15
When Princess An Yang left, the porridge on the table in front of Li Yue Haili had grown cold.
Yet, she remained still, absentmindedly stirring her spoon in the bowl as though her thoughts were elsewhere.
She was still in shock after encountering the Young Furen of the Master’s household, now Princess An Yang.
The princess seemed very close to Feng Yongyuan, even to the point where Li Yue Haili felt a tinge of unease, though she didn’t feel it necessary to dwell on it.
Whatever their relationship was, it didn’t matter to her anymore.
In their past lives, they had already been the perfect couple—an elegant phoenix and a mighty dragon.
What more pain could she endure?
What truly occupied her mind was the matter of her elder brother.
Su Mengzhen had fled from her own family, the Su household, simply because her brother had grown up in a remote area and wasn’t from the capital.
If this were true, it indicated a shallow mind.
Or perhaps…
Su Mengzhen already had someone else in her heart.
For a noblewoman to travel far from her home like this, who exactly was she intending to meet?
As Li Yue Haili pondered this, her brows furrowed deeply, and she absentmindedly tapped her spoon against the bowl repeatedly, creating a loud clinking sound.
Suddenly, she felt a warm touch between her eyebrows.
Startled, she looked up to find Feng Yongyuan’s finger pressing gently against the furrow between her brows, trying to smooth it out.
She pulled away in shock.
“What are you doing?”
When his hand withdrew, she saw his handsome face gazing at her, a slight smile on his lips, his expression somewhat concerned.
“Are you angry with me, Ying Ying?”
She raised her eyebrows in confusion, a small thought forming in her mind.
“Do you know Miss Su well, Your Highness?”
“An Yang’s friend?
I’ve seen her at banquets but never spoken with her privately.”
“But you remember her.
You must have encountered her often by chance.”
Feng Yongyuan’s nature had never changed—if he didn’t care about something, he wouldn’t.
No matter how hard one tried, he would only spare a fleeting glance.
Yet Su Mengzhen had made enough of an impression for him to mention her with a hint of familiarity.
Perhaps she was destined to be the Second Prince’s heir’s partner in this life.
Even if that wasn’t the case, Li Yue Haili suspected that Su Mengzhen’s heart might already belong to him.
How else could they have accidentally crossed paths in such a remote place?
Princess An Yang’s visit seemed like a pretense, an attempt to probe the situation.
Meanwhile, Miss Su was likely hiding nearby, crying over Feng Yongyuan’s harsh words.
Otherwise, why would the princess have left so suddenly?
Li Yue Haili knew better than anyone that ‘coincidences’ never truly existed.
Even if fate played a part, much of it was influenced by human actions—just like the ‘coincidences’ she had encountered in her past life, which had led to her tragic downfall.
“Princess An Yang brought her along to offer me wine every time.
She repeated her name so often that I eventually remembered it, though it was quite annoying.
If not for my uncle’s sake, would I have ever agreed to drink the wine they brought?
I could barely stand to look at her face.”
“…” Li Yue Haili was stunned, a small warmth flickering in her heart, though she also felt a twinge of pity for Miss Su.
“I assumed you must know quite a lot about the affairs of the Li General’s household,” she said softly.
The young girl spoke, her large eyes fixated seriously on the handsome face of the man before her.
“Why do you want Miss Su to return to the capital?” If she were to run away, it would save her elder brother from being forced into an engagement with a woman who had feelings for another man, and it would also prevent any schemes from the main household.
Feng Yongyuan poured her another cup of tea, a gentle smile still lingering on his lips.
“Ying Ying, do you realize how smart you are for a seven-year-old?”
Li Yue Haili remained composed, her expression calm and emotionless.
“The prince jests.
I am merely the daughter of a general.
If I don’t cultivate a bit of curiosity, who knows what challenges I might face in the future?”
The Second Prince’s heir chuckled.
“It’s good that you’re like this.”
Better for her to be sharp and aware of others, so she wouldn’t suffer the same pain of misplaced trust as before.
Even if she had to lose her innocence along the way, it didn’t matter.
Even if she ended up doing things that were unsavory, it still didn’t matter.
After all, he would always be there to take the brunt of whatever consequences came.
“The Li family did indeed discuss an engagement with the Su family.
Su Mengzhen is the eldest daughter of Su Bo’s first wife.
In terms of status, it’s not a bad match.
However, Uncle’s merits during this trip to the capital will likely earn him the title of master, so in that sense, the Su family is a step below the Li family.” Feng Yongyuan said casually, he watched the young girl across from him listening intently, and his smile deepened further.
“Su Bo, who is quite ambitious, is very pleased with this marriage arrangement.
However, Su Mengzhen is not a favored daughter.
After her mother passed, she was raised by her father’s new wife, who likely instilled in her the idea that Li Zhengqing is an unrefined country man.
