Наn Yаn listеnеd to Zhuang Shiуаng's furiоus rоаrs behind her, a соld smile curling аt the cоrnеr оf hеr liрs. Nо one сould manipulate her lifе. Тhe dеbt of а lifе оwеd for his uрbringing hаd аlrеаdy bеen repаid tо Zhuang Shiуang in her pаst life. In this lifetimе, he would nеvеr аgаin hаvе thе chanсе to ruin hеr.
Аs fоr Hаn Yan's vоw tо never bесomе a conсubine, it spreаd thrоughоut the сapital thе vеrу neхt dау, bесоming a tорic оf livelу discussion. Sоme fеlt hеr аctiоns wеrе imрroper аnd unbecoming of a wоman, deeming hеr narrow-mindеd and thе vеry mоdel of a wicked woman. Others admired her courage, believing such a bold and brave woman was truly rare. Regardless of the gossip swirling outside, the person at the center of it all paid no mind.
In the icy ancestral hall, Han Yan had knelt on the ground for a full day and night. Zhuang Shiyang seemed to have forgotten her—no one brought food, and Ji Lan, Shu Hong, and Mama Chen were nowhere to be seen, likely locked away by Madam Zhou.
This time, she had openly defied Zhuang Shiyang, so such punishment was expected. Yet, her disappointment in him grew deeper. How could he treat his own flesh and blood like this? What kind of man was he? Or perhaps... thinking of that speculation, her heart filled with bitterness.
Fortunately, thanks to training in martial arts under Chai Jing, although her skills hadn't improved much, her body had grown sturdier than before. Thus, she only felt somewhat weak and uncomfortable now. If this had happened in her previous life, she would have long since fainted.
Moonlight streamed through the skylight into the room. Han Yan's stomach growled with hunger—she hadn't eaten for a full day and night. Even prisoners weren't treated this harshly. To make matters worse, the ancestral hall door was tightly locked, impossible to open from the inside. Han Yan stood up, walked to the altar table where the idols were enshrined, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and picked a few intact fruits from the offerings to nibble on. The fruits had been sitting there for some time, dried and shriveled, tasteless. Just as Han Yan was clutching one fruit and eating without any grace, she suddenly heard a voice tinged with laughter behind her: "Why are you eating so hastily like a monkey?"
Already worried that her actions might have angered the gods and feeling guilty, the sudden voice from behind startled Han Yan so much that she nearly choked. "Cough, cough, cough—" she gagged, clutching her throat as she coughed dryly.
The person sighed, walked over, and placed a cool, slender hand on Han Yan's back, gently patting it as he said softly, "Take it slow."
It was the dead of winter, and the warm breath of the person behind her brushed against Han Yan's ear, instantly turning it red. She twisted away, retreating two steps, and glared at the uninvited guest, her tone sharp: "I didn't know His Highness had developed such a peculiar hobby, resorting to playing the part of a roof-dwelling gentleman."
There were no other exits in the ancestral hall except for the skylight above. Fu Yunxi must have entered through it. Thinking this, Han Yan couldn't help but facepalm. Were the guards of the Zhuang estate just freeloaders? How could they fail to notice a living person dressed in white entering the estate? The security of the estate in the future was truly worrisome.
Seeing her standing there dumbfounded, lost in thought, Fu Yunxi raised an eyebrow and said, "This prince merely came to offer aid in a time of need."
Han Yan snapped back to reality and instinctively retorted, "What kind of aid?"
But then she saw Fu Yunxi, as if performing a magic trick, suddenly produce a cloth bag from behind his back. He walked to the altar table, set it down, and as soon as he opened it, the delicious aroma of food wafted out.It turned out to be a bag of exquisite pastries!
Han Yan was taken aback for a moment and asked, "For me?"
Fu Yunxi made a gesture to take it back. "If you don’t want it, I’ll take it away."
Han Yan hurriedly pressed down on his hand, but as their fingertips touched, she pulled back as if shocked by electricity. Lowering her head to think for a moment, she suddenly looked up at Fu Yunxi with a beaming smile and said, "In that case, thank you, Your Highness." She then reached out, grabbed a piece, and put it in her mouth.
She was already starving, and the pastries Fu Yunxi brought—who knew which restaurant made them—were sweet but not cloying, with an unexpectedly delightful flavor. Overjoyed, her movements became even more adorably rough. With her cheeks puffed out, she said to Fu Yunxi, "Which chef made these? Their skill is truly remarkable."
Fu Yunxi replied indifferently, "If you like them, I can send you more in the future." But inwardly, he thought, The Emperor spent a fortune to hire this imperial chef, who only prepares a small plate each day. Even the Empress in the palace hasn’t had the chance to enjoy them yet, and this girl gets to taste them first. It’s rare that she appreciates their value.
Han Yan rubbed her nose and said sheepishly, "That would be too embarrassing."
Fu Yunxi found it amusing. Usually, when he saw Han Yan, nine out of ten times she was scheming against others, adopting an aggressive stance. It was rare to see her display a more girlish side. Her unrestrained eating manner now showed a hint of rare childishness. He couldn’t help but pat her head.
As her head was being tousled by that cool palm, Han Yan glared at the culprit while busy eating. Why is this guy looking at me like he’s teasing a small animal, as if I really were a thirteen-year-old child? It’s so awkward. Fu Yunxi withdrew his hand and looked at her thoughtfully. "You swore to Wei Rufeng that you would never become a concubine in this lifetime?"
Han Yan choked slightly, swallowing the last bite of pastry, and replied with an "Mm." Her movements gradually slowed down. Wei Rufeng and the Zhou sisters truly lived up to expectations, spreading her words so quickly. No doubt rumors were already circulating in the capital. In the future, when noble sons came to propose marriage, they would surely avoid her, the so-called jealous woman.
"Why?" Fu Yunxi found a place to sit down. Even in such a casual posture, he carried himself with grace, like an immortal descending with the moonlight, alighting in this cold ancestral hall, no different from a figure in a painting.
Han Yan held a pastry but didn’t put it in her mouth. Looking at him, she asked, "Does Your Highness also think I’m a jealous woman?"
Instead of answering her question, Fu Yunxi asked, "If there is no such man, will you remain unmarried for life?"
Han Yan nodded.
"Why?" he asked again.
"Men’s hearts are fickle, like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. How many can remain steadfast for decades?" She sighed. "If I could find someone to grow old with, that would be wonderful. If not, it’s fate. But in the inner chambers, men only hear the laughter of new beauties, never the tears of the old. The struggle among concubines is an endless war. I simply don’t want to lose my life in this war, nor do I want to lose myself after winning it."Fu Yunxi couldn't help but carefully observe the young girl before him. Han Yan was like a treasure trove, each time bringing him new surprises. She possessed a worldly wisdom beyond her years, yet it wasn't unpleasant—it was more like the calm detachment of someone who had experienced all the world's sorrows and bleakness, seeing through everything, which made one's heart ache for her involuntarily. Just moments ago, her words—though she was merely a thirteen-year-old girl—sounded as if spoken from personal experience. Setting aside the content of her speech, that sheer determination alone was something few could achieve.
After a long pause, he asked, "Have you ever had someone in your heart?"
Han Yan was taken aback, not expecting him to ask such a question. Someone in her heart... In her previous life, she had been infatuated with Wei Rufeng, but in this life, she regarded him with contempt and indifference. Even if there had been someone in her heart, they were no longer there now. She shook her head. "No."
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