Only you
Ling Yuan's hands were clenched tightly. He glanced at Yan Shu first.
"Trust me," he said softly, before turning to General Ji.
"General Ji," his voice was steady, "I was truly unaware of your verbal agreement with my uncle. Moreover, such an agreement is unfair to Miss Ji."
Ji Rong's smile froze for a moment: "Your Highness, Yu'er is truly sincere..."
"I'm sorry," Ling Yuan interrupted him, "I already have a princess consort. If I were to bring Miss Ji into the palace, I'm afraid it would delay her. If the general is worried, I can find a good marriage for Miss Ji in the capital. I will certainly not let her suffer."
Ji Yu stood to the side with her head down, her expression unreadable.
Ji Rong tried to persuade him further: "Your Highness, why don't we let Yu'er stay at the Prince's residence for a while, so we can spend some time together..."
"No need," Ling Yuan shook his head. "Since you have no intention, why give people false hope? It's inconvenient for the Prince's residence to accommodate Miss Ji overnight; please understand."
The hall was so quiet you could hear someone breathing.
Ji Rong, being a soldier, was straightforward and outspoken. Seeing that Ling Yuan had put things this way, he sighed, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Since Your Highness has made up your mind, this humble general understands."
He turned to his daughter: "Yu'er, let's go."
Ji Yu's eyes were a little red, but she still bowed respectfully and followed her father out.
Once everyone left, only the two of them remained in the hall.
Yan Shu was still stunned, her hand held in his palm. She looked up at him, and he was looking down at her.
The two looked at each other, said nothing, but smiled at the same time.
That was the end of it.
A few days later, there was good news regarding the land reclamation project in the northern border. Lingyuan and Prince Xuangui had handled the matter brilliantly, and the Emperor rewarded them handsomely.
Lingyuan returned from court and said, "Xuan Gui said he's hosting a banquet at his residence tonight."
Yan Shu was a little surprised: "Am I going too?"
"Of course," he said matter-of-factly.
This was Yan Shu's first visit to the Prince Chen's residence. As soon as they arrived at the gate, Xuan Gui came out to greet them. Qing Feng followed behind him, and upon seeing Ling Ying, he grinned, "Ling Ying!"
Ling Ying nodded: "Mm."
At the banquet, Hyun-gyu was clearly in a good mood. After a few drinks, he became quite talkative.
"Uncle and Aunt, you have no idea," Xuan Gui said with a bitter face, "Father and Mother have been urging me to get engaged every day. I've met several young ladies, and it's really making me worried."
Yan Shu asked curiously, "Which families did you visit?"
"I met Minister Li's daughter last week," Xuan Gui sighed. "The young lady was admiring the flowers, and I didn't say anything, but halfway through the conversation, I noticed her eyes were red."
Qingfeng chimed in, "Young Prince, what kind of advice did you give that young lady, like 'this place is suitable for setting up an ambush' or 'that trenches should be dug over there'? You've made her three-year-old peony look completely worthless. How can she be happy?"
Ling Yuan's eyes held a smile: "Then what kind do you think would be suitable?"
"How would I know!" Xuan Gui downed another cup. "The Miss Yu I met the day before yesterday, I mentioned I liked horseback riding and archery, and she immediately offered to give me a set of gold-embroidered soft armor. I said I loved reading military books, and she said her father had plenty in his study, I could just take whatever I wanted..."
Yan Shu couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Isn't this great?"
"What's so good about it?" Xuan Gui said with a worried look. "I later found out that her father is Minister Yu of War, and she was trying to curry favor with him on his behalf!"
Even Ling Yuan couldn't help but laugh.
Xuan Gui grew increasingly frustrated as he talked, drinking one cup after another. Ling Yuan drank with him, and before he knew it, he had also drunk too much.
"If you ask me," Ling Yuan suddenly put down his wine cup, his eyes somewhat unfocused, "the kind of princess one should look for is someone like Shu'er."
Yan Shu's face flushed, and she gently pushed him away: "Your Highness, you've had too much to drink."