I wonder how she will feel when she finally meets your elder brother.”
The prince laughed with derision at such shallow thinking.
Although Li Zhengqing had grown up on the borderlands and had a straightforward, blunt demeanor typical of soldiers, he was handsome, tall, and carried himself with confidence.
He had martial arts skills and had been well-educated in literature, music, poetry, horseback riding, archery, and even mathematics—all thanks to Shen Xuefei and Li Taixuan’s tutelage since he was young.
Furthermore, he grew up in a loving and warm family, making him anything but heartless.
His future prospects were endless.
A man like him would naturally be the desire of many women in the capital.
Yet Su Mengzhen, foolish and naive, had been misled and was throwing away the chance for a beautiful life.
“She will surely regret it,” Li Yue Haili agreed.
The woman was indeed foolish for not choosing her elder brother, instead foolishly chasing after Feng Yongyuan.
“But even if she returns in time, the engagement could still happen, couldn’t it?”
“Ying Ying, do you know what would happen if Su Mengzhen doesn’t return?”
The young girl tilted her head in confusion.
This was something she truly couldn’t guess.
“If she had run away on her own, that would be one thing.
But with Princess An Yang’s involvement in helping her, there’s no way she could marry into the family now.
If Su Mengzhen doesn’t return home, the news will eventually spread.”
Feng Yongyuan calmly explained.
“Once this turns into a big issue, my imperial uncle will inevitably hear about it, no matter how much Su Bo tries to keep it quiet.
Those who want the Emperor to know will make sure he finds out.
What do you think will happen after that, Ying Ying?”
“The Emperor has a reputation for his sense of justice, so he will seek a way to rectify the situation…” Li Yue Haili’s eyes widened.
“Su Mengzhen can’t marry, but Princess An Yang…
could become the imperial consort instead, right?”
The young girl gripped her teacup tightly, her face pale.
If her elder brother became the Emperor’s son-in-law, it would mean the end of his future in the imperial court and that he could no longer wield a sword or ride into battle.
It would be as if his arms, legs, and heart were being taken from him.
“That’s why you advised Miss Su to return to her family?”
“Even if she returns quickly, the engagement can no longer happen.”
“Why?”
“Because you are here.”
“Me?” The girl was stunned, gazing at the Second Prince’s heir as if seeing him truly for the first time.
Her presence here meant she could serve as a witness to everything Princess An Yang had said.
If it had only been Feng Yongyuan who relayed the events, it might not have been proper to bring up the matter to her parents, as he was an outsider.
But with Li Yue Haili hearing it firsthand, it was an entirely different situation.
Miss Su had indeed behaved disgracefully, but because she hadn’t disappeared, no rumors regarding Princess An Yang could spread.
The issue would remain between the two families and not involve the Emperor.
A quiet negotiation to call off the unwanted engagement could resolve everything smoothly.
More importantly, neither Su Mengzhen nor Princess An Yang knew who she was, a detail Feng Yongyuan had deliberately kept hidden.
This gave her an advantage over them.
Li Yue Haili let out a long sigh.
Despite all her lifetimes of experience, even she hadn’t considered the depth of these schemes.
The thought of her family almost falling into such a complex trap from others left her deeply unsettled.
Old Furen Li, He Shi, Main Furen of the Su family, Su Bo, Su Mengzhen, and Princess An Yang—she mentally noted all of these names.
“Thank you so much.
If it weren’t for your help, my brother would have faced a significant problem,” the girl said softly, smiling at the Second Prince’s heir with a sweet and sincere smile.
Dimples appeared on her cheeks, and her eyes curved into crescent moons.
For the first time, she smiled at him so genuinely that even the red mole by her eye seemed to brighten, showing a rare youthful vibrancy.
Feng Yongyuan, seeing this sweet display, was momentarily stunned.
His face flushed slightly, and he seemed uncharacteristically flustered.
His heart swelled, and he struggled to keep his hands from instinctively reaching out to embrace her.
“…It was a small matter,” he said.
“But if you want to repay me…
could you call me Brother Yongyuan?”
“…” Li Yue Haili’s smile faded.
“If you don’t want to, that’s fine.
I won’t force you.”
The young girl lowered her gaze for a moment, as if contemplating something.
Then, she reached into her robe and pulled out a small coin pouch she had sewn herself.
She handed it to the Second Prince’s heir.
“I originally made this for my brother, but you’ve helped me so much this time.
If you don’t mind, please accept it, Brother…
Yongyuan,” she said softly, forcing herself to fulfill his request.
If he had helped both her mother and brother, it wasn’t unreasonable to do this small thing in return.
But seeing him smile so foolishly at her, she couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated.
This calm, stoic man, whom she had known in past lives, now seemed as if his soul had been swapped.
Perhaps he truly had changed.
But…
this wasn’t so bad.