Chapter 077

Chapter 77: That’s Not How You Add Fuel to the Fire

Everyone who was meant to arrive had more or less already taken their seats.

The banquet was about to begin.

“Is this seat taken?”

Yun Wan Yao had been chatting quietly with Mo Zhao Zhao when a deep voice suddenly rang out beside her. Her heart skipped a beat, wildly out of rhythm.

She turned her head and saw Mo Yuan Lin standing silently next to her. His dark, unfathomable eyes were fixed directly on her, as still and deep as a bottomless well.

Yun Wan Yao’s fists clenched tightly inside her sleeves, her entire body going tense. Her lashes trembled as she silently urged herself to calm down, but when she opened her mouth to answer, she couldn’t help but stammer.

“Y-Your Majesty, n-no… no one’s here…”

“Oh.”

The young emperor, handsome and composed, arched a brow at her response and calmly took the seat beside her.

“Imperial elder brother, why are you over here?” Mo Zhao Zhao leaned over curiously, peeking past Yun Wan Yao to look at Mo Yuan Lin.

She, Yun Wan Yao, and Jiang Zi Tang were seated side by side, with Yun Wan Yao at the far left, Mo Zhao Zhao in the middle, and then Jiang Zi Tang and Xie Xuan Yong. There weren’t any open spots between them, so Mo Yuan Lin had sat in the only available seat—just beside Yun Wan Yao.

“Mm. I thought this side had the best view,” Mo Yuan Lin replied mildly, his eyes lowered.

Mo Zhao Zhao instantly puffed up with pride. “Of course! I picked this spot first. How could it not be the best?”

But just as she finished speaking, she seemed to realize something. “Wait, imperial elder brother, that seat was supposed to be for royal brother. If you sit there, where’s he supposed to go? Aren’t you separating him from A’Yao?”

“Is that so?” Mo Yuan Lin turned to Yun Wan Yao, voice unhurried as he said, “Just now, you told me no one was sitting here. So now, are you asking me to move for Yuan Hao?”

Yun Wan Yao’s scalp prickled painfully. She shook her head almost on instinct.

“N-no, Your Majesty may sit here.”

He’d come out of nowhere asking if the seat was taken, and her mind had gone utterly blank from the pressure. She hadn’t even thought of Mo Yuan Hao at all.

Besides, Mo Yuan Hao had never said he wanted to sit next to her. He’d been here quite some time—long enough for the emperor himself to arrive—yet still hadn’t appeared. Was she supposed to save him a seat forever?

Now that the emperor had already taken it, how could she possibly ask him to move?

Even if Mo Yuan Hao was a prince, he didn’t have the right to make the emperor give up his seat.

Still… where was Mo Yuan Hao?

Yun Wan Yao glanced around the banquet, then froze as her gaze landed on him.

He was standing beside the main platform, expression unreadable, eyes locked onto someone.

Following his line of sight, Yun Wan Yao’s pupils contracted.

That direction… it was her. The female lead.

Why was he looking at the heroine like that?

Could it be… that fate truly couldn’t be escaped?

“Well then, I won’t stand on ceremony,” Mo Yuan Lin said lightly. A glimmer flickered through his eyes, and the faintest trace of a smile played at the corner of his lips.

Mo Zhao Zhao rolled her eyes hard enough to nearly hurt. Her imperial elder brother was too much! He knew A’Yao was nervous around him, yet he still asked her that on purpose.

And when he chose that seat—did he really not know about the closeness between royal brother and A’Yao?

“Peace to Your Majesty,” Jiang Zi Tang and Xie Xuan Yong finally had the chance to offer their greetings.

Mo Yuan Lin gave a brief nod, then turned to casually chat with Xie Xuan Yong.

“A’Yao, what are you looking at?” Mo Zhao Zhao, wedged between them, had no interest in their conversation and instead turned to look at Yun Wan Yao.

She found the girl biting her lip, staring in a certain direction, her expression complicated and hard to read.

Following her gaze, Mo Zhao Zhao spotted Mo Yuan Hao.

She didn’t think much of it and smirked teasingly, “Oh? You’re looking at royal brother? But it’s not like he needs to preside over the winter banquet. What’s he doing standing there?”

Her words drew the attention of everyone nearby. They all turned to look in Mo Yuan Hao’s direction.

But Mo Yuan Hao remained utterly unaware.

He narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the elegant, languidly seated woman in white—her delicate features composed and unbothered. A strange sense of disquiet crept over him.

That was… Su Qian Xue?

Why did it feel like she’d become a completely different person?

The Su Qian Xue he remembered was an absolute fool. Yet after just a short absence, it was as if she had undergone a complete transformation—he couldn’t find a trace of the old her.

He suddenly realized that the clingy, brainless, reputation-destroying idiot who once threw herself at him hadn’t shown up in quite some time.

She hadn’t come to pester him again.

That should be a good thing.

But for some reason, Mo Yuan Hao felt… something was wrong.

She had once loved him with a passion that burned recklessly. She’d been willing to break off her engagement to Yun Wan Chen just for him. How could she suddenly give up?

