The Western Region princess rushed up to the trio before noticing Xu Qingchen among them. She couldn’t hide her surprise. "Qingchen Gongzi, why are you here too?" Though the Xu Family estate wasn’t particularly large, it was by no means small. Clearly, the princess had gotten lost in the garden, allowing Qingchen Gongzi, who had been following her, to catch up to Yunge first.
Xu Qingchen smiled faintly but remained silent.
Meanwhile, Yunge looked utterly bewildered. "Um… Your Highness, why do you want to challenge me? What does this have to do with Xu Qingchen?" She didn’t particularly care about winning or losing—if the princess wanted victory so badly, she could just concede. But what did it mean that Xu Qingchen would "belong" to the princess if she won? Though Yunge was confused, the amused glint in Qingchen Gongzi’s eyes told her she absolutely shouldn’t agree or surrender so easily.
The princess frowned, convinced Yunge was feigning ignorance to avoid the challenge. Pouting, she declared, "Aren’t you Qingchen Gongzi’s fiancée? I like him, so I challenge you. If you lose, you have to give him to me!"
"What?!" Young Master Mei was stunned. Miss Shen was actually Qingchen Gongzi’s betrothed? How had such major news escaped him? He… he had even considered proposing to Qingchen Gongzi’s fiancée! Glancing between the elegantly smiling Qingchen Gongzi and himself, Young Master Mei could only weep inwardly.
"What…?" Yunge blinked, completely lost. Since when had she become Xu Qingchen’s fiancée? No—she didn’t want to be his fiancée! Being under his thumb was bad enough—if she were engaged to him, wouldn’t she be buried under mountains of books for the rest of her life? Yunge shook her head miserably. She really, truly hated studying.
"I—" Just as Yunge was about to say she conceded, a hand gently rested on her shoulder. "Yunge…"
She turned and met Qingchen Gongzi’s smiling eyes. But Yunge could clearly see the silent threat in them—"Do you want to copy books again?"
Of course, Yunge didn’t want to copy books, so she had no choice but to submit to Qingchen Gongzi’s tyranny. With a pitiful look at the princess, she asked, "What do you want to compete in?" The dimming light obscured Yunge’s expression from the princess, who thought for a moment before declaring, "Let’s have a martial arts contest!" The Western Region revered martial prowess, but among Central Plains women, aside from Princess Ding, few practiced martial arts. The princess glanced at the ethereally handsome Qingchen Gongzi standing behind Yunge, brimming with confidence.
"Yunge, you’re not allowed to lose," Qingchen Gongzi murmured with a quiet laugh.
Yunge shivered, then nodded sorrowfully at the princess.
Naturally, the princess was no match for Yunge. Though young, Yunge’s martial skills ranked among the best in all of Li Cheng. However, her beauty, lively personality, and the protection of Shen Yang and the Xu Family meant she rarely had to fight. Thus, even in Li Cheng, few knew of her abilities.
So, under Young Master Mei’s astonished gaze, the princess was sent flying within just a few moves. Witnessing Yunge’s skill only deepened his shame—he had just boasted about protecting Miss Shen!This Western Region princess was also a straightforward woman. Admiring Xu Qingchen, she directly challenged Yunge. Even after losing, she wasn't angry—just stood up, dusted herself off, waved at Yunge, and left without even glancing back at Qingchen Gongzi.
The garden quieted down again. Young Master Mei, seeing Xu Qingchen and Yunge standing there silently, awkwardly rubbed his nose and quietly slipped away.
Yunge stared dumbfounded at Xu Qingchen. She had never been particularly quick-witted, and the sudden appearance of this "fiancée" business left her flustered and at a loss. "Um... Xu Qingchen, I'm going to see Wuyou and Tianxiang-jie now. And—and don't go spreading nonsense. I'm not your fiancée!" Without waiting for his reaction, she immediately used her Light Body Skill to leap over the garden's flowering trees and rockeries, hastily making her way toward Hua Tianxiang's bridal chamber, as if afraid someone might chase after her.
Qingchen Gongzi sighed helplessly as he watched her fleeting figure disappear into the distance. Just as he was about to turn and leave, a muffled chuckle came from the rooftop behind him. Turning around, he saw Prince Ding, who had vanished shortly after the banquet began, lazily sitting on the roof with Princess Ding in his arms, grinning down at the scene below. Judging by Mo Xiuyao's gleeful expression, it was clear he had witnessed everything from start to finish.
