Falling in Water

         Perhaps because today’s scheme fell through, the Empress left much earlier, allowing second wangye to entertain the young masters and ladies as they continued to appreciate the chrysanthemums.

Without the Empress repressing the scene, many young masters and ladies grouped together sets of twos and threes in the vast garden to admire the chrysanthemums.  There were even some who went to other parts of Kun Ning Palace that were allowed to be toured to admire the scenery.  After all, the Kun Ning Palace where the Empress lived was magnificent and luxurious.

Meanwhile, Feng Yi Xuan, Feng Xia Qi, Jing Wu An, Lan Mo Xian, He Chu Yang, Lan You Nian, and Hua Mu Qing, the seven of them, have gathered together, found a clean place to sit, had the palace maids serve some cakes and tea, then casually chatted amongst themselves to pass the boredom.

“Nian’er meimei, you are really a treasure.  You can even create poems on the spot, truly stunning!” Feng Xia Qi praised with glittering eyes.

Feng Yi Xuan frowned in dissatisfaction, then stated with pride, “Of course Nian Nian is a treasure!”

Everyone felt there was something wrong.  They all called Lan You Nian Nian’er meimei.  Although this kind of nickname was informal, it didn’t overstep etiquette.  However, Feng Yi Xuan’s nickname was too intimate, as if it was a pet name between husband and wife.  Everyone observed Feng Yi Xuan’s personality of I-do-what-I-want and Lan You Nian’s ignorant and naive age, and they gradually lowered their suspicions.

Although Lan You Nian’s disposition was excellent and likable, with her body’s age at the fore, who will like a girl who has not yet fully developed?  Perhaps only Feng Yi Xuan will be so unique that after one glance, he refused to budge.  This kind of person either his heart does not stir, or once his heart is stirred, then it was a lifelong obsession.

“Nian’er meimei, what else can’t you do?” Hua Mu Qing asked curiously.  In Hua Mu Qing’s heart, her sister was indeed a genius.

“There are many things I can’t do, so many I’m unable to count.  Mu Qing jiejiehas a much too perfect image of Nian’er,” Lan You Nian said helplessly.

At this time, a palace maid interrupted the lively atmosphere with her arrival.  After entering, the palace maid properly greeted everyone, then to Lan You Nian, “Third Miss Lan!”

Lan You Nian was puzzled as was everyone else, but they did not outwardly show it.  Lan You Nian asked, “What is it?”

“Third Miss Lan, this slave is eldest princess’s maidservant.  The eldest princess is quite appreciative of the poem that Lan third miss made, so specifically has this slave come over to invite Lan third young miss, hoping Lan third young miss will go over for a chat!” the palace maid said with her head lowered, her protocol satisfactory.

Everyone disapproved of Lan You Nian going.  The eldest princess was the Empress’s daughter.  Today, Empress was not able to punish Lan You Nian, but there was no guarantee that there was no backup plan.  In public, the Empress and others won’t overdo it, but if Lan You Nian went alone, it was too dangerous with too many variables.

“This lady was only accidentally lucky and let the eldest princess see a joke.  This lady better not go make a fool of myself!” Lan You Nian refused.

“Third Miss Lan does not need to be modest.  Third Miss Lan’s talent and learning are obvious to everyone.  Eldest princess has already been waiting for a long time.  Hope Third Miss Lan does not make things difficult for this slave,” the palace maid still had her head bowed.

Lan You Nian studied the palace maid’s attitude and knew she must go today.  After all, a princess was summoning her-a daughter of a general is not capable of refuting.  Besides, the more they wanted to her to go, then it meant there will be traps waiting for her.

Just as Feng Yi Xuan was ready to have the palace maid scram, Lan You Nian’s hand reached over and patted him from under the table.  This made him swallow back his words that intended to chase the person off.  His entire body was gushing with pink bubbles (idiom: as we call it, seeing floating hearts) because his Nian Nian patted his hand on his thigh.  This was the first time Nian Nian approached him, Feng Yi Xuan was determined to remember it in his heart.

