Chapter 23  

Xu Lianqiao blinked slowly at the scene before her, her thoughts drifting back to six months ago.

That day, Marquis Zhongyi hosted a spring banquet, and she coincidentally met Mrs. Wei in the backyard.

Since there was no one around, Xu Lianqiao assumed Mrs. Wei might exchange a few polite words or ask about her life in the Jiang Mansion. But instead—

“Lianqiao, Jue’er was just being playful that day. It was a joke; don’t take it to heart.”

Xu Lianqiao immediately understood Mrs. Wei was referring to the incident when Wei Jue demanded her hairpin in the Jiang Mansion.

Her heart sank. After all these years apart, this was the first thing her mother chose to say to her.

“Yeah.”

She didn’t want to argue, so she simply nodded.

“Lianqiao, Jue’er has had a hard life. She lost her mother as a child… It’s really pitiful. Her father and I spoiled her as much as possible. On the surface, she seems pampered, but deep down, she just craves love and attention. Lianqiao, Jue’er isn’t bad at heart. Don’t hold a grudge against her.”

Xu Lianqiao didn’t know how she endured standing there, listening to these words.

She couldn’t deny feeling hurt. Her mother had become someone else’s mother—showing pity for another child’s lack of a mother—while overlooking her own daughter’s feelings.

Mrs. Wei only noticed that Wei Jue had taken her hairpin but never questioned why Jiang Huai had given it away. If her mother truly cared, wouldn’t she have known about her circumstances?

“Mrs. Wei,” Xu Lianqiao finally interrupted, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay composed. “Excuse me, I have something to attend to.”

It was a poor excuse, but Mrs. Wei, caught up in her emotions, didn’t seem to notice her distress or ask if something was wrong.

_

“Jue’er, how could you say such a thing? Over the years, I’ve treated you like my own daughter,” Mrs. Wei said, visibly upset.

But Ning Yuan, standing nearby, chuckled coldly.

“Mrs. Wei is truly modest.”

For some reason, Xu Lianqiao felt reassured when Jiang Huai spoke.

“Mrs. Wei’s biological daughter doesn’t receive such attention from her,” he added, his tone dripping with mockery.

Mrs. Wei turned to Xu Lianqiao, only to find her shielded behind Jiang Huai. She faltered under his dark, intimidating gaze.

Princess Anyi observed the situation with amusement, feeling satisfied that she had summoned Xu Lianqiao to the banquet. However, she was a bit surprised. Rumors claimed Jiang Huai treated his wife indifferently, but now he seemed so protective of her.

Wei Jue, on the other hand, was seething. She had never been so humiliated. Once, as the legitimate daughter of a prince, she was highly praised and destined to be the Princess of Chu. Yet here she was, kneeling in disgrace while Xu Lianqiao stood tall.

Her bitterness deepened when she felt Mrs. Wei nudge her arm, only to be brushed off angrily.

Wei Jue blamed Xu Lianqiao and her mother for everything. If Mrs. Wang had never married into their family, things might have been different. Her father had claimed the marriage was for the benefit of her and her brother, but that felt laughable now.

_

Despite the noise and crying around her, Xu Lianqiao no longer felt embarrassed.

Her thoughts drifted to eight years ago, when a young man had similarly stood in front of her, shielding her from harsh accusations. The familiar comforting presence calmed her.

“Everyone praises Mrs. Wei for her virtue,” someone murmured. “She’s even more remarkable than Meng Yang^[1]was known for extraordinary virtue. of the past.”

Another voice chimed in sarcastically, “At least Mrs. Wei treats her predecessor’s children as her own, even sacrificing her own children’s well-being for their sake. That’s something Meng Yang never did.”

Jiang Huai cared little for such gossip. Some people reveled in building a reputation of self-sacrifice, but he only saw the harm they caused to Ah Qiao.

“No…”

Mrs. Wei started to respond, but Jiang Huai cut her off.

“She doesn’t need you, Mrs. Wei. Ah Qiao has me. But Jue’er…”

Princess Anyi fanned herself leisurely, adjusting her hair. “Some people really think they’re indispensable, don’t they? How amusing.”

Xu Lianqiao felt her words resonated and glanced at the princess, only to be caught staring.

Princess Anyi, unfazed, smiled warmly, making Xu Lianqiao blush.

She’s so beautiful, Xu Lianqiao thought.

Jiang Huai noticed Xu Lianqiao peeking out from behind him and blushing. His irritation flared, and he stepped in front of her again, blocking her view.

“…”

What was he doing?

_

This farce lasted for an hour.

Princess Anyi requested them to leave as they were exhausted.

“What do you think will happen to Wei Jue? Will she succeed in becoming the Princess of Chu?”

On their way back, Xu Lianqiao realized Princess Anyi had not mentioned how to deal with Wei Jue. This made her feel like she had missed out on some key detail while watching the situation unfold.

Walking beside her, Ning Yuan thought aloud, “Wei Jue, being the Emperor’s consort and closely related to the royal family, could claim it was just an accident. If the Emperor doubts the story, the consequences might be more damaging than helpful. As for Princess Anyi, her opinions don’t hold much weight; she’s just a princess and has no say in the Prince’s marriage.”

Still…

“Ah,” Xu Lianqiao sighed, feeling let down. She had hoped Wei Jue would face serious consequences. After all, she was there because of her. Yet, even Princess Anyi’s position seemed insignificant to “Jiang Huai,” making Xu Lianqiao feel powerless.

