Chapter 20: Sewing a Bridal Gown for Another

“You—you’re the one lacking intelligence! Since you’re here and have played the guest, just hurry back to your Misty Mountain and stop bothering Brother Yi. He just returned and needs rest. You should leave now! No seeing you off!” Bing Qingwan, indulging in her princess tantrum, bossed Yuan Qian’er around as if she were the mistress of the place.

“Princess, I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you—I’m staying here, not leaving!” Yuan Qian’er was ready to spar with Bing Qingwan to pass the time.

Bing Qingwan’s temper flared instantly. “Stay? On what grounds? Don’t you have a place to live? Why do you have to stay here? Brother Yi, are you really going to let her stay?”

“Qingwan, Master has sealed the mountain and gone into seclusion. Before leaving, he instructed me to take good care of Qian’er. Of course she has to stay here. Stop causing trouble and return to the palace!” Mo Yiran answered patiently.

“Brother Yi, I’m not causing trouble. If she’s staying, then I’m staying too!” Bing Qingwan flatly refused to leave.

Yuan Qian’er smiled mischievously. “Princess, sorry, but Qingyun Pavilion belongs to me now. There’s no room left for you. You’d better go back. Aren’t you tired of all this fuss?” The Princess of Anning seemed like a child at heart—straightforward and transparent, her emotions plainly written on her face.

“You go live in the front courtyard. I’m the princess, and Qingyun Pavilion is mine now! Someone, send word back to the palace that I’m staying here. Bring me some belongings. If Brother Yi asks, tell him I’ll return after finishing my business.”

“As you command, Princess!”

Bing Qingwan looked smugly at Yuan Qian’er. “Hmph, Qingyun Pavilion is mine now. No place left for you, huh? Ha ha!” With that, she took two maids who had stayed behind and went to Qingyun Pavilion. Apparently, the Anning Princess was no stranger to spending the night here; she knew the place as well as her own home and didn’t even need a guide.

Yuan Qian’er watched the princess walk away then turned to Mo Yiran. “Where can I stay in the front courtyard?”

Mo Yiran tapped Yuan Qian’er’s forehead. “You’re so clueless. The front courtyard is for the servants. She told you to stay there, and you actually believed it!”

Great, it seemed the Anning Princess considered Yuan Qian’er a servant to be dismissed.

“So what now? I have nowhere to stay! But how can you just let her occupy Qingyun Pavilion without a word? At least put up some resistance!”

“Haha, no problem. Stay at my place. I have more than one room anyway.” Actually, when Mo Yiran heard Bing Qingwan say she was staying, he laughed inwardly. “Stay if you want, Qingwan. This is the first time I’ve found you so adorable. Thank you so much. Once you settle in, I can bring Qian’er over to my place. On behalf of the people, thank you!”

Ah, a schemer through and through—he had planned this all along, no wonder he said nothing.

“Stay at your place? Is that okay? If the Anning Princess finds out, she might turn the entire mansion upside down.” For Yuan Qian’er, who was modern in mindset, as long as they weren’t sharing a room, she didn’t care where she slept.

“No worries, this is my turf. I stay where I want. Don’t you want to see her face when she realizes she’s made a wedding dress for someone else?” Mo Yiran, knowing Yuan Qian’er’s playful nature, tempted her with the perfect bait.

Imagining Bing Qingwan’s furious reaction upon discovering the truth, Yuan Qian’er burst into laughter. “Alright, she wants to push me away, but she definitely didn’t expect me to come closer. Ha ha, Princess, I can’t wait to see your performance!”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s head back to Qingmo Pavilion,” Mo Yiran said with a grin so wide his mouth wouldn’t close, like he’d just found himself a little bride. Pardon me, Your Highness, but where’s your sense of decency?