mortar was evenly mixed, even better than Cai Lian could make. She laid out a sheet of xuan paper and picked up her brush, thinking for a moment before starting to draw.Her strokes were like dragons...Chapter 87: Liked for Years

The person sitting in the carriage was not Rong Jing, but a young man clad in brocade garments who seemed to be of similar age as Rong Jing. The young man had an exquisite appearance, with his black hair like ink and skin like jade, eyebrows painted like dark ink—like something crafted by celestial hands. His essence seemed to gather the quintessence of far-off mountain greens throughout the seasons, making anyone who saw him involuntarily think of the phrase "jade quality surpassing flowers."

Throughout the world, only the Crown Prince of Donghai could live up to these four words—“Jade Quality Surpassing Flowers.”

The Crown Prince of Donghai, Yu Zishu, was naturally elegant and beautiful with a face like jade. Born mute, he didn't speak until he was five years old but then spoke in perfect sentences from the start. He established his people and revived Donghai, winning the love of millions of commoners. In Donghai, there is a widely circulated saying: "Respecting the Crown Prince's orders is equivalent to respecting the King's order."

Even though for centuries Tian Sheng had little contact with Donghai, rumors about the Crown Prince of Donghai still spread.

Tian Sheng has Rong Jing—"Honored like an emperor, refined surpassing nobles."

Donghai has its Crown Prince—"Naturally elegant and beautiful, jade quality surpassing flowers."

The reputations of these two individuals spread widely but had little to do with each other.

Ye Qingran clearly did not expect to see Yu Zishu so suddenly in Rong Jing's carriage today. His surprise was可想而知。特彆是容景的車廂內，一直以來隻有雲淺月一人坐過，那人天生潔癖，除了雲淺月，誰也近身不得他三尺之內，更有甚者，連碰他的物事兒都不能。而玉子書如今就懶洋洋地靠著車壁半躺在他的車中，閒適隨意，趕車的人是絃歌，容景的貼身侍衛，顯然這是一種對車內如今坐著的人的認可。

"Prince Xiaoqingwang" Yu Zishu, who was originally resting with his eyes closed, opened them upon seeing the astonished face of Ye Qingran. He smiled gently, his tone soft like a warm breeze, and raised his eyebrows slightly, giving off an impression as if spring had arrived.

"Indeed it's Crown Prince Yu! This little prince thought I was mistaken!" Ye Qingran suddenly laughed, at which point a cool autumn wind blew by, rustling through his brocade robes. He stared at Yu Zishu and said, "Sometimes rumors do not deceive people; Crown Prince Yu is indeed like this."

"Prince Xiaoqingwang also matches the rumors," replied Yu Zishu with a warm smile.

"When did Crown Prince Yu come to Tian Sheng Why are you in Ruo Mei's carriage now If it weren't for my good fortune, I wouldn’t have known that your esteemed body had already arrived at Tian Sheng." Ye Qingran casually rested his hand on the side of the carriage and asked with a smile.

"Just today!" Yu Zishu answered with a smile.

"Today Just now" Ye Qingran raised an eyebrow and laughed, saying: "Crown Prince Yu surely knows that this place is the entrance to the imperial palace! Are you planning to meet Emperor Uncle immediately upon your arrival"

"Of course!" Crown Prince Yu smiled warmly. "I just entered the capital city and remembered I hadn’t reported to Tian Sheng’s King, so I came straight to the palace. Before anyone could inform them of my arrival, I happened to run into Young Master Jing who said that His Majesty was ill and should not be disturbed at present. He invited me to stay at his mansion in Rong王府雖然寒舍，但也有容身之地，讓子書去榮王府休息。子書也覺得打擾天聖皇上修養的確不合宜，於是卻之不恭，便就依了景世子之言。景世子進宮去理事兒，便著屬下送我，如今正要去榮王府，不想卻見到了染小王爺。”

“原來是這樣！”夜輕染眸光微閃，也不再探究，笑道：“本小王聽聞玉太子和雲王府的淺月小姐交情不錯，為何不先去雲王府？”

