Yuan Lian’s father had broken no law, and since Chao Ning was not a native of Tan, he used the pretext of marrying Yuan Lian to demand that her father prepare a dowry for her.
The Yuan family had long fallen into poverty, left with only two estates. Chao Ning possessed tokens of his identity—he was a prince of Dang Kingdom and a cousin of the current Empress. Their daughter had been fortunate enough to save him, and now he had taken a liking to her. The Yuan family was terrified of failing to secure such a noble son-in-law—even as a concubine it would be a great honor. They hastily sent Yuan Lian over.
Yuan Lian’s father reluctantly ceded one estate and half the family’s remaining assets as her dowry.
Chao Ning had the estate transferred to Yuan Lian’s name and told her to wait there for marriage. He would return after paying his respects at court and take her back to Dang to wed.
This made it clear he had no interest in their property. The Yuan family celebrated, treating him as an honored guest.
Chao Ning personally escorted Yuan Lian and her mother to the estate.
“Now you and your mother have a place of your own. In my opinion, quietly sell the estate during this time, take your mother, and go somewhere they can’t find you…”
Yuan Lian kept her head lowered, daintily wiping her tears. Before Chao Ning could finish speaking, she began to undo her clothes—startling him so much he yelped and hastily pulled them back up: “Good heavens! What are you doing?”
Yuan Lian sneered inwardly. Men were all the same—no matter how upright they pretended to be, they were all fickle, lecherous creatures.
Someone of his status would never truly marry her. At best, he’d set her up somewhere as a kept woman.
To a man, what you couldn’t have was what you’d remember. The more challenging, the more prized. If she offered herself willingly, fawning over him with tender affection for a while, he’d tire of her within days and forget her by the time he returned home.
Yuan Lian wiped her tears and said with delicate vulnerability: “My feelings for Your Highness are true—as clear as the sun and moon. Do you find me unworthy? I seek no title—I only wish to stay by your side. You are the kindest person to me, besides my mother. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Oh—well—you…” Chao Ning was flustered. This was the first time he’d heard such a heartfelt confession.
It was like a dream: a beautiful, gentle, pitiful girl abused by her stepmother saved him; he helped her escape her father and stepmother’s clutches; and now they were in love, pledging their devotion to each other. It was perfect—like a story.
Yuan Lian lifted her head, her tear-moistened eyes glistening like freshly peeled lychees, full of tender longing as she gazed at him. Her soft hands rested on his shoulders.
Chao Ning’s heart pounded again.
Yuan Lian was so fragile, so pitiful, so devoted to him—she couldn’t live without him. How could he just abandon her?
Seeing him dazed, Yuan Lian thought her guess was right. She looped her arms around his neck and leaned in slowly.
Her lips had barely brushed his when Chao Ning pushed her away: “Wait, wait, wait—hold on… I’ll give you an answer. You really don’t have to do this.”
He tightened her clothes again, sniffled, and said: “Take care of yourself. I’ll come back for you.”
Then he pecked her on the cheek and ran off, leaving Yuan Lian standing there, hand on her face, stunned.
She unconsciously touched her chest—her heart was beating fast.
Chao Ning arrived safely in Fengye. Jiang Nong once again hosted a welcome banquet for him at Xuan Shi Hall.
Yu Lingxin was just as sour-faced with Chao Ning as before. Chao Ning assumed he’d grown more reserved over the past year. After studying them carefully, he said approvingly: “You both look better. Last year your face was pale as a ghost—it startled me. Now you’ve got some color. Nongnong has filled out a bit too.”
Yu Lingxin sneered, thinking Chao Ning’s words carried hidden meaning. Jiang Nong pinched him several times under the table, glaring at him—did he think everyone was as sharp-tongued as him?
As for Chao Ning saying Yu Lingxin looked healthier—Jiang Nong saw him every day and hadn’t noticed.
Yu Lingxin, after all that pinching, barely managed a sinister smile at Chao Ning.
Chao Ning went on chatting, telling amusing stories from Dang—it was endless. Yu Lingxin propped his chin and listened as Chao Ning talked about being bitten while chasing a dog in the east, to being knocked into the water by an ox while playing his flute in the west. Jiang Nong laughed until tears came, pounding the table and grabbing his sleeve to wipe her eyes. She asked: “Why aren’t you laughing? Isn’t it funny?”
Yu Lingxin’s face was dark as a pot bottom. He pulled his sleeve from her grasp, refusing to let her use it.
“A Xin has grown reserved—he doesn’t laugh much now. Come to think of it, he never really laughed much before.” Chao Ning waved his hand, making excuses for Yu Lingxin.
Yu Lingxin gritted his teeth, staring at Jiang Nong’s laughing, flushed face.
She was never this happy with him. No wonder she liked Chao Ning—Chao Ning was articulate, could make her laugh. Unlike him, who never said anything she wanted to hear, right?
Chao Ning seemed to have an endless stream of talk. Unable to bear it, Yu Lingxin tapped the table, drawing attention, forcibly suppressing his jealousy. He tried his best to make his actions seem not driven by jealousy: “It’s getting late. We still have serious matters to discuss.”
Chao Ning quickly steered the conversation back, clapping his hands: “Right, right, right—as always, A Xin is so thorough.”
