Chapter 45 - None Other Than Her

ing say, "I just received news that Little Prince Dian and Princess Ye went to the imperial palace to seek the Emperor's permission for their engagement. They plan to complete this good deed on Qiqiao...Chapter 45: No Other Than Her

Yun Qianyue was taken aback. Was it really such news Lan Yi had been sexually harassed by Nan Lingrui and was pregnant

Ling Lian met Yun Qianyue's somewhat surprised gaze, nodded in confirmation, "This news was just announced; everyone should know about it tomorrow! It is indeed true that the Crown Prince Lingrui of Nan Liang has sexually harassed Lady Lan Yi of the Blue Family. The ten great families are collectively condemning Nan Liang."

"Including the Chu family" Yun Qianyue raised an eyebrow.

"According to this, it should include them!" Ling Lian nodded. She had already learned from Hua Luo that the head of the Chu Family was Prince Regent Jing.

Yun Qianyue frowned, lowered her head in thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "This is indeed new! Have I been back to Yun City for more than a month now"

Ling Lian was taken aback and shook her head, "No! It's only been twenty days."

"Less than a month and she could already know she’s pregnant" Yun Qianyue turned to look at Rong Feng who was standing beside her, "Your medical skills are good; can you diagnose pregnancy within twenty days"

Rong Feng thought for a moment and objectively said, "From the pulse alone, it is possible."

"Can anyone continue riding without rest for several nights in a row, lying on horseback like a big shrimp, still manage to do other things" Yun Qianyue asked again.

Rong Feng naturally knew what 'other things' referred to and could not immediately respond.

Yun Qianyue recalled what Rong Jing had said that day. She then thought about how tired she herself became, falling asleep for several days in a row. Nan Lingrui was even more pampered than her; he would need six days to recover compared to her three-day rest period. Even if he were extremely interested in Lan Yi, what could he do Besides, she trusted his brother. Although Nan Lingrui was flamboyant and self-proclaimed as a libertine, he had never acted recklessly or indecently. His behavior at the brothel revealed that he only listened to music there and never misbehaved. Moreover, the women in his palace were merely decorative pieces. Furthermore, considering her relationship with Feng Jin, who was Lan Yi's fiancé, Nan Lingrui would not be so blinded by lust as to force himself upon Lan Yi.

If he wouldn’t have forced Lan Yi, then what does the fact that Lan Yi is pregnant indicate

It indicates that the pregnancy might be a fabrication!

From their brief encounter, she could tell that Lan Yi was a high-minded woman. Compared to Princess Qingwan and Qin Yuning's mannerisms, Lan Yi truly exuded aloofness from her very core. Moreover, the ten great families were strict in maintaining their family traditions; they were all descendants of noble families who still retained their pride and conservatism even after being secluded for centuries. Even if she was genuinely pregnant, such a scandal would be hidden rather than publicized to avoid tarnishing their reputation.

But now that it has been made public, what does this signify

It indicates that Lan Yi is willing to ruin her own reputation in order to destroy Nan Lingrui.

To what extent must she hate Nan Lingrui for such self-sacrifice In this era, a woman’s attachment to a man could cost her an entire life. Could Lan Yi's hatred of Nan Lingrui surpass the price of her whole life It should not come to that. As someone who has become head of the Blue Family, she must be no fool.

If this is true, what else does it indicate

Does it suggest that Lan Yi had a reason more valuable than her own life to destroy Nan Lingrui and challenge Nan Liang

What would such a reason be And what role did Ye Tianyi, as Lan Yi’s grandson, play in cooperating with her on this matter

"Ling Lian, have Hua Sheng investigate everything that happened to Lan Yi since she left Yun City over these twenty days and report back to me," Yun Qianyue instructed Ling Lian.

"Yes, Miss!" Ling Lian nodded.

“Also, find out everything Ye Tianyi has done during this period. I want a detailed report,” Yun Qianyue added.

“Yes!” Ling Lian once again nodded in agreement.