“Third Miss Lan?  The place where Eldest princess is located isn’t far away.  It’s just at the small pavilion in the middle of the lake,” the palace maid told Lan You Nian where the eldest princess was at.  Lan You Nian and the others glanced over.  It really wasn’t far.  From here one could distinctly see the eldest princess sitting in the pavilion.  Due to the eldest princess’s identity, many people subtly paid attention to the eldest princess’s pavilion.  Lan Mo Xian and others felt that the eldest princess probably wouldn’t dare to directly do anything to Lan You Nian.

“You guys chat.  I will follow the maid and be back in a flash,” Lan You Nian reassured the others.  Once done, just as she was ready to leave, from under the table, her hand was gripped by Feng Yi Xuan.  Lan You Nian was stunned.  She didn’t know what Feng Yi Xuan wanted to do.

Lan You Nian maintained her composure as she struggled to snatch away her small hand, but Feng Yi Xuan’s calloused fingers traced two words on Lan You Nian’s palm “Be careful!”.  After Feng Yi Xuan finished writing, he tightly gripped onto Lan You Nian’s small hand.  He seemed to be very worried.

Lan You Nian’s face revealed nothing strange of any sort as she stood up, but her heart seemed to have been similarly caressed by that calloused finger leaving it with a languid and numb feeling.

Lan You Nian followed the palace maid to the small pavilion at the lake, while the people who were left behind nervously stared at Lan You Nian’s back.  Feng Yi Xuan clenched his fists.  This way he could make himself feel less impulsive, preventing himself from pulling the girl into his arms and not allowing anyone to have the chance to hurt her.

After bringing Lan You Nian to the small pavilion, the palace maid withdrew.  Lan You Nian studied the eldest princess who also stood to look at her.  The eldest princess wore a light green dress with faint blue peonies embroidered on the sleeves.   Silver thread was shaped into a few auspicious clouds with the hem of the dress is covered with a row of sea-water wave patterns.  On her chest was a wide light-yellow brocade bodice.  As the body gently shifted, the long skirt scattered.  Her movement was graceful like the wind caressing the willow, but the grace carried with it the majesty of an imperial princess.

Lan You Nian stepped forward, slightly bent over and gave a curtsy, “Eldest princess!”

Eldest princess did not allow Lan You Nian to rise, but Lan You Nian had already straightened her posture.  The action was as smooth as clouds and water.  It made the eldest princess fall into a stupor, this type of etiquette was even more disciplined and elegant than her-the real princess.

“Did this princess allow you to rise?” the eldest princess’s voice filled with dignity as it drifted towards Lan You Nian, but due to her experience, or lack of it thereof, she was not able to overwhelm anyone.  Even if the one standing here today were the Emperor himself, Lan You Nian would not be shaken up.

“Why has the eldest princess called this lady over?” Lan You Nian stood on the edge of the pavilion, her expression neither overbearing or servile as she fixed her eyes on the eldest princess.  Her sharp eyes were full of hostility, making the eldest princess noticeably cower, but recalling Empress Mother’s instruction, the eldest princess once again put on the airs of a princess.

“How dare you!” Eldest princess snapped at Lan You Nian as she stood, standing together with Lan You Nian at the small pavilion’s edge.

Barely noticeable, Lan You Nian raised her eyes.  Scanning around the small pavilion on the lake, she can see the attention of the young masters and ladies on the shore were all fixated here.  Perhaps it was because of the eldest princess, maybe it was because of her, but what can’t be denied is that she and eldest princess have truly become the center of attention of others.  If at this moment something happened…

“How dare I?  Don’t know why the eldest princess says this?” Lan You Nian faced the eldest princess.  The eldest princess can see the smile in Lan You Nian’s apathetic eyes, but that smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“You…Lan You Nian, you are bold!” the eldest princess growled.  Perhaps because no one ever dared to be so arrogant in front of her, the eldest princess couldn’t even say anything to retort.  Indeed, a princess raised in the imperial family, Lan You Nian thought.  If the one standing here today were the second princess or third princess, they definitely wouldn’t be like this.  This eldest princess was too well-protected by the Empress.

