future
Jiang Yan only had a sore throat, not a leg injury. She had been lying in bed for seven or eight days and didn't want to stay in bed any longer. So after Shangguan Zeyu left, she insisted on getting out of bed.
The oriole followed closely behind her, buzzing like a bee: "Sister, the Prince said you can't get out of bed..."
"Ugh, stop talking! My ears are tired of hearing it! It's just getting out of bed, it's not like you're strangling me! It's nothing!!"
"But sister, when the prince left just now, he repeatedly told me to keep a close watch on you and not to get out of bed!"
Jiang Yan turned around and smiled reassuringly at her: "Oh, it's alright! If the prince really blames me, I'll just say that I insisted on getting out of bed! You can see for yourself, I couldn't lie down any longer, my legs have degenerated, look, I can't even walk steadily."
"But..." Huang Ying wanted to continue persuading Jiang Yan, but at that moment, Shangguan Zeyu's laughter came from behind them, "Has Ruyi really let her legs atrophy from lying down so much?"
Jiang Yan was startled, and then, with Huang Ying's help, slowly turned her head to look at him: "Your Highness, you're back."
Shangguan Zeyu pretended to be very angry, frowned, and said, "Why are you still calling me 'Your Highness'? Just call me Aze."
Jiang Yan simply couldn't bring herself to call out "Aze," a name that sounded both ambiguous and affectionate.
Shangguan Zeyu noticed her embarrassment, smiled slightly, and changed the subject: "Ruyi, it's hot at noon, why don't you come for a walk with me tonight?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan's eyes lit up: "Where to?"
Shangguan Zeyu smiled even more broadly: "Ruyi, go wherever you want to go."
Jiang Yan began to think, and subconsciously glanced at Huang Ying. However, Huang Ying kept her head down because Shangguan Zeyu was there, so she looked at Shangguan Zeyu again, and after a moment, said, "Let's go to the market. I want to see acrobatics."
"Alright, whatever you wish." Shangguan Zeyu smiled and walked towards Jiang Yan, embracing her as if no one else was around.
Jiang Yan's body stiffened involuntarily.
Shangguan Zeyu assumed she was unwell and looked at her with concern: "Ruyi, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Jiang Yan felt embarrassed. The reason her body stiffened subconsciously was because she was not used to it.
"It's nothing." Jiang Yan didn't dare to look at Shangguan Zeyu and avoided his gaze.
Shangguan Zeyu seemed to understand, and with a doting smile, he hugged Jiang Yan tightly again.
Huang Ying was very sensible; the moment Shangguan Zeyu hugged Jiang Yan, she quickly left.
Shangguan Zeyu hugged Jiang Yan tightly, and after a long while, he said with deep emotion, "Ruyi, don't you think our love is destiny?"
Jiang Yan couldn't help but think about it. Yes, wasn't this just fate? As a woman from modern society, she accidentally traveled to this Great Zhou Dynasty and went through many hardships, all for nothing other than to fall in love with him. Such an absurd thing, if you said it wasn't fate, she really wouldn't believe it.
"Ruyi, for the rest of our lives, we must be well and happy."
"Yes, we must both be happy and well." Jiang Yan felt very calm and at peace. This was a kind of peace and peace from the depths of her soul that she had never felt in her life. It seemed that this was the life she had always been searching for.
Evening quickly approached, and Jiang Yan asked Huang Ying to go shopping with her, but Huang Ying refused. Huang Ying's reason was straightforward: she wanted to give herself and the prince a chance to develop their relationship. She didn't want to be an eyesore.
Jiang Yan said she wasn't an eyesore, that her presence wouldn't bother her, and that they were sisters who had agreed to be happy together. However, Huang Ying firmly refused, saying that in her eyes, only Jiang Yan's happiness could bring her happiness, and she didn't want to hinder Jiang Yan's happiness.
Jiang Yan knew that if she insisted on going with her, she would bring up more serious topics, so she didn't insist and went shopping with Shangguan Zeyu instead.
The bustling streets under the emperor's feet are naturally well-known. Although there was no market day today, the streets were still exceptionally lively and prosperous.
Jiang Yan walked ahead, excitedly looking at this and that, dazzled but still not satisfied.
