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Chu Chanyin's gaze fell on her, his voice devoid of emotion, "Cousin, don't you mind? I originally thought you didn't want anyone to know about the engagement."

"Why do you say that, cousin?" Zhao Youyi asked, puzzled, with a half-smile. "To me, cousin is my savior who saved me from dire straits. In a sense, this marriage is my talisman."

She spoke so directly that Chu Chanyin was momentarily at a loss for words. After a long while, he couldn't help but laugh: "My cousin is indeed broad-minded."

The waiter came in and asked what dishes they wanted to order. After Zhao Youyi named a few of his favorite dishes, he looked at Chu Chanyin and asked, "Cousin, what dishes do you like to eat?"

"I'd like a crab meat lion's head meatball and a steamed sea bass," Chu Chanyin casually ordered after hearing the waiter read out the menu.

The private room had an excellent location, with a view of the bustling street outside the window. It was midday, the sun was shining brightly, and the frost and snow were melting slightly. Zhao Youyi asked someone to bring up the osmanthus wine he had stored there.

"This wine was brewed by my brother and me before he went to war." Zhao Youyi's tone was a mix of nostalgia and sigh. Sadness is useless in the face of things that have already been decided, but she still couldn't help but think of Zhao Youli.

Chu Chanyin reached out and patted her shoulder through her clothes. "Don't be too sad. Brother Nianling missed you the most when he was alive. Every letter he wrote was full of concern for you. He certainly didn't want you to be too sad."

Hearing him mention the letter, Zhao Youyi's eyes flickered slightly. "May I see the letter my brother wrote to my cousin?"

Chu Chanyin hesitated, because the letter was probably written when Zhao Youli was seriously ill, and it was still stained with Zhao Youli's blood. He was afraid that Zhao Youyi would be even more heartbroken if she read it.

But faced with Zhao Youyi's gaze, he couldn't utter a single word of refusal.

"I'll send someone to fetch it." Chu Chanyin sighed and patted her shoulder again.

When the dishes were served, the two remained silent as they ate, when suddenly there was a light knock on the door.

The two looked at each other, and Chu Chanyin frowned slightly. The Chu Prince's Mansion was not close to here, and Shadow Six could not be that fast.

"Who?" Zhao Youyi asked, putting down her chopsticks.

"Sister Zhao, it's me." It was Gu Zeyu who knocked on the door. He had originally planned to come to Yuxiao Tower to drink his fill, but he was surprised to hear the waiter say that a regular customer, Miss Zhao, had also come. For some reason, he still knocked on the door.

Zhao Youyi waved to Xiao Qing, signaling her to open the door.

Gu Zeyu turned pale when he saw the Prince of Chu inside the room. "Greetings, Your Highness."

Chu Chanyin nodded, glancing at Zhao Youyi to ask if he needed to leave.

Zhao Youyi hesitated. She had never dealt with such a situation before. Chu Chanyin was now her fiancé. Although the engagement was not entirely legitimate, it didn't seem right for her to be alone in a room with a man who was interested in her while her fiancé was away.

Seeing her hesitation, Chu Chanyin smiled and said considerately, "I'll go ask the cook here if he'd like to go to Virginia with us."

"Thank you, Brother Cong." Zhao Youyi smiled shyly.

Chu Chanyin stood up and walked step by step toward the door. Just as the two were about to pass each other, he looked at Gu Zeyu with sharp eyes and raised his eyebrows slightly, which made Gu Zeyu's heart skip a beat.

After Chu Chanyin left, Zhao Youyi's expression returned to calm. "Xiao Qing, serve tea to Young Master Gu."

Hearing her address so formally, Gu Zeyu felt a dull pain in his heart. "Sister Zhao, we have known each other for many years. Even if you are engaged, you can still call me Brother Gu."

Zhao Youyi lowered his eyes. "What brings you here, Brother Gu?"

"Sister Zhao, do you like the King of Chu? If you don't..." Gu Zeyu's voice was urgent, his eyes fixed on her, afraid of missing her expression.

But her expression remained unchanged as she calmly took a sip of tea. "Brother, I am not one to indulge in romantic feelings. What I want can only be given by the King of Chu."

“I can give it to you too!” Gu Zeyu tried to tug at her sleeve, but the two were too far apart, so far that even the gaze she gave him was so cold.

“You can’t give me what I want.” Zhao Youyi shook her head, her eyes filled with unreadable emotions, and said sternly, “I want to avenge my brother, I want peace and tranquility in the world, I want to overthrow this chaotic world. I can’t be a virtuous and gentle wife. Brother, you should find another good man.”

