After a night of raging wind, it suddenly began to snow. The heavy snow fell for three days, covering Shengjing City and turning the whole place white.

 The weather was so cold that the water turned into ice. Su Jiu stayed in the room every day and slept by the fireplace to stay warm.

 Ji Yuxian instructed people to send over a lot of winter tonics. He was probably settling the matter about dissolving the marriage with the Su Manor, so he never came to see her.

 Su Jiu knew that this matter was not easy to handle.

 The Su Family tried every means to marry their daughter into the Ji Manor, and they would not give up that easily.

 Ji Yuxian said he would find a solution, but what could he do?

 Although Su Jiu put her utmost trust in him, she still felt very uneasy. She turned to gaze at the snow outside the window, her heart thumping with apprehension.

 Xiao Lie had been here once in the past two days, and he seemed to be in a good mood. He stayed for half a day before leaving.

 Su Jiu pondered about the issue between Ah Shu and Zhao Shan in her heart, and she thought about finding out more information after the snow had stopped.

 On that day, the people from the palace came to summon Xiao Lie, saying that the Emperor had something to discuss with him.

 Prince Zhao, also known as Xiao Jing, heard them and his eyes dimmed, sneering as he made his move.

 Upon reaching the entrance of the Zhenggan Hall, he noticed a small eunuch standing under an old tree outside the door, peering at the inside of the hall.

 That little eunuch was the one who often helped him relay messages to Jiyu. Seeing him waiting there must be because Jiyu needed help from him.

 After looking around and making sure no one was there to eavesdrop, Xiao Jing walked over and whispered, “What’s the matter?”

 The eunuch hurriedly said, “Your Highness, the imperial concubine asked to meet you at the usual place!”

 Xiao Jing frowned, knowing something must have happened if Jiyu had come looking for him. He replied, “Okay, I will go over later! You can go back now!”

 “Yes!” The little eunuch scanned his surroundings like a cat and scampered away quickly with his head down.

 Xiao Jing did not directly go to the garden. Instead, he went to the Hualin Palace to pay his respects to Imperial Concubine Xian first. After staying for a while, he excused himself to make his way to the garden.

 At that moment, Xiao Lie also went to the royal study.

 The snow outside the hall had been cleaned up, and only the lotus leaf on the goldfish celadon pool had a layer of snow on it. Coupled with the blue water and red fishes, it gave off an ethereal beauty. As the Emperor said it looked very exquisite, no one in the palace dared to disturb it.

 The snow on the roof of the hall had melted, and water dripped down its golden eaves. The palace servants placed porcelain jars lined with gold outside the corridor, and the sound of the water drops could be heard clearly as they fell in them.

 Entering the royal study, Xiao Lie saw the Emperor reading a booklet. The Chief Eunuch was next to him, serving and waiting for his next request. Seeing Xiao Lie entering, he bowed down and paid his respects.

 “Paying respects to my father, the Emperor!” Xiao Lie greeted respectfully.

 The Emperor was in a bright yellow dragon robe, and with a ruddy complexion, he smiled elegantly. “My son, you are too polite. At the imperial court today, what do you think of the business tax reduction proposed by the court officials?”

 Xiao Lie cleared his throat and answered, “I agree with the court officials’ proposal. Before this, Daliang Country had emphasized on agricultural benefits, enacting strategies to recuperate and multiply the nation. However, the business tax was always too heavy. Today, Daliang Country is prosperous. The country is rich and the people are strong. Thus, lowering the business tax can promote the trading of goods and bring this prosperity to a higher level.”

 The Emperor nodded happily. “I think so too!”

 The father and son then discussed how the business tax would be reduced, as well as how much the reduction should be. They discussed it for almost an hour.

 The Emperor then changed the topic and asked, “Previously, I wanted Teacher Zhang’s granddaughter to be your concubine. Do you still remember?”

 Xiao Lie’s body froze slightly. “I remember!”

 “I am afraid that will not happen anymore. Your brother has also asked me to let him marry Teacher Zhang’s granddaughter. Previously, he had asked to marry the Nangong Family’s Young Lady, but I disagreed. However, it’s hard to refuse him this time! Moreover, he is your elder brother after all, and he should get a concubine before you,” The Emperor explained slowly.

 Xiao Lie heaved a sigh of relief. The heavy stone weighing on his heart was lifted, and he felt as light as a feather.

 Despite that, he did not show his relief on his face, and only said respectfully, “Yes, what Father said makes sense!”

