"Ahem, let's get serious." Gu Dong sat up straight and straightened his expression.

"A letter has arrived from the capital, requesting that you all return home. Aren't you all turning eighteen next year?"

The palace is hosting a banquet so that you scions of noble families can get to know each other. As for the purpose of the banquet, you know what I mean.

He finished speaking with a mischievous look on his face.

Bei Yan lowered her head, and when she looked up again, her delicate face was full of heartache. "So, they're going to play matchmaker for us?"

Gu Dong patted Bei Yan on the shoulder, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Little Yan'er is so smart! She understands right away!"

"I'm going to have a wife?!" Shangguan Shu was the first to exclaim, his joy barely concealed.

Bei Yan and Shangguan Mu exchanged a knowing glance with Shangguan Shu: This guy has a really big heart.

Bei Yan was a bit overwhelmed. She hadn't forgotten when she was seven years old, when her silly emperor uncle told her to just marry any prince.

Although it was a joke, she more or less understood the underlying meaning; she had summoned the ancient divine beast, the phoenix.

The probability of an emperor's uncle marrying his daughter to a prince in order to consolidate his imperial power is extremely high.

As the saying goes, one cannot disobey the emperor's decree. What should I do if the emperor arranges another marriage for me this time?

Disobeying an imperial decree is a serious crime. It might be alright for me alone, but if it implicates the Duke of Jin's family, what will happen to my family?

Thinking of this, Bei Yan felt terrible, his face contorted with misery and dejection.

"What's wrong, Xiao Yan'er? With your status, it would be more than enough to arrange a prince's marriage for you. No matter how bad he is, you'll still be a prince's consort. Aren't you happy?"

The antique expert looked at his little apprentice's bitter face with great interest and asked a question out of curiosity.

Bei Yan felt tears welling up in her eyes, and looked at the antique with a bitter and resentful expression. "Master, can I not go?"

"?" "?" "?"

All three of them had the same question written on their faces: Why?

Bei Yan nervously twirled his fingers, and under the watchful eyes of the three, he hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

"Well, disciple, I already have someone I love."

Three people exclaimed "!" "!" "!"

Shangguan Shu was the first to lose his temper and started shouting loudly.

"Junior Sister, you have someone you like?! When did this happen? How come we didn't know?"

"Who is it? What brat dares to secretly kidnap my junior sister?!"

Shangguan Mu nodded vigorously, feeling indignant. The other man had actually run off with his junior sister behind his and his older brother's back. He promised not to go with his older brother to beat that brat to death!

Junlin, the person in question, was lazily perched on Bei Yan's shoulder. Upon hearing Shangguan Shu's words, he merely opened his cat eyes and glanced at him listlessly.

She closed her eyes again, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up: her little one said he was her sweetheart!

"Um, you don't know them." Bei Yan hesitated for a long time before finally saying this. She couldn't very well tell them...

This must be the cat on my shoulder. If I told them, these three would probably grab a pot and stew King's Landing.

The antique was the most composed. After looking at Bei Yan, who had his head down, for a while, his shrewd eyes narrowed slightly and a hint of a smile appeared on them.

"Little Yan'er, when do you plan to bring that brat over so your teacher and your two senior brothers can take a look?"

"We want to help you choose the right company so you don't get scammed and end up counting money for them, right?"