Xiao Yun rolled up his sleeves, ready to have a big argument with the Prince of Dingnan.
Hmph, who wasn't a prince? Who was afraid of whom?
He could be insulted, but his family could not!
Just as he was about to unleash his fury, Wang Qingyao stepped forward and said, "Your Highness has a silver tongue and is as handsome and imposing as ever. Especially that little mustache, it's truly the finishing touch."
The Prince of Dingnan was in the middle of a tirade when a young girl suddenly emerged, praising his appearance, which completely threw him off.
"Who are you?"
"I am the Princess Consort of Dingnan."
The Princess Consort of Dingnan? So she was in league with that Xiao kid.
The Prince of Dingnan really wanted to curse Wang Qingyao too, but she called him handsome! And she complimented his mustache!
What an insightful young lady to be married to the Xiao family's son, the Prince of Dingnan thought with regret.
Xiao Yun, on the other hand, thought admiringly: Yao Yao would say anything against her conscience for Xiao Mo!
Seeing the Prince of Dingnan looking embarrassed yet a little smug, Wang Qingyao curved her lips and continued, "Miss Feng must look very much like Your Highness, right? Our Xiao Mo never fancied anyone in Duanjing, which worried our Old Imperial Concubine greatly. She repeatedly said he had high standards, and would he perhaps marry a celestial being in the future? It seems the Old Imperial Concubine was right. Miss Feng must have inherited Your Highness's looks, making her as beautiful as a celestial being and thus captivating Xiao Mo!"
These words made the Prince of Dingnan feel incredibly pleased. He said proudly, "Our Duoduo is indeed as beautiful as a celestial being."
The three young men nodded in agreement.
Wang Qingyao immediately understood Feng Jiangduo's status in the Prince of Dingnan's mansion. She was the apple of everyone's eye!
Xiao Mo had eloped with their family's darling, no wonder he had become an enemy of the Feng family.
Wang Qingyao's flattery had hit the mark. Feeling more confident, she continued, "I believe Miss Duoduo is not only beautiful but also possesses excellent character, talent, and martial arts, inherited from Your Highness. She must be outstanding and extraordinary!"
These words made the three Feng boys a little uneasy. The Prince of Dingnan, however, laughed heartily and patted his chest, declaring shamelessly, "Naturally!"
"So," Wang Qingyao seized the opportunity, "could Your Highness allow us to enter? Let us see Xiao Mo, meet Miss Duoduo, and perhaps discuss the marriage..."
"Pah!" The Prince of Dingnan suddenly turned hostile, spitting. Then, perhaps feeling it was impolite to spit at a lady, he spat at Xiao Yun and declared loudly, "Our Duoduo will not marry into the Xiao family! Everyone knows the Xiao family is cursed; no Xiao man lives past twenty-five!"
Having said this, the Prince of Dingnan turned to Wang Qingyao and advised, "Young lady, I urge you to remarry quickly. That Xiao brat won't live past twenty-five! It's a pity for such a good young lady to be widowed so young! I tell you, the men in our Nanzhou are all good. If you wish to remarry, I can introduce you to a few..."
Xiao Yun's face darkened. "This Prince is not dead yet!"
The Prince of Dingnan: "You're close to it! You're twenty-one this year, aren't you? Not far from twenty-five!"
Xiao Yun was so angry he started cursing, "What the hell does it have to do with you whether I live or die?!"
Wang Qingyao quickly intervened, "Your Highness of Dingnan, the curse is on the Prince of Ding'an, not Xiao Mo. As you know, Xiao Mo is an adopted son and has no blood relation to the Xiao family. The Xiao family's curse will not affect him."
The Prince of Dingnan: "One can't be sure. What if he's an illegitimate son? He does resemble that old man Xiao a bit!"
Xiao Yun was so angry he was about to jump: "You're the illegitimate son! Your whole family are illegitimate sons!"
Wang Qingyao held back the agitated Xiao Yun and said to the Prince of Dingnan, "Your Highness, I swear to you, Xiao Mo is truly an adopted son of the Xiao family, not an illegitimate one."
The Prince of Dingnan remained silent for a moment, then said, "What if the curse is contagious? What if heaven makes a mistake when it curses?"
Xiao Yun: "..."
Wang Qingyao took a deep breath. "Your Highness, you are a reasonable person. I think what you said makes a lot of sense!"
Xiao Yun looked at Wang Qingyao, furious and surprised.
"Perhaps we should wait and see. If Xiao Mo lives past twenty-five, then let them marry. After all, it's not easy to find someone you love in this life. Can you bear to break them apart?"
This struck a chord with the Prince of Dingnan, and he fell silent.
Wang Qingyao continued, "Anyway, the Prince of Ding'an is bound to fall victim to the curse. If he dies, all the Xiao family's assets will go to Xiao Mo. You know how rich the Xiao family is, don't you?"
The Prince of Dingnan: "Hmph, my Prince of Dingnan's mansion doesn't care about his meager possessions."
"We don't care, we don't care," Wang Qingyao said with a smile, changing the subject. "We've been looking for Xiao Mo. We heard he fell off a cliff and were very worried. Could you please let us see Xiao Mo first? If anything happens to him, our Old Imperial Concubine is old, can she withstand it?"
The Prince of Dingnan waved his hand impatiently. "So annoying, come in."
Xiao Yun and the others breathed a sigh of relief. The three young men also lowered their weapons upon hearing the Prince of Dingnan's words.
Upon entering the Prince of Dingnan's mansion, Wang Qingyao said with a smile, "Your Highness, we've been traveling and haven't had lunch yet. You are so magnanimous, could you please treat us to a meal first?"