Rebirth of the Duke's Daughter and the Little Imperial Uncle

Chapter 63 He Mingxuan and Qin Zeyu (1)

He Mingxuan walked up to Qin Zeyu's table and immediately went to Qin Zeyu, calling out loudly, "Qin Zeyu!"

Qin Zeyu was talking to his cousin Qin Zefei when he heard someone calling him. It was a woman, so he looked at her in confusion. After seeing who it was, he quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Third Princess."

He Mingxuan strode up to Qin Zeyu and said with a displeased expression, "Qin Zeyu, my older brother said that we don't need to bow today. You still brought people to bow to me. Don't you take my older brother's words to heart?"

Qin Zeyu lowered his head and replied, "I wouldn't dare."

He Mingxuan squinted and leaned closer to Qin Zeyu, saying, "I wouldn't dare. You should bow to me, hmm~"

Qin Zeyu said helplessly, "I'm used to it, and I can't change it overnight. Is there something you need, Princess?"

Qin Zeyu then explained, "There's nothing wrong. They're just classmates. The Third Princess is also studying at Uncle's academy."

Seeing this, Qin Zefei asked in a low voice, "Zeyu, what's going on? Did the Third Princess come specifically to see you?"

Qin Zefei nodded knowingly. Qin Zeyu asked again, "Is there something you need, Princess?"

He Mingxuan's face showed a hint of anger. She put her hands on her hips and said coquettishly, "Of course I have something to say, otherwise why would I have come over!"

Upon hearing that there was something to discuss, Qin Zeyu quickly put on a smiling face and asked cautiously, "What is it, Princess? Is there anything you need? Please feel free to ask, and I will do my best to fulfill your request!"

He Mingxuan was so annoyed by his cautious demeanor that she laughed out loud. She glared at Qin Zeyu and said irritably, "What could I possibly want! Qin Zeyu, I've noticed you're getting more and more timid. Weren't you always making me angry back at the academy? Why are you so cowardly now?"

Qin Zeyu blushed slightly, scratched his head, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "No, it's just because you're a princess..."

He Mingxuan got even angrier. She raised her voice and pointed at Qin Zeyu, saying, "So you're being so respectful to me because you're afraid I'll retaliate?"

Qin Zeyu didn't speak, but his expression said it all. Seeing him like this, He Mingxuan was even more furious. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

After a while, He Mingxuan calmed down and looked at Qin Zeyu again, asking in a serious tone, "I'm asking you, why didn't you tell me that Yaoyao is your aunt!"

Qin Zeyu looked at He Mingxuan innocently: "Why should I tell you? Besides, you didn't even ask!"

He Mingxuan's eyes lit up, and she asked with great interest, "If I ask, will you tell me?"

Qin Zeyu pursed his lips: "Not necessarily. I have no obligation to tell you these things."

He Mingxuan stomped her feet in anger and pointed at him, saying, "You...you're deliberately trying to anger me, aren't you?"

The cousins ​​standing nearby couldn't help but laugh when they heard their conversation.

Qin Zefei turned to look at his younger brothers beside him and said with a smile, "Zeyu is still as sharp-tongued as ever."

Qin Zechong chimed in, "Yes, but I've never seen him take any girl so seriously before."

Qin Zetian asked curiously, "Oh? Is that so?"

He Mingxuan glared at Qin Zeyu and shouted angrily, "Qin Zeyu, what kind of expression is that? Do you think I'm the kind of person who can't distinguish right from wrong and would retaliate against people indiscriminately?"

Qin Zeyu shrugged: "I didn't say that, the princess said it herself."

He Mingxuan retorted angrily, "You didn't say that, but that's definitely what you think."

Qin Zeyu smiled slightly at He Mingxue, shook his head, and replied, "No, Princess, you're overthinking it."

Upon hearing this, He Mingxuan immediately pointed at him in a fit of rage and said angrily, "You still know I'm a princess? How dare you make me angry!"

Qin Zeyu quickly explained, "First of all, I have never forgotten that you are a princess, so I have always treated you with respect; secondly, it was the princess who said that I didn't need to treat you like a princess, which is why I spoke that way. Besides, there was nothing wrong with what I said. The princess asked me first, and then I answered. But after I answered, the princess was not satisfied and said that I was deliberately trying to upset her. So, should I answer the princess's question or not?"

Upon hearing this, He Mingxuan was so angry her eyes nearly bulged out, her chest heaving violently, unable to utter a single word. After a long while, she finally pointed at Qin Zeyu and said, "So, it's all my fault after all!"