 “Find a day, and I will settle the marriage for Jing’er. I will complete the marriage after the New Year, so we do not have to rush yours!”

 “Yes!”

 The Emperor looked at Xiao Lie’s delighted smile and remarked, “When I said not to rush your marriage, you seemed to be happier than ever. Why do you all not want to marry your main concubine? Anyway, there are some concubines in your elder brother’s manor. Do you want to have a side concubine first?”

 Xiao Lie hurriedly said, “Thank you for your concern, Father, but I do not want to have a side concubine. If Father loves me, then let me choose a woman that I adore as my main concubine. I will be endlessly grateful!”

 “Oh? Listening to what you just said, it seems that you already have a woman in mind. Tell me! Let me know which minister’s family this lady is from!” The Emperor leaned on the dragon chair. His face was kind, just like an ordinary father talking to his son about his marriage.

 Xiao Lie paused for a while before saying, “Not yet, for now! When the day comes, I promise I will let you know! I hope that I can get your blessings by then, Father!”

 “Good, good! You will have my blessings as long as it is someone you like. I will not come in between two people who are in love!” The Emperor said half-jokingly.

 The lips on Xiao Lie’s handsome face curled upwards, and his face beamed.

 “By the way, Lord Yun Nan wants to bring his family into the capital for the New Year this year. He has already made his way to Shengjing City half a month ago, and he should be arriving soon in the next couple of days! Princess Yu Long is both beautiful and talented. She is also well-educated and is a famous beauty in Diannan City. I hope you will interact with her more when she arrives. If you are interested, I will reserve her for you!” The Emperor smiled and said.

 Xiao Lie lowered his head and frowned. “Alright!”

 Lord Yun Nan was going to celebrate the New Year in Shengjing City this year, and he had even brought along his family. It seemed that he was interested in connecting his family by marrying his daughter to a son in the imperial family.

 Fortunately, the Emperor just mentioned that he agreed to follow his wishes, and would not force him into doing it.

 Xiao Lie felt relieved.

 At another place, Xiao Jing entered the garden. Both sides of the stone path were covered with snow, filling the field with white. The scene was quiet and elegant, with birds occasionally flying past. The snow was swirling in the air, falling thick and fast.

 He made his way around a rockery and spotted a woman waiting in a beautiful cloak imprinted with bats. When she saw him, she immediately threw herself into the man’s arms and wailed, “Why are you so late? I have been waiting for a long time!”

 Xiao Jing hugged the woman and smiled. “Are you cold? Let me warm you up.”

 He looked around, before bringing the woman inside the rockery.

 The entrance of the rockery was extremely small and well-concealed, but it was big and spacious inside. There was a stone bed covered with fur, along with a stone table at the side with cups on it.

 The two hugged each other and laid on the bed. After locking lips passionately for a while, Xiao Jing asked, “So what is the reason for asking me here?”

 “Do I need a reason to ask for you?” Jiyu glanced at him.

 “Then you must have missed me!” The man raised his eyebrow and kissed the woman on her lips. He slipped his hands inside her clothes, and his breath abruptly quickened.

 “Wait…” the woman snorted and grasped the man’s hand. She then said earnestly, “I do have a reason for finding you today!”

 “What’s the matter?” The man asked casually as he held the woman’s waist.

 The woman’s voice said softly, “It is about you marrying your main concubine!”

 Xiao Jing was slightly stunned. He stopped and asked, “What do you mean?”

 “I heard from the Emperor yesterday that he will betroth Teacher Zhang’s granddaughter to you to be your main concubine!” The woman said as she stared at Xiao Jing’s face.

 Xiao Jing’s eyes flickered as he spoke, “Previously, I asked to marry the Mistress of the Nangong Family, but my father, the Emperor, betrothed her to an ordinary barbarian. Now that is something satisfying!”

 Jiyu sat in the man’s arms, stroking the embroidered pattern on his collar with her fingers as she whispered, “Do you truly want to marry Miss Zhang as your main concubine?”

 Xiao Jing squeezed her face and laughed. “Why? Are you jealous?”

 “Do I have any rights to be jealous?” The woman said lightly. She moved away from the man and glanced at him. “Didn’t you say you want me to be your future queen? Now it seems that you are only coaxing me. If you marry that lady as your main concubine, she will be your queen when you ascend to the throne.”