Shangguan Zeyu followed her around with doting affection, buying everything she had seen or touched and having it delivered to the Prince's Mansion.
Jiang Yan was unaware of all this; she simply felt that she had finally escaped the crisis and was finally able to get out and relax, so she should be happy.
Jiang Yan was truly a prolific shopper, and he explored almost all four streets before finally settling down.
Shangguan Zeyu didn't utter a single complaint or show any displeasure throughout. He followed Jiang Yan with a smile on his face, appearing very happy.
Jiang Yan was tired and sat down to rest on the stone steps by the lake. It was then that she suddenly remembered that she had come out with Shangguan Zeyu and had not considered Shangguan Zeyu's feelings at all! Feeling guilty and a little scared, she looked at Shangguan Zeyu sitting to her right.
"Is Ruyi tired?" Shangguan Zeyu asked with a smile in his voice.
Jiang Yan blushed involuntarily. The thought that she had been shopping for so long as if she had never been before made her blush even more.
"Your Highness, I'm so sorry to have wasted so much of your time."
Shangguan Zeyu gently put his arm around her shoulder, leaned close to her ear, and whispered softly, "Ruyi, you are not allowed to call me Your Highness anymore, or I will kiss you every time you call me Your Highness, no matter where we are."
Jiang Yan was startled and quickly looked at him. Seeing his bright eyes staring intently at her, she blushed even more and her heart pounded even harder.
"Call me 'Aze' once," Shangguan Zeyu whispered, his breath warm against her ear.
Jiang Yan's mind was once again bewitched by his pleasant voice. Without thinking, she blurted out, "Aze." Only after hearing Shangguan Zeyu's satisfied laughter did she realize in a panic what she had just done, and she was so ashamed that she wanted to find a hole to crawl into immediately.
Shangguan Zeyu noticed her shyness and unease, so he hugged her tighter and said solemnly, "Ruyi, you don't like life in this high-walled compound, do you?"
Jiang Yan kept looking at him with her cheek turned to the side. Seeing how serious he was, she didn't hesitate and said, "Yes, I don't like this kind of life. I feel that this kind of life has no freedom and no vitality." After saying that, she added, "But as long as I'm with you, I feel happy and joyful."
Shangguan Zeyu's smile widened instantly: "Does Ruyi mean that, no matter where you are in the world, as long as you're with me, you'll feel happy and content?"
Jiang Yan nodded without hesitation and said, "Yes."
Shangguan Zeyu couldn't help but hug Jiang Yan even tighter. He gently stroked the top of Jiang Yan's head with his smooth, warm chin, gazing at the orange-yellow lake surface illuminated by the lights on the shore in the distance, and said naturally, "Soon, I will take you away from here."
Jiang Yan felt a tightness in her chest, utterly bewildered yet deeply moved: "You mean... you're going to leave the capital?" Jiang Yan couldn't believe it.
“That’s right.” Shangguan Zeyu withdrew his gaze from the distance and looked at her with a smile. “I don’t like life here either.” Then he looked at the lake again and said quietly, “Actually, I’ve wanted to leave here for a long, long time, but I was forced by circumstances.”
Jiang Yan still couldn't quite believe it. After all, he was an ancient prince who could sit on the dragon throne in a matter of minutes. How could he not like this kind of life and give up wealth and glory to go far away?
"Can you give up everything here? You've put in so much effort, are you willing to give it all up?"
Shangguan Zeyu couldn't help but smile bitterly: "This is not what I wanted. All I ever wanted was a harmonious and warm home. All I did was to live, to avoid dying an unclear death." Then he looked at Jiang Yan, "I had no choice in the matter."
Jiang Yan gazed at him quietly, seeing the disappointment and resentment in his eyes, and said, "Although I don't understand the affairs of the court, I think that if you choose to give up, there will be no day when you can come back. Moreover, many times, the moment you give up, you may bring a lot of trouble, endless trouble."
"So, I need some more time."
Looking at Shangguan Zeyu's confident demeanor, Jiang Yan guessed that he must have been preparing to leave the capital for a long time. He wasn't one to act impulsively. He must have made thorough preparations before facing that day. However, he was him, but she wasn't "Liu Ruyi"!
Should she tell him now that she is not "Liu Ruyi" at all, but a woman from the future, "Jiang Yan"?
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