Inside the carriage, a layer of silent mist seemed to pervade, isolating all perception of sight and sound—Yuan Shen and Cheng’s expressions were blank, while only the Fifth Prince used his multicolored feather fan to cover the lower half of his face, revealing two eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.

“Huo Buyi, you’ve gone too far!” Yuan Shen finally snapped out of his daze, then flew into a towering rage—something that could be considered absolutely unprecedented in his twenty-seven years of life thus far.

Shaoshang stared at Huo Buyi as if looking at a monster: “Have you lost your mind?!”

Huo Buyi showed neither surprise nor anger, his tone natural: “These words come purely from my heart. Shaoshang, think it over carefully again.”

“This prince believes she has thought it over, and then chose Yuan Shen.” The Fifth Prince smiled gleefully while waving his feather fan.

Shaoshang stretched her neck and roared back in fury: “Think what over! I never need to think, and there’s nothing to think about! What kind of person do you take me for? You shout once and I immediately break off my engagement to marry you—if that were the case, why did I bother seeking another husband in the first place? I should have just gone straight to the northwest to find you!”

Huo Buyi said: “You were angry with me in your heart, so how could you come find me?”

“Good that you know!” Shaoshang shouted loudly.

The Fifth Prince said softly: “He naturally knows, but he still wants to steal the bride.”

“You, you, you—you’re being far too dismissive of my Jiaodong Yuan family! To dare say such such such outrageous nonsense right in front of me, you’re simply… simply utterly arrogant and absurd!” Yuan Shen trembled all over with rage.

“Yuan Langguan.” Huo Buyi’s tone was sincere. “I know you must be unspeakably furious right now, but I beg you to restrain your anger for a moment and hear me out. Shaoshang and you are not a good match…”

Yuan Shen felt that not a single noble son in the entire capital would ever encounter such a bizarre situation; today he had truly broadened his horizons. He laughed coldly again and again: “Shaoshang and I are not a good match, but you and Shaoshang would be? This is truly the most ridiculous thing under heaven! Why didn’t you go tell the usurper Lord Gongsun of Shu ‘you are unworthy to be emperor’ back then, and see if he would immediately surrender!”

“Actually, I did say that in last year’s proclamation, but Lord Gongsun didn’t listen.” Huo Buyi said.

Shaoshang & Yuan Shen: …

“Then war broke out.” Huo Buyi added.

The Fifth Prince hid behind his feather fan desperately trying to suppress his laughter.

“And so what?” Yuan Shen suppressed his anger. “Does Marquis Huo also intend to go to war with me?!”

Huo Buyi suddenly smiled slightly: “How could I do such a thing? Right now I hope for your good fortune and long life—otherwise how could Shaoshang and I achieve our marriage destiny?”

The Fifth Prince interjected: “Chamberlain Yuan is proficient in the six arts. I once saw him participate in mounted archery drills at the military training grounds, quite impressive. If you two really fought, the outcome might not be certain…” He was extremely excited, feeling that today he hadn’t squeezed into this carriage in vain.

“Your Highness, please be quiet!” Shaoshang glared at him. “You’re just worried the world isn’t chaotic enough. Better watch out—you might have interest in watching this show but lose your legs before reaching your fiefdom!”

The Fifth Prince was startled: “Why would I lose my legs?”

“Because I’ll report to His Majesty that it was all you instigating them to fight, and see if His Majesty breaks your legs then!”

“You’re lying!” The Fifth Prince smacked his feather fan on his leg with a whoosh, glaring back angrily.

Shaoshang looked at him sideways: “That’s right. Fifth Highness clearly saw that we three had matters to discuss, yet forcibly squeezed onto the carriage. When you tell His Majesty later that it was just a coincidence, do you think His Majesty will believe you?”

The Fifth Prince’s expression changed several times. He bit his teeth: “Fine, fine. If you’re unkind, then I won’t be righteous either…” He smiled at Huo Buyi. “Shiyilang, there’s something you might not know yet. I can’t watch you remain in the dark…”

Shaoshang’s eyelid twitched, crying out inwardly that this was bad. Yuan Shen still didn’t understand what was happening, but the Fifth Prince had already continued flowing like water: “Shiyilang, do you know? Cheng Shaoshang once proposed marriage to the Prince of Donghai! She asked her elder brother to marry her!”

Yuan Shen’s expression darkened, thinking how did the Fifth Prince know about this? Shaoshang groaned inwardly and covered her forehead with her hand.