“Bold?  Is this lady boldness greater than the princess’s boldness?” Lan You Nian took one more step closer to the eldest princess, “What does princess want to do now that you’ve invited this lady here?”

Eldest princess stared at Lan You Nian in horror.  She didn’t expect that the girl who stood shorter than her was actually so astute that she already could tell she wanted to harm her.

“What are you talking about?  This princess doesn’t understand!  I warn you, if you commit the crime of offending your superiors, this princess will have your entire clan slaughtered!” the eldest princess said emboldened, clearly wanting to provoke Lan You Nian, but will Lan You Nian be fooled?

“Eldest princess is really quite impressive.  Even without any evidence, you can kill Feng nation’s great and noble general’s entire clan.  Don’t know if this matter was known by the Emperor, what is the eldest princess’s fate?  Will it be a conviction?  Or maybe you’ll be sent away as a peace marriage (arranged marriage between two nations to attain peace)?  Or…” Lan You Nian shuffled closer as she whispered in the eldest princess’s ear.

“No, that won’t happen, that won’t happen!” eldest princess anxiously refuted, as if telling herself not to be afraid.

“Really won’t happen?  Do you want this lady to try?” As soon as Lan You Nian finished speaking, she seemed ready to leave to go tattletale to the Emperor.  The Eldest princess panicked.  She didn’t expect that her unintentional words allowed Lan You Nian to have a hold over her.  If Emperor Father knew, Emperor Father would definitely punish her, no, she can’t let her go!

Seeing Lan You Nian prepared to turn away, the eldest princess was swallowed by panic.  She went to grab onto Lan You Nian to prevent her from going to Emperor Father to complain, but she didn’t expect that when her hand touched Lan You Nian, Lan You Nian fell from the pavilion’s edge, falling into the lake.

The eldest princess was stunned.  She didn’t know what happened.  She only wanted to grab her, to prevent her from leaving but didn’t expect that the girl in front of her actually fell into the lake.  What the eldest princess didn’t know was that for the people on the shore, it was the eldest princess who pushed Lan You Nian and caused Lan You Nian to fall into the lake.

Lan You Nian smiled, holding her breath as she fell into the lake.  Through the clear water of the lake, she could see the eldest princess’s flustered and bewildered expression.  She sneered.  In reality, the eldest princess had deliberately provoked her, then intended to have her push the eldest princess into the lake.  With so many witnesses on the shore, though no one heard anything they said, they could only see her push the eldest princess into the lake.  Although she was the general’s daughter, if she offended her superior and hurt the princess, then her fate, even if it wasn’t death, it will be peeling a layer of skin off her.  The Empress’s faction really came up with a great idea.

But the eldest princess’s schemes were either too poor or that Lan You Nian was too smart.  When Lan you Nian realized eldest princess’s intentions, she turned it around and made the other have a taste of their own medicine.  She deliberately found problems with the eldest princess’s words to threaten and intimidate the eldest princess, then from the corner of her eyes, noticing when the eldest princess touched her, she deliberately pretended to be pushed into the lake.  This way, although it can’t do anything to the eldest princess, from now on, the eldest princess’s future won’t be easy to walk, because she(LYN) had a father who wanted to repay her and a protective maternal grandfather.

A figure sank into the cold lake. A huge splash of water made Lan You Nian aware that someone came to save her, however, Lan You Nian didn’t expect the person to move so fast.  She just fell, and now this person already jumped in after her.  Through the ripples in the water, Lan You Nian saw the person.  It was Feng Yi Xuan.

Lan You Nian could clearly see the Feng Yi Xuan’s dour face, the dissatisfaction, and anxiety in the eyebrows, and the worry in the eyes searching for her.  When they landed on her, those eyes flashed with substantial hostility.

