Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Yan Huaijing was not Yan Ruyu. At least, Yu Wan did not have to worry about him taking her life if she fell into his hands. Of course, she could not be too careless. After all, a man and a woman were in the same room. No one could guarantee that he would not do something irreversible to her on impulse. Therefore, after a short confrontation, Yu Wan decided not to anger him anymore. She would stay in whichever room he asked her to. She would obediently eat when he asked someone to pass her food.
Yan Huaijing saw Yu Wanâs obedience and guessed that she was most likely waiting for Yan Jiuchao to save her. However, at the same time, he also had a trace of hope. Perhaps she was not as resistant to him as he thought. She felt at ease being with him.
Dinner was birdâs nest duck strips, stir-fried meat with asparagus, shredded pigeon eggs, stewed carp, braised pork belly, eggplant with peppers, and a few seasonal vegetables. The first few dishes were court dishes. Yu Wan had never eaten them before, but this was the first time she tasted them and unexpectedly felt that they tasted good. She got someone to add a bowl of rice.
When the servant saw that her appetite was so good, he almost suspected that she had not been kidnapped by His Highness.
Seeing that she was eating so well, Yan Huaijingâs mood improved a lot. After Yu Wan put down her bowl and chopsticks, Yan Huaijing scooped another bowl of rose soup for her. Yu Wan pushed the bowl away. âI canât eat anymore.â
Yan Huaijing said softly, âThen Iâll go out with you.â
Her stomach was very full, so she should indeed go and digest her food. However, Yu Wan did not want to go with him, so she said, âI canât walk anymore. Iâll just sit for a while. Your Highness, go and busy yourself. You donât have to look at me. I wonât escape.â
It was fine if she walked in the mountains and forests during the day, but who knew what she would bump into at night? She was not so impulsive.
âYou donât have to worry about the Capital.â
âYour Highness, what do you mean?â
âYou donât have to return to the Capital for the time being untilâ¦â At this point, Yan Huaijing paused.
The information he gave was too little. Yu Wan took a long time to piece together what he wanted to say. Today was her and Yan Jiuchaoâs wedding day. She had been kidnapped halfway. Even if she returned unscathed, she would probably have lost her innocence in the eyes of many people. The worst case scenario was that even Yan Jiuchao suspected that Yan Huaijing had done something to her. If it were any other good girl, they would probably not be able to return to the Capital.
She wondered what he meant by âuntilâ. Was it until the limelight subsided or until he ascended the throne?
Yu Wan thought about it and felt that it should be the latter.
She kindly reminded him, âYour Highness, I donât dare to say if Yan Jiuchao still wants me, but you kidnapped his wife on his wedding day. You donât think heâll let this go, do you? Or do you think he canât find out about you?â
âIâm not afraid of him,â Yan Huaijing said.
Yu Wan did not want to anger him. She stopped and did not say anything else.
Seeing her suddenly fall silent, Yan Huaijingâs eyes narrowed. âAre you angry with me?â
âNo.â Yu Wan shook her head. She did not say that if he really cared about her, he should not have kidnapped her from the beginning.
Yan Huaijing suddenly said, âI know I shouldnât have done this. Itâs not wrong for you to blame me. I was indeed selfish.â
But? Yu Wan thought that there must be a turning point here.
As expected, Yan Huaijing spoke again. âBut Iâm not doing this for myself.â
âCould it be that Your Highness is still doing this for me?â Yu Wan was so angry that she laughed. âForgive me for being blunt, but I donât see what benefits this matter has for me. Moreover, Iâve only met Your Highness a few times. Why does Your Highness keep clinging to me?â
Yan Huaijing said truthfully, âBecause if it werenât for you, I would have died in Prefecture Xu three years ago.â
Yu Wan was stunned. There was such a thing?
Yan Huaijing said, âI was seriously injured and thought that I was going to die on the streets. You were the one who found me by the roadside. At that time, you were pregnant and had a decent nanny beside you. The nanny advised you not to meddle in other peopleâs business, but you refused to listen.â
No wonder Yan Huaijing asked her if she had been there the first time he saw her in Lotus Flower Village and even said that he had mistaken her for someone else.
Yan Huaijing continued, âAt first, I wasnât sure it was you. It took me a long time to find out that you donât remember what happened back then.â
This was to explain why Yu Wan did not recognize him in Lotus Flower Village. It would make sense if Yan Huaijing couldnât forget her because she saved his life three years ago, but⦠wasnât she quite ugly back then?
âWait, when you saw me, was I like this?â Yu Wan pointed at her face.
Yan Huaijing thought that she suspected that he had remembered wrongly and said firmly, âIt was rounder then, but I wonât remember wrongly.â
It was just a little rounder. In that case, her face was still this face. Then what was with the red spots in the brothel and in front of Yan Ruyu and Xu Shao? Did the Host change her appearance herself? Yu Wan felt that this was very likely. In that case, it seemed that the Host was not completely brainless. The only fool she had done was Zhao Heng.
The sky was dark. If Yu Wan still had a trace of luck to rush back to attend the wedding earlier, then she had completely no hope now. Even if she returned to the Capital at this time, the banquet would have ended and the guests would have left.
She was most worried about the little fellows. Would they cry like this morning when they woke up and found out that she was not around?
