#96 - I have said before that Wu Yanhan is prettier than Zhu Cici

As Xu Ming walked into the hall, Xu Pangda didn't even have time to react before he saw a flash of cold light pass by his fat face.

When Xu Pangda regained his senses, the long sword was already pointing at his fifth brother's throat.

The sharp tip of the sword was only half an inch away from his fifth brother's throat.

It seemed that if she moved it forward even slightly, they would see blood splatter out.

Everyone in the hall was also startled.

Why did this beautiful princess draw her sword at the slightest disagreement?

Although Xu Ming's rejection of the marriage proposal did make you lose some face.

But, well... everyone could sit down and have a good chat first.

Chen Suya's face turned even paler, and she wanted to step forward, but Wang Feng grabbed her wrist.

Wang Feng shook her head and signaled Chen Suya with a look.

Chen Suya followed Wang Feng's gaze and noticed that the princess's eyes seemed to hold a strange expression when she looked at her son, Ming'er.

Chen Suya, like Wang Feng, was very good at reading people's expressions.

She discovered that although the princess's eyes held anger, they didn't seem to contain much hatred.

"That sword was fast, accurate, and ruthless. I didn't expect the princess's swordsmanship to be so superb," Xu Ming said calmly, looking at the girl in front of him with a smile.

"You made this princess lose all face in front of the world. Give me an explanation, or this sword will pierce your throat," Wu Yanhan said coldly.

Xu Ming looked around at the crowd: "I will give the princess an explanation, but would the princess be willing to take a stroll with me in the courtyard? If my explanation does not satisfy the princess, she can kill me at will, and I will have no complaints."

Wu Yanhan's beautiful phoenix eyes stared straight at Xu Ming, as if she wanted to dissect him with that long sword. Xu Ming did not avoid Wu Yanhan's gaze at all.

"Hmph." Wu Yanhan snorted coldly and flicked her long sword. The long sword flew in a perfect parabola through the air and landed straight into the scabbard held by the palace maid.

Wu Yanhan walked straight towards the door. Xu Ming bowed to the crowd in the hall and turned to leave with her.

The two walked side by side in the Xu residence's garden. There was no one around. Wu Yanhan's cold expression was gone, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"You didn't need to come here specifically. My letter of rejection should have been enough. His Majesty shouldn't punish me," Xu Ming said to the girl beside him.

In other people's eyes, Wu Yanhan drew her sword at him at the slightest disagreement to express her anger at being rejected.

But in reality, didn't he understand Wu Yanhan's personality?

She was just worried about him, so she came to the Xu residence to question him.

It was both to create an image of being willful and unreasonable, making others think, "It's right that the Number One Scholar rejected the marriage. This princess draws her sword at the slightest disagreement. It's too scary. If they get married in the future, wouldn't he be henpecked?", making others stand on Xu Ming's side.

And it was also giving her father, the Emperor, a way out—"Father, I, your daughter, have already been willful and unreasonable and wanted to kill Xu Ming. Father, you should mediate the situation. After mediating, pretend that the marriage proposal never happened."

"Heh heh." Wu Yanhan chuckled twice, "I'm just worried that you'll die. I haven't repaid the favor I owe you yet."

Saying that, Wu Yanhan looked at Xu Ming a few times: "When the imperial decree arrived, upon hearing my name, did you ever think that I was the current princess?"

Xu Ming nodded: "I really didn't expect it, but I also vaguely guessed it. After all, you... are more beautiful than a woman."

Wu Yanhan's smile became even more playful: "Then, when you learned that the person you were rejecting was your former brother, how did you feel?"

"I felt very surprised," Xu Ming said truthfully, "But thinking about how His Majesty let me enter the Blood Floating Pagoda, and how Yanhan, you are a 'female minister in male disguise,' it all makes sense. It should have been His Majesty's intention."

Xu Ming asked Wu Yanhan in return: "When the princess came to the Blood Floating Pagoda, did you know His Majesty's intention? Did you know that I would be the princess's fiancé?"

A hint of displeasure flashed in Wu Yanhan's eyes: "Call me Yanhan."

"..." Xu Ming was stunned for a moment, then smiled and changed his words, repeating, "Then, Yanhan, did you know I was your fiancé?"

"I didn't know," Wu Yanhan replied crisply, "I was originally going to enter the Blood Floating Pagoda to train. I didn't know that my father had stuffed a fiancé in there. I only learned of my father's intention after I returned to the imperial capital after my training."

"Yanhan, when you knew that your former brother was going to become your fiancé, how did you feel?" Xu Ming asked in return.

Wu Yanhan stopped and looked at Xu Ming seriously: "I felt it was okay."

Xu Ming: "Huh?"

Wu Yanhan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, without the slightest pretense of a little girl:

"If it were someone else, I would have beaten him to the ground with my fists, but you once saved me.

I said it before, you saved me, and I will repay you.

So, rather than letting someone else take advantage, I might as well let you marry me."

Xu Ming: "..."

"On the contrary, I didn't expect you to reject the wedding," Wu Yanhan smiled, "What? Is it difficult to make a move against your former 'brother'? Or is it that you still have Qin Qingwan and Zhu Cici in your heart?"

"..." Xu Ming shook his head, "Neither. I just want to go out and take a look."

Wu Yanhan: "Go out and take a look?"

Xu Ming nodded and told Wu Yanhan the reason he had never told anyone else: "After participating in the Rootless Secret Realm, I will leave the Wu Kingdom to see how big this world is. I don't want to delay you.

Besides, what if I die outside one day? Wouldn't you become a widow?"

"How long will you be gone?" Without Xu Ming noticing, Wu Yanhan's delicate fists under her long sleeves clenched slightly.

"I don't know. Maybe five or six years? Maybe longer," Xu Ming said truthfully.

"Then, will you come back?" Wu Yanhan asked.

"Yes," Xu Ming nodded, "After all, my mother is still in Wudu."

"If your mother wasn't in Wudu, you wouldn't come back?" Wu Yanhan felt inexplicably annoyed.

Xu Ming glanced at Wu Yanhan and immediately understood: "You are still in Wudu, so I will definitely come back to see you."

"Heh." Wu Yanhan turned her head away, "Who wants you to come see me!"

"..." Looking at Wu Yanhan's aloof appearance, Xu Ming just smiled and said nothing more.

The two continued to walk in the courtyard. Although they didn't say a word, there was no awkwardness.

"How is it?" After a long time, Wu Yanhan slowly opened her mouth.

Xu Ming was puzzled: "How is what?"

Wu Yanhan turned around, folded her hands in front of her, took a step back, and said generously:

"I said before that Wu Yanhan is more beautiful than Zhu Cici.

Now, is that false?"