After Lan You Nian left, Feng Yi Xuan did not allow You Nian to leave his line of sight.  He watched as Lan You Nian entered the pavilion in the heart of the lake, saw Lan You Nian curtsy, saw Lan You Nian and the eldest princess say who knows what, saw the eldest princess enraged, and saw how Lan You Nian’s face wore a smile.  In the end, he saw Lan You Nian fall into the lake.  Others may not see clearly, but he saw clearly.  The eldest princess did not push her, it was she who jumped on her own.  With her skill, how can the eldest princess push her into the lake?

Feng Yi Xuan was angry just because of this.  His Nian Nian can scheme against others, she can play however she wants to, but she was not allowed to use her own physical safety as a bargaining chip.  He would rather she directly killed the eldest princess, and he will help her clean up: he didn’t want to see her small figure fall into the lake.  That kind of feeling was as if someone squeezed his heart, making his entire person filled with fear and worry.  He couldn’t see anything.  He used qinggong to promptly jump into the lake.  Seeing the girl who was seductive like a water demon in the water, with her eyes looking straight at him, Feng Yi Xuan didn’t know how to vent his anger.

Feng Yi Xuan’s posture was like an arrow that left the bowstring.  He quickly swam to Lan You Nian’s side and scanned the girl who blinking her eyes at him.  Obviously, nothing happened at all, otherwise, have you seen someone’s veil is still securely covering their face after falling into water?

Stretching out his long arms and dragged Lan You Nian into his arms, he swam to the surface with Lan You Nian, but the cold aura around him only increased further.  In the past, whenever he was with Lan You Nian, he deliberately dissipated his cold aura, but now he released it without reservation.  Lan You Nian was a bit overwhelmed.  She didn’t understand what’s going on with the man who was holding her.

When Feng Yi Xuan flew out of the water with Lan You Nian, landing on the pavilion in the center of the lake, Lan Mo Xian and others finally sighed in relief and snapped orders at the palace maids to hurry to ask for an imperial physician.

Lan Mo Xian took off his cloak and handed it to Feng Yi Xuan.  Feng Yi Xuan wrapped up Lan You Nian who was hiding under his cloak in the dry one and tightly encased her in it, not allowing others to sneak a peek.  Even now, he still remembers how the girl was like a water demon in the lake, mind-blowingly seductive.

“No, it has nothing to do with this princess.  She jumped on her own!” the eldest princess seeing how the people around her looked at her with blaming dissatisfied eyes, she hastily explained.

But Feng Yi Xuan with just one throw of his palm caused the eldest princess to fall into the lake.  Although he knew Nian Nian deliberately fell into the lake herself, but if it wasn’t for the eldest princess, how could Nian Nian do something that hurts herself.  So Feng Yi Xuan at this moment vented his anger on the eldest princess.

The surrounding guards were prepared to jump in to save the princess, but Feng Yi Xuan’s glanced coldly at them.  Just this one glance made the guards all frozen in place, not daring to move.  In the end, it was second wangye who rushed over and snarled at the guards,” What are you doing!?  Hurry save the princess!  If anything happens to the princess, watch your heads!”

Because of the long delay, the eldest princess was already unconscious after being saved, and because no one was as considerate as Feng Yi Xuan, with the eldest princess wearing so thin, her curves were revealed.  This caused the surrounding crowd of young masters to have nose bleeds.

After having the eldest princess taken away to be healed, second wangyereprimand Feng Yi Xuan, “Sixth brother, shouldn’t you explain?”

But Feng Yi Xuan didn’t reply with an answer.  He merely left holding onto Lan You Nian.  At this moment he felt anxious in his heart, because the girl in his arms, due to the lake water, her body became cold.  Using his qinggong, Feng Yi Xuan flew to You Nian Pavilion.  Meanwhile, Feng Xia Qi stayed behind to deal with the remaining problems.

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