiang Mi had never understood so clearly before: Cui Zi Xuan had risked everything to save her!

He knew he was being hunted by the Nanping State, he knew how dangerous it was for him to be here, yet he still came to save her!

In a daze, Jiang Mi could not fathom how Cui Zi Xuan knew her situation; she only thought, “He came to save me again!”

For the past two years, Jiang Mi had been pondering Cui Zi Xuan, and after two years, she seemed to have come to understand this man.

Before, she always felt his motives for approaching her were impure, that he was too profound, and that he had a playful attitude towards worldly relationships—that he was not a good person!

But all these negative feelings had gradually transformed into longing during these past two years of reflection. In other words, when Jiang Mi first fell in love, the only man etched in her memory was Cui Zi Xuan.

So, at this moment, Jiang Mi stared blankly up at Cui Zi Xuan, meeting the gaze of this man among millions, whose eyes were only for her. Jiang Mi could not help but stammer, “You should not have come!”

This was the first time in all the time Cui Zi Xuan had spent with Jiang Mi that he had seen any other light in her eyes. He gazed at her intently for a while. Slowly, the corners of Cui Zi Xuan’s lips curved into a smile.

Seeing Jiang Mi’s face turn pale with nervousness, Cui Zi Xuan reached out and gently touched her cheek, then… He murmured teasingly, “To live and die together is a kind of pleasure, is it not? Is it not good that Ah’Mi has me by her side?”

Jiang Mi was speechless.

She just watched him nervously, seeing him laughing and joking as if he did not care about her situation at all. Jiang Mi urged in a trembling voice, “You have to think of something… think of something!”

Finally, he saw his own reflection in Jiang Mi’s eyes. Cui Zi Xuan chuckled softly.

From the moment Cui Zi Xuan appeared at the palace entrance, he had controlled the rhythm of the entire scene. Finally, the Emperor of Nanping grew impatient. His deep voice slowly rang out, “Did Minister Cui find the sight of his head unsatisfying and thus send it to me to behead?”

The moment his voice fell, all was silent!

Everyone knew the Emperor of Nanping intended to kill Cui Zi Xuan, but only after these words were spoken and the silent emergence of hundreds of black-clad men from all corners of the hall did everyone truly feel that Cui Zi Xuan’s misfortune was imminent!

Hearing the Emperor of Nanping speak, Cui Zi Xuan finally shifted his gaze from the beautiful woman and slowly straightened up.

After standing upright, Cui Zi Xuan walked gracefully towards Emperor Nanping.

Seeing a man dressed in white, a commoner’s robe, approach their Emperor, several eunuchs stepped forward, blocking the path to Nanping’s Emperor. One of them shouted shrilly, “How dare you!”

Before Cui Zi Xuan could speak, the Nanping Emperor waved his right hand and said in a deep decree, “Step back.”

“Yes.”

The eunuchs retreated, and Cui Zi Xuan continued walking towards the Nanping Emperor.

A short while later, Cui Zi Xuan stood before the Nanping Emperor.

—It must be said, he was too close!

There was a saying, “Blood splatters within five steps,” meaning that an obviously hostile person should not be allowed so close to the Emperor!

But! But!

This rule, which had been evident since Jing Ke’s assassination attempt on the Qin Emperor, was simultaneously forgotten by everyone present—state envoys, Nanping officials, and even the Nanping Emperor himself. No one thought that Cui Zi Xuan’s proximity to the Nanping Emperor would lead to his kidnapping or assassination.

…Indeed, what kind of family was the Cui Clan of Boling? Cui Zi Xuan, on whom both the Cui Clan of Boling and the Cui Clan of Qinghe placed their hopes, was, in some ways, more precious than any State Emperor! For someone of such high status to attempt an assassination would be like throwing jade against a rock.

Unnoticed by everyone, Cui Zi Xuan only stopped before the Nanping Emperor, casually reaching into his sleeve and rummaging inside.

Similarly, this action, if done by anyone else, would have earned him the instant death by the Nanping Emperor’s guards! But since it was Cui Zi Xuan, the guards behind the Nanping Emperor did not even glance at him.

Cui Zi Xuan rummaged around for a while, then pulled a document from his sleeve. He politely presented the document to the Nanping Emperor with both hands, saying, “I have something here; please take a look, Your Majesty.”

The Nanping Emperor stared intently at Cui Zi Xuan, then took the document without consulting the eunuch.

The Nanping Emperor unfolded the document and began to read.

With just a glance, the Nanping Emperor’s expression subtly changed. After slowly finishing his reading, he glanced at Cui Zi Xuan, his face turning ashen, and said, “No wonder Young Master Cui entered my Emperor’s palace as if it were empty; he came prepared!”

The Nanping Emperor’s words contained barely suppressed anger.

His face was extremely grim, and his tone was unfriendly, but Cui Zi Xuan seemed oblivious to the unease, calmly replying, “Your Majesty’s overthinking it!”

The Nanping Emperor stared intently at him!

Cui Zi Xuan met his gaze with a smile!

…

After a moment, the Nanping Emperor slowly leaned back, his expression hardening, and said in a low decree, “Someone!”

“Yes!”

“Prepare a seat for Young Master Cui!”

The surrounding crowd: “…”

The sudden uproar was like the most jarring mockery, stinging the Nanping Emperor’s face. However, although his expression was dark and brooding, he ultimately suppressed his murderous intent.

The hall was still bustling. Cui Zi Xuan lowered his eyes, seemingly harboring no ill will towards the Nanping Emperor. He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said softly, “Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty—but please, no need for a seat. I’ve only come to take away the woman who wandered into the wrong place.”

Cui Zi Xuan turned and, under everyone’s gaze, walked to Jiang Mi. He extended his hand to her and said very gently, “It’s getting late; let’s go back.”

Jiang Mi slowly stood up, placing her hand in his palm. Her small hand was tightly enveloped in his large one as they walked step by step towards the hall’s door.

The palace gates were so close! But Jiang Mi held her breath and strained her ears with every step!

In this stiffness, in this agonizingly slow pace, Jiang Mi finally reached the palace entrance.

Even after they left the palace, the Nanping Emperor inside remained silent. Jiang Mi let out a long, heavy sigh.

Perhaps from the intense restraint she had just endured, Jiang Mi’s legs buckled as she relaxed.

Just as she struggled to stand upright, suddenly she felt light; Cui Zi Xuan had swept her up in his arms.

…In the sky, a full, bright moon hung high, the light from the surrounding torches highlighting Cui Zi Xuan’s face, framed by his white robes, as handsome as jade and as profound as a sculpture.

Suddenly, Jiang Mi was mesmerized. She stared blankly at the light in Cui Zi Xuan’s eyes under the moonlight, feeling a long-lost happiness for the first time since her mother’s death!

Because of happiness, Jiang Mi’s eyes shimmered.

Because of happiness, the corners of her lips, unbeknownst to her, gradually curved into a slight smile.

Because of happiness, Jiang Mi forgot she was still in the Nanping Palace, and wished this journey could last forever.

Cui Zi Xuan also noticed Jiang Mi’s longing. He kept his gaze fixed ahead, but a very faint smile played on his lips.

From the palace to where the carriages were parked, it was only a few hundred steps, but those few hundred steps felt like an eternity.

It was a long, long time—Jiang Mi had been placed onto the carriage by Cui Zi Xuan, and he himself sat in the coachman’s seat and began to drive the carriage out of the palace—before Jiang Mi suddenly regained her senses. She lifted the carriage curtain and looked at Cui Zi Xuan’s snow-white figure in the night, and asked softly, “Young Master Cui, how did you know I was here?”