Young Master Yi pressed on relentlessly, his words dripping with venom as he stared at Yi Shangyun's face. "What does this girl have to do with you? Is she your servant? Or your plaything? Can you divorce the wife you already have in your household and make her your new wife? Or did you only intend to play around with her and never even considered giving her a proper title?"
Xuanyuan Han's face grew paler with each word, his anger successfully ignited. Without a second thought, he blurted out, "My matter..."
As they were talking, a pair of eyes on the upper garment suddenly turned away from the questioning look that Yun was giving them.
He then glared angrily at Young Master Yi and said fiercely, "Whatever I want to do is none of your business!"
Upon hearing this, Young Master Yi suddenly laughed for no apparent reason, still looking at Yi Shangyun's face as he said, word by word, "I always thought that as long as the girl liked someone, I would be happy for her. So even knowing that he only had eyes for you, as long as I could see her doing well from afar, I would be content and willing to give in. I have also seen that you are a responsible man, and I believe you will not let down the girl's devotion to you."
As Yi Sanshao spoke, he suddenly stopped. He couldn't help but recall his first meeting with Yi Shangyun, and all the little things that happened between them afterward. Her strength, justice, optimism, and kindness made him feel a happiness he had never felt before.
A moment later, he suddenly shifted his gaze to Xuan Yuanhan's face and continued solemnly, "But now, I have seen with my own eyes how hard and tiring her journey has been because of you, and how she has lived in fear and trembling. It turns out that you couldn't protect her at all. So, Xuan Yuanhan, from now on, I will never stand idly by and watch the girl suffer for you again."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun was immediately astonished and stared blankly at Young Master Yi's face. A feeling of apology she had never felt before welled up from the bottom of her heart.
These heartfelt words even made the usually cold-faced Xuan Yuanhan feel a sense of awe for this silent protection.
For a moment, everyone present fell silent, as if no one dared to breathe heavily. The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and time seemed to stand still at that moment.
Clearly, these two were arguing over a man in front of so many servants. If this continued, Xuan Yuanhan would definitely lose face.
Seeing that Xuan Yuanhan remained silent for a long time before slowly clenching his fists, as if the anger accumulating in his heart was about to erupt, Yi Shangyun stepped forward and spoke first: "I am honored by your kindness, Third Young Master, but I am unworthy of it. However, it is my own matter, and I hope that you will allow me to make my own decision, Third Young Master."
Young Master Yi continued to try and persuade her: "Girl, can't you see it yet? This person in front of you simply can't give you the happiness you want. Why do you continue to be so stubborn?"
Unexpectedly, Xuan Yuanhan interrupted, declaring confidently, "Who says I can't give her the happiness she desires! I will make her the most noble woman on the Lingkong Continent."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun immediately turned around and stared in astonishment at Xuan Yuanhan's incredibly serious face.
Young Master Yi paused for a moment, then said with a mocking expression, "What are you going to take..."
Before she could finish speaking, Yi Shangyun turned back to Yi Sanshao and forced a smile, saying, "By the way, Sanshao, I just heard you say that you had other important matters to attend to. It's getting late, so why don't you head back first? Yun'er is feeling a bit tired too."
As she spoke, she secretly winked at Young Master Yi, and then pretended to be tired and weak, gently touching her forehead with her hand.
Young Master Yi seemed somewhat confused about her intentions. Seeing that she looked tired, Xuan Yuanhan reached out and pulled her back, domineeringly embracing her in his arms.
Seeing his rough handling, Young Master Yi angrily roared at him, "Xuanyuan Han, be gentle..."
But before she could finish speaking, she was glared at by Xuan Yuanhan's cold and deep eyes. Seeing that Yi Shangyun was nestled in his arms like a little bird, not resisting at all, and even looking quite at ease, she silently shut up.
Finally, standing alone on the street, he silently watched as Xuan Yuanhan, with his arms around his clothes, went ahead and led the group back to their residence.
After a long while, with a face full of dejection and resentment, he slowly turned around and gradually disappeared into the night mist...
After escorting Yi Shangyun back to her room, Xuan Yuanhan said coldly, "If you're tired, get some rest!"
After saying that, he turned to leave.
Yi Shangyun immediately came to her senses, grabbed the corner of his cloak from behind, and pouted as she apologized, "I'm sorry, I was wrong."
Xuan Yuanhan already knew that she hadn't really been sleepy, but was just pretending. So, he slightly curled his lips into a smile and, with his back to her, said in a deliberately stern voice, "Wrong? What did you do wrong?"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun hurriedly searched his mind for an answer and said, "What Young Master Yi said at the door just now was just said in anger. Your Highness, please don't hold a grudge against such a petty person. Don't take him to heart and ignore him, okay?"