Yun Qianyue pursed her lips and said, "Send a message to Nan Lingrui asking him if he's done what I'm questioning him about Tell him to reply as soon as possible!"

"Yes!" Ling Lian nodded again.

Yun Qianyue waved her hand, and Ling Lian immediately left. She turned around to face Rong Feng and asked, "What do you think about this matter"

"The ten great families have always acted in unison, advancing or retreating together. However, that was a hundred years ago. In reality, they've already split apart internally and it's difficult for them to agree on anything now. It's quite thought-provoking that they're united in their criticism of the Southern Liang Kingdom," Rong Feng said with his voice lowered slightly. "Why don't we ask Shengzi Young Master After all, he belongs to the Chu family..."

"You know" Yun Qianyue was surprised as she looked at Rong Feng. She had only learned from Mt. Moutian that Rong Jing is the head of the Chu family, but Rong Feng knowing this news was quite surprising.

"Although Wenhui Marquis Manor has separated itself from the Glory王府 (Royal Household), it still originated from the Glory Royal Household. Back then, the Glory Princess Consort being the head of the Chu family in the secret case of Wenhui Marquis Manor is recorded." Rong Jing explained.

Yun Qianyue was enlightened; they were all part of the same lineage and bloodline, a fact that couldn't be changed.

"Let's go! If things are as you say and the ten great families become involved in worldly affairs, then this world will truly fall into chaos!" Rong Feng seemed to sigh as he stepped forward.

Yun Qianyue followed Rong Feng, her tone indifferent: "Chaos is better than stagnation! It's about time it happened!"

Rong Feng smiled and sighed, saying, "Moonie, though the common people suffer under such circumstances, at least there has been peace. When the world descends into chaos, how many will be displaced, their blood staining rivers, with bones buried in wilderness"

"As long as corruption isn't destroyed, parasites will accumulate day by day. At that time, even more people will suffer displacement and death. Rong Feng, unless old regimes are removed, new ones will never emerge. The world divides after a long period of unification, and unifies after a long period of division; history has always unfolded in this way without avoiding bloodshed for prosperity." Yun Qianyue said calmly: "Moreover, the situation won't proceed as one wishes. Many hands are pushing it forward from behind; there's no choice but to move forward. It’s not something that can be decided by just two people now."

Rong Feng nodded in agreement.

Yun Qianyue didn’t say anything more, and the two returned to Yun Qianyue Manor. Rong Feng entered a room next door while Yun Qianyue went back to her own quarters.

A half-hour later, Ling Lian came back with a stack of documents regarding Lan Yi’s and Night Tianyi's activities for the past twenty days. There were more than ten pages worth of documentation.

Yun Qianyue first picked up Lan Yi's files to look through them; it was written that when Yun Qianyue was in Yun City, Lan Yi ambushed and intercepted her along with Nan Lingrui. Later on, Rong Dian blocked her acupoints and gave her to Nan Lingrui, who carried Lan Yi back to the inn where he stayed for two hours alone. Afterward, Night Tianyi took Lan Yi away; once they returned to the capital city, Lan Yi's blocked acupoints were released, then she left the imperial capital and went home to Yun Family. She had not left her house since. Following this was several pages detailing Lan Yi’s daily life at home.

After finishing reading Lan Yi’s file, Yun Qianyue picked up Night Tianyi's documents. For these days, he has been busy with flood control work; the eighteen western counties and eastern counties that were affected by flooding are nearly equal in number. His efforts and those of Rong Jing in flood management have shown significant results, stabilizing public sentiment regarding disaster relief. What remains now is to repair the damage from the floods. He rises early and goes to bed late, diligently fulfilling his duties, winning widespread admiration and affection from the people. Apart from daily reports on flood control progress, he has had no other contact with the outside world.

