Blooming of the Red Spider Lily: The Enchanting Pavilion Master - Chapter 55 - Misunderstanding

As soon as her father heard Hongxiao’s resistance, he was so furious that he almost wanted to kill his ungrateful daughter! Not only had she indirectly caused Le Zimu’s death, but she had also brought shame upon both families in Fengli City. If it had been anyone else, Hongxiao’s father would not have let it go so easily and would have made sure that person suffered a brutal fate! But unfortunately, the person who had caused all this was his precious daughter. Helpless, he had no choice but to lock Hongxiao away, hoping to eliminate her desire to seek out Lansheng. At the same time, he had bribed the authorities to capture Lansheng and charge him with intentional murder, ensuring that Lansheng would spend the rest of his life in prison to satisfy his own hatred.

But who would have thought that Lansheng would suddenly emerge from nowhere, not only surrounded by a multitude of acquaintances, but also each of them being someone of importance? It was almost on the very day he was captured that someone came forward to defend him, claiming it was an accident. Some even insisted they had seen Le Zimu attempting to kill a woman first, and that Lansheng had acted in self-defense. If one were to investigate further, it would be clear that the deceased Le Zimu was equally involved.

Upon hearing this, Hongxiao’s father felt a throbbing headache. Le Zimu was someone he had watched grow up and had considered almost like a son. He certainly did not want to see his memory tarnished by such slander after his death. Thus, he chose to let Lansheng go, allowing him to leave the government office unscathed after compensating a little. Furthermore, Lansheng even personally visited Le Mansion to apologize, promising that he would risk everything to help them in their time of need in the future. With this, Le Mansion decided not to pursue the matter any further.

Even Le Zimu’s grieving father chose not to pursue it any longer-what could he, as an outsider, do?

However, he did not expect that as soon as Lansheng left Le Mansion, he would enter the strange Pavilion of Rebirth!

Thinking of how indifferent that man was towards his daughter, Hongxiao’s father felt both anger and pity. His daughter cared so much for that man, even willing to sacrifice her face and family reputation for him, yet he didn’t even dare to formally propose or come to see Hongxiao. Instead, he wasted his efforts trying to please that eccentric shop owner!

“Let my daughter out! Today is Zimu’s funeral. Out of respect and reason, she must come and apologize!” Slamming his hand on the table in frustration, Hongxiao’s father found himself increasingly displeased with Lansheng. He felt an overwhelming urge to have that insufferable brat grabbed and beaten right then and there. But then he reconsidered-this kid, with an unknown background yet with so much support, was probably not someone to be trifled with. Acting rashly could lead to disastrous consequences, especially today, being Zimu’s funeral.

With a deep sigh, Hongxiao’s father looked at his daughter being brought before him, her eyes sunken and her complexion haggard. A pang of sympathy welled up in his heart, but he still managed to keep a stern face as he instructed Hongxiao to bathe and change clothes before accompanying him to Le Mansion to apologize to the late Le Zimu!

Due to her previous attendance at Le Zimu’s wedding and the fact that Bi’an had once helped him, she was also invited to the funeral. Upon receiving the news, Bi’an looked down at her red clothing, a flicker of uncertainty passing through her eyes.

“Ah! Wearing something so bright to attend a funeral? How about I help you pick something else to wear?” The uninvited guest, Lansheng, leaned against the counter, chatting with Hua Ning. As soon as he saw Bi’an looking down, he immediately grinned, reaching for her hand as he attempted to take her out, but was stopped by a beautifully adorned golden fan.

“Young Master Lan, why aren’t you accompanying Miss Hongxiao? What brings you to our little shop to bother my boss?” The owner of the fan, Feng Moqing, smiled with a charming yet sinister demeanor, his cold eyes fixed on Lansheng.

Having just come from the government office, rather than attending to the beloved Hongxiao who was in distress, he chose to engage with Bi’an here-surely something was amiss!

Moreover… Feng Moqing narrowed his eyes. From his years of experience in judging character, he could tell that Lansheng’s feelings for Hongxiao were not genuine love. Even if there was some affection, it would never compare to the depths of Hongxiao’s feelings for him! He had clearly snatched her away on the wedding day, coaxed her into leaving, and then simply allowed those guards to attack them. In the end, he pretended to save Bi’an by injuring Le Zimu. Such a sequence of events could only stem from malicious intent or ulterior motives.

“Your Highness, you’re overthinking it. Besides, there’s no need for me to report my affairs with Hongxiao to you.” Sensing Feng Moqing’s underlying thoughts, Lansheng’s expression hardened as he spoke, his words carrying a warning tone.

Feng Moqing was slightly taken aback; aside from Bi’an, he didn’t expect anyone else to see through his thoughts. Though he didn’t make a point of pretending, being raised in the royal palace had inevitably led him to wear a mask. He was confident that the façade he presented was flawless-at least it would ensure that Lansheng wouldn’t think he was prying into his relationship with Hongxiao, at most, he’d make Lansheng believe he was merely jealous.

Yet this person had immediately identified what concerned him the most; he really couldn’t underestimate him, and that was quite peculiar.

The two locked eyes, each wearing a subtle smile that, while seemingly harmonious, made Hua Ning uncomfortable. She rubbed her arms and turned to Jiang Qing, whispering as she pointed at the undercurrent of tension between the two: “Don’t you think the atmosphere between them is off? They’re clearly smiling, yet I can’t help but feel cold.”

“Uh… holding me will keep you warm.” General Jiang, who was usually quiet and shy, looked at Hua Ning’s curious and adorable expression, and suddenly felt a phrase he had often heard Feng Moqing say to women pop into his mind. He instinctively blurted it out. However, as soon as the words left his mouth, he wished he could take them back: how could he have said something so thoughtless? Now Hua Ning would definitely think he was just another insincere man.

