"What do you want to say to me?" Yu Tanqi leaned in Jiang Shi's arms. The boy's chest was broad and warm, which made her feel a little greedy.

She lowered her eyes, but her heart was beating wildly and she was very nervous.

Yu Tanqi knew that her current condition was not right, and Jiang Shi would definitely be able to see it, so there was no way he wouldn't ask her.

She wanted to escape, and she might be able to escape for a while, but she couldn't escape forever.

Jiang Shi's gentle voice sounded above her head: "What are you thinking about? Why are you so absent-minded? Is it because of Chi Li?"

He frowned slightly, as he had always been brooding over the fact that Chi Li had expressed his feelings to her.

"It's not because of him." Yu Tanqi said in a muffled voice.

"Why is that?"

Yu Tanqi didn't say anything.

Jiang Shi thought about it carefully and asked tentatively: "Is it because of the wedding banquet of His Highness today?"

Yu Tanqi pursed her lips but still said nothing.

Jiang Shi hugged her tightly and whispered softly, "Although the eldest prince is anxious to get married in order to bring good luck to His Majesty, he also wants to avoid complications. After all, the gap between Miss Bai and the eldest prince's status is too great. He is afraid that something unexpected will happen and he will not be able to marry Miss Bai home."

"I know."

She bit her soft lips, wanting to say something but stopping herself.

The boy held her tenderly, his big hands gently patting her back to comfort her.

"Your grandmother and I made an agreement that I could only marry you after I passed the imperial examination and secured the family fortune. Furthermore, when I first brought you to the capital, you were very weak and had been seriously injured on my behalf. Although I was extremely eager to marry you, I had to hold back and nurse you back to health before preparing for the imperial examinations.

I only hope that next year I can take part in the imperial examinations and pass them. Then I can marry you with great fanfare as my only wife."

Jiang Shi's voice was gentle but firm.

Yu Tanqi felt his heart pounding and a little panicked when he heard this.

"Why did you come to the Xie family in Chenjun to pick me up? Is it because I am your fiancée?" she suddenly asked.

Jiang Shi subconsciously opened his lips to answer yes, but suddenly he keenly realized something and swallowed the words back.

He vaguely realized that if he didn't answer well, there might be very bad consequences.

So he thought about it seriously and said carefully: "That is one reason, but there are other reasons. Tan Qi, I don't want to lie to you. You should remember that when I first corresponded with you, I told you that if you wanted to cancel the engagement, I would agree."

"Before you took the initiative to write to me, we had never met. I didn't know you, and you didn't know what kind of person I was. My mother died in childbirth, and my father died on the battlefield. Everyone said I was an ominous person. Only my grandmother raised me with great difficulty, but she died of illness when I was thirteen. Since then, I have been alone."

"My uncles coveted the title and property of the Marquisate. They appeared to be very caring towards me, but in reality, they were hiding daggers behind their smiles. I have always been weak and sickly, and it is thanks to them that I am able to survive. It is not easy.

I can't handle this on my own, let alone shoulder the responsibility of another innocent woman's life. So, even though I've known since childhood that I have a betrothed, I don't expect her to marry me. If I'm implicated, I'm afraid there will be endless trouble and danger in the future."

"At first, I thought you wrote to me to break off your engagement, but I never expected that not only did you not mention it, but you actually asked me how I'd been doing these past few years. From what I wrote, I could tell you were a kind and lovely girl, and I couldn't help but feel a little curious about you."

"But I know your maternal family actually doesn't approve of your marriage to me. I've thought about it. You'll already be of marriageable age by then. If the Xie family and you don't take the initiative to cancel the engagement, then I'll take the initiative and take all the responsibility. I won't delay you from finding another good match."

"But I never thought you would actually take the initiative to bring up the fulfillment of the engagement, and even boldly wrote to me, saying that you wanted to come to the capital to see me, cultivate our relationship, and get familiar with our future residence as soon as possible."

"I was very surprised, and I couldn't help but be even more curious about you, but I didn't dare to promise you rashly. Because of my situation at the time, if you really married me, it would not benefit you."

"But since you, a girl, have taken the initiative, how can I be so timid and shy as to not dare to respond directly? So I have come to the Xie family in Chen County, hoping to have a serious discussion with you and your grandmother about our marriage."

"The first time I saw you, I knew you were my betrothed. I never pay attention to other people's appearance, but when I saw you for the first time, I couldn't help but think, you really are just like your handwriting, seemingly delicate and gentle, but in fact, you are extremely bold and unique, no one can control you."

"It wasn't until I met your grandmother and all your maternal relatives that I realized there really were such kind and friendly relatives. They were all very kind to you. Your status in the Xie family was no less than that of a legitimate daughter, and they raised you very well.

"I also know that they actually don't agree with your marriage to me. Although the title and reputation of the Wu'an Marquisate are great, after all, my parents are both orphaned, and I have been frail and sickly since childhood, so I am not a good match.

The Xie family of Chen County is a century-old family, and your father is Lord Yu, the Second Rank Governor of the River. He only has you as his daughter, and he treats you as his most precious jewel. With such a noble status, it is natural that there will be a man better than me to match you.

Having said that, Jiang Shi's palm tightened slightly.

"But these were my previous thoughts. As a man, how could I let a woman firmly stick to her engagement without taking any action?

Since you trusted me so much and chose me, I naturally cannot let you down. So I promise your grandmother that if I can marry you, I will treat you like a treasure, just like my father and mother, and I will cherish you in every possible way. I will never let you suffer any grievances or harm, and I will ensure you a life of happiness and freedom from worry."

The boy's voice was gentle and firm. From beginning to end, he was so serious and gentle to her that no one could find any fault with him.

Yu Tanqi naturally heard that Jiang Shi's words were sincere and came from the bottom of his heart, and his heart was touched.

However, as I was touched, I became more and more uneasy.

The Xie family of Chenjun and Lord Yu, the second-rank governor of the river, who he mentioned, are not hers.

Even the marriage that was arranged between them was not hers.

None of it is hers.

These all belonged to the original owner.

She just happened to be called Yu Tanqi, so she accidentally became "her" after the original owner died.

He chose to come to the Xie family in Chenjun and bring her to the capital because of his childhood engagement with the original owner.

The first person he wanted to bring to the capital was his fiancée.

But she was not actually his fiancée.

Yu Tanqi felt empty in her heart, and she subconsciously let go of Jiang Shi's hand and wanted to push him away.