Shе соuldn't even bе bоthеrеd tо put on a рrеtense аnymorе. In frоnt оf this lоrd, рrеtending would bе futile anyway. It was bеttеr to bе straightfоrwаrd аnd mаke it сlеаr thаt shе wantеd to run awaу.
А flickеr of surprise рassed thrоugh Fu Yunxi's eуеs, fоllоwеd bу а raised еуebrоw. "Dо уou knоw Wei Rufеng?"
Нan Yan wаs tаken аback and immеdiately rерliеd, "No."
Аfter a long silеnсе without hеаring Fu Yunхi's rеsроnse, Наn Yan lоokеd up curiоusly, оnlу tо seе а flаsh оf white beforе her. The man had аctually wаlked ovеr to hеr sidе, bending slightlу to place a small bottle in her hand.
The warm scent beneath her nose vanished in an instant. Han Yan instinctively tightened her grip on the bottle. "What is this?" Her gaze immediately turned wary.
"Burn ointment. If you don't want scars, you can ignore it." Fu Yunxi had already straightened up, looking down at Han Yan, who only reached his chest.
In the hall earlier, she had only mentioned injuring her right hand but never specified it was a burn. How was it that everyone seemed to know in advance and even brought burn ointment? But before she could speak, she heard Fu Yunxi's cool voice. "No reward without merit. If you keep holding onto that mindset, you'll probably never receive any favors in your lifetime."
Was he saying she would never achieve anything? Han Yan glared at him indignantly. Why did this man have to speak so harshly? From the beginning until now, every word he said seemed to mock her. Could it be that she had offended him somewhere before? Yet he had helped her out of trouble earlier, so it didn't seem like he was deliberately picking a fight.
While Han Yan was lost in thought, Fu Yunxi had already turned and left. It was only when Shu Hong reminded her that Han Yan, with no other choice, clenched the bottle in her hand and boarded the carriage.
On the way back to the manor, she kept thinking about this matter. Logically speaking, Fu Yunxi should have been extremely wary of her, even to the point of finding a way to take her life. At the palace banquet today, the Zhuang Hanyan he saw was no ordinary young lady from a boudoir. Even if he was magnanimous enough to overlook the incident with the Crown Prince, the matter in the plum garden—where she might have glimpsed a royal secret—shouldn't have been treated with such leniency.
Fu Yunxi's attitude was truly worth pondering.
By the time they returned to the manor, it was already late at night. Zhuang Shiyang went directly to Dove Tree Courtyard, while only Mama Chen was waiting in the inner room of Clear Autumn Courtyard, a lamp lit. Seeing Han Yan return, she hurried forward to take the cloak Han Yan had removed and instructed Ji Lan and Shu Hong to fetch hot water.
Mama Chen was heartbroken again when she saw the injury on Han Yan's hand, grumbling incessantly about Zhuangshan. When she remembered to look for medicine, Han Yan stopped her. "Don't worry, Mama. I have medicine here." She pulled out a small bottle from her sleeve.
The ointment was pale green, emitting a faint fragrance and a cool, soothing sensation when applied to her hand. After applying it, Han Yan no longer felt as much pain. This Xuan Qing Prince was truly generous—it seemed this medicine was of exceptional quality.
Lying in bed, Han Yan kept her eyes open, carefully recalling her memories of Xuan Qing Prince from her previous life. She had only heard that he achieved success at a young age, wielded great power in the court, and yet was well-loved by the people, enjoying a good reputation among the common folk. However, later, as the struggle for the throne between the Seventh Prince and the Crown Prince grew increasingly fierce, he became entangled in it and suffered greatly. Two years later, he fell seriously ill, and his health never fully recovered. He even married a new bride in hopes of improving his fortune. That bride was the princess of Western Rong.The idea of a noble princess being a "bride to ward off misfortune" was truly unbelievable, and the common people talked about it with great relish, so Han Yan had also heard a bit about it. But now, thinking back, it seemed far too abnormal, likely involving many hidden secrets.
However, after this bride entered the household, Xuan Qing Prince's health gradually improved. In Han Yan's previous life, before her own wedding, she had heard that the struggle between the Seventh Prince and the Crown Prince had reached a critical moment. During that time, Zhuang Shiyang rarely returned home, as if something major was happening.