Xuan Yuanhan had never considered Yi Sanshao a rival, but now he genuinely wanted to toy with Yi Shangyun to vent his anger. So he feigned nonchalance and said, "But what Yi Sanshao said isn't entirely wrong! In any case, your imperial sister, Princess Yongle of Dongning Kingdom, has already taken the lead and become my wife in name. And you, at most, can only be a concubine in my household..."
As Yi Shangyun listened, the smile gradually faded from her face. She slowly loosened her grip on her dress, looked down at her toes, and said silently, "Actually, Yun'er has never thought about any title of principal wife or concubine. As long as Your Highness still doesn't abandon Yun'er and can keep Yun'er by your side for as long as possible, Yun'er is already content and dares not hope for more..."
He had clearly intended to toy with her, but upon hearing her forlorn and desolate words, Xuan Yuanhan felt an increasing pang of heartache. He couldn't bear to part with her, so he quickly turned around and embraced her, saying, "Silly girl, even if you don't care, I do. I will definitely find a way. Trust me, okay? I swear, I will never let you down in this life, and I will never let you suffer even the slightest grievance."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun pursed her lips gently, shifted her soft body to lean closer into his warm and broad embrace, and explained, "Your Highness, are you really angry with Yun'er today? Did Yun'er really just bump into the Third Young Master on the street?"
"I believe you, but deep down, have you ever had any feelings for Young Master Yi? After all, I can see that he truly likes you too." Xuan Yuanhan couldn't believe he was asking such a question.
Yi Shangyun looked up at Xuan Yuanhan's face and said, word by word, "Your Highness, my heart is not big, but it is just right, it can only hold Your Highness alone. In this life, Yun'er only asks to be with Your Highness for a lifetime, for one lifetime, for one couple."
Xuanyuan Han lowered his head and looked into her eyes with tenderness. Hearing what she said, he felt a warmth in his heart. Even the sweet atmosphere around them seemed to be quietly fermenting, eventually engulfing the two of them, and they kissed passionately.
After a long while, Xuan Yuanhan held Yi Shangyun's slender waist in his arms and instructed her, "I forbid you from seeing him alone again, understand?"
"Yes, Yun'er remembers!" Yi Shangyun replied without hesitation.
At this moment, Yi Shangyun slowly took out an exquisite white jade carved sachet from her sleeve pocket, handed it to Xuanyuan Han, and said happily, "Your Highness, Happy New Year! New Year, new beginnings!"
Only now did Xuanyuan Han finally realize: "So, you secretly slipped out tonight just to find this sachet for me?"
Yi Shangyun nodded repeatedly and said, "When Yun'er saw that the sachet she made for His Highness had lost its effectiveness, she took Yan'er out to find another one for him. However, compared to the treasure chest His Highness gave Yun'er, Yun'er's is nothing. This sachet can prevent and treat epidemics. The medicine bag contains Atractylodes lancea, Pogostemon cablin, Artemisia argyi, Evodia rutaecarpa, Realgar, Borneol, Camphor, and other ingredients. This type of sachet has a warm, fragrant, penetrating, deep, and long-lasting scent, which can ward off poisonous gases."
Xuanyuan Han was overjoyed and held the gift in his hands with delight. He was no longer listening to what Yun had said and simply said dismissively, "No, the gifts Yun gave me are priceless treasures to me."
Under the dim candlelight, the two embraced tightly. The flickering candlelight cast their shadows on the window, creating a sweet and warm scene, filling the room with romance.
Where there is joy, there is sorrow.
As the saying goes, "What can dispel sorrow? Only wine." But little do people know that drowning sorrows in wine only makes them worse. It is not the wine that intoxicates, but the person who intoxicates themselves.
As midnight approached, the taverns on the street had long since closed.
Yi Sanshao, who had been drinking alone for a long time, was extremely bitter and frustrated. He poured himself another drink and muttered to himself, "Why won't you believe me? Only I am truly good to you. That Prince Qin, he can't give you happiness, he can't, he can't. Why don't you believe me? Why don't you believe me...?"
As he spoke, he downed another glass of wine in one gulp.
The shopkeeper and his assistant tried to dissuade him several times, but were all rebuked. At this moment, they seemed to have no choice but to stand quietly to the side, shaking their heads incessantly, not daring to utter a sound, and carefully serving him.
Clearly, when faced with such an infuriating, hateful, and pitiful customer, they could only accept their bad luck.
"It's Chinese New Year, and I was planning to close up shop early and go home to spend the holiday with my wife and kids!"
The shopkeeper and his assistant were whispering amongst themselves when they suddenly heard hurried footsteps approaching from the shop entrance. The sound seemed to be getting closer and closer, like...
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