Five Reasons

Who cared if Xia Xi Wan was said to be engaged to Young master Li? She would be Wangfei of Jun Wang. 

"Elder brother, remind me of five reasons why I shouldn't marry Jun Wang?" Xia Xi Wan ended up asking, catching him off guard. 

"Jun Wang is highly unambitious," Xia Yanxi told her the first reason. Who in the capital didn't know the feats of Jun Wang? He might be adored by the Empress but he was disliked by the masses and emperor for his unambitious attitude. 

"Jun Wang had numerous Concubines in his palace," came the second reason. All the greatest beauties of the world reside in Jun Wang's palace. 

"Jun Wang is neglected by all and unfavoured by the emperor himself," Xia Yanxi said the third reason. The emperor hated this son of his for being an idiot and a nuisance. 

"Jun Wang wouldn't even look at you if you married him," was the fourth reason. Although Xia Xi Wan was a beautiful woman, she didn't look like Jun Wang's type who liked cute and voluptuous women. She was tall and lean. Jun Wang would not even look at her. 

"Lastly, you were engaged to Li Yufan, " replied Xia Yanxi in a troubled tone. "The one you were about to marry was Li Yufan, not Zhou Jinglan." 

Suddenly, Xia Xi Wan broke into a fit of laughter. Empty and bitter laughter, startling her eldest brother. 

Unambitious was good. It was actually good. An unambitious person wouldn't require her sacrifice to achieve his objectives. Unlike Li Yufan, Zhou Jinglan wouldn't dispose of her once she had served her purpose. How could people not understand that an unambitious person would attract less enemies?

Having numerous concubines? She couldn't ask for more! Unlike Li Yufan who seemed to be playing the role of perfect fiance by having no concubine at his residence but was in truth killing every poor woman he took advantage of to maintain his image in the public, Jun Wang was way better. At least, he was what he seemed. Many people might not know Li Yufan's truth but she knew it too well as she had seen everything with her own eyes. 

Zhou Jinglan was far better than Li Yufan as he had the courage to accept that he was a rake. But Li Yufan? He was just a glorified freak. 

Neglected by all and unfavoured by the emperor? 

How could her eldest brother not see a silver lining here? Being neglected and unfavoured actually meant that Zhou Jinglan wouldn't be schemed by others in the fight for the throne. She had known how bloody the fight for the throne could get. 

She had seen and heard various women getting sacrificed only to appease the emperor. Who could be more pitiful than the empress and crown princess? 

Wouldn't even look at her if she married him? 

The sentence caused her to burst into laughter. This was the most important and necessary point of the entire discussion.  For someone who craved to hide, this was like heaven fulfilling all her wishes. What else could she even ask for? 

The heavens finally listened to her. She would be a fool to throw away the blessing of heaven. 

And what was the last reason again? 

She was engaged to Lu Yufan? 

"Xiao Wan, let your elder brother bear the consequences, you can marry Lu Yufan," Xia Yanxi said when he noticed how his sister had stopped laughing. Her laughter had scared him endlessly. For someone who couldn't be frightened when a sword had pierced through his chest, he sure was easily scared by his younger sister's laughter. 

Xia Xi Wan glanced at her brother in apparent confusion as she said, "Lu Yufan, Who?"

And just like that Xia Yanxi had known that his sister had set her heart on becoming a Wangfei (Prince's wife). 

____

A/N: Promise you will see Jun Wang soon!