Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I hurriedly knelt and bowed.

Xiao Yi seemed about to reach out to help me up, but realizing it would be improper, he awkwardly drew his hand back.

“Miss Shen, there is no need for such formality. I came to your residence so suddenly. Did I frighten you?”

I shook my head and said respectfully, “His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has graced us with his presence. I will have someone inform my father at once.”

“Why would I need to see your father?”

He pressed his lips together. A blush rose over his face, and there was an irrepressible joy in his expression.

“Miss Shen, I-I only wanted to speak with you.”

I understood at once.

He must have sneaked out of the palace to see my elder sister and wanted to ask me where Shen Qinghe was.

I was just about to speak when Xiao Yi finally noticed there was another person on the ground. He frowned.

“Jiang Yunzhou, didn’t the Shen Family already break off the engagement with you?”

“Yes.”

“Then what are you still doing here?”

“…I will take my leave.”

Jiang Yunzhou was about to slink away in disgrace when Xiao Yi called him back.

“Wait.”

Jiang Yunzhou had no choice but to return and bow his head, awaiting orders.

Xiao Yi lowered his eyes coldly, his tone completely different from before.

“Since the Jiang and Shen families have already dissolved the engagement, I do not wish to see you still pining after Miss Shen. Do you understand?”

The Marquis Ding’an, who had been so arrogant and condescending just moments ago, mocking me with his head held high, now looked like a beast whose claws and fangs had been pulled out. He no longer dared to bare his teeth.

“I would not dare.”

After sending him away, Xiao Yi looked me over from head to toe, his eyes full of concern.

“Was he pestering you just now?”

I thought, Of course.

I was Shen Qinghe’s younger sister. In my previous life, he had treated me well time and again for Shen Qinghe’s sake. It made perfect sense for him to show a little concern for his future sister-in-law.

Grateful, I said, “No. Please rest assured, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Marquis Ding’an is simply unwilling to accept it and came to the residence to make a fuss. It is only human nature.”

Xiao Yi’s gaze darted away, and he seemed a little embarrassed.

“Miss Shen, do you think I am using my position to bully others? Knowing that Miss Shen had an engagement with Marquis Ding’an, yet still going to plead with Imperial Father…”

“But if I had not tried, then Miss Shen and I would never have had another chance.”

“Miss Shen, what do you think?”

Listening to him say “Miss Shen” over and over made my head spin a little.

Thankfully, it was easy enough to distinguish.

The first and last “Miss Shen” were addressed to me.

The two in the middle referred to Shen Qinghe.

In my previous life, Xiao Yi had been a wise ruler who governed diligently, loved his people, and was praised by all. He had also been very good to me.

I lifted my face and smiled.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is a man of true feeling, brave enough to pursue the one he loves.”

“And I feel that Marquis Ding’an is no worthy match. He is far inferior to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

Xiao Yi had not expected me to say that. He was overwhelmed with excitement.

“Miss Shen, do you truly think so?”

“That is wonderful. Before I came, I was still worried, afraid that you, afraid that you…”

His voice grew lower and lower toward the end, and I did not catch the rest.

But I did see the tips of his ears swiftly turn red.

For a moment, I could not tear my eyes away from his face.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was eighteen this year, a bright and radiant young man. The light in his eyes surged like a river of stars.

His heart was passionate, pure, and clean, now leaping with joy because he could marry my elder sister.

Born of imperial blood, yet with the innocence of a child; noble and striking beyond compare.

For some reason, my eyes suddenly stung.

I thought of my elder sister’s breathtakingly beautiful face. I thought of that Moon Shadow Butterfly Hairpin of pure red gold, the one she could never bear to let me see.

I thought of the plump jade-green grapes on her plate.

I thought of her dazzling array of clothes and jewelry.

Those things, at least, did not yet belong to me.

But such a wonderful His Royal Highness the Crown Prince…

“I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!”

My thoughts were yanked back all at once.

I quickly turned around.

Father, Mother, and my elder sister had arrived with a large crowd of people, all kneeling in unison to pay their respects.