The Fifth Prince said triumphantly: “How about that? Shiyilang, you never expected it! For Cheng Shaoshang to actually do such a thing, it’s truly extraordinary news…”

“And then what?”

“Huh?” The Fifth Prince was startled.

Huo Buyi’s expression remained unchanged as he patiently asked again: “What happened afterward? Did the Prince of Donghai not agree, or did Shaoshang change her mind halfway?”

The Fifth Prince said blankly: “Uh, it was that eldest imperial brother didn’t agree…”

Huo Buyi nodded slightly and turned to gaze intently at the girl.

Shaoshang’s heart grew flustered under his gaze. She forcefully grabbed Yuan Shen’s arm beside her and said even more loudly: “Fifth Highness, stop being so self-important! You think I’m afraid of people talking about this? I did it, so I’m not afraid of people discussing it! Besides, I already told Shanjian about this long ago. Your Highness, don’t waste your schemes…” Though she said this, her eyes wandered about guiltily, as if fearing something.

“Shaoshang, why did you act this way? From what I know, not only do you not love the Prince of Donghai, you even criticized him quite a bit.” Huo Buyi’s expression remained calm, without a trace of surprise or shame.

Shaoshang snorted and turned her head away with a show of bravado: “This matter has nothing to do with you!”

Yuan Shen had nearly been pulled over by the girl just now, fortunately catching the carriage wall in time. He looked helplessly at his fiancée and sighed: “Previously, the Grand Empress Dowager of Huai’an was in poor health and said she needed to see Shaoshang married before she could be at peace. So Shaoshang went to search for marriage prospects.” As he spoke, he still shot the girl a dissatisfied glare.

Huo Buyi made a sound of acknowledgment: “That makes sense. Shaoshang saw that the Prince of Donghai was gentle and mild-mannered, easy to control, and that after marriage she could continue serving the Grand Empress Dowager, so that’s why she proposed to him.” Though he hadn’t asked Shaoshang to explain, his guess was pretty much spot on.

The Fifth Prince was greatly dissatisfied with Huo Buyi’s reaction: “Shiyilang doesn’t even criticize her a bit. Although the ancients also had poetry where women took the initiative to express their feelings, ultimately it’s still better for women to be dignified and refined…”

“Fifth Highness, enough!” Shaoshang glared at him resentfully.

The Fifth Prince acted as if he saw nothing—actually there was a secret between the two of them, and he was certain Cheng Shaoshang wouldn’t dare reveal it.

“If anyone should criticize Shaoshang, it should be me.” Yuan Shen said coldly. “As long as I don’t mind, why should Fifth Highness bother playing the villain?” Actually, this time he didn’t object to the Fifth Prince revealing this matter. To put it more meanly, right now he desperately hoped Huo Buyi would be disappointed in Cheng Shaoshang.

“You’ve already been completely won over by Cheng Shaoshang, how could you criticize her!” The Fifth Prince snorted. “Shiyilang, do you really have nothing to say?”

Huo Buyi tilted his head, lost in thought, as if pondering something: “…I do have something to say.” He turned back. “Fifth Highness, how long afterward did Shaoshang propose marriage to you?”

With a thud, the Fifth Prince’s feather fan dropped heavily. All three were shocked, though each differently—Yuan Shen was completely unprepared and greatly surprised, while Shaoshang and the Fifth Prince both thought ‘How does he know? I didn’t tell anyone!’

The Fifth Prince’s heart grew flustered. He laughed forcedly: “What are you saying? Shiyilang must be joking… hehe, hehe…”

Huo Buyi looked at him quietly.

Shaoshang slowly shrank behind Yuan Shen, but was suddenly grabbed and pulled out by the exasperated Yuan Shen: “You really did this?”

Seeing his fiancée wearing a placating foolish smile, equivalent to tacit admission, Yuan Shen nearly choked—since getting engaged to Cheng Shaoshang, his life had been exciting every single day.

“When Shaoshang initially proposed to the Prince of Donghai, she probably hadn’t thought it through completely. The Prince of Donghai only appears easy to get along with on the surface; actually his nature is gentle yet stubborn. Besides, marrying him would bring quite a few troubles afterward. I guess Shaoshang quickly figured out these complications—fortunately the Prince of Donghai rejected her, otherwise she would have had to back out later anyway.” Huo Buyi said.

“Then how did you guess she also proposed to Fifth Highness?” Yuan Shen asked.

