Bab 8: Lin Zi Xuan
Feng Ning hated these kind of banquets.
She was thankful that she had the skill of putting on a blank and innocent face due to the fact that it was her natural face. After all, in her past life, she was so gullible that she ended up destroying herself because of her kindness.
The others didn't seem to be willing to talk to her that much here. Even her elder sister, Feng Quan was busy to talk with the other girls and didn't have time to care for her. As for Feng Zhi Liu, she was too young to make trouble.
'I'll walk around now.'
Now that the Emperor had left the scene towards the garden, only half of the people stayed here. Most of them were the children and the younger generations along with their mothers.
"You should stay here and don't embarrass me."
The voice was low, but Feng Ning could hear it clearly. She raised her head, noticing that the one who talked was Lin Han Xing. Because he was not far from her, she could hear his voice was he berated his first son.
Lin Zi Xuan looked straight to his father and nodded faintly. It seemed that he didn't seem to care that much about what his father thought.
Lin Han Xing snorted. "Come with me, Hu Xi."
"Yes, Father."
As he watched them left, Lin Zi Xuan's eyes darkened considerably. However, he didn't leave his seat and merely played with the cup in his hand. He raised his head towards the three young girls who sat not far from him, one was busy talking with others, another one was carried by the servant, and the last one was walking towards him.
…Walking towards him?
"Imperial Cousin Zi Xuan." A soft and childish voice rang in his ear. The tone was low and gentle, giving off refreshing feeling. Yet at the same time, the voice carried the hint of carefulness, one that shouldn't have appeared in such a young girl.
Lin Zi Xuan lowered his head and looked at the young girl who was only 6 years old in front of him. "Princess Ning."
Feng Ning's lips twitched slightly. She was certainly not used with being addressed like that. Even though her servants sometimes called her with the word princess, she didn't pay much attention to them in the past.
Thus, she didn't really care that much.
But hearing it from an outsider made her felt strange.
"Imperial Cousin Zi Xuan, are you not allowed to walk around?" Feng Ning asked while tilting her head, looking like an innocent young girl.
Lin Zi Xuan was staring at the young girl in front of him. "Father didn't want me to create any trouble."
"I see."
Feng Ning could sense that this prince was keeping his distance, so she didn't want to try probing him anymore. She turned around, right at the time Feng Quan was looking for her. "Sister, let's go to the garden. The others said that outside is very beautiful."
"Yes, Sister."
The two of them walked out while Feng Zhi Liu was still resting in her maidservants' hand. She was still three years old, so it was only natural that she would feel sleepy most of the time. Even her twin brother was not in much better condition under their mother's hand.
Lin Zi Xuan stayed still in his place when he saw his father went back with Prime Minister Fang Hou Zheng. His father's face was dark as he pointed at him. "Go to the garden and accompany the princesses!"
"Yes, Father."
Reaching the garden, Lin Zi Xuan could instantly see that his half younger brother, Lin Hu Xi, was also talking with the two princess. However, it was clear that Feng Quan refused to get close to him and even gave him polite distance.
The two of them were more or less of the same age and Feng Quan was someone who had learned etiquette more, so she refused.
"Are you not willing to play with me, Cousin Quan?" Lin Hu Xi asked in low tone.
Feng Quan was smiling without mirth. "I'm afraid that it'll be inappropriate, Your Highness. How about if you play with the other boys?"
Even though she was calling with the word 'Your Highness,' Lin Hu Xi could sense the coldness from deep within Feng Quan's bone. Because of that, Lin Hu Xi knew that he wouldn't have any chance to get close to her.
Feng Ning blinked her eyes and shook her head. "Your Highness, I want to play with the other girls."
Both rejection.
Lin Hu Xi could only watch helplessly as the two of them headed to the group of girls. He looked in the direction of Princess Lin Mei Ni, but he knew very well that it was harder to get close to that young girl.
At the side, Lin Zi Xuan watched everything and stayed near an empty table, finding a random chair to sit. His dark eyes were watching the three princesses who were staying at this place one by one.
He hadn't returned to the Capital City in many years and he knew very well that his father wished for his younger brother to be able to marry one of the princess. Based on the age, his younger brother might be targeting either Lin Mei Ni or Feng Ning. But so far, he hadn't been successful.
'How tiring.'
Looking at how these girls had been learning how to bootlick at young age, Feng Ning was finding it harder and harder to maintain her sweet and foolish smile. She really need to take a break.
"Sister, I want to sit down." Feng Ning's voice sounded a bit pleading.
Feng Quan looked at her younger sister and nodded her head. "In that case, please be careful, Sister. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
"Yes, I will be careful."
Feng Ning sighed internally, knowing full well that her older sister must be hoping that something happened to her. She glanced around and walked towards the tables. At this moment, she noticed that Lin Zi Xuan was sitting on the empty table, his dark eyes were watching his surroundings like a patient wolf that was waiting for its prey.
As their gaze met, Feng Ning felt that his gaze was somewhat familiar. It was not like she had seen him before, but she had seen that type of gaze on someone else before.
'Should I try?'
A bold thought appeared within Feng Ning's mind.
In this kind of world where women would find it difficult to survive, they would have to rely on their man if they wished to do anything. It was not like she didn't want to be independent, but she realized that many things she thought she could do was actually impossible.
Those things that she read from the novel was all bulls***.
There were a lot of people who were guarding the manor, there were a lot of things that she had to pay attention to, and most importantly, being in the Imperial Family meant that they had to mind their every action. It was tiring. There was never actually a time when she was not watched by anyone.
Even at home, the servants would be watching her. They would only pretend that they didn't on some specific time.
She wouldn't be able to get away.
As for making money? She couldn't even touch any property because she was too young and those would only be given to her after she was married as part of dowry.
As for marriage? There were only a few people of similar status whom her mother would consider.
Feng Ning originally planned to stay calm and composed, pulling the servants to her side with the most harmless and slow methods. She didn't want to be seen as a threat by anyone, keen on persevering her peaceful life.
Now that she had seen his gaze…
She was tempted.
Tempted to take that chance.
'I have died once, there's nothing wrong with trying, is it?'
The worst that could happen was for her to die once more.
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