Shang Shiyan lifted her gaze slightly. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
“Your Highness is truly thoughtful.”
“I knew it—someone as handsome as a banished immortal must also have a kind heart! Otherwise, how could you have saved me twice in a row?”
Shang Shiyan flattered Gu Peice with a straight face.
Jinling’s eye twitched slightly, glancing at Shang Shiyan in puzzlement before lowering her gaze to the riding outfit in her arms. Was the “Prince” Shang Shiyan spoke of really the same person as her master?
“There’s no need to try it on. Wenyan is still waiting for me. I’ll head back now—please thank your master for me.”
Jinling watched Shang Shiyan pick up the riding outfit and leave. She had intended to bring her here to try it on, but since Shang Shiyan refused, so be it. If it didn’t fit later, she could prepare another set. Still, this was the first time she had seen a woman who could make the Prince care so much.
Not long after Shang Shiyan left, Gu Peice returned to Qingyan Pavilion in riding gear.
The man was tall and slender, dressed in black, his dark hair tied high. Just as Shang Shiyan had said, he was strikingly handsome, like a banished immortal—except his black eyes carried a chilling coldness that kept others at a distance.
“Your Highness.” Jinling stepped forward and repeated Shang Shiyan’s words to him, word for word.
Gu Peice was unwrapping the band around his wrist. Hearing this, his gaze paused. “She said that?”
Jinling nodded.
Gu Peice raised a brow slightly. “Quite the sweet talker.”
“Pack up. After classes, we’ll go to Marquis Huainan’s residence.”
After classes at the academy.
ShangShiyan first rode the Shang family carriage back home.
As soon as she arrived at the Marquis’ residence and stepped down from the carriage, she saw Shang Changhe standing in the courtyard, his face dark and stormy.
“Come inside.” His expression was grim.
As soon as Shang Shiyan stepped into the residence, Shang Changhe suddenly raised the board in his hand.
“Who allowed you to ruin your sister’s reputation at the academy? You know how hard her life has been in this household. You grew up pampered, while your sister suffered endlessly. She finally returned home, yet you still refuse to let her be, constantly making things difficult and framing her. Is this how an elder sister should behave?!”
Just as the board was about to fall on Shang Shiyan, she dodged aside. At that moment, Shen Zuizhi’s hurried voice rang out: “Why are you hitting Ah Yan!”
Seeing Shen Zuizhi arrive, Shang Changhe restrained some of the malice in his eyes. “Ask her what she did at the academy today!”
Shen Zuizhi pulled Shang Shiyan protectively into her arms, ignoring Shang Changhe’s words, and carefully checked her daughter’s arm. “Does it hurt?”
Shang Shiyan shook her head softly. “Don’t worry, Mother. He didn’t hit me.”
Shen Zuizhi held her close. “No matter what she did at the academy, husband, you have no reason to raise your hand! Ah Yan just recovered from her fall off the cliff. If that board had struck her, her old injuries could have flared up again!”
“She’s always pretending in front of you—pretending this hurts, that hurts!” Shang Changhe roared. “Do you know what she did today? She nearly got Rou’er dragged off by the Court of Justice! Do you understand what that means? Once a woman is entangled with the Court, her reputation is ruined!”
“Do you even know what truly happened at the academy?” Shen Zuizhi refused to believe him. That Shang Yunrou was always scheming—if she hadn’t deliberately provoked things, Ah Yan would never have plotted against her!
“Today she fell from her horse and blamed Rou’er for everything. But the one who tampered with the horse wasn’t Rou’er—it was Yu Yao, the concubine-born daughter of Minister Yu! She falsely accused her own sister without reason. She’s becoming more and more unreasonable!”
Shang Changhe grew angrier. “She only saw the Crown Prince teaching Rou’er to ride and grew jealous! As a woman, she has no tolerance at all. And Rou’er is her sister! Shang Shiyan, you truly disappoint me!”
Hearing this, Shen Zuizhi’s eyes turned cold. Now that she knew it was Yu Yao, the minister’s concubine-born daughter, she understood everything. “Husband, you should know that Yu Yao has always been close to Rou’er.”
Shang Changhe faltered for a moment. “So what if they’re close? No matter how close, Rou’er can’t control what that girl does!”
Shen Zuizhi looked at the man before her, flushed with anger, her own eyes filling with disappointment. “The Marquis truly does favor her. No matter what happens, you always take her side.” She turned her head slightly and ordered, “Hubo, tell the Marquis everything that happened today, one detail at a time.”
Hubo was just about to speak when a deep voice came from outside.
“No need to trouble Miss Shang’s maid. I was at the academy today. If the Marquis wishes to know the truth, he may ask me directly.”
Everyone in the Marquis’ residence froze. Turning their heads, they saw Prince Lin’an, Gu Peice, striding into the courtyard, followed by the gatekeeper who had rushed to report his arrival.
Jinyun came close behind and recounted everything that had happened that day to Shang Changhe, detail by detail.
“Marquis Shang, what matters most for you now is to pray that Minister Yu’s concubine-born daughter can withstand interrogation and not implicate your second daughter. Otherwise…” Gu Peice’s voice was cold, carrying both authority and threat.
Shang Changhe felt his heart tighten. He never doubted Rou’er, but Yu Yao was close to her. If she dragged Rou’er down with her, what then?
Shang Changhe frowned, quickly concealing his emotions, and bowed. “Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. It was my negligence. I will go and make inquiries at once…”
“But why has Your Highness come to the Marquis’ residence? We were not prepared to receive you.”
“You needn’t concern yourself with that. First, apologize to the eldest young lady.” Gu Peice looked down at Shang Changhe from above.
Shang Changhe’s face grew darker. For him, a father, to apologize to his daughter? What kind of reasoning was that!
“Your Highness, I fear that—”
“You were ready to strike her without knowing the truth. If no one had stopped you today, would she not have suffered that blow and swallowed the injustice? You did wrong. Why should you not apologize?”
Gu Peice’s tone was uncompromising.
Shang Changhe cursed him inwardly for meddling. This was family business—why was Prince Lin’an interfering?
But under the weight of his authority, Shang Changhe could only swallow his anger and grudgingly admit fault to Shang Shiyan. “Ah Yan, today your father wrongly accused you. I did not know the truth. But I was worried for your sister—she has suffered so much since childhood. Surely you can understand your father, can’t you?”
He forced a smile. Even now, he was trying to make her “understand.”
Shang Shiyan’s face was cold. “I cannot understand!”
Her voice was firm, yet her eyes gradually reddened. “I cannot understand why Father always scolds me without caring about the truth! I cannot understand why, just because my sister has suffered more, I must yield to her in everything! And I cannot understand why Father and Brother always favor her without reason!”