“You dare to bring up breaking off the engagement?” Fu Zhang flung his sleeve and snapped, “The Princess stops a man in the street to force marriage—how outrageous! His Majesty is burdened with state affairs. If you want to break the engagement, go do it yourself.”

Yao Suyi immediately knelt, sobbing, “Princess, it’s all this common woman’s fault. Please don’t quarrel with my husband’s younger brother!”

Fu Sangyu couldn’t hold back. She lifted the carriage curtain and shouted angrily at Liang Youyi, “You—you wicked woman! Why did you hit my mother?”

“How dare you insult the Princess!”

The head maid, Fang Ling, rushed forward and slapped her hard twice.

Yao Suyi quickly shielded Fu Sangyu, crying like a weeping pear blossom, “Princess, you’re of noble birth. Why trouble a child?”

Liang Youyi sneered, “What a family—always flipping the blame. Fu Zhang, weren’t you going to impeach me? Go ahead. I’ll be waiting!”

Fu Zhang’s eyelids twitched violently. He barked, “If you were more gracious and sensible, why would I impeach you?”

“You—you’re vile!” Fu Sangyu burst into tears. “You hit my mother, humiliated my second uncle, and still expect him to marry you? Not a chance!”

“Fine! Then let him live happily with your mother!”

Fu Zhang roared, “Liang Youyi, you’ve slandered my sister-in-law’s name with malicious intent. You must apologize!”

“Apologize? Ha—”

Liang Youyi looked at him, posturing with the dignity of a prime minister, his mouth flapping pompously. She felt nothing but disgust.

When did this engagement become so tiresome? Probably the day Fu Zhang brought Yao Suyi and her children from the countryside to the capital.

The Liang family, Dukes of Ding, was a clan of generals. Her aunt Liang Yanzhi was the current Empress Dowager, ruling from behind the curtain. The Liangs were the most powerful family in Chen. Because of their overwhelming influence, the royal family grew wary. Six years ago, her great-grandfather chose Fu Zhang—of humble birth—as Liang Youyi’s future husband.

For the first two years, Fu Zhang treated her well.

Once, Liang Youyi casually mentioned, “I heard there’s a new kind of sugar dumpling in Huainan, made with soft bean sugar. It’s crisp and sweet.”

Fu Zhang took half a month’s leave from court, traveled 800 li to Huainan, and brought back the sugar dumplings for her.

When she was thirteen, she fell seriously ill with a high fever. Fu Zhang personally went to Huguo Temple to pray for her recovery, bowing every three steps from the foot of the mountain to the summit. He collapsed at the top after two full days.

Everyone in the capital knew Fu Zhang was deeply devoted to Liang Youyi. The Empress Dowager admired his sincerity and promoted him repeatedly.

Her great-grandfather gifted them a mansion named “Baopu Garden,” saying, “Once Youyi comes of age, this will be your home.”

That mansion is now the Prime Minister’s residence—spanning 45 mu, with front, middle, and rear courtyards, gardens, lotus ponds, and even a horse track. Its luxury rivaled the Duke’s estate. In a city where land was priceless, officials from humble backgrounds like Fu Zhang could never afford even a single courtyard.

Liang Youyi remembered Fu Zhang hesitating to accept it. Her great-grandfather assured him it wasn’t a marriage of convenience—he would have full authority over the household. Only then did Fu Zhang accept.

Before Yao Suyi arrived in the capital, even Liang Youyi thought marrying Fu Zhang was a good match.

Until the day he brought Yao Suyi and her children.

Yao Suyi appeared in rags, worse than a beggar, her face cracked and weathered, trembling as she led four children before Liang Youyi.

Seeing her four-horse carriage, Yao Suyi stammered, “You—you must be Her Highness the Princess?”

“This is Princess Yunshang, Lord Fu’s fiancée,” Fang Ling introduced warmly.

Yao Suyi turned pale with fright, made her children kneel and kowtow, pleading, “Spare us, Princess! The children are ignorant and mistook you. If punishment is due, let it fall on me!”

Liang Youyi was stunned. When had she ever said she’d punish them?

Fu Zhang happened to walk out and saw the kneeling family. He frowned and said, “Princess, my sister-in-law is timid. No need to intimidate them with your noble airs.”

Liang Youyi frowned. This woman was clearly manipulative.

Fu Zhang let Yao Suyi’s family live in Baopu Garden, warning them not to enter the largest courtyard—Xunfang Pavilion—which was reserved for the Princess. But within days, he asked Liang Youyi, “My sister-in-law has twins. The other courtyards are too small. Could she stay in Xunfang Pavilion?”

Liang Youyi replied, “There are plenty of spacious courtyards. Why must it be Xunfang?”

Xunfang Pavilion was designed as the mistress’s quarters—large and close to Fu Zhang’s own rooms.

Fu Zhang grew displeased. They parted on bad terms.

Later, at a spring banquet hosted by the nobility, Yao Suyi knelt before Liang Youyi and pitifully said, “Princess, Yu’er and En’er saw Xunfang Pavilion empty and moved in. I’m sorry. Once you marry my brother-in-law, we’ll move out. If I don’t, may lightning strike me!”

In front of noble ladies, Yao Suyi swore an oath, making Liang Youyi look like a tyrant bullying her future sister-in-law.

Furious, Liang Youyi confronted Fu Zhang: “Haven’t you set any boundaries?”

Fu Zhang snapped, “My sister-in-law supported my studies and suffered in the countryside. What’s wrong with letting her live comfortably?”

Liang Youyi argued it wasn’t about comfort—it was about usurpation.

Fu Zhang sneered, “She’s just living in a bigger courtyard. You accuse her of stealing your place? That’s outrageous!”

Liang Youyi refused to back down and forced Yao Suyi to move out. Yao Suyi wept. Fu Zhang stormed off.

From then on, their relationship soured.

Ever since Yao Suyi came to the capital, every time Fu Zhang visited Liang Youyi, a servant would come calling—his sister-in-law sprained her ankle, the children got hurt, or someone fell into a river.

Fu Zhang always sided with Yao Suyi. Always blamed Liang Youyi. All because he promised his late brother to take care of her.

“You’re suspicious for no reason. You’re a princess—you have everything. She only has me. Isn’t it right for me to care for her?”

“She’s sick, and you still begrudge her?”

What began as a decent match had become unbearable.

Yao Suyi’s seemingly harmless tactics, amplified by Fu Zhang’s favoritism, slowly eroded the bond between him and Liang Youyi.

A marriage that always put the sister-in-law first—Liang Youyi had long lost hope. But as a daughter of a noble house, she had to accept both the splendor and the shackles. She enjoyed her family’s protection but had to endure their arrangements.

Fu Zhang was the Empress Dowager’s trusted aide and the emperor’s cousin. The royal marriage decree was inescapable. The Duke’s household had to protect its reputation. Liang Youyi had no choice but to keep compromising—yet each concession left her more suffocated.