Yun Qianyue put down the documents in her hand, curled up on a soft couch and closed her eyes, pondering over everything she'd read. Nan Lingrui carried Lan Yi back to the inn while kissing her all along; then he was alone with her for two hours in his room. Even if nothing happened between them, no one would believe it otherwise. She rubbed her forehead, thinking that now that they've criticized Southern Liang Kingdom openly, they are clearly demanding a response from South Liang Kingdom. But what kind of response would satisfy the Blue family and the ten great families

"Miss, you asked me to send a message to Prince Zhu asking whether he had behaved improperly with Lady Blue; when Hesheng Sister found out, she said that they have been protecting Prince Zhu secretly all along. Protection is also surveillance. Prince Zhu did not actually do anything improper to Lady Blue. Afterward, they escorted Prince Zhu back to Southern Liang Kingdom from Yun City, while the Seventh Prince took Lady Blue away. They haven't met since. Lady Blue's pregnancy must be fake," Ling Lian whispered.

"Mm-hmm, I know. I only asked that question out of curiosity." Yun Qianyue suddenly smiled and said, "Now that this matter is made public, the marriage agreement between the Feng family and the Blue family is undoubtedly nullified. What I want to ask additionally is whether my brother really wants Lan Yi or not. If he does, then even if nothing happened, it's still as good as happening! He should just agree to it! Although the ten great families are powerful, Southern Liang Kingdom isn't a pushover."

Ling Lian was enlightened and hurriedly said: "Then I will immediately inform Hesheng Sister to send a message to Prince Zhu."

"Alright!" Yun Qianyue nodded.

Ling Lian promptly left.

Yun Qianyue yawned, feeling too tired to think anymore. She was mentally exhausted from all the thoughts she had today and felt sleepy as she walked towards her bed. After kicking off her shoes at the bedside, she lay down and fell asleep shortly after.

Rong Feng informed Yun Qianyue of Rong Jing's message but found her already sound asleep in bed; he smiled and shook his head. He went to close the window and saw on the couch the documents regarding Lan Yi and Night Tianyi, which he read through before putting them down and leaving the room.

Yun Qianyue slept very deeply and was unaware of Rong Feng's comings and goings; she slept for a whole day.

The next morning when Yun Qianyue woke up, her spirit had improved significantly compared to the previous two days. She dressed properly, got out of bed, opened the window, and felt a cool breeze blowing in that made her shiver slightly. Outside the courtyard, there was light mist with a thin layer of frost on the trees; she realized it was truly turning cold.

The door to the adjacent room opened, and Rong Feng emerged wearing a court robe, seemingly on his way to attend court. Yun Qianyue left the window and walked to the doorway to open it. She looked at Rong Feng with a smile, saying, "Good morning!"

Rong Feng was momentarily distracted by Yun Qianyue's early morning smile but quickly recovered and smiled back at her, "Good morning! You look much better today."

Yun Qianyue rubbed her face and nodded, "Yeah, I feel more energetic."

"Then you should continue taking your medicine," Rong Feng walked over, handing a letter from inside his sleeve to Yun Qianyue. "Prince Jing sent this letter late last night. Since you were sleeping soundly, I didn’t want to wake you up. Originally, I was going to bring it back after court, but now that you're awake, it's perfect."

Yun Qianyue reached out and took the letter, feeling its weight before saying with satisfaction, "It’s quite heavy!"

Rong Feng smiled gently, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the courtyard.

Yun Qianyue didn’t go back inside; instead, she leaned against the doorframe. She tore open the envelope, revealing a thick stack of paper inside. The corners of her mouth curved up into a smile as she quickly glanced through all ten sheets of paper—only one was a letter while the other nine were sketches of herself in various poses: sitting, lying down, standing, sleeping, scowling, smiling, and angry. Each sketch depicted her expressions vividly, especially the technique and brushwork used; the ink was perfectly balanced, with elegant fine lines that made the paintings incredibly beautiful.

Even though Yun Qianyue was looking at herself, she couldn’t help but be lost in thought.

Her appearance naturally didn't need any explanation, but under Rong Jing's brush and ink, her beauty had become even more gentle. From her eyebrows to her eyes, mouth, nose, and expressions—every single detail was a perfect likeness of herself. She felt as if the sketch had sprung off the paper, existing alongside her in reality. If it weren’t for its engraving on her heart, such a depiction would be impossible.

