Gifted Bride of the Sinned Prince

422 A better than me [Bonus chapter]

Feng Lao bowed to see Xiaolian, who was waiting for him in the orchid pavilion. Earlier, when Li Hua informed her that Feng Lao wanted to meet her, she jumped in happiness. She wore the best outfit and even put on precious ornaments.

“Thank you for meeting me personally and for giving an answer to me,” Xiaolian replied. “I hope Feng Lao understood the meaning of my feelings through that poem,” she humbly said.

Feng Lao took out the letter and forwarded it to Xiaolian. “I was surprised to find out that the Third Princess has feelings for him. The poem was written beautifully. However, I am not interested in her,” Feng Lao refused to accept his feelings.

That was a setback for Xiaolian. The smile from her lips faded away. She could not believe that she got rejected. But, why? She wanted to know the reason.

“May I know why? Am I not beautiful enough? Or is it because Li Hua said bad things about me?” Xiaolian asked him.

“The Third Princess is beautiful. The Princess Consort never said anything about the Third Princess. Instead, she was the one who asked me to meet the Third Princess. I am not in a position to love someone at the moment. The Third Princess deserves a better man than me. I am not suitable for her,” Feng Lao stated. He didn’t like that Xiaolian put the blame on Li Hua for his rejection. But now he had explained his thoughts to him, she might not think Li Hua was the reason.

“Oh. Forgive me, Feng Lao. I thought Li Hua was upset with me and because you both know each other, she might have said something about me,” Xiaolian said.

“The Princess Consort does not think and talk bad about any princes or the princesses. If her doubts are clear, then can I leave?” Feng Lao asked her.

“Yes,” Xiaolian said in a low voice.

.....

Feng Lao handed her the letter and then took a step back. He bowed at her before leaving her sight.

She was upset. “Why can’t he love anyone?” She mumbled. She looked at her outfit and stomped her foot on the floor.

“Sister Xiaolian, why was Feng Lao here?” Ai Fen arrived in the pavilion as Jingfei had requested them to gather there. She looked at the folded paper in Xiaolian’s hand.

She quickly hid that behind her back. “Fe-Feng Lao...” she paused when Jingfei arrived at the pavilion and asked them if they wanted longer for her.

“No, Sister Jingfei,” Ai Fen answered. “We arrived here a moment ago,” she said.

After Jingfei took her seat along with them. Xiaolian asked Jingfei why she asked them for this urgent gathering.

“Sisters, Father has decided to fix my marriage with Li Jianjun,” Jingfei informed them.

“That is great, Sister Jingfei. Ai Fen is happy for you,” the Second Princess delightedly said.

“Xiaolian is also for the First Sister.”

“However, I am not happy with our father’s decision. After what the Crown Princess told me, I am scared,” Jingfei stated and looked at them worriedly. The two princesses got confused to see this reaction from Jingfei.

“Why is Sister Jingfei scared?” Ai Fen asked. “What did the Crown Princess tell her?” She queried.

“The Crown Princess told me how most of the noblemen visit the brothel houses to seek pleasure in women. She told me to do research before marrying any such man,” Jingfei stated. “I would have asked my elder brother to find out about Li Jianjun, but he is not here, so it is difficult for me to find anything about this man,” she explained to them.

“Sister Jingfei, the Li family is a well-known noble family in the kingdom. You are the Queen’s daughter. The man would think thousands of times before taking such a step. Also, the Crown Princess does not know anything about noble families,” Xiaolian said to clear confusion of Jingfei.

“I agree with the Third Sister’s words. Why would the son of the Li family think of going to a brothel house? I think the Crown Princess is mistaken about the noble families,” Ai Fen put forward her opinion.

“Unlike us, the Crown Princess has lived outside. She was confident while speaking about all these things with me. She told me some of the dark things that we all are unaware of,” Jingfei said in a low voice.

“Why did Sister Jingfei share this news with the Crown Princess? She might be putting negative thoughts in her head so that her marriage would keep delaying,” Xiaolian opined.

“Sister Xiaolian, I do not think that Crown Princess will ever do that. She has more experience with the outside world than us. If she said this to Sister Jingfei, then she must think about this once,” Ai Fen did not agree with Xiaolian’s words and urged Jingfei to meet Li Jianjun to meet once to clear her confusion.

“Will I be allowed to meet him? My mother is already furious at me since I told her that I would not marry Huang Xi. Asking her to arrange my meeting with Li Jinajun is almost impossible for me,” she asserted.

“Then, what will Sister Jingfei do?” Xiaolian asked.

“I am thinking to take someone’s help. But I do not know anyone outside the palace except,” Jingfei stopped speaking as she recalled Xu Zifan. Ai Fen asked her to complete her statement when Jingfei thanked them.

Both the Princesses again were perplexed to see that kind of reaction from her.

“I know what I have to do. I have found the solution,” Jingfei stated with a wide smile. She had decided to meet Xu Zifan and asked for his help on this. Once she would meet Li Jianjun and had a conversation with him, she would be relieved to know what kind of person she would marry.

“What will Sister Jingfei do? Will she tell us sisters?” Xiaolian interrupted Jingfei’s thoughts.

“I will tell you both after I complete the task to meet Li Jianjun,” Jingfei assured them.