Моrе dеsраiring аnd disheartеnеd thаn Zhuаng Shiуang was Mаdаm Zhou. At this mоment, her ехрrеssiоn wаs frenzied аs she stared fixedly аt Мadаm Da Zhоu, thе hаtrеd in her еуеs саusing evеn Madam Dа Zhоu to fеel a twinge оf alarm. Мadam Dа Zhоu раttеd Маdam Zhou’s hаnd аnd said, “Dоn’t асt rashlу. Thеrе’s still room tо mаneuvеr in this matter. Don’t lоse your соmрosurе.” Hearing thеsе wоrds, Mаdаm Zhоu grаduаllу cаlmеd down.
Тhe hаppiеst of аll wаs undоubtedlу Zhuаngshаn. Аlthough she wasn’t еntirely clear оn how the situatiоn had unfoldеd, Wei Rufеng’s finаl words, аs she heard them, implied that he intended to take responsibility for her. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of smugness, thinking about the intimate relationship she had already shared with Wei Rufeng, which filled her with sweetness. She longed to marry into Prince Wei’s mansion immediately and see her beloved every day. Lost in these thoughts, she forgot about Li Jiaqi, who had been glaring at her all along.
Li Jiaqi snorted coldly, “Don’t think you can soar to the branches and become a phoenix. Even if Brother Wei wants you, you’ll only be a lowly concubine without any status! Her Majesty the Empress Dowager will surely dislike you, you wretch!” With that, she left.
Han Yan suddenly understood. No wonder Li Jiaqi had opposed her at every turn—it was because she had feelings for Wei Rufeng. But even during Han Yan’s first meeting with Wei Rufeng, Li Jiaqi had already shown her dislike. Could it be that Li Jiaqi had known Han Yan would become the future princess consort even before that? That didn’t make sense. Even Han Yan herself only knew of her connection with Wei Rufeng because of her marriage in her previous life. How could Li Jiaqi have known?
Seeing that most of the people around had left, Fu Yunxi remained behind. Han Yan felt somewhat embarrassed. This man had always been aware of her intentions and was one of the few who understood the origins of this matter. She walked over, intending to exchange a few polite words with him. Unexpectedly, Fu Yunxi extended his hand, revealing a Plum Blossom Thorn in his palm—the very one Han Yan had lost during her struggle with the black-clad assailant.
Fu Yunxi stood with his back to Madam Zhou and the others, so from their perspective, it merely appeared as though the Xuan Qing Prince was bidding Han Yan farewell with polite words. However, Han Yan heard Fu Yunxi’s slightly lowered voice above her head, “If you encounter trouble, come directly to the Xuan Qing Prince’s Mansion to find me.”
Han Yan took the Plum Blossom Thorn from Fu Yunxi’s hand and tucked it into her sleeve. Looking at Fu Yunxi, she smiled and said, “Your Highness is truly chivalrous, but if I face difficulties, I will resolve them myself.”
Fu Yunxi pursed his lips, a hint of gentleness softening his usually stern expression. He said calmly, “Don’t be stubborn.”
Han Yan turned her head away, unaccustomed to others’ kindness, especially from someone who had helped her too many times.
Fu Yunxi then turned and left, hands clasped behind his back. Before departing, his words slipped into Han Yan’s ears, dropping like a small stone into her heart: “Do you think that person just happened to become Wei Rufeng?”
Han Yan was stunned for a moment. At first, she thought Fu Yunxi had been behind it, but upon further reflection, Fu Yunxi had been with her the entire time and didn’t seem like the type to do such a thing. Wei Rufeng was, after all, the son of a prince—how could such matters be treated lightly? Could it have been Wei Rufeng himself? Han Yan’s heart grew cold. She had nearly forgotten this possibility. If that were the case, Wei Rufeng was truly despicable.
In the main hall of the Zhuang residence.
Zhuang Shiyang sat on a Huanghuali wood chair, while Prince Wei and his son sat on the other side. Madam Zhou and Madam Da Zhou took their seats below, with Zhuangshan standing in front of Madam Zhou, head bowed, not daring to look at the expressions of those present.
