bayedsolid Chapter 242 Murong Han's Suspicion
Chapter 242 Murong Han's Suspicion
Inside the palace, a lively atmosphere prevailed. Huge palace lanterns hung high, illuminating the entire palace as bright as day, and the air was filled with the aroma of delicious food and the fragrance of fine wine.
The Emperor raised his wine cup high, his voice booming, "Come, come, let us all raise our glasses and drink to our joy today!"
Everyone stood up, raised their glasses in celebration, and laughter echoed throughout every corner of the palace.
Murong Han's lips curled up slightly, a smile that held an unfathomable meaning. He slowly raised his wine glass and drank with everyone else.
Just then, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him, and his vision began to blur. He instinctively glanced around, trying to steady himself.
In a daze, he caught a glimpse of Huan'er beside Su Wan'er. In that instant, Murong Han's pupils dilated, his wine glass stopped at his lips, and he froze on the spot.
His lips parted slightly, but no sound came out; his face was filled with shock and disbelief. The images of that day surged through his mind like a tidal wave, impossible to shake off.
His gaze was fixed on Huan'er, as if he were frozen in place. The surrounding noise had vanished, leaving only the pounding of his heart.
Murong Han felt his mind was a jumbled mess, and he couldn't make sense of it at all. Every move Huan'er made seemed to be pulled at his memory by an invisible thread.
He was completely shut out of the surrounding laughter and clinking of glasses; he paid no attention to the people around him and seemed to have forgotten that he was in the midst of a lively royal banquet.
He stared intently in Huan'er's direction, repeatedly thinking to himself, "Why does she look so familiar? I must have seen her somewhere before, but where exactly?"
His eyes were full of confusion and inquiry, not missing a single subtle movement of Huan'er.
Huan'er was standing cautiously beside Su Wan'er when she suddenly felt a burning gaze fall upon her. She looked up uneasily and met Murong Han's probing eyes.
In an instant, her heart pounded, like a startled fawn. Her hands unconsciously gripped the hem of her dress, her fingertips turning white from the force, her eyes filled with terror and tension. She frantically tugged at Su Wan'er's sleeve, her voice trembling slightly, yet she tried to lower it: "Your Highness..." She gave a slight nod, glancing at Murong Han.
When Huan'er pulled her, Su Wan'er's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition surged into her heart. She followed Huan'er's gaze and met Murong Han's eyes. In an instant, she felt a chill run down her spine, and the feeling of having done something wrong made her almost lose her balance.
A flicker of panic crossed her face, but she quickly regained her composure and forced an awkward yet polite smile.
To conceal her inner panic, she casually took Murong Yi's arm and even tiptoed closer to his ear, pretending to have an intimate conversation with him. However, her slightly trembling hands betrayed her extreme unease.
As the banquet drew to a close, the clinking of glasses and laughter gradually subsided. Everyone rose to their feet, bowed respectfully to the Emperor and the imperial family, and then filed out.
Murong Yi had an undisguised smile on her lips, a smile that had been present since the start of the banquet and was now even brighter, her eyes and brows radiating uncontainable joy.
He stood tall and straight, accepting the well wishes from everyone as they departed. With each response, his smile deepened, his eyes filled with anticipation and hope for the future.
Lin Qianqian stood beside Murong Yi, her hands gently resting on her prominently pregnant belly, a tender and happy smile radiating from her face. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, filled with loving tenderness, and she would occasionally glance down at her belly, as if she could already see her future child learning to speak. Her smile was both virtuous and content; every movement, every expression, radiated the glow of impending motherhood.
Xiaodie and Wuming stood quietly behind them. Xiaodie had a faint smile on her lips and her eyes revealed sincere blessings; Wuming had a calm expression, but there was also a hint of gentleness in his eyes.
Su Wan'er had no time to care about any of this; her mind had already wandered far away, and she was completely absent-minded.
Murong Han's gaze at the banquet made her feel like she was being pricked by needles, and all she wanted to do was leave this place of trouble immediately. She lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously clutching her sleeve, her eyes filled with anxiety and unease. She had finally made it to the end of the banquet, and all she wanted to do was find a place to hide and sort out her chaotic thoughts.
Huan'er stood beside Su Wan'er, so nervous that she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet. Her hands were clenched tightly together, her fingertips turning white from the force, and her eyes were filled with fear and unease.
Su Wan'er was filled with anxiety, her gaze darting around in a panic. Suddenly, she caught sight of the sleeping child in her arms, and an idea instantly formed in her mind. She steeled herself, secretly reached out a finger, and gently pinched the child's tender flesh.
"Wah—" The child seemed to be startled awake by a thunderclap, and suddenly burst into tears. His little face turned bright red instantly, and his little body twisted and turned with the crying.
Su Wan'er immediately put on a gentle smile, but there was an imperceptible tension hidden in that smile. She said softly to Murong Yi, "Your Highness, the child is crying so hard, he must be starving. I'll go back and take care of him." Her voice was soft, but it carried a hint of urgency.
Murong Yi's eyes were full of concern. He nodded slightly and replied gently, "Alright, you can go back now." After saying that, he turned to look at Huan'er behind him and earnestly instructed, "Take good care of Princess Su."
Huan'er was secretly feeling uneasy when she heard these words. She suddenly came to her senses, hurriedly bowed, and said in a clear but slightly trembling voice, "Yes."
Murong Yi hurriedly instructed several servants to escort Su Wan'er back to her residence.
Su Wan'er felt like she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly left with her crying child in her arms. Her steps were rapid as she walked, wanting only to escape the banquet that had filled her with such terror.
Huan'er followed closely behind, watching Su Wan'er's back. The huge weight in her heart finally lifted, and her steps unconsciously became lighter as her tense emotions gradually calmed down.
In the bustling, noisy banquet hall, a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes quietly fixed on the departing figure.
Murong Han stood not far away, his figure concealed in the light and shadow, but his gaze was like a sharp arrow, shooting straight at Su Wan'er and Huan'er. His eyes were cold and sharp, not missing a single subtle movement as they left.
As the two figures gradually disappeared into the distance, the scene from that day surged and resurfaced in Murong Han's mind like a surging tide.
This time, the scenes in his memory became exceptionally clear, every detail as if etched deep into his mind. He narrowed his eyes slightly, a glint of something unfathomable flashing in them, and fell into deep thought.
"Those two people from that day...could it be them?" Murong Han murmured softly, his voice low and hoarse, tinged with doubt and certainty. His brows furrowed tightly as he raced through the events of that day, trying to find more clues from the gaps in his memory.