The inner residence and the front courtyard were separated by quite a distance.
With Yun Ziyao’s current frail condition, she would be out of breath after every few steps. Taking the time of an entire cup of tea just to walk there was perfectly normal.
The journey gave her an opportunity to recall what the novel had said about Prince Zhan.
Mo Canglan.
The ninth younger brother of the reigning Emperor Zhaowu.
Twenty-five years old.
Holder of the title Prince Zhan (War Prince).
He had become famous while still young and was known throughout Qi as the God of War.
Gifted in martial arts from childhood, he possessed an unruly and ruthless temperament. He was a terrifying figure whom few dared provoke.
At twelve, he had gone to the battlefield for training.
At sixteen, he officially took command of troops.
Since assuming command, he had never lost a battle.
Even his least remarkable attribute—his appearance—could only be described as breathtakingly handsome.
Scholars composed poems praising him as a deity descended to the mortal world.
Military generals described his command of warfare as almost demonic.
Yun Ziyao felt the author had been excessively biased toward him.
Perhaps villains were simply more likely to become readers’ favorites.
This prince seemed blessed by heaven itself.
He was so perfect that the author had been forced to compensate by giving him a notoriously terrible personality, making people afraid to approach him.
But how had he ended up in the novel?
Yun Ziyao frowned.
Oddly enough, she couldn’t remember.
The story had been so infuriating.
The heroine suffered endlessly.
First her brother abused her.
Then her sister.
Then the male lead.
Then her father.
The relentless misery had made readers want to curse aloud.
Because of that, she had skimmed through chapters looking for the moment when the heroine finally fought back.
Instead, she discovered that the male lead eventually ascended the throne while the heroine became a mere concubine in the palace, continuing to suffer under Empress Yun Zijun’s oppression.
By the time Madam Yun learned that Ziyao was her biological daughter, Ziyao had already died in the depths of the imperial palace.
Yun Ziyao had been so angry that she dropped the novel on the spot.
As for the later chapters…
She had no idea whether Prince Zhan even appeared.
Still, based on what she knew, there was no way a man like Mo Canglan would lose to that scumbag male lead.
With his personality, no matter how much the male lead hated or feared him, he would never be able to defeat him.
Push him too far and he might simply march an army to the capital and stage a coup.
Lost in thought, Yun Ziyao eventually arrived at the front hall.
Outside stood rows of armed guards.
Their expressions were stern.
The killing intent accumulated from years on the battlefield radiated from them unmistakably.
After glancing at them briefly, Yun Ziyao allowed two maids to support her as she stepped through the entrance.
The atmosphere inside was heavy and oppressive.
Chancellor Yun and Madam Yun sat in the seats of honor.
Two elegantly dressed men occupied the distinguished seats below them.
One was Mo Jinglin.
His features were refined and handsome.
Dressed in the robes of the Crown Prince, he naturally carried the bearing of an heir apparent.
The other man wore black brocade robes.
He lounged casually in his chair.
From the moment Yun Ziyao entered, his eyes had remained fixed upon her.
He openly examined her from head to toe with not the slightest awareness that propriety should have prevented such behavior.
“Greetings, Father.”
Yun Ziyao staggered over the threshold.
Weak and delicate, she stepped forward and bowed.
“Greetings, Mother.”
Mo Jinglin sat with a dark expression, saying nothing.
“Ziyao.”
Chancellor Yun spoke calmly.
“Prince Zhan has come today to propose marriage.”
“He wishes to marry you as his princess.”
“What are your thoughts?”
“Me?”
Yun Ziyao looked bewildered.
The Chancellor nodded.
“Yes.”
He was a civil official in his early forties.
Years in government had cultivated both elegance and authority.
Yet in front of a battle-hardened general, that aura seemed noticeably diminished.
Yun Ziyao hesitated.
“But doesn’t your daughter still have a marriage contract with the Crown Prince?”
As she spoke, she turned toward Mo Jinglin.
Her gaze contained a complicated mixture of grievance, resentment, fear, and disappointment.
“Has His Highness dissolved our engagement?”
The moment those words left her mouth, both Mo Jinglin and Chancellor Yun visibly changed expression.
Madam Yun answered calmly.
“Rao’er.”
“You are not the Yun family’s biological daughter.”
“Your father therefore transferred your engagement to Zijun.”
After a brief pause, she added:
“The Crown Prince agreed as well.”
“Madam.”
Chancellor Yun frowned.
“Why bring that up now?”
Mo Jinglin also looked displeased, clearly unhappy that Madam Yun had spoken so bluntly.
