Your Humble Servant Bids Farewell to the Prince

Li Yu made a sound of acknowledgment and stepped over her, walking outward.

After taking two steps, his footsteps suddenly paused. He lowered his head and glanced at his waist before turning his gaze back towards Xie Wan.

Xie Wan immediately smiled at him and bowed again, “Your humble servant bids farewell to the Prince.”

With willow-shaped eyebrows and peach blossom eyes, a small and straight nose stood proudly on her face. Her flawless and translucent skin appeared even more radiant under the glow, and her cherry-like lips were lightly adorned with lip rouge, looking pink and tender.

With narrow shoulders and a slender waist, her figure was enchanting, despite the modesty of her attire.

Although she had a stunning appearance and a seductive figure, there was also a touch of elegance that contradicted the allure, creating a harmonious blend.

Li Yu frowned but ultimately said nothing. He turned around and left with the eunuch.

Soon, Li Yu’s figure disappeared from sight.

Xie Wan’s legs went weak, and she quickly reached out and grabbed hold of a nearby pillar, patting her chest to calm herself. She was still shaken.

It would be a lie to say that she wasn’t afraid. After all, he had long been in a high position and was accustomed to controlling life and death. His aura alone was enough to send chills down one’s spine.

Especially that last glance he gave her when he turned around, it carried an aura of power and understanding that seemed to penetrate everything.

If she hadn’t prepared for today for a long time, Xie Wan would have knelt right then and there.

She pinched the jade pendant in her sleeve and let out a long sigh of relief.

Fortunately, the outcome was good.

That’s right.

Xie Wan had rehearsed today’s scene many times, whether it was stealing the jade pendant or Li Yu’s subsequent reaction.

When she was reincarnated into this world, it happened to be the night of a lunar eclipse. It was said to be an inauspicious fate of being born under the stars that caused harm to her parents. Under Old Madam Zhang’s desperate search for death or survival, she insisted on sending Xie Wan to a Taoist temple.

She had spent more than ten years there.

Although she grew up in the temple, Marquis Yongyu and his wife treated her very well. They not only sent maidservants and servants to take care of her, but also provided a large amount of money every year to ensure she didn’t suffer.

Whenever they had free time, they would come to visit her, especially the Marquis, who would stay in the temple for several days almost every month.

In her previous life, Xie Wan was an orphan, also adopted by the nuns in the temple. So in this life, having parents, she cherished and was grateful for it.

The day before her coming-of-age ceremony, Marquis Yongyu and his wife took her back to the Marquis Residence. However, they never expected that the horse would go mad when they reached the cliff, causing Marquis Yongyu and his wife to fall down the precipice.

When they were found, her father, Marquis Yongyu, had already passed away, but her mother, who was protected by her father’s body, still had a faint breath.

Before her mother’s final moments, she entrusted Xie Wan with the task of taking care of her two-year-old brother, Xie Lin.

While sending people to notify the Marquis Residence, Xie Wan carried the coffins down the mountain. However, it was evident that the horse had been poisoned and gone mad. Old Madam Zhang insisted that Xie Wan had killed it, so she accepted the body and held a mourning ceremony, not allowing Xie Wan to set foot in the Marquis Residence.

Xie Wan did not argue with them but secretly infiltrated the Marquis Residence to gather evidence. When His Majesty came to offer condolences, she would expose everything, present the evidence, and force the Marquis Residence to split apart, expelling the two uncles from the Marquis Residence.

After entering the Marquis Residence, she forcefully took control of the household, protecting her younger brother and the family’s assets. No matter how much Old Madam Zhang insulted and slandered her, she never yielded an inch.

However, she was still a woman after all, and filial piety held greater importance than anything else in this era. In matters of marriage, no matter how strong and capable she was, if Old Madam Zhang didn’t give her consent, it would be useless.

With the decline of the Marquis Residence, even if a wealthy nobleman didn’t care about power, they would still seek a woman who could benefit their career. As for ordinary families, they couldn’t intimidate Old Madam Zhang, forcing her to agree to the marriage.

Xie Wan pondered and thought that the only suitable person in the entire capital was Prince Ning, Li Yu.

He stood above everyone else and didn’t need to form alliances to increase his power. As long as he spoke, Old Madam Zhang would have no choice but to agree.

Most importantly, if she could marry him, the future of her younger brother would be secure, and perhaps she could even investigate the truth behind her parents’ deaths.

Perhaps in the eyes of others, Li Yu and her were worlds apart. It was ridiculous and too arrogant for her to have such thoughts.

But Li Yu was her only hope. If she didn’t make a gamble, she would truly feel regretful.

Xie Wan took a deep breath and pinched the jade pendant in her sleeve, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

It seemed that fate had been kind to her, hadn’t it?

Xie Wan calmed herself down and then realized that she had unknowingly walked to the front door, which was why she had collided with Li Yu.

She glanced inside the room and saw a tray of tea on the high seat.

After a moment of contemplation, Xie Wan stepped into the room, picked up the teacup from the wooden table, brought it to her lips, pursed them lightly, and left a faint lipstick mark on the rim of the cup.

Finding the lipstick mark too light, she took another sip before she was satisfied and placed the teacup back on the table. Then, she turned around and left.

The gentle spring breeze and the sunlight bathed her, making her feel warm and comfortable.

Princess Royal sat in the courtyard, conversing with a group of noble ladies. There were indeed many visitors today, but there were only a few who could have a conversation with her.

“Prince Ning has arrived!”

The announcement instantly silenced the courtyard.

All the women, except for Princess Royal, hurriedly stood up, adjusted their clothes, and bowed to Li Yu as he walked slowly into the courtyard. “Your Royal Highness Ning!”

Li Yu nodded lightly and waved off the formalities. He approached Princess Royal and saluted with folded hands. “Imperial sister.”

A palace maid brought a chair and placed it next to Princess Royal. She looked at him and gave a light snort. “Sit.”

Li Yu sat down beside her and adjusted his clothes, remaining silent.

With his arrival, the previously lively courtyard now became as quiet as the night.

Princess Royal was accustomed to the pressure he brought upon others. She gave a light cough and looked at him with a hint of reproach. “Didn’t you come earlier? Why did you arrive just now?”

A bright face flashed through Li Yu’s mind, and he calmly replied, “I found a peaceful place and stayed there for a while.”

Princess Royal immediately became helpless upon hearing his response. She snorted and whispered in his ear, “You promised the Empress Niangniang (refers to a respectful term used to address an empress, queen, or the wife of a high-ranking official in ancient China) that you would spend an hour with those young men and women today. Don’t think about leaving until you’ve stayed for the full hour!”

Hearing this, a trace of impatience flickered in Li Yu’s eyes. He replied indifferently, “I know.”

Seeing his compliance, Princess Royal smiled and glanced at the uneasy noble ladies. She coughed lightly and said, “All right, enough standing here. We women don’t need your company. Go to where you should be.”

Li Yu acknowledged with a word and stood up. The noble ladies who had just seated themselves hurriedly stood up again and bowed. “Farewell, Prince Ning.”

As Li Yu walked away, the noble ladies in the courtyard let out a sigh of relief. Duchess Ma smiled and said, “Prince Ning’s arrival scared us so much that we couldn’t even breathe.”

Princess Royal sighed, “Not just you, even I feel that the temperature in this courtyard drops when he’s here. I wonder which girl in the world has the courage to be with him.”