After a long silence, Prince Wei finally spoke, “Lord Zhuang, what shall we do about this matter now?”Zhuang Shiyang coughed awkwardly. The other party was the Prince Wei's residence, and he was only a fifth-rank official now, truly having no say in the matter. Seeing Wei Rufeng remain silent, he tentatively asked, "Does the Young Master have any thoughts?"
Wei Rufeng's mind was in turmoil. What he wanted was Zhuang Hanyan, not Zhuang Yushan. However, since everyone had witnessed that scene between him and Zhuang Yushan, he had no choice but to take responsibility. Otherwise, he would be branded with the infamy of defiling the daughter of a court official. Thus, he replied somewhat unpleasantly, "This Young Master has no thoughts."
Madam Da Zhou took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "What happened today was unexpected for all of us. We must find the best solution so that everyone can feel better. Yu'er is my own niece, and I'm not being biased, but for a young woman, reputation is of utmost importance. Now that this has happened, Yu'er's reputation is at stake. The Young Master... isn't entirely without responsibility, is he?"
From beginning to end, neither side explained why today's events had occurred—why Zhuang Yushan had appeared in the garden house, and why Wei Rufeng had also been there. Perhaps they didn't speak of it because both sides understood implicitly. Bringing it up would only add to the awkwardness, so it was better to let both parties feel more at ease.
Wei Rufeng sneered, "Why did the Second Miss Zhuang appear there? It certainly wasn't because this Young Master forced her to go. How is it that Madam Zhou's words make it seem like this Young Master is entirely at fault?"
Zhuang Yushan, who had remained silent all along, raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears. She seemed both deeply ashamed and heartbroken by Wei Rufeng's words. "Why would the Young Master say such a thing... Yushan has lost her innocence to you... That is already a fact. Could it really be Yushan's fault?"
Wei Rufeng looked at Zhuang Yushan's aggrieved expression, feeling increasingly irritated. He found this woman hypocritical and pretentious. Recalling Hanyan's cold and disdainful attitude toward him, his resentment grew even stronger. Unable to hold back, he blurted out, "Didn't you climb into bed just to enter the Prince Wei's residence?"
Even if Zhuang Yushan were slow-witted, she could hear the disdain in Wei Rufeng's tone. If he treated her like this before she even entered the Prince Wei's residence, wouldn't she quickly fall out of favor once she did?
Madam Zhou felt heartbroken for Zhuang Yushan and was even more angered by Wei Rufeng's attitude. She simply said, "Young Master Wei should now give Yu'er an explanation. We cannot let our Yu'er live with her head bowed for the rest of her life."
Zhuang Shiyang shot an annoyed glance at Madam Zhou. This woman was more of a hindrance than a help. How could she speak to Wei Rufeng in such a tone? He turned to Prince Wei with an ingratiating smile and said, "My lord, please don't take her words to heart. Women are often short-sighted."
Prince Wei smiled indifferently and said, "It's nothing. But in your opinion, Madam, how should this matter be resolved?"
Madam Da Zhou patted Madam Zhou's hand and spoke with a smile, "Given Yu'er's status, we dare not aspire to anything more. However, becoming the Young Master's concubine shouldn't be too difficult, should it?" She looked affectionately at Zhuang Yushan. "Yu'er is a good girl—clever, skillful, and extremely filial and considerate. The Young Master currently has no one close to him by his side. With our Yu'er by his side, the Young Master would surely feel more at ease."
"Aunt..." Hearing Madam Da Zhou speak of her in this way, Zhuang Yushan shyly lowered her head, her cheeks flushing with two shades of red. Although she felt somewhat disappointed at the prospect of becoming a concubine, the thought of becoming that man's woman filled her heart with sweetness.Prince Wei pondered for a moment and said to Wei Rufeng, "Rufeng, if she were to be a concubine, it wouldn't be an issue..."
He had not yet taken a wife, but it was not unheard of among the noble families in the capital to take a few concubines before marrying a principal wife. Wei Rufeng glanced at Zhuangshan—after all, she was a beauty. Yet, the thought of simply bringing her home like this left him feeling somewhat unsettled.
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