Upon seeing this, Qin Zeyu quickly lowered his head and respectfully replied, "I wouldn't dare. If the princess has no further questions, then this humble subject will take his leave."

Enraged by his attitude, He Mingxuan trembled with anger and shouted, "You...you...you stop right there!" With that, she rushed towards Qin Zeyu.

After Qin Zeyu finished speaking, he turned and walked back, but he kept an eye on He Mingxuan's movements out of the corner of his eye. When he saw He Mingxuan rushing towards him, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.

Because Qin Zeyu possessed considerable martial arts skills, he easily dodged He Mingxuan's attacks when she lunged at him. Although He Mingxuan knew some martial arts, her strength was insufficient to contend with Qin Zeyu. She continued her attack, first a punch, then a palm strike, but Qin Zeyu skillfully evaded all of these attacks. This infuriated He Mingxuan, who stomped her feet in frustration.

Their commotion attracted the attention of others, and everyone's eyes turned to them. The Crown Prince, watching their actions, smiled and said, "Third Sister, you seem a little anxious."

He Mingshu chimed in, "Yes, that's right. Third Sister missed a good opportunity."

He Minglin commented, "Qin Zeyu's skills are indeed quite good. Even if Third Sister seizes the opportunity, I'm afraid it will be difficult for her to catch him."

He Mingyu agreed: "Indeed, Third Sister has rarely been this angry before."

He Mingshu responded with a smile: "Yes, usually she's the one who makes others furious."

He Minglin laughed along, "That's right, this kid is really capable."

At this moment, He Mingfeng suddenly interjected, "I think this girl might have ulterior motives! Otherwise, why would she keep chasing after him?" The others nodded in agreement.

Hearing his brothers' words, He Mingwen looked over and saw the little girl sparring with Qin Zeyu. Her moves were fierce and her movements agile, but Qin Zeyu kept dodging and didn't retaliate. He Mingwen smiled dismissively, thinking, "They're just kids, they don't have any real skills." He had never liked martial arts, so his skills were the worst among his brothers, and naturally he couldn't discern any real techniques.

He Mingxuan shouted at Qin Zeyu, "Qin Zeyu! If you keep dodging around like this, I'll... I'll..." Qin Zeyu raised an eyebrow and smiled provocatively, "So what? You can't hit me anyway." He Mingxuan looked at Qin Zeyu, who was not far from her, and was secretly pleased, thinking she had an opportunity, so she tried to attack. However, just as she made her move, Qin Zeyu leaped five meters away, leaving her with nothing.

He Mingxuan stomped her feet on the ground a few times in anger, pouting and saying, "I'm not fighting anymore! I'm not fighting anymore! Humph, I can't even hit her!" After saying that, she stood there with her head down. Seeing this, Qin Zefei said to his younger brothers, "This kid doesn't know how to be gentle with a lady at all. Look how tired the princess is." Qin Zechong also chimed in, "That's right, we'll have to give him a good talking to later." Qin Zetian nodded in agreement.

Qin Zeyu looked at He Mingxuan, who was hanging her head angrily, walked to her side, stretched out his arm, and said in a softer tone, "Hey, let me give you a few slaps to vent your anger. Don't hold it in any longer, or you'll start blaming our family, and I can't afford that."

He Mingxuan looked up at the outstretched arm, her gaze meeting Qin Zeyu's handsome face, and she felt a momentary daze. She grabbed Qin Zeyu's arm, tilted her head back, and asked softly, "Qin Zeyu, do you really want me to calm down?"

Qin Zeyu pursed his lips, nodded, and replied, "Of course, anything is fine as long as it makes you happy."

He Mingxuan blinked, a sly glint in her eyes, then beckoned Qin Zeyu closer. Qin Zeyu leaned in, somewhat puzzled, and was about to ask what was wrong when He Mingxuan suddenly grabbed his arm and squeezed it hard.

Qin Zeyu gasped in pain, but forced himself not to cry out. He said with a wry smile, "Is this alright?"

He Mingxuan smiled smugly, let go of her hand, and nodded in satisfaction: "Okay, that's fine."

Qin Zeyu rubbed the spot that had been pinched and sighed helplessly, "Alright then, you shouldn't be angry anymore, right?"

He Mingxuan gave a soft hum and said coquettishly, "That's more like it. But... I have one more request."

Qin Zeyu asked curiously, "What are the requirements?"

He Mingxuan said expectantly, "Since you're here, why don't you show me around your house?"

Qin Zeyu's mouth dropped open in surprise: "That's it?"

He Mingxuan pouted and said discontentedly, "Otherwise what? Do you want me to beat you up? Or are you trying to back out?"