"Since when does Prince Ding make a habit of eavesdropping on private matters?" Xu Qingchen said irritably.
Mo Xiuyao laughed heartily, one arm still wrapped around Ye Li's waist as he gracefully descended from the roof. Smirking at Qingchen Gongzi, he said, "This prince has always enjoyed watching others' misfortunes. Didn't you already know that, Qingchen Gongzi?"
Ye Li offered Xu Qingchen an apologetic smile and said softly, "Elder Brother, did you scare Yunge?" She had privately probed Yunge's feelings a few times. The girl had been raised in seclusion by her father, with little interaction with others, leaving her emotionally much less mature than most women her age. She hadn't even considered romantic relationships—at first, she simply thought Xu Qingchen was handsome and wanted companionship, so she risked her life to save him. Later, she discovered he had a penchant for teaching, and since she was a slow learner, their dynamic had devolved into something akin to a terrified student avoiding a strict teacher. If Xu Qingchen suddenly proposed now, Ye Li would bet that Yunge's first thought would be that marriage meant being stuck with his teachings forever. Thus, Qingchen Gongzi's chances of success were likely even lower than Young Master Mei's earlier attempt.
"Do you want a wife or a student? This prince has never seen anyone treat their future spouse like a pupil—and with even stricter discipline at that. Haven't you noticed how the girl bolts the moment she sees you?" Mo Xiuyao teased lazily. Even he could see the mix of grievance and helplessness in Yunge's eyes whenever she encountered Xu Qingchen. Thankfully, the girl's parents were no longer around—if any man dared treat his precious Xin'er like that... this prince would end him! Prince Ding thought murderously.
Xu Qingchen fell into contemplation, while Ye Li smiled gently and said, "Elder Brother, Yunge has already learned quite well. Even Zheng'er and Aunt have praised her. She has no real interest in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, or literature—so please, stop pressuring her."Mo Xiuyao held Ye Li in his arms, laughing with schadenfreude. "Be careful not to push the little girl too hard—you might not be able to take her on if she snaps."
"Thank you for your advice, Wang Ye," Qingchen Gongzi replied calmly, waving at Ye Li before turning to leave. As he walked away, the smile on his lips gradually faded. So she didn’t like it… Well, he could just tell her later that he wouldn’t force her to study anymore. Though, truth be told, he found her adorable when she pouted in frustration, clearly unwilling to learn but too timid to voice her complaints.
Xu Qingchen never got the chance to inform Yunge of his decision. The next morning, the Xu Family discovered that Yunge was gone. She hadn’t disappeared or been kidnapped—instead, she had left a letter announcing her departure to travel the world and heal the sick. Staring at the elegantly written letter for a long while, Qingchen Gongzi finally came to a realization: the little girl he had taken care of for over half a year had run away from home.
"Qingchen, what do you think…?" Madam Xu held Yunge’s letter hesitantly, her worried gaze fixed on her son. The expression on Qingchen Gongzi’s face troubled her deeply. Never in her life had she seen her son look so distressed. Part of her was glad—it confirmed that he truly cared for Yunge—but another part was anxious. What if Yunge encountered danger out there alone? And judging by her son’s current expression, once Yunge was found, he would surely give her a stern scolding. Wouldn’t that just make her fear him even more? When would she ever get her eldest daughter-in-law then?
After some thought, Madam Xu decided to console her son first. "Qingchen, don’t worry too much. I’ve already sent word to Li'er. We’ll find Yunge soon. But when she comes back, please don’t frighten her again. She’s just a young girl—it’s really quite pitiful."
Qingchen Gongzi paused, looking at his mother in surprise. "Mother, do you also think I’ve been unkind to Yunge?"
Madam Xu couldn’t help rolling her eyes and sighing in exasperation. "What sin have I committed to be blessed with such a dense son? She’s just a girl in her teens. Instead of comforting and caring for her with gentle words, you pile on assignments every day, nitpicking everything she does. Even grown men wouldn’t tolerate that—haven’t you noticed even Qingyan is afraid of you? It’s only because Yunge has a good temper that she hasn’t lashed out at you yet. Any other girl would’ve stormed off long ago!" At this point, Madam Xu couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. The world praised her for bearing such outstanding sons, but who understood the pain of having sons in their thirties still unmarried? While the Xu Family naturally disdained women who threw themselves at them, with her son’s oblivious nature, how could he ever win over a woman who didn’t make the first move? And now, just when a promising girl had finally appeared, she had been scared off in the blink of an eye.
