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Xiao Changying swiftly returned to his princely residence. As a prince and a royal son serving in the military camp, he could not leave the capital without Your Majesty's decree. Being caught doing so would be a grave crime, hence he needed to slip away secretly.
Whether feigning illness or fabricating other excuses, none were sustainable solutions. Therefore, he needed someone to cover for him. Only if this person were his elder brother could he proceed without worries.
"Your Highness, the Third Lady has arrived," reported Xiao Changying's chief steward.
Xiao Changying, who was packing his belongings, paused and stood up, striding out to meet her.
The Third Lady was You Wenjun, his betrothed wife by Your Majesty's decree. They were to be married in three months.
You Wenjun, a daughter of a military family, disliked ornate dresses and usually wore a turned-collar robe, her long hair tied high, her brows radiating a spirited and heroic aura.
"Your Highness, please dismiss your attendants," You Wenjun said after paying her respects, glancing at the people beside Xiao Changying.
Xiao Changying waved his hand, and those around him withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the pavilion of the long corridor. "Third Lady, speak plainly."
"Your Highness must not leave the capital," You Wenjun stated directly, as requested.
Xiao Changying narrowed his long, slender eyes.
You Wenjun was taken aback. She had only suspected it, but his reaction confirmed that he indeed intended to go.
After their betrothal was decreed, Xiao Changying had sought her out and frankly told her that there was someone in his heart, and he likely would never be able to let go of her.
At that time, she felt a pang of bitterness. It was impossible to claim deep romantic feelings for Xiao Changying, as they had just met. Yet, they were already engaged, and he was different to her. Hearing her betrothed say he had someone in his heart, unforgettable for life, how could it not stir emotions within her?
She would never forget that day—the bright sun, the garden filled with floral scents, and butterflies fluttering about. In that courtyard, he had spoken those cruel and heartless words with such candor and uprightness.
"Third Lady, I already have someone I admire in my heart. However, I lack sufficient virtue and talent to win her favor. Thus, we are fated to be apart, but I cannot let go. I tell you this today because I do not wish to deceive you. If you are unwilling to marry into the Lie Palace, I will annul the engagement. Rest assured, Third Lady, I will not allow you to bear any disgrace or suffer any consequences."
Annul the engagement?
Just after the decree, he spoke of annulling it. He was so straightforward, standing straight as a spear, his demeanor so upright that one could not doubt his words. She believed that if she shook her head, he would surely nullify the marriage and ensure her safe exit, bearing all the responsibility himself.
Suddenly, she felt deeply envious of the one he loved. She even found it absurd and curious—what kind of lady could it be, that a son of the imperial family, accomplished in both civil and military arts, handsome and extraordinary, would be deemed unworthy?
"Your Highness, do you know why our engagement came to be?" You Wenjun could not help but ask.
Their marriage was decreed by Your Majesty, a gesture of favor and appeasement toward the You family. If he annulled it, what consequences would he face? Did he understand?
"By being forthright with you today, Third Lady, I am placing the choice in your hands. As for the meaning behind the engagement, there is no need for you to delve into it deeply." His eyes, though gleaming like water, showed no ripples of emotion.
No need to delve into it?You Wenjun valued martial prowess but did not neglect literary cultivation. She simply had no patience for cumbersome formalities. Yet she clearly understood that her marriage was beyond her control. For the You family to advance further, to avoid arousing the emperor's suspicion in the northeast, and to demonstrate loyalty, she must marry into the imperial family.
She had already been betrothed to Lie Wang. If Lie Wang broke off the engagement, she could not possibly marry Jing Wang or any other imperial prince afterward—only a member of the imperial clan. The emperor had always treated the imperial clan with respect and courtesy but never granted them real power. If she married into the imperial clan, her family would abandon her as well.
Only an imperial prince could speak with such arrogance about not delving deeper into matters. Even if he shouldered all the blame for breaking the engagement, he would remain the emperor's son. In a few years, with new achievements, he would still be the emperor's trusted prince. They were not on equal footing.
You Wenjun remained silent, and Xiao Changying largely grasped her thoughts. He said, "If Third Lady still insists on marrying this humble prince for the sake of the You family, we can treat each other with respect. The glory of being Lie Wangfei will not be diminished in the slightest for Third Lady."
The glory of Lie Wangfei would remain intact, but she should harbor no further delusions, right?
Her anxious, hopeful vision of marriage had been uprooted from the mud before it could even sprout, brutally dashed to the ground and trampled into fragments. She was Third Lady You, the Iron Lady of the Eastern Cavalry Army. Straightening her back, she said, "Your Highness may rest assured. This humble consort understands."
If they were to treat each other with respect, then so be it. Love and affection were never what she truly sought. If possible, she would rather remain in the northeast, on those plains where she could gallop freely on horseback. But alas, she was born a woman...
"This humble prince thought everything was made clear to Third Lady that day," Xiao Changying said coldly.
Xiao Changying was exceptionally handsome and outstanding in martial arts. Though he had been tempered in military camps, he did not appear brutish or rigid. When his face darkened, it carried an indescribable shadow that inspired fear.
"Your Highness, since we are soon to be wed, we are naturally one. If you go now, you will be opposing His Majesty. If exposed, it will not merely be the crime of leaving the capital without permission!" You Wenjun urged.
Having been in the capital for so long, she could guess who occupied Xiao Changying's heart. There was truly no other maiden who could make him feel inadequate in virtue and filled with shame—only the one in the Eastern Palace...
He never actively sought her out, but wherever she appeared, even the tips of his feet subconsciously turned toward her, and he strained to keep his gaze from following her. She even felt that if an assassination attempt occurred, the first person he would shield would not be the emperor to whom they both owed allegiance, but that very person.
That person... was indeed rare in this world and had once saved his life. It was only natural that he could not forget her.
Whatever he wanted to do, she could pretend not to see, but this time, she could not.
"Third Lady, please return," Xiao Changying said, turning away.
After he took two steps, You Wenjun said solemnly, "Your Highness, is it worth it?"
"Third Lady, where the heart leads, affection follows. If one must weigh the pros and cons, then one can also let go."
It was precisely because he could not let go that he was incapable of calculating gains and losses in all matters. When he heard the news, his first instinct was to assist her—whether she needed it or not, he wished to exert every effort to help. That was enough.
He merely wanted to follow his heart.
You Wenjun stared blankly at Xiao Changying's retreating figure, his crimson robes fluttering with each step like blazing flames.She couldn't help but frown. She couldn't understand what kind of deep affection could make someone watch their beloved marry another, knowing full well that their beloved's heart held no place for them, knowing their beloved was already another's wife, yet still charging through fire and flood for them without hesitation.
The Crown Princess's heart belonged to the Crown Prince.
That aloof, reserved, and elegant woman—only when looking at the Crown Prince would her gaze soften momentarily. To facilitate your next reading, you can click the "Bookmark" below to record this reading session (Chapter 722: Where Love Leads, the Heart Follows). The next time you open your bookshelf, you'll see it!
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