The music from the zither abruptly ceased.
The courtyard fell silent all at once.
The two sat quietly, and Shengyin didn’t ask until quite some time had passed, "What’s the matter?"
Yu Wenrui opened his mouth, feeling that he could speak without hindrance, as this was indeed his initial intention when he brought her out of Yun Mansion.
But the girl sitting opposite him was so quiet, her eyes clear and flawless, gazing at him, making him feel that his thoughts were sordid.
In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Almost in embarrassment, he said, "I haven’t thought it through yet. When I have, I’ll tell you."
He turned to leave, but then he looked back and added, "You should stay here for now; otherwise, once I have made up my mind, I might not be able to find you."
As Shengyin watched his figure leave the courtyard, she sighed to the System, "We’ve come this far, yet he still won’t speak up. He’s not that complete a scoundrel, it seems."
I have a feeling that lovers in this world truly have a tough time.
Meanwhile, Yu Wenrui had gathered all his confidants and ordered them to secretly search for beauties across the land.
One of his confidants had already guessed his master’s thoughts.
Although he had never seen the maiden living in the courtyard firsthand, he could imagine from the servants of Prince’s Mansion that she was undoubtedly a beauty of national grace and heavenly fragrance.
For such a beauty to captivate a man was nothing less than normal.
"Prince," he advised,
"His Majesty’s birthday celebration is imminent, which is an excellent opportunity. We have been preparing for this for so long; we must not let a fleeting romance ruin everything," he counseled earnestly.
"Besides, once you ascend the throne one day, what kind of beauty won’t you be able to have?"
Yu Wenrui closed his eyes, "She’s different."
A girl like her, there might be only one in this world.
The confidant thought to himself: Every couple in the heat of passion feels that their loved one is unparalleled, but how long can that freshness last?
All he could do was to urge, "Prince, please think about all these years, our ambitions, and the oaths we took back then."
He said no more, trusting that his master knew what was most important for himself.
Yu Wenrui had always been unable to harden his heart and speak to Shengyin, but there were always others who spoke for him.
It was still Yun Chuqing.
This time she did not bring an impressive retinue with her, only her confidant Palace Maiden, with whom she had grown up.
She looked at Shengyin with a pitying gaze.
"Miss You Lan is truly a rare heavenly beauty, to which I must admit my inferiority," she said, though her tone was filled with schadenfreude.
Not long ago, someone secretly told her a piece of news that put her in a very good mood.
"I’ll take your praise, but please leave," Shengyin had never had a good impression of this woman.
Usually, Yun Chuqing would have become angry, but today, she did not change expression; instead, she revealed a gratified smile.
Are you not proud? Do you not look down on me, thinking yourself so high and mighty? To think you really are something special! The Prince treats you well, simply because...
Shengyin heard clearly in her mind what was in Yun Chuqing’s heart.
"I’ve come today to inform Miss You Lan of something," Yun Chuqing said with an ostensibly kind face.
"After all, it wouldn’t be right for Miss You Lan to remain unaware of what’s happening at this juncture."