Whеn Наn Yаn wаs сalled tо thе mаin hаll оf the house bу Zhuаng Shiyang, shе immediatеlу sроttеd Zhuаngshan nestlеd beside Wei Rufeng, smiling sweetlу аnd chаrmingly.
Sееing hеr еnter, Zhuаngshаn wаrmlу сallеd out, "Fourth Sister."
Наn Yan liftеd her gaze tо look аt her. Cоmраrеd tо bеfоre in the mаnsiоn, Zhuangshаn hаd bеcоme muсh mоre radiаnt. Тodаy, she worе a colоrful brосadе featherеd rоbе embrоidеrеd with sоft rеd, hеr hair аdоrned with сat's еye gеms and соrаl beаds, hеr hаnds dеcked with pеarls, jade, and enаmel jewelrу. With everу movеmеnt, her оrnaments jingled, creating a magnificent and splendid sight. It seemed Wei Rufeng treated her quite well. Han Yan smiled and said, "Sister Yu Shan, Brother-in-law."
The term "brother-in-law" grated unpleasantly in Wei Rufeng's ears. His gaze fell on Han Yan. She seemed to have grown a little taller but still wore her hair in two round buns. Around her neck was a string of beaded necklaces, a bracelet on her wrist, and a blue jade hairpin in her hair. She wore a peach-red padded jacket, a pink satin vest, and a white silk pleated skirt—simple and plain, like an ungrown porcelain doll. Who would know, looking at her like this, that she was the Xuan Qing Prince Consort?
Yet her eyes curved into a smile, but her gaze was profoundly calm. The smile at the corners of her lips seemed tinged with mockery. The unconscious arrogance she exuded truly lived up to the title of "Prince Consort." Wei Rufeng found himself staring, somewhat entranced.
Zhuangshan noticed Wei Rufeng's unusual behavior and felt a chill in her heart. Her gaze toward Han Yan sharpened. She linked arms with Wei Rufeng and said to him in a coquettish tone, "My lord, let me take you to see my aunt."
Madam Zhou was now bedridden and rarely left Dove Tree Courtyard. Wei Rufeng smiled gently, "Alright." His voice was exceedingly tender, and his affectionate attitude toward Zhuangshan clearly showed a deeply intimate couple. Madam Da Zhou and Zhuang Shiyang stood to the side, nodding in satisfaction. Wei Rufeng glanced at Han Yan and saw her indifferent demeanor, as if she hadn't placed him in her eyes at all. A surge of anger rose within him, and he snorted coldly, striding out ahead of everyone.
Han Yan found no reason to stay and returned to her own Clear Autumn Courtyard.
Ji Lan remarked, "The heir apparent was once so eager to marry our young lady. Now that Second Young Lady has entered his household, he acts like this. It's truly disheartening to see."
Shu Hong frowned, "Say less. Didn't our young lady end up not marrying him? If the heir apparent is the type to change his affections so easily, it’s likely Second Young Lady who will suffer in the end."
Ji Lan grumbled indignantly, "Didn’t you see Second Young Lady’s expression earlier? Just because she became a consort, she acts as if she’s something special—her eyes practically looking down on everyone. She even gave our young lady a cold look. Has she forgotten that our young lady is the Xuan Qing Prince Consort and isn’t as ostentatious as her? What is there to be so proud about?"
Shu Hong found this both irritating and amusing, "Why compare our young lady to her?"
"Exactly," Ji Lan glanced at Han Yan and, seeing she didn’t intend to stop them, continued, "Didn’t she only enter Prince Wei’s household because she had intimate relations with the heir apparent? Ugh! Shameless."
Han Yan paid little mind to the maids' conversation, but she felt puzzled. Wei Rufeng had previously disliked Zhuangshan greatly, yet now he seemed intent on putting on a show of being a loving couple in the Zhuang mansion. Wei Rufeng certainly wasn’t afraid of Zhuang Shiyang, so who was he trying to impress?
