It wasn't until Ruan Qing'an lay back down on the bed that the burning charcoal fire in the room made her feel a little warmer, but her frail body still made her lean against the headboard and cough softly.
Ji Wuyu sat by the bed, pulling the blanket up for her, his dark eyes silently scrutinizing Ruan Qing'an.
There was a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.
"Qing'an, what you just said..."
"It's nothing, Your Highness. If that's not your intention, then consider it as me being presumptuous."
Ruan Qing'an turned her head away from Ji Wuyu and said, "His Majesty bestowed this marriage upon the two of us. Your Highness should be aware of the power of the Yongle Marquis's Mansion, and the other princes are naturally aware of it as well. If Your Highness has the support of the Yongle Marquis's Mansion, you will surely invite trouble."
"This is the biggest advantage of our discord: it prevents other princes from plotting against us. Otherwise, why would Sun Tianyuan, as a member of the Second Prince's faction, approach me after our engagement?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Wuyu's eyes flickered slightly, but he did not say anything more.
Ruan Qing'an bowed slightly and said, "In short, I hope Your Highness can give me an answer regarding the visit to Cining Temple in three days. If you have no interest in a high position, then I will ask my father to dissolve the engagement."
"From now on, we are even."
The atmosphere fell silent. After a moment, Ji Wuyu finally stood up and bowed to Ruan Qing'an, saying, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Qing'an."
Even after leaving the Yongle Marquis's residence, Ji Wuyu's gentle and affectionate smile never faded, like that of a refined nobleman—this mask was almost impossible to remove.
Only his dark eyes narrowed slightly. After he sat in the carriage, Ji Wuyu finally said softly, "Interesting..."
He half-closed his eyes, recalling Ruan Qing'an's fragile and soft yet cold and arrogant appearance, like the fine snow, which, though cold, melted instantly upon landing in his palm.
After all this time, he seemed to have never understood Ruan Qing'an.
That's actually quite interesting...
【Affection Level: 5】
A moment later, the carriage moved slightly. As it passed an alley, a man dressed in black came aboard and knelt before Ji Wuyu: "Master, shall we proceed as planned in three days?"
Ji Wuyu said in a deep voice, "...Continue."
She is not enough to make him change his plans right now.
Meanwhile, in the warm room with a burning charcoal fire, Ruan Qing'an lowered his head and drank tea, while a maid stood by and carefully served him.
037: [Ancestor, you're really pushing the male lead away so desperately! Aren't you afraid of going too far? What if he agrees...?]
"No, otherwise he wouldn't be Ji Wuyu."
Ruan Qing'an chuckled: "Those who almost killed their own family and ascended the throne, which one of them is easy to deal with? Ji Wuyu thinks a lot, so even if he doesn't trust me, he will observe first before making a move."
"Ji Wuyu is not someone who can be easily moved by emotions. If I tell him that I kicked Sun Tianyuan out because I like him, little system, this bastard will not believe me."
037: [I also think that the male lead probably wouldn't even wait three days before he stabbed you in the back to wake you up.]
Ruan Qing'an smiled but didn't say much. For someone like Ji Wuyu, the only thing that could move him was "interests." He didn't believe in feelings and didn't trust them.
While sipping her tea, Ruan Qing'an looked at the personal maid standing to the side. This maid was named Lüzhu, and she was pretty. She had been sold to the Yongle Marquis's mansion when she was very young and had been following the original owner ever since. She was loyal to the original owner, but the original owner didn't know how to treat her and would beat and scold her.
"Green Bamboo, has Father returned to the Marquis's residence?"
"They're back, Miss."
Green Bamboo answered, and just then, footsteps came from outside, accompanied by a hearty laugh: "Is my Qing'an missing her father? She's even asking if he's back yet!"
As they were talking, a middle-aged man walked in. He was tall and imposing, and even though he was getting on in years, he was still full of energy and had a powerful presence. He sat down on a chair with a flourish, his smile undiminished.
This Marquis of Yongle was named Ruan Changhong. In his early years, he fought in the army and eventually won many military achievements. Even now that he has retired from the battlefield, he still exudes a fierce aura.
But at this moment, Ruan Changhong gently patted Ruan Qing'an's head: "I heard you got into trouble as soon as I got back?"
No way.
As Ruan Qing'an spoke, he raised his hand to Lüzhu, who immediately bent down, trotted out of the house, and closed the door.
Once everyone was alone, Ruan Qing'an asked, "Father, are you referring to the matter of me having someone beat up Sun Tianyuan?"
"I remember you two had a pretty good relationship."
Ruan Changhong said meaningfully that the original owner's relationship with Sun Tianyuan was not just a "good" one. He asked in return, "If you really don't like the Ninth Prince, then your father will break off the engagement."
Ruan Qing'an shook his head: "No, Father. His Majesty said so himself. If you take the initiative to break off the engagement, it will cause gossip. As for Sun Tianyuan's father, he supports the Second Prince. If that happens, we will be labeled as the Second Prince's faction."
“The Ninth Prince has no foundation and is not someone to be feared. His Majesty’s betrothal to me and the Prince is also to guard against our Yongle Marquis’s family. If Father goes to annul the engagement, it will play right into our hands.”
Hearing this, Ruan Changhong was stunned. When did his daughter become so perceptive and pretend to be weak to take advantage of others?
After a moment of silence, Ruan Changhong said, "So, you still intend to fulfill the marriage agreement, Qing'an?"
“I will communicate with His Highness the Ninth Prince. His Majesty is currently unwell, and the position of Crown Prince has yet to be decided. Sooner or later, the princes will have to compete for it.”
Ruan Qing'an paused, then shook his head helplessly: "Father, the Yongle Marquis's Mansion cannot remain unscathed. Besides, His Majesty is also very distrustful of us. Even if we don't participate, we will still be targeted."
Ruan Changhong sighed, "We actually have to trouble Qing'an to come up with ideas for the Yongle Marquis's residence. They've really grown up..."
"The situation is chaotic right now, and you are engaged to the Ninth Prince. The only one we can choose is the Ninth Prince. If we were to choose someone else, His Majesty would probably be the first to make a move."
The atmosphere froze again. Ruan Qing'an pondered for a moment and said, "How about this, Father? The Ninth Prince has invited me to Cining Temple in three days. I will explain things to him properly."
"If he wants to fight for it, we'll help him; if he doesn't, we'll have to find a way out."
Ruan Changhong lowered his voice and said, "Okay, I'll listen to Qing'an."
As they were speaking, Green Bamboo's voice came from outside the door: "My lord, Miss, news has come from the palace that after Young Master Sun was beaten, the Minister immediately set off for the palace, probably to seek justice."
Nguyen Thanh An and Nguyen Chang Hong exchanged a glance, both sensing something was wrong.
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