 Xiao Jing stood up and hugged the woman’s waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulders. He chortled and muttered, “Are you still denying that you are jealous? Even the fishes in the water outside the rockery can sense it. You should understand that I am only marrying the lady of the Zhang Family for expedient purposes. Deep down in my heart, you are the one that I like. When I become the Emperor, wouldn’t I be the one who decides who the queen is?”

 Jiyu glanced back at him. “Do you mean what you just said?”

 “Of course! If I do not love you to my core, I would not meet you here privately and risk getting beheaded.” Xiao Jing reassured her, as he leaned his head forward to kiss the woman’s ear.

 Jiyu fell back into his arms and said, “When you ascend to the throne, you better don’t forget what you’ve said today!”

 1“Of course I won’t forget, my sweetheart!” Xiao Jing carried the woman and moved towards the stone bed.

 The pink silk cloak slipped to the ground. The heavy breathing of the man and the submissive groans of the woman intertwined, faintly echoing against the walls of the rockery.

 Two days later, Lord Yun Nan, also known as Xia Cang, brought his wife and daughter, Yu Long, to Shengjing City. The group majestically entered the city, accompanied by a line of troops.

 The troops traveled along the long street. Su Jiu and Chang Huan, who were both standing at the wooden fence of the commercial house, gazed down. Both sides of the street were full of people watching the hustle and bustle. They automatically cleared away from the middle of the main road.

 Lord Yun Nan and Princess Yu Long both rode on their horses, and the Queen of Yunnan was sitting in the carriage behind.

 Su Jiu and Chang Huan were too far away to recognize the faces of the people immediately. They could only see Princess Yu Long wearing a riding suit, and she looked valiant and haughty.

 Chang Huan smiled and said, “What an awe-inspiring sight! I heard that Lord Yun Nan came to the capital for the New Year. Strangely, they did not celebrate it back at home. What are they doing here in Shengjing City?”

 Lord Yun Nan was one of a kind in Daliang Country. He possessed Diannan City and had his army and horses to guard him. The generations preceding him had always been loyal to the imperial court and guarded the borders of Diannan City.

 Su Jiu said, “I heard that Princess Yu Long is Lord Yun Nan’s only child.”

 “Yes, I heard that Lord Yun Nan and the princess have a very good relationship. He would rather have no descendants than to marry his daughter as a side concubine.”

 Su Jiu raised her eyebrows. “I heard that Lord Yun Nan had a son before, but he died at a very young age. The Queen of Yunnan was so upset, and she had been at odds with Lord Yun Nan for many years!”

 1Feeling that something was strange, Chang Huan asked, “If her son is dead, it is normal to be sad, but why would she have a problem with her husband? Was Lord Yun Nan the reason for their son’s death?”

 Su Jiu shook her head. “I don’t know. Only their family members know the inside story!”

 As they chatted, the troops had already moved away from them. Chang Huan suddenly said, “Boss, Lord Yun Nan brought his daughter into the capital to spend the New Year here. Do you think he wants to marry his daughter into Shengjing City?”

 If that was the case, based on her status, it would only be fitting for her to marry a prince.

 To date, both Prince Zhao and Prince Rui had not married a main concubine. Which prince would she be betrothed to?

 Su Jiu remarked, “If Lord Yun Nan only has one daughter, why would he want to marry her into Shengjing City?”

 Chang Huan chuckled. “Naturally, it is to build better relations between Diannan City and the imperial court. If this woman has good foresight, she will most likely choose Prince Rui!”

 Su Jiu shrugged her shoulders and did not express an opinion.

 At night, a feast in the palace was held to welcome Lord Yun Nan. Qiao An also attended, and it was already very late when he came back. Seeing that the lights at Su Jiu’s eastern courtyard were still on, he walked in to have a chat with her.

 Su Jiu was by the fireplace, nibbling on melon seeds. She was holding an opera excerpt about heroes in the martial world.

 When Qian An came in, he was shivering from coldness. He then removed and passed the cloak to the nanny before entering.

 Sitting in the chair opposite the fireplace, Qiao An smiled and asked, “Chief, why are you still awake?”

 “Staying up for a while longer!”

 Su Jiu replied and poured a cup of tea for Qiao An. She smelled alcohol on him, so she asked the nanny to make him warm soup.

 “Do not trouble yourself for me! I did not drink much; only a couple for show!” Qiao An grinned.

 Su Jiu raised her head and asked, “Did you meet Lord Yun Nan?”