Gu Zeyu is the eldest son of the Gu family's direct line. His wife, even if she is not virtuous and gentle, would be confined to the backyard for the rest of her life. She is not capable of doing such a thing.

Upon hearing her shocking remarks, Gu Zeyu was at a loss for words, and the room fell silent.

There was another light knock on the door, and a clear, magnetic voice said, "Cousin, it's getting late. I'll take you home."

Zhao Youyi stood up and walked towards the door. Gu Zeyu spoke up, "Sister Zhao, I'm willing. I can give up being the heir."

Just then, Chu Chanyin opened the door. The two looked at each other, and Chu Chanyin raised an eyebrow, as if to say that he had come at an inopportune time.

Zhao Youyi didn't turn around, her voice devoid of emotion: "But I'm not willing. I don't need anyone to sacrifice for me."

The two walked out of the room, and after they had gone some distance, Chu Chanyin spoke up: "I asked the cooks here, and they all don't want to go too far from home, which is understandable. However, I got the recipes for your favorite dishes, so you can still eat your hometown food when you get to Florida."

Zhao Youyi nodded. "Cousin, thank you."

Chu Chan smiled faintly as he took out the letter and handed it to her, saying, "I've brought the letter."

Zhao Youyi reached out to take the letter, her fingertips trembling uncontrollably, so much so that she touched his fingertips.

The warm touch felt completely unfamiliar.

Zhao Youyi turned her head to look at him, but before she could say anything, Chu Chanyin quickly withdrew his hand.

Walking down the street, recalling the awkward scene just now, Zhao Youyi felt a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, cousin. I didn't know he would come. I disturbed your meal."

"It's nothing." Chu Chanyin's smile remained gentle and proper. "If it were a peaceful and prosperous time, Young Master Gu would still be considered a good man. At least he truly loves you."

Zhao Youyi didn't respond. She didn't have any feelings about Gu Zeyu and didn't want to discuss the topic. Fortunately, Chu Chanyin didn't insist on bringing it up.

As the two arrived at the General's Mansion, the snow began to fall again. Chu Chanyin reached out to catch the cold snowflakes, saying, "Snow is rarely seen in Fuzhou, but the snow in Shenjing is beautiful."

His fair and slender fingers gently caressed the snowflakes. The temperature of the melting snowflakes turned his fingers a pale red. When he wasn't smiling, his expression was cold and aloof, making people want to look for his smile.

Zhao Youyi was momentarily lost in thought, captivated by Chu Chanyin's beauty, until she snapped out of it when Chu Chanyin called her again.

"Cousin, what's wrong?" Zhao Youyi stared at him blankly.

Chu Chanyin couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. "I said, remember to drink some ginger soup when you get back, so you don't catch a cold."

"Why did you suddenly freeze? Is it because it's too cold?" Chu Chanyin glanced at her clothes. "Go back quickly."

Zhao Youyi nodded quickly, not wanting to admit that she had been staring at him in a daze.

Watching her lift her skirt and enter the general's mansion, Chu Chanyin turned and left.

Back in her room, Zhao Youyi took out the letter. As the servants withdrew one by one, she slowly unfolded the letter, her fingers trembling uncontrollably.

To my dear brother Huai Cong:

My sister, Niaoniao, is often sickly and thoughtful. She lost her mother at a young age, leaving only her father and brother. In this chaotic and famine-stricken age, her father has already died in battle, and my days are numbered. I know that my brother is a man of great talent and ability, and will surely achieve great things. My only worry is for Niaoniao. In these difficult times, my sister is all alone and may not be able to survive. I only wish that my brother would protect Niaoniao and cherish her!

"Brother Zhao Youli's Last Words"

Looking at the mottled bloodstains on the letter, Zhao Youyi saw that Zhao Youli's handwriting was usually excellent, but this letter was written hastily with many ink spots, and she was moved to tears.

She couldn't help but place the thin letter to her chest and slowly sit down on the couch.

The short letter was filled with worries about her future. She couldn't bear to imagine Zhao Youli writing this letter while suffering from illness. How could she not hate him?

The general's mansion sped up the packing process. In the past few days, Zhao Youyi met with her close girlfriends. The girls held hands and looked at each other with tears in their eyes. At that moment, it was futile to say anything, so they could only hug each other and cry.

