Han Yan turned around. Since Shu Hong had always been calm and steady, she nodded: “Go ahead.”

Shu Hong looked at Han Yan intently: “Miss isn’t someone who submits to circumstances. Why not just leave?”

“Leave?” Before Han Yan could answer, Ji Lan exclaimed: “Where could we go? Return to the Zhuang Manor? After what happened to Miss, everyone in Da Zong’s capital will gossip about her.” Realizing her slip, she quickly glanced at Han Yan with concern.

Shu Hong said: “If we can’t stay in Da Zong, we can go elsewhere. The world is vast – surely there’s a place for us? It would be truly worthless if Miss compromises herself. Why not flee far away, escape all this trouble, and live peacefully under a different identity?”

Han Yan looked at Shu Hong with surprise. Indeed, such words were shocking – normally, Shu Hong would never say such things. This steady maid had a heart that yearned for freedom. True, Han Yan wasn’t one to compromise – her previous life had taught her that compromise not only failed to help but emboldened her enemies. Living in anonymity far away sounded tempting, but…

Han Yan sighed: “Shu Hong, have you thought about Young Master Ming?”

Shu Hong froze, and Han Yan continued: “If we leave, should we take Young Master Ming with us? Living a life in anonymity means he’ll never be able to achieve greatness – you know he’s always dreamed of accomplishing something significant. We can’t leave him here alone, but taking him would selfishly decide his future. What if one day Young Master Ming regrets it?”

Shu Hong remained silent, and Han Yan added: “Life is harsh, and you know how difficult it is for us women to make a living and survive in this world.” This era was extremely harsh on women – who knew what might happen once they left their current protection?

“More importantly, I need to stay here to understand what happened,” she said.

Ji Lan looked at Han Yan: “Miss… what do you mean?”

“Don’t you find it strange?” Han Yan’s gaze was utterly calm: “Fu Yun Xi wasn’t like this before. His current treatment of me must be caused by something that changed him. This matter is so important that even the Emperor is willing to decree in favor of the Western Rong Princess.”

“Could Western Rong be using the marriage alliance to threaten Da Zong?” Ji Lan asked.

Han Yan shook her head: “Impossible. Never mind the Emperor – Fu Yun Xi himself is too proud to become anyone’s bargaining chip. Moreover, there haven’t been any reports of Da Zong’s disadvantage on the battlefield. Even if they wanted to threaten us, Da Zong has no reason to submit.”

“Could it be possible that the Western Rong Princess cast some spell on our Prince?” Shu Hong hesitated: “Western Rong people are particularly skilled in such strange magic.”

“Probably not,” Han Yan said: “Though Fu Yun Xi is cold to me, he’s equally cold to Ai Li Na. If he were under a spell, it wouldn’t be like this.”

News of Fu Yun Xi’s triumphant return spread throughout the capital that day, along with the fact that Han Yan would soon become a dismissed wife. Rumors always spread quickly and grew more outrageous – some said Fu Yun Xi was infatuated with Western Rong’s beautiful princess and naturally looked down on his former wife, a mere official’s daughter who couldn’t compare to Ai Li Na in talent or beauty.

When Han Yan became the Xuan Qing Princess Consort, it angered many women who admired Prince Xuan Qing. They were outraged that someone of Han Yan’s status could marry Fu Yun Xi, finding it utterly unfair. More importantly, Han Yan had forced Fu Yun Xi to swear never to take concubines or chambermaids, essentially declaring they had no hope. Now that Han Yan met such a fate, while they felt vindicated, they couldn’t help but stir with hope. Since Prince Xuan Qing no longer had to marry Han Yan, didn’t that mean they still had a chance? After all, the noble Western Rong Princess couldn’t attend to the Prince constantly – surely she would need help.

Ji Lan went out once and was nearly infuriated by the rumors outside. She wanted to argue with those gossipers but feared causing trouble for Han Yan, so she had to let it go. Returning to the Prince’s Manor with a belly full of anger, she still had to endure the servants’ mockery. Some servants who had previously served Han Yan genuinely liked their mistress and sincerely regarded her as the future Princess Consort. Now that a Western Rong Princess had suddenly appeared, these servants felt it was unfair to Han Yan and showed concern in their words. However, some servants were opportunists – seeing the manor’s power shifting, with Han Yan, who had long enjoyed the Prince’s favor, about to become a dismissed wife, and Ai Li Na becoming the legitimate Xuan Qing Princess Consort, they immediately began courting Ai Li Na’s favor and deliberately suppressing Han Yan and her servants.

Just now, that maid had deliberately discussed in front of Ji Lan with other maids, saying things like: “Already been driven out yet still insisting on staying in someone else’s manor – who knows what she’s planning.” Ji Lan almost fought with her, and if Shu Hong hadn’t pulled her away, who knows what might have happened.

Seeing Ji Lan return with a gloomy face, Han Yan, knowing she couldn’t hide her feelings, smiled and asked: “What’s wrong?”

Ji Lan didn’t speak. Though she was angry, she didn’t want to hurt Han Yan by telling her those unpleasant words. What she didn’t know was that rumors are called rumors because they seep through every crack – although Ji Lan and Shu Hong never mentioned these words in front of Han Yan, she wasn’t deaf and had long heard such unpleasant talk.

“The maids said something unpleasant, didn’t they?” Han Yan smiled.

Ji Lan was stunned, first wondering how Han Yan knew, but then remembering her mistress’s intelligence realized it would have been hard not to know. She said angrily: “Miss, I really don’t understand. Miss treated them so well before, but now that a Western Rong Princess has arrived, these people immediately changed their attitudes – they’re so ungrateful.”

Indeed, Han Yan had grown up without status in the Zhuang Manor and was used to being bullied. She lacked the delicacy common to officials’ daughters and treated servants with kindness and tolerance. Everyone liked her – even considering their past relationship, they shouldn’t side with the Western Rong Princess against Han Yan.

“Ji Lan, in this world, treating others well doesn’t guarantee they’ll treat you well in return,” Han Yan sighed: “What choices others make is their business. You can’t expect someone to necessarily repay you just because you once showed them kindness. Gratitude is often one-sided.” Her expression turned sad. In her previous life, she had treated Madam Zhou and her daughter sincerely, but even after giving up her name and happiness, she never received any gratitude from those two – let alone from these servants.