Fu Yun Xi’s eyes flashed as he silently watched Han Yan, who remained as composed as ever, seemingly unbothered by the whole affair.

“How could my royal brother possibly be with you?” Yi Lin Na demanded.

“Simple. Because I saved him,” Han Yan replied coldly. “While Your Highness lives so happily, don’t forget this is Da Zong, where anything can happen. Those who targeted your brother today could do the same to you tomorrow.” She smiled slightly, her expression frank, as if finally reaching a decision: “As for me, I’ll be taking my leave.”

“What are you planning?” Unexpectedly, it was the silent Fu Yun Xi who spoke, his gaze cold and deep, carrying an indescribable emotion that made one’s heart tremble.

Han Yan smiled casually: “I’m going back, My Prince.”

Fu Yun Xi’s gaze shifted, watching her impassively. Han Yan smiled faintly: “Originally, I planned to wait for the imperial edict before leaving, but I’ve changed my mind.”

Yi Lin Na was stunned at first. She’d thought Han Yan had come to cause trouble, but instead, she proposed leaving Prince Xuan Qing’s mansion – exactly what Yi Lin Na wanted. Surprised at Han Yan’s apparent sensibility, she said: “That’s perfect. It saves having an outsider here disturbing the Prince’s and my romance.”

Han Yan nodded slightly and turned to leave. Her steps weren’t hurried but steady, her frail figure appearing unusually determined. Watching from the side, Mu Feng felt as if Han Yan was walking out of their lives forever, never to return. He anxiously glanced back at Fu Yun Xi, only to see him staring at Han Yan’s retreating figure, a fleeting trace of sorrow in his eyes that vanished instantly, though Mu Feng caught it. He looked at Fu Yun Xi puzzled, wondering what was going on with the Prince.

After Han Yan’s shadow completely disappeared, Yi Lin Na went to Ling Lang’s side and frowned: “How stupid, you couldn’t handle even a small matter and let her catch you instead. It seems you can’t stay by my side anymore.”

Ling Lang was startled and quickly pleaded: “Princess, please forgive this servant just this once. I’ll never dare do it again.”

Yi Lin Na snorted coldly, then seeing Fu Yun Xi hurried to his side and grabbed his arm: “She’s finally gone. Now the mansion will be peaceful.”

Fu Yun Xi pulled his arm from her grasp and said coldly: “Don’t act on your own in the future.”

His tone was decidedly unfriendly. Yi Lin Na, angered, laughed instead: “What do you mean? Seeing her leave makes you unhappy, doesn’t it? Do you want to chase after her? But she spent the entire night with my brother last night. Do you still want such a fickle woman? Doesn’t your Da Zong value chastity and propriety the most…”

“Silence.” Fu Yun Xi cut her off. Yi Lin Na froze, meeting his ice-cold gaze: “This mansion isn’t yours to command.”

Yi Lin Na stamped her foot. Though frightened, she remained defiant. Earlier in the study, she had deliberately spoken to keep Han Yan out, but Fu Yun Xi had strongly opposed it. If not for… if not for… She suddenly raised her head: “Don’t forget, if it weren’t for me… you…”

“Mu Feng,” Fu Yun Xi directly interrupted her. “Escort the Princess back to her room.” Then he left abruptly.

He disappeared too quickly, leaving behind a trembling Yi Lin Na and a helpless Mu Feng. Mu Feng now felt even more dissatisfied with Yi Lin Na. How could such a troublemaking, a pampered princess who knew nothing of life’s hardships be worthy of the Prince? Young Lady Zhuang was better – quietly handling everything with capability. Indeed, people truly couldn’t be compared.

When Han Yan left, Ji Lan and Shu Hong had just finished packing. Han Yan looked around the room she’d lived in for a year. This room was so familiar to her, a place where she’d felt safe, free from her malicious stepmother and scheming father. Yet when she moved in, she hadn’t expected to move out so soon. Habits were dangerous things – when changes came to familiar people and things, they were hard to accept.

Ji Lan watched Han Yan carefully. She’d expected Han Yan to show some reluctance and sadness when leaving. Nothing frightened Ji Lan more than seeing Han Yan sad – it hurt her more than her sorrow. But Han Yan merely gazed quietly at everything in the room, showing nostalgia but no reluctance.

Shu Hong secretly approved. Her mistress was someone who knew when to hold on and when to let go. If something wasn’t worth it, she wouldn’t waste emotions on it. However good the Prince Xuan Qing’s mansion might be, once it changed and no longer offered warmth to her mistress, what harm was there in discarding it? There was no need for others’ charity – happiness should be earned by oneself.

Han Yan thought for a moment, then took out the blue jade fishtail hairpin from her sleeve and placed it on the table. This item should be returned to him.

“Miss, if we return like this, the Master…” Ji Lan worried. Everyone knew how nasty the rumors about Han Yan were – an unchaste divorced woman would be pointed at in the streets. Zhuang Shi Yang cared most about-face, and Han Yan had brought him enormous shame. He must hate her. Moreover, Concubine Mei and the Zhou sisters had met tragic ends because of Han Yan. Whatever the case, Zhuang Shi Yang wouldn’t take Han Yan’s side. It was as if Han Yan had bullied two women by his side to such an extent – he wouldn’t miss this chance to strike hard at Han Yan. Outsiders might not know, but Ji Lan and Shu Hong knew clearly that Zhuang Shi Yang treated Han Yan not like a daughter, but as a born enemy. Life in the Zhuang mansion might not be better than in Prince Xuan Qing’s mansion.

“What’s to fear?” Han Yan laughed at Ji Lan’s worried expression. “If we don’t fear the Xi Rong Princess, why fear him? After all, his official rank can’t compare to a princess’s.”

“But Miss,” Ji Lan was confused. “Didn’t you just say Xi Rong was merely a defeated nation and the Princess just a gift? Why do you now speak as if she’s so precious?”

Ji Lan always believed Han Yan’s words completely, so she’d taken Han Yan’s earlier speech to Ling Lang as truth. But a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. Those earlier words only worked because Yi Lin Na and Ling Lang didn’t understand Da Zong’s situation. Xi Rong was indeed a defeated nation, and by exploiting their mindset, Han Yan had made them believe her words, thinking the Xi Rong Princess was nothing in Da Zong. But how could they know that the current Xi Rong was somewhat feared by Da Zong? A year-long military stalemate proved Xi Jinping’s considerable strength. Marriage alliances existed precisely because the nations’ powers were comparable. If Da Zong truly had the power to completely defeat Xi Rong, they wouldn’t have accepted these terms. Therefore, in the current situation, the bigger picture has to be considered. The Emperor wouldn’t truly treat Yi Lin Na as a defeated nation’s gift but would treat her well instead.