Chapter 53 Affection Grows with the Eight-Bearer Sedan Chair, Heart Beats Like a Drum
That's a question. Yang Lingyi isn't a mind reader; how would she know these things?
But the obedient boy wouldn't have thought of that. Just as Yuan Yan had predicted, he raised his eyes, his long eyelashes fluttering gently, his shallow pupils staring unblinkingly at Yuan Yan, obediently taking the bait.
"I don't know... what Sister Yan is thinking?"
Yuan Yan smiled and said, "I was wondering why Yi'er is so lovable."
"You're just like my little husband, making me want to hold you in my arms." Her voice was soft, like a feather, tickling Yang Lingyi's heart.
Upon hearing this, his cheeks turned as red and rosy as ripe persimmons, making him look exceptionally beautiful.
"Sister Yan, you mustn't joke around like that."
Faced with Yuan Yan's sweet words, Yang Lingyi could no longer resist.
Even though he was so shy that he wanted to cover his face, he still spoke softly to Yuan Yan.
"I'm not married yet... If you keep saying that, I'm not going to talk to you anymore."
"Alright, that's enough. It's me who wants to marry Yi'er."
"If I am fortunate enough to marry Yi'er, I will keep you hidden in my house, close to my heart, and always by my side... and I will not allow anyone to see you."
Just as they reached the corner, Yuan Yan stopped and stared intently at Yang Lingyi.
Yang Lingyi dared not look directly into her eyes: "Sister Yan, didn't we say we wouldn't joke anymore? Why are you getting more and more exaggerated..."
“Those words may be a joke, but they also reflect my true feelings.” Yuan Yan did not let him off the hook and continued to pursue him.
"If Yi'er is willing, I will use an eight-bearer sedan chair to welcome you into my household."
Yang Lingyi might not understand what was going on in those words, but Zhuiyue and the others who were secretly following along were all taken aback.
This...Does Your Highness intend to marry Young Master Yang as your chief minister?
This is a huge deal.
After all, they don't even know Young Master Yang's identity yet, but His Highness made a promise without any hesitation. It seems he is truly moved.
Wouldn't any young master be very happy to hear that?
As Zhuilan and the others pondered this, they couldn't help but look at Yang Lingyi.
However, Yang Lingyi, who would have been overjoyed in their eyes, was stunned in place.
After gradually realizing what Yuan Yan meant, his first reaction was a slight panic.
“I…can’t…” Yang Lingyi’s mind went blank, and she couldn’t utter a complete sentence for a moment.
His heart pounded as he spent time with Yuan Yan today, experiencing feelings he had never felt before.
Every word and glance from Yuan Yan made him blush. Yang Lingyi clearly realized that what existed between him and Yuan Yan was not just friendship, but... a man and a woman who harbored mutual affection.
Upon hearing Yuan Yan say that he wanted to marry her, Yang Lingyi felt as if she had been struck by a certain feeling. Her heart pounded rapidly, like a drumbeat.
But he quickly recalled the reality of the situation, his rationality returned, and he uncontrollably fell into worry.
He concealed his identity when he associated with Yuan Yan. As the eldest son of the emperor and the governor of Yanzhou, he came from a distinguished family. The eldest son, who valued social standing above all else, would never allow him to marry a merchant like Yuan Yan.
Even now, whenever he goes out for a stroll with Yuan Yan, he always sits with the eldest prince on his back.
If Father finds out that he has fallen for Yuan Yan, he might get angry and harm Sister Yan.
Thinking of this, Yang Lingyi felt even more helpless. Of course, he was willing to marry Sister Yan, but how could he reveal his true identity to her and resolve the family background issue that stood between them?
Yuan Yan's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Yang Lingyi's stunned expression. As intelligent as she was, she naturally sensed that Yang Lingyi seemed to be facing some unspeakable difficulty.
"Yi'er, is there something troubling you?" Yuan Yan asked him.
"Sister Yan..." Yang Lingyi bit his lip, somewhat afraid that revealing the truth now would affect his current relationship with Sister Yan.
"Could you give me a little time?" He looked up at his face, his almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears, looking pitiful.
Seeing this, Yuan Yan's heart softened immediately. He thought it wouldn't be good to push too hard and scare the person away unintentionally. So he agreed.
“Alright, Yi’er, think it over carefully when you get back… I’ll wait for you,” Yuan Yan said.
After the two parted ways, the system asked on the way back.
[Host, do you really want to marry Yang Lingyi as your chief minister?]
Yuan Yan retorted without hesitation: "Didn't you hear me clearly? I like Yang Lingyi and want to marry him. What's wrong with that?"
"But you don't even know his identity. What if he's just an ordinary man from a common family? Are you still going to give him the position of chief minister?" the system asked nervously.
"Why not?"
Yuan Yan was always very clear about her own feelings. Although they hadn't spent much time together, her affection for Yang Lingyi surpassed that for any other man in the household. This kind of heartfelt emotion was ultimately different.
Faced with genuine affection, these differences in social status no longer mattered. Yuan Yan believed that her abilities were sufficient to support her in choosing the man she loved as her husband. Even though Yang Lingyi came from an ordinary, respectable family, she was willing to marry him as a high-ranking official.
"Ah, fine... Host, do whatever you want. I can't control you anymore."
Seeing that Yuan Yan was determined, the system knew it couldn't persuade him and could only helplessly shut up.
For some time afterward, Yuan Yan continued his official duties of revising the laws.
Meanwhile, the system of allowances for maintaining integrity was being steadily implemented in the court. Yuan Yan kept a close eye on it, working with Du Heng and others to ensure nothing went wrong and to prevent any officials from interfering.