玉子書長長的睫毛微微顫了一下，笑意不變，語氣溫和地道：“本宮身份太過特殊，不想給她添麻煩。”

夜輕染微愣，忽然笑了，“看來玉太子還是不明白天聖京城的情形，小丫頭自小就囂張紈絝，任性妄為，那是出了名的，皇伯伯的話在她耳裡就跟耳旁風冇二樣。她不給彆人找麻煩就不錯了，實在不需要你如此顧忌。”

“哦？是這樣？”玉子書似乎有些訝異，須臾，啞然失笑，“但即便如此，還有一個景世子呢！我若是去了雲王府，景世子大約該緊張了！”

“玉太子還怕那個弱美人？”夜輕染挑眉。

“多一事不如少一事。況且本宮聽說榮王府的紫竹院甚是清淨。而且東海和榮王府有一筆百年前的糾葛，本宮要麻煩人，理應麻煩景世子纔不為過。”玉子書笑答，滴水不漏。

“話的確如此說！”夜輕染笑著點頭，詢問，“本小王如今要去雲王府，玉太子從東海而來這一路可累？若是不累的話，就先去一趟雲王府如何？”

“本宮有些累了，反正已經到了天聖京城，早晚都能見到故人，也不急於一時半刻。”玉子書搖頭。

"Alright then! This little Wang has some free time, so I'll send Jade Prince to the Honor王府. Then I will head over to the little lass's place." Ye Qingran didn't insist.

"I'm troubling you, Young Master Qingran!" Jade Zishu did not show any sign of modesty.

Ye Qingran no longer spoke and waved his hand to drop the curtain, returning the reins to Xiang Ge. "This horse doesn't give face to this little Wang; it's better if you lead it! This little Wang will chat with you."

Xiang Ge took over the reins, lightly patting the horse on its back, and the horse immediately started walking.

The carriage and horse left through the palace gate.

Leng Shaozhu stood at the palace gate watching that all-black horse-drawn carriage leave. He heard clearly every word exchanged between Ye Qingran and Jade Zishu just now. After seeing the carriage disappear at the end of the street, he finally turned away and slowly walked toward his own carriage.

His personal attendant lifted the curtain before the carriage for him. Leng Shaozhu got into the carriage and instructed the driver, "Go to Cloud Prince's Manor!"

"Young Master Didn't the Prince tell you a few days ago that you should reduce contact with Miss Qianyue of Cloud Prince’s Manor Now you…" The attendant was startled and quickly spoke up.

"Now I am going there as per Emperor's and Seventh Prince's orders! Don’t worry, my father won't blame me." Leng Shaozhu's voice was indifferent.

"Yes!" Upon hearing this, the attendant immediately fell silent, no longer daring to speak. He flicked his whip, and the carriage headed toward Cloud Prince’s Manor.

In the Qianyue Pavilion at Cloud Prince's Manor, Yun Qianmo was lying on a lounge chair under the osmanthus tree calculating dates. Over twenty days ago, Rong Jing told her that Xiao Qi would arrive soon, but now more than twenty days had passed and she still hadn't seen him. She couldn’t help wondering if something had gone wrong or caused trouble along the way.

She pondered for a long time, coming to only one conclusion: "wait." Since Rong Jing told her that day, "Jade Prince will arrive soon," he has given no other hint. Xiao Qi also doesn’t know how to bypass Rong Jing, and so far hasn't given her any information. Compared to the two of them corresponding through letters, she had become the one left out. How did things come to this

Yun Qianmo was somewhat gloomy in her heart, unable to figure it out.

The deep autumn of November had arrived; after Rong Jing took Third Young Master, no, Xi Yan Yue, from his room and collided him into the tree on that day, the osmanthus branches and fruit were scattered onto the ground. Now only a few withered leaves remained, rustling sparsely in the wind.

Yun Qianmo listened to this sound of falling leaves, sighing inwardly: wait! What else can she do

"Miss, Young Master Leng is here!" Linglian's voice sounded.