As Jiang Qing absentmindedly lamented his slip of the tongue, he suddenly felt a wave of warmth as a soft body pressed against him. He froze in place, replaying Hua Ning’s actions in his head while a blush crept up his face.

“See? Holding you really does keep me warm,” Hua Ning said playfully, snuggling deeper into Jiang Qing’s embrace. She glanced teasingly at his expression and couldn’t help but giggle.

Jiang Qing was overwhelmed with shyness at her words, feeling warmth flood from the tips of his ears all the way to his toes.

In stark contrast to the sweet scene unfolding there, Bi’an’s simple declaration, “I’m tired,” caused a palpable tension between her and the two men. They exchanged unwilling glares before moving to the side to continue their standoff, allowing Bi’an to stroll into the courtyard and lie down.

Eventually, Bi’an donned a white robe that she didn’t particularly remember but found at the bottom of her trunk. With Feng Moqing and Lansheng trailing her, she headed toward Le Mansion, not out of a desire to attend a funeral, but to see Hongxiao again. Her fixation was too strong to ignore. Interestingly, this was exactly what the Pavilion of Rebirth required; Hongxiao’s business might turn out to be the best opportunity Bi’an encountered since arriving in Fengli City.

At the funeral, Hongxiao knelt in white mourning attire before Le Zimu’s memorial, weeping quietly. But upon hearing a familiar name, she suddenly turned her head and was met with a face she couldn’t forget. Yet the one she longed for was joking and laughing with another woman, his smile so bright that it felt blinding!

Not caring about the gravity of the moment, Hongxiao quickly wiped her face, drying her tears before charging up to Lansheng. She fixed him with an intense gaze and asked, each word deliberate: “Why are you with Bi’an? Why didn’t you come to see me?”

Lansheng rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on as he noticed that all eyes in the room had shifted from Hongxiao to him, with people whispering and pointing. It was frustrating. He looked around for Bi’an, seeking her familiar presence, only to realize she was already in the main hall, speaking with Le Zimu’s father, who appeared considerably aged, visibly distressed as tears streamed down his face. They seemed to be discussing something very sorrowful.

Bi’an bent down and solemnly said something, and Feng Moqing mirrored her actions. It seemed like they were bidding farewell to Le Zimu’s father before walking in his direction. However, Bi’an’s gaze never left Lansheng; instead, when Feng Moqing began to speak, her attention was purposefully focused on him, listening intently with an expression that contrasted sharply with her demeanor toward Lansheng.

With an amused smile, Lansheng suppressed the feigned helplessness on his face. He suddenly leaned in close to Hongxiao’s ear and whispered slowly, his words gradually sapping the color from her face. By the time his lips pulled away, her complexion had turned ghostly white.

Satisfied with the effect he had on her, Lansheng gently brushed his lips against hers before lazily saying, “Goodbye,” then turned to chase after Bi’an and Feng Moqing.

Hongxiao stood frozen, watching Lansheng run further away. Her clenched fists betrayed her rising anger, while her lowered head concealed the bare hostility in her eyes.

People often experience a certain emotion called jealousy; it can arise for anyone, particularly when something strikes a nerve.

Hongxiao’s disrespectful behavior at Le Zimu’s funeral quickly became a hot topic of gossip throughout Fengli City. What intrigued everyone most, however, was Lansheng-this young man who had appeared out of nowhere not long ago. No one knew where he had come from or why he had chosen to come to Fengli City.

All they knew was that Lansheng had effortlessly fitted into the social scene since his arrival, forming friendships with both wealthy merchants and influential figures. Even Qian Long, the legendary top courtesan, treated him as an esteemed guest.

He had stirred up chaos in both Le Mansion and Hong Mansion, found himself imprisoned yet emerged unscathed, and floated gracefully through the peculiar Pavilion of Rebirth. A figure as enigmatic as this was impossible for people to ignore. Even more astonishing was that he had seemingly visited every brothel in Fengli City; whenever the courtesans mentioned “Young Master Lan,” they adopted the shy demeanor of lovestruck women, their infatuation surpassing even that of Feng Moqing, the mischievous second prince.

Falling for someone like him was both a blessing and a curse for Hongxiao, as most already concluded. Only Hongxiao, trapped in the whirlwind of emotions, remained blindly enamored, foolishly convinced that she was different, and consequently fell deeper into her obsession.

Her reckless dash toward Lansheng during the funeral further infuriated her father, who locked her in her room out of sheer rage. All the windows were barred, and instead of a maid, a guard from Hong Mansion delivered her meals, likely fearing that she might incapacitate a maid and escape.

This time, Hongxiao’s father was clearly resolute in keeping her confined. After five days with no sign of relent, he didn’t even bother to check on her, ignoring her protests and the havoc she wreaked within the room. He remained unmoved even when Hongxiao’s mother wept bitterly in front of him, displaying a heart of stone.

Surveying her disheveled room, which lay in ruins, Hongxiao felt frustrated and suffocated. Looking for a place to rest, she discovered that the chairs and stools had all been smashed to bits. Even the bedding on her bed had been tossed to the ground, stained with remnants of the lunch that had just been delivered, creating a rather disgusting sight.

Sitting on the bare mattress without bedding, Hongxiao didn’t care about the discomfort of the hard surface. Instead, she buried her head in thought, plotting her escape from this prison. Despite the chaos she had caused over the past few days, it was clear her father was determined to keep her locked away.

Her actions had turned her into a joke at the wedding, dealt a hefty blow to the Le Family during Le Zimu’s funeral, and shamelessly pursued Lansheng, undermining the dignity expected of an unmarried woman. Her father’s fury was entirely justified.