Still, he quickly put on a comforting smile.
“Although the position of Crown Princess has gone to Jun’er, my feelings for you remain unchanged.”
“In the future, I will compensate you generously—”
“So your daughter no longer has a marriage contract?”
Yun Ziyao interrupted before he could continue.
She looked only at her father.
Her voice was timid but sincere.
“Please tell me honestly, Father.”
“No matter the answer, I can accept it.”
After a moment of silence, Chancellor Yun nodded.
“The engagement between you and the Crown Prince has indeed been dissolved, but—”
“In that case…”
Yun Ziyao immediately cut him off.
“May your daughter accept Prince Zhan’s proposal?”
Without waiting for an answer, she turned toward Mo Canglan.
“Does Your Highness truly wish to marry me?”
Mo Jinglin’s expression changed.
“Ziyao!”
She ignored him completely.
Her gaze never left Mo Canglan.
Chancellor Yun narrowed his eyes.
“Ziyao.”
“Although the Crown Prince has dissolved the engagement, he has promised to give you a proper status in the future.”
Until now, Mo Canglan had been sitting lazily.
Upon hearing her question, he slowly straightened.
His deep voice carried unmistakable amusement.
“As I’ve come here to propose marriage, naturally I wish to marry you.”
Yun Ziyao lowered her eyes.
“What if someone pressures Your Highness?”
“Yun Ziyao.”
Mo Jinglin’s voice turned cold.
“You’d best be careful about what you’re saying.”
Still, she ignored him.
Naturally, Mo Canglan ignored him as well.
He smiled.
The sheer charisma in his features was almost overwhelming.
“In the entire State of Qi, there is currently no one capable of pressuring this prince.”
The statement was astonishingly domineering.
Yet it wasn’t empty arrogance.
It was the confidence of someone who knew absolutely no one could oppose him.
After all, if he wished, the four hundred thousand troops under his command could march on the capital at any moment and replace the emperor himself.
Mo Jinglin’s face darkened.
Without realizing it, he tightened his grip on his teacup.
Meanwhile, Yun Ziyao relaxed.
She had always known he wasn’t blindly loyal.
Still, hearing the promise with her own ears finally reassured her.
Marrying a man like this would make her original plan of keeping the child while getting rid of the father somewhat difficult.
Fortunately, he spent most of his time commanding armies and guarding the frontier.
Whether he lived or died would make little difference to her.
“Since that’s the case…”
Yun Ziyao lowered her head.
“Your servant is willing to marry Prince Zhan.”
“Thank you for Your Highness’s favor.”
Mo Jinglin shot to his feet.
Both shocked and furious.
“Yun Ziyao! What did you just say?”
“Mother.”
Ignoring him, Yun Ziyao turned toward Madam Yun and curtsied softly.
“I hope Mother will grant my wish.”
“I am not your biological daughter.”
“My body is weak and sickly.”
“I truly do not wish to remain in the residence and continue burdening Mother with worry.”
“I hope Mother can understand my thoughts and allow me to make this choice.”
Mo Jinglin’s face turned iron-gray.
Grinding his teeth, he asked:
“Ziyao, didn’t you once love me more than anything?”
“In the past, your daughter overestimated herself.”
Yun Ziyao lowered her gaze.
“I was never worthy of Your Highness.”
“Nor do I dare harbor such hopes anymore.”
“I am willing to give you a title.”
Yun Ziyao glanced at him.
A trace of self-mockery appeared in her eyes.
“A title?”
“A title that comes with three years of torture in the Laundry Bureau?”
“Impudence!”
Chancellor Yun shouted angrily.
“The Crown Prince’s affection is more than I dare accept.”
Yun Ziyao extended her hands.
Even after Madam Yun had applied medicine, they still looked rough and damaged.
“These hands spent three years washing clothes in the Laundry Bureau.”
“They are no longer the hands of a pampered noble lady.”
“They are unworthy of His Highness’s favor.”
She rolled up her sleeves.
The countless scars covering her arms were laid bare before everyone present.
“For three years, I was beaten day after day.”
“Every day and every night, I wondered whether this was the price I had to pay for loving the Crown Prince.”
“From then on, I prayed for only one thing.”
“To stay as far away from His Highness as possible.”
Mo Jinglin pressed his lips together so tightly they almost turned white.
Rage churned in his eyes.
He stared at Yun Ziyao’s pale, fragile face.
And suddenly—
An unsettling premonition arose in his heart.
Yun Ziyao was different.
Completely different from before.
Where had she found the courage?
Where had she found the confidence?
How did she dare speak to him like this?