Han Yan was about to stand up to pour herself some tea, feeling thirsty after all the commotion. But before she could take a step, someone grabbed her hand. Startled, she turned to see Zhuo Qi gripping her tightly, mumbling, “Don’t go.”
Han Yan frowned and tried to pull away, but Zhuo Qi’s grip was strong – a grown man could easily overpower a delicate youth. Unable to break free, she heard Zhuo Qi call out again: “Father…”
He called out “Father” not “Imperial Father,” leaving Han Yan momentarily stunned. She watched Zhuo Qi clutching her hand, eyes tightly shut, cheeks flushed red. At this moment, stripped of his usual commanding presence, he looked like a helpless child, his expression full of dependency. Han Yan fell into deep thought.
This person wasn’t as bad as she had imagined – except for their first encounter, he hadn’t actively tried to harm her. He had even been injured because of her. What was his true purpose in constantly hovering around her? Han Yan couldn’t be certain. But she could be sure that, for now at least, he wasn’t her enemy.
However, this didn’t mean she would go easy on him. After all, Ai Lin Na was his sister, and she had usurped Han Yan’s position, making them mortal enemies. If he protected Ai Lin Na, she wouldn’t show him any mercy. Han Yan forcefully pulled her hand away. Upon losing his grip, Zhuo Qi’s unconscious expression immediately turned forlorn. Even with his eyes closed, his disappointment was evident.
Han Yan was not inclined to sympathize with him and simply sat down at the table. Today’s events had been too sudden, and most importantly, night had fallen, yet she couldn’t abandon Zhuo Qi. Finding someone else to care for him didn’t seem safe either. If Zhuo Qi were an ordinary person, it would be different, but he was a Xi Rong Prince. Each additional person who knew his identity increased his danger, and those who knew might even be silenced permanently. Han Yan couldn’t let innocent people lose their lives because of her.
A young lady spending the night alone with a strange man – even though he was seriously injured and everything between them was innocent, who would believe it? If word got out, even if Han Yan wanted to maintain her position as Xuan Qing Princess, it would be impossible. Fortunately, only they and Ji Lan and Shu Hong knew about this. Ji Lan and Shu Hong naturally wouldn’t tell anyone. No one would know where she had gone that night. But if Fu Yun Xi learned about her overnight absence, would he worry?
And even if everything went perfectly, with no one discovering tonight’s events, would it be that simple?
Outside, Ji Lan and Shu Hong were preparing medicine. Watching the steam rise from the medicine pot, Ji Lan fanned the fire and finally couldn’t help asking: “Shu Hong, why do you think Young Miss is doing this?”
Today’s events confused Ji Lan completely. Han Yan and Zhuo Qi weren’t exactly friends, yet today Zhuo Qi was inexplicably injured. Ji Lan didn’t believe Han Yan could have hurt Zhuo Qi like this, but Han Yan was usually a very rational person. In the past, she would have stayed as far away as possible from such situations, avoiding any connection with Zhuo Qi. But today her actions were unexpected – not only finding a doctor for Zhuo Qi but personally staying to care for him.
Thinking of this, she suddenly looked anxiously at Shu Hong and whispered: “Shu Hong, could it be that Young Miss… has fallen for him?”
Shu Hong glared at her: “Don’t talk nonsense.” Such things couldn’t be said carelessly. If ill-intentioned people heard, it would cause huge trouble for Han Yan. Although Han Yan currently bore the title of a divorced woman, reasonable people knew the fault didn’t lie with her – the Xi Rong Princess had bullied her using her status, and the Xuan Qing Prince was in the wrong. Even if the Emperor issued an edict forcing Han Yan to leave, she would receive some compensation because she was blameless. But if, as Ji Lan suggested, Han Yan loved Zhuo Qi, and ill-intentioned people used this against her, the situation would be entirely different. The world was always lenient toward men but extremely harsh toward women. Therefore, Fu Yun Xi returning victorious from battle and marrying the Xi Rong Princess while neglecting his once-beloved Han Yan would be accepted. People would at most comment on the Xuan Qing Prince’s charm and briefly sympathize with Han Yan – who would remember her years later? There might even be romantic stories about the Da Zong Prince and Xi Rong Princess’s deep love. But if people learned Han Yan had fallen for Zhuo Qi, what would they say?
People would say the Zhuang family’s daughter was unfaithful, engaging in improper relations while still married, unclear, and impure. With such corrupted morals, she would be despised, cursed wherever she went, pointed at behind her back, and unable to hold her head high for life. People would say Fu Yun Xi chose wisely in selecting the Xi Rong Princess, and Han Yan deserved to be driven out. The Emperor, far from compensating her, would think she had disgraced the royal family and might even order her punishment. She would become a universally condemned sinner.
At Shu Hong’s words, Ji Lan realized she shouldn’t have spoken so hastily and fell silent, looking very dejected. But the more she thought about it, the more she believed she was right. After all, Zhuo Qi was an exceptional man. Besides his handsome appearance and martial prowess, his status as Xi Rong Prince was significant.
He might even become Xi Jinping’s ruler in the future. Although Xi Rong and Da Zong had been enemies, with a princess now married for peace, they wouldn’t likely break relations soon. Ji Lan also felt that Zhuo Qi’s bearing and manner indicated he was no ordinary person – he might achieve great things in the future. If he truly ended up with Han Yan, Xi Rong would become even more formidable.
The more Ji Lan thought about it, the more convinced she became that Young Miss liking Zhuo Qi was right. Honestly, Fu Yun Xi’s dramatic change in attitude toward Han Yan had chilled the hearts of all their servants. They knew better than anyone how much hardship Han Yan had endured since childhood.
They had thought Fu Yun Xi was caring, but who could have expected him to present such a “gift” at Han Yan’s coming-of-age ceremony? While Ji Lan didn’t know Shu Hong’s thoughts, she had felt indignant on Han Yan’s behalf from that moment, angry at Fu Yun Xi’s cold-heartedness. Now that such an exceptional man had appeared in Han Yan’s life, Ji Lan hoped they would get together if only to give Fu Yun Xi a taste of his own medicine.