A leopard couldn’t change its spots. She wouldn’t surrender so easily.

There had to be something more to this.

Sensing his scrutinizing gaze, Su Qian Xue looked back at him. When she realized he didn’t even try to hide it, she rolled her eyes in an exaggerated, thoroughly disdainful gesture.

[Hmph. Handsome face aside, this male lead is nothing but trash.]

The original Su Qian Xue had lowered herself, discarding pride and status, loving him so desperately she was practically groveling. She’d bent over backward to please him, yet he had never once spared her a real glance.

Every time, he treated her like filth, with utter disgust.

In the end, he’d even gone so far as to help the heroine kill her.

The only reason she’d transmigrated here at all was because that bastard had frightened the original so badly she’d fallen ill.

To fall for someone so cold and heartless? The original Su Qian Xue really was cursed for eight lifetimes.

Mo Yuan Hao caught the contempt in her eyes and his expression darkened.

She had changed. The old Su Qian Xue would never have looked at him like that.

But how could a person change so completely overnight?

“Royal brother, he…” Mo Zhao Zhao licked her lips, trying to find something—anything—to say that might excuse Mo Yuan Hao or comfort Yun Wan Yao.

But after just three words, she fell silent.

Even she could tell that royal brother had been staring at Su Qian Xue for a long time. How could A’Yao not think something of it?

What was royal brother even thinking? Had he lost his mind?

What was there to see?

And worse—she remembered how every single young lord present had stared at Su Qian Xue earlier, all of them clearly stunned by her beauty.

Could it be? No way… Could royal brother be just as shallow?

“Su young miss is truly beautiful today. A graceful lady—no wonder Yuan Hao is captivated,” Mo Yuan Lin said with a faint smile.

Yun Wan Yao’s fists clenched tighter, her gaze growing dim.

Mo Zhao Zhao’s heart pounded with panic as she glanced at her friend’s face. She wanted nothing more than to leap over and sew Mo Yuan Lin’s mouth shut.

Graceful lady, your head!

Captivated, your uncle!

Her royal brother already had a fiancée, and she was sitting right here!

Did Mo Yuan Lin not know that?

Talk about striking a nerve—if he wanted to drive a wedge between A’Yao and royal brother, he could just say it. No need to fan the flames like this.

“Hah. A graceful lady, you say?” she sneered. “What, has imperial elder brother fallen for Su Qian Xue too? Let me be clear—she and I are sworn enemies. If imperial elder brother dares bring her into the palace, I won’t stand for it.”

Mo Yuan Lin: “……”

Almost everyone who needed to arrive had already done so. The banquet was just about to begin.

“Is someone here?”

Yun Wan Yao was chatting with Mo Zhao Zhao when a low, deep voice suddenly echoed by her ear. Her heart skipped a beat.

She turned her head and found Mo Yuan Lin had appeared by her side without her noticing. His dark, fathomless eyes stared into hers like still, bottomless wells.

Her fists clenched tightly within her sleeves as her whole body tensed. Her lashes trembled, and she silently urged herself to stay calm. Yet when she opened her mouth to respond, her voice still stuttered with nervousness.

“Re… replying to His Majesty the Emperor, no, no one…”

“Oh.”

The young, handsome emperor lifted a brow and answered casually before sitting down in the empty seat beside her.

“Imperial elder brother, why are you over here?” asked Mo Zhao Zhao, peeking her head over curiously.

The emperor replied without looking at her: “I was simply making an objective comment. When did I ever say I intended to welcome her into the palace? Zhao Zhao, you mustn’t speak carelessly. If such gossip spreads, it could get out of hand.”

“Hmph, who told imperial elder brother to praise her beauty?” Mo Zhao Zhao muttered in defiance. “You’ve never complimented any woman like that before. I always thought you saw all women the same—that there was no difference between beautiful or plain.”

Mo Yuan Lin sighed helplessly. “I have eyes. How could I not tell beauty from plainness?”

After a pause, his gaze fell once again on Yun Wan Yao as he added, “Miss Yun, Cousin Jiang, and Zhao Zhao—you all look lovely today.”

“Many thanks for the compliment, Your Majesty,” said Jiang Zi Tang with a graceful smile, quickly expressing her gratitude.

Yun Wan Yao froze for a moment. Upon hearing Jiang Zi Tang’s words, she finally came to her senses and echoed clumsily, “Th-thank you, Your Majesty, for the compliment.”

“Heh~”

Mo Yuan Lin averted his gaze and chuckled softly. Though no one knew what amused him, it was clear he was in an excellent mood.

“Now that’s better.”

With all three girls complimented equally, Mo Zhao Zhao finally looked satisfied. She huffed proudly, then turned her head at the sound of the Grand Libationer calling Jiang Zi Tang.

She lightly patted her cousin’s arm and said, “Elder cousin, the banquet is about to start. The Libationer is calling you. Go on, great talented lady.”

As the late emperor’s personally appointed first talented lady, Jiang Zi Tang was required to attend the winter banquet each year and offer a new, handwritten poem to open the festivities—unless she had some unavoidable reason not to attend.

