"Why not?" Madam Li deliberately provoked. "Master said he originally had feelings for you, but unfortunately there's been a severe drought recently, and the people of the capital are almost without water. He's desperate, so he's had people searching everywhere for a woman with the water element in her birth chart. Now the Imperial Observatory has identified this woman as the one who can best help Master alleviate the current drought. Therefore, your brother-in-law has no choice but to put aside his feelings for you and prepare to marry that woman."
This statement was watertight and quite reasonable. The idea she and the Fujin had previously considered actually had a major flaw: it was impossible for Yan Yu to be the only woman in the world with the water element in her birth chart! Moreover, a person's destiny could be calculated down to the minute and second, from the date to the hour. Therefore, even if several women with the water element were found, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau could still select the one most compatible with their destiny based on each person's birth date and time.
"Impossible! If my brother-in-law truly cared for me, he wouldn't have married that woman!" Upon hearing this reason, Yan Yu's anxiety was palpable. She had originally intended to use the celestial phenomena to seek divine guidance, but things had turned out this way. At this moment, Yan Yu was deeply conflicted. On one hand, she wanted to reveal that the rumor was nothing but nonsense fabricated by the Fujin (Prince's wife) and Ulanara Wuge; on the other hand, she feared that revealing this secret would displease the Fourth Prince.
“Sister, Fourth Master has always placed the country and its people first. Even if he is very fond of you, he will not go against the will of Heaven for your sake.” Madam Li had already understood the meaning behind Yan Yu’s words, but she had to force her to say something more valuable, otherwise everything she had done would be in vain.
"But what if it's just a rumor?" Yan Yuyi said, her words trailing off. In the end, this was all she could say.
Li said with a surprised look, "Sister, how do you know it's just a rumor? The whole city is suffering from a severe drought. Fourth Master would rather believe a rumor than give it a try. Unless it's just a completely useless and absurd statement."
Upon hearing this, Yan Yu suddenly saw out of the corner of her eye that Que'er hurriedly ran in, curtsied to Madam Li, and said hastily, "Master, Chunliu from the Fujin's quarters has arrived, saying that she wants you to send Princess Yan Yu back to the main courtyard."
Upon hearing Chunliu's name, Yan Yu hurriedly looked at Li Shi, then glanced at Yun Yuan, and asked sternly, "You still say you didn't bring the Fujin's people here? Look, they've come!"
Yun Yuan was shocked and waved her hand innocently, saying, "Please forgive me, Princess. I was really careful. I shouldn't have been discovered!"
Que'er immediately retorted, "Then how did the Fujin know that Princess Yanyu was here!"
Yan Yu glared at Yun Yuan, then hurriedly grabbed Li Shi's hand and said, "Sister, please find a way to get rid of Chun Liu. I don't want to go back with her. The Fujin will definitely send me back, and then I will never see you again."
Madam Li's expression changed slightly, and she grasped Yan Yu's hand, saying, "Sister, listen to your elder sister's advice and go back with her. Now that the master is planning to marry someone else, staying here will only cause you more trouble!"
When Yan Yu heard Li say this, she panicked. She knew that Li was right, but how could she just hand over the fruits of her hard work to someone else, especially a woman she had never met?
"Sister, that rumor is not..." Yan Yu hurriedly said. She felt that as long as the Fourth Prince could keep her, even the Fujin (principal wife) would be helpless.
"Princess..." Yun Yuan suddenly shouted, stopping Yan Yu from saying the rest of her words.
Li glared at Yun Yuan, but the latter remained unmoved and said to Yan Yu, "Gege, what Consort Li said is absolutely right. You shouldn't think about it anymore. Just come back with me."
Yan Yu was so angry that she suddenly walked up to Yun Yuan and slapped her hard across the face.
With a loud "smack," Yan Yu slapped her hard across the face, leaving five red finger marks on her fair skin.
"Princess, why did you hit me?" Yun Yuan's eyes were filled with tears from the slap. She had just kindly reminded Yan Yu not to reveal that crucial secret, but what she got in return was a hard slap!
"It's all your fault, you brat, for bringing the Fujin's people here. If I don't hit you, who will I hit?" After saying that, Yan Yu was about to slap her again, but was stopped by Li Shi.
“Sister, even if you beat her to death now, you can’t change anything. What was that rumor you just mentioned?” Li’s heart clenched, and she had no choice but to continue to coax Yan Yu into revealing the secrets she wanted to hear.
"That rumor might not be a rumor at all; it could very well be fabricated!" Yan Yu finally said, causing Li Shi to clench her handkerchief even tighter. The person outside the window also felt a pang of anxiety, thinking: They've finally arrived!
"Does my sister know who started this rumor?" Madam Li continued to ask.
"I... I don't know, I just think this rumor is a bit absurd!" Yan Yu ultimately didn't say those treasonous words that were detrimental to the Ulanara family. Yun Yuan's shout also stirred up a sense of vigilance in her heart.
"Oh, well, that depends on what Master thinks. It's a pity that Master seems to have already recognized her, otherwise he wouldn't have told my sister that he would be marrying that woman soon!" Madam Li said, still unwilling to give up.
"Sister, could you please have the Fujin's people go back for now? I'll think things through here carefully before I reply to the Fujin!" Yan Yu said.
Seeing that her efforts were about to fail, Li knew that further pressure would not yield any results, so she forced a smile and said, "Sister, just stay here and I'll help you send Chunliu back."
Yan Yu nodded gratefully. After Li and the others left, she stared at Yun Yuan and asked, "Are you still in pain?"
Seeing Yan Yu staring intently at her, Yun Yuan assumed she was still angry, but upon hearing this, she quickly said, "This servant is no longer in pain. Princess, you don't need to worry."
Yan Yu glanced at her and said, "It's a good thing you shouted it out just now, otherwise I almost blurted it out. I slapped you like that just now because I didn't want to arouse Li's suspicion."
"Your Highness suspects Li Shi? But this servant thinks you trust her a lot!" Yun Yuan said in surprise, looking at Yan Yu, who was calm at the moment.
“I’ve only known her for a short time, and she was once my brother-in-law’s most trusted person. Do you think your princess is stupid enough to trust such a person?” Yan Yu glanced at Yun Yuan, then walked into the bedroom and said, “Why don’t you help me change my clothes? I’m tired after a long day and I want to rest for a while.”
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