Не did not know how muсh сouragе it took fоr him tо dаrе tо rеach fоr her hand, but she moved awау. Althоugh he hаd аntiсiрatеd this, hе соuld nоt helр but feel disaррointеd.
His feelings tоward this Prinсess Roуаl hаd аlwауs bеen somеwhаt cоmрliсatеd. Thе Yuwеn Clan, аs Fеudal Рrinces, held immеnse powеr аnd influеncе, but in the eyеs оf thе Murоng Сlаn, thеу wеre ultimаtеly оutsiders, mеre servаnts. Evеn if а рrincеss оf thе imрerial familу were to marry sоmeone mеdiocrе and inсоmpеtent, she would never stoop to marrying into the Yuwen Clan. As for Princess Hede, he had noticed her even when she was still an Imperial Princess. To say it was love at first sight would be too false—he felt gratitude toward her, but also ambition. Marrying a princess was another goal for him after fully consolidating his control over the entire Jiangnan Circuit, a step-by-step, purposeful encroachment. Yet, toward her personally, he could not be said to have been insincere.
Far away in Jinling, he was actually aware of everything about her—from when she grew her permanent teeth to when she came of age, he knew it all. Despite his busy official duties, the first thing he did upon returning to his residence in the evening was to read the secret letters sent from the capital: "Today, Her Highness is displeased... Today, Her Highness is very happy..." Over time, this became a habit, further solidifying his determination to bring her back to the Southern Garden.
He had traveled across the territory of Great Ye, journeying over mountains and rivers, through scenery as beautiful as a painting, yet the lives of the people were riddled with hardships unimaginable to those nobles living in luxury. The imperial dynasty was old and decaying, in need of fresh blood. Amid the foreseeable upheaval, at least protecting her would be a way to repay her for saving him all those years ago.
There was panic on her face. For a fifteen-year-old girl, marriage seemed like something from another lifetime. His heart hung in suspense. "Is Your Highness unwilling? Does Liangshi seem unworthy of you?"
She kept biting her lip, her row of pearly teeth pressing down harshly, making her lips appear even more vivid. Flustered and anxious, he quickly averted his gaze. He had had women before, even had a son, yet facing her like this, he could not help but feel ashamed and embarrassed. Perhaps he was going mad.
She hemmed and hawed, likely wanting to refuse but afraid of embarrassing him, leaving some room in her words. "I am still young and will not be betrothed to anyone for now."
He slowly shook his head. "Your Highness is fifteen this year. Even Empress Rong'an has begun planning Your Highness's marriage. You are no longer young."
Wanwan felt a sense of loss. It was true—she was no longer young. When she worried about the nation and its people, she felt like an adult, but when it came to marriage, she wished she were still a child.
She timidly looked at him, shrinking half an inch under his gaze. With great effort, she twisted the tassel on her pouch, trying to steer the conversation away. "It is too dangerous for you to be here, Prince. If word reaches the Empress Dowager, it could cause trouble. You should leave quickly."
He stood firm, his shadow stretching at her feet. "I pleaded with Seal-holding Xiao, and he allowed me in. The news will not reach the Empress Dowager. Please rest assured, Your Highness."
Hearing that it was Xiao Duo's intention, Wanwan felt somewhat relieved. He must have known the Prince of Nanyuan's purpose. Since even he approved, perhaps she should not struggle any further?
She sighed softly. "That's good..."
He observed her expression. That Xiao Duo was her remedy. He never thought he would have to rely on him as a foil to gain her trust. It truly left him, someone accustomed to commanding respect, feeling helpless and disheartened.The Princess Royal admired Xiao Duo, but it was a pity—Xiao Duo had a weakness in his hands, and to some extent, he had betrayed her for his own happiness and future. He loosened his tightly clenched fist, feeling naturally unsettled inside, but it didn’t matter. Once the princess’s heart gradually leaned toward him, he could deal with Xiao Duo slowly.
He straightened his attire and clasped his hands together again. “I must have surprised Your Highness by coming to speak these words today. Even I, thinking about it now, feel it was presumptuous and unworthy of Your Highness. I had no intention of offending Your Highness; it’s just that my time in the capital is short, and if I didn’t speak now, I feared it would be too late. As for my feelings toward Your Highness, if I said I admired you ten years ago, that would be an exaggeration. But since seeing you again at the West Flowery Gate last year, I have been haunted by thoughts of you, unable to free myself—that is the truth.”
