VFMESR Chapter 47.1

The birthday banquet took place in one of Eldest Princess’s seaside villas, a considerable distance from the central hub of the capital. The advantage lay in the picturesque scenery, with the sea breeze gently adding a touch of romance.

 

The monarch’s presence instantly elevated the birthday celebration to a higher level, attracting even more nobles. Anna, however, remained mindful of the true purpose—to successfully send Jiang Ling away. At her earnest request, the news was kept from the public eye, avoiding any exposure in the media.

 

Of course, in order to ensure His Majesty’s safety, the villa was surrounded by layers of bodyguards, not to mention the royal guards that His Majesty brought out when he left the palace.

 

When Chu Wenyu arrived, the eldest princess and the nobles who had arrived early stood outside the villa to welcome him.

 

As for the golden-haired young man by the monarch’s side, the well-informed nobles were aware of his identity and secretly marveled in their hearts. While it made sense for him to attend royal events, there was no apparent reason for Princess Anna’s private birthday celebration to include him. Little did they know that their monarch had graced this small birthday gathering to please the young man beside him.

 

Eldest princess, nearly a decade older than Chu Wenyu and in her forties, exuded elegance and impeccable maintenance, hinting at her past beauty. The royal genes were undoubtedly superior, with each member possessing exceptional physical and spiritual attributes. Except for Chu Wenyu, who, apart from a mysterious birthmark, could have been considered extraordinarily handsome.

 

She took two steps forward, with a gentle demeanor, and led Chu Wenyu into the villa. She greeted him gently, “It’s been a while since you visited the palace. Is everything going well?”

 

Jiang Ling found himself naturally pushed aside, as some nobles with more courage followed the eldest princess’s lead, hovering near Chu Wenyu and occasionally chiming in. As for the hostage, they hardly paid him any attention.

 

Chu Wenyu’s expression was already very impatient, but he maintained the royal courtesy in public. However, his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Ling, responding perfunctorily to the surrounding chatter.

 

Anna, having greeted at the beginning, refrained from approaching further. Her feelings toward her little uncle were complex, especially considering her actions today might provoke his displeasure. Yet, Anna underestimated Jiang Ling’s position in Chu Wenyu’s heart and the extent of the latter’s madness. She assumed Jiang Ling was a fleeting fancy of the monarch, thinking that with her status, her uncle might reprimand her slightly, but nothing more. Little did she know the depth of her uncle’s sentiments, and the decision she made today might invite more than just a mild rebuke.

 

Spotting Jiang Ling being pushed to the side, Anna’s eyes lit up, and she walked over quietly.

 

Despite Jiang Ling maintaining an appearance of humility, there seemed to be a hint of melancholy in his expression, though it vanished the moment his eyes met hers.

 

Even though Anna knew Jiang Ling was eager to return home, she couldn’t help but think that his joy might be attributed to seeing her.

 

“I’m about to do you a huge favor. Did you bother preparing a proper birthday gift when you came?” Anna asked casually, adopting a friendly tone.

 

Jiang Ling hesitated briefly before awkwardly replying, “His Majesty and I prepared the gift together,” implying that he hadn’t chosen a specific present.

 

He genuinely hadn’t given much thought to this matter and now felt a tinge of guilt.

 

Anna acknowledged with a soft “Oh,” displaying a hint of disappointment but maintaining composure.

 

“Are you worried I won’t be able to fulfill my promise?” Princess Anna inquired gently, her voice barely audible.

 

“It’s not that simple,” Jiang Ling responded, his expression growing more serious.

 

Jiang Ling wasn’t as happy as he had imagined when he thought about the possibility of achieving freedom today. Instead, he was more concerned about whether Princess Anna truly had the means. He worried that her innocence might lead her to believe it’s easy to slip away under Chu Wenyu’s watchful eyes.

 

Anna was about to elaborate on her plan to Jiang Ling when she was called over by the eldest princess.

 

“Anna, His Majesty wants to personally give you a birthday gift. Hurry over,” Eldest princess beckoned.

 

Anna pursed her lips and glanced at Jiang Ling before reluctantly walking over.

 

Hearing the voice, Jiang Ling instinctively raised his head and looked in that direction, only to be met with the tense expression on Chu Wenyu’s face, as if issuing a silent warning.