Yu Wanâs heart broke at the thought of her sonâs cries.
âWhatâs wrong? Are you feeling unwell?â Yan Huaijing looked at Yu Wanâs slightly pale face.
Yu Wan took a deep breath. âIf Your Highness doesnât mind, I want to rest.â
If Yan Huaijing didnât leave, she was worried that she wouldnât be able to control herself and wanted to beat him up.
âAlright, youâve been tired for a day. Rest early. Tomorrow, Iâll send you toâ¦â Yan Huaijing paused. In the end, he did not say the place. He stood up and left.
Yu Wan stopped him. âHow long does Your Highness plan to hide me? If you donât ascend the throne for a year, Iâll wait for you for a year. If you donât ascend the throne for ten years, Iâll wait for you for ten years?â
âIt wonât take that long,â Yan Huaijing said.
Yu Wan continued, âThen will Your Highness still marry the daughter of the Prime Minister? What am I in Your Highnessâs heart? Am I a wife worth you protecting for the rest of your life, or am I an exclusive property to satisfy your possessiveness?â
âYouâre not an exclusive property!â Yan Huaijing clenched his fists and turned around with a cold expression.
âBut Iâm not your wife either,â Yu Wan said as she looked at him steadily.
Yan Huaijing tried his best to control his emotions. âIâll give you everything you want.â
Yu Wan smiled faintly. âYour Highness, you mean that after you ascend the throne, youâll cripple the daughter of the Prime Minister and make me the Empress? Arenât you afraid of the world laughing at you?â
Before Yan Huaijing could speak, Yu Wan said again, âBut thatâs not what I want.â
Yan Huaijing did not ask Yu Wan what she wanted. Instead, he said seriously, âI can give you double what Yan Jiuchao can give you! I will also treat your children as my own!â
Yu Wan sneered. âThen why did Your Highness abandon my sons on Yan Ruyuâs pleasure boat? Is this what Your Highness means by treating them like your own?â
Yan Huaijing clenched his fists. âWhat happened in the past is in the past. From now on, I wonât let you down.â
âYour Highness, Your Highness!â A servant dressed up entered the room. He looked at Yu Wan behind Yan Huaijing nervously with a hesitant expression.
Yan Huaijing frowned. âSpeak!â
âYes.â The servant bowed and said, âMiss Han is unwell and wants to see His Highness.â
Miss Han was the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister Manor, the fiancée Worthy Consort Xu had chosen for Yan Huaijing.
Yan Huaijing looked troubled.
Yu Wan could tell from his expression that the other party was not really sick. This should not be the first time that Yan Huaijing could tell that she was pretending to be sick.
Yu Wan looked at him calmly. âYour Highness, are you going?â
Originally, there were only a few prince obstacles on Yan Huaijingâs path to the throne. Now that he had kidnapped Yan Jiuchaoâs new wife, it was obvious that Yan Jiuchao would not let him off. Yan Jiuchao was much harder to deal with than the princes. At this critical juncture, he could not leave the support of the Prime Minister Manor.
Yan Huaijing suppressed his displeasure. âIâll be back soon.â
Yu Wan smiled. âYour Highness, arenât you afraid that Iâll run away?â
Yan Huaijing said to the door, âChangâan, you stay.â
Jun Changâan walked in. Yu Wan ignored him. She turned around, pulled open the screen, and lay on the bed to rest.
Yan Huaijing rushed to the Prime Minister Manor as quickly as possible.
His fiancée was the third daughter of the Prime Minister, Han Jingshu. She was the daughter of the first wife and was deeply doted on by the old Prime Minister. Han Jingshu was lively and delicate, and she knew how to please people. Even the Emperor praised her. The only thing that gave Yan Huaijing a headache was that this young lady was a little clingy.
âMiss Han.â In the small garden of the Prime Minister Manor, Yan Huaijing saw Han Jingshu, who was dressed in pink like a fairy under the moonlight.
Han Jingshuâs face was rosy and her eyes were clear. She was not sick at all. She dismissed the servants and walked over with a flower basket. âBrother Jing! Youâre finally here. Iâve been waiting for you for an hour.â
Yan Huaijing said politely, âIsnât Miss Han unwell? Why arenât you resting in your room?â
Han Jingshu smiled charmingly. âMy illness is fine after seeing you! By the way, Brother Jing, where did you go just now? Why did you come to look for me so late? Donât tell me you went to meet a woman in private?â
At this point, her little face immediately scrunched up, looking like she had suffered a great grievance.
Yan Huaijing felt a little guilty. He cleared his throat and said, âI was delayed by something.â
âOh, I thought Brother Jing had gone to attend the Young Master Manorâs wedding. Actually, I wanted to go, but my mother said that I was about to get married and shouldnât show my face. Iâm almost bored to death!â Han Jingshu muttered. She thought of something and handed the basket in her hand to him. âI picked the flowers. Brother Jing, help me pick a hairpin.â
Yan Huaijing casually picked up a peony hairpin and placed it on her bun.
âAm I beautiful, Brother Jing?â Han Jingshu asked with a smile.
A calm face flashed across Yan Huaijingâs mind. ââ¦Beautiful.â
Han Jingshu smiled sweetly.