Yun Zhao had a fiery temper.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she immediately wanted to rush back to the Eastern Palace.
Lady Xiangyang quickly grabbed her sleeve, poking her head with an elaborate false fingernail adorned with beautiful beads and jewels.
A fragrant breeze wafted in, making Yun Zhao feel dizzy.
Lady Xiangyang chided her, "You haven't even warmed the seat, and you're already leaving? Do you think my place is a guesthouse? Acting so rashly, how can you keep a man's heart?"
Yun Zhao got anxious at once: "Do I even want to keep him? I don't want him anymore!"
"Stop saying such angry words," Lady Xiangyang gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and chided, "He hasn't really done anything wrong to you. Just get rid of the troublemaker, and everything will be fine. You should still live with him peacefully."
Yun Zhao was exasperated: "I've already said it, I want to break off the engagement!"
"Silly child," Lady Xiangyang sighed softly, "Today you use breaking off the engagement to threaten him over this, tomorrow you'll use divorce to threaten him over that... How can he give in like this? You can't manipulate a man by being so blunt. You have to do it subtly, softly, so that he doesn't even notice, yet feels that you treat him well."
Lady Xiangyang had said these things before, but Yun Zhao never listened.
Yun Zhao fumed: "How can I speak nicely to him after he treated me like that? My heart is completely blocked! I'm not feeling well, and no one else should feel good either!"
The idea of pretending to be tolerant, magnanimous, gentle, and virtuous was unbearable; it would be better to kill her outright.
"Ah, you!" Lady Xiangyang took Yun Zhao's hand and led her out, sighing as they walked, "You've really been spoiled. Come, I've been stewing this soup for a long time—I originally planned to serve it in a warm jade cup and send it to the Eastern Palace for you two."
Yun Zhao had no mood to drink any soup.
Lady Xiangyang gently stroked Yun Zhao's hand, speaking earnestly: "Yan Nantian's nature is good; he's just never seen those pitiful little white flowers before and was momentarily soft-hearted. If you quarrel with him and cut ties, aren't you just giving away a splendid future to someone else? Can you bear such a loss? Swallow such a grievance?"
Yun Zhao was at a loss for words: "..."
Thinking about it, it indeed made her even angrier.
Lady Xiangyang sneered: "How much emotion, effort, and time have you invested in him? Oh, when he was nothing, you walked the difficult path with him. Now that he's one below the emperor and above ten thousand, you want to step aside and let someone else take your place? Ha! Are you a living Bodhisattva who saves all beings?"
Yun Zhao clenched her teeth: "Without me, how could he be where he is today! I certainly won't let him have it easy!"
Lady Xiangyang narrowed her eyes: "You've been with him day and night, so you naturally haven't noticed the gradual changes—times have changed. He's now fully fledged and no longer easily swayed. Remember, he's the crown prince of the royal family."
Yun Zhao thought of Yan Nantian's hands covered in calluses from wielding a sword, and how he had grown taller than her without her noticing.
Somehow, she had been left behind.
Lady Xiangyang sighed: "No wonder they say you have good taste. That child not only has good looks but also good skills and methods."
"Mother..."
"Such a husband is one of a kind; losing him would be a great pity!"
Lady Xiangyang was filled with mixed feelings.
Yun Zhao understood.
Her mother was advising reconciliation—after killing the woman, she should reconcile with Yan Nantian.
"You two had such a good relationship!" Lady Xiangyang pulled Yun Zhao to sit at the golden-threaded nanmu table.
Yun Zhao pursed her lips, feeling a dull pain in her chest.
It was because their relationship had been too good that it hurt so much now.
"Mother," she lowered her eyes and spoke softly, "No one has ever dared to lock me outside the door before."
Lady Xiangyang was stunned, then slowly raised her hand to stroke her head.
"I ran out," Yun Zhao spoke very slowly, pausing after each word, "He didn't even chase after me."
She turned her head to stare at the bright palace lantern hanging by the window, blinking hard.
"..."
After a long silence, Lady Xiangyang finally sighed softly: "Our Zhao feels wronged. Come, let's not think about those things for now."
She raised her finger in a delicate gesture, using her fingertip to lift the carved silver lid off the table.