Yun Qianyue’s originally light-hearted mood instantly filled with affection at this sight. Although she knew long ago that he had already engraved himself into her heart, there was still something about the moment that made it even more profound.

This man...

This man was so endearing; how could she not love him

Rong Jing... Rong Jing...

Yun Qianyue silently repeated his name in her heart, feeling completely filled and the affection almost spilling over.

"Little girl, why are you crying so early in the morning Who made you upset" A familiar voice sounded as its owner strode towards her.

Yun Qianyue was startled awake and looked up to see Ye Qingran walk in with a yawn. By the time he spoke, he had already reached her side, snatching the papers from her hand and looking down at them before curling his lips, "I said you’re crying this early in the morning for what It’s that weakling cooing to you again!"

Yun Qianyue snatched back the letter paper from Ye Qingran's hand, glaring at him, "What do you mean by 'cooing' This is love!"

Ye Qingran harrumphed and saw Yun Qianyue’s red-rimmed eyes due to emotion, feeling a bit envious. "I can draw this too; my sketches aren’t any worse than his. Little girl, you’re going to cry over just that Your well isn't very deep."

Yun Qianyue ignored him and looked down at the single letter among the papers. Clearly, he wrote it before receiving her letter. The message detailed the situation after she left River Valley County and commanded her to take her medicine properly; it ended with an incredibly tender poem dated from late last night. She thought about her letter from midday yesterday that he should have received by now. A smile involuntarily appeared on her lips as she carefully folded the letter up, tucking it into her bosom.

"Little girl, a few days ago when I escorted you out of town, didn’t you promise to play me a tune" Ye Qingran suddenly said.

Yun Qianyue looked at him. "You want to hear music this early in the morning"

"Yes!" Ye Qingran nodded.

"Alright!" Yun Qianyue saw Ling Lian and Yi Xue come out of their room already, instructing them, "Go get my seven-stringed lute from the treasure vault."

Ling Lian and Yi Xue responded.

"Little girl, where did you store your lute In the treasure vault What treasures do you keep in there I want to take a look too!" Ye Qingran said as he was about to follow Ling Lian and Yi Xue.

Yun Qianyue held him back from behind. "It’s just some clutter, what's there to see! Did you come looking for me this early in the morning just to hear my lute"

Night Qingran stopped in his tracks, abandoning the thought of investigating Cloud Qianyue's treasure pavilion. He nodded and said, "Little miss, did you hear about the ten great families banding together to condemn Nan Liang"

"Yes, I heard about it!" replied Cloud Qianyue as she turned around and entered the room.

Night Qingran followed her into the house and asked uncertainly, "Did Lingrui really do something with Lan Yi"

Cloud Qianyue halted and looked back at him askance. "Do you believe it"

"That guy Lingrui actually shares a similarity with me, Weak Beauty, and you—boldness to do anything! This isn't about believing or not believing; rather, it's a matter of whether it happened." Night Qingran said, "The information I received was that he fancied Lan Yi and had improper intentions. The current outcome is not surprising, right"

"If even you believe it, then everyone in the world would believe it!" Cloud Qianyue tossed back a non-committal remark.

"So you don't think so" Night Qingran was taken aback.

"You came to verify this with me" Cloud Qianyue raised an eyebrow.

Night Qingran, being very intelligent, understood from her two sentences. He shook his head and said, "It's not quite that; I feel it’s uncertain—true or false. But I'm here to tell you that Uncle Emperor is preparing to intervene in this matter. The ten great families entering the world together isn't a small affair."

"Oh How does he plan to handle it" Cloud Qianyue asked. The old emperor was already restless because of the flood; now, would he be even more anxious

"The specifics of how he'll intervene haven't been decided, but intervention is certain. He's currently awaiting Nan Liang's response," Night Qingran said.

Cloud Qianyue nodded in acknowledgment.