 Qiao An nodded, and a small thought flashed in his head. He then shook his head with a smile and recalled, “Lord Yun Nan is astute, but he is very sincere and loyal to the imperial court. Princess Yu Long is more magnanimous and decent and does not seem to have the shyness that women normally have. She inherited the beauty of the Queen of Yunnan, and is a highly refined woman.”

 Su Jiu lip smiled. “She must be a real beauty to be able to get such high accolades from you, Master An! Do you like her?”

 Qiao An smirked and shook his head. “Do I even have a fighting chance? At the palace banquet today, Prince Zhao and the son of Official Lyu were very interested in that beauty.”

 “Prince Zhao?” Su Jiu rolled her eyes, and she suddenly remembered the second prince, who had an affair with a palace concubine.

 Didn’t he like Jiyu? Why would he still be interested in other women?

 Qiao An nodded. “I heard that Prince Zhao is going to marry Teacher Zhang’s granddaughter. Although the marriage is not sanctioned yet, it is almost certain. But Prince Zhao changed his mind. Between Teacher Zhang and Lord Yun Nan, Prince Zhao would naturally choose Lord Yun Nan.”

 On the other hand, Official Lyu’s son’s interest in Princess Yu Long was probably for Official Lyu to gain benefits. Young Master Lyu’s face was extremely handsome, and among the esteemed young masters in the capital, he was one of the more famous ones. Official Lyu must be very confident in his son, and he wanted to win over Lord Yun Nan to solicit more power for Prince Yu.

 After all, Official Lyu was under Prince Yu.

 Su Jiu snorted and shook her head. “These people change every day for the sake of power, and they are not even tired of it!”

 “If they are tired today, their heads might roll tomorrow, so they dare not relax for a moment!” Qiao An followed.

 “I’m afraid that they are so calculative, but their schemes ultimately amount to nothing!” Su Jiu laughed.

 Qian An nodded. “You’re right. Sometimes it’s better to let nature take its course!”

 “What about Xiao Lie? Does he want to marry this princess?” Su Jiu flipped through the book and asked.

 Qiao An raised his head and stared at Su Jiu. He laughed, feeling helpless about certain aspects of the Chief. “I don’t think so. During the palace banquet, Prince Rui did not even look at Princess Yu Long.”

 The hand that Su Jiu was using to flip through the book abruptly stopped. She contemplated and said, “If this Princess Yu Long is as good as you said, then she will be very compatible with Xiao Lie. It will also help him a lot to win the title of Crown Prince in the future!”

 Qiao An coughed lightly and drank the tea slowly. “Perhaps! But it also depends on whether Prince Rui himself wants to marry her.”

 “Xiao Lie is thoughtful. He must be obeying the Emperor’s order of abstention, and therefore did not dare to approach Princess Yu Long,” Su Jiu speculated.

 Qiao An smiled but did not say anything. He stood up and said, “It’s late already. Rest early Chief, I am going back to sleep!”

 “Yeah, okay!” Su Jiu nodded.

 Walking out of Su Jiu’s room, the cold mist of the night hit him in the face. Qiao An took a deep breath and chuckled silently. Prince Rui’s thoughtfulness would be ruthlessly going down the drain.

 To be fair, he preferred Su Jiu to be the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor.

 Ji Yuxian was very clever. He did not involve himself with officials and was able to provide for Su Jiu adequately, letting her live her life in a carefree and wilful way. It was just that another Miss Su appeared out of thin air.

 He knew that Ji Yuxian would have to fight relentlessly to get rid of the Su Family.

 Xiao Lie also liked the Chief, but his status was very special, and Su Jiu might not be able to adapt to the battles within the palace in the future. Even if Prince Rui duly protected her, some things would inevitably happen.

 Qiao An sighed. The relationship between men and women was always down to fate. No matter who Su Jiu liked and eventually married, the Dragon Conqueror Gang would do their best to protect her.

 Therefore, each of them must be strong enough to protect her.

 Su Jiu had been protecting everyone for a long time. In the future, it would be up to them to protect her instead.

 Qiao An inhaled deeply, exited the eastern courtyard, and strode towards his western courtyard.

 Lord Yun Nan’s family stayed in the Royal Estate. Early the next morning, Princess Yu Long went shopping with her maidservant.

 In an accessories shop, Princess Yu Long laid her eyes on a set of ruby ​​hairpins. As she was about to get it from the shopkeeper, someone at the side said, “Wrap up the one with red corals for this lady too!”

