"Wаs it bеcausе уоu hеаrd what he said tоdаy that уou arguеd with him аt thе bаnquеt аnd even аgreed to settle things outsidе?"
Zhuаng Hаnming hesitаtеd fоr а momеnt, thеn nоddеd.
"Dо yоu know that if I hadn’t соme hеre todaу, they wоuldn’t have lеt it gо? Yоu wоuld hаvе bеen the оnе to suffеr. Ноw cоuld I not wоrrу?" Han Yаn’s vоicе carried а bitter tone. "Nоw, it’s just thе twо of us siblings rеlying on eасh оther. Whеn I саmе оut tоdaу, I thоught, if somеthing haрpenеd to уоu, hоw cоuld I gо оn living?"
Zhuаng Hanming, who hаdn’t made a sound evеn when being beаten eаrlier, nоw rеddenеd at Han Yan’s words. He grasped her hand and said, "Sister..."
Han Yan patted his shoulder. "If you want to protect me, you must first protect yourself. Don’t recklessly confront them head-on. If the Zhou family cousins trouble you again in the future, just ignore them and don’t get entangled. A mad dog will tire itself out and lose interest. If you react strongly, you’ll only fall into their trap. Don’t waste too much energy on irrelevant people."
Zhuang Hanming bit his lip. "I understand."
"Go back now," Han Yan shook her head. "I’ll have Shu Hong accompany you. I came out alone, so it’s not convenient for us to leave together. You go first, and I’ll follow shortly."
Zhuang Hanming thought for a moment, nodded, then muttered as he walked away, "You’re only a year older than me, yet you worry about everything for me..."
Han Yan signaled Shu Hong to follow him and smiled behind his back. "Even if it were only a moment older, it’s the same. I am your sister."
Zhuang Hanming had already walked far away and didn’t hear Han Yan’s words. Ji Lan adjusted Han Yan’s clothes and was about to leave when suddenly a slightly childish voice rang out, "You certainly think a lot for him."
Han Yan was taken aback. Turning around, she saw a young boy in a bright yellow robe looking at her disdainfully. "How dare you not kneel upon seeing this prince!"
Surprised, Han Yan couldn’t help but laugh. "Your Highness the Crown Prince jokes. Officials and the Crown Prince only exchange courtesies as colleagues. As a subject’s daughter, I need only bow slightly. Why speak of kneeling? Since ancient times, one kneels only to heaven, earth, and the sovereign. Between the two of us, Your Highness is not the sovereign, and I am not your subject. It would be improper. Or does Your Highness the Crown Prince already harbor grand ambitions, aspiring to the throne? Though the world will eventually be yours, the current Emperor is not you!"
"You..." The young boy nearly exploded with anger. "You’re talking nonsense! Don’t you dare slander this Crown Prince. I have no rebellious intentions, and my father would never believe you!" Seeing Han Yan remain silent, merely looking at him mockingly, he commanded again, "Even if we are not sovereign and subject, you must still show respect to this prince. If you do nothing, I can have my attendants punish you immediately!"
Han Yan found it amusing. The royal family truly was all the same—so adept at wielding authority when punishing others. Even a ten-year-old child possessed such audacity.
"Crown Prince?" Han Yan looked at him with a half-smile. "I was merely on my way to the washroom, passing through the garden. How could I have encountered the Crown Prince? Your Highness should be at the palace banquet right now. Why would you lower yourself to mingle with commoners and indulge in watching fights? What would His Majesty think if he found out?"The Crown Prince was startled, already sensing the veiled threat in Han Yan's words, when he heard her continue nonchalantly, "If this young master is lost, you'd best hurry back. Surely you have hidden guards accompanying you, so this humble girl need not lend you her maid. Farewell."
In his ten years of life, the Little Crown Prince had always been met with flattery and deference from those around him. Never had he encountered someone who dared oppose him like this—unafraid of his status as Crown Prince, even bold enough to issue threats.
Initially, he had come out with Zhang Wei merely because Zhang Wei’s fawning had pleased him. Seeing Zhang Wei quarrel with Zhuang Hanming, he had thought to enjoy the spectacle. Deep down, he didn’t much like Zhuang Hanming either, considering him lowly and unfavored. People often possess an instinct to kick someone when they’re down, and this was especially true for one raised in the palace.
He never expected to witness such a scene: Zhuang Hanming’s sister actually daring to slap Zhang Wei in front of so many people, then frightening him into fleeing with just a few words. Knowing Zhuang Hanyan was lying, he quietly stayed behind after Zhang Wei left. Hearing Han Yan’s conversation with Zhuang Hanming, he felt somewhat astonished.
Her relationship with Zhuang Hanming seemed remarkably close.
Such genuine familial affection was rare within the imperial family. Aside from Princess Yunni, his other sisters were largely indifferent to him, maintaining only a superficial closeness.
Though curious, the dignity of the royal family could not be violated. Han Yan had invoked his father, the Emperor, so the Little Crown Prince thought to humble her arrogance, hoping she would admit her fault and beg for mercy. Yet, to his surprise, the one being threatened was him, the Crown Prince.
Han Yan looked at the Crown Prince’s flushed face: "You... how dare you!"
"If the Crown Prince does not return soon and His Majesty finds out, that would be true audacity. By the way, let me advise the Crown Prince: there aren’t so many spectacles to watch in this world. If you watch too many, it becomes difficult to remain uninvolved. I’ve said all I need to. Farewell."
This was a veiled warning to the Crown Prince: if he continued to stand by and watch with schadenfreude in the future, she wouldn’t mind dragging him into the fray. After all, if one must die, why not have company?
Ji Lan followed Han Yan out of the flower garden, inwardly marveling at her young mistress’s boldness—she had even threatened the Crown Prince! Such nerve! But... that was the Crown Prince. What if he sought retribution?
Han Yan was unaware of her maid’s troubled thoughts, for the situation she now faced was even more vexing.
After walking just a few steps, nearly out of the flower garden, she saw several tall, elegant figures ahead, clearly having waited for some time. Every word of the earlier exchange had fallen into their ears, though it was unclear from which point they had begun watching this drama.
Han Yan pondered, frowned, then suddenly smiled brightly, intending to walk past as if she had seen nothing.
"It’s you!" a voice exclaimed in surprise.
Han Yan was taken aback, cursing inwardly. She looked up and met that peerlessly beautiful face, feigning surprise: "Do you know me, young master?"
Helian Yu felt a surge of stifled anger upon hearing this: "Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten... Miss... Ni..." He spoke each word deliberately, gritting his teeth, clearly unable to let go of how Han Yan had toyed with him before.
Han Yan fell silent inwardly. There was no reason to admit anything now, so she smiled and said, "This humble girl’s surname is not Ni. You must have mistaken me for someone else." With that, she made to leave.But then she heard the person beside Helian Yu speak calmly, "What is your surname?"
Han Yan's heart sank into despair. Of all the things she feared, the worst had come true. Why wasn't that Xuan Qing Prince, whom she had been desperately trying to avoid, staying properly at the palace banquet? What was he doing here, stirring up trouble? And... he had even heard her threatening the Crown Prince—his own nephew. It was said that this Xuan Qing Prince was peerlessly brave and formidable. Would he strike her down with a single blow to avenge his nephew?
Was there anyone in the world more pitiful than her?
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