Naturally, Yun Qianmo also heard the footsteps outside the Qianyue Pavilion. She was somewhat headache-inducing as she thought about Third Young Master being sent off by Qingying on that day when Rong Jing angrily expelled him; not to mention saying goodbye to Leng Shaozhu, he couldn't even go back and take one last look at his small courtyard in Xiangqing Prince’s Manor where he had lived for over a decade. Now that Leng Shaozhu was here, she wondered what for

"Miss" Linglian didn’t hear Yun Qianmo respond and called again.

“Hn,” Yun Qianmo snapped back to her senses and lazily responded.

The footsteps approached from a distance, somewhat uneven. It seemed similar to the situation where he sought her out after tossing and turning all night on that day: walking closer step by step, showing his inner turmoil as if trying hard to suppress something but unable to control it.

Yun Qianmo rested her arm under her head and looked up at the sky with a slight tilt of her head. The autumn sky was clear and bright, cloudless for miles. She looked until she felt somewhat calmer. Actually, from birth, one's heart is like this clear blue sky, tranquil and pure without any impurities. But over time, due to various reasons, it gets painted with black or white or colorful hues. But precisely because of that, life exists.

When Leng Shaozhu arrived at the Qianyue Pavilion entrance, he saw a person lying under the bare osmanthus tree. Although it was late autumn, this remaining sparse branches and leaves on the osmanthus tree stood out too much. He stood by the door for a moment; seeing Yun Qianmo looking up at the sky with her head raised, seemingly not noticing him, he followed her gaze toward the sky. At that time, one big goose flew past. The goose was flying slowly high in the air and looked lonely as it had strayed from its group but still showed no sign of stopping. He watched for a long while until the goose became just a small black dot, then turned his eyes back to Yun Qianmo.

Yun Qianmo also withdrew her gaze at this moment, and got up from lying half-lying down. She lazily moved over to make room beside her and pointed toward herself as she smiled at Leng Shaozhu, "Sit."

Leng Shaozhu looked at Yun Qianmo; her smile was bright and warm, seemingly instantly dispelling the gloom in his heart. He pulled at the corners of his mouth but didn't manage a smile, following her instructions to sit beside her.

"Seeing your expression, there must be something on your mind" Cloud Qianyue smiled at him.

Leng Shaozhu silently nodded his head.

Cloud Qianyue raised an eyebrow. "Is it about me Otherwise you wouldn't have come to find me."

Leng Shaozhu nodded again.

Looking at him, Cloud Qianyue smiled and said, "What is it Tell me! As long as you ask me, I will answer without reservation."

Leng Shaozhu raised his head, opened his mouth, then closed it. Seeing this, Cloud Qianyue didn't urge him to speak; after a moment, he seemed to gather the courage and asked, "Jiao Jiao... Was she rescued by you"

Cloud Qianyue's gaze flickered slightly as her eyes showed a hint of deep thought. She then smiled and nodded. "Yes, I saved her."

"Where is she now" Leng Shaozhu asked in a twitching voice.

Cloud Qianyue laughed softly. "What Are you looking for her Are you still thinking about her"

"No!" Leng Shaozhu shook his head, staring straight at Cloud Qianyue. "I just want to know."

"After I saved her, she escaped from my hands," Cloud Qianyue thought for a moment and said.

"What happened after that" Leng Shaozhu asked again.

"We didn't see each other since then." Cloud Qianyue shook her head.

Leng Shaozhu suddenly stood up, staring into Cloud Qianyue's eyes and saying word by word, "Cloud Qianyue, you're lying to me."

"Such a big reaction It must be very important then" Cloud Qianyue laughed as she reached out and pulled his sleeve. Her tone was warm. "What are you in such a hurry for Sit down and tell me slowly. Since I said that I consider you my friend, I won't hide anything from you. You were asking about Jiao Jiao, right Indeed, after rescuing her at Wàngchūn Tower, I didn't see her again. What I told you is the truth."