Qin Zeyu quickly waved his hand and chuckled dryly, "No, no, no, that's not what I meant. I just didn't expect it to be such a simple request."

He Mingxuan rolled her eyes at him and urged, "Am I kind? Okay, okay, take me to see it!" With that, she eagerly pushed Qin Zeyu out.

Qin Zeyu shook his head helplessly and reminded him, "Then I'll take you there after you've eaten!"

He Mingxuan waved her hand dismissively, "No need, I'm already full." After saying that, she pushed Qin Zeyu and continued walking out.

Qin Zeyu had no choice but to follow her out of the room, and soon the two of them disappeared from everyone's sight.

Cheng Ying said to Qin Yaoyao, "Does the Third Princess like your nephew?"

Qin Yaoyao smiled and replied, "You figured it out!"

Cheng Ying raised an eyebrow, looking at Qin Yaoyao with a hint of teasing in her eyes, and continued to ask, "How can you not see something so obvious? I'm not stupid."

Qin Yaoyao chuckled softly, a sly glint in her eyes. She replied casually, "So, with your intelligence, have you figured out that He Mingfeng likes you?"

Cheng Ying's expression changed slightly, and she said somewhat awkwardly, "You're talking about the princess, why are you dragging me into this? I didn't realize it, but he told me."

Qin Yaoyao feigned surprise, widening her eyes and asking curiously, "Ah, when did he tell you? Why didn't you tell me?"

Cheng Ying shook her head helplessly and explained, "It's just that I didn't have time. I'll tell you another time."

Liu Xiaoyu had originally planned to use this banquet to get closer to Qin Yaoyao, thereby gaining more benefits and saving face in front of He Mingwen. However, throughout the entire banquet, she failed to find a suitable opportunity to speak with Qin Yaoyao. In the end, she had to leave disheartened.

When Liu Xiaoyu was initially betrothed to He Mingwen, she was filled with joy. She smugly thought that although Qin Yaoyao was pampered at home, so what? She was about to become a prince's consort, and Qin Yaoyao would have to bow to her in the future. Qin Yaoyao was destined to be no match for her. This sense of superiority made her feel incredibly satisfied.

Not long after, Qin Yaoyao was betrothed to He Yanxi, the Prince of Zhenbei. Now, Qin Yaoyao's status was a generation higher than his own. And that wasn't all; what was even more infuriating was that He Mingwen's betrothal gifts were given according to the standards for a prince's principal wife, which was extremely displeasing, yet impossible to find fault with. However, when He Yanxi presented the betrothal gifts, it was as if the entire Prince's mansion was being emptied out, which was absolutely infuriating.

Therefore, she decided to sow discord between Qin Yaoyao and He Yanxi before Qin Yaoyao got married. Ideally, she wanted Qin Yaoyao to offend He Yanxi so he would be punished. Unfortunately, she didn't find a suitable opportunity and, like she had come, left with her mother, filled with resentment.

Before long, the guests left one after another, and the elders, having drunk quite a bit, went back to their rooms to rest. The younger generation naturally followed suit. Qin Yaoyao looked at Cheng Ying and smiled, saying, "The opportunity has finally arrived. Let's go, to my room." With that, the two left together. Afterwards, the Second Prince and the Fourth Prince also left. Finally, only the Second Prince and the Crown Prince remained. Seeing this, the Second Prince simply took the Crown Prince to his courtyard to continue drinking and chatting.

On the other side, Qin Zeyu showed He Mingxuan around, pointing to various buildings and landscapes and introducing them to her: "This is our garden, filled with all kinds of flowers; that's the kitchen, where I can smell the aroma of food every day; and over there is the study, where I often read..."

They walked and talked, and before they knew it, they arrived at a charming little courtyard. He Mingxuan asked curiously, "Who lives here?" Qin Zeyu smiled and said, "This is my courtyard."

He Mingxuan then asked, "Do you live in a courtyard by yourself or with your parents?" Qin Zeyu looked at her with some confusion, wondering why she suddenly asked this question, but he still honestly answered, "I live alone, so what?"

He Mingxuan smiled slightly and explained, "It's nothing, I was just asking. I didn't expect you to live in a courtyard all by yourself." Qin Zeyu scratched his head and asked in confusion, "What's so surprising about that? Isn't it normal for someone to live in a courtyard all by themselves?"

He Mingxuan shook her head and said with a smile, "It's quite normal, but don't you have a lot of family members? I thought there wouldn't be enough room." Qin Zeyu suddenly realized what she was thinking.