Duan Feng had anticipated that Leng Yiqing would follow, so he walked exceptionally slowly. Upon hearing Leng Yiqing's request, he agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Filled with questions, they walked around a large locust tree and soon arrived at the gate of the Prince Yun's mansion. It turned out this was the back wall of the mansion. No wonder Duan Feng arrived so quickly; he must have heard the cries for help!
This was Leng Yiqing's second time visiting this courtyard. This time, she learned that Su Yunmo's courtyard was separated from her former residence by only a wall. The other side was shaded by green trees and adorned with flowerbeds. This side, however, appeared unusually desolate. Apart from the white stucco walls and light red roof tiles, there was nothing else. The quiet and deserted courtyard was completely inconsistent with Su Yunmo's personality.
Su Yunmo stood by the window, lost in thought, seemingly oblivious to what she was looking at or thinking. She didn't even seem to notice them coming in.
Leng Yiqing didn't understand what was wrong with her either. Seeing Su Yunmo like this, she suddenly felt that behind this gentle royal uncle there must be some helplessness that others couldn't understand, or rather, some untold bitter past.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. Su Yunmo, who is already thirty, is still unmarried. Is it because he is indifferent to worldly desires or is there another reason? Thinking of how carefully he cared for her and how unconditionally he trusted her, Leng Yiqing had every reason to be certain that Su Yunmo was definitely a passionate man.
“Being affectionate doesn’t mean being fickle!” Leng Yiqing suddenly blurted out this sentence without warning, leaving Duan Feng, who was standing next to her, completely confused.
Leng Yiqing realized she had lost her composure and quickly covered her mouth! She had never lost her composure like this before, but today she didn't know what was wrong with her, and she kept getting distracted.
"Prince Yun!" Duan Feng politely interrupted Su Yunmo's train of thought.
Looking at the silly and adorable Leng Yiqing in front of him, Su Yunmo was momentarily dazed. Had she really come after him? Was she here to question him? Or...? Suddenly, he noticed the bundle in her arms, and he smiled gently. So, she had come to seek refuge with him.
---Aside---
It seems that this is a crucial period in the relationship between Leng Yiqing and Su Yunmo, right? But is it really?
Sigh! I really want everyone to leave more comments!
Chapter Nineteen: Another Way of Life
All the words he wanted to say were swallowed back down when he saw Su Yunmo's ever-gentle smile.
"Royal Uncle!" Leng Yiqing called out casually. It was as if her smile was a panacea that could dispel all unhappiness.
"Yiqing, I'm sorry! That day..." Su Yunmo was eager to explain what happened that day, but Leng Yiqing stopped him decisively.
"Uncle, there's no need to say anything! I overstepped my bounds that day!" Leng Yiqing smiled, not wanting to dwell on the past. After all, Su Yunmo was now the gentle uncle she once was, someone she could rely on.
Arriving here, Leng Yiqing even felt a sense of coming home. She vigorously shook her long hair, as if shaking off all the unpleasantness Su Zhengyang had brought her. She strode away from the courtyard, heading straight for the place where she used to live.
Su Yunmo had no idea what she wanted to do, so he could only follow her closely and arrive at the small courtyard.
Looking at the bare gate, Leng Yiqing said coquettishly, "Uncle, can I name my own little courtyard?"
“You…” Su Yunmo didn’t understand Leng Yiqing’s meaning for a moment and stared at her blankly.
“My father entrusted me to you, and now I have nowhere to go. Don’t you have an obligation to take me in?” Leng Yiqing asked Su Yunmo without any politeness.
Unexpectedly, Su Yunmo blurted out, "You can go back to your own General's Mansion!" No matter who it is, at this time everyone should return to their own home. "I am only the Crown Prince's uncle. If you are no longer the Crown Princess, then I am no longer your uncle!"
These words left Leng Yiqing speechless. In this era, she was utterly alone. Even her only trusted uncle was no longer hers. Who could she rely on? Should she go to the frontier to find her father, or return to that unfamiliar general's mansion?
Tears fell silently. Everything had happened so fast, just like when she first arrived in this era; she was completely unprepared. Fine! Let's pretend she never encountered the robbers or Duan Feng, and everything returned to the state it was when she first left the Crown Prince's residence. She could only rely on herself to forge a path to survival in this unfamiliar era.
"So you only helped me because I'm the Crown Princess! I was just being presumptuous!" Leng Yiqing laughed self-deprecatingly and stepped out of the courtyard gate dejectedly.
In the instant they brushed past each other, he unintentionally touched her cold little hand. It was just an unintentional touch, but it ignited a strange emotion in Su Yunmo's heart. He held on tightly to the feeling he was about to lose.
"Stay! I'll take care of you in place of your father!" These words, spoken without any hesitation, came out of Su Yunmo's mouth with utmost seriousness.
But Leng Yiqing sensed something amiss. A pang of heartache shot through her; she could even clearly hear the cry from the depths of her own heart: this is not what she wanted!