Huo Buyi glanced at the girl: “This person charges forward courageously and perseveres indomitably in her actions. She would never lower her banner and silence her drums over a small setback. Since she’d decided to marry, she was bound to search everywhere for someone to marry.”

These words sounded like praise, but Shaoshang didn’t dare smile, lowering her head and eyes even more submissively as she shrank behind Yuan Shen.

Yuan Shen secretly gritted his teeth, wishing he could pull out this unreliable dead girl, first give her a beating on the palms, then starve her for three days, make her recite Xunzi’s “Encouraging Learning” fifty times and copy Yang Xiong’s “Model Sayings” one hundred times, so she’d know what it means to understand the heights of heaven and depths of earth!

Huo Buyi reached out and placed his hand on the Fifth Prince’s shoulder, his five fingers applying slight pressure. The Fifth Prince immediately cried out like a porcupine struck by an arrow: “Ow ow ow… don’t, don’t, let go quickly, let go quickly! If you don’t let go I’ll tell Father Emperor… ow ow ow, I didn’t agree to her, I really didn’t agree! She beat me, scared me, threatened me—I was firm as iron and bone, I stubbornly refused to agree!”

Huo Buyi loosened his fingers somewhat. The Fifth Prince caught his breath and ran his mouth again: “…What kind of person is Cheng Shaoshang? Don’t I know? If I really married her, this prince doesn’t even know how long I’d live… ow ow ow, don’t squeeze, don’t squeeze! Fine, fine, it’s my fault for not recognizing gold inlaid with jade. Cheng Shaoshang was once engaged to you, and you and I grew up together—how could I marry her…”

Sensing Huo Buyi loosen his fingers again, the Fifth Prince immediately picked up his feather fan and used the jade handle to forcefully strike the carriage wall—he felt today he’d really had terrible luck. Sure enough, Huo Buyi’s good show wasn’t free to watch. The various miseries of being disciplined in childhood floated up in his mind. He thought that after five years, he’d grown lax and forgotten the danger!

After the Fifth Prince rubbed his shoulder a few times, he noticed the carriage had stopped. Without waiting for others to speak, he quickly jumped up and rushed outside, shouting: “No need to see me off! I’ve rested well enough, I’ll ride back to the palace now! Farewell, everyone farewell! If you have time in the future, come to my fiefdom and let me fulfill my duty as host! Good, I’ll take my leave now… ow, you bunch of bastards, why didn’t you support this prince…”

By the time the Fifth Prince spoke the last half sentence, he was already outside the carriage. It seemed he stumbled head-first and feet-backward, falling quite inelegantly, then launched into a furious tirade at his guards.

The carriage door closed, leaving only three people inside.

Hearing the Fifth Prince’s earlier wailing, Yuan Shen felt quite relieved and began considering whether to also hand over the girl behind him to Huo Buyi for discipline. Shaoshang sensed her fiancé’s unfriendly gaze and worked hard to smile apologetically: “I was just talking casually, joking around. Who would want to marry him? I was just saying it for fun. Besides, no one else heard anyway…”

Yuan Shen took a deep breath and decided to first deal with the external enemy before handling the internal trouble. So he cupped his hands: “Marquis Huo sees clearly. I know you understand Shaoshang very deeply. Since that’s the case, you should also be clear that Shaoshang’s marriage arrangement with me was decided after deep and careful consideration, not frivolous behavior like with the Prince of Donghai and the Fifth Prince. What does Your Lordship think?”

Shaoshang nodded vigorously behind him.

Huo Buyi’s long eyebrows slanted upward as he gazed at the girl, his deep brown crystalline eyes half-dark, half-bright: “…Sometimes, what Shaoshang says and does is not what she truly wishes in her heart.”

Yuan Shen suppressed his anger: “Your Lordship’s words seem rather unreasonable. What Shaoshang wants to do in her heart—if she herself doesn’t know, could it be that you know?”

“You could say that.” Huo Buyi said.

Yuan Shen was speechless with anger. Shaoshang patted his arm consolingly: “I think he’s having delusions. Don’t pay attention to him.”

Yuan Shen said righteously: “Your Lordship speaks wildly, and I cannot possibly accept it. There’s no need to continue today’s discussion. Let’s end everything here. Shaoshang and I will take our leave now…”

“Everything I’ve said is absolutely true.” Huo Buyi cut in. He looked at the girl again. “In the Tugaoshan Imperial Garden, there’s a type of cold spring shrimp that Shaoshang is very fond of…”

“Nonsense!” Shaoshang couldn’t help interrupting. “I’ve eaten that kind of shrimp several times and haven’t particularly favored it.”

