A silent mist seemed to permeate the carriage, dulling the senses—Yuan Cheng and the others wore blank expressions, while only the Fifth Prince hid half his face behind a five-colored feather fan, revealing two eyes brimming with excitement and anticipation.
“Huo Bu Yi, you go too far!” Yuan Shen finally snapped out of his daze, then erupted in fury—a reaction unprecedented in his twenty-seven years of life.
Shao Shang stared at Huo Bu Yi as if he were a monster. “Have you lost your mind?!”
Huo Bu Yi remained unruffled, his tone calm. “These words come from the depths of my heart. Shao Shang, think it over carefully.”
“This prince believes she has already thought it over—and chosen Yuan Shen,” the Fifth Prince chimed in, waving his fan with a grin.
Shao Shang stiffened her neck and roared back, “Think what over? I never need to think, and there’s nothing to think about! What kind of person do you take me for? If I’d drop everything and call off my engagement just because you beckoned, why would I have sought another son-in-law in the first place? I might as well have gone straight to the northwest to find you!”
Huo Bu Yi replied, “You were angry with me. Why would you have come looking for me?”
“Good, you know that much!” Shao Shang shouted.
The Fifth Prince murmured, “Of course he knows—but he still intends to steal the bride.”
“Y-you—you dare look down on my Jiaodong Yuan Clan like this! How dare you spout such nonsense right in front of me?! You—you’re utterly preposterous!” Yuan Shen trembled with rage.
“Official Yuan,” Huo Bu Yi said earnestly, “I know you must be furious beyond words, but I beg you to temper your anger and hear me out. Shao Shang is not a suitable match for you…”
Yuan Shen felt that no other noble scion in the entire capital city would ever experience such an absurd encounter—today had truly broadened his horizons. He sneered repeatedly. “Shao Shang isn’t a suitable match for me, but she is for you? What a laughable joke! Why didn’t you go tell the usurper Gongsun Shi of Shu back then, ‘You are unfit to be emperor,’ and see if he surrendered on the spot?!”
“Actually, I did say that in my proclamation last year, but Gongsun Shi didn’t listen,” Huo Bu Yi replied.
Shao Shang & Yuan Shen: …
“Then the war began,” Huo Bu Yi added.
The Fifth Prince hid behind his fan, stifling laughter.
“And so what?” Yuan Shen suppressed his rage. “Does Marquis Huo intend to wage war against me as well?!”
Huo Bu Yi suddenly smiled. “How could I? Right now, I can only wish you a long and prosperous life—otherwise, how could Shao Shang and I be wed?”
The Fifth Prince interjected, “Yuan Shen is skilled in the Six Arts. I once saw him participate in a mounted archery drill on the Martial Arts Field—he was quite impressive. If you two really fought, it’s hard to say who’d…” He was practically vibrating with excitement, feeling that squeezing into the carriage today had been well worth it.
“Your Highness, shut up!” Shao Shang glared at him. “You’re just stirring the pot! Don’t be surprised if you lose your legs before reaching your fief!” Her palms itched—she regretted not beating him more often over the past five years.
The Fifth Prince blinked. “Why would I lose my legs?”
“Because I’ll report to Your Majesty that you were the one who provoked them into fighting! Let’s see if His Majesty breaks your legs then!”
“You’re lying!” The Fifth Prince slapped his fan against his thigh, glaring back.
Shao Shang shot him a sidelong glance. “Oh? Your Highness clearly saw the three of us had matters to discuss but forced your way into the carriage anyway. Later, you can tell His Majesty it was just a coincidence—do you think he’ll believe you?”The Fifth Prince's expression shifted several times before he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, fine. If you're unkind, then I won't be righteous either..." He gave Huo Bu Yi a smile. "Eleventh Master, there's something you might not know yet. I can't bear to see you kept in the dark..."
Shao Shang's eyelids twitched, and she inwardly screamed in alarm. Yuan Shen was still oblivious, but the Fifth Prince had already begun speaking in a rapid flow, "Eleventh Master, did you know that Cheng Shaoshang once proposed to the Prince of the East Sea?! She asked my eldest brother to marry her!"