Immediately, a strange and exotic fragrance filled the air.
Lady Xiangyang picked up a thin, translucent green jade spoon and ladled a small bowl of warm, creamy soup for Yun Zhao, pushing it in front of her.
"Try this. I've been stewing it for a full seven hours!"
Yun Zhao glanced down absentmindedly.
"Hmm?"
As someone of her status, she had grown up eating the finest delicacies, yet she had never seen this before.
The golden broth had semi-transparent ingredients floating like clouds, faintly glowing with a golden light.
Yun Zhao took a small sip.
The soup was as rich and smooth as bird's nest and shark's fin, crispy yet chewy, with a flavor so fresh it seemed to reach the top of her head.
"Wow!"
Her mouth was filled with an exotic fragrance, with a long-lasting aftertaste.
After drinking half a bowl, her body felt slightly warm, and her internal energy became more active, as if she had been patiently practicing for several hours.
Yun Zhao was amazed: "Mother, what is this?"
There was actually something she hadn't eaten before!
Lady Xiangyang looked proud: "Dragon Marrow."
Yun Zhao blinked, puzzled.
The dragons people talked about were the dragon whales living in the Whale Fall Sea.
Legend had it that dragon whales had the blood of ancient dragons. Killing a dragon whale and using its long red bones as pillars could build the Sky-Reaching Tower layer by layer to the heavens, never collapsing.
Killing dragon whales was only for their semi-transparent crimson bones; the rest was useless.
Dragon whale meat wasn't tasty, only the poorest commoners would pick it up to make soup. No one ever ate the dragon whale's bone marrow.
Lady Xiangyang could tell what she was thinking and curved her lips, revealing a mysterious smile: "Not dragon whales, but real dragons."
Yun Zhao widened her eyes: "Those dragons?"
Weren't dragons always mythical creatures no one had ever seen?
Lady Xiangyang's eyes sparkled with pride: "Yes, your eldest uncle specially sent it. Real dragon marrow. Even the palace doesn't have it."
Yun Zhao's maternal family, the Eastern River Xiangyang clan, was powerful and wealthy, with most of the materials needed for the Sky-Reaching Tower handled by them.
If dragons really existed in this world, then they were most likely in the hands of the Eastern River Xiangyang clan.
Yun Zhao was amazed but even more puzzled.
The Yun and Eastern River Xiangyang families had been well-matched in strength during their marriage.
Now, one had great military achievements, and the other was immensely wealthy, complementing each other and intertwining their interests.
The couple had also been a loving pair of young lovers.
How could her father possibly break with her mother over a mere illegitimate daughter?
Yet the facts were clear before her eyes, and Yan Nantian was also inexplicably determined to protect that illegitimate daughter.
Was it just because she was the "protagonist"?
Yun Zhao couldn't figure it out, so she buried her head and slurped the soup.
Lady Xiangyang said: "Don't eat so fast."
"I know," Yun Zhao replied distractedly, thinking about her worries, "I'll leave some for Yan Nantian..."
She stopped herself in time, her fingers gripping the spoon white-knuckled.
Lady Xiangyang didn't embarrass her, smoothly continuing: "I'll serve it in a warm jade cup, so it won't cool on the way."
Yun Zhao felt a bit embarrassed.
She really wasn't being pathetic and still thinking about him; she was just too used to it.
She couldn't help but take a jab at Yan Nantian, trying to regain some ground: "Everyone says Yan Nantian is so great, but I met someone yesterday whose voice was even better."
Lady Xiangyang followed along, smiling and curious: "Oh? What did he look like?"
"I didn't see clearly," Yun Zhao said a bit dejectedly, "It was in the Ancient Day Court, which was all gray and misty. He was wearing a cloak, and his face was hidden in the shadow."
Lady Xiangyang smiled: "If his voice is good, he probably doesn't look too bad either."
"I bet he's better-looking than Yan Nantian!"
"Yes, yes. Mother thinks so too. Better in every way than Yan Nantian."
"Mother!"
The mother and daughter ended up in a playful tussle.
Before leaving, Lady Xiangyang held Yun Zhao's hand and earnestly instructed: "When you get back, if that mean girl is still alive, don't quarrel with Yan Nantian, remember? Stay calm and keep an eye on him. Don't let them get together, or it'll bother you for the rest of your life!"
