Ouyang Nuan reclined on the warm kang bed, her brows and eyes lowered as the sunlight from the window cast a soft glow upon her face. Her tranquil and gentle demeanor was breathtaking. Even though Hongyu saw her every day, she could not help but sigh inwardly. His mistress possessed such elegance and beauty— who knew how many hearts she would shatter as she grew older?

Ouyang Jue dashed into Tingnuan Pavilion, his eyes shining and his brows raised in excitement. His steps were light, and even the raven-colored cloak he wore fluttered with his movement. His servant boy was chasing after him, calling out, “Young Master, don’t run! Be careful not to fall!”

Ouyang Jue charged straight into the room, looking utterly exhilarated. He only stopped when he reached Ouyang Nuan’s side, panting heavily as he exclaimed, “Sister! I found the Guangling Collection Preface you wanted!” Before she could react, he had already grabbed her sleeve eagerly. “Sister, hurry and get up! I’ll take you there!”

“Young Master, there’s no need to rush. If it’s a good book, you can simply buy it and bring it back. Have you forgotten that the young miss rarely leaves the house?” Nanny Fang reminded him from the side.

It was common for noble ladies to leave their homes for temple visits, banquets, or to buy rouge and powder. However, everyone knew that Ouyang Nuan did not enjoy going out. Yet this time, she merely smiled, sat up straight, and said, “Nanny, if he could have bought the book, he would have done so already. Such a rare ancient text is not something others would part with easily. Hongyu, help me change.”

Ouyang Manor’s carriage was not overly extravagant, but it was spacious and comfortable inside. Thick cushions lined the seats, and Ouyang Nuan leaned against a soft pillow as she read. Meanwhile, Hongyu sat with her head lowered, tending to the small brazier in the center of the carriage, ensuring that the coals burned more vigorously. Ouyang Jue was in high spirits and had deliberately lifted the thick cotton curtains at the window, revealing a corner of the silk screen. He glanced at the scenery outside before turning back to Ouyang Nuan with a grin. “Sister, you’re in a good mood today?”

“Oh? How can you tell?” Ouyang Nuan set her book down with a smile and looked at him.

Ouyang Jue lifted his confident brows, his bright black eyes gleaming. “Of course, I can tell! I’m your brother. Whether you’re truly happy or just pretending, you can’t fool me.”

Ouyang Nuan reached out and ruffled his hair. “Smart boy! Now, tell me about your trip to the bookstore.” If possible, she didn’t want him involved in the rear courtyard’s schemes. Those matters were filthy and vexing. Her little brother should remain carefree and untainted. She alone would bear the burden.

“You don’t know how stubborn the owner of Tianyi Pavilion is! He flat-out refused to sell the book, claiming that someone had already reserved it. I even offered a hefty sum to buy it from him, but he still refused! I wasn’t convinced, so I went back every day. The shop assistant, after accepting my silver, secretly told me that no one had actually come to claim the book! I think the owner just couldn’t bear to part with such a rare text and deliberately refused to sell it!”

“Is that so?” Ouyang Nuan nodded. If it were an ordinary book, failing to obtain it wouldn’t matter. But this particular book was of great importance to her…… Since that was the case, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.

Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped at the street corner. Ouyang Jue peeked out and asked, “What’s going on? Why did we stop?”

The coachman quickly replied, “Young Master, it seems someone has fainted up ahead……”

Following the coachman’s gesture, Ouyang Jue looked over and indeed saw a filthy little beggar lying in the middle of the road, blocking their carriage. He frowned, and one of the guards trailing behind immediately stepped forward. “Young Master, don’t worry. I’ll move him at once!”

The guard took a few strides toward the beggar and, without much effort, lifted him up by the scruff of his neck. Seeing this, the onlookers began to murmur. At a glance, the carriage clearly belonged to a wealthy family. Judging by the guard’s stance, the little beggar was likely to suffer a harsh beating. Some bystanders wanted to plead for mercy, but upon noticing the lotus emblem on the carriage, no one dared step forward. Only carriages of noble families were permitted to bear such clan insignias.

“Stop!” A voice rang out from within the carriage, and a delicate hand extended past the curtain.

It was a fair, slender hand with no meticulously manicured nails, no vivid red polish, no rings encrusted with gold or gems, and no jade bangles or pearl bracelets adorning the wrist. A simple sky-blue sleeve covered the arm, devoid of the elaborate embroidery commonly seen in noblewomen’s attire. But for some reason, the sight of that hand alone was enough to stir the imagination.

The crowd unconsciously conjured images of a peerless beauty, but before they could dwell on it, the hand withdrew behind the curtain. At the same time, a soft yet commanding voice followed, “Let him go.”

The beggar, who had been roused by the guard’s rough handling, struggled fiercely. Upon hearing those words, the guard immediately released him and lowered his head. “Yes, Young Miss.”

The little beggar scrambled away in panic. He had only fainted from hunger and hadn’t meant to block the noble carriage. He had thought he was about to be beaten as usual, but to his surprise, he had been spared. Just as he exhaled in relief, Ouyang Jue suddenly jumped down from the carriage. Terrified, the beggar instinctively backed away.

Ouyang Jue strode over, scolding him loudly and feigning a slap. But while everyone’s attention was elsewhere, he secretly slipped a silver ingot into the beggar’s hand. “This is from my sister. Don’t let anyone see, or they’ll rob you of it.”

The beggar stared, dumbfounded, at the refined little nobleman before him. Ouyang Jue then grinned and shouted, “Forget it, I’ll let you off this time! If I catch you again, I’ll beat you to death!” With that, he spun around and hopped back into the carriage.

With the spectacle over, the crowd gradually dispersed. Only the little beggar remained rooted in place, clutching the silver tightly while staring dazedly as the carriage disappeared down the street.

From the private room on the second floor of a nearby teahouse, a young man had observed everything, missing not a single detail.

“Your Highness……” A servant standing beside him spoke in a respectful whisper. “What are you looking at?”

The young man turned his head, revealing a pair of long, slender phoenix eyes that were noble and dazzling. The deep black pupils seemed to hold a vast starry sky and an air of absolute supremacy. The servant, who had been gazing up at him, instinctively bowed lower. He felt that when his master turned cold, no one could meet his gaze— not even his own father, the formidable and revered Prince Yan.

The world praised Prince Ming as a man of unparalleled beauty, and there were countless stories of noblewomen losing their composure and even falling over upon catching sight of him. Yet those who truly knew him understood that he was someone not easily approached.

Suppressing his thoughts, the servant lowered his voice, “Your Highness, the book you sought has been found……”