Yuan Shen's face darkened, wondering how the Fifth Prince knew about this. Shao Shang groaned inwardly, covering her forehead with her hand.
The Fifth Prince looked triumphant. "Well? Eleventh Master, you didn't expect that, did you? That Cheng Shaoshang would actually do such a thing—it's practically unheard of in the world..."
"And then what happened?"
"Ah?" The Fifth Prince was momentarily stunned.
Huo Bu Yi remained expressionless and patiently asked again, "What happened afterward? Did the Prince of the East Sea refuse, or did Shao Shang change her mind halfway?"
The Fifth Prince replied blankly, "Uh... my eldest brother refused..."
Huo Bu Yi nodded slightly and turned to gaze at the girl.
Shao Shang grew flustered under his stare and clung tightly to Yuan Shen's arm beside her, raising her voice defiantly, "Fifth Prince, don’t flatter yourself! Do you think I’m afraid of people talking about this? If I did it, I’m not afraid of people knowing! Besides, I already told Yuan Shen about this long ago, so Your Highness is wasting your efforts..." Despite her bold words, her eyes darted around nervously, as if afraid of something.
"Shao Shang, why did you do such a thing? As far as I know, you not only disliked the Prince of the East Sea but even criticized him often." Huo Bu Yi's tone was calm, showing neither surprise nor anger.
Shao Shang snorted and turned her head away with forced bravado. "This has nothing to do with you!"
Yuan Shen had nearly been pulled over by the girl earlier and had barely managed to steady himself against the carriage wall. He gave his fiancée a helpless look and sighed. "Previously, the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai'an was in poor health and said she would only rest easy once she saw Shao Shang married. So Shao Shang went looking for a suitable match." Even so, he shot her a reproachful glare.
Huo Bu Yi made a sound of acknowledgment. "That makes sense. Shao Shang likely saw the Prince of the East Sea as gentle and easy to manage, allowing her to continue serving Empress Dowager Xuan even after marriage. That’s why she proposed to him." Though he had never defended Shao Shang, his guess was surprisingly accurate.
The Fifth Prince was dissatisfied with Huo Bu Yi's reaction. "Eleventh Master, aren’t you going to reprimand her? Even though ancient poetry includes women boldly confessing their feelings, women should still be dignified and refined..."
"Fifth Prince, that’s enough!" Shao Shang glared at him resentfully.
The Fifth Prince ignored her—in truth, there was a secret between them, and he was certain Cheng Shaoshang wouldn’t dare reveal it.
"If anyone should reprimand Shao Shang, it should be me," Yuan Shen said coldly. "As long as I don’t mind, why should Your Highness play the villain?" In truth, he wasn’t entirely opposed to the Fifth Prince exposing this matter. To put it bluntly, he would be more than happy if Huo Bu Yi became disillusioned with Cheng Shaoshang.
"You’re completely wrapped around Cheng Shaoshang’s finger—how could you reprimand her?" the Fifth Prince scoffed. "Eleventh Master, do you really have nothing to say?"
Huo Bu Yi tilted his head thoughtfully, as if pondering something. "...I do have something to say." He turned back. "Fifth Prince, how long was it before Shao Shang proposed to you?"With a loud clatter, the Fifth Prince's feathered fan fell heavily to the ground. All three were startled, though for different reasons—Yuan Shen was utterly taken aback, while Shao Shang and the Fifth Prince both thought, How does he know? I didn’t tell anyone!
The Fifth Prince forced a nervous laugh. "What are you talking about, Eleventh Master? You must be joking… haha, haha…"
Huo Bu Yi simply stared at him in silence.
Shao Shang slowly tried to hide behind Yuan Shen, only to be yanked out by the furious man. "You actually did this?" he demanded.
Seeing his fiancée’s sheepish, pleading grin—tantamount to an admission—Yuan Shen nearly choked on his own breath. Ever since his engagement to Cheng Shaoshang, his life had become a daily spectacle.
"Shao Shang initially proposed to the Prince of the East Sea without much forethought," Huo Bu Yi said calmly. "The prince may seem easygoing on the surface, but he’s actually gentle yet stubborn. Marrying him would have brought her no end of trouble. I suspect she quickly realized this—fortunately, the prince rejected her, or she would have regretted it later."