Leng Shaozhu was stunned; he wasn’t sure if it was because of Cloud Qianyue’s smile and warm tone or what she said that made him sit down subconsciously in a low voice, “If we say it like this, you never saw Jiao Jiao again. Can I understand it as you met someone who looks just like her but isn’t her anymore”

“Yes, you can put it this way.” Cloud Qianyue nodded.

Leng Shaozhu didn't speak and fell silent.

Cloud Qianyue thought back to Leng Shaozhu who used to indulge in food, drink, entertainment, and mischief. He cared nothing about the dark currents in the capital or the changing political climate of the country; as long as his father had money and provided him with the means to cause trouble, he would be content with a group of people to amuse him. In his world, there was no black or white, only a riot of colors. But now Leng Shaozhu had seen the light and understood right from wrong, knew about political changes, understood secret intrigues beneath the surface; even learned to read people's expressions and act cautiously, knowing what should be said and what shouldn’t. His life was not easier than before, but she felt he was more exhausted now. Was this good or bad for him She frowned slightly.

"My third brother... Is he Jiao Jiao" Leng Shaozhu was silent for a while then spoke in an especially difficult tone.

“Yes.” Cloud Qianyue nodded.

Although Leng Shaozhu had guessed it, his face still turned pale and his body stiffened as if he couldn't accept it. Seeing Cloud Qianyue nod her head, he wanted to say something but trembled slightly at the corner of his mouth; unable to speak.

Cloud Qianyue smelled a faint scent of dragon sandalwood on him. This kind of incense was very light and clear it wasn't an aroma he used himself, but rather one that had adhered to him somewhere else. Such fragrance could only be found in the Holy Yang Hall of the old emperor; this meant he must have been at the Holy Yang Hall before coming here.

"Is he the prince of Xiyan Kingdom who has fallen into exile" Leng Shaozhu seemed to suppress something as he asked again.

"Hmm!" Yun Qianyue responded.

Leng Shaozhuo no longer spoke and fell silent once again.

Yun Qianyue looked at him. He had his head lowered, with two strands of black hair falling over his eyes, making it impossible to see the emotions in them, but he seemed to have sunk into a deep depression. It was clear that he was feeling very bad.

The Western Yan Yue and the Xiaoqin Prince's residence were perhaps destined to be entangled for twenty years. As for Leng Shaozhuo, it was a karmic debt.

If this had been the old Leng Shaozhuo, he wouldn't even look at Western Yan Yue if he appeared in front of him, let alone beat him up if he vanished without a trace. But after going through great hardships and achieving enlightenment, Leng Shaozhuo was now entangled with this complicated situation. Others might think it pointless to worry about such matters, but for those involved, it was not so simple.

Seeing that Leng Shaozhuo did not speak, Yun Qianyue remained silent as well. There was no use trying to persuade him of anything. Leng Shaozhuo wasn't stupid; he was very intelligent. Since Jiaojiao is the third prince of the Xiaoqin Prince's residence, he would have already figured out the reason without her needing to tell him. The only thing missing now was why he had become Western Yan Yue again.

After a moment of silence, Leng Shaozhuo finally spoke up: "You must know all about this. Please tell me why he is once more the crown prince of Western Yan."

"He has always been the crown prince of Western Yan," Yun Qianyue thought for a bit before telling him the truth, as it was his right to know. She briefly recounted the story involving the Crown Prince of Xianping in the Western Yan and the Guardian Goddess.

Leng Shaozhuo listened quietly while Yun Qianyue spoke, but when she finished, he fell silent once more.

This time, the silence lasted longer than before. His entire body remained still; if not for a slight breeze, his hair would not have moved at all.

As Yun Qianyue waited, she grew drowsy and closed her eyes, thinking that Leng Shaozhuo was also skilled in tormenting people.

"So there is no connection! Perhaps the Xiaoqin Prince's residence owed him a debt from his previous life or vice versa. This lifetime they repaid it by living together for twenty years. Is this debt paid off now" Leng Shaozhuo suddenly spoke when Yun Qianyue was about to fall asleep.