Wanwan had been delicately raised within the palace, where everyone spoke to her with extreme caution. She had no opportunity to experience the outside world, let alone expect a man to pour out such heartfelt sentiments. A young woman with too little experience, her ears flushed red, the blush spreading down beneath her collar, leaving her standing there, torn between advancing and retreating.
He paused slightly, seeing that she did not appear resistant, and mustered the courage to continue. “The situation in the Southern Garden, Your Highness must have heard of it. The Yuwen Clan is forbidden from marrying princesses—a royal decree left from many years ago. Liangshi dare not defy it, but having met Your Highness, I feel unwilling to give up. After much deliberation, I decided to try anyway. I…” He seemed to struggle with his words, his gaze sweeping over her face before lowering again. “I had a Bedchamber Attendant at fourteen and now have two sons, each from two Secondary Consorts. The Qi People have a custom of early marriage, and having children around is seen as a sign of family prosperity. But in Your Highness’s presence, this is likely a significant shortcoming. I dare not deceive Your Highness. Today, I reveal my heart without any intention of forcing Your Highness. Whether to accept or not is entirely up to you. Now, to remedy this is truly too late. I can only promise Your Highness that if you would condescend, Liangshi will have only you from this day forward. Those Secondary Consorts can be relocated to separate residences, and how to handle them will be entirely at Your Highness’s discretion.”
In truth, Wanwan, living in the palace, had seen too many such situations. In the Three Palaces and Six Courts, aside from the empress, who wasn’t a concubine? Her father and brothers were all like him—this was a man’s era. To expect a marriage free of blemish was possible, but exceedingly rare. She held no obsession over his past. He appeared to be at most twenty-three or twenty-four now, but at that age, if he had no heirs, the Southern Garden would likely face turmoil. She had seen Empress Zhang forcing a smile in front of Second Brother’s dozen or so princes. He only had two. She liked children, so this wasn’t difficult for her… Suddenly realizing she was rationalizing things to herself, she felt both surprised and embarrassed.
Whether to agree or not, she couldn’t decide, but she knew one thing: like Xiao Duo, he was steady and reliable. That was enough.
He looked at her eagerly, as if life and death hung on her decision. Wanwan took a deep breath, hesitated for a long time, and finally nodded. “Then… I’ll agree to you!”
His mind buzzed. “Does Your Highness truly mean it?”
She smiled shyly, her lips curving into delicate dimples. “I’ll wait for you for three months. After that, I won’t wait any longer.”He could feel his heart churning and trembling within a chest full of fervent blood. Her words stirred him more than conquering Xiangchu ever had. He smiled, a sight that could move both wind and clouds. "Good, it's settled then."
Just like that, Wanwan had muddle-headedly promised herself to him. It seemed somewhat rash, yet she felt no regret. Since she could remember, she had met him three times, and each encounter left a rather favorable impression. Upon closer reflection, perhaps there was a hint of sympathy mixed in, but more than anything, it was an urgent desire to break free from Xiao Duo's influence over her.
"Your Highness, when do you depart tomorrow?"
He said at the hour of Si, "I must leave the Capital Region before nightfall—such are the imperial court's rules."
Wanwan thought for a moment. "Baoda Ward isn't far from the Forbidden City. Tomorrow, I shall ascend the city tower to bid you farewell."
Even if they couldn't meet face-to-face, watching him depart from afar would still convey her sentiments. Wanwan was an extremely earnest person. Since she had decided to become involved with him, she intended to do things properly. In the operas she had read, whenever men embarked on long journeys, women always saw them off. It seemed that if she remained inactive now, she would be failing him terribly.
He left with a heart full of joy, while she turned back to watch the slanting rays of the setting sun fall upon the ochre-yellow temple walls, suddenly feeling a chill of desolation.
Tong Huan and Xiao You approached, exchanging a glance before hesitantly asking, "Was that the Prince of Nanyuan just now?"
