"The word 'also' isn't quite accurate here. It should be said that she had her eyes on him long ago." Yan Zheng noticed a bit of oil at the corner of her lips and naturally took out a handkerchief to wipe it away.
Chu Ruoyan's mind was entirely occupied with thoughts of Princess Qingping, so she urged impatiently, "Hurry up and tell me, what exactly happened?"
It must be known that Princess Qingping was no ordinary woman. Though nominally the emperor's cousin, the two had grown up together, their bond surpassing that of siblings. When she was sent off to be married, the procession stretched for miles, with grand banquets lasting three days and nights—a spectacle even grander than a princess's wedding.
Yet no one could have predicted that the princess's consort would be short-lived, passing away after just a few days. At the time, the emperor had intended to annul the marriage outright, but Princess Qingping herself declared, "What does it matter whom I marry? If one man dies, I’ll just raise a whole new group of them." And so, the emperor relented.
If she truly had her sights set on Cao Yang now, he was in grave danger!
"This goes back to when he first took over the Ministry of Justice. At the time, Princess Qingping kept a retinue of male companions, and one of her favorites suddenly died under mysterious circumstances. The Ministry of Justice intervened—your uncle-in-law was the one assigned to investigate the case."
"It’s also his own fault for being too capable. Within just an hour, he uncovered the culprit—another of the princess’s companions, who had poisoned the favorite out of jealousy. This immediately caught Princess Qingping’s attention. That very afternoon, she went straight to the palace to request an imperial marriage decree, demanding that he become her new consort."
Chu Ruoyan blurted out, "The emperor didn’t agree?"
"Of course not. Ah-Yan, you’re letting worry cloud your judgment," Yan Zheng replied matter-of-factly.
Chu Ruoyan sensed something odd in his words, but she was too preoccupied to dwell on it. After a brief pause, she said, "You’re right. If a man were to marry a princess or a noblewoman, he wouldn’t be allowed to retain his official position. That’s why such matches are usually reserved for idle members of the imperial clan or merchants looking to buy prestige by offering up their sons."
Yan Zheng gave a slight nod. "Cao Yang rose from a seventh-rank official in the Orchid Terrace to the Ministry of Justice—his competence speaks for itself. How could the emperor bear to let him go as a mere consort? So he refused Princess Qingping, citing that the Cao Family had already given one son to marry a princess. He added that as long as it wasn’t a key minister, she could choose anyone else she pleased."
Chu Ruoyan exhaled in relief, then frowned again. "And Princess Qingping just accepted that?"
"Of course not. The very next day, she went to the Cao Family residence and demanded that Cao Yang resign from his post to become her consort."
Chu Ruoyan’s lips twitched. "I’m guessing Lord Cao didn’t agree…"
Yan Zheng’s eyes held a hint of approval. "Not only did he refuse, but his mother, Old Madam Cao, reportedly chased the princess out on the spot. She said the imperial family had already ruined one of her sons—did they now intend to take the eldest as well? She even declared that she was counting on Cao Yang to produce an heir to carry on the family line, and with the princess keeping so many men around, her body was surely too depleted to bear children…"
Chu Ruoyan burst into laughter.
That was exactly the kind of thing Old Madam Cao would say. Given her fiery temper, she wouldn’t hesitate to speak her mind even to a princess, let alone a noblewoman.
"Princess Qingping had never suffered such humiliation. She immediately swore that if Cao Yang didn’t marry for a day, she would wait a day; if he didn’t marry for ten years, she would wait ten. Even after a hundred years, she vowed his bones would be buried beside hers."
Chu Ruoyan felt a wave of disgust.
The imperial family always loved throwing their weight around. Princess Qingping likely didn’t even truly care for Cao Yang—she simply couldn’t bear the sting of rejection and was determined to drag both sides into an ugly standoff.
"I’ve never heard of this before. Was it suppressed to spare the imperial family’s dignity?"