Gu Qiyu cried the hardest, "Nianwan, take good care of yourself when you go to Virginia. Eat on time and don't be too sad."

Zhao Youyi nodded with tears in her eyes, and the other girls also gave her careful instructions.

Unfortunately, they lived in a chaotic world and dared not say they would see Zhao Youyi again. The capital and Fuzhou were thousands of miles apart, so they could only consider this their last meeting.

Just as Zhao Youyi and his entourage were about to leave the capital, Liu Feng'an was being relentlessly pursued by Princess Fu'an.

Since the imperial decree of marriage was issued, Liu Feng'an had mixed feelings. He and Liu Zhimo were not much different in age and had been close since childhood. Now, his beloved sister was to replace the princess in a marriage alliance with the Southern Barbarians, while the princess became his fiancée.

He was at a loss for how to face Princess Fu'an.

Should we blame her? But she was just a young girl who had just come of age. It was understandable that she didn't want to be married off to the Southern Barbarians. The Southern Barbarians were in a remote area, far from the capital. If she married them, she might never be able to return in this lifetime.

But what about his sister? If the princess doesn't want to sacrifice herself, does that mean his innocent sister has to be sacrificed? The emperor is licentious and tyrannical, and he agreed to outrageous marriage proposals for the sake of tribute. The beneficiaries are not the Liu family, nor Liu Zhiming, but now Liu Zhiming is being forced into a marriage alliance.

“Princess, I am but a lowly official and cannot bear your great favor. Please rescind your order.” Liu Feng’an bowed to Princess Fu’an with an icy expression.

For the past few days, Princess Fu'an has been coming to the Hanlin Academy to wait for him. His colleagues look at him with meaningful eyes. His superiors have called him over for a talk. First, they marvel at his talent in writing, and then they ask him to hand over his work to others as soon as possible.

Princess Fu'an was very displeased upon hearing this. "Liu Feng'an! What are you saying? It's an honor for me to make you my consort. Don't be so ungrateful!"

She was spoiled and always got whatever she wanted, so she naturally didn't see anything wrong with having a daughter of an official marry in her place.

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng'an's expression turned even colder. He knelt down and said, "Your Highness is a daughter of heaven, a golden branch and jade leaf. I dare not presume to be worthy of such a position. Please, Your Highness, rescind your decree!"

Princess Fu'an, seeing that he remained unrepentant, drew her whip and lashed it across his body. "You! You don't know what's good for you!"

"Fu'an." A cold female voice came, and Liu Feng'an, who was kneeling on the ground enduring the whipping, saw the blue-clad woman come to his side.

"Aunt." Princess Fu'an quickly put away her whip upon seeing her.

The visitor was the late emperor's youngest sister, Princess Yulang. The late emperor doted on this younger sister during his reign, probably because their mothers were from the same clan and were close friends. Princess Yulang's mother had passed away early, so Princess Yulang was taken to the palace of the late emperor's mother to be raised.

"How dare you beat an official of the imperial court?" Princess Yulang's expression was cold, her gaze fixed on Princess Fu'an.

Princess Fu'an pouted, looking aggrieved: "He talked back to me first!"

Princess Yulang naturally didn't believe her, "That won't do either."

"Is there anything wrong, sir? My maid has already gone to fetch the imperial physician." Princess Yulang instructed her guards to help Liu Feng'an up.

Liu Feng'an could only shake his head and thank the princess for her kindness.

The King of Chu had spies all over the capital, so he naturally couldn't miss what happened at the Hanlin Academy. Chu Chanyin, who was playing chess alone, held a black piece in one hand and a white piece in the other. After listening to Yingyi's report, he picked up a chess piece.

"Go and talk to Liu Feng'an about cooperation. If he is willing to serve me, I can make sure that my sister doesn't marry into the Southern Barbarian tribe." Chu Chanyin's tone was very calm, but Ying Liu was surprised when he heard this.

"Hmm?" Chu Chanyin looked at Ying Liu.

Ying Liu tried hard to suppress his curiosity, but under Chu Chanyin's sharp gaze, he couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, I'm really curious, are you going to marry the Liu family's daughter as well?"

Chu Chanyin: ...?

Chu Chanyin threw a chess piece at him, "What nonsense are you spouting! We'll just kidnap the marriage procession when the time comes, why would I marry her?"

"Then why did you marry Miss Zhao?" Ying Liu became even more curious after hearing his question.

Chu Chanyin really didn't want to answer him, so he waved his hand and told Yingyi to take Yingliu out.