Yun Qianyue, drowsy and unresponsive, did not answer him.

"Since you are sleepy, go back to your room for some rest. It's late autumn now, the air is too cold; be careful not to harm yourself. I'll leave," Leng Shaozhuo stood up and said as he looked at Yun Qianyue.

With her eyes still closed, Yun Qianyue waved him off without opening them.

Leng Shaozhuo saw that she understood and turned to leave.

The sound of his footsteps grew fainter as he walked away. They were not much lighter than when he had come in; they still carried a heaviness, as if he had lost something important or was treading on cotton with one foot while stepping into mud with the other. Yun Qianyue opened her eyes and called him, "Leng Shaozhuo!"

Leng Shaozhuo stopped and turned back.

Yun Qianyue sat up straight and said to him: "Leng Shaozhuo, when you were being a scoundrel before, I only wished that you would be put back into your mother’s womb. But I never looked down on you. Do you know why"

Leng Shaozhuo was taken aback and stared at Yun Qianyue, puzzled as to why she brought this up.

"Because back then, you lived freely. Although you did everything bad, building your life on others’ pain, at least you were happy. You searched for new things every day, playing more than any young noble in the capital city ever could. Knowing how to play is also a talent. If we talk about wastrels in this city, who would dare say they are better than you Back then, you had no ideals or revenge; everything was just about playing, and you dedicated yourself fully to it—nobody else could match that," Yun Qianyue said seriously as she saw Leng Shaozhuo’s blank stare. "But what about now Do you have any goals or aspirations Do you even know what you are doing every day What do you think is the most meaningful thing to you Do you know what you will be doing tomorrow after today, or don’t you even know what to do today"

Leng Shaozhuo's face paled and his eyes looked lost, like a child who had wandered off into confusion.

"Do you think your life is happier now than before" Yun Qianyue raised an eyebrow.

Leng Shaozhuo shook his head. "Not at all!

"Why aren't you happy" Yun Qianyue looked at him.

Leng Shaozhuo opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but seemed unsure of how to express it. He was bewildered and couldn’t answer.

“Can you not put it into words Do you not know why you are unhappy” Yun Qianyue stood up and walked toward Leng Shaozhuo, looking at him. At this moment, he resembled someone who had left twenty days ago, just like Xiyuan Yue did when he departed from the Xiyan Prince’s Manor. Although they were not brothers, after so many years of entanglement between the Xiaochun Mansion and the Wei Qing王府 (孝親王府), there must have been a mutual influence.

Leng Shaozhuo nodded dejectedly.

“Sometimes, what restrains a person is not others but the trivial matters that are entangled in their lives, which they cannot sort out. It’s actually the heart. A broad-minded heart leads to a vast world, while a narrow-minded one confines every step.” Yun Qianyue placed her hand on Leng Shaozhuo's shoulder as if she was conveying strength to him, “How many people in this Divine Capital Heavenly City have been molded into a single type It’s really unnecessary for you to be another one of them.”

Leng Shaozhuo stared blankly at Yun Qianyue, seemingly confused.

“No matter what happens or changes around you, always remember to be yourself,” Yun Qianyue said with a smile as she looked at him. "Our identities and surroundings have already made us so constrained; if we constrain ourselves even more, then what’s the point of living You are Leng Shaozhuo. The things that you did in the past can only serve as your mirror, reminding you not to repeat those mistakes again rather than becoming your stains. Throughout a person's life, who hasn’t done something wrong or foolish Who can say they have done everything correctly Even Rong Jing is believed by many people to be flawless, but is that really true His shortcomings are merely hidden under his strengths.”

Leng Shaozhuo remained silent.

“So, whether he’s Jiaojiao or the Third Young Master of Xiaochun Mansion, your brother or Xiyuan Yue, what unsolvable mystery is there He is just himself. Just like a person's past, present, and future; they are all themselves. The previous Leng Shaozhuo was Leng Shaozhuo, and today’s Leng Shaozhuo remains Leng Shaozhuo. You can’t be entangled in the mistakes of your past every day, trapped, unable to free yourself from self-imposed constraints.” Yun Qianyue slowly persuaded him.

