Consort of a Thousand Faces

Su Xi-er was pressed to the ground, and before she could struggle free, she heard the sound of a slap and froze. She had slapped Pei Qianhao across the face, but he had just slapped her butt... 

 

Although Pei Qianhao only slapped her once, he had put enough strength in it to make her flinch in pain. He then went back to resting against the wall of the carriage with his eyes closed.

 

The horse carriage had just left Lotus Flower County. Su Xi-er sat up in the carriage, her butt still slightly aching. Just when she had managed to calm down, the horse carriage stopped, and the low but penetrating voice of Pei Qianhao sounded out.

 

“Stop the carriage.” The words were clear, and the imperial guard driving the carriage immediately pulled the reins, bringing the vehicle to a stop.

 

Su Xi-er looked at him in puzzlement, not knowing why they stopped. He opened his eyes slowly, his gaze like a bottomless pool.

 

“Get off, and go to the horse carriage at the back.” The sentence passed through his thin lips slowly. He was kicking her off the horse carriage again.

 

Su Xi-er nodded, and immediately left the horse carriage without hesitation. As she walked to the horse carriage at the back, the wind happened to blow past and lift the curtain of the carriage. When Pei Qianhao saw her placid expression and couldn’t help but laugh to himself. Forget about slapping me in the face, any other woman who spoke so audaciously to me like that would be dead by now. Yet, I have left her alive until now. 

 

After Su Xi-er got onto an average horse carriage, the entourage started moving again. With the members of both nations listening to the orders of Pei Qianhao, Yun Ruofeng had given Beimin a lot of honour.

 

The soldiers of Nanzhao noticed all of this and couldn’t help but whisper, “Is Prince Hao narrow-minded or just crazy? Being so petty with a woman by constantly making things difficult for her, he really can’t compare to our Prince Yun.”

 

“Exactly, Prince Yun is always polite and smiles to all women, even if they are beggars. Prince Hao however, wears such a cold expression, and even punishes his people frequently. I really don’t understand, why are there so many women fighting to approach him?”

 

When Yun Ruofeng heard the discussion between the soldiers, he lifted the curtain of his carriage and commanded, “Don’t gossip too much about the people of another country and their business.”

 

The two imperial guards immediately replied respectfully, “This subordinate obeys the order.”

 

Yun Ruofeng closed the carriage curtain, Su Xi-er’s fair face involuntarily appearing in his mind. Her appearance is obviously different, but it gives off a feeling that they are so similar.

 

Suddenly, his head started hurting. When he started to massage his head softly, he remembered what Su Xi-er said. “Wrongdoings.” The memory caused his chest to tighten.

 

At this moment, as his gentle aura gradually dissipated, his eyes grew frigid, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. My whole life has been just and upright. Everything I have today is what I deserve.

 

The average horse carriage was for storing objects. Su Xi-er herself could only find a small space to sit in, with every other spot being taken up by other objects.

 

Her gaze swept over all the objects. They’re all from Beimin. Every nation had to obey the rules of etiquette and prepare gifts when attending another’s state banquet.

 

The journey continued with the troop travelling during the day, and resting inside the horse carriages or simple tents at night. Over the next few days, Su Xi-er didn’t see Pei Qianhao, nor did he order her to do anything. However, the guards from the Prince Hao Residence would still bring some herbal medicine over to treat her illness. As a result, her condition greatly improved.

 

Just like that, the entourage uneventfully moved closer and closer to Nanzhao’s capital. Likewise, Su Xi-er’s emotions remained tranquil during the trip.

 

Once they were only about three miles away from the capital, Su Xi-er lifted one of the curtains in the carriage to look at the scenery in the outskirts.