"Then how did you guess she’d also proposed to the Fifth Prince?" Yuan Shen asked.
Huo Bu Yi glanced at the girl. "She charges forward without hesitation, relentless in her pursuits. A minor setback wouldn’t make her give up. If she’s determined to marry, she’ll try every possible candidate."
It sounded like praise, but Shao Shang didn’t dare smile. She lowered her head and tried even harder to shrink behind Yuan Shen.
Yuan Shen gritted his teeth, wishing he could drag this reckless girl out, spank her, starve her for three days, make her recite Xunzi’s Exhortation to Learning fifty times and copy Yang Xiong’s Model Sayings a hundred times—just to teach her a lesson about the vastness of heaven and earth!
Huo Bu Yi placed a hand on the Fifth Prince’s shoulder, his fingers tightening slightly. The prince yelped like a porcupine struck by an arrow. "Ow ow ow—stop, let go! If you don’t, I’ll report you to Father! Oww… I didn’t agree to it, I really didn’t! She hit me, threatened me, but I stood firm—I refused!"
Huo Bu Yi loosened his grip slightly. The Fifth Prince caught his breath, only to foolishly add, "…Do you think I don’t know what Cheng Shaoshang is like? If I married her, who knows how long I’d live—ow ow ow, stop squeezing! Fine, fine, I was blind to her virtues! She was once engaged to you, and we grew up together—how could I marry her…?"
Feeling Huo Bu Yi’s grip relax again, the Fifth Prince hastily picked up his fan and rapped the carriage wall with its jade handle. Today is cursed , he thought. I should’ve known better than to enjoy Huo Bu Yi’s misfortune—those childhood beatings should’ve taught me! After five years, I’d forgotten how dangerous he is!
Rubbing his shoulder, the Fifth Prince noticed the carriage had stopped. Before anyone could speak, he leapt up and bolted for the door, shouting, "No need to see me out—I’m rested enough to ride back to the palace! Farewell, all of you! Visit my fief someday, and I’ll play host! Right, we part here—damn it, you useless brutes, why didn’t you catch me?!"
The last half of his sentence was uttered outside the carriage, where he seemed to have tripped headfirst in an undignified sprawl. He then proceeded to berate his guards.
The carriage door closed, leaving only three inside.Hearing the Fifth Prince's earlier wails, Yuan Shen felt quite satisfied and began considering whether to hand over the girl behind him for Huo Bu Yi to discipline as well. Sensing her fiancé's unfriendly gaze, Shao Shang put on an earnest smile of appeasement: "I was just saying that, it was all in jest! Who'd want to marry him? Just joking around—it's not like anyone else heard anyway..."
Yuan Shen took a deep breath, deciding to deal with the external threat before addressing internal troubles. He cupped his hands and said, "Marquis Huo, you know Shao Shang well. If so, you should understand that her engagement to me was decided after careful consideration, not like the nonsense with the Prince of the East Sea or the Fifth Prince. What do you think?"
Shao Shang nodded vigorously behind his back.
Huo Bu Yi's long eyebrows arched slightly as he gazed at the girl, his deep amber eyes half-shadowed: "...Sometimes, what Shao Shang says or does isn't truly what she wishes."
Yuan Shen suppressed his anger: "Marquis, that's quite a stretch. If Shao Shang doesn't know her own mind, how could you possibly know?" Why doesn't this Huo fellow go debate those old pedants at the Scripture Discussion Platform instead!
"One could say that," Huo Bu Yi replied.
Yuan Shen was speechless. Shao Shang patted his arm comfortingly: "I think he's delusional. Just ignore him."
Yuan Shen said firmly: "I cannot accept such wild claims. Let's end this discussion here. Shao Shang and I will take our leave now—"
"Every word I said is true," Huo Bu Yi interjected, looking back at the girl. "In the imperial gardens of Mount Tu Gao, there's a type of Cold Spring Shrimp that Shao Shang particularly liked..."
"Nonsense!" Shao Shang couldn't help interrupting. "I've eaten that shrimp several times and never particularly favored it."