But Huo Buyi said firmly: “No, you like it very much.”

“Could it be that I don’t even know what I like to eat myself?” Shaoshang was so angry she laughed.

Huo Buyi turned to look at Yuan Shen: “The first time Shaoshang ate this cold spring shrimp was when the Grand Empress Dowager hosted a banquet at Changqiu Palace. However, before serving the dish, Old Lady Zhai had already nagged her that ‘this shrimp is extremely delicious, but Her Majesty cannot eat it—even accidentally touching it causes red rashes.’ After that, Shaoshang never again requested this shrimp from the kitchen.”

Shaoshang protested: “That’s because I really don’t like eating that kind of shrimp!”

Huo Buyi ignored her and continued: “Shaoshang tells everyone this, but if Chamberlain Yuan looks carefully, it’s not difficult to discover her true eating habits. Sometimes Old Lady Zhai craved it, sometimes His Majesty bestowed upon me several buckets of live shrimp raised in water—whenever this cold spring shrimp appeared on the dining table, whether boiled plain, salt-roasted, or pickled in sauce… Shaoshang could always eat several more bowls, and would even use the shrimp broth to mix with rice.” Speaking the last half sentence, a faint pain rose in his heart.

Inside the carriage was already silent. Yuan Shen was stunned. Shaoshang was also somewhat dazed, couldn’t help wondering if she really was like this, but… the cold spring shrimp bestowed to Huo Buyi’s residence back then seemed to have indeed all gone into her stomach. Huh?

“When one’s favorite food is disliked by one’s master, this is common in the palace.” Huo Buyi continued. “However, ordinary people mostly take two paths. Those more calculating pretend to endure but let others know they’re enduring for Her Majesty’s sake, incidentally spreading their virtuous reputation. Those more honest silently endure it and never mention it again—but Shaoshang is different. She tells others and tells herself that she also doesn’t like eating this shrimp.”

Yuan Shen turned his head to look at his fiancée.

He could understand this girl’s deep and subtle kindness and pride. The kindness was that she didn’t want the Grand Empress Dowager to ‘feel sorry’ for her endurance. The pride was that she didn’t want people to praise her for this reason.

Huo Buyi looked at Shaoshang, saying word by word: “As long as she considers something unprofitable, she’ll deceive herself until she deeply believes it—she’s that kind of foolish girl.”

Shaoshang avoided his gaze and turned her head, shouting loudly: “Your Lordship, don’t muddle the issues! How can hot spring shrimp compare to lifelong marriage—Shanjian and I won’t fall for your trick!”

Yuan Shen, however, thought of more. Back then, when Madam Xiao neglected her own daughter, Shaoshang more than once showed that she didn’t care at all, and everyone deeply believed this—so, actually his fiancée wasn’t as indifferent as she appeared on the surface, wasn’t she ‘truly’ uncaring?

“I’ve heard that Marquis Huo is taciturn and quiet. Meeting today, I see that what the world says is not necessarily true. Though Your Lordship established yourself through martial merit, looking at you now, your eloquence is even more superior.” Yuan Shen spoke slowly. From age fifteen he’d gained fame throughout the realm for his scholarly debates. Over these years going back and forth between the Debate Platform and the Secretariat, he dealt either with debate-loving doctors and Confucian scholars or with deeply scheming powerful ministers and nobles.

Now, with the initial shock receding, he collected himself and faced his formidable rival with full attention. “However, no matter how eloquent Marquis Huo may be, there’s one point—how do you know whether Shaoshang agreeing to my family’s marriage proposal was self-deception or genuine sincerity? To make your opponent surrender with just a few words—Your Lordship is being rather overconfident.”

Huo Buyi looked at Shaoshang again and said lightly: “If my opponent truly were Chamberlain Yuan, that would be good.” His opponent had never been Yuan Shen.

Yuan Shen didn’t understand, but Huo Buyi knocked on the carriage wall: “Recently the court has been arguing endlessly over the land survey decree. I need to return to discuss matters—the Cheng residence is right ahead, just a one-mile walk. I won’t escort you two any further.”

Since he’d issued the order to see guests out, Yuan Shen and Shaoshang naturally hurried to leave the carriage.