A crack appeared in Leng Shaozhuo’s foggy eyes as if something had broken through the mist.

“Some people can’t understand and are entangled by their past, while others may see clearly but still be entangled by it. But whether they see clearly or not, it is all just the past anyway. Why糾纏不休 Or conversely, consider this: do we truly need to see everything so clearly How much less fun would there be if we did Everything in the world has two sides, advantages and disadvantages, depending on how you look at it!” Yun Qianyue clearly saw the light breaking through Leng Shaozhuo’s eyes as she continued with a smile. "You are just Leng Shaozhuo; Xiaochun Mansion Young Master is merely an identity of your origin. What is identity It's nothing more than a decoration. With or without it, you remain yourself. Just like I am Yun Qianyue and the daughter of Cloud Manor, this identity is only one of my decorations. If one day there’s no longer a Cloud Manor, or if I get married and my status changes, can you say that I’m not Yun Qianyue anymore Therefore, Jiaojiao, Third Young Master, or today's Xiyuan Yue are all just individuals. What is it that you cannot understand or figure out It’s just a matter. Put simply, no matter how big the matter is as long as your heart is broad, then there isn’t any matter at all; losing one's head leaves only a scar as large as a bowl. Your thoughts determine your actions, and your vision determines how far you can go in life. Do you understand”

Leng Shaozhuo nodded with a little light spreading across his eyes, "I understand!"

Yun Qianyue heaved a sigh of relief and smiled, “It’s good that you understand! Leng Shaozhuo, I haven’t been this patient in guiding anyone else. Even Nie Tianyi who had ten years of feelings for me didn't receive such guidance from me. Don’t waste my patience.”

Leng Shaozhuo nodded heavily and asked試探地提到夜天逸 when he saw Yun Qianyue mentioning Nie Tianyi in a relaxed tone, "Then why did you not guide him back then If so, he might have figured things out. You two wouldn’t be like this now…”

“We are now at opposite ends of the spectrum,” Yun Qianyue smiled indifferently, “He is different from you.”

Leng Shaozhuo looked at Yun Qianyue; although she was smiling, there was no joy in her eyes. She appeared less relaxed than when persuading him, but every word hit the mark. There was an indescribable sense of melancholy and desolation, a deep helplessness.

“You don’t ask for anything from me, but he does. He asks for something I can't give. So, it has to be this way,” Yun Qianyue gathered her emotions and patted Leng Shaozhuo’s back, “The two people in the palace must be waiting for your report. Go!”

“You know” Leng Shaozhuo was surprised as he looked at Yun Qianyue.

Yun Qianyue found it amusing and looked at him, “With your scent of dragon sandalwood and this appearance when you came to me, how could I not know”

Leng Shaozhuo’s face flushed slightly. He no longer appeared listless or heavy-hearted; he said in a low voice, “I truly need to report back to the palace. The Emperor and Seventh Prince called for me with the purpose of obtaining some information through me from you, or perhaps the Seventh Prince has already obtained it but wants me to verify it. Although I know this clearly inside my heart, I couldn’t help seeking your advice. If not, I wouldn't have peace day and night.”

“Are you peaceful now” Yun Qianyue smiled at him.

Leng Shaozhuo also smiled and nodded, “I know what to do!”

“After talking for so long, thankfully it wasn’t in vain. I’m thirsty; let’s go inside to drink some water. Are you drinking with me or leaving now” Yun Qianyue asked Leng Shaozhuo.

"I'm going to the palace right away!" said Leng Shaozhuo.

"Then go quickly!" Yun Qianyue waved at him and stepped into the house.

Leng Shaozhuo looked at Yun Qianyue. Seeing her enter the room, he took a step towards going out. His steps changed from being light to steady.