Looking at her forlorn face, Su Yunmo said, "I'm not your royal uncle, but I can be your friend now! You can even call me Su Yunmo!"
The two suddenly faced each other, completely forgetting Duan Feng beside them. Each harbored their own thoughts and struggled with their own dilemmas, but ultimately they chose to follow their hearts, disregarding the opinions of others.
Su Yunmo smiled and stepped closer, gently flicking Leng Yiqing's delicate nose with his index finger. Leng Yiqing melted once again in that intoxicating smile.
Everything that followed was so natural, and Leng Yiqing lived peacefully in the Prince Yun's mansion. In this simple mansion, she felt completely at ease, and the maids and guards treated her with utmost respect, as if she were the mistress of the house.
Leng Yiqing felt an unprecedented sense of comfort, and even forgot that she had transmigrated from another time.
It was alright for a short time, but as time went on, two months, three months... Leng Yiqing began to tire of this dull life. Before, she could wander around the Prince's mansion, familiarize herself with everything in the Yun Prince's mansion, and learn some of the characters of this era.
Now she could walk through the entire palace with her eyes closed, and she had learned a great deal about its customs, traditions, and culture. So now she was starting to feel very bored; there was no television, no internet, and her daily life was monotonous and dull.
But Su Yunmo was always busy and having a great time. Although she didn't know what he was busy with and didn't ask, she envied him for living such a fulfilling life every day. So, one day, she took the initiative to come to Su Yunmo's courtyard.
"Prince Yun! Find me something to do!" Leng Yiqing said bluntly.
Su Yunmo gently put down his pen and looked at Leng Yiqing with a scrutinizing gaze: "I told you not to call me Prince Yun!"
"Oh! Su—Yun—Mo—" she drawled, her tone sarcastic. Actually, she was more used to calling him Imperial Uncle, but he insisted she address him by his name. Even though three months had passed, Leng Yiqing still wasn't quite used to this change in generation.
"Hmm! What can you do? What do you want to do? Isn't it good to just stay at home? I can still support you!" Su Yunmo said to her with a smile.
Since Leng Yiqing moved in, he would occasionally bother her, chatting and laughing, and Su Yunmo gradually grew to like this kind of life.
Before leaving the house every day, I always say to her, "I'm going out!"
Every day when she comes in, she greets everyone with a smile, "I'm home!"
This seemed to be a home. After so many years of being alone, Su Yunmo had finally felt at home, even though the woman in his home wasn't his, and even though she didn't seem like a woman. Yet, his longing to return home grew stronger and stronger. He hadn't spent the night away from home for three months; no matter how far away, he would always make sure to rush home at night.
---Aside---
If you like this, please remember to leave a comment! I'll reward you with lots of Xiaoxiang Coins!
☆, Chapter Twenty (Untitled)
Three months ago at this time, he had a completely different mindset. That day at the Crown Prince's residence, as he watched his plan draw ever closer to its outcome, he suddenly felt that everything was happening too fast. He had been preparing for over a year, but when this moment truly arrived, seeing Leng Yiqing's heartbroken expression, he felt a pang of pity.
Perhaps it was because this woman wasn't the real Leng Yiqing! He always felt guilty for using a complete stranger like this. Especially after hearing from Duan Feng that Leng Yiqing was leaving the Crown Prince's residence ahead of schedule, Su Yunmo began to worry.
After Leng Yiqing appeared, Su Yunmo felt that his original plan had become easier. But now that this woman had left without a word, he couldn't find her, and the subsequent plans couldn't proceed, causing him to panic.
“Even without her, you can still get what you want, so why does it have to be her?” Duan Feng didn’t want his master to be troubled by a woman. Just like himself, he had given up his own love for the sake of his benefactor’s cause, and even handed his woman over to another man.
Su Yunmo sighed heavily, recalling the message from the palace spies that morning that the Empress was trying her best to prevent Su Zhengyang from divorcing his wife, and that Su Haotian had not agreed to Su Zhengyang's unreasonable request. He looked coldly at the letter on the table: "Then tell me, why does the Empress insist on keeping her?"
"Your Highness...you...did this just to...go against the Empress?" Duan Feng was increasingly confused.
"Hmph..." Su Yunmo did not answer his question, but just snorted lightly, appearing so disdainful.
Duan Feng knew that as a subordinate, there were certain things he shouldn't say. However, Su Yunmo had treated him like a younger brother over the years, and he naturally didn't want his brother to jeopardize important matters over such a trivial matter: "When people act on emotion, they often do irrational things. Your Highness, I understand you. But if it's just because that woman stole something from you back then that you now want to take what she wants, then it's not worth it!"
Su Yunmo smiled but remained silent, letting him think whatever he wanted; there were some things he shouldn't know yet.
