Chapter 45: You Have No Feelings, I Have No Intentions

  Looking at Xue Lengyu's face, which had been as pale as death all along, a smile suddenly rose on his face. Li Mu couldn't help but say: "Leng Yu, what are you smiling about?"

  Xue Lengyu felt relieved in her heart, and her expression on her face was even more relaxed. Although it was just a faint smile that barely concealed her true feelings, it was radiant and made people feel like they were basking in the warmth of spring. The three men in the room looked at her with mixed emotions - some feeling sour, others sweet - each lost in their own thoughts, but all pretending to be oblivious.

  Xue Lengyu walked up to the table, picked up the wine jug and poured a drink for Li Mu, saying: "I'm not good with words, I don't dare say anything."

  "It doesn't matter what you say." Li Mu said: "Today is different from being in the Wang Fu, think about what you want to say without avoiding taboos, this king will pardon your crimes."

  "Thank you, Your Highness." Xue Lengyu took advantage of Li Mu's words and boldly said: "I saw Master Murong and was startled."

  "Scared of me?" Murong Haoran thought for a moment and looked at Xue Lengyu: "Am I that frightening?"

  Xue Lengyu poured wine for Murong Haoran and said, "I was poor since childhood and my knowledge is shallow. After entering the palace, I saw the king and only then did I believe that there are such handsome and elegant men in the world. Today, seeing Young Master Murong, I realized what it means to live among people and things being classified. Suddenly, I thought that if the king and Young Master Murong were to hold a ball-throwing matchmaking event together in this city, I wonder how many girls would be eager to attend?"

  Xue Lengyu smiled again: "If we charge an entrance fee of ten or twenty taels per person, I'm afraid it won't take three days for us to have a thousand taels at home."

  This is what came to mind, three men all thought of two big men dressed in floral finery standing on the city wall, winking at a group of frenzied women. And Xue Lengyu was setting up a small stall beside them, with gold and silver treasures piled high, his eyes had also turned into coins, laughing with only his teeth showing.

  Xue Lengyu had a flag next to him, which read "Ten taels for one touch".

  Shu Li was still in control, but Xue Lengyu was making a joke about Li Mu without being too obvious. He just slightly curled up the corner of his mouth and then resumed his solemn expression. Murong Haoran, however, had a mouthful of wine that he almost spat out.

  Li Mu endured it and controlled himself from laughing out loud, his face sinking as he said: "Xue Leng Yu, are you mocking me and Murong Gongzi?"

  Xue Lengyu was so delighted by the scene she had fabricated that her eyebrows and eyes were all scrunched up together. When she saw Li Mu's stern face, she didn't know if he was really angry or not, and immediately reined in her smile. She bowed her head humbly and said: "This servant was just praising you and Master Murong. However, this servant is uneducated and doesn't know how to speak properly. The prince said to pardon my offense, so I spoke."

  Li Mu wasn't really angry, first because he had indeed said such things before, and secondly thinking about the scene described by Xue Lengyu was quite amusing. It's just that being in a high position of power, he rarely got teased by others. He simply couldn't bear to lose face.

  Looking at Xue Lengyu again, although he was lowering his head, it wasn't because he thought he was wrong. Although he tried to be serious, he couldn't hold back a hint of a smile. It seemed as if he had gained some great benefit, and Li Mu's gaze softened slightly. This kind of simple happiness, without any reason, he hadn't seen in a long time, even if... it was just an illusion.

  Murong Haoran's eyes deepened as he looked at Xue Lengyuan, who still had the same captivating face that made people's hearts move, and the same slender yet delicate figure. She was wearing a simple dress, no different from those worn by the maids in the Shu Wang Fu. Yet, despite her humble demeanor, she exuded a unique charm.

  Was it because of Li Muo? His heart suddenly tightened, and a sour taste spread out.

  It's nothing, leaving him behind. If I had climbed up Li Mu's big tree, I would have really flown to the top. Murong Haoran's hand grasping the wine cup tightened slightly, suppressing his discontent and trying to speak calmly with a hint of smile: "Miss Xue is really praising me too much. Where do I have what Miss Xue said, being so popular?"

