Zhao Moyan regretted it as soon as he and the princess got into the carriage. What was he doing?! Was he sulking?! But he couldn't get out of the carriage immediately. When they arrived at Lihu Lake, they got out and walked around the shore for a while. The cold wind from the lake blew in their faces, and the princess shivered from the cold, but she didn't dare to say anything, afraid that Zhao Moyan would leave. She could only wrap her cloak tighter and continue walking around the lake with Zhao Moyan. The maids following behind them were also shivering from the cold. Seeing them like this, Zhao Moyan lost interest and went to a nearby restaurant.

As soon as she sat down in the private room, the princess felt much warmer and asked with a smile, "Brother Moyan, I've heard that the food here is delicious. Today I finally have the chance to try it with you."

"As long as the princess is happy."

"Waiter, bring out all your best dishes," the princess instructed the restaurant owner.

“Princess, you’ve ordered so much. The two of us probably can’t finish it.” Zhao Moyan remembered how Tian Yu always complained about him wasting food, and he spoke up to stop her.

"It's alright, as long as Brother Moyan likes it." The princess looked at Zhao Moyan happily and said.

"If the princess likes it, that's all that matters!" Zhao Moyan stopped trying to stop her.

After a long silence, the princess smiled as she looked at Zhao Moyan. Zhao Moyan didn't speak either, just drank his tea. Suddenly, the princess, lost in thought, spoke up: "Brother Moyan only feels guilty towards Tian Yu, he doesn't like her, right?"

"Why does the princess say that?"

"I heard from the servants that when Tian Yu left the Marquis's residence that Brother Mo Yan did not see her off. And today, Tian Yu also went to the Marquis's residence, but Brother Mo Yan still chose to come out with me. So, Brother Mo Yan still likes Ling'er, right?"

"I think the princess has misunderstood. I have no romantic feelings for the princess. I accepted the princess's invitation today to make things clear to her."

"What do you mean? Don't you like me? I'm a princess!"

"Even if you are a princess, you simply don't like it! Since you already know that I have someone I love, why should you deceive yourself?"

"I don't care, I was the one who fell for you first, you can't like anyone else," the princess said domineeringly.

"Love doesn't have a first-come-first-served rule. If you have to put it that way, Tian Yu and I were already husband and wife six years ago, so what do you say about that?"

"Didn't you dislike her? And you two divorced a long time ago?" the princess pressed on, unwilling to give up.

"This is between her and me, Princess, it's best not to interfere." Zhao Moyan became somewhat angry upon hearing the word "divorce." He said coldly.

Seeing his expression, the princess's eyes welled up with tears, but Zhao Moyan continued without saying a word: "Your Highness is young and knows very little about matters between men and women. You were just momentarily misled by the sight before you and thought you had met a good man. But I am not your good man. I hope Your Highness will not waste any more time on me. Please enjoy your meal. I have other matters to attend to and will take my leave now."

"Wait! We've finally come all this way, can't you have a meal with me?" the princess pleaded.

Zhao Moyan stopped and turned to look at the princess, saying, "Princess! Do you truly love me, or is it simply because I am the most suitable person for you?"

"you!?……"

The princess wanted to persuade Zhao Moyan to stay, but he had already left the room and gone downstairs. The princess felt very ashamed and sad. Looking at the dishes that had just been served, she angrily lay down on the table and cried loudly.

Upon hearing the news, Li Weiwei rushed to the princess's palace. The princess had never suffered such a loss before, and upon returning to her residence, she sat by the bedside and continued to cry. Li Weiwei appeared to be comforting the princess, but she was actually blaming Tian Yu for everything. While patting the princess's back, she said, "It's all Tian Yu's fault. If it weren't for her, how could the Marquis have refused the princess? Don't worry, princess, I will go and settle accounts with Tian Yu tomorrow and I will definitely help the princess get justice."

"But Brother Moyan still won't like me. He said he's not the right person for me and that I should find someone else. What should I do, Weiwei?"

"Princess, you can't give up now! Have you forgotten that you made a bet with Tian Yu? Are you just going to admit defeat like this?"

"Ke Weiwei, I don't think I really like Brother Moyan that much, but if I don't marry him, who else can I marry?"

“Princess, if you admit defeat now, you will become the laughingstock of the entire capital. Think of how the Marquis defied the imperial decree to refuse to marry her, and now he is humiliating you like this because of her. Can you swallow this insult, Princess?”

"I can't swallow this, that's why I'm even more heartbroken. But what can I do? I didn't want to marry him in the first place, but you and the Consort insisted on saying how wonderful Brother Moyan was, making me marry him. But now he doesn't like me and has defied the imperial decree to refuse the marriage. How am I, a princess of the Wu Kingdom, supposed to get married in the future?! If Mother finds out, she definitely won't care about me anymore. What am I supposed to do then, Weiwei!"

“Princess! Don’t worry about me. You should think it over carefully. If you don’t seize this opportunity, you might be forced to marry into the Che Kingdom when the delegation visits next time. I’ve heard that the Crown Prince of Che is licentious and dissolute. Do you really want to marry him, Princess?”

"I don't want to, but Weiwei, I won't pass the imperial examination until next year. Father shouldn't be in such a hurry to marry me off."

"So we need to make plans early and choose a husband and arrange a marriage before you pass the imperial examination. That way, even if they want you to marry into another country, it won't be possible. Don't you think so, Princess?"

"Yes! Weiwei is right, but Brother Moyan really doesn't like me, so what should I do?"

"Princess, rest assured, I will go with you tomorrow to ask what Tianyu means."

"Ask her?! Is that a good idea?"

“You are a princess, what’s wrong with that? Princess, let me tell you, tomorrow we will do it like this…” Li Weiwei whispered in the princess’s ear.

Zhao Moyan rushed back to the Marquis's residence. Steward Zhou stepped forward and said, "My lord, the madam has just left."

"I understand, you can go now!" Zhao Moyan waved his hand as he looked at the food box on the table. He was still a step too late. She must be very sad! Or did she not care at all that he was with the princess and left so quickly?

Zhao Moyan walked to the table, opened the food box, and smiled bitterly at the pastries inside. It was pastries again. It was always the same. Did she even care about him? Was she just trying to coax him with pastries? She hadn't even apologized. He, the dignified Marquis of War, was almost becoming a laughing stock in the entire Wu Kingdom, while she was happily hiding in the suburbs, enjoying herself!

"My lord, a letter from General Li," the guard outside said.

Zhao Moyan snapped out of his reverie, closed the food box, took the letter handed to him by the guard, and after reading it, frowned and said to the guard, "You may leave! I understand."

Zhao Moyan stared at the letter for a long time, then got up and walked to the desk to pick up a pen to write. But when he saw the object on the desk, he was stunned.