Fu Yun Xi coldly glanced at Deng Chuan, his icy gaze making people shiver involuntarily. Despite her anger, Deng Chuan felt frightened under Fu Yun Xi’s stare.
“I only know that the esteemed Princess of Xi Rong is our Great Song’s enemy on the battlefield.” Han Yan held her head high. Though her status was below the Xi Rong Princess’s, Yi Lin Na felt as if the woman before her was the true princess. Her tone was calm but carried an air of superiority, creating immense pressure without any obvious display.
The Xi Rong Princess’s words caught in her throat, seemingly not expecting Han Yan’s response. The ladies who had initially shown admiration for her beauty now displayed clear hostility after Han Yan’s words.
Indeed, everyone present was from the Great Song, and Xi Rong was their enemy. These people’s initial curiosity about her, a Xi Rong Princess, had instantly turned to viewing her as an “enemy princess” – all because of Han Yan’s single statement!
She immediately glared furiously at Han Yan as if she were an unforgivable criminal, but Han Yan showed no fear of her anger. Instead, she smiled thoughtfully: “Could it be that Xi Rong lost and sent you here for a political marriage, Your Highness?” She spoke casually, but her sarcasm was piercing. The hall erupted in laughter. Yi Lin Na’s face flushed red with anger, but Han Yan’s words were entirely logical – she couldn’t refute them. Indeed, Xi Rong had lost and sent her for a political marriage. She had been overjoyed because it was Fu Yun Xi, but Han Yan’s words made it sound like Xi Rong was simply cowardly, sending their precious princess as a tribute. Han Yan implied that this princess’s status had fallen below her own.
“So what?” Yi Lin Na suddenly smiled maliciously, clinging to Fu Yun Xi’s arm coquettishly: “The Prince has agreed to marry me. He adores me. What does it matter if it’s a political marriage? We’re in love.”
Women of Xi Rong were known for being bold and uninhibited, so Yi Lin Na’s words didn’t seem inappropriate to the crowd. However, their expressions when looking at Han Yan had clearly turned to sympathy for an abandoned wife.
These provocative words contained almost malicious teasing. Everyone silently watched the scene, seeing Han Yan as a failure in their eyes. And Fu Yun Xi showed no sign of stopping it.
In that moment, Han Yan seemed to see her past self, carrying dreams of waiting for her beloved, only to be met with another woman. Was fate so cruel, announcing everything was just a deception right when she had come to like and trust Fu Yun Xi?
To be abandoned before marriage – if word got out, countless people in Great Song would laugh at Han Yan, especially Zhuang Yu-Shan. Han Yan couldn’t imagine how she would mock her. Concubine Mei and Madam Zhou in prison would be overjoyed too.
And what about Zhuang Han Ming? Having a sister abandoned before marriage would hinder his future career prospects, possibly leading to lifelong mockery from his peers. Would she drag down Zhuang Han Ming, Madam Chen, Ji Lan, and Shu Hong? Her mother in heaven would surely be heartbroken.
No! Life shouldn’t be like this! She cherished this chance at a second life too much to fall to such depths. Submitting to fate wasn’t something Zhuang Han Yan would do!
Thinking this, she suddenly smiled slightly, showing a detached, mocking expression, her tone becoming strange: “Oh, is that so? Princess, have you heard the saying, ‘A proper betrothal makes a wife, running away makes a concubine’?” She glanced at Yi Lin Na, smiling: “The Emperor decreed that I would be Prince Xuan Qing’s wife – a proper betrothal. If the Princess wishes to be half-mistress of the Xuan Qing Manor, shouldn’t you have waited in Xi Rong for a proper proposal? Why follow the Prince to Great Song?” Her smile was meaningful: “That’s not how a proper Princess Consort should behave.”
Hearing Han Yan’s words, the surrounding people’s expressions toward Yi Lin Na suddenly changed. Compared to Yi Lin Na, Han Yan was still a proper Great Song lady. But this Xi Rong Princess was different. Not only did she not understand proper etiquette, but she had followed a man to Great Song – only shameless women who offered themselves as concubines would behave this way. For a princess to be so shameless – truly the product of barbarian lands.
Han Yan remained composed, showing no sign of heartbreak at this moment, still sharp-tongued, still refusing to be taken advantage of. But her numbness and heartbreak were hidden from others. No matter how hurt she felt, facing this arrogant Xi Rong Princess, Han Yan would not back down.
Yi Lin Na had never been mocked like this before. Less clever than Han Yan, she couldn’t find words to counter, and seeing everyone’s strange looks, she wished she could set poisonous snakes on Han Yan. After a pause, she suddenly thought of something and smiled triumphantly: “Oh my, I forgot to tell you – your Great Song Emperor has already agreed to have the Prince welcome me into his household. Your divorce papers should arrive soon. Surely you won’t question the Great Song Emperor’s orders?”
Ji Lan and Shu Hong were both stunned, never expecting Yi Lin Na to have such a trump card. Even Han Yan hadn’t anticipated this turn of events. Logically, the Emperor’s word was final – a monarch’s words couldn’t be taken back without risking the loyalty and satisfaction of court officials. Yet the Emperor would risk this to replace the Xuan Qing Princess Consort? Wasn’t this too unusual?
Though suspecting something was amiss, Han Yan was helpless. Yi Lin Na’s words had effectively announced that Han Yan had no chance of recovery. With the Emperor as leverage, what chance did she have of remaining Princess Consort?
Han Yan didn’t cling to the title of Xuan Qing Princess Consort. If a man didn’t love her, what was the use of forcibly remaining his nominal wife? It would only be self-deception – she had learned this in her previous life. But even if she wouldn’t remain Princess Consort, this wasn’t the right time. If Han Yan stepped down now, the Seventh Prince and Empress Dowager would surely come after her. Without the Xuan Qing Manor’s protection, how far could she go?
Maximizing the use of available resources meant that no matter how much unwillingness or appreciation she felt, she couldn’t back down now. What did this Xi Rong Princess rely on? Her noble status? The Emperor’s decree? Or… Fu Yun Xi’s love? Love? Han Yan’s lips curved in mockery. Standing in the center of the hall, her black hair dancing in the wind, her white clothes and dark hair creating an impression of imminent flight, as if this ethereal girl’s sorrow and her very being didn’t belong to this world. Quickly scanning the crowd, meeting their sympathetic gazes, Han Yan suddenly bowed deeply to everyone, her head lowered, her voice moving and sorrowful.