To put up a wager.
The housekeeper reverently replied. "The Lord is resting. I've already sent someone to inform his highness arrival."
"Grandpa!" As soon as Mu Ruyan saw the Second Elder, a beautiful smile appeared on her face.
The Second Elder wiped his tears. "Yan'er, I had let you suffer. Your grandpa is really useless…"
"Grandpa…."
A languid voice, came which interrupted them. "Isn't it too early in the morning, why did you wake me up? Is there an urgent matter?"
This time, the voice of Mu Ruyan turned weak like a mosquito. "Xi'er, I…….."
Mu Qian impatiently said. "Mu Ruyan, do you take my words for a fool? Did it just passed through your ears? I ordered you to never appear before this Lord again yet you dare to come back on my own place?"
In the face of such an incomprehensible and domineering woman like Mu Qian Xi, Xuanyuan Li Shang couldn't keep his façade any longer.
He shouted in indignation. "Mu Qian Xi! It is this prince who sent Mu Ruyan over. How dare you bully her in front of me?"
Mu Qian looked at Xuanyuan Li Shang for a second and said. "Even if you are a prince, this is Mu Jia and I have the final say! Don't let this people inside! Keep them away from my gates!"
Mu Qian didn't give him a face! Xuanyuan Li Shang flies in rage and said. "Mu Qian Xi, you impudent! Yan'er is my princess consort! If she wants to go home and you dare push her away, it is the same as defying this prince's order!"
The Crown prince released his statement. The Great Elder's face revealed a color of ecstasy! If Mu Ruyan ended up as the Crown princess, there is no need to be afraid of Mu Qian Xi any longer!
"Your highness!" Mu Ruyan stomped her feet. Her face beet red as a cherry and her eyes continued to follow Xuanyuan Li Shang!
Mu Qian evoked a taunting smile, she said. "Your highness, please go home! I removed Mu Ruyan name on the clan list. Would you like to see our clan list for authenticity?"
"Mu Qian Xi, are you jealous of the way Yan'er has been living? You're so vicious!" Xuanyuan Li Shang's eyes are burning.
Mu Qian raised a brow and said. "This is none of your business, also we can ask for Yue Ze to testify if what I said isn't true or not!"
"I….Xi'er, I didn't …I was raised in Mu Jia, even if I die I will never leave! For sure…there must be some kind of mistake!" Mu Ruyan was so pale that it seemed she could collapse at any moment now.
"Yan'er! My poor granddaughter!" The Second Elder was so affectionate and wept for Mu Ruyan's condition.
"Yue Ze is one of your subordinates! How could I believe his words? You have nothing but money! Do you think if it wasn't for her grandpa, Yan'er would go back to this place?" Xuanyuan Li Shang angrily said.
Mu Qian waved her hand and said. "Since that is the case, then please your highness the crown prince. Take your future princess consort out of my home."
"Impertinent!"
"What's wrong with being presumptuous? I am the Lord of this place! What can a merely prince like you do to me?" Mu Qian proudly said.
At the same time, Xuanyuan Li Shang finally realized his Father Emperor and Little Brother's feelings. Mu Qian Xi was so arrogant that people simply wanted to strangle her to death!
Unfortunately, her backer, Mu Wushuang has a ruthless character. He wanted to make a move but he can't!
Xuanyuan Li Shang is worthy to be the Crown Prince, in just a short moment he collected himself and asked in a calm manner. "Mu Qian Xi, tell this prince what is it you want? Yan'er only wanted to go home; she won't rob you of anything. Why don't you just let her go?"
"No way! This Lord is already sick just by looking at her." Mu Qian innocently said.
Mu Qian is like oil than can't be mixed with water, everything Xuanyuan Li Shang says would immediately be countered by one of her excuses. He clenched his fist and finally lost it! He said. "Mu Qian Xi how about a bet! Do you dare to fight with this prince once?"
"Bet? How exactly are we betting?" Mu Qian asked.
"Let's fight in Jin Wutang! I'm sure you're quite confident with your strength!" Xuanyuan Li Shang provoked.
Mu Qian asked. "You said bet, so if you win, you want me to accept Mu Ruyan back, is that it?"
"Yes, that is this prince's only condition." Xuanyuan Li Shang nodded.
Mu Qian continued to banter with the Crown prince. "Oh! For a beauty you're willing to fight? But this Lord's afraid that even if I win, your palace can not meet my conditions. Ah! What to do?"
"Don't underestimate my palace! I'm a Crown prince, are you doubting my ability!"
Suddenly, Mu Qian's gaze landed on the person behind Xuanyuan Li Shang, she said. "Calm your ti…. I mean calm yourself! Since you said earlier that Mu Ruyan is your princess consort. My request is very simple, if I win, the Crown prince must return the funds Mu Ruyan consumed from these past eighteen years from my household!"
(TN: LOL MQX! If you don't know the word she was about to say, SHAME ON YOU! SHAME ON YOUR FAMILY TOO! HAHA!)
Xuanyuan Li Shang straightforwardly said. "And here I was, thinking that it would be such a difficult thing! Mu Jia had raised such a good princess for this prince. Naturally, I would pay the expenses she gathered from birth! If I win, I will still pay you! Just think of it as a dowry for Yan'er."
"Crown prince…." Mu Ruyan was so moved, her pair of soft eyes looked at Xuanyuan Li Shang filled with adoration.
Xuanyuan Li Shang knew that if he helped Mu Ruyan, she would finally let her beautiful self fall in love with him.
"Your Highness, Crown prince this…. You should know…." Great Elder look worriedly at the Crown Prince but he can't speak up.
Over the past eighteen years, the elders poured so many resources towards Mu Ruyan's cultivation.
After all, if the person who ranks second in the Purple Moon Kingdom’s list of geniuses isn’t well trained, that person would be left behind with someone who has real talent. Compared to the Crown Prince's resources, Mu Ruyan spent ten times more than he does!
"Great Elder, what's wrong?" Xuanyuan Li Shang asked.
"Crown prince, please be merciful! Don't hurt our Lord! She may be a little overbearing but she's not a bad person either!" Great Elder showed a constrained smile.
No matter how terrifying the sum of money was, they are still strangers. If the Crown prince lost, he would be the only one to pay it all!
Moreover, the Crown prince is the number one genius in the Purple Moon Kingdom. How could he possibly lose to Mu Qian Xi?
Also, it's better if the Crown prince crippled Mu Qian completely; it saves them both time and effort.
Xuanyuan Li Shang nodded. "Rest assured! I will try not to hurt her seriously. Besides she's the Lord of your clan, her identity is noble."
Mu Qian rolled her eyes with these people, the Elders of this clan truly has talent when it comes to acting!
She said straight to the point. "Since the Crown prince proposed the fight, just tell me when?"
"Tomorrow afternoon at Jinwutang. I'll see you there. What do you think?"
The sooner the better, he was afraid that Mu Qian might change her mind later.
"Sure, tomorrow afternoon, I'll be there." Mu Qian smiled.
What Xuanyuan Li Shang didn't know is that Mu Qian is thinking the same as him. If he came to know the amount of money Mu Ruyan owed from Mu Qian's family, he would surely back out. Then, Mu Qian wouldn't recover her money by then.
"In that case, Yan'er should be able to stay here for today!" Xuanyuan Li Shang felt that he had won already.
Translator's Note:
Mu Qian is really smart!
Another idiot prince would lose a lot of money because of a white lotus! Nyahaha!