They had returned from distributing alms long ago but had refrained from interrupting upon seeing the Princess Royal speaking with him beneath the jujube tree. The temple's main gate was already sealed, and since he had managed to enter, he must have had his reasons. Tong Huan helped her back to the corridor and whispered, "He pursued you here—most likely to have a word with Your Highness, right?"
Wanwan's face flushed crimson as she evaded the question. "He said nothing of importance. We merely happened to meet."
For someone who couldn't even lie convincingly, the more she tried to conceal, the more she revealed. Xiao You muttered, "If the Silk-clad Guard or the Eastern Factory were to catch him, even as a Feudal Prince, he might not fare well. This Prince of Nanyuan is truly bold, risking so much just to 'happen' to meet Your Highness."
Wanwan quickly straightened her expression and admonished her, "Mind your words! Since you know he entered secretly, be careful not to slip up later and give others a reason to target him."
Already, she was taking his side—a clear sign that things were far from ordinary. Xiao You didn't think too deeply, merely seizing the chance to tease her a little. But Tong Huan was deeply troubled, pacing restlessly by her bedside late into the night.
Wanwan found her behavior odd and lifted the bed curtain to ask what was wrong. Tong Huan sat on the footstool, shaking her head at first before finally sighing dejectedly. "Does Your Highness remember the Late Emperor's instructions from last year?"
Wanwan froze. Last year, her elder brother had spoken to her in the Warm Pavilion of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. At the time, she hadn't taken it seriously, but now, recalling it sent a shock through her heart.
"The Late Emperor said I could choose anyone, except the Prince of Nanyuan. If I were to marry into Jinling, he would lose a vital ally, and he feared the Southern Garden's power would grow too great for the imperial court to control." As she spoke, Wanwan felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead. She had promised her elder brother back then. Now that he was gone, she had turned around and forgotten it all. Suddenly remembering, she was at a loss for what to do.Tong Huan felt deeply relieved, for she was not the kind of person who would abandon all reason for the sake of personal affection. She gently tucked in the blanket and said softly, "Your Highness is not only the Emperor's sister but also the Princess Royal of the entire realm. Since Emperor Qinzong left such a testament, there must have been his reasons. As long as Your Highness does not forget the teachings of our ancestors, you will have done right by their spirits in heaven. As for what the Prince of Nanyuan thinks, that is his concern. Your Highness need not feel guilty toward him. The one who wronged him is the Emperor, not Your Highness."
Wanwan knew her words made sense, but she had momentarily lost herself in emotion and had already given her consent. To go back on her word now would only make matters worse.
She sat there in a daze, the Buddha-blue handkerchief resting on the plain ivory-paneled painting desk not far away. Recalling the scene of their meeting earlier that day, she found it truly difficult to bear.
"I promised to wait for him for three months. To make such a decision on my own was clearly a mistake..."
She had always been someone easily swayed by kind words, her resolve softened for fifteen years, and even now, it remained unchanged. Tong Huan said, "Not marrying for three months—that we can manage. The Late Emperor has just passed, and the mourning period is not yet over. No one would dare force Your Highness into marriage."
So, in the end, she had deceived him, leading him around in circles only to turn away and deny everything in the end.
Wanwan leaned against the headboard, utterly despondent. "He leaves the capital tomorrow. I promised to see him off from the city tower..."
Tong Huan remained silent for a long moment before replying, "Going up to the city tower, under the watchful eyes of the public, would only tarnish Your Highness's reputation. In my opinion, it would be better for Your Highness not to appear. As long as we remain inside, no word will get out. If you do not show up, the Prince of Nanyuan is no fool—he will understand."
And so, he never did get to see her.
At the hour of Chen, he stood by the Tube River, gazing across the water toward the gray city walls that stretched into the sky. He stared intently, scanning every battlement along the Female Wall, fearing he might miss her. Yet, by the end of the hour of Si, there was still no sign of her. The longer he waited, the heavier his heart sank. Something must have gone wrong—either she could not come, or yesterday's promise no longer held.
Shucun, holding the reins, reported, "Master, it is getting late. We should set off. The eldest master has sent word that there is a minor issue with the Hunan Provincial Administration Commission, awaiting your instructions."
With a resolute turn, he swung his horse around, cracked his whip, and charged into the wind and rain.
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