 Yu Long turned around and saw Prince Zhao, also known as Xiao Jing. She smiled faintly and said, “I didn’t expect to see you here, Prince Zhao!”

 Xiao Jing replied with a chuckle, “It’s indeed a coincidence!”

 “This is a shop where women buy accessories. Are you buying accessories for your sweetheart, Prince Zhao?” Yu Long asked, her eyes bland and half-smiling.

 Abashed, Xiao Jing said with a grin, “I do not have a main concubine yet, so this sweetheart you are talking about is non-existent. It’s just that I passed by the shop and saw you enter, so I followed you in!”

 Yu Long lowered her gaze and smiled lightly.

 The shop assistant had already wrapped the accessories. As Yu Long was about to order the maidservant to pay, the servant behind Xiao Jing had already paid for them.

 Yu Long gawked at Xiao Jing with a puzzled look.

 Xiao Jing stood amongst a group of women and had an imposing and awe-inspiring bearing. He said politely, “Princess, you are our guest! As a mark of friendship, I hope you will accept these as gifts!”

 Yu Long smiled warmly and generously. “Well, thank you, Your Highness!”

 The two of them walked out after getting the accessories. Behind them, next to a hollow wooden frame, a round-faced woman wearing a pale pinkish-purple skirt observed the backs of the two of them with gloomy eyes.

 The maidservant beside her asked, “Miss, isn’t that His Royal Highness, Prince Zhao?”

 “Yeah!” The round-faced woman responded unpleasantly.

 “Isn’t His Highness, Prince Zhao marrying you to be the main concubine? How come he…” The maidservant peeked at her mistress’s face and did not dare to say anything more.

 This round-faced woman was the granddaughter of Teacher Zhang, Miss Zhang.

 Although the marriage between Prince Zhao and her was not set in stone yet, the Zhang Family got the hint from the Emperor that they had acknowledged this wedding, and Miss Zhang herself was ready to be Princess Zhao.

 Unexpectedly, as soon as Princess Yu Long came, Prince Zhao immediately changed his attitude.

 She was not as distinguished as Princess Yu Long, so the title of Princess Zhao was no longer feasible for her!

 Miss Zhang sneered. Her face was awash with dejection.

 As the legitimate young lady of the Zhang Family, Miss Zhang naturally had her pride, and deep down in her heart, she still adored Xiao Jing. Now, however, she could only feel that she had been abandoned and betrayed by him. How could she not be sad?

 Even if she could not be Princess Zhao, the Zhang Family was going to demand an explanation from the Emperor.

 Meanwhile at the other side, Xiao Jing and Yu Long exited the accessories store, and Yu Long smiled dignifiedly. “Your Highness, you have things to attend to. I will not bother you anymore!”

 “Ah!” Xiao Jing placed himself in front of Yu Long and said, “Princess, you have just arrived in Shengjing City and are unfamiliar with many places. Why don’t I be your guide and take you on a tour together?”

 Yu Long’s eyes were brimming with annoyance, but she still smiled gently. “No need! I would not dare to let Your Highness, Prince Zhao be my guide!”

 “It’s an honor to be able to accompany me, and I hope that you will not reject it, Princess!”

 Xiao Jing gazed at the woman, his eyes gleaming.

 Although Yu Long disliked it, she could not push back anymore, so she nodded. “Then I will have to trouble you, Your Highness!”

 Xiao Jing’s expressions immediately turned joyous, “After you, Princess!”

 Yu Long nodded slightly and walked ahead.

 Along the way, Yu Long was absent-minded, but Xiao Jing did not seem to realize that. He continued to be overwhelmingly enthusiastic and chivalrous.

 The two of them had lunch at Jingqin Restaurant in the afternoon and ate the restaurant’s signature dishes. That meal also made both the host and guest happy.

 After the meal, Yu Long wanted to head back to the estate as she was tired. Xiao Jing then escorted her back all the way.

 Outside the estate, Yu Long got out of the horse carriage and smiled. “Your Highness, do you want to come in for a cup of tea?”

 Yu Long was just being courteous. Who knew Xiao Jing would take up the offer?

 “Alright, I can go in and greet the King as well!”

 Yu Long pursed her lips and turned around to walk into the estate.

 After bringing Xiao Jing to the reception pavilion, she sent someone to summon her father. Yu Long said she was going to change clothes, but she never came out again.

 Xia Cang came out quickly and met with Xiao Jing, asking the servants to serve tea.

