“Li Zhiyue, if I marry such a man, my life is over!”

“Li Zhiyue, I hate you! When I am in pain, I will drag you into my suffering!”

Jiang Yan’s anger surged through her like an unstoppable force.

The moment she learned of the marriage, it felt as if she had fallen into an abyss, a despair that surrounded her and nearly broke her.

All of her anger was released the moment she saw Li Zhiyue.

If it weren’t for Li Zhiyue, she would never have ended up in this situation.

She took a step forward, fiercely closing the distance between her and Li Zhiyue.

Suddenly.

A figure stepped in front of Li Zhiyue.

Jiang Yan looked on in disbelief.

It was the man she could never forget, Cheng Changyan.

At the Princess’s banquet, she had used all her courage to plot to become Mrs. Cheng.

But that plot turned her into the joke of the entire capital. Even her grandmother, who had always protected her, stopped caring about her marriage after she disgraced the Xuanping Marquis’s family.

She stared at Cheng Changyan, her gaze filled with obsession.

If only…

However, the man stood with a cold, imposing presence, and a chilling aura radiated from him, making Jiang Yan’s scalp tingle.

Cheng Changyan’s voice was icy: “The old man you speak of, Miss Jiang, should be Wen Shaoqing of the Ministry of Justice. Wen Shaoqing was talented from a young age, a sharp and fair judge, with strict enforcement of the law. He is the backbone of the Ministry of Justice, and the pillar of the Great Wei dynasty. How is it that, in your words, he has become so unworthy?”

If not for his refusal to enter the cabinet, the position of Minister of Justice would have belonged to Wen Shaoqing.

It took Jiang Yan a long time to regain her voice, speaking with difficulty: “I… I am after all a marquis’s daughter, why should I marry a man as a second wife, why should I become a stepmother…”

“Then as you wish,” Cheng Changyan said softly, “Don’t worry, this marriage won’t happen.”

Jiang Yan’s mind exploded.

Although she was deeply reluctant to accept the marriage, she knew that this was the best choice available to her.

The Xuanping Marquis’s family held only a nominal title without real power.

As a daughter born of a concubine, what was she worth?

Moreover, at the last Princess’s banquet, after her fall into the water, her reputation was ruined, and no one with a distinguished family background in the capital wanted to marry her as a primary wife…

Her situation was awkward; she could either fall to being a concubine or marry into a poor family as a main wife, or marry a slightly better family as a second wife…

Her grandmother had advised her, saying that the Wen family had no elders left, and that if she married into their family, she could manage the household.

Though there were four stepsons, the Wen family was known for its virtuous traditions, and if she got along well with her stepsons, they might support her in her old age. If she bore a child, her position would be secure…

Last night, she had resented her grandmother for saying these things.

But now, as the marriage was about to fall through, she suddenly realized that her grandmother’s words were indeed good advice.

To her, this truly was the best marriage!

If this marriage were to fall apart, what awaited her would be an even darker abyss!

“No!” Jiang Yan’s face lost all color, and she trembled as she said, “Lord Cheng, I was just out of my mind, talking nonsense…”

Cheng Changyan shook his head.

Wen Shaoqing needed a wife who could properly manage the household affairs.

If there were internal issues, it would be hard for Wen Shaoqing to focus on casework, and many innocent people would suffer.

Li Zhiyue turned to him and said, “Lord Cheng, let’s take our seats.”

The two quickly followed the others ahead of them, making their way into the banquet hall.

The banquet was hosted by the Grand Tutor’s residence, and there was no division of seats by gender, but rather by rank and status.

Many people had gathered, and the hall was lively.

After the meal, the Grand Tutor’s residence arranged for a river banquet, where talented scholars and beautiful women could showcase their skills.

Lu Jingxue was invited to play a tune, which earned her much applause.

Soon after, Li Zhiyue noticed that the Fourth Prince had left his seat, and shortly thereafter, Lu Jingxue quietly left the hall as well. It was easy to guess they were meeting in private.

“Yue Niang, why do you keep staring at the Fourth Prince? Could it be…?” Bai Ruzhu asked in a low voice, startled. “The Fourth Prince already has a legitimate wife. If you marry him, you would only be a secondary consort. Do you know what that means? You’d have to follow the rules set by the Princess Consort, and compete for favor with other concubines. Tell me, what hope is there in such a life?”

Li Zhiyue smiled helplessly. “Mother, it’s not like that. You misunderstood.”

At that moment, a figure walked toward them. “Lady Xiangyang, Miss Li, it’s been many years.”

Bai Ruzhu quickly pulled Li Zhiyue to her feet and bowed. “Greetings, Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”

Li Zhiyue followed her lead.

She recalled the story from the book and finally recognized the Fifth Prince.

Known for his lustful nature, he had been exiled to his fief at the age of twelve for cruelly teasing palace maids.

At eighteen, when he reached marriageable age, he was recalled to the capital, likely just a few days ago.

As he grew older, his desires only grew stronger.

The book mentioned that at twenty, he was imprisoned for flirting with the Emperor’s new favorite concubine and spent his life locked away.

“Miss Li, you are truly beautiful,” said the Fifth Prince Ning Chi, his gaze unmistakably lingering. “Might I ask if you are already promised to someone?”

Bai Ruzhu’s brows furrowed immediately.

Although the Fifth Prince was unmarried, no one in the capital valued such a position, because the Fifth Prince was notorious for his lustful behavior!

She lowered her head and replied, “My daughter is still young, not in a hurry.”

Ning Chi smiled. “Miss Li, even at such a young age, with such beauty, when you grow older, you will surely become as famous as Lady Xiangyang, the most beautiful in the capital.”

As he spoke, he glanced deeply at Bai Ruzhu.

Bai Ruzhu felt a chill down her spine.

“Your Highness the Fifth Prince,” a clear voice sounded.

It was Cheng Changyan.

Ning Chi turned, squinting his eyes and coldly said, “In my absence from the capital these past few years, I’ve often heard of Lord Cheng’s name. At only nineteen, he became the Minister of Justice, the first of our Great Wei Dynasty. Lord Cheng is truly favored by my father, the Emperor.”

“Your Highness is too kind,” Cheng Changyan replied calmly, even in the presence of a royal prince. He lifted his wine cup. “This is my first time meeting Your Highness the Fifth Prince, so I shall toast to you.”

Ning Chi emptied his cup and then left.

Cheng Changyan turned to Bai Ruzhu and said quietly, “The Fifth Prince acts erratically and cruelly, and he is fond of beautiful women. Over the years, in his fief, he has ruined many virtuous women. If Lady Xiangyang has no intention of making a connection, it’s best to avoid him.”

“Thank you for the warning, Lord Cheng,” Bai Ruzhu sighed. “Indeed, we cannot afford to offend the royal family, but we can avoid them.”

Cheng Changyan relaxed and smiled. “If Lady Xiangyang has time, you and Miss Li are welcome to visit my humble abode. I will receive you with great hospitality.”

Bai Ruzhu was stunned.

The people in the capital knew that Lord Cheng was notorious for being cold and distant, never close to anyone.

Now, not only had he come to their rescue, but he was also inviting them to visit. Could it be… he wanted to form a connection?