Wei Cheng Xuan could roughly guess how the slap mark on Changle’s face had come about.
The Changan Marquisate had hosted a grand banquet today to celebrate the Hairpin Ceremony of their adopted daughter. Invitations had been widely distributed three months earlier, reaching nearly all the nobility in Shengdu, and one had even been sent to his Xuanwang Mansion, though he had casually tossed it into the wastepaper basket.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Changan, clinging to their ancestral prestige and craving vanity, favored their adopted daughter for bringing them honor, doting on her as if she were the apple of their eye, while treating their own daughter, Changle, like worthless weeds.
They had likely forgotten that today was not only their adopted daughter’s Hairpin Ceremony but also Changle’s own birthday.
Truly a pair of fools mistaking fish eyes for pearls.
“Have you eaten yet?”
Another abrupt question. Changle was caught off guard again before shaking her head. “No.”
“Let’s eat first.” Wei Cheng Xuan gave Xu Jin a glance and headed toward a side gate of Ya Garden.
Xu Jin bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
Changle, having come to seek a favor, naturally dared not oppose Wei Cheng Xuan’s suggestion. Despite her anxiety and unease, she obediently followed him into Ya Garden.
Although waist tokens for entering and exiting Ya Garden were rare, many had been issued. For someone of Wei Cheng Xuan’s status, obtaining one was naturally effortless.
As soon as they entered Ya Garden, a maid stepped forward to greet them and quietly led the way.
Unlike other restaurants or teahouses built with multiple floors, Ya Garden was a genuine courtyard, and an exceptionally vast one at that.
It contained many independent courtyards of various styles. For those willing to spend the money, it was possible to rent one of these courtyards monthly for entertaining guests or personal use.
Changle had assumed the maid would lead them to such an independent courtyard, as it would be perfectly normal for someone of Wei Cheng Xuan’s status to have rented one at Ya Garden.
Instead, the maid led them to a lake pavilion, where two long, narrow tables had already been set up, facing each other.
This arrangement allowed the attendants stationed around the lake to observe their movements without overhearing their conversation.
Changle’s heart stirred slightly as she suddenly recalled Wei Cheng Xuan’s words in the carriage earlier:
“You are an unmarried young lady. Sharing a carriage with a man could damage your reputation.”
Had Wei Cheng Xuan chosen this location for their meal with her reputation in mind as well?
Pondering this, Changle followed the maid’s guidance and took her seat. Soon, other attendants arrived carrying trays, serving dishes to both tables.
Changle couldn’t help but steal a glance toward Wei Cheng Xuan.
He sat upright behind his table, his back straight, hands resting before him, eyes slightly lowered and revealing no emotion, exuding only an air of noble aloofness.
Once the dishes were arranged, all the attendants withdrew from the pavilion.
Clenching her fists, Changle mustered her courage and spoke, “Little Imperial Uncle, I have thought this through very clearly. After this annulment, I absolutely, absolutely will not trouble you again.”
“Whether it’s trouble or not can be discussed later. Eat first.”
Changle had caught a chill, and her appetite had been poor these past few days. Moreover, she was in no mood to eat now.
But Wei Cheng Xuan’s stance was clear: if she didn’t eat, he had no intention of discussing anything else with her.
Having come to seek a favor, Changle had no choice but to comply. She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.
The dishes were light and delicious, but Changle was preoccupied, finding little flavor in her meal. From time to time, she lifted her eyelids to secretly observe Wei Chengxuan's expressions, her mind wandering throughout the meal.
After the meal, the attendants served aromatic tea for rinsing the mouth and clear tea for tasting.
Changle wanted to speak several times, but each time she saw Wei Chengxuan's expression, she swallowed back the words that had reached her lips.
Xu Jin strode quickly into the small pavilion, first giving Changle a slight nod of greeting before walking over to Wei Chengxuan, bowing and whispering a report into his ear.
Xu Jin had been ordered to investigate what had happened today at the Changan Marquisate. Knowing what Changle had experienced there, he had already inwardly scorned the entire Changan Marquis family.
The young lady had suffered such great humiliation—no wonder she had come to seek their prince's help in breaking off the engagement.
The Third Prince truly was a scoundrel.
Having grown up with the young lady as childhood sweethearts and having been betrothed to her early on, he had now taken to keeping a woman outside. He had utterly betrayed the young lady's sincere and genuine feelings.
Xu Jin cursed inwardly, but he did not embellish the facts, only reporting what he had discovered truthfully and in detail.
After listening, Wei Chengxuan finally understood what Changle had experienced today. His eyes, hidden beneath long lashes, revealed no change in emotion, yet the aura around him momentarily turned icy.
Changle did not know what Xu Jin had said to Wei Chengxuan, nor did she wish to know. All she wanted now was to break off the engagement, and she could not bear to wait a moment longer.
"Little Imperial Uncle…"
As soon as Changle spoke, Wei Chengxuan interrupted her, "Go back and tend to the swelling on your face first. Rest well for a day, and come find me here again tomorrow."
"If you still insist on breaking off the engagement tomorrow, then it shall be broken."
Changle knew that by giving her a day to calmly reconsider, Wei Chengxuan believed she would surely regret it.
To put it bluntly, probably everyone in Shengdu thought she would die without Wei Shuye.
After all, she had been far too clingy with Wei Shuye before, her heart and eyes filled only with him, wishing she could spend every single day glued to his side.
If she heard anyone say she and Wei Shuye were not a good match, she would certainly start a fight.
Even to please Wei Shuye's mother, she had specially learned the embroidery that his mother loved most.
She could wield swords and blades, but embroidery needles were truly beyond her.
Moreover, she lacked the patience to learn those women's crafts. Her fingers were pricked into bloody holes one after another by the embroidery needle, but she dared not give up, gritting her teeth and persevering, all to win the favor of Wei Shuye's mother and gain her approval of their engagement.
Back then, she had never imagined that she and Wei Shuye would truly part ways one day.
"Little Imperial Uncle, I know you may not believe it, and even I myself a few months ago would not have believed that I would truly want to break off the engagement now."
"But I have indeed made up my mind. Breaking off the engagement is imperative, and I will never regret it."
Changle looked up at Wei Chengxuan, her expression firm and calm, clearly having made a resolute decision with no intention of turning back.
Wei Chengxuan watched Changle for a while, then picked up the teacup on the table and took a light sip. Only after setting the cup down did he speak again, "A woman's reputation is of utmost importance. Do you know what breaking off the engagement now will do to your reputation?"
Changle naturally knew.
The reputation of a maiden in her boudoir is of utmost importance, which is why she could not understand how Lin Xinyan, without matchmakers or betrothal gifts, and even under such clandestine circumstances, dared to entrust herself so easily to Wei Shuye.
Unable to make sense of it, she could only convince herself that perhaps it was true love between them.
Now that she had broken off the engagement, Wei Shuye, as the current Third Prince, would naturally remain unaffected by the annulment. But for her, she feared there would be no shortage of ridicule and scorn, and it might even become difficult for her to find another marriage prospect in the future.
However, none of this mattered to Changle.
People had mouths, and they could say whatever they pleased.
If anyone dared to speak ill in her presence, she would simply tear their mouths apart.
After all, she was now famously known in Shengdu for her arrogance and domineering ways. Since that was the case, she might as well live up to her notorious reputation as a wicked woman by doing something outrageous.
Changle nodded earnestly. "Little Imperial Uncle, I am not afraid."