 The two of them were catching up politely. Xiao Jing turned his head towards the door from time to time, waiting for Yu Long to return. However, after drinking two pots of tea, she was still nowhere to be seen. He gradually grew anxious, but he could not express it.

 Being a shrewd person, Xia Cang understood that the second prince was distracted and had something weighing heavily in his mind. He summoned a servant and instructed, “Can you go and check what the princess is doing?”

 “Yes!” The servant replied and left.

 After that, Xiao Jing had a smile on his face and continued to drink the tea calmly.

 The servant came back quickly and said, “Your Highness, the Miss went to find the Queen and is serving medicine to her!”

 Xia Cang understood and ordered the servant to retreat. He faced Xiao Jing and said, “My wife is in poor health. She is stubborn and every day, she will only eat the medicine that is fed by Long’er. It takes about an hour for her to feed the medicine, so I’m afraid she cannot come and accompany Your Highness today!”

 Xiao Jing looked upset, but he managed a smile. “Since that is the case, then I will come over to find you and the princess another time. I will take my leave now!”

 “Your Highness, talk care!”

 Xia Cang sent Xiao Jing out the door. As he looked at the back of the horse carriage, his eyes dimmed, and he turned back into the courtyard.

 The time for the Queen to take her medicine had already passed. Yu Long was reading a book in her room. Seeing her father, she quickly got up and greeted him, “Father!”

 Xia Cang smiled amiably and reached out to hold her. “Make yourself comfortable, Long’er!”

 Yu Long poured tea into the cup on the table and asked, “Did that Prince Zhao left?”

 “Yeah, he wanted to see you, but you avoided him by hiding here, so there was nothing much for us to talk about.” Xia Cang chuckled.

 Yu Long looked down at the book and stared at it blankly.

 “I think Prince Zhao is interested in you! What do you think?” Xia Cang asked as he sipped his tea.

 “That person is nowhere near as good as he’s made out to be; flashy and without substance, short-sighted and frivolous. I am not interested in him at all!” Yu Long said directly.

 Xia Cang sipped his tea again and pondered. He brought his daughter to the capital this time with the idea of ​​marrying her into the imperial court. However, he only had one daughter, so naturally, he had to respect her wishes.

 “Long’er, marrying you into Shengjing City is something I am very reluctant to do!”

 Hearing her father’s sad voice, Yu Long got up and went over to console him. She explained, “I know that the imperial court has thoughts on withdrawing us. Our people in Diannan City are naturally rebellious and unyielding, and they are unwilling to be controlled by the imperial court. Even if Father agrees to withdraw, the people will spontaneously rebel. As Father does not want to start a war, the only way is to marry me to a prince. Then since the Xia Family will have no descendants, the Emperor will have nothing to worry about!”

 Xia Cang sighed and patted Yu Long’s hand. “The only one who knows me best is you, Long’er. I have caused you great grievances. If you are born as a man, you will be our new king!”

 Yu Long laughed lightly. “As long as Father does not force me to marry Prince Zhao, I will not be grieved!”

 “The Emperor has three princes. Prince Yu has already married a concubine, so only Prince Zhao and Prince Rui are available. I know about your thoughts about Prince Zhao, but what do you think of Prince Rui? From the banquet yesterday, I think he is a talented, calm, and distinguished person. Given his young age, that is very rare. However, he seems cold towards you, and does not seem to have the same interests that Prince Zhao has in you.”

 Yu Long reminisced about the banquet and joked, “In that case, the challenge makes it more thrilling!”

 Xia Cang raised his eyebrows. “Long’er, do you fancy Prince Rui?”

 “I only saw him once, so there is nothing to fancy about yet. I only think that Prince Rui is more reliable than Prince Zhao!” Yu Long pursed her lips.

 “I heard that Prince Rui has not only married a main concubine yet, and he also has no side concubine!”

 “Really?” Yu Long’s eyebrows moved, and her eyes glistened.

 “Anyway, it’s still a long time before the New Year. Let’s observe slowly!” Xia Cang got up. “I’m going to visit your mother. It is very chilly in Shengjing City. She is afraid of the cold and is unwilling to go out. I don’t want her to be bored out of her mind!”

 “Mother is not ill physically, but emotionally instead. When we came to Shengjing City, she did not speak a lot. She is certainly reminded of the past!” Yu Long uttered with a somber look.