Yan Zheng smiled. "Ah-Yan, you’re as sharp as ever."
Ah-Yan?
Chu Ruoyan shuddered at the sudden intimacy, but seeing his calm, earnest expression, she decided to let it pass. After all, it was just a name.
She averted her eyes awkwardly. "So all these years, Princess Qingping hasn’t given up, has she?"
"Indeed. Every family that ever considered a marriage alliance with Cao Yang eventually withdrew—except for two or three who persisted. But your uncle-in-law was wholly devoted to his duties and politely declined those matches as well."
Chu Ruoyan paused, then smiled faintly. "In that case, I ought to thank her. If not for Princess Qingping’s meddling, such a fine marriage would never have fallen into my aunt’s lap."
Yan Zheng chuckled. "You’re taking this rather well. Aren’t you worried that when Princess Qingping learns of your aunt’s engagement, she might retaliate in a fit of rage?"
Chu Ruoyan sighed. "If it comes to that, we’ll just have to deal with it as it comes… But," she narrowed her eyes at him, "how does the Marquis know all this so well?"
These were practically palace secrets—even her father hadn’t heard of them.
Yan Zheng coughed lightly and turned his head. "I have my sources. But for now—"
"Don’t worry, I was just curious. No need to explain, Marquis." Worried he might think she was probing, Chu Ruoyan changed the subject. "Are you still eating from this hotpot, Marquis?"
Yan Zheng glanced at the nearly empty, flavorless broth and shook his head.
Truthfully, he preferred his food much spicier.
Chu Ruoyan turned to call out, "Shopkeeper, please bring a partitioned box and pack up what’s left in our pot."
"You’re taking food to-go?" Yan Zheng immediately interjected. "No need for that—have a fresh batch prepared and delivered to the Duke of Chu's Mansion!"
The shopkeeper, eager to make another sale, enthusiastically agreed. Chu Ruoyan hastily waved her hands. "No, no, just the box is fine!" She lowered her voice to explain to Yan Zheng, "It’s not for me—it’s for a stray dog I took in, named Lucky…"
Yan Zheng was momentarily speechless.
He stopped the shopkeeper, then asked, "You… care for it that much?"
"It’s alright. Well-behaved and gentle, quite intelligent for an animal."
By then, their things were packed. Chu Ruoyan gave a slight curtsy. "Thank you for the information about Princess Qingping today, Marquis. Regarding Minister Gu, rest assured—I’ll send word as soon as there’s news."
With that, she left with Yulu in tow. The moment she was gone, Yan Zheng’s expression darkened.
Meng Yang approached and nearly jumped at the sight. "Young Master, did something happen?"
It made no sense—having a meal with Miss Chu should have put him in excellent spirits.
He’d changed outfits multiple times before leaving this morning…
Yan Zheng stared in the direction she’d gone, his gaze heavy. "After all this time, why is she still so… polite?"
Polite?
Was she?
Meng Yang blinked. "Perhaps Miss Chu is just courteous to everyone—I mean, she’s cultivated and considerate, so—"
Before he could finish, a light laugh cut through the air.
"So in her heart, you’re no different from anyone else."
Yan Zheng’s brow arched as his hand shot out.
A dagger flew from his sleeve, clashing against a golden folding fan with a sharp clang.
The fan’s owner snorted, withdrawing it with a flick of his wrist. Silver hair cascaded over crimson robes as none other than Young Master Lang took form.
Meng Yang instantly moved to shield Yan Zheng. "Young Master Lang, what’s the meaning of this?!"
The master of Bai Xiao Pavilion ignored him, strolling to a nearby table and pouring himself tea.
Only then did Meng Yang realize that the once-bustling Lucky Joy Inn was now deserted—even the shopkeeper had vanished.
Young Master Lang took a slow sip before speaking. "That day, you begged me to save her. I agreed, on one condition: that you would never see her again—"
His words halted abruptly, replaced by a surge of killing intent.
"Third Yan."
"You broke your promise."
