From the heated exchange outside, it became clear that a man had been standing dazed in the middle of the road, nearly struck by the carriage.
“Have you no eyes, you bookworm? This is the Prince’s carriage! Do you have a death wish?” the driver barked.
Lin Siwan lifted the curtain to look, her expression shifting instantly. Lin Yao hurried to peer out as well and saw the driver berating a young man. He was a scholar, cradling a stack of books against his chest. He wore a scholar’s robe that had been washed until it was pale and was covered in patches, yet his hair was neatly bound, and his face was strikingly handsome.
The scholar seemed entirely indifferent to the driver’s scolding. Instead, his gaze drifted toward the carriage. When his eyes met Lin Yao’s, she sensed he was searching for someone. Moreover, his face looked strangely familiar.
Lin Yao turned to see her elder sister looking utterly soul-stricken, and the realization hit her instantly.
“It’s alright,” Lin Yao spoke up. “We weren’t frightened. Let the matter drop; we mustn’t be late returning to the Lin estate.”
Only then did the driver stop harassing the man. However, the scholar remained standing there, staring at the carriage—not at Lin Yao, but as if trying to see through the curtains to the person hidden behind her.
As the carriage moved off, Lin Yao stole another glance through the curtain. The scholar was still there, watching them go with a look of heartbreaking persistence.
“Sister, is that the man you love?” Lin Yao asked softly.
Lin Siwan’s expression remained composed, but her hands gripped her sleeves so tightly her knuckles were white. After a moment, she gave a slow, heavy nod. Her eyes were filled with longing and a profound sense of helplessness.
Lin Yao sighed softly. Judging by his clothes, he was a destitute scholar. Last night, Siwan had said that if her beloved had proposed just one day earlier, her fate might have changed. But Lin Yao knew better. Even though the Lin family had declined, they were still a family of Marquises, and Siwan was the Legitimate Daughter. The class divide was too vast; even if the scholar had proposed, the Lin family would never have consented. Even without Prince Yu, they were destined to be apart.
“His name is Yu Tang,” Lin Siwan said softly. “He lost his father young, and his mother passed away a few years ago. He is currently one of Father’s students. One day, the Heir of the Marquis of Min visited to discuss a marriage alliance. Father had me watch from behind a screen. But my eyes fell only on Yu Tang, who was standing behind Father. He wore a faded robe, but his back was straight as an arrow. His character and aura were in no way inferior to a Marquis’s son.”
From that day on, she couldn’t help but notice him. After several encounters, they fell in love and made a private vow. As the noble daughter of a Duke’s manor, it was the only rebellious thing she had ever done.
As Lin Siwan reminisced, a faint, ethereal smile touched her lips. Lin Yao, however, was focused entirely on the name “Yu Tang.”
No wonder he looked familiar! She had seen him in her past life.
In the imperial examinations of the following year, Gu Yulan had placed second as the Bangyan. But the Zhuangyuan—the top scholar of the nation—had been this very Yu Tang.
Because of his exceptional looks and single status, Yu Tang had briefly become the prime target for high-ranking officials looking for a son-in-law. Among them, Lady Zhao and the Marquis of Liang were the most prominent. Lady Zhao was the younger sister of the current Imperial Noble Consort; later, when Prince Duan was named Crown Prince, her status grew even more prestigious. She had a daughter who fell in love with Yu Tang at first sight and was determined to marry him.
Everyone assumed Yu Tang would soar to the heights of power with such backing. To everyone’s shock, he rejected Lady Zhao, claiming his heart already belonged to someone else. Yet, he never sought a marriage with any other family. Feeling slighted and mocked, Lady Zhao grew to loathe him.
While the old Emperor was alive, Yu Tang’s talent kept him in the Inner Cabinet. Back then, Gu Yulan would often complain that Yu Tang outshone him at every turn. Lin Yao had thought Yu Tang was a man of great ability and had even considered befriending him to help Gu Yulan’s career. But Yu Tang was a man of absolute integrity—he never married, kept no concubines, and lived a life of “clear breeze and moonlight,” refusing to join any political factions. He was impossible to bribe or influence.
Later, when the new Emperor ascended, Lady Zhao finally took her revenge. Ironically, the incorruptible Yu Tang was framed for embezzlement, stripped of his rank, and exiled to the border.
Lin Yao had always wondered who the woman was that Yu Tang had loved so faithfully. Looking back at his lingering gaze on the road, she no longer had to guess. Two deeply devoted souls, forever kept apart. What a waste.
The carriage came to a halt; they had arrived at the Lin estate.
The reception was grand. Duke Lin stood in the hall with a crowd of children and concubines, all straining their necks in anticipation. As Lin Siwan entered, the crowd bowed in greeting.
Duke Lin beamed, asking Siwan about life in the Prince’s manor—hollow, formal pleasantries. He didn’t spare so much as a glance for Lin Yao.
Lin Yao scanned the crowd, but her mother was nowhere to be found. Her brow furrowed. “Where is my mother?” she asked directly.
“Who knows where that woman is hiding to slack off,” Duke Lin snapped irritably.
Lin Yao knew something was wrong. Her mother would have been here to see her, even if the chance of her returning was one in ten thousand. Lin Yao turned and sprinted toward the back courtyard.
“That brat is becoming more undisciplined by the day!” Duke Lin hissed.
“Princess Consort, has Yao’er caused you any trouble?” Madame Chen asked with fake concern. Her daughter, Shu’er, had said the Prince was a devout Buddhist who avoided women. She expected Lin Yao to be neglected or beaten within days. She was desperate to hear of Lin Yao’s misfortune to justify her choice to stay behind.
“Yao’er is brilliant and sensible,” Lin Siwan replied coolly. “The Prince holds her in high regard. When I met the Empress yesterday, Her Majesty specifically asked about Yao’er and praised her.”
Duke Lin’s expression faltered. Madame Chen’s face turned ashen. Impossible! She didn’t believe it for a second.
Lin Yao ran toward the back courtyard. She had walked this path a thousand times, but it had never felt so long. Why hadn’t her mother come out? Had they bullied her the moment Lin Yao left?
Her mind was a whirlwind of anxiety. Suddenly, she collided with someone.
“Miss? Is it really you? Am I dreaming?” Xia Xiang cried out, grabbing Lin Yao’s hands tightly. “Miss, you have to save the Concubine! She… she’s dying!”