 Xia Cang’s brow furrowed slightly. He got up, raised his head, and sighed. “It’s been twenty years. Every time I think of it, it feels like a knife is cutting into my heart. I feel very guilty, not to mention your mother!”

 “Father, maybe you don’t believe it, but I constantly feel that Huan’er is still alive!” Yu Long said.

 Xia Cang turned his head to look at Yu Long, slowly shook his head, and muttered heavily, “Under those circumstances, Huan’er couldn’t have survived.”

 “But ultimately, his corpse did not surface, right?”

 “The mountain is full of vicious animals. Huan’er…” Hurt, Xia Cang could not continue.

 Yu Long’s eyes were mournful for a while, and she kept silent. “Alright, let us not talk about this anymore, and Father should never mention it when you visit Mother!”

 Xia Cang nodded. “Yes, I know that!”

 Yu Long looked on as Xia Cang left. His once tall and majestic body had gradually become rickety, and she felt a pang in her heart. If she was a man or if Huan’er was alive, her father would not have to worry and bear so much.

 Unfortunately…

 …

 The wind was gusting in the evening, and snow particles were blown up. The weather was really cold due to the howling gale.

 Su Jiu was reading a book by the fireplace, and after dozing off several times, she was urged by the nanny to go to bed.

 It seemed that someone was tugging her blanket just as she was about to fall asleep. She abruptly woke up, and when she was about to turn around, her body was suddenly hugged from behind. A faint water lily fragrance was permeating the air. She turned her eyes, and her lips involuntarily curved upwards.

 There was a snowstorm outside. The room was dim, warm, and silent, and they could hear each other’s pounding heartbeats.

 The man rested his chin on the hollow part of the woman’s shoulder, and his voice sounded deep and sexy in the dark. “I can’t sleep, and I miss you so much. I secretly came, even though I know you did not want me to come. You just pretend to fall asleep and not know anything. Don’t drive me away.”

 Su Jiu felt a slight pain in her chest. She turned around and gazed at the man’s handsome face. A smile crept up her face as she said, “Okay, I will pretend this is a dream!”

 Ji Yuxian’s fingers traced the girl’s delicate eyebrows, and said while grinning, “It turns out that I turn up in my wife’s dream too!”

 Su Jiu’s eyes moved, and she did not bicker with him. She buried her head in his chest immediately, her mind tranquil. The chilly wind that roared outside the window seemed to no longer be cold.

 “Wait for a few more days, and I will fetch you home!” Ji Yuxian said gently, as he lowered his head and kissed in between her brows softly.

 Su Jiu asked, “Does that Miss Su like you?”

 In the dim light, Ji Yuxian’s eyes flashed. He reached for the woman’s chin and looked at her longingly. “I don’t care whether she likes me or not! I won’t allow you to give me to others!”

 “I did not mean that, but…”

 “No buts!” Ji Yuxian interrupted Su Jiu with a firm voice. “Remember, you are my wife. I am not interested in any other woman. Maybe I had a marriage contract with the Su Family before, but since the day I married you, that marriage contract was no longer legitimate. You were under the name of Su Yuejiu, but the person I truly married is Su Jiu.”

 If they did not register the household registration under the name of Su Yuejiu at the magistrate’s office, why would he care about the Su Family?

 That Miss Su only wanted to marry to enter the Ji Manor. Su Jiu was the one that married Ji Yuxian.

 “What are you going to do?” Su Jiu asked.

 “The Su Family’s foundation is in Fuyang City. If the foundation is gone, and they are unable to stay in Shengjing City, the Su Family will not be able to survive!” Ji Yuxian said in a relaxed manner, his eyes appearing slightly cold.

 He allowed them to dictate their conditions, and if he did not agree, he would come up with his own.

 The result of being too greedy was getting nothing in the end.

 “Don’t worry, just let your husband handle it!” Ji Yuxian’s handsome face softened. He leaned over and kissed the girl’s lips, yearning to kiss her passionately.

 He longed for her every single day and every single moment. He hoped that he could keep her in his body, and they would be inseparable.

 He must end this torture as soon as possible.

 Su Jiu responded by pursing her lips, tightly entangling her lips and tongue with his. The repressive feeling flowed out like a mighty torrent, gushing uncontrollably. Especially in the darkness, they were completely unshackled, free to indulge recklessly.

 The snow outside the window was getting heavier, but the room was as warm as spring.

 The next day, Xiao Jing entered the palace and threw a tantrum at Imperial Concubine Xian’s place.

