Нan Yan wаs аbоut tо gеt up to pоur hеrself a сup of tеа, fееling thirstу аfter all thе commotion. Unexреctеdly, just аs shе wаs аbout tо stаnd аnd bеfоre shе could takе а steр, her hand was grаbbed. Hаn Yan was tаkеn аbасk аnd turnеd to seе Zhuо Qi tightly hоlding hеr hаnd, murmuring, "Don't gо."
Hаn Yаn frowned аnd triеd to shаke off his hand, but Zhuо Qi's grip was strong. А grоwn mаn eаsily overроwеred а dеliсаtе уouth. Unаblе to frеe hеrself, she hеard Zhuо Qi саll out аgаin, "Fаthеr..."
He said "fаther," not "imperial fаther." For a mоment, Hаn Yan wаs stunnеd. Seеing Zhuo Qi clutching her hand, his eyes tightly shut, his cheeks flushed red, he seemed to shed his overbearing, controlling demeanor, becoming like a helpless child, his expression full of dependence. Han Yan fell into thought.
This person wasn't as bad as she had imagined. At least, after the first time, he hadn't actively harmed her. He had even been injured because of her. What exactly were his intentions, always hovering around her? Han Yan couldn't be sure. But what she could be certain of was that, for now, he wasn't her enemy.
However, this didn't mean Han Yan would go easy on him. After all, Irina was his sister, and this Irina had now usurped her position, making them sworn enemies. If he intended to protect Irina, she wouldn't be polite to him either. Han Yan exerted force in her wrist, harshly pulling her hand free. As soon as Zhuo Qi lost the hand he was holding, his expression in his unconscious state turned despondent. Even with his eyes closed, he looked utterly lost.
Han Yan had no mood to sympathize with him and simply sat down by the table. Today's events had happened too suddenly, and most importantly, it was already dark outside, yet she couldn't just abandon Zhuo Qi. If she were to find someone else to care for him, she wouldn't feel at ease. If Zhuo Qi were an ordinary person, it might be manageable, but he was a prince of the Western Rong. The more people who knew his identity, the greater the danger he faced. Similarly, those who knew his identity might end up silenced to keep the secret. Han Yan couldn't let innocent people lose their lives because of her.
A young woman from a respectable family spending a night alone with a strange man—even if he was seriously injured and nothing improper happened—who would believe it? If word got out, even if Han Yan wanted to reclaim and secure her position as the Xuan Qing Prince Consort, she likely wouldn't be able to keep it. Fortunately, aside from the two of them, only Ji Lan and Shu Hong knew about this. Ji Lan and Shu Hong naturally wouldn't speak of it. No one would know where she had spent the night. But if Fu Yunxi found out she hadn't returned all night, would he worry?
And even if everything went perfectly, with no one discovering tonight's events, and it passed quietly—could it really be that simple?
Outside, Ji Lan and Shu Hong were brewing medicine. Ji Lan watched the medicine pot steaming on the stove, fanning the fire with a fan, and finally couldn't hold back. "Shu Hong, why do you think the young lady is doing this?"Today's events left Ji Lan utterly perplexed. Han Yan and Zhuo Qi could hardly be considered friends, yet today, for some inexplicable reason, Zhuo Qi had ended up injured. Ji Lan couldn't believe that Han Yan was capable of inflicting such harm on Zhuo Qi. Besides, Han Yan was an exceptionally rational person. In the past, faced with such a situation, she would have distanced herself as much as possible, avoiding any entanglement with Zhuo Qi. Yet today, Han Yan's actions had taken them completely by surprise—not only did she find a physician to treat Zhuo Qi's wounds, but she even stayed behind personally to care for him.
At this thought, she suddenly grew alarmed and glanced at Shu Hong, whispering, "Shu Hong, could it be that... our lady has fallen for him?"
Shu Hong shot her a glare. "Don't speak nonsense." This was not something to be said lightly. If someone with ill intentions overheard, Han Yan would be in serious trouble. Although Han Yan now bore the label of a discarded wife, those who understood the situation knew the fault did not lie with her. It was the Western Rong princess who had bullied her with her influence, and the Xuan Qing Prince was also in the wrong. Even if The Emperor truly issued an edict ordering Han Yan to leave, he would likely offer her some compensation, as Han Yan was blameless. But if, as Ji Lan suggested, Han Yan had feelings for Zhuo Qi, and this were exploited by those with ulterior motives, Han Yan's position of righteousness would change entirely. The world had always been lenient toward men but harsh toward women. Thus, when Fu Yunxi returned victorious from battle and chose to marry the Western Rong princess as his consort, neglecting his once-beloved Zhuang Hanyan, this would be accepted by society. At most, people might comment on the Xuan Qing Prince's charm and elegance, express momentary sympathy for Han Yan, but who would remember her years later? It might even become a tale of deep affection between a Great Dynasty prince and a Western Rong princess. But if Han Yan fell in love with Zhuo Qi and word got out, what would people say?
They would say that the Zhuang family woman lacked virtue, that while still tied to another household, she engaged in improper relations, tarnishing her purity and chastity. Her moral corruption would be deemed despicable. Wherever she went, she would face scorn and ridicule, her back forever marked by pointed fingers, unable to hold her head high. People would claim that Fu Yunxi's choice of the Western Rong princess was wise and that Han Yan deserved to be cast out. The Emperor would not only withhold compensation but might also view Han Yan as having disgraced the royal family, perhaps even ordering punishment against her. She would become a criminal condemned by all.
Hearing Shu Hong's words, Ji Lan realized she had spoken too hastily and immediately fell silent, her expression filled with regret. Yet, the more she pondered the matter, the more convinced she became that her suspicion was correct. After all, that young master Zhuo Qi was an exceptional man. Not only was he handsome and skilled in martial arts, but his status as a Western Rong prince was also far from lowly. In the future, he might even become the king of Western Rong. Although Western Rong and the Great Dynasty had been adversaries in the past, with the recent marriage alliance through the princess, relations were unlikely to deteriorate for the time being. In fact, Ji Lan had a sense that Zhuo Qi's demeanor and bearing indicated he was no ordinary man—he might even achieve great feats in the future. If that were the case, and he truly ended up with Han Yan, Western Rong might become even more formidable and impossible to overlook.Ji Lan thought it over and solidified her conviction, even beginning to feel that the young lady's fondness for that Zhuo Qi was right. To be honest, Fu Yunxi's drastic change in attitude toward Han Yan had truly chilled the hearts of servants like them. She and Shu Hong knew all too well how much suffering Han Yan had endured since childhood. They had originally thought Fu Yunxi was someone who cared for others, but who could have known that on Han Yan's coming-of-age ceremony, Fu Yunxi would present such a "grand gift"? How Shu Hong felt about it, Ji Lan wasn't sure, but from that moment on, Ji Lan had felt deeply indignant on Han Yan's behalf, angered by Fu Yunxi's cold indifference. Now that such an outstanding man had appeared by Han Yan's side, Ji Lan couldn't help but wish for Han Yan to be with him, to properly strike a blow against Fu Yunxi.
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