The prince had previously stated that it wasn't solely due to her father's military power; there must be a more significant reason. Of course, Duan Feng was a shrewd man and knew the prince wouldn't reveal further details, so he didn't press the matter. The prince trusted him so much, even confiding in him about his ambition to establish himself as king in the East Sea. Therefore, he knew that one day, the prince would reveal his true purpose in wanting this woman.
Whatever the reason, now that Leng Yiqing is leaving quietly, their primary task is to find her. Even if they can't find her, they can't let this thread linger too long.
"Understood, I'll go find her now!" Duan Feng quickly disappeared from Su Yunmo's sight.
To Duan Feng's utter surprise, he heard cries for help coming from behind the wall just as he stepped outside. He glanced over and saw Leng Yiqing struggling with a petty thief. Without a word, he intervened.
Having experienced relationships before, Duan Feng knew all too well that the tactic of playing hard to get always worked, whether with men or women. So without the slightest hesitation, Duan Feng turned and left, giving her a dashing silhouette.
He represents Su Yunmo, and everything he does represents Su Yunmo. Therefore, this woman will inevitably believe that Su Yunmo no longer cares about her. If this woman has any feelings for her royal uncle, then the more he acts this way, the more she will want to question him.
As expected, everything unfolded exactly as he had hoped. Leng Yiqing caught up. But when Leng Yiqing appeared before Su Yunmo, his smile became so complex—was it a conspiracy or genuine affection? This prince, he still couldn't understand him!
But he knew that during the three months Leng Yiqing had been in the manor, the prince treated her differently. Regardless of his motives, the prince cared for and looked after her even more than he did for himself. In the manor, she was the mistress. She could do as she pleased, and as long as she was happy, the prince smiled more often.
So much so that when he inadvertently discovered that Su Zhengyang was secretly searching for the missing Crown Princess, Su Yunmo refused to return her. Just like a few months ago, Su Zhengyang still didn't dare to search openly. On the one hand, he didn't want to find her in the first place, and on the other hand, there wasn't any pressure forcing him to search yet, so he would delay as long as possible! Su Zhengyang didn't want Leng Yiqing to go back and disturb their affectionate relationship.
Su Yunmo's subtle emotional shift might be imperceptible even to himself, but Duan Feng, as an outsider, saw it clearly. He sensed that things might deviate from the original plan.
He didn't remind Su Yunmo in time, simply because he hoped Su Yunmo could find her true feelings because of this. Regardless of the outcome, he only wanted the prince to be happy.
“Su Zhengyang knows she’s here with us!” Su Yunmo said with certainty.
Duan Feng understood this as well: "But as long as Leng Yiqing doesn't go out, they won't run into her, and Su Zhengyang will definitely not come here to take her back. He'd love for her to stay far away from the Crown Prince's residence. But we should also let Leng Yiqing know!"
"No!" Su Yunmo commanded him sternly. This was the first time he had given an order for a woman!
Chapter 21 Restaurant Crisis
Now Leng Yiqing is asking to do something, which means she finds the palace too stuffy and wants to go out. But this is the last thing they want.
"I don't know what to do either!" Leng Yiqing said helplessly. She really didn't know what she was suited to do. "Why don't you take me with you when you go out in the future, and I'll see if there's anything I can help with."
"No, don't go out!" Su Yunmo hurriedly stopped him.
"Why? I'm not some refined lady, can't I even go out?" Leng Yiqing was very indignant.
"The Crown Prince is looking for you!" Duan Feng suddenly appeared. Despite Prince Yun's utter reluctance, he still had to say it. He needed to let Leng Yiqing know this, to make her feel a sense of crisis, otherwise, if Su Zhengyang came knocking one day, she wouldn't even know what was going on!
Leng Yiqing was quite surprised. Why did Su Zhengyang want to see her? Hadn't they already divorced? She didn't owe Su Zhengyang anything, so why was he looking for her?
"Actually, you are still the Crown Princess!" Su Yunmo was furious at Duan Feng's actions, but he could only suppress his anger and tell Leng Yiqing the truth indifferently.
He was prepared, awaiting Leng Yiqing's scolding. He remembered how heartbroken she was when Su Zhengyang wanted to divorce her. Even though she wouldn't admit it, he was absolutely certain she still loved Su Zhengyang, regardless of which Su Zhengyang it was. So this news would surely make her happy; she could return to Su Zhengyang's side.
However, Leng Yiqing said casually, "He doesn't care about me. Even if I really appeared in front of him and clearly told him that I wasn't going back, he wouldn't care. Maybe he would just feel more relaxed! Finally, no one can disturb his and Xue'er's love!" It was as if this matter had nothing to do with her.
All of this was beyond Su Yunmo's expectations. Judging from her tone, she was determined to go out no matter what, perhaps even to the Crown Prince's residence?
"Are you taking me out or not?" Leng Yiqing snuggled up to Su Yunmo and asked in a sweet voice.
Seeing Leng Yiqing's attitude, Duan Feng and Su Yunmo both remained silent. They wanted to see what unusual things this woman from another world was up to.