Standing on the quiet northern side of the market ward, with servants and guards from both the Yuan and Cheng households behind them, watching Huo Buyi’s black iron carriage depart into the distance, Yuan Shen and Shaoshang were momentarily speechless.

“This man truly has great ability. First he attacks unexpectedly, speaking until people are confused and flustered. When his opponent is about to launch a counterattack, he neatly cuts it off, retreats three steps, and waits for another day to settle accounts. As the saying goes, the first drum brings courage, the second brings decline, the third brings exhaustion—after such a round, the opponent naturally falls into disadvantage!” Young Master Yuan stood with his long sleeves behind his back, commenting on Huo Buyi as if reviewing military affairs.

Shaoshang looked at the sky, then lowered her head: “So… are you going to break off our engagement?” It wasn’t her destroying her own prestige—when Huo Buyi acted up, there weren’t many people in the capital who could withstand him.

Yuan Shen said firmly: “Of course not! I underestimated the enemy before. A few days ago I saw him looking dejected and thought he’d given up. I never expected him to suddenly attack today. When you were engaged to him before, I was still thinking about how to break you two up. How could I retreat now!”

“What what? You actually had that idea!” Shaoshang couldn’t believe it.

Yuan Shen showed no shame: “I dare guarantee you that back when you were first engaged, Huo Buyi definitely also thought about how to break up you and Lou Yao. He just had too many concerns and didn’t act. From this perspective, we two are actually kindred spirits.”

“You two really do appreciate each other!” Shaoshang was speechless.

“Don’t rush to mock me. First think about how to deal with Huo Buyi. Don’t tell me you really want to change your marriage arrangement?!”

Shaoshang made two expressionless sounds of acknowledgment.

Thinking of how Huo Buyi had completely controlled the negotiation rhythm earlier, Yuan Shen said with chagrin: “In any case, this Huo Buyi is truly detestable!”

Shaoshang sighed: “I told you long ago, this person seems quiet and silent, but once he opens his mouth he’s extremely vicious! If he wants to anger you to death, he absolutely won’t leave you a single breath! I’ve suffered losses from him countless times before!”

“You too—why didn’t you tell me about the matter with the Fifth Prince? You made me get caught completely off guard!” Yuan Shen’s jade countenance became solemn as he began settling accounts after autumn.

Shaoshang said helplessly: “During that period I heard the Fifth Prince boasting wildly there, saying things like ‘after going to the fiefdom the sky is high and the emperor is far, I can do whatever I want.’ I was momentarily tempted and extremely bored, so I tested him with a few sentences. It couldn’t be taken seriously!”

Yuan Shen kept a straight face: “How can one joke about marriage matters!”

“Alright, alright, I know!” Shaoshang said. “It’s your fault too, dragging things out with the Cai family for five years without finishing. Who would dare include you in their list of husband candidates? Of course I had to look for other options!”

“In any case, from now on you must tell me everything. Huo Buyi has made it clear he wants to exploit gaps and kill his way in. You and I should work together with one heart!”

“What do you think he’ll do?”

—The two looked at each other, at a complete loss. Shaoshang was thinking that no matter how Huo Buyi tried to please or apologize, she absolutely wouldn’t waver. Yuan Shen was thinking whether Huo Buyi would use his power to pressure people and suppress him secretly, though the Yuan family wasn’t to be trifled with either.

The two walked while talking until they reached the entrance to the Cheng residence alley. Shaoshang suddenly remembered something: “Hey, hey, Huo Buyi is going to discuss the land survey decree. Don’t you have business too?”

Yuan Shen slapped his forehead: “Ahem, I got so angry I became confused! Tomorrow His Majesty is holding a grand court assembly. I need to go to the Grand Minister of Works’ residence to discuss the memorial response. You…”

“Alright, alright, you go ahead. I’ve already reached this point, I can go home myself.” Shaoshang waved her hand. “Aren’t you going to be ranked among the Three Excellencies in the future? How can you have such a bad memory! Go on, go quickly. I’m waiting to become the wife of whichever high minister!”

Yuan Shen quickly mounted the horse his guard brought over. After galloping a few steps he stopped and turned back. He saw his fiancée with both hands behind her back, walking into the alley looking quite mature and steady. He couldn’t help smiling.

He thought: in this lifetime, it was rare for him to like someone. He couldn’t just hand her over with both hands because his opponent was strong. He didn’t want to be like his mentor Master Huangfu, regretting for half his life, then running to sing songs beneath someone’s wall.