In this life, if she wanted to distance herself from Prince Wei's faction, the Crown Prince's side would be an excellent protective shield. As a supporter of the Crown Prince, should she try to warn Xuan Qing Prince? But as the legitimate daughter of the Zhuang family, their attitude toward her remained uncertain.
Thinking of this, Han Yan decided not to dwell on it further. The most important thing at the moment was not Xuan Qing Prince, but her own status within the manor. The concubines in the Zhuang household were a major problem, and after the events of the previous night, it was likely that Zhuangshan and Madam Zhou would no longer tolerate her. Even when she had stayed quietly in the manor before, Madam Zhou had schemed against her. Now that she had shown her abilities, she would likely attract trouble soon.
Tomorrow, there would be another tough battle to fight.
Early the next morning, as soon as Han Yan arrived at the main hall to pay her respects to Zhuang Shiyang, she saw Madam Zhou and Zhuangshan already waiting there. Zhuangshan was speaking and laughing with Zhuang Shiyang, her coquettish demeanor pleasing him greatly. In Han Yan's memory, she had almost never seen Zhuang Shiyang treat her with such kindness. Her gaze turned cold as she stepped forward and bowed. "Your daughter greets Father."
Seeing Han Yan enter, Zhuang Shiyang frowned, somewhat displeased. "Why are you so late? Yu'er arrived half an hour ago. As the legitimate daughter of the Zhuang household, how can you be so lazy?"
His words were indeed harsh. Before Han Yan could speak, Madam Zhou interjected, "Fourth Miss worked hard to bring honor to the Zhuang household at the palace banquet yesterday. It's only natural she woke up a little late. Master, you must show some care for the girl."
Mentioning the palace banquet only made things worse. Zhuang Shiyang immediately recalled Han Yan's words in front of The Emperor, where she had not mentioned him at all as her father, which displeased him. His tone grew even colder. "Hmph, it wasn't such a big deal. Don't get too full of yourself."
Seeing Han Yan being reprimanded, Zhuangshan, who had been watching from the sidelines, flashed a hint of smugness in her eyes. Han Yan simply stood properly and said softly, "Father's reprimand is justified. In the future, your daughter will come to pay respects half an hour earlier, just like Sister Yu Shan."
To align with Zhuangshan meant deviating from the household's usual greeting time. As the legitimate daughter of the Zhuang household, she was now accommodating the daughter of a concubine. Madam Zhou's expression shifted slightly as she smiled and said, "Fourth Miss is truly filial. Master naturally understands."
Han Yan merely smiled and did not respond. Seeing this, Madam Zhou turned to Zhuang Shiyang and said gently, "Master, I have a request."
Zhuang Shiyang asked, "What is it?"
Madam Zhou glanced at Han Yan. "Fourth Miss's calligraphy and painting were excellent yesterday. Yu Shan begged me to ask Fourth Miss to teach her."
Zhuang Shiyang waved his hand dismissively. "What's so difficult about that? Han Yan, since you have nothing to do all day, teach your sister."Under Zhuang Shiyang's commanding gaze and Zhuangshan's feigned look of anticipation, Han Yan merely smiled and said, "Such trivial skills—how dare I embarrass myself by presenting them? It's not that I am unwilling, but Sister Yu Shan is already so outstanding that I dare not overestimate myself. Why not invite the most renowned talented lady in the capital, Aunt Yan, to teach Sister Yu Shan? Aunt Yan's elegance in the capital was unmatched in her time, and she excels in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—she is certainly more proficient than I am. What do Concubine Zhou and Sister Yu Shan think?"
Zhuangshan was unwilling to admit she was inferior to Han Yan but still wanted to learn Han Yan's painting skills, so she reluctantly agreed. Seeing that she wouldn't have to study under Han Yan's brilliance and that the aunt being invited was even more outstanding than Han Yan, she immediately replied, "That would be fine..." She wanted to say more but held back when her gaze met Madam Zhou's. Madam Zhou looked at Han Yan; although she was displeased with Han Yan's refusal, the reputation of Aunt Yan also stirred her heart. Han Yan was not lying—this Aunt Yan was indeed exceptionally talented in both arts and skills. If Zhuangshan could learn even a fraction of her abilities, she would surely surpass Han Yan, and it would also serve as a valuable asset for marrying into a prestigious family in the future.
OpenNovel