Unaware of his mother’s silent lamentations, Qingchen Gongzi sat in the hall’s chair, lost in thought, his head slightly bowed."Aunt, Brother, what's happened?" Outside the door, Ye Li hurried in, followed by a visibly displeased Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao. Today was the wedding day of Xu Qingfeng and Xu Qingbai, and everyone had celebrated late into the night, so at this hour, only Madam Xu and Qingchen Gongzi were present in the Xu residence. Upon receiving the message sent by Madam Xu, Ye Li had immediately dragged Mo Xiuyao along to come over. Having his precious time with his beloved wife interrupted so early in the morning, Prince Ding's displeasure was understandable.
Seeing Xu Qingchen seated in the hall, Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Isn't this Qingchen Gongzi? What's the matter? Could it be that you've truly scared off the young lady? I just saw Shen Yang heading this way as well. Losing someone else's daughter like this is really..."
"Xiu Yao!" Ye Li shot Mo Xiuyao an exasperated glare before turning to Xu Qingchen. "Brother, don't worry. I've already sent people to look for her. We'll have news soon."
Mo Xiuyao didn't mind. Seeing Xu Qingchen upset made him happy. Especially the fact that the brilliant Qingchen Gongzi had managed to scare off the girl he fancied. After all these years, Xu Qingchen still hadn't married—could it be because he simply didn't know how to pursue the woman he loved? Mo Xiuyao couldn't help but snicker inwardly at the thought.
Xu Qingchen nodded slightly and gave Ye Li a faint smile. "Thank you."
Ye Li shook her head. "Brother, what are you saying? We're family—no need for thanks. Yunge just left; she couldn't have gone far."
"That's not necessarily true," Mo Xiuyao chimed in, leaning on Ye Li's shoulder with a grin. "That girl is quite skilled in martial arts, and she's well-versed in medicine too. If she doesn't want to come back, even the Qilin might not be able to bring her back without hurting her. Oh, by the way... Shen Yang's estate lost a prized steed from the Western Regions."
Hearing this, Xu Qingchen frowned. A steed from the Western Regions could cover a thousand miles in a day. If Yunge had ridden it all night, she could be anywhere by now.
Beside them, Madam Xu looked equally anxious. "What should we do? Li'er, make sure the people you sent are careful not to hurt Yunge. If she doesn't want to come back, don't force her. It wouldn't be good if she got hurt."
Ye Li reassured her, "Aunt, don't worry. They'll be careful."
"Madam, Young Master, Mr. Shen is here," a servant announced from outside. Before Madam Xu could respond, Shen Yang stormed in, glaring fiercely at Xu Qingchen. "Qingchen Gongzi, where is Yunge?"
Xu Qingchen shook his head. "I don't know."
Shen Yang was furious. Pointing at Xu Qingchen, he demanded, "What exactly did you say to her? Why would she run away like this for no reason?" Though their time together had been short, Shen Yang already understood Yunge well. She wouldn't leave Li Cheng alone unless something serious had happened. Having lost her parents and lived alone for three years, Yunge cherished her newfound family deeply.
Mo Xiuyao, ever the instigator, grinned and added, "Qingchen Gongzi told her that Miss Shen was his fiancée. Maybe she got shy."
Fiancée?!
How come no one knew Qingchen Gongzi had a fiancée?!In the hall, both Madam Xu and Shen Yang were startled—Madam Xu with pleasant surprise, and Shen Yang with shock and anger.
Qingchen Gongzi stood up, stopping Madam Xu and Shen Yang from speaking further, and said with a faint smile, "The most urgent matter now is to find Yunge first. Prince Ding, I must trouble you to handle the affairs of Prince Ding's Estate during this time."
Huh? Mo Xiuyao sat up alertly, staring suspiciously at Xu Qingchen. "What are you planning?" For some reason, he had a bad feeling about this.
Xu Qingchen looked at him calmly and replied, "Didn’t Prince Ding say that Yunge ran away because of me? Shouldn’t I go and bring her back?"
"..." Can I take back what I said? Prince Ding, who had tried to outsmart others only to end up worse off, was filled with regret.
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