"Little miss, if the ten great families indeed oppose Nan Liang and Uncle Emperor wants to use this opportunity to eliminate him, would you help Lingrui" Night Qingran stared into Cloud Qianyue's eyes.

"Uncertain. Maybe I will, maybe I won't," replied Cloud Qianyue.

Night Qingran raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice, "Little miss, considering your relationship with Lingrui, you wouldn’t not help him"

Hearing this, Cloud Qianyue felt the statement was ambiguous—was it because he knew she was his sister or because of Lingrui's friendship She smiled at Night Qingran and pretended to be clueless as she asked, "What relationship are we in"

"Indeed when it comes to matters involving interests, even you guard against me," Night Qingran’s face darkened upon hearing her words.

"Night Qingran, I’m not guarding against you but distinguishing between interest and friendship." Cloud Qianyue looked at him with a slight deepening in her expression. "Even if the emperor learns that you weren't poisoned by Forgetful Love and we have the same relationship as before, and you pulled off the strategy of Concealing Heaven's Truth while Appearing to Yield, he still hasn’t reclaimed your 400 thousand troops. Why"

Night Qingran was silent.

"That’s because he knows that when it comes to matters involving interests, and I threaten the Heavenly Dynasty江山, you will also remember that you are from the Night family, a young prince of the Virtuous Prince王府, carrying royal blood. Between us, we can be friends but won't hesitate to act decisively," Cloud Qianyue continued.

Night Qingran was speechless.

"See! Not only does he see through you, but both of our hearts are clear." Cloud Qianyue really did not want to talk about such matters and discuss this heavy topic with Night Qingran. Yet, the issue between them could not be avoided. It's like a pastry that looks good on the outside but has gone bad.

Night Qingran suddenly felt frustrated and waved his hand, plopping down onto the soft couch in a depressed manner: "I want to listen to some music."

Cloud Qianyue noticed Linglian and Yixue had already brought out the seven-stringed zither. She nodded and sat at the table, adjusting the tuning although she hadn't played for quite a while, but her fingers didn't feel rusty as a simple melody of 'Pleasant Peace' flowed from them.

This was a piece that cleansed one’s heart of worries.

The frustrated and depressed look on Night Qingran's face gradually faded away, returning to his usual demeanor. He stared intently at Cloud Qianyue; the deep helplessness and the sharp edges of fate intertwined with his bloodline were buried in his heart.

After the song ended, Ye Qingran suddenly said, "Little girl, when you entered the palace at five years old and kept staring at the frail beauty, did you already have thoughts of marrying him"

Yun Qianmo chuckled, shook her head, and replied, "I just thought this little demon was really good-looking, so I couldn’t help but look more than usual."

"But Rong Jing wanted to marry you at that time!" Ye Qingran pointed out.

Yun Qianmo recalled the kiss and nodded with a smile, "It seems so!"

The mention of it caused Ye Qingran’s mind to waver as if he were recalling past events. He murmured, “Actually, I was thinking about doing that at that time too…”

“Prince Xiao Rang, the Emperor urgently requests your presence in the palace!” A voice filled with anxiety sounded from outside, accompanied by hurried footsteps.

Ye Qingran’s words were cut short. He paused for a moment and regained his composure before getting up from the soft bed and walking out of the room without saying another word. He left Qianmo Courtyard and never looked back again.

Yun Qianmo couldn’t help clenching the strings of her zither, producing a clear, melodious sound. She then snapped out of her reverie as Ye Qingran’s figure was reduced to just a corner of his robe in the distance.

"Miss, should I bring you breakfast and medicine" Ling Lian asked softly upon seeing Yun Qianmo sitting by the zither for quite some time without moving.

“Mm.” Yun Qianmo responded with no discernible emotion on her face.

After having breakfast, Yun Qianmo went to Liang Sizhuo’s guest room as she had done the previous day. His complexion wasn’t so pale anymore and he seemed more lively. Although Yun Qianmo was still like yesterday, he sensed that she was in a bad mood. So he asked if she wanted to listen to another story. Yun Qianmo nodded and Liang Sizhuo continued his tale.