“Mm.”

Jiang Zi Tang blushed as she nodded. She turned to Xie Xuan Yong and said, “Ah Yong, I’m going now.”

“Go on,” Xie Xuan Yong replied softly, watching her walk toward the center.

“Imperial elder brother, why are you sitting here?”

Mo Yuan Hao approached and frowned at the emperor seated before him.

“I saw the seat was empty, so I sat down,” Mo Yuan Lin replied coolly. “Second brother, why are you only arriving now?”

“…” Mo Yuan Hao was speechless.

Empty? Was he not a person?

“Yes, royal brother,” Mo Zhao Zhao chimed in with folded arms and a mocking tone. “What took you so long? Were your eyes distracted by something pretty?”

Her words made Mo Yuan Hao pause. He suddenly realized they must’ve caught him staring at Su Qian Xue earlier.

A flash of something flickered through his mind, and he instinctively looked toward Yun Wan Yao, seated between his two siblings. The exquisite girl, ethereal and breathtaking, was also looking back at him.

His throat went dry, and an unfamiliar nervousness fluttered in his chest.

“Yao’er, it’s not what you think. I was only staring because I found something strange about Su Qian Xue.”

“Oh?” Yun Wan Yao replied lightly. Then, with a graceful smile, she asked, “And what is it you think I’m thinking, Your Highness?”

“…”

Had he just exposed himself?

She hadn’t said anything yet, but he’d already rushed to defend himself. Now it only seemed more suspicious.

“Heh. This prince believes Yao’er is reasonable and won’t jump to wild conclusions.”

“???”

So if she continued questioning him, would that make her unreasonable and quarrelsome?

Fine then.

“Zhao Zhao, move over a bit,” said Mo Yuan Hao, glancing down at his sister. He tried to get her to give up her seat so he could sit beside Yun Wan Yao.

Compared to Mo Yuan Lin, Mo Zhao Zhao was clearly the easier one to persuade.

But this time, even if she was a soft persimmon, she wasn’t letting him squeeze it.

“This is elder cousin’s seat. If I move, where will she sit when she returns?” Mo Zhao Zhao narrowed her eyes. “Since royal brother arrived late, perhaps he should find a new seat elsewhere.”

“Zhao Zhao, be good.”

His voice deepened slightly, but she only snorted and turned to Mo Yuan Lin, openly tattling.

“Imperial elder brother, look, royal brother is trying to threaten me.”

Hmph. That royal brother of hers dared to ogle the woman she hated most in front of everyone? Of course she was angry. She wasn’t about to obey him.

If he liked looking at that woman so much, he could go sit beside her and stare to his heart’s content. What was he doing over here?

“There are plenty of seats,” Mo Yuan Lin said calmly. “Second brother, find another.”

That was that. There would be no switching seats.

Mo Yuan Hao could only sigh and sit on Mo Yuan Lin’s other side.

Just like that, a pair of would-be sweethearts were separated by the emperor.

“Imperial elder brother, it’s one thing for Zhao Zhao to be childish and unreasonable, but must you also make things difficult for your own brother?”

After all, it wasn’t like he was asking the emperor to stand. He just wanted a seat beside someone, and yet Mo Yuan Lin remained motionless, clearly refusing to budge.

It was true there was no precedent for the emperor yielding his seat to a subject, but they were brothers—full-blooded ones, even—and this wasn’t a formal occasion.

Would it have hurt to show a little flexibility?

But Mo Yuan Lin’s expression didn’t change. “I wasn’t making things difficult for you,” he said. “First come, first served. You arrived late. Be glad there was still a seat left. Why expect others to give theirs up?”

“This winter banquet might not be formal, but so many young nobles and ladies are watching. If I gave up my seat, what would they say in private?”

“You and I may be brothers, but a monarch is still a monarch, and a subject is still a subject. That line cannot be crossed.”

“…”

Did he really have to make such a fuss over something so minor?

What could the nobles possibly say? At most, they’d think the imperial brothers were close.

But since Mo Yuan Lin had drawn such a firm line, Mo Yuan Hao had no choice but to drop the matter. He gave up on sitting with Yun Wan Yao for now.

He had hoped to coax her during the banquet, but it seemed he’d have to wait until the event ended—or perhaps catch her when she left early.

Onstage, the Libationer stood with flowing beard and spoke with spirited vigor, while Jiang Zi Tang bent over her desk in the center, brush dancing across the paper. Four seasoned grand scholars stood by her side.

As they watched the elegant characters unfold on the parchment, the grand scholars nodded again and again with satisfaction.

Judging from their expressions, Jiang Zi Tang’s composition today was surely of high caliber.

Below the stage, Su Qian Xue curled her lips as she casually watched the girl write. Her eyes shimmered with faint disdain.

She was curious to see what kind of peerless work Great Wu’s so-called first talented lady could produce.

But one thing was certain—no matter how impressive her poem might be, there was only one outcome.

She would be crushed beneath Su Qian Xue’s feet.

This title of first talented lady?

She would take it for herself.