The matter concerned the assassination attempt on Chao Ning. No assassins were taken alive. Wei Xiao examined the bodies and determined that two different groups were responsible.
Chao Ning’s life was quite valuable.
News of the attack on Chao Ning was kept under wraps. Yu Lingxin had probed the envoys of other states. The only thing certain was that one of the groups was connected to Song Kingdom.
The Song envoy had secretly sent word back to his kingdom—likely some move was imminent.
These past few days, the Dang envoys had all appeared restless and distracted. Coupled with deliberate rumors spread by Jiang Nong and Yu Lingxin, whispers circulated privately that Chao Ning had already been assassinated, or that his whereabouts were unknown.
“Stay in the palace for now and don’t reveal your whereabouts,” Jiang Nong instructed him.
No matter how carefree Chao Ning was, he understood the gravity of the situation. He nodded repeatedly.
“Song Kingdom’s intentions are clear as day. To launch troops, they need a just cause—and I am that cause. Once they and my father join forces to attack Tan, Jin Kingdom won’t sit idly by either—they’ll want a share of the spoils. Your position will be dangerous.” He frowned as he spoke.
“In my opinion, you shouldn’t come anymore after this.” Yu Lingxin had barely spoken when Jiang Nong pinched him hard.
Chao Ning took it as genuine concern and patted his chest in assurance: “Brother, I know you mean well, but I miss you both terribly—it’s so rare to see you. Don’t worry, I’ll bring plenty of guards next time.”
Yu Lingxin genuinely couldn’t tell anymore whether Chao Ning was truly naive or simply pretending.
The three of them chattered on until nearly the Zi hour. Chao Ning brushed the fruit peels from his clothes, rose to take his leave—then slapped his forehead as he remembered that in all the evening’s talk, he’d forgotten the most important thing: “I might be getting married.”
Jiang Nong and Yu Lingxin reacted very differently.
“Whose daughter? How did you meet? How old is she?” Jiang Nong’s eyes lit up—she wanted nothing more than to call him back and chat more.
Yu Lingxin, on the other hand, darkened visibly—though he was hidden in shadow, Chao Ning couldn’t see.
His tone turned cold, carrying a note of uncertain disbelief: “You’re getting married?”
Chao Ning scratched his head, a little embarrassed: “It’s a long story. During the assassination attempt, I met a girl—she saved me.” He was too shy to say more. “Once it’s really settled, I’ll write to you. It’s late—you two should rest.”
With that, he waved and left Xuan Shi Hall under Tongye’s escort.
Jiang Nong waved back, already mentally calculating what wedding gifts to send. She turned around—and walked straight into Yu Lingxin’s heavy, dark gaze.
It held cold fury.
She wondered if she’d misread him. Yu Lingxin had always been hostile toward Chao Ning—logically, shouldn’t he be thrilled that Chao Ning was getting married? His rival would be gone.
Why did he look so displeased instead?
She could understand if she felt a twinge of something—given that she and Chao Ning had once been married. But what right did Yu Lingxin have to be upset? It was as if his beloved were marrying someone else.
“If you have any objections to Chao Ning’s marriage, tell me now—I’ll settle it with you tonight.” She poked his chest teasingly as she walked into the hall.
Yu Lingxin followed behind her. After a long silence, he said: “Why should Chao Ning marry someone else?”
Every time Chao Ning showed up, Yu Lingxin threw a fit—it was rather amusing. Jiang Nong couldn’t help teasing him: “Then have him marry me instead? How generous of you.”
Yu Lingxin sneered: “Since you won’t let me kill Chao Ning, surely I can kill the woman? You’ve never met her—you wouldn’t have any attachment to her.”
Jiang Nong thought he was joking. What—he’d remained chaste for her in his previous life, and now he expected Chao Ning to do the same?
That was far too tyrannical—interfering in someone else’s affairs.
Would he kill every woman Chao Ning tried to marry?
It was like… a cruel yet dutiful first wife. If her husband’s concubine loved someone else, and she couldn’t kill the concubine, she’d kill the concubine’s lover instead—cleaning up her husband’s loose ends.
Jiang Nong soon realized Yu Lingxin wasn’t joking. The next day, he actually sent men to Wen County to investigate—and eliminate the woman Chao Ning had mentioned.
When Jiang Nong heard, she was so startled she nearly jumped. She rushed to call the men back.
She pointed at her own head and looked at Yu Lingxin: “Is there something wrong with you—up here?”
Yu Lingxin hadn’t even risen yet. He was draped in a loose black robe, his ink-black hair loose, leaning on the couch—his pale face framed by dark temples, giving him an eerie, almost demonic beauty. He propped his chin, twirling a hairpin in his hand, and after a moment said dismissively: “I think I’m perfectly right. Even if Chao Ning can’t marry you in this life, he’s not allowed to marry anyone else either.”
Jiang Nong tapped his head: “You’re truly unwell. Can you stop meddling?”
Yu Lingxin gazed deep into her eyes—as if trying to see into her very soul. But all he found was an open, untroubled expression.
“You don’t feel jealousy? Bitterness?”
He’d thought Jiang Nong would care.
Jiang Nong wagged her finger: “I genuinely wish Chao Ning well.”
“Then your heart is truly magnanimous,” Yu Lingxin said with heavy sarcasm.
Far more magnanimous than his—he’d gladly tear Chao Ning to pieces.
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