"No Wedding Unless Enemies and Lovers" 《不是冤家不拜堂》Chapter 116

 Ji Ling Xue tugged on Xiao Yi Chen's arm asking: "Who was the woman in white just now?"

Xiao Yi Chen glanced in the direction Ji Ling Xue pointed at: "That is minister Chu's daughter Chu Xin, one of the top three talented women in the capital, with Ji Yu Qing here today, the talented women have gathered, I'm afraid there'll be poetry..." As he spoke he glanced at Ji Ling Xue.

Ji Ling Xue curled her lips: "Why are you looking at me?"

She knew Yi Yun had no good intentions inviting her, using poetry to humiliate this princess as being uneducated? Hehe, she calculated wrongly, she came prepared today, Xiao Yi Chen will help her deal with any problems.

Xiao Yi Chen smiled: "When they make a fuss and make you write a poem, what will you do?"

Ji Ling Xue blinked, thinking about this seriously, she looked at Xiao Yi Chen: "I will tell them prince will write on my behalf."

Xiao Yi Chen's lips twitched, "Your father must have hired a teacher to teach you before, do you really not know how to write a poem?"

Ji Ling Xue smiled, Ji Bai Chuan had hired a teacher indeed, but they were for Ji Yu Qing, whenever she wanted to attend a class holding a book, madam Feng would find something for her to do so that she would miss when the teacher was there.

Hearing someone announce prince Chen and princess Chen, Yi Yun happily came to welcome them, she had not seen Xiao Yi Chen for some time, Xiao Yi Chen usually didn't like these gatherings and actually came with Ji Ling Xue.

Yi Yun was wearing a pink skirt today, the rabbit fur around her neck made her skin look as white as snow.

"Prince Chen, princess Chen, you've arrived, after moongazing lake, I wonder if princess has been well?" Yi Yun asked naturally in greeting.

Ji Ling Xue smiled: "Thank you for your concern, this princess is fine."

Yi Yun glanced behind Xiao Yi Chen asking him, "Older sister Yu Qing didn't come with prince today?"

Ji Ling Xue rushed to answer: "Of course my younger sister is coming, she's just behind." Xiao Yi Chen stood to the side smiling.

Yi Yun gave an oh, inviting Xiao Yi Chen and Ji Ling Xue to take a seat in a nearby pavilion, the sides of the pavilion were covered with a bead curtain, it was a little less cold.

There were already three people sitting inside the pavilion, the woman in white Chu Xin was one of them, they hurriedly stood up on seeing them.

Xiao Yi Chen waved his hand: "Everyone get up, no need for the formalities."

Chu Xin looked Ji Ling Xue up and down: "Princess Chen rarely shows in our circle, today is the first time I've seen you."

The two women beside her hurriedly smiled: "Prince takes princess everywhere he goes, such a married couple in love is enviable."

Yi Yun quickly explained: "This is minister Chu's daughter Chu Xin, this is my close friend Fang Yu Yan, this is Mo Li."

Chu Xin was elegant and refined in her white floaty skirt, Fang Yu Yan looked pretty and cute wearing a yellow skirt with her hair rolled up in two buns on her head, miss Mo Li wore red with a lotus flower bun, beautiful and charming. Yi Yun stood between them like a decoration.

"Everyone is here, it seems I came at the right time." A clear voice came from the plum blossoms who else could it be if not Ji Yu Qing, she wore a blue skirt today, she walked out of the plum blossom trees like a butterfly, her skirt moving in the wind, a dangling gold hairpin her hair shining and flickering as she walked under the sunlight, jingling crisply.

Yi Yun smiled: "Yu Qing you're late, as punishment you have to compose three poems before coming in."

Ji Yu Qing didn't hesitate, immediately composing three poems with flowers as the theme, Yi Yun then dropped the subject, pulling Ji Yu Qing into the pavilion to have tea.

A group of women could only compliment each other on their hairstyles, jewellery, speak of what would be fashionable this year, which family's son was good looking.

Ji Ling Xue gave a yawn out of boredom, indicating she couldn't stand these compliments, what's more she was princess Chen, they didn't want to speak to her even more.

Yi Yun called Xiao Yi Chen away saying she wanted to speak to him about something, Ji Ling Xue had no interest in snooping on Yi Yun, she left the pavilion following the stone path along the wood, occasionally plucking a plum blossom branch to fiddle with.

A chuckle came from behind her, what were those women talking about to make them so happy.

Yi Yun's residence was very big, out of the woods was an arch bridge, there was a rock garden and trees on either side, she was planning to turn back when she came across Ji Yu Qing and Chu Xin who were walking over.

Ji Yu Qing said: "Older sister is looking for prince? You've been away from the prince for so long, you must miss him, hehe..."

Ji Ling Xue's forehead was filled with black lines, "Younger sister you're overthinking things, I was just bored so I took a walk, besides you talented women speaking poetry, I can't join in."

Chu Xin said: "I really didn't expect princess Chen is untalented, I really don't understand why prince Chen fell in love with you?"

Ji Yu Qing said: "If older sister didn't have a good birthright and was betrothed to the prince as children, older sister wouldn't currently be the princess."

Ji Ling Xue smiled, "Younger sister also had a good birthright, you've become an imperial concubine, miss Chu Xin hasn't married yet right, you were born into a noble status, you must be concerned there wouldn't be someone who suits you, that's why a marriage still hasn't been arranged at this age, talent and good looks mean nothing? So what if you have a good family background? Only becoming a tool in a marriage of convenience, marry someone who doesn't like you, what good is showing this off?"