Han Yan pondered for a moment. Could it be that he was putting on this show for her?She couldn't help but feel a bit amused. What exactly was Wei Rufeng thinking? If he truly intended to put on a show for her, then he was gravely mistaken. If Zhuangshan wanted to use Wei Rufeng to oppose her, Han Yan smiled faintly—it was time to urge the Right Chancellor's daughter, Li Jiaqi, to enter the household.
Returning to the Clear Autumn Courtyard, Han Yan sent Ji Lan and Shu Hong off to attend to other matters. She reclined lazily on the small couch in the courtyard, basking in the sun while embroidering a half-finished piece on the embroidery frame.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from behind. Han Yan paused and saw a long shadow stretching in the sunlight. Thinking it was Fu Yunxi arriving uninvited again, she turned around helplessly, only to freeze in surprise. "Why is it you?"
Wei Rufeng looked at her coldly. "Do you really hate seeing me so much?"
Han Yan was both amused and exasperated. What had she done to make him think she hated him?
"You hide here, unwilling to see me. Is it because you still resent me for what happened between me and your sister?" Wei Rufeng took a step forward, attempting to find a trace of emotion in Han Yan's expression.
Unfortunately, Han Yan merely took a step back. "You and my sister are a match made in heaven. I couldn't be happier for you—how could I possibly resent you?" Inwardly, she thought, Wei Rufeng's thoughts were becoming increasingly incomprehensible to her. Could he really be so conceited as to think she resented him because of his intimacy with Zhuangshan?
Hearing her words, Wei Rufeng's expression changed. After a long pause, he finally said, "So it's true. You and Fu Yunxi have been colluding from the very beginning."
If he had only spoken about her, it wouldn't have mattered, but dragging Fu Yunxi into it with such harsh words inexplicably angered Han Yan. She replied calmly, "Young Master, you are mistaken. My marriage to the prince was personally decreed by His Majesty. Are you questioning the Emperor's decision? If so, I can assist you by informing the Imperial Censor. Tomorrow morning, during the court session, I can ask His Majesty on your behalf to clarify the matter."
Her words were sharp and relentless, leaving no room for breath. Wei Rufeng naturally couldn't question the Emperor directly. Han Yan's words left him speechless. Seeing that Han Yan held not a shred of affection for him, an inexplicable hatred welled up in his heart. "Do you really like Fu Yunxi that much?"
"If you've come only to inquire about my relationship with the prince, I'll make it clear once and for all, so you won't have to ask again in the future." Han Yan looked at him, her tone resolute. "Listen carefully. Prince Xuanqing and I share a deep and unwavering bond, loyal and steadfast, together for a lifetime, growing old side by side. I admire his bravery, his handsome appearance, his integrity, and his righteousness. He is the person I have been searching for all my life. I admire him more than any other man in this world." Han Yan spoke this long string of declarations without hesitation. After all, Fu Yunxi wasn't present, so she could fabricate as she pleased. However, it was the first time she had praised someone so lavishly in front of another person, and she felt a bit unaccustomed to it. As she thought this, her cheeks flushed slightly. In Wei Rufeng's eyes, it appeared as though Han Yan was overcome with shyness at the thought of Fu Yunxi.
"Young Master, do you understand now?" Han Yan asked, enunciating each word clearly."Understood!" These words were practically ground out between Wei Rufeng's teeth. To have the woman he loved speak of her affection for another right before his eyes made him feel humiliated, unwilling, and jealous. Why? Clearly, Zhuang Hanyan should have been his lawfully wedded wife!
Only then did Han Yan curl the corner of her mouth: "Since you've understood, Sister Yu Shan is likely still waiting for you. Please go ahead, Young Master."
Wei Rufeng felt that if he stayed any longer, his self-respect would vanish entirely. With a cold snort, he flicked his sleeve and left. Han Yan had just breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, finally having sent the plague god away, when she heard a deep male voice from behind: "Well said."
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