Yun Zhao nodded half-heartedly: "Mmm-hmm."
"Don't worry, Mother will take care of her for you soon! I absolutely won't allow anyone to bully my Zhao!"
Lady Xiangyang's eyes flashed with a fierce light, like a protective mother beast.
Yun Zhao clenched her palm.
'Don't worry, daughter will take care of her for you soon! Daughter absolutely won't allow anyone to bully my mother!'
What to do? Even the villain has a life of their own and people they cherish.
*
When Yun Zhao arrived at the Eastern Palace, the assassin sent by Lady Xiangyang had already been captured.
Tied up and thrown in the courtyard, he looked like an immovable rice dumpling.
Gagged with a cloth in her mouth, she couldn't bite the poison to end her life.
Yun Zhao wasn't surprised.
If Yan Nantian was already on guard, how could she possibly succeed so easily?
She lifted her eyes and saw him across the courtyard. He was sitting on the steps in front of the main hall, looking a bit tired, with a languid and unenergetic demeanor.
As soon as he saw Yun Zhao, he smiled.
Yun Zhao walked forward step by step, her gaze subconsciously avoiding the west hall, her chin slightly tilted towards the east.
She had an extraordinarily radiant face.
Her brows and eyes were more prideful than usual, yet they still couldn't hide that touch of moving vulnerability.
Yan Nantian gazed at her from afar, almost entranced.
When Yun Zhao reached him, she noticed he was still sitting on the steps, unmoving.
He seemed to have lost some weight, his brow bones more pronounced.
"He's my mother's man, let him go!" Yun Zhao looked down at him, commanding with a haughty air.
Yan Nantian didn't hesitate for a moment: "Alright."
He slightly moved his fingers, and immediately an undercover guard darted out, untied the assassin, and escorted him out of the palace.
He stood up and naturally reached out to take Yun Zhao's hand.
"Hmm?" His gaze fell on the warm jade bowl in her hand, and he smiled, asking, "What poison did you bring for me?"
Yun Zhao threw the soup pot at him: "It won't kill you!"
Yan Nantian caught it and kept laughing.
"Are you laughing at my return?" Yun Zhao asked coldly.
"How could I?" he said, "This is your home. You can come and go as you please. Zhao, I heard they said you went to the Ancient Day Court, and I thought you might stay to watch the stars for a day longer before coming back. Otherwise, how would I dare to close the hall doors?"
As he spoke, he opened the warm jade bowl and drank from it without hesitation, right in front of her.
His peach blossom eyes were brimming with laughter.
Yun Zhao was furious.
If she had known it would be this easy, she would have put poison in it!
"Come," he reached out to take her hand.
She dodged, and he only managed to grasp her sleeve.
Yan Nantian didn't press the matter. Holding onto her sleeve, he led her into the main hall.
She could navigate his room with her eyes closed.
But upon entering the bedroom, she was stunned.
The landscape screen had been moved to the side of the room, and in the center of the bedroom, a crystal clear crystal tank was placed.
Yun Zhao: "?"
Was this his so-called gift?
Yan Nantian smiled and gestured for her to come closer.
Yun Zhao approached the tank.
The water shimmered, and a dreamlike gossamer floated in the water. The gossamer was impervious to fire and water, and couldn't be cut by a blade.
It was woven by merfolk using deep sea water, a rare item only found in the depths of the ocean.
But on the gossamer before her, several characters were woven in with fingertip blood, their strokes strong and vigorous.
May I hold your hand and grow old together, until we have white hair.
It was unmistakably Yan Nantian's handwriting.
He was busy with official duties at Whale Fall Sea, so he must have woven this at night, unable to sleep, each night diving into the sea to create it.
What a reckless madman!
Yun Zhao's head was buzzing. She reached out and touched the surface of the water.
The light rippled.
"Ah Zhao,"
This man, with a slightly hoarse voice, whispered softly beside her ear, "Saying it always feels too light, so I wanted to write it for you. Written on paper, I was afraid you might tear it, burn it, or soak it in water when you're angry."
"Only this, you can't destroy."
He smiled like a charming fox, "For this lifetime, you are my wife."