"I didn't drink too much." He grasped her hand. "Everything I said is true. Shu'er will make me undergarments, cook me hangover soup, and ride horses with me..."
Xuan Gui nodded vigorously from the side: "Yes, yes, yes! Auntie is the best!"
"Shu'er would also quietly stay by my side while I read..." Ling Yuan became more and more excited as he spoke, "and would massage my temples when I was tired..."
Qingfeng and Lingying stood guard not far away. Qingfeng was trying hard to suppress his laughter, his shoulders shaking. Lingying's face was expressionless, but the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
Yan Shu blushed deeply, "Stop talking..."
"Why can't I say it?" Ling Yuan said matter-of-factly, "I'm going to say it, my Shu'er is the best..."
Xuan Gui chimed in, "Uncle is right! I want one like that too!"
Before he could finish speaking, he slumped onto the table with a thud and fell asleep.
Ling Yuan held onto Yan Shu's hand tightly, babbling on and on, "Shu'er, I can't live without you..."
Having no other option, Yan Shu said to Qingfeng, "Please arrange a guest room."
Qingfeng suppressed a laugh: "I've been prepared for this for a long time."
That night, Lingyuan slept very soundly, holding Yan Shu's hand tightly the whole time.
The next morning
Yan Shu woke up just as dawn was breaking.
She turned to her side and saw that Ling Yuan was still asleep. Remembering how he had held her and kept saying "I can't live without you" after he got drunk last night, she couldn't help but smile.
Perhaps sensing the movement, Ling Yuan slowly opened his eyes. He was taken aback when he saw her smiling.
"What are you laughing at?" His voice was still a little hoarse from just waking up.
Yan Shu moved closer to him: "Last night, Xiao wouldn't let go of me, repeatedly saying he couldn't live without me."
Ling Yuan's ears slowly turned red. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned closer to her and said very seriously, "It's all true."
He was about to kiss her when Yan Shu quickly reached out to stop him: "No...we're in someone else's house..."
Ling Yuan paused, then reluctantly stepped back a little.
"I'm going for a walk in the garden," Yan Shu quickly sat up.
"I'll stay with you." Ling Yuan also got up.
After a quick wash, the two left the room one after the other. The Prince Chen's residence was quiet in the early morning, and the dew had not yet dried.
Just as they reached the vicinity of the artificial hill, they heard Qingfeng's voice: "Lingying, you didn't see it! Last night, your prince was so clingy with his princess, constantly saying he couldn't live without her, and even trying to kiss her... We've served the prince for so many years, and this is the first time we've ever seen him like this!"
Ling Ying's voice carried a hint of amusement: "Indeed, it's my first time."
Qingfeng laughed so hard he slapped his thigh: "Like a little kid!"
Yan Shu and Ling Yuan stopped at the same time. Yan Shu secretly glanced at Ling Yuan and found that his entire ear was bright red.
She cleared her throat deliberately.
The laughter behind the artificial hill abruptly stopped. Qingfeng and Lingying quickly walked out, and upon seeing them, Qingfeng's face instantly turned pale.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness's Consort..."
Ling Yuan asked with a stern face, "Are you very free?"
"No time to be idle! I'll go feed the horses!" Qingfeng grabbed Lingying and ran off in a flash.
Yan Shu looked at Ling Yuan's bright red ears and finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Still laughing." Ling Yuan glanced at her.
"I think it's great," Yan Shu said, taking his arm. "It's much cuter than when you have a serious face."
Ling Yuan didn't speak, but silently tightened his grip on her hand.
When Xuan Gui came to see them off, he was still embarrassed about what happened last night.
On the carriage ride back, Ling Yuan remained silent.
Yan Shu looked at his slightly reddened ears and gently leaned closer: "Actually, I'm very happy."
He reached out and put his arm around her.
"You said you couldn't live without me," she said softly, "and I can't live without you either."
He looked down at her, his eyes tender.
"Really." Yan Shu looked up. "So from now on, just say what you want to say, no need to use alcohol as an excuse."
Ling Yuan looked into her bright eyes and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
The carriage swayed gently, and Yan Shu leaned against him, feeling very safe and secure.
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