Chapter 55 A Secret Rendezvous in the Back Palace: Only a Seductive Mature Man Can Do It
What are you doing here, Sister Yan...?
The Second Princess? Is this referring to Sister Yan...? Yang Lingyi stared in disbelief at Yuan Yan's familiar face.
This was the first time he had seen Yuan Yan dressed as a princess. The vermilion bird on the dress made her look even more elegant and graceful, as if she was born to look like this.
Yuan Yan, who was facing him, also froze.
Yi'er? Her heart skipped a beat at that moment.
Clearly, even someone as intelligent as Yuan Yan had no idea that Yang Lingyi would appear here as his cousin.
[Ahhh, what's going on... Host, look! Yang Lingyi is actually the son of the eldest prince!] The system gasped, its tone utterly shocked.
"Why are you shouting so loudly? I saw it."
With the Empress Dowager watching from above, Yuan Yan adjusted his breathing slightly, forcibly pulling his mind back to the present.
However, the system was still reeling from the shock.
[Host, how could this be? This is too much of a coincidence!]
Because Yuan Yan and Yang Lingyi's expressions changed so drastically, even those around them noticed something was amiss.
"Second Princess, do you know Cousin Yang?" The young Sixth Princess Yuan Wen glanced between the two of them and asked.
"Your Highness is too kind. My cousin has always been raised in seclusion, and I didn't attend the last palace banquet, so how could I have had the chance to meet him?"
Yuan Yan regained his composure and smiled, his calm and collected demeanor confusing the others.
"Don't you think so, my dear brother Yang Lingyi?" Yuan Yan even turned the conversation to Yang Lingyi.
"Yes... I don't know Your Highness. This is the first time I've met you."
When Yang Lingyi heard Yuan Yan call him "Lingyi Brother," her heart skipped a beat.
He hadn't yet recovered from the shock he'd just experienced. But Yang Lingyi knew she couldn't cause trouble for her sister Yan, so she immediately went along with what Yuan Yan had said.
The sixth princess thought about it and realized that the two of them really had no chance to get to know each other. She decided that she was just being paranoid and didn't ask any further questions.
"Lingyi, don't be so reserved. Yan'er is your imperial aunt's daughter. Just call her cousin."
The Empress Dowager looked at Yang Lingyi with affection, and seeing that he addressed the Second Prince Yuan Yan with a restrained expression, she specially spoke up to correct him.
The eldest son and Yuan Hao are siblings born of the same father, both born to the Empress Dowager. Yang Lingyi is the Empress Dowager's maternal grandson, and the Empress Dowager treats him with exceptional kindness, hence this statement.
“The Empress Dowager is right. Lingyi, just treat this place as your own home. There’s no need to be nervous,” Yuan Hao said.
[Restraint? You've already held hands, and you call that restraint? Yang Lingyi is clearly afraid of people finding out about your real relationship, that's why she's acting like that...] the system complained.
Yang Lingyi outwardly agreed, but in reality, her heart had already left her body and flown to Yuan Yan.
Because they were surrounded by eyes at the banquet, the two were unable to speak, even though they desperately wanted to. They could only hold back for the time being and retreat to their respective seats.
During this time, Yuan Yan was socializing while keeping an eye on the men's section out of the corner of his eye.
She waited until the middle of the banquet, and when she saw Yang Lingyi leave her seat, she made an excuse to change her clothes and followed her out.
In the secluded area of the rear hall, Yuan Yan finally met Yang Lingyi.
"Sister Yan." Yang Lingyi's heart surged with emotions upon seeing Yuan Yan, and she didn't know how to speak for a moment.
"Yi'er, I'm sorry you were frightened just now."
Yuan Yan thought of Yang Lingyi's surprised and bewildered expression in the hall just now, and felt a pang of pity. He couldn't help but gently stroke Yang Lingyi's dark hair.
Under her reassurance, Yang Lingyi's expression gradually calmed down, and she said softly, "Sister Yan, I'm fine. I was just too surprised."
"I always thought Sister Yan was the young master of Baoweizhai, but I was wrong. That's why I was so surprised when I found out her identity."
Although Yuan Yan concealed his name, he felt no resentment and instead took the blame upon himself.
Yuan Yan told him, "My father's surname is Lin, so when he goes out and doesn't want to attract attention, he always presents himself as Lin."
"As for Baoweizhai, it was also left by my father, so it's not wrong for Yi'er to say that I am the owner behind it."
Yuan Yan didn't want to cause misunderstandings by speaking unclearly, so he simply took this opportunity to clarify the doubts in both of their minds.
"I know that Sister Yan didn't mean to hide it from me. It's just a coincidence that led to this incident today."
Yang Lingyi shook her head and said gently.
"This isn't my sister's fault. Just like me, there are things I haven't said."
"Because of my father's strict discipline, I used to sneak out of the manor. I was worried that my sister would not associate with me after she found out my identity. I was also afraid that my father would be angry if he found out, so I didn't dare to reveal my identity."
"That day, my sister asked me if I was willing... to marry you, and that's why I didn't answer." Yang Lingyi's cheeks still flushed slightly as she spoke of that day.
His honest attitude warmed Yuan Yan's heart.
"Host, you didn't misjudge her. This Yang Lingyi has a good personality and seems quite suitable for you." The system, listening nearby, couldn't help but say.
Yuan Yan laughed, "So, Yi'er and I really are destined by fate."
Thinking about it that way, it really is true...
Yang Lingyi pondered Yuan Yan's words, and after a moment of surprise, she couldn't help but laugh.