Ji Ling Xue's words turned Chu Xin's face red, she had taunted Ji Ling Xue for Ji Yu Qing, she didn't expect her to be ridiculed back.

Ji Ling Xue said again: "Prince and I grew up as childhood sweethearts, it has nothing to do with marriage of convenience, prince married me willingly, haven't you heard of this, if you want to keep a man's heart you need to first hold his stomach, I have good cooking skills, men won't leave me."

Ji Yu Qing gritted her teeth, Ji Ling Xue was right, that day when they were presenting gifts to Xiao Yi Chen, Ji Ling Xue had won, a food they had never heard of gained Xiao Yi Chen's good opinion.

When the atmosphere was stiff, a maid walked over to Ji Ling Xue, "Princess, prince invites you to this side."

Ji Ling Xue nodded, no longer paying attention to the two talented women, she turned following the maid.

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The maid took Ji Ling Xue to the door of a side room, "Princess, prince is waiting for you in there, quickly enter."

Ji Ling Xue raised an eyebrow, pushing open the doors she entered, it was rather dark in the room, Ji Ling Xue called out Xiao Yi Chen's name twice but got no response.

Ji Ling Xue frowned, turning to walk out, only at the door did she realise it had been locked by someone.

Why did they lock her in the room? 

Ji Ling Xue searched around her bosom, at this moment the sound of movement came from behind the screen nearby, Ji Ling Xue strode over, she was shocked by what was in front of her past the screen, lying on the bed was Mo Li with purple lips, blood flowing from the corner of her mouth, Ji Ling Xue stepped forward pushing her, "Miss Mo Li..."

Seeing Mo Li not react after a while, she reached out under her nose, it was at this moment, "Ah...murder, princess killed someone!" The maid who had the led the way came screaming out of nowhere.

The originally locked door was burst open by someone, Xiao Yi Chen and Yi Yun led the way.

Ji Ling Xue remained stooped over, she slowly turned her head to look at that screaming maid, it was very obvious this was a trap, this plum blossom appreciation was a feast at Swan Goose Gate, she had thought Yi Yun's methods were mediocre, not expecting her to be so bloodthirsty, even killing someone to frame her.

Xiao Yi Chen looked at Ji Ling Xue in shock, "Xue Er, what happened?"

Yi Yun said: "Just now Mo Li told me she had a headache, I arranged for her to sleep in this room, I didn't think princess would..."

She was implying Ji Ling Xue had killed Mo Li after they had argued.

The maid said: "Princess...how can you kill someone..."

At this point Ji Yu Qing and Chu Xin also entered the room, looking at Ji Ling Xue rejoicing in her misfortune.

"Older sister, how can you kill someone, even though you're a princess, Mo Li is only a perfomer in a brothel but she's still a human being!" Ji Yu Qing said wishing for the whole world to be in chaos, seeing Ji Ling Xue in a bad position, she was happy.

Yi Yun uttered: "Today I invited Mo Li to my home so that she can liven things up with a dance. I didn't expect..." AS she spoke, she sobbed into her handkerchief, expressing complete distress and blame.

Ji Ling Xue straightened up saying: "I didn't kill her."

The maid said: "Princess, how can you lie, you were in the room with miss Mo Li just now, I heard movements in the room, if it wasn't you who else could it be?"

Ji Ling Xue turned to look at Xiao Yi Chen, repeating her words from before: "Prince, I didn't kill anyone."

Xiao Yi Chen didn't you say you'll protect me? Right now, do you believe me?

Chu Xin said: "There's only you and Mo Li in the room, how can you prove you didn't kill her?"

Ji Ling Xue said: "Miss Mo Li had been poisoned, and I don't have any poison on me."

Yi Yun raised her head, her eyes red: "In order to prove your innocence, are you willing to be searched?"

Xiao Yi Chen glanced at Ji Ling Xue saying: "Xue Er, just allow the search." If there was no poison then there was no murder weapon or motive, Ji Ling Xue sighed and nodded, spreading her arms to let them search.

Xiao Yi Chen walked to Ji Ling Xue, saying to everyone: "This prince will carry out the search, you don't have a problem right?"

You're the prince, who dares to object? 

No one replied, Xiao Yi Chen started searching from Ji Ling Xue's hair, her hairpin was removed, her fine black hair fell over her body.

Xiao Yi Chen then began searching Ji Ling Xue's arms, wrists, chest and legs.

Xiao Yi Chen knew Ji Ling Xue had recently been researching some poison which wasn't deadly, but if she did bring some poison with her it'll be hard to explain.

Her as a princess brought poison to Yi Yun's home as a guest, what did she want to do?

Xiao Yi Chen clearly wanted to shield Ji Ling Xue, as he searched her bosom he asked with his eyes: What happened?

Ji Ling Xue shook her head, not knowing what had happened, she had just touched Mo Li and didn't have time to check what was the problem before she was startled by the maid's frightened screams.

Yi Yun's spontaneous sobbing was very resounding in the quiet room, it was really shocking for a perfectly well performer to just die.

Xiao Yi Chen touched the things hidden inside Xiao Yi Chen's bosom, but didn't search inside, he turned shaking his head at Yi Yun: "There is nothing suspicious on this prince's princess."

Yi Yun's maid said: "Prince, princess is your woman, it's usual for you to want to protect her, but this servant saw princess kill her."