"Your Highness, the clothes made last time have been completed."
Shen Lianzhou had a male servant bring up the clothes he had made and personally helped Yuan Yan put them on.
On the crimson satin robe, the intertwined peony blossoms stood out even more vividly. Dark blue cloud patterns tempered the vibrant colors, and a black leather belt, adorned with a jade pendant, was tied around the waist.
This brightly colored robe accentuated Yuan Yan's dignified and imposing presence, while also adding a touch of spirited arrogance.
[Wow, host... Shen Lianzhou truly lives up to her reputation as the owner of the silk shop; she has such excellent taste! The clothes she makes suit you perfectly!]
The system couldn't help but praise Yuan Yan after he changed his clothes.
Yuan Yan looked at the magnificent and elegant clothes on her body and felt that they matched her aesthetic sense. She liked them and raised her head to say to Shen Lianzhou.
"Lianzhou, you are very kind. Your craftsmanship is superb. The clothes you make are even more beautiful than those made by the Imperial Clothing Bureau, and they are also very comfortable to wear. I like them very much."
"Your Highness flatters me too much. My needlework skills are merely those of an ordinary man; how can they be compared to those of the officials in the Imperial Wardrobe?"
Seeing that His Highness liked it, Shen Lianzhou was overjoyed. She felt that the fatigue from rushing to make clothes in her spare time these past few days had instantly disappeared, and even her slightly sore shoulders and neck felt much more relaxed.
He gazed at Yuan Yan with gentle eyes, admiring his wife's appearance in red, truly a woman of dragon-like bearing and phoenix-like grace, noble and elegant as jade.
The wife was wearing clothes that he had made himself.
The moment this thought crossed her mind, a tingling sensation involuntarily rose in Shen Lianzhou's heart.
Yuan Yan was in a good mood and praised him with a smile, "Lian Zhou is being too modest. Just based on this solid embroidery skill, not to mention anything else, most young men in their boudoirs cannot compare to you."
"Since Your Highness likes it so much, then Lianzhou will make a few more for Your Highness, so that you will have a replacement." The more Shen Lianzhou listened, the happier she became.
He couldn't resist the urge to buy all of Yuan Yan's clothes, to have all sorts of new garments made for her using the finest satin from the shops. Such clothes would surely make His Highness stand out.
“No need for that. Doing too much embroidery is bad for your eyes. Lianzhou, you’re already busy with the shop’s business during the day, which is really tiring. Doing embroidery at night would be too strenuous. Be careful not to overwork yourself.” Yuan Yan did not agree.
"We can talk about it when we have time later. For now, let the servants make these clothes," she said considerately.
Seeing that His Highness cared about her, Shen Lianzhou felt a warmth in her heart, her eyes softened, and she immediately agreed obediently, "I will obey Your Highness's every command."
"His Highness's words are the most effective; the young master listened to him as soon as he spoke," Yu Lu chimed in, complaining to Yuan Yan.
“Unlike the little captives, who repeatedly advised their master to stop and rest, and continue tomorrow, he just wouldn’t. He wouldn’t stop until his eyes were sore and his neck ached.”
Upon hearing this, Yuan Yan looked at Chen Lianzhou and asked, "Zhou'er, is what Yu Lu said true?"
"It's almost finished in the last couple of days. I was hoping His Highness could wear it as soon as possible, which is why it's a bit late. Yu Lu's words are a bit of an exaggeration. The servant's body isn't that frail; it's alright," Chen Lianzhou said.
My lord, you put so much effort into this, why didn't you say so?
I'm doing this so that you can show off more in front of His Highness and completely outshine Lu Shifu from the side courtyard...
Yu Lu shook her head inwardly, feeling that her usually shrewd young master had become somewhat foolish in front of His Highness the Prince of Qin.
Just as Yuan Yan was about to speak, a commotion arose outside the courtyard.
Seeing the change in Yuan Yan's expression, Shen Lianzhou knew that the noise outside the courtyard had disturbed His Highness, so she immediately spoke up and asked Yu Lu to go out and resolve the situation.
"Yu Lu, go and see who's making a scene here."
Yu Lu responded and went out. She returned a short while later and reported to Chen Lianzhou.
"Master, it's Eunuch Liu arguing with Hengwu, a male servant in Lu Shifu's courtyard."
Yuan Yan frowned slightly as he listened. How did Eunuch Liu and Hengwu, two unrelated people, end up together?
Shen Lianzhou listened from the side, and because of Eunuch Liu's private attitude towards Lu Lingyue last time, she vaguely guessed what was going on.
"Bring these two unruly scoundrels in," Yuan Yan ordered.
Eunuch Liu and Hengwu were immediately brought in, and the two knelt down at the lower end.
Knowing he had made a mistake by causing a disturbance in the Prince's residence, Eunuch Liu kowtowed as soon as he entered, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I was unaware that Your Highness was here and did not mean to make a noise outside the courtyard."
The servant said, "Eunuch Liu, you are a senior member of this household. How could you be so ignorant of etiquette today and do such a thing?"
"I know I was wrong. I disturbed Your Highness, please punish me." Eunuch Liu seemed somewhat remorseful, and did not defend himself, willingly accepting punishment.
On the other hand, Hengwu, though kneeling, had a very stubborn look in her eyes.
Shen Lianzhou asked, "Eunuch Liu, what happened outside the courtyard just now? You've worked in the Prince's mansion for so long and are always careful. You shouldn't have made such a mistake."
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