“How disappointing,” she muttered. Her sigh caught Ning Yuan’s attention, and he felt an inexplicable frustration in his heart.

“What’s disappointing?” he asked.

“It’s disappointing that Wei Jue might still become the Princess of Chu. A princess…” Xu Lianqiao thought about how Wei Jue, as someone with a grudge, would likely hold this incident against her. It was uncomfortable to imagine having to show deference to Wei Jue in the future.

“What makes you think the King of Chu is so great?” Ning Yuan asked disdainfully.

Xu Lianqiao was startled and quickly stopped walking, glancing around nervously to make sure no one had overheard him.

“Don’t speak nonsense!”

Once she was certain they were alone, she cautiously whispered to him, “Marrying the King of Chu isn’t about him as a person; it’s about his status.”

Ning Yuan was taken aback by her sudden closeness, his breathing becoming uneven.

“Are you envious?” he asked.

Xu Lianqiao blinked in surprise at his question. Did she envy someone marrying the King of Chu? The truth was, she was even worse off, not even having a status herself.

“Just a little,” she admitted, gesturing with her fingers. Her honesty made Ning Yuan’s heart ache.

“Look at the other princes and nobles today,” Xu Lianqiao began, her voice softening, “The others aren’t as good as the King of Chu. At least he appears respectable. And what if he genuinely likes someone like Wei Jue…” She trailed off, realizing she was gossiping like a petty character from a storybook.

“Why did you stop?” Ning Yuan prompted.

“It’s nothing,” Xu Lianqiao said, embarrassed by her own words.

“You think the others aren’t as good as the King of Chu?” Ning Yuan pressed.

“Isn’t it true?” she asked. Among the other prominent men in the capital, none seemed better than the King of Chu.

“But what about the Zhenbei King?” Ning Yuan asked.

Xu Lianqiao blinked, confused. “The Emperor only has three princes…” She wasn’t aware of any others because she had never paid much attention to such matters.

“Zhenbei King is the Emperor’s nephew and three years older than the King of Chu,” Ning Yuan explained patiently. “There are few royal heirs, and after the Emperor ascended the throne, he consolidated power by first dealing with the Northern King and then heading to the Northwest.”

“Oh,” Xu Lianqiao responded, surprised. She hadn’t realized the Zhenbei King even existed.

“Is the Zhenbei King better looking than the King of Chu?” Xu Lianqiao asked curiously. Her question flustered Ning Yuan, and he felt the tips of his ears heat up.

But before he could answer, she continued, “And who is Princess Zhenbei?”

“Ahem,” Ning Yuan coughed, uncomfortable with the topic. “The Zhenbei King hasn’t married yet. In fact, he doesn’t even have a concubine.”

“Ah…” Xu Lianqiao frowned. “He’s older than the King of Chu and still unmarried? Not even a single woman?” She paused, furrowing her brows. “Could he be…not very good?”

“Yes,” Ning Yuan said, slightly embarrassed.

_

Ning Yuan had no idea what Xu Lianqiao was thinking and even hummed softly.

The moonlight poured down as they walked back together.

“It would be wonderful if I could be like Princess Anyi,” Xu Lianqiao suddenly said.

“Princess Anyi is so… beautiful and confident,” she added, her eyes full of envy, which unintentionally hurt Ning Yuan.

“You don’t need to compare yourself with her,” Ning Yuan replied gently.

Princess Anyi’s mother was the only daughter of the late emperor, and her father came from the prestigious Jiangling Qu family. Princess Anyi had been respected and doted on since childhood. It was natural for her to grow up with such a vibrant personality.

If Ah Qiao had been able to live like that, she would undoubtedly have been his favorite. But regardless of what others thought, no one in Ning Yuan’s heart could ever compare to her.

“Ah Qiao, you don’t need to compare yourself to anyone,” he repeated.

Xu Lianqiao had only sighed casually, but she didn’t expect “Jiang Huai” to comfort her so seriously.

“Ah Qiao, you’re fine as you are,” he added.

She was stunned, as “Jiang Huai” seemed to understand her hidden unease and self-doubt.

“Ah Qiao, it was never your fault that they treated you like this,” he said.

Xu Lianqiao had always questioned herself. If one or two people disliked her, she could dismiss it. But when everyone around her treated her coldly—her father, mother, uncle, aunt, cousin, even Jiang Huai, his family, and his sister—it was hard not to wonder if the problem lay with her.

She doubted herself, confused and lost, but she had no one to confide in.

“Jiang Huai…” This time, she turned to look at him.

He was taller than her, but his face grew hazy in the moonlight.

_

That night, she dreamt of someone kissing her. She felt her lips and teeth being claimed as if she were a lone boat rocking on a vast lake.

Xu Lianqiao woke up, blinking as the sunlight streamed through the window.

What kind of dream was that?

She shook her head, still feeling the heat lingering from sleep. Sitting up, she patted her cheeks to cool down.

But her mind returned to the dream. She’d never had such a vivid and… intense dream before. In her dream, the man had everything except a face.

“Ahhh…” she groaned, rolling around on the bed.

Why was she so restless and thirsty last night?

Thankfully, the man in the dream didn’t have Jiang Huai’s face. Otherwise, she’d be mortified.

Wait… why was Jiang Huai the first person to come to mind?