Yun Qianmo’s mood indeed improved significantly; she found herself quite relaxed around Liang Sizhuo.

The day passed peacefully like this.

In the afternoon, Yun Qianmo wrote a letter of ten sheets as per Rong Jing’s request and didn’t do anything else. Ten out of ten sheets were filled with stories Liang Sizhuo told her.

At dusk, Rong Feng returned with news that Emperor Tian Sheng, who had been recuperating in the Holy Yang Hall, unexpectedly attended the morning court today. During the session, he publicly solicited opinions from civil and military officials regarding the ten prominent families' joint declaration against Prince Nanyang Li Rui's misconduct. Opinions ranged widely, but most officials hoped for peace, considering the severe water disaster currently affecting Tian Sheng, depleting both manpower and resources. The emperor didn't express his stance until the court was dismissed.

Yun Qianmo smiled; it seemed that Tian Sheng's officials had been too complacent for far too long.

The next morning, Yun Qianmo received a letter from Hua Sheng, sent by Nan Lingrui. It read: "I was originally only mildly interested in that woman, but now… I can’t marry anyone else! Little girl, I’ll take the blame for this mess; you need to help me."

Yun Qianmo chuckled at the content of the letter, knowing it would be his response.

Sure enough, around noon, Ling Lian received news that Prince Nanling Li Rui had issued a public announcement stating: "He fell deeply in love with Lan Yi, the head of the prominent family Lan at first sight and could not control himself. He engaged in inappropriate behavior out of infatuation. Although he planned to propose marriage on an auspicious day to the Lan Family, it turned out that everyone now knows about this matter. Admittedly, no one is perfect; who can be without mistakes To prove his sincerity, he hereby declares: He will disband all three thousand beauties in Nanling’s palace and personally take responsibility by presenting himself at the Lan Family to apologize with a rod of荊條 on his back. From now on, he vows that he will marry none other than Lan Yi for the rest of his life!"

Yun Qianmo burst into laughter when she heard this edict; how clever was Nan Lingrui! Truly her good brother!

Lan Yi covered her mouth and giggled, "Prince Li Rui’s move is brilliant! He speaks from the heart, showing deep affection and sincere remorse for his mistake. This effectively blocks off any further objections from the ten prominent families. Lan Yi cannot refuse this marriage now!"

"Lan Yi has quite a lot of courage! Though she belongs to Ye Tianyi, I wouldn’t mind having her as my sister-in-law," Yun Qianmo said with a smile.

“But the head of the Lan Family is no ordinary woman. Even in this marriage journey, Prince Li Rui might not have an easy time,” Yixue remarked with a laugh.

"Which union goes smoothly without any hitches There’s always adjustment needed; Nan Lingrui can sometimes be quite fox-like! When Lan Yi meets him… she’ll find herself facing her match," Yun Qianmo said with a smile, thinking about how the Lan Family might respond to this. She added, "Ask Feng Jin what he thinks."

“Yes,” Ling Lian replied and left.

Yun Qianmo was in a good mood today, so she went back to Liang Sizhuo’s guest room again. This time, she told him many fairy tales instead of the stories he usually shared with her. Liang Sizhuo listened attentively and enjoyed them thoroughly.

That evening, Rong Feng returned to the estate and said that the old emperor had not made any statement.

In the dead of night, she received a letter from Feng Jin's messenger. It read, "I have no interest in Lan Yi. Do as you please. The ten prominent families agreed to support Blue Family’s cause against Nan Liang only because they want an opportunity to participate in politics. Each has their own agenda."

Although Yun Qianyue was aware that Feng Jin had a negative attitude towards the marriage contract, she still felt relieved. If Feng Jin also liked Lan Yi, her brother taking Feng Jin's woman would make it difficult for her. Now that Feng Jin didn't like her, things were perfect. So she immediately wrote back to Feng Jin, "Since Blue Family hasn’t made any statement, they probably haven’t thought of a strategy yet. They likely did not expect Nan Ling Rui to agree to this situation. Thus, as the Wind family with a marriage contract with them, we can publicly announce our intention to break off the engagement and support Prince Rui’s love for Lady Lan."