His eyes curved slightly, and the dimples on his cheeks bloomed gently, making him look incredibly sweet.
Yuan Yan looked at him and felt an urge to pull him into her arms. But she knew this was not the right place, so she had to suppress it for the time being.
Both of them still had a lot to say. However, they had been out for too long, and staying any longer might arouse suspicion.
"Sister Yan, Father is holding a banquet in a few days, and he will probably invite you. Come find me before the banquet."
Yang Lingyi reluctantly let go of Yuan Yan's hand, and they agreed on a time and place for their next meeting.
“Okay, I will go.” Yuan Yan saw him outside.
After Yang Lingyi returned, she returned to her seat a moment later.
...
As the banquet ended, many male relatives of officials walked out of the palace gates, preparing to board their carriages.
At this moment, the Third Princess Yuan Xiao came to Yang Lingyi.
“Cousin Yang, my father recently acquired a pot of black jade peonies. The flowers are in full bloom, and he would like to invite you to the palace to admire them. I wonder if you are free?” Yuan Xiao invited.
For some reason, she had suddenly become unusually polite, abandoning her usual arrogant demeanor.
It turns out that when the eldest prince and his son first entered the capital, the Imperial Attendant had already set her sights on Yang Lingyi.
In Shu Shiqing's view, the Governor of Yanzhou held military power in the region. The eldest son of the emperor was of noble status and was also the emperor's half-sibling, sharing a deep bond with him. He was highly trusted by the emperor and was one of the few people who could be trusted to speak with him.
If he could marry Yang Lingyi, all the support he would receive in the future would belong to his son, Xiao'er. He could also gain some favor with the Empress Dowager, which would greatly benefit Xiao'er's bid for the throne...
In that case, how could Xiao'er not be able to ascend to that position? Just thinking about it made Shu Shiqing's heart begin to heat up.
Therefore, Lady Shu mentioned to the eldest prince several times that she wanted to ask His Majesty to grant a marriage and let Yuan Xiao marry Yang Lingyi.
However, the eldest prince could see through their thoughts and had no desire to get involved in the struggle for the throne. He even refused the matchmaking attempt by Feng Qing to select a chief minister for the Prince of Qi, so how could he possibly be interested in Yuan Xiao? He always ignored such offers.
After several attempts, Shu Shiqing was met with setbacks and felt frustrated but helpless. She could only try her best to encourage Yuan Xiao to pursue Yang Lingyi.
"He's just a man. I'm a princess, I can have any man I want, why would I need to please a man?"
Yuan Xiao was deeply disdainful of this, and besides, Yang Lingyi's appearance was not her type. She had always preferred mature men with alluring figures and had no interest in Yang Lingyi's bland and unappealing appearance. Therefore, she was very impatient with Shu Shiqing's suggestion.
However, Shu Shiqing was extremely insistent on this. Seeing that Yuan Xiao was uncooperative, she was frustrated and painstakingly explained the benefits of marrying Yang Lingyi to Yuan Xiao.
Yuan Xiao became interested upon hearing this. Although she disliked Yang Lingyi, it didn't stop her from planning to marry her and keep her around.
So, at Shu Shiqing's urging, Yuan Xiao repeatedly tried to win Yang Lingyi's favor and invite her out. Even though Yang Lingyi had clearly refused, he did not give up.
It wasn't until Yuan Xiao was imprisoned after the Empress Dowager suspected his assassination attempt that Yang Lingyi finally found peace and quiet around her.
"Young Master..."
Why is the Third Princess here again?
Seeing that Yuan Xiao seemed to have his eyes on his young master, even the servants couldn't help but mutter to themselves.
"I don't enjoy flower viewing. Sending me to see such a rare peony would be a waste. Your Highness should find someone else."
Yang Lingyi had never been interested in Yuan Xiao before, and now that she and Yuan Yan had exchanged feelings, she was even less inclined to pay attention to her. She rejected him outright without even bothering to come up with a decent excuse.
Yuan Xiao narrowed his eyes, feeling quite displeased, but he held back and didn't show it.
“If Peony doesn’t like it, then what does my cousin like? I’ll send the servants to find out.” She still didn’t give up.
Yang Lingyi was speechless and frowned, not expecting the Third Princess to be so shameless.
Just as he was about to refuse more bluntly, he heard a voice coming from not far away.
"Your brother said he doesn't want to attend the banquet, Third Sister, don't you understand?"
Yuan Yan walked over at that moment, seemingly casually, but he ended up standing right between Yuan Xiao and Yang Lingyi.
"Your Highness."
Almost immediately after Yuan Yan arrived, Yang Lingyi's heart calmed down. If it weren't for Yuan Xiao's presence, he probably would have already called her "Sister Yan."
“Yuan Yan, I was talking to my cousin Yang. What do you mean by suddenly interrupting me?”
Upon seeing Yuan Yan, Yuan Xiao was immediately filled with both old and new grudges, and spoke with displeasure and hostility.
"What do you mean? What could I possibly mean?" Yuan Yan scoffed.
"It's just that I can't stand seeing you, Third Princess, relentlessly pursuing and forcing a weak man like this."
Her words were merciless, and just one sentence made Yuan Xiao furious.
Sister Yan has such a commanding presence!
Yuan Yan's figure was tall and imposing. Yang Lingyi felt a sense of security as she was protected behind him, and her eyes lit up as she watched Yuan Yan stand up for her.
"You...you Yuan Yan! No matter what I do now, you'll always oppose me. You're determined to make things difficult for me, aren't you!" Yuan Xiao gritted his teeth in hatred.
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