Yet Huo Bu Yi insisted: "No, you loved it."
"Am I not even aware of my own food preferences now?" Shao Shang laughed in exasperation.
Huo Bu Yi turned to Yuan Shen: "The first time Shao Shang tasted this shrimp was at a banquet hosted by Empress Dowager Xuan at Everlasting Autumn Palace. But before the dish was served, Zhai Nanny had already told her, 'This shrimp is delicious, but Her Majesty can't eat it—even accidental contact gives her rashes.' After that, Shao Shang never requested it from the kitchens again."
Shao Shang retorted: "That's because I genuinely didn't like it!"
Ignoring her, Huo Bu Yi continued: "She told everyone the same, but if you observed carefully, Yuan Shen, you'd notice her eating habits. Sometimes when Zhai Nanny craved it, or when His Majesty gifted me live shrimp from the cold springs—whether boiled, salted, roasted, or marinated... Shao Shang would always eat several extra bowls, even using the broth to mix with rice." As he spoke the last words, a quiet ache rose in his heart.
The carriage fell silent. Yuan Shen was stunned, and Shao Shang was momentarily dazed, wondering if this was truly the case. Though... now that she thought about it, all the Cold Spring Shrimp sent to Huo Bu Yi's residence back then had indeed ended up in her stomach. Huh?
"It's common in the palace to avoid foods your superiors dislike," Huo Bu Yi went on. "Most people take one of two approaches. The scheming ones pretend to endure while letting others know of their sacrifice, gaining a reputation for virtue. The kinder ones bear it silently and never mention it again. But Shao Shang is different—she convinced others and herself that she didn't like the shrimp either."
Yuan Shen turned to look at his fiancée.He could understand the girl's deep and subtle kindness and pride—her kindness lay in not wanting Empress Dowager Xuan to "pity" her for her endurance, and her pride in not wanting others to praise her for such reasons.
Huo Bu Yi looked at Shao Shang and said word by word, "As long as she believes something is of no benefit, she will deceive herself into wholeheartedly believing it—she is just that foolish a girl."
Shao Shang avoided his gaze and turned her head away loudly, "Marquis, do not confuse the issue! Hot spring shrimp and a lifelong matter are not the same—Yuan Shen and I won’t fall for your tricks!"
Yuan Shen, however, thought of more. Back then, when Madam Xiao neglected her own daughter, Shao Shang had more than once appeared utterly indifferent, and everyone had believed it to be so—so in truth, his fiancée was not as "truly" indifferent as she seemed?
"It is said that Marquis Huo is a man of few words, but today’s meeting proves that the world’s words may not hold true. Though the Marquis has established himself through military achievements, it seems his eloquence surpasses even that," Yuan Shen spoke slowly. Since the age of fifteen, he had been renowned throughout the land for his debates on scriptures and erudition. Over the years, shuttling between the Scripture Discussion Platform and the Department of State Affairs, he had dealt with nothing but argumentative scholars and cunning, high-ranking officials.
Now, with the initial shock faded, he gathered his thoughts and prepared to face his formidable rival. "However, no matter how silver-tongued the Marquis may be, there is one thing—how can you be certain that Shao Shang’s agreement to my family’s proposal was self-deception or sincere? To expect the opponent to surrender with just a few words—Marquis, you overestimate yourself."
Huo Bu Yi glanced at Shao Shang again and said indifferently, "If my opponent were truly Imperial Secretary Yuan, that would be fine." His opponent had never been Yuan Shen.
Yuan Shen was puzzled, but Huo Bu Yi tapped the carriage wall. "Recently, the court has been embroiled in endless disputes over the Land Measurement Decree. I must return to discuss official matters—the Cheng Residence is just ahead, a mere li’s walk. I shall not escort you further."
With such a clear dismissal, Yuan Shen and Shao Shang promptly disembarked.
Standing quietly on the northern side of the market district, with the servants and guards of the Yuan and Cheng residences behind them, they watched Huo Bu Yi’s Black Iron Carriage fade into the distance, momentarily speechless.
