Masquerade in Bridal Attire and Marry the Prince

41. Pretending Not to Hear

Translator: Antonia

Dear readers, I am sooooo sorry for updating the wrong chapter. The missing chapters between the origial chapter 38 and 39 have been posted, and I promise this time the sequence is right and the plot is coherent. Sorry for the confusion caused and sincerely thanks for liking the story. If you have any other doubt, just let me know in the comment.

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Yuxing Tianrui happened to pass by. In order to conceal his identity, he was now in a guard’s uniform. At a casual glance, he looked just like one of the Crown Prince’s guards, whose clothes were different from the soldiers in the barracks and who were solely responsible for Yuxing Tianrui’s personal stuff.

Hearing the gossip, he stopped his steps, and Aer pulled his slightly, “Your Highness, these are irrelevant things. Shall I deal with it later?”

Yuxing Tianrui shook his head. What he had learned were overt schemes, nothing as such. This was also why his fame wasn’t as admirable among the folks as Shan Zhongli, even if he was more capable than the latter.

He wasn’t mad at the gossip but pondering in his mind who was secretly helping him. Every single general in the barracks was considered, but he still didn’t figure out who could be this kind-hearted.

Du Chuxuan, at this time, was comfortably sitting on bed holding a cushion in his arms and listening to Dongxiang telling him all versions of the story.

“Hahaha, this one has even richer imagination. Who made this? He can make a standup comedian.” Hearing Dongxiang’s vivid narration, Du Chuxuan laughed so hard that his eyes narrowed into lines.

Dongxiang found Her Princess was very amiable, but after all she should pay more attention to her manners. He was about to remind her, when there were footsteps from outside.

He turned, ready to greet Yuxing Tianrui, but only to hear an unfamiliar voice, “The son of Duke Ningyuan requests to meet Her Highness. Please grant him with this grace.”

Dongxiang was stunned. He was allowed by Yuxing Tianrui to stay close to Du Chuxuan instead of guarding at the door, since there were the Crown Prince’s guards on duty around the tent.

For Dongxiang, it was equal to granting him a different life. Joining the army was merely a way of living to every nameless soldier, but now, he gained the affection of His Highness and became a close servant to Her Highness. To put it bluntly, he would be a figure in the palace in the future, so the social status was completely different.

Therefore, he was very grateful towards Du Chuxuan for trusting him. Now there were numerous versions of the gossips in the barracks, so Dongxiang didn’t believe that Shan Zhongli had no idea of it at all.

Since he was aware of these things, and showed up at Du Chuxuan’s tent at this time when His Highness happened not to be here, Dongxiang didn’t think Shan Zhongli harbored any good intentions.

Anxious, he turned to look at Du Chuxuan, only to see Du Chuxuan put on a languid look with the pretty slim eyes curling up in the corners. Yet, the languid look somehow had a bewitching power.

“Dongxiang, I just heard the son of Duke Ningyuan is requesting to see me? Is it my ears? I seemed to hear things.” Certainly, Du Chuxuan could also understand Dongxiang’s concern.

The son of bi*h wanted to drag him down into the rumors. But Du Chuxuan wasn’t a fool. All others believed he was Du Chuyue, and a married woman shouldn’t personally meet with a man, let alone in her tent.

Dongxiang was clever and immediately replied, “Probably it’s your ears, Your Highness. I am telling you stories and right at the most exciting part. How could you hear other things?”

Du Chuxuan gave him an appreciative look, “Oh, alright. It must be my ears. I think I’m tired and need to rest. You may leave now and don’t disturb me until I wake up.”

Saying this, he motioned Dongxiang to go out. Dongxiang pretended not to know anything, bowed and walked out, carefully putting down the door curtain, turning around to see Shan Zhongli and his gloomy face. The sullenness still lingered in the man’s eyes.

“Oh, nice to meet you, Mr. Shan. Her Highness just asked me about you. Are you visiting Her Highness?” Dongxiang pretended just to see him, covering his mouth behind a hand in surprise, “But Her Highness is taking a rest. She is still weak and fragile from scare. I don’t think she’ll wake up in a minute or two.”

Shan Zhongli wouldn’t deserve his fame as an innate talent if he couldn’t tell what was up to the Princess and her servant.

Nevertheless, he still had to cooperate to finish the play. Not to mention other things, just with so many guards of Yuxing Tianrui around, the news would be sent to the Emperor soon if he did anything improper.

“If so, I apologize for my abrupt visit. It’s better I don’t disturb Her Highness. I’ll visit her another time.” Finishing the formalities, he turned and left right away.

The group of people following him also left. Dongxiang took a glance and couldn’t help but gasp in shock. How weird this son of Duke Ningyuan was! His journey here was merely a temporary thing, but he took with him so many people and acted as if he was going to take over the barracks.

Not to mention other things, merely during the days when His Highness hadn’t returned, the son of Duke Ningyuan changed all the guards on duty at night in the barracks, in the name of being responsible for the security system of the barracks. Others with little knowledge would be misled to believe he was better in every way than His Highness.

Only His Highness was able to put up with such a person who took over all the credits. If it had been him, he would have long slapped the man in the face.

When Yuxing Tianrui was back, Du Chuxuan was already in sound sleep in the tent. In view of this, Yuxing Tianrui, who usually needed Du Chuxuan to help him get changed, made his movement light and sat on the bed, closing his eyes in silent contemplation.

He had inspected around in the barracks, with the company of Aer. Nearly every important position was guarded by Shan Zhongli’s men, so what this man was going to do was self-evident.

But Yuxing Tianrui didn’t need to worry, because currently, Ada, his most capable right-hand was yet recovered. Hence, all he needed to do was to wait.

The court had known that Shan Zhongli was dispatched to temporarily take charge of the barracks, because the Crown Prince and his princess both disappeared. But before it, they at least won a vital battle. Therefore, the best timing for Yuxing Tianrui to stand out to stabilize the barracks was when Shan Zhongli failed to achieve more based on the last victory.

Over there, Shan Zhong returned to his tent, pushing everything on the desk to the ground with rage, “What a pretentious woman! She obviously heard my voice but pretended not!”

Yunluo, his servant, certainly understood why Shan Zhongli was so pissed off. The gossips were rampant in the barracks. It was simply impossible to turn a deaf ear.