Mei Weixing glanced over her shoulder and saw Jiang Yuyao leaning against a carved window frame, playing with a round fan. The dusk gilded the girl's profile, even the scattered hair at her temples looked like a meticulously painted image. He stared at the silhouette, completely unaware that his mother was pinching his thigh beneath the desk.
"Weixing!" Hu's gilded armor almost pierced through her brocade robe. "Qinghe is still waiting for your reply!"
Jiang Qinghe lowered her head and stroked the agate beads on her waist, making a small sound. She suddenly raised her eyes and met Mei Weixing's dazed eyes - his gaze clearly passed her and fell in the direction of Jiang Yuyao.
"Your Highness, don't be embarrassed." Jiang Qinghe suddenly stood up, and the Jade Forbidden Step slammed onto the blue bricks. "This engagement."
"You can't retreat!" Mrs. Hu stood up suddenly, the golden phoenix hairpin hanging from her temples dangling. "Weixing must have been in a nightmare just now!" She pulled her son's arm and said, "Hurry up and apologize to Qinghe!"
Mei Weixing stumbled, knocking over the teacup, and the hot soup splattered across Jiang Yuyao's embroidered shoes. The girl gasped softly and took a half step back, her round fan covering the corners of her lips. This scene caught Peng Yuyan's eye, and she suddenly tugged at Mei Weixing's soaked sleeve: "Are you going to marry me or her?"
"Me." Mei Weixing gazed at the swaying magnolias on Jiang Yuyao's fan, vaguely recalling last year's Lantern Festival. Back then, she smiled back, holding a lotus lantern, and he painted thirteen small portraits overnight.
Jiang Yuyao tapped Peng Yuyan's shoulder with her round fan. "If anything happened to Sister Yuyan, would the prince have the heart to do that?" She glanced at Jiang Songyi, whose face was ashen. "Some people just can't stand seeing others doing well."
"Jiang Yuyao!" Jiang Qingmo slammed the table and stood up, "You're such a traitor!"
Princess Linchuan's Buddhist beads snapped, sending agates tumbling across the floor. Jiang Yuyao burst into tears: "Sister Qinghe, I did all this for Yuyan." She clutched Peng Yuyan's hand, "If only my marriage could buy her safety."
"Yuyao." Peng Yuyan held her back, "You are the only one in this world who understands me!"
Mrs. Hu stared at their clasped hands, suddenly remembering the night she'd barged into her son's study. Paintings covered the walls, depicting Jiang Yuyao, sometimes angry and sometimes smiling. On the desk, a piece of poetry read, "A graceful lady, a gentleman's ideal match." Her teeth clattered. "Weixing, choose!"
Mei Weixing looked at Jiang Yuyao, tears on her eyelashes, and suddenly straightened his back: "I will marry Miss Peng."
"Evil creature!" Hu raised her hand to slap him, but Jiang Shu stopped her. The wife of the Marquis of Yongding slowly smoothed the wrinkles on her sleeves and said, "Our Qinghe cannot endure such injustice." She took her daughter's hand and said, "This engagement is over."
Peng Yuyan glanced at Jiang Qinghe proudly, but saw him bow calmly: "I wish you two a happy marriage." His quiet look made her angry, as if she was the one being given charity.
Jiang Yuyao hid her sneer behind her round fan. Last night, she had deliberately let the maid accidentally knock over the candlestick. The sight of Mei Weixing rushing into the fire to save the painting was truly ridiculous. Of all the men who were crazy about her, this one was the stupidest.
"Madam Jiang!" Hu chased after Jiang Shu, "The betrothal gifts are ready."
"Keep it for Miss Peng's dowry." Jiang Shu looked back, "We don't pick up rags when we marry our daughters in the Marquis' Mansion."
In the dead silence of the room, even with a handkerchief covering her mouth, Madam Peng couldn't hide her smile. Princess Linchuan rubbed her brow when she suddenly saw Jiang Yuyao leaning over to whisper in Mei Weixing's ear. The young prince's face instantly lit up, and he untied the jade pendant from his waist in public: "This is for Yuyan as a token of love!"
Peng Yuyan snatched the jade pendant and shook it provocatively. Jiang Qinghe paused at the threshold, the setting sun gilding the hem of her plain skirt. "Sister, let me remind you, this is a forced melon."
"You'll know if it's sweet after you bite it!" Peng Yuyan interrupted crisply, the jade bracelet on her wrist jingling. She didn't notice the sneer on Jiang Yuyao's lips behind her - the inside of the jade pendant was clearly engraved with the word "Yuyao".