When Yun Qianyue returned to her room and just sat down in front of the table, picking up the teacup, an unusual breeze blew into the courtyard, causing a figure wearing brocade robes with jade waistbands to appear at the doorway. She raised her head and saw Ye Qingran whom she hadn't seen for several days since that day when he saved the leader of the Imperial Secret Guards in Night Tianyu’s residence. She silently raised an eyebrow but did not speak.

After landing, Ye Qingran leaned lazily against the door frame as if he had no bones left, looking at Yun Qianyue through the curtain with a deep gaze and speaking softly, “Little girl, you can convince Leng Shaozhuo to be so sincere. Can’t you also try to open my heart”

Yun Qianyue took a sip of tea and placed her cup on the table, making a light sound. She looked at Ye Qingran and smiled faintly, "Do you need me to open your heart"

"Need it!" Ye Qingran stared straight at Yun Qianyue.

“How do I need to I know Leng Shaozhuo’s problem and can help him, but I don’t know yours. How could I possibly help you” Yun Qianyue looked back at him.

The two of them stared at each other. Ye Qingran's eyes were deep and dark while Yun Qianyue's were light in color.

"Little girl, tell me the truth, have you ever tried to enter my heart and really understand me" Ye Qingran suddenly lowered his head, not looking at Yun Qianyue but instead gazing at his own toes as he asked softly.

Yun Qianyue’s eyes flashed, but she did not answer.

"Right You never tried to enter my heart and understand me" Ye Qingran's voice was even lower.

Yun Qianyue withdrew her gaze from him and looked at the teacup in front of her. The water inside was light green, just like that cup of tea Rong Jing had poured for her on that day. She picked up the cup again, holding it lightly as she swirled the tea within; the liquid rippled forming beautiful circles of light-green tea.

"Little girl, you’ve always been wary of me!" Ye Qingran was silent for a moment before raising his head and looking at Yun Qianyue, saying again.

Yun Qianyue still did not answer and focused on swirling the circles in her cup.

"If I say that I want you to open my heart and see if there’s a way to remove you from it, do you have any ideas Are you willing to help" Ye Qingran stared at Yun Qianyue and asked again.

Yun Qianyue hesitated and slowly raised her head, looking at Ye Qingran.

"If I say that I’ve liked you for as long as Wei Meiru has, would you believe me" Ye Qingran said: “For how many years It’s already too hard to remember!”

Yun Qianyue listened quietly without intending to speak.

"You must not believe it." Seeing her silent, Ye Qingran smiled bitterly. "When I first saw a little girl, she was so small, but her eyes were full of the world’s hardships and arrogance. How do I describe such eyes On that day when my uncle turned forty-five, countless people praised him in grand halls adorned with gold, serving exquisite dishes and rare delicacies while singing girls danced to celebrate. But only she remained indifferent, ignoring everything around her. Sitting together with Ms Qin from the Chancellor’s house, one was a child pretending to be an adult, acting proper and virtuous. The other looked like a child but could not be treated as such; perhaps even she couldn’t see herself as a child, having to pretend to be curious and innocent or even naughty and crying."

Yun Qianyue’s lips tightened slightly as she recalled the past ten years from Ye Qingran's words. He was right; back then, she had started pretending. She knew that countless eyes were observing her, the only legitimate daughter of Cloud Manor who was betrothed to the Imperial Family and designated Crown Princess with future control over the harem. Since she didn’t want to enter the palace, she could only pretend.

"I found it interesting but did not realize I would fall in love with you upon watching," Ye Qingran smiled faintly. "Little girl, your heart holds Rong Jing alone and avoids me, guards against me, keeps close to me yet distant, always prepared for confrontation with me. Have you ever thought of removing my identity I am just a person with one heart."

—— Outside the story ——

Sore waist, backache, eye pain... *sigh*

A new month has started! Pretty ladies with Monthly Votes, please support our Young Noble Consort妃！Kisses!before going back to her old ways, shouldn't she do something For instance, first have a means of opposing the old emperor, such as power and influence. Then there's herself—now with no martial arts s...