LOTUS

CHAPTER XII: SUBTLE INTERESTS

“Ah my prince , this humble young miss greets you” Shu Fei Linng interrupted the prince’s admiring Bei Wei

At the interruption, the prince snapped his sharp eyes at the woman standing beside Miss Xue

“And who might you be?”the prince inquired

A small pang blossomed in the maiden’s heart.

“I am the daughter of prime minister Shu, your majesty. Shu Fei Ling”  she introduced herself.

Shu Fei Ling felt her heart tighten with shame at the obvious disinterest of the prince towards her.

“Ah the prime minister” the prince said nonchalantly, like he couldn’t give a single care.

“We will excuse ourselves your majesty, we were just about to find a place to discuss some womanly matters” Bei Wei excused the both of them from  the prince’s  presence.

“Ofcourse” the prince granted their request but his hesitation is plain as the sun.

The nobles in the garden were disheartened at the thought of the prince leaving after the commotion but all of their jealousy filled minds agree that it is for the better.

Its better  than let a single lady monopolize the prince’s attention.

When the two ladies got settled in a chair, the prince exited the garden but not before stealing a glance at the lady of his interest.

Everyone in the garden witnessed the act except for Bei Wei who’s much more focused on sipping her tea.

At her indifference, a smirk formed on the prince’s face before disappearing from the garden.

The prince’s exit served like a switch to all  the whisper and gossips to commence. Most of it revolving around how the prince is so warm towards the Xue lady and unaffected by the capital’s number one beauty.

Shu Fei Ling pretended to be deaf from all the whispers but the crease on her dress gives away her true emotions.

This detail did not escape Bei Wei’s watchful eyes and a scoff escaped her lips.

“so you do not fancy the crown prince but the second huh” Bei Wei thought.

For some reason she felt a flutter inside her gut.

“The second prince is a charming man, don’t you think miss Shu?” she tried to rub salt on the woman’s wounded heart.

With a sharp gaze, Bei Wei stared at Fei Ling letting her know that she knows of her pretence.

Shu Fei Ling surprisingly quick on the uptake sensed the meaning and reigned in her emotions.

“Yes , I suppose you can say that Miss Xue, he is a prince afterall” Fei Ling calmly replied.

“Since the young miss is interested on the crown prince then I will like the second prince instead” with a slight raise of her lips, Bei Wei just succeeded at making the other woman hate her more. However Bei Wei hates scheming women the most. She refuse to be used as a tool by anyone. So giving the sly woman a taste of her own medicine is quite a fulfilling task.

They continued to sip their tea  in silence and not long after that, the emperor ordered a eunuch to fetch the young maidens to the banquet hall.

 “Shall  we miss Shu?” setting down her cup of tea, Bei Wei offered her hand to the other lady.

“two can play the game” she smirked

Realizing the challenge, Shu Fei Ling snapped out of her stupor and scolded herself for losing her head.

With the elegance that she brought to the banquet, Fei Ling took the outstretched hand and steeled her resolve.

“Just you wait Xue Bei Wei” she vowed

With the sweetest smile she could muster, she replied with full confidence.

“We shall” she looked at the beautiful woman before her and a bitter taste settled in her mouth. She has to  admit, there are not many who can par with her in terms of beauty. The fact made her growing resentment hit the sky.

Unbeknownst to the onlookers, a battle has brewed between the two beauties, capable of bringing an empire down.