“You should still go see the Prince,” Mu Feng insisted. He regretted today’s situation and thought this might be the last way he could help Han Yan. If Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi could reconcile, wouldn’t everything be resolved?

Mu Feng was indeed rather simple-minded to have such naive thoughts. If things could be resolved by just talking with Fu Yun Xi, why wait until now? He would have spoken long ago. The problems between them weren’t just due to lack of communication.

However, Mu Feng’s words did remind Han Yan that although Fu Yun Xi hadn’t told her many things, she should still speak clearly with him. If Fu Yun Xi insisted on marrying Ai Lin Na or showed such intentions, once enough time passed and Han Yan completely lost hope, she would be let go.

And now, she was on the brink of losing hope.

“Let’s go,” she said to Mu Feng. He brightened and quickly led the way. While Ji Lan and Shu Hong went to pack, Mu Feng’s expression remained extremely awkward along the way. Perhaps he wanted to comfort Han Yan but knew he was in the wrong and didn’t know what to say. After a long while, he carefully asked: “Young Lady Zhuang… what happened last night? Did you stay with a strange man…” Mu Feng didn’t finish, just observing Han Yan’s expression.

Han Yan gave a cold laugh: “Haven’t you heard? The whole capital knows I spent the night with a strange man.”

“This can’t be true,” Mu Feng said seriously. “Young Miss isn’t that kind of person.” In his heart, Han Yan was someone who maintained her dignity. When the Prince first proposed marriage, she hadn’t immediately agreed, and there was no better man than the Prince in this world. If she kept her distance from the Prince, how could she be close to other men? Moreover, someone who demanded “one life, one marriage, no concubines or chamber maids” and valued faithfulness in relationships would surely be faithful herself.

“You think you know me so well?” Han Yan smiled, with indescribable coldness. “Even your master doesn’t understand me, so what do you know? What happened last night was true.”

Mu Feng froze, looking at Han Yan in disbelief as she walked ahead.

When they reached the study, just as Mu Feng was about to announce their presence, the guard outside stopped them. Mu Feng frowned and said: “I have something to report to the Prince.”

The guard probably meant no harm—Mu Feng outranked him, and usually was always laughing and joking. Who knew today he’d be full of anger, his expression dark and tone naturally confrontational. The guard said awkwardly: “The Prince ordered that no one is to enter… and also…”

Before he could finish, a crisp voice interrupted: “Oh, if it isn’t Young Lady Zhuang.”

Han Yan turned to see a brightly dressed, pretty maid looking at her with an uncontrollable smirk, her tone completely arrogant: “Our Princess is inside talking with the Prince. If Young Lady can’t wait, perhaps you should return later.” Han Yan looked at her calmly. She had long known that Fu Yun Xi’s study usually forbade others from entering. When she and Fu Yun Xi were close, he had specifically instructed the guards not to stop her. Occasionally, Han Yan would even see Fu Yun Xi’s good friend, General Cheng Lei, in the study, suggesting it was a place for discussing matters. Yet now Fu Yun Xi had allowed Ai Lin Na to enter—this was truly incomprehensible.

That maid was Lin Lang, Ai Lin Na’s attendant. She had always disliked Han Yan. Everyone in Western Rong knew of Ai Lin Na’s feelings for Fu Yun Xi, but then the Princess learned this woman was to become Prince Xuan Qing’s consort. If she had been a beauty, perhaps Ai Lin Na could have accepted it better, but this woman was utterly ordinary—there were far more beautiful women in Western Rong. Moreover, Lin Lang herself had long admired Fu Yun Xi. Although Great Song’s customs differed from Western Rong’s, if she could become a chambermaid, that would be quite good. For various reasons, Lin Lang naturally despised Han Yan, and her expression showed clear contempt.

She was determined to cut Han Yan down to size. However, Han Yan merely looked at her impassively, without showing a trace of anger. This made Lin Lang feel strange and angry. Western Rong women were outgoing and fiery—when angry, they would naturally fight with their opponent. Since coming to Great Song, she and Ai Lin Na had found the local women to be delicate flowers who would cry at the slightest provocation, making them easy to bully. But this Zhuang Han Yan—why didn’t she react to her words? Wasn’t it said that those who fall from high positions find it hardest to maintain calm, that they become depressed, angry, and resentful? Yet the woman before her showed not a trace of resentment.

Han Yan had certainly heard Lin Lang’s words, but they had no effect on her—Lin Lang’s only goal was to provoke her. But patience was something she had learned long ago while surviving in the Zhuang household. Compared to Concubine Mei and Madam Zhou, Lin Lang’s tactics weren’t worth her attention. What she cared about were the movements inside Fu Yun Xi’s study.

Mu Feng’s announcement and Lin Lang’s deliberate loud calling of her name should have been audible to those inside. Yet there was no sound of anyone rising to open the door. If Ai Lin Na hadn’t been there, that would be one thing, but since she was there and Fu Yun Xi wouldn’t open the door, the answer was obvious—the Western Rong Princess was preventing Fu Yun Xi from opening the door, intending to make things difficult for her.

Realizing this, Han Yan almost laughed. She calmly stared at the tightly closed door, finding that once she treated this situation like her battles for survival with the concubines and her father in the Zhuang household, there weren’t so many sad emotions. Because when immersed in the pleasure of “fighting” within the household, one could find their place. People couldn’t be weak—if someone urinated on your head, could you just endure it? Of course not.

Han Yan smiled slightly. Very well, they wanted to hold Fu Yun Xi back from opening the door. Then she would make them come out on their own.

Lin Lang, seeing that Han Yan was lost in thought and completely ignoring her, became exasperated and said to Han Yan: “Why aren’t you speaking? You’re so rude! No wonder the Prince doesn’t want you and is marrying our Princess instead!”

In Western Rong, Lin Lang’s words would have meant nothing, and even in the old Great Song, they would have meant nothing. But she had said them now, to Han Yan’s face. So nothing became something.

Mu Feng and the guard both looked uncertain and uncomfortable, but then they saw Han Yan ask with an ambiguous smile: “Mu Feng, you’ve been in the Prince’s mansion for many years. Let me ask you something.”

Mu Feng’s heart skipped a beat—when Han Yan asked like this, he was almost certain she was about to deal with someone. Although Lin Lang was detestable, how could she be a match for Han Yan? He respectfully looked at Han Yan: “What is it?”