 

In order to appease the other party at this moment and avoid exposing his flaws, he had no choice but to smile faintly. He looked directly at the other party and then stood there idly. He could reasonably assume that Chu Wenyu might have come up with a reason for Anna to step away because he felt uneasy.

 

Sure enough, with the first smile from Alpha in these days, Chu Wenyu felt a bit lighter. His complexion improved, and even Jiang Ling and Anna’s proximity was quickly forgiven.

 

Casually handing over the birthday gift with a few perfunctory words, Chu Wenyu ‘s sincerity was lacking. However, to prevent the two from lingering together, he made Anna stand aside and occasionally engaged her in small talk.

 

His young niece, though not very old, had a rather challenging gaze and a touch of stubbornness. If she were a bit wiser, she’d know to keep her distance from that person.

 

But thinking about the upcoming event, Chu Wenyu set aside his grievances. Anna would find it challenging to come up with an excuse to see Jiang Ling again later. Despite his self-interest, Chu Wenyu wouldn’t push her into a fire pit, especially considering the young man’s conditions were already quite favorable.

 

Soon, all the guests had arrived. In fact, the majority of them, as long as they were in their right mind, arrived well in advance. Who were they to keep the monarch waiting? What if he became displeased and harbored ill feelings towards their families?

 

The birthday banquet kicked off with an opening dance. 

 

Anna, initially uninterested, took notice when a male Alpha in his mid-twenties appeared in front of her. He looked vaguely familiar – they had gone on a blind date together before and shared a couple of meals. Anna couldn’t decide whether she liked or disliked him; he was essentially a stranger to her. She glanced at her mother, wondering what this meant. 

 

The Eldest princess smiled kindly, then took Anna’s hand and placed it in the young man’s palm.

 

“Let’s have you two start the event today,” she said before leaving, providing no further information.

 

With numerous eyes watching below, Anna couldn’t just break free and leave. Unsure of the meaning behind her mother’s actions, she reluctantly allowed the man to lead her, her hand still in his.

 

“Do you have any idea what’s going on? Why are you here at my birthday banquet today?” Anna couldn’t help but ask the person she was dancing with. She didn’t think their relationship had reached this point, but more importantly, she was clueless about this situation.

 

He Li, looking at the confused expression on the girl’s face, found it amusing. He teasingly replied, “Princess Anna, are you pretending not to know? I am your fiance.”

 

This revelation startled Anna even more. “What nonsense are you talking about? Why don’t I know anything about this?”

 

He Li, moving with the dance steps, explained, “Your mother has already discussed the engagement with my father. It will be announced today at the princess’s birthday banquet. Didn’t your mother tell you? It doesn’t matter, soon you will be my bride.”

 

Anna’s face turned pale instantly. She shook her head and murmured, “You’re talking nonsense. How could I not know…”

 

Turning her head abruptly toward her mother, she saw her smiling and nodding slightly. Meanwhile, He Li looked satisfied.

 

Anna knew her mother had always wanted to find a suitable match for her, but this was too sudden, and she didn’t even discuss it with her.

 

What prompted her mother to make such a sudden decision?

 

Suddenly, it dawned on Anna, and she found the person in her mind.

 

He was not far from her mother, his dark eyes devoid of any hint of a smile. The way he looked at her seemed to convey that he was the one determining her fate.

 

Before she even realized it, a tear rolled down from her eyes. Despite knowing that everyone was watching their dance, Anna’s steps began to falter, becoming chaotic. She felt a chill running down her spine.

 

She had heard her mother and many others talk about her little uncle, always with a serious and fearful tone. Anna also felt that his temperament was too gloomy, but she had always thought that His Majesty just looked scary. It wasn’t until today that she realized His Majesty didn’t care about his little niece at all.

 

Anna felt fear in her heart. She just thought that His Majesty didn’t know what she was going to do and he already treated her like this. After the incident, it might be even more terrifying. But at the same time, she also felt a sense of resentment. No wonder Jiang Ling wanted to escape; if she gave up, she dreaded what might become of him. Yet, fueled by this resentment, she found herself even more inclined to challenge Chu Wenyu, wanting him to taste the bitterness of torment.

 

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