After Yun Qianyue handed the letter to Ling Lian to deliver it out, she lay on her soft couch thinking about finding a good girl for Feng Jin in the future.

The second day after sending the letter, at dawn, news spread throughout the land again. The head of Chu Family, the first among the ten prominent families, announced publicly: "Prince Rui’s love is deep as the sea. A prince who willingly accepts punishment for his family is worthy of admiration. Thus, Chu Family withdraws from supporting Blue Family and supports Prince Rui's and Lady Lan's fated marriage."

When Yun Qianyue heard this news, a smile appeared on her lips. Although she and Rong Jing had not communicated about their thoughts through letters, the consistency of their ideas made her heart warm. With Chu Family’s lead statement, would the remaining families follow suit or continue to support Blue Family in opposing Nan Liang This required careful consideration.

This announcement by Chu Family was more effective than the joint declaration from the ten prominent families and the imperial edict from Nan Liang. As the most mysterious family among the ten prominent ones, this news immediately caused a stir throughout the land. Accompanying it was the mystery of the head of Chu Family. Speculations arose.

The world suddenly became lively and bustling.

At noon, another piece of news spread from Wind Family: "The young master of Wind Family has assumed his family’s seal and become the new patriarch. Out of respect for Blue Family's deep friendship and Prince Rui's mutual love with Lady Lan, we are willing to support their marriage and terminate our engagement. This will be witnessed by all the people in the land."

Wind Family's announcement once again caused a stir throughout the world.

Following Wind Family, three swordsmanship families—Hua Family, Feng Family, and Cang Family—also withdrew their support for Nan Liang. Thus, within less than a day, five of the ten prominent families had withdrawn from supporting Blue Family's cause against Nan Liang.

The world’s political situation changed dramatically in an instant.

Yun Qianyue stood by her window and listened to Ling Lian report one after another about the outside news. Her eyes gazed out the window, where the night was dim and smoke-like mist covered everything, like a thin veil that could be blown away at any moment. She suddenly remembered Cang Ting of Cang Family who had used camouflage techniques against her in Qi City and a strategy of overreaction to small things. Despite his close relationship with Lan Yi privately, he now joined Hua Family, Feng Family, Wind Family, and Chu Family in withdrawing support from Nan Liang instead of standing alongside Lan Yi. This left much room for interpretation.

So Yun Qianyue called Ling Lian over and instructed her to find out what Cang Ting had been doing since returning to Qi City.

"Yes!" Ling Lian immediately went down to work.

Yun Qianyue recalled the gentleman she only met once, graceful and noble but clearly hiding something deep. The next day, there was no further news from Blue Family or the other four families about Nan Liang's announcement. This day saw an unusually peaceful world.

As usual, Yun Qianyue went to Cold Shaozhuo’s place and continued telling him fairy tales. She felt it should be a give-and-take relationship; she couldn't take advantage of his honesty by making him exhaust himself talking. So, this was relatively humane.

For the next three days, there were no more news spreading throughout the land. However, the public's interest in Nan Liang and the five families’ earlier statements remained undiminished but gradually shifted to discussing how each family’s new generation leaders were said to be stunningly handsome men of extraordinary talent.

Yun Qianyue kept an eye on the rumors and heard them change direction. She thought, "The ancients say that beauty can bewitch people; indeed, they are not wrong. If Blue Family continues to remain silent, will everyone forget about the original reason for this matter when discussing these handsome men"

On the fifth day, Blue Family finally made a public announcement in response to Nan Liang’s imperial edict.

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Thank you for all the votes, I love you!i still spread.Tian Sheng has Rong Jing—"Honored like an emperor, refined surpassing nobles."Donghai has its Crown Prince—"Naturally elegant and beautiful, jade quality surpassing flowers."The reputat...