Dusk drifted across the flower hall, and Mei Weixing stared infatuatedly at Jiang Yuyao's retreating figure. Hu Shi slumped in the mess, her gilded armor snapping in half. "That little bitch! I'll teach her a lesson sooner or later!"
Mrs. Peng clutched her silk handkerchief and wiped her tears. "Prince Mei is a man of great loyalty and righteousness. Our Yuyan will serve him wholeheartedly after marrying him." She glanced at Jiang Shu and her daughter. "The Peng family will certainly compensate Miss Qinghe for the grievances she has suffered."
Jiang Qinghe rubbed the belt around her waist, the agate beads clacking against each other. The jadeite headpiece Princess Linchuan had gifted her shone coldly in its lacquer box, a perfect reflection of her current state of mind. Mei Weixing's infatuated gaze at Jiang Yuyao had already crushed their young friendship to dust.
"Madam Jiang." Madam Peng was about to say something, but was interrupted by Jiang Shu's cold voice: "Your family affairs have nothing to do with the Yongding Marquis' Mansion."
Peng Yuyan sneered and pulled Mei Weixing's sleeve: "Some people are sour grapes because they can't eat them." The new mutton-fat jade bracelet on her wrist bumped against the table. It was the "token" that Mei Weixing had just taken off.
Princess Linchuan tapped the teacup lightly. "A-Shu." The gilded armor pointed to the maid holding the lacquer box, "Take a few maids to the storehouse to pick out some toys to calm the Jiang family girls."
Twelve maids filed in, their vermilion lacquer trays gleaming with pearls. Jiang Songyi's golden crown of peony branches was adorned with dragon eye pearls, Jiang Qinghe's jade hairpins were draped with South Sea coral, and even Jiang Qingzhi had to wear a gold hairpin inlaid with rubies. Jiang Yuyao, alone, felt a void before her. She pinched her round fan, her knuckles white—for what?
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your generous gift." Jiang Shu bowed, the gilded hairpins and pearls swaying gently. Princess Linchuan helped her up and said, "Bring Songyi here to sit with us often." She stroked Jiang Songyi's head and said, "I've always longed for such a lovely girl."
Jiang Songyi's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her face, shimmering like the moon, was illuminated by her pearl necklace. She took a half-step back unnoticed, her wide sleeves sweeping across the lacquer box, and the silver bell on her wrist tinkled—a signal from her master, indicating that something was amiss at the Princess's residence.
"Your Highness is so kind." Jiang Shu protected her daughter behind her, "It's just that Songyi is naughty."
"I love lively people!" Princess Linchuan suddenly held Jiang Songyi's hand, "Good boy, would you like to come and keep me company?"
Jiang Songyi's palms were sweaty. Master had said that the Princess's residence contained a treasure map from the previous dynasty. Could it be that he wanted her to explore it? But a sweet smile spread across her face: "It is Songyi's blessing to receive His Highness's teachings."
Mei Weixing stared intently in Jiang Yuyao's direction, oblivious to Peng Yuyan's change of expression. The girl's knuckles turned pale as she clutched the jade pendant—just when she was changing, she'd spotted the characters "Yuyao" engraved on the inside. She'd thought it was a love note, but it turned out to be someone else's name!
"Go back home!" Mrs. Hu suddenly grabbed her son. Mei Weixing struggled to turn around and saw Jiang Yuyao leaning against the carved window frame, wiping away tears. The dusk cast a thin veil over the girl, making her as beautiful as the paintings covering the walls of his study.
Peng Yuyan suddenly smashed the teacup and said, "Mei Weixing!" The broken porcelain flew out and scratched the hem of her skirt. "Whose jade pendant is this?"
The whole room was silent. Jiang Yuyao covered her lips with her round fan, the magnolia-colored fan stained with the blood-red setting sun. She had long anticipated that this fool would discover something, and this was the perfect opportunity to escape the Mei family marriage. How could the Fourth Prince's concubine be involved in such a filthy affair?
"Yuyan." Mei Weixing stretched out his hand to help.
"Don't touch me!" Peng Yuyan waved him away, and the jade bracelet slammed against the blue bricks. "You two are ganging up on me!"
Mrs. Hu suddenly laughed out loud: "I told you long ago that you are not worthy of Wei Xing." She pointed her gilded armor at Jiang Yuyao, "Do you really think you are so popular? You are just a..."
"Mother!" Mei Weixing shouted, "Miss Yuyao is about to enter the Fourth Prince's residence!"
These words were like cold water poured onto hot oil. Princess Linchuan raised her eyebrows and said, "No wonder you're in such a hurry to cancel the engagement." She glanced at Jiang Shu and said, "Ah Shu, how about I give you a big gift?"
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