 “Am I truly the biological son of my father, the Emperor? I was thinking why Father would so readily promise to marry me to Teacher Zhang’s granddaughter. It turns out that Father has other objectives!”

 Imperial Concubine Xian, who was holding her ginseng soup, glanced over. “What objectives?”

 “My father, the Emperor, must have assigned Princess Yu Long to Xiao Lie to be his main concubine!” Xiao Jing did not even know how he managed to come up with that. It just suddenly dawned on him, and he reckoned that must be it.

 Imperial Concubine Xian frowned. “No, I don’t think so. I did not hear your father, the Emperor, mention that before.”

 “Father is biased! Why would he say that to you, Mother? Father pampered you a lot, so he should have liked me more. Why does he always favor Xiao Lie?” Xiao Jing’s face turned ugly as he slammed hard on the table.

 Imperial Concubine Xian’s face also sank as she said, “Until the end, we do not know who will emerge as the victor!”

 She sighed and turned to Xiao Jing. “Do you want to marry Yu Long?”

 “Yes!” Xiao Jing nodded. His eyes twinkled as he began to lay his plans. “If I marry Princess Yu Long, the Crown Prince will be none other than me!”

 “But Miss Zhang…”

 “In short, the decree of the arranged marriage is not finalized, so it is not in effect yet. As long as the princess is devoted to me, my father, the Emperor, will have to take Lord Yun Nan’s reputation into account! He must agree to it even if he does not want to!”

 “I think Princess Yu Long is not as soft and simple as the other young women from distinguished families. Are you confident in winning her over?”

 “Mother, do you not have confidence in your son? As long as I put in some effort, she will behave just like any other woman!” Xiao Jing squinted as he grinned from ear to ear, feeling self-assured.

 For several days, when Princess Yu Long went out, she would ‘coincidentally’ encounter Xiao Jing.

 For the first or second time, it was still believable. However, after a few times, Xiao Jing knew that Yu Long was aware of it, and so he did not even bother to cover up anymore. He began to invite Yu Long to go out together.

 No matter what, Xiao Jing was a noble prince. Yu Long was annoyed deep down in her heart, but she did not dare to give him the cold shoulder. She became curious and wondered why Prince Zhao had nothing better to do.

 He accompanied her to shop and listen to music every day. How was he so carefree?

 Or was he merely a loafing prince?

 Yu Long disdained Xiao Jing more and more until she simply pretended to be ill and hid in the rear court, not going out anymore.

 After a few days of good weather, the snow was cleared, and the maidservant Qing Lan saw that Yu Long was bored at home every day. She proposed to go out and shop.

 Yu Long said unenthusiastically, “Where can we go? I’ve walked the whole of Shengjing already!”

 Furthermore, she did not want to entertain that vexing Prince Zhao.

 “I heard that there is Qingyu Commercial House in Shengjing City. It looks like a street inside, and you can find almost anything. It is relatively new as well! Why don’t I accompany you to check out that place, Princess?” Qing Lan smiled and suggested.

 Yu Long’s eyes turned and saw the sunshine outside the window, and she gained some interest in going out. She got up and said, “Help me get changed!”

 “Yes!”

 Qing Lan chose the lilac satin-padded top for Yu Long, along with a plain-white pleated satin skirt, covered with a cotton brocade. She wore a gold-lined jade hairpin on her head. Together with Yu Long’s sweet and distinguished disposition, she was a beautiful sight to behold.

 The two of them went out and asked the carriage driver to drive them straight to Qingyu Commercial House at Zhuque Street.

 At that time, there were a lot of people in the commercial house. Many people were bustling in and out, creating a hectic scene. Yu Long did not go directly to the third floor. Instead, she looked around from the first floor and slowly made her way upstairs. She smiled and remarked, “This place is so lively!”

 Qing Lan chimed in, “I have never seen such a big shop, and they are selling so many things here! It’s just that the crowd here is a bit messy.”

 Yu Long studied the poems and pictures that were framed by the previous poetry session in the middle of the second floor and laughed. “The shopkeeper of this commercial house is gifted!”

 At that moment, a man dressed in silk came and pointed to a fishing picture hanging on the shelf. “I like this picture. As long as you are willing to sell, you can just name a price! I don’t bargain!”

 Two people behind him looked like the shopkeepers, who smiled and said, “Shopkeeper Tang, this painting was reserved by Master Jiu, and is no longer for sale!”

 “Since it is placed here, why not sell it then? Otