With that, Yan Ruoxi was about to crash toward the carriage.
Feeling helpless, Yuanfeng hurriedly grabbed her. "Miss Yan, you've had too much to drink!"
"I'm not drunk, I haven't had too much to drink..." Tears streaming down her face and her eyes burning red, Yan Ruoxi stared fixedly at the carriage. "Brother Chu, why do you have to be so cruel? I just wanted to see you—is even that too much to ask?"
At that moment, a cold voice rang out from inside the carriage, "Go fetch Prime Minister Yan."
The covert guards immediately obeyed the order and went to fetch the Prime Minister.
Before long, the Prime Minister's carriage hurried over. Seeing Yan Ruoxi weeping and making a scene, he frowned deeply. "Xi'er, get back here! Have you completely lost all sense of propriety?"
Facing the carriage, Prime Minister Yan offered an apologetic bow. "Lord Chu, I am truly sorry. Xi'er cannot hold her liquor and has made a laughingstock of herself before Your Lordship."
From inside the carriage came an indifferent voice, "Yuanfeng, let's go."
"Understood." Yuanfeng promptly climbed back onto the carriage and grabbed hold of the reins.
"Brother Chu..." Crying out in despair, Yan Ruoxi made to chase after the carriage, but Prime Minister Yan yanked her back by the arm.
Prime Minister Yan furrowed his brow tightly. "Xi'er! Have you lost your mind? What kind of decency is this to make a scene in broad public view—are you trying to bring absolute shame upon the Prime Minister's estate?"
All around them, carriages belonging to various other officials were also parked nearby.
Tears streaming down her face, Yan Ruoxi gazed fixedly in the direction where Chu Yunli's carriage was disappearing into the distance.
Brother Chu truly didn't want to see her anymore.
From beginning to end, he didn't say a single word to her...
Prime Minister Yan ordered, "What are you standing there for? Help your young lady onto the carriage at once!"
"Right away, right away!" The maid hurried over and helped Yan Ruoxi onto the carriage.
Sitting inside the carriage with a blank, dazed expression, Yan Ruoxi let silent tears slip down her face.
Heartbroken, the maid took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the young lady's face. "Please don't cry, my lady. Could it be that you were wronged inside the palace? Who on earth would dare treat you with such disrespect?!"
Yan Ruoxi clenched her fists tightly.
Jiang Ning, it's all because of that woman!
The person truly suited for Brother Chu should have been her! Yet it was all forcefully usurped by Jiang Ning. It must have been during the time she was away that that woman bewitched Brother Chu!
As long as Jiang Ning was out of the picture, Brother Chu would surely be able to see her worth.
They arrived back at the Prime Minister's estate.
With a stern look on his face, Prime Minister Yan reprimanded, "Xi'er, what on earth is wrong with you today?"
Yan Ruoxi was normally well-mannered and sensible—the most dutiful among all of Prime Minister Yan's children. Yet today, she had thrown a drunken scene out in public, nearly bringing total disgrace to the Prime Minister's household.
The rims of Yan Ruoxi's eyes turned red, her tear-filled eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Seeing her like this, Prime Minister Yan's heart softened a little. After all, she was his most cherished and proudest daughter. He asked gently, "What on earth happened? Why on earth would you go blocking Lord Chu's carriage?"
Gently biting her lower lip, Yan Ruoxi then confessed, "Father... I am in love with Brother Chu."
Anyone with clear eyes could easily see through her intentions, and Prime Minister Yan was, of course, well aware of it too.
Prime Minister Yan said, "Father is well aware of your feelings. If the two of you were to marry, it would indeed be a wonderful match. Chu Yunli enjoys the Emperor's deep trust and has boundless prospects ahead of him. Marrying into his family, you would never be wronged."
"You were still quite young before, and it was a bit too early to talk about marriage. But now that you’ve reached fifteen and come of age, it’s time to start considering your marriage prospects..."
Yan Ruoxi raised her face.
Prime Minister Yan continued, "When the time is right, I will personally petition the Emperor to grant us a marriage decree. The Prime Minister's estate and the Chu family are well-matched in social standing, so there shouldn't be any problem at all."
Hearing Prime Minister Yan's words, a look of delight washed over Yan Ruoxi's face. She rushed over and hugged his arm, asking, "Daddy, is what you're saying true? Are you really going to ask the Emperor for a marriage decree?"
"Of course," Prime Minister Yan chuckled, gently tapping Yan Ruoxi on the nose.
Yan Ruoxi lowered her head, a shy blush coloring her face.
If the Emperor issued a marriage decree, Brother Chu would have no choice but to marry her. After all, a royal mandate could not be defied.
Even if Brother Chu's heart didn't hold a place for her yet, it didn't matter. She would make him fall in love with her. One day, Brother Chu would surely see her worth and all the good in her.
She was the only one truly fit to stand by Brother Chu's side.
Prime Minister Yan let out a hearty laugh. "Done crying your eyes out, then?"
Yan Ruoxi playfully shook Prime Minister Yan's arm, acting coyly, "Daddy, you're teasing me again..."
Hearing the news that her father was going to ask the Emperor for a marriage decree, Yan Ruoxi was so overjoyed that she couldn't sleep a wink all night.
.........
There was also one other person who didn't sleep a wink all night.
That would be Jiang Mengyue.
Tossing and turning, Jiang Mengyue couldn't fall asleep, her expression looking grim.
It had been quite a long time since the Crown Prince last came to see her. Ever since he had lost his temper with her, he hadn't set foot there again.
Anxious, she chewed on her fingernails, her eyes wide with agitation.
No! If things kept going this way, wouldn't she be reduced right back to her former miserable state? She had worked so hard and relied on the Crown Prince to finally reach her current position, where even Marquis Jiang had to bow and scrape to win her favor and beg her to return to the Marquis's estate.
If they found out she had fallen out of favor, they would definitely abandon her in a heartbeat!
She had to figure out a way to turn things around!
Anxious, she racked her brain trying to recall future events to see if there was any way she could help the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince's greatest enemy right now was Chu Yunli; if she could only help him get rid of Chu Yunli, she would finally gain his favor and importance.
Lost in thought, she drifted deeper into her scheming...
Feeling deeply wronged, she let the tears fall.
As a favored daughter of fortune who had grown up in the lap of luxury, she had never known a day of hardship in her life—yet now, she was reduced to walking on eggshells just to win someone else's favor.
She felt as though she had been humbled to the very dust.
At that moment, she suddenly remembered how good Jin Jingxiu had been to her. Useless as he might be, he had always been willing to pamper her and cherish her in the palm of his hand.
Only in front of Jin Jingxiu could she vent her anger and throw tantrums however she pleased.
Sitting up in bed, Jiang Mengyue let her tears fall. Suddenly, she longed for Jin Jingxiu—she just wanted him to hold her and coax her.
..........
The next day.
Waking up bright and early, Jiang Mengyue had Xiuzhu help her dress and do her hair and makeup.
"Are you heading out, Miss?" the maid asked. Ordinarily, the young lady stayed strictly secluded within the inner quarters. Then again, given her noble status, how could she possibly be seen walking about freely on the public streets?
She was merely a bondservant who had been bought into the household; she had no inkling of Jiang Mengyue's true identity, nor did she know anything about the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.
When she saw Jiang Mengyue getting slapped by the Crown Princess, she had mistakenly assumed Jiang Mengyue was merely a kept mistress of that handsome man, and that the lawful wife had shown up to catch her in the act.
Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, Jiang Mengyue's lips curved upward into a smile.
She was extremely confident in her looks; after all, Jin Jingxiu had fallen for her precisely because of her beauty.
In the past, she had simply been too spoiled and willful. All she had to do was lower her pride and act a little coy, and Jin Jingxiu would surely come running right back to her.
Once she finished dressing and styling her hair, Jiang Mengyue put on a veil and stepped out.
She sent someone to track down Jin Jingxiu's whereabouts, and they found him in no time. Since Jin Jingxiu had nothing better to do and only ever hung around a few familiar spots every day, he was exceptionally easy to locate.
"Young Master Jin is at the Jinyin Pavilion."
"The Jinyin Pavilion? Isn’t that a place that sells women’s jewelry?" Sitting inside the carriage, Jiang Mengyue calmly said, "Then let’s head to the Jinyin Pavilion."
She was even willing to humble herself and go looking for Jin Jingxiu; surely, he would be more than willing to come back to her.
They arrived at the Jinyin Pavilion.
Jiang Mengyue walked down from the carriage, taking the maid walked in.
🐇♡🐇♡🐇♡🐇
Yan Ruoxi: “Once Father gets the imperial marriage decree, Brother Chu will have to marry me!”
Jiang Mengyue: “And once Jin Jingxiu sees me, he'll come crawling back!”
Jiang Ning: “Are you two competing for the title of Most Delusional Woman of the Year?”
Chu Yunli: “I refuse to participate in this competition.”
Jin Jingxiu: “Wait... why am I suddenly involved?!”
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