"This man truly has remarkable skill. First, he launches a sudden attack, leaving his opponent flustered and confused. Just as the opponent prepares to counter, he cleanly cuts off and retreats, leaving the matter for another day. As the saying goes, 'One burst of energy, then decline, then exhaustion.' With such tactics, the opponent naturally falls into a disadvantage!" Yuan Shen, with his hands clasped behind his back, evaluated Huo Bu Yi as if analyzing a battle.
Shao Shang looked up at the sky, then lowered her head. "So... are you going to break off the engagement with me?" It wasn’t that she wanted to dampen her own spirits, but when Huo Bu Yi acted out, few in the Capital City could withstand him.
Yuan Shen said firmly, "Of course not! I underestimated him before. Seeing him dispirited these past few days, I thought he had given up. I never expected him to strike today. Back when you were engaged to him, I even considered how to separate you two. Why would I retreat now?"
"What? What?" Shao Shang couldn’t believe it. "You actually had such thoughts!"
Yuan Shen showed no remorse. "I can assure you, when you were first engaged, Huo Bu Yi must have also thought about how to separate you and Lou Yao. He just had too many considerations and didn’t act." From this perspective, the two of them were birds of a feather.
"You two really do admire each other!" Shao Shang was speechless.
"Don’t rush to mock me. Think about how to deal with Huo Bu Yi first. Unless you truly intend to change your engagement?!"Shao Shang let out two expressionless "heh heh" sounds.
Recalling how Huo Bu Yi had completely controlled the negotiation earlier, Yuan Shen said resentfully: "Anyway, that Huo Bu Yi is truly detestable!"
Shao Shang sighed: "I told you before, this man seems quiet but his words are poisonous! If he wants to anger you to death, he won't leave you with even a breath! I've suffered countless losses from him before!"
"You too, why didn't you tell me about the matter with the Fifth Prince? You left me completely unprepared!" Yuan Shen's jade-like face turned serious as he began settling accounts.
Shao Shang said helplessly: "At that time, I heard the Fifth Prince boasting nonsense like 'once I'm enfeoffed, the emperor is far away and I can do whatever I want.' I was momentarily tempted and extremely bored, so I just tested him with a few words. It wasn't serious!"
Yuan Shen stiffened his face: "Marriage matters are no joking matter!"
"Alright, I know!" Shao Shang said, "But it's also your fault for dragging things out with the Cai Family for five years without resolution. Who would consider you as a son-in-law candidate? Of course I had to look for other options!"
"Anyway, you must tell me everything from now on. Huo Bu Yi is clearly looking for opportunities to intervene. We should work together!"
"What moves do you think he'll make?"
— The two looked at each other, completely at a loss. Shao Shang was thinking that no matter how Huo Bu Yi tried to please or apologize, she wouldn't waver; while Yuan Shen wondered if Huo Bu Yi would use his influence to pressure them secretly, though his Yuan Family wasn't to be trifled with either.
As they walked and talked until reaching the alley to Cheng Residence, Shao Shang suddenly remembered something: "Hey, Huo Bu Yi is going to discuss the Land Measurement Decree. Don't you have matters to attend to?"
Yuan Shen slapped his forehead: "Ahem, he made me so angry I forgot! Tomorrow His Majesty is holding a Grand Court Assembly. I need to go to the Grand Minister of Works Office to discuss memorial matters. You..."
"Alright alright, you go ahead. I can go home by myself from here," Shao Shang waved her hand. "Aren't you supposed to become one of the Three Dukes in the future? With such bad memory, how can that be! Fine, hurry along. I'll be waiting to become some high official's wife!"
Yuan Shen quickly mounted the horse his attendant brought over. After a few steps, he stopped and looked back to see his fiancée walking into the alley with hands behind her back, looking very mature and steady. He couldn't help but smile.
He thought: It's rare for him to like someone in this lifetime. He couldn't just hand her over because the opponent was strong. He didn't want to end up like his teacher Master Huangfu, regretting for half his life and then going to sing under someone's wall.
Author's Note:
The typhoon has greatly affected the area where I am, so I've been quite busy recently. My apologies.
Once again, please don't discuss actors in the comments. Don't mention any actors, thank you.
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