Chapter 262 - Thinking Of Getting A Second Wife
"Weng Yu, you are holding it wrong!" Sheng Li corrected the Seventh Prince who was practicing the sword fight.
Weng Yu was intimidated to see the Crown Prince in the practice ground. He lowered his eyes and hand when Sheng Li caught his hand and told him to look at him. "You need to tighten your grip around this part of the hilt. This way you will not feel the heaviness of the sword and easily be able to use it against the enemy," Sheng Li explained to Weng Yu who carefully observed that.
Lei Wanxi was fanning himself lightly and was smiling, seeing how gentle Sheng Li had turned towards Weng Yu. He thanked the Jade Emperor internally for sending the Crown Princess in the life of the Crown Prince.
Prince Lu Qifeng also came there along with the First, Second and Third Prince. "It is a great sight to see that the Fifth Brother is teaching Little Yu about the basics of the sword," Yongzheng pronounced.
Sheng Li looked at a soldier there and told him to pass a sword to him. Lu Qifeng was curious to see how the Crown Prince fought. He had only heard about his great swordsmanship.
"Brother Yu, try defeating Brother Sheng," Lei Wanxi loudly said.
All the brothers started laughing upon hearing the statement. "Brother Wanxi, why are you joking? You know how poor I am at this," Weng Yu complained.
"Little Yu, you are better than me. You can do it! Remember what Sister Lili said to you once." Sheng Li intimidatingly looked at Lei Wanxi, who continued, "She has faith in Brother Yu. One day Brother Yu will definitely defeat his arrogant Fifth Brother."
Sheng Li raised his brow and snickered while the other Princes started laughing.
"Lili said this!" Sheng Li asked with inquisitiveness.
"Only the Crown Princess has enough guts to use such words against the Crown Prince," Yongzheng proclaimed. "Since the Crown Princess has said this then, we shall believe that Little Yu can indeed defeat the Crown Prince," he added.
"Observe my movements and then copy them," Sheng Li told Weng Yu who nodded. Weng Yu was copying whatever Sheng Li was telling him and moving the sword the same as the Crown Prince was doing.
"Brother Wanxi, you shall also learn this. Who knows, this might help you in the future," Rong Zemin stated.
"Thank you, Brother Zemin, for thinking about me. But I do not think that sword is made for me. I just want to enjoy my life without any violence," Lei Wanxi affirmed. His gaze fell on Princess Jiao who was looking at the Crown Prince from the pavilion.
"Princess Jiao, do you want something?" Lei Wanxi asked.
Sheng Li looked at Lei Wanxi and then at the pavilion where Xi Jiao was standing. The other Princes looked astonishingly at her. "Women are not allowed here. Do you not know?" Jian Guozhi sternly asked Xi Jiao.
"Brother Jian is absolutely right. Women are not allowed to come here except the Crown Princess," Lei Wanxi stated and then looked at the Crown Prince.
"What do you want?" Sheng Li asked her.
"Your highness, I want to challenge you in the sword fight! I know I am crossing the line but..."
"When you know that you are crossing the line then why are you asking?" Jian Guozhi skeptically looked at her.
Lei Wanxi widened his eyes, as he had not expected that Xi Jiao would take his conversation with Lu Qifeng that seriously. But this was what Sheng Li wanted. "She will definitely die by the hands of Brother Sheng," Lei Wanxi thought and smiled.
"Why not?" Sheng Li's words shocked the Princes there except Lei Wanxi who knew it was all a part of the plan.
"Follow me to the Military ground," Sheng Li commanded. Xi Jiao smiled and thanked the Crown Prince for giving her a chance. The Princes were bewildered that the Crown Prince accepted the challenge of a woman other than the Crown Princess.
"Since when Sheng Li started showing interest in the other women?" Jian Guozhi wondered.
"Weng Yu, I will see you later," Sheng Li said and walked away from there, while Xi Jiao followed him.
"I am going behind them," Lei Wanxi said. Closing the fan in his hand, he went behind Sheng Li.
Reaching the Military grounds, Sheng Li halted, and so did Xi Jiao. Xiao Zhan, who was instructing the soldiers, was befuddled to see a woman other than the Crown Princess there. He came towards the Crown Prince and bowed.
"General Xiao, give a sword to Princess Xi," Sheng Li ordered.
"Pardon me, your highness!" Xiao Zhan thought he heard something wrong when Sheng Li took the sword from him, which he was holding in his left hand. Sheng Li turned to Xi Jiao and threw the sword towards her which she caught easily.
"So, she is a little trained. Foolish woman! Joined hands with Weng Wei and thought she could win my heart with these useless tactics," Sheng Li thought in his mind.
Oppositely, Ying Lili, after dropping Princess Bai Yaling and Liao Jun, came to the Palace grounds as she was informed by Court Lady Xu that the Crown Prince was there. Arriving there, she did not find Sheng Li there; instead she met Jian Guozhi, Yongzheng, Rong Zemin, Weng Yu, and Lu Qifeng.
"Crown Princess, is the selection over?" Rong Zemin asked curiously.
"Yes, Brother Zemin. The Princesses are selected and after two days there will be marriage ceremonies," Ying Lili replied, keeping a smile on her lips.
"Did the Crown Princess come here to inform us about this?" Yongzheng asked.
"No. I thought that the Crown Prince would be here," Ying Lili proclaimed.
"Brother Sheng was here a moment ago. He had gone to the Military grounds with Princess Xi," Yongzheng replied.
"Pardon me?" Ying Lili raised her brow.
"A Princess challenged Brother Sheng to a sword fight. So, he left with her," Yongzheng clarified his statement.
"We used to think that Brother Sheng has no interest in any other woman except the Crown Princess but I think seeing so many Princesses in the Palace from the various Provinces, Brother Sheng thinking of getting a second wife," Yongzheng pronounced.
Jian Guozhi and Lu Qifeng both looked at Yongzheng at the same time. The remark he just made was not good at all. Jian Guozhi was going to speak when Ying Lili walked away from there, straight to the Military grounds.