Your Highness Prince Yan, we already met a few months ago, here on the third floor of Dingxiang Tower — have you truly forgotten it all so completely?

Ling Jingyan summoned every ounce of self-control and finally swallowed the words back down, murmuring a quiet thanks before rising and moving to stand behind Jiang Shi.

At least she hadn’t embarrassed herself.

Jiang Shi quietly let out a breath of relief, steadied herself, and said with an apologetic smile, “Today’s fault lies entirely with the few of us, for disturbing Your Highness’s appetite for dining. We will take our leave now. If there was anything improper or lacking in our words just now, we beg Your Highness’s generous forgiveness, and ask that you not take it to heart.”

With Jiang Shi’s attitude so humble and respectful, Prince Yan found it difficult to keep pressing the earlier matter.

Besides, he had not actually felt much displeasure at being offended in the first place.

As the youngest prince of the Dazhou dynasty, he had been born above others, noble from birth. Those around him obeyed his every wish, and his father and mother doted on him as though holding him in the palm of their hands. As a result, he had grown up with a wild, unrestrained temperament.

Young women who saw him fell either for his exalted status, or for his extraordinarily handsome looks, or were won over by his wild, unrestrained bearing.

He had long grown used to seeing admiration in young women’s eyes. Someone like Ling Jingshu, unmoved and coolly indifferent, was almost unprecedented, stirring in him a restless sense of novelty and curiosity.

Of course, as a prince of standing, he naturally held himself to certain standards, and would neither do nor deign to do anything resembling the bullying of others.

As Jiang Shi prepared to take her leave, Prince Yan made no move to stop her, merely saying offhandedly, “Never mind, it’s no great matter. Let today’s business end here.”

The shopkeeper and Eunuch Xi, still kneeling on the ground, were nearly moved to tears.

The shopkeeper felt only relief at having escaped disaster.

Eunuch Xi, however, felt only dread at the great trouble he sensed was still coming for him.

Prince Yan still stood in the doorway, while the shopkeeper and Eunuch Xi, both kneeling, blocked the entrance completely.

To get out, they would need Prince Yan to step aside…

But who would dare suggest such a thing?

As Jiang Shi hesitated, she heard Ling Jingshu speak up. “Please, Your Highness, do go into the room first.”

Of course — simply let Prince Yan enter first, that would solve it. As if struck by sudden enlightenment, Jiang Shi finally caught on, and immediately led the others to stand aside.

Prince Yan, who clearly had no concept of declining out of politeness, stepped into the room and sat down with perfect composure.

Eunuch Xi, who had been kneeling at the door, was nothing like his earlier domineering self. Trembling, he rose to his feet and crept in with bowed servility, his voice shaking as he spoke. “This servant has erred. I beg Your Highness’s punishment.”

Prince Yan glanced at Eunuch Xi with impatience. “Enough. The punishment can wait until we’re back at the residence. For now, let the shopkeeper up and have the food brought out.”

He had escaped disaster for today, after all!

Overwhelmed with gratitude, the shopkeeper hastily expressed his thanks and scrambled to his feet.

The doorway was now clear. Jiang Shi immediately led the way out. Once they had left the room and the door had closed behind them, the taut string in Jiang Shi’s mind finally relaxed a little.

Ling Jingshu asked quietly, “Cousin-in-law, where shall we go now?”

It was already midday — they couldn’t very well go home without eating.

Going to find another restaurant would take time and trouble, and besides, no one really had the appetite for it anymore.

Jiang Shi furrowed her brow slightly and was about to say something when she saw the waiter who had first greeted them hurry over, his face full of apology. “We never expected such a thing to happen today. We’re truly sorry, esteemed guests. As it happens, the guests in a second-floor private room have just left, and it’s already been cleaned and tidied. Please, do move there. The shopkeeper says all your earlier payment will be fully refunded. This meal will be on the house, courtesy of Dingxiang Tower, as both an apology and a gesture to ease your nerves.”

Jiang Shi looked to Ling Jingshu. “A’Shu, what do you think?”

Ling Jingshu’s composure and steady calm in the face of difficulty truly commanded respect. Unable to make up her own mind, Jiang Shi naturally turned to seek Ling Jingshu’s opinion.

“Since the shopkeeper means it sincerely, we’ll accept the kind gesture,” Ling Jingshu said with a faint smile. “It’s getting late as it is. The sooner we finish eating, the sooner we can head home.”

That sounded reasonable.

Jiang Shi nodded and said to the waiter, “Lead the way.”

The waiter led the group to a private room on the second floor.

While this room couldn’t match the one on the third floor, it was still clean and spacious enough.

Each of them carrying their own private thoughts, they sat down in silence. Four cold dishes, six stir-fried dishes, and eight main courses were soon brought out, filling the table completely.

The dishes were nothing especially rare, yet the flavors were surprisingly excellent.

There was also Dingxiang Tower’s special fruit wine — not very strong, faintly sweet on the palate, with a fragrance that filled the senses.

If not for the earlier incident weighing on everyone’s mood, this should have been a delicious and pleasant lunch. As it was, however fine the food and wine, no one had the heart to savor it.

Ling Jingyan especially, looking utterly wilted like an eggplant struck by frost, had no spirit left at all. She sat counting the grains of rice in her bowl, forcing down a few mouthfuls without touching a single dish, before setting down her chopsticks.

Jiang Shi glanced at her and set down her own chopsticks as well, saying flatly, “A’Yan, tell me honestly. Was your insistence on coming to Dingxiang Tower today, and on going specifically to that Bamboo Listening Room, because of Prince Yan?”

Ling Jingyan bit her lip hard and said nothing, though her eyes quietly reddened.

“It’s fortunate Prince Yan didn’t grow angry today. Otherwise, you would have brought real trouble down on the Ling family.”

Jiang Shi’s expression remained unchanged, though her tone carried added weight, faintly tinged with reproach. “You’re still an unmarried young woman, after all — even if… you really must show more restraint. If Mother were to learn of today’s events, you’d certainly be in for a scolding, and you could forget about ever going out again.”

Panicking, Ling Jingyan raised her head without even thinking. “Sister-in-law, I beg you, please don’t tell Mother what happened today. Otherwise, she’ll surely give me a thorough scolding.”

A scolding alone would be a minor matter.

What she feared most was just what Jiang Shi had said — being placed under strict house confinement by Sun Shi and never again being free to go out.

Ling Jingyan pleaded pitifully, “Sister-in-law, I’ll never do this again. Please keep what happened today a secret for me, won’t you?”

Jiang Shi had only meant to give Ling Jingyan a scare to begin with, and seeing her give in, sighed softly and said, “Fine, I’ll keep your secret this once. But let there be no next time!”

“Thank you, sister-in-law,” Ling Jingyan said, her face full of gratitude.

From beginning to end, however, she never once looked at Ling Jingshu.

Ling Jingshu’s expression betrayed nothing, though inwardly she sighed quietly.

Ling Jingyan had clearly come to resent her over what had just happened…

Friendship between young women, however solid it might appear, was in truth quite fragile. Even the smallest matter could stir up resentment. And among Ling Jingyan’s many virtues, magnanimity was certainly not one of them.

The young man she admired couldn’t even remember having met her, hadn’t so much as glanced at her, and had instead been captivated by another young woman. Such a “grave” matter was, frankly, enough to turn two young women into bitter rivals!