  "How could that be?" Xue Lengyu smiled and said: "Mu Rong young master is a talented and handsome man, elegant and refined. His family is wealthy, and he is charming and carefree. If there's any girl who doesn't fancy Mu Rong young master, she must be blind."

  Murong Haoran let out a long sigh on purpose and drank up all the wine in his cup.

  Li Muqi said: "Haoxuan, what's wrong with you? Is it... really some emotional trouble?"

  There's no reason for that. As Xue Lengyu said, Murong Haoran's conditions are indeed too excellent, and he has an advantage in terms of emotions. There's really no reason to sigh over this.

  Murong Haoran drained his cup in one gulp, and Xue Lengyue immediately refilled it for him before standing aside with her hands hanging down.

  The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. Xue Lengyu's loss of composure would only make Murong Haoran think she still cares, while Xue Lengyu's indifference would truly make him feel that he has already exhausted his past life's karma.

  Murong Haoran glanced at Xue Lengyu and said, "Shu, we're all brothers, I won't hide it from you. Recently, something small happened in the Murong household."

  Li Mu furrowed his brow, Murong Haoxuan had an accident, he wouldn't be completely unaware. Unless it was a family matter of his own.

  Murong Haoran didn't want Li Mu to speak, and continued: "I have a beloved concubine, who has always been as beautiful as a flower, gentle and obedient. She is very much favored by me. However, during my business trip away from home, she took advantage of my favoritism and did whatever she wanted. She deceived those above her and bullied those below her, insulted the main wife, stirred up trouble, secretly hid goods and money... and what's more, not fearing that I would laugh at her, she also had an unclear relationship with Haoran..."

  Hao Ze? Xue Leng Yu thought for a moment, Murong Hao Xuan, Murong Hao Ze. They should be two brothers, right? Could it be that Leng Yu had an affair with her younger brother-in-law in the Murong household? This is something that can't be done cleanly, and then to pass on this mess to oneself is also not easy.

  Murong Haoran sighed and said with a reluctant face: "I had no choice but to expel her from the Murong Manor, although to be honest, I still miss her."

  "What's there to be reluctant about with a woman like that?" Li Mu heard and couldn't help but furrow his brow, patting Murong Haoyuan's shoulder: "Haoyuan, they say you're overly sentimental, and it seems the reputation is well-deserved. What's there to miss about a woman like that?"

  Murong Haoran said this, originally thinking that he could see Xue Lengyu change color. But who knew that after a light glance, Xue Lengyu was even more calm and composed than him, without any expression. It seemed as if the embarrassing past they had just talked about had nothing to do with her at all.

  Murong Haoran couldn't help but feel annoyed in his heart, and he glanced at Xue Lengyu: "Shu, your maid, don't mind me asking a few questions, do you?"

  Li Mu was taken aback: "Ask her?"

  "Yes." Murong Haoran said, "I've known many women, to be honest, you're a unique one. Just now what she said, isn't something an ordinary woman would say."

  "That's right." Li Mu didn't hide his appreciation for Xue Lengyu from Murong Haoran: "I also think this girl is quite interesting, or I wouldn't have brought her along. How about you? Are you interested too?"

  Xue Lengyu's heart skipped a beat, she was just an object in this palace.

  Murong Haoran smiled and said: "It's just that these things, we are all men discussing. I've always wondered, as a woman, would you have other insights?"

  Li Mu also showed interest and smiled: "Leng Yu, Murong Gongzi is interested, you might as well say something."

  "Is that so." Murong Haoran stared at Xue Lengyu with a gaze that only they could understand: "Miss Xue, do you think I did the right thing? Since I still have feelings for her, shouldn't I go find her again?"

  Xue Lengyu said calmly: "I think, expelling her from the manor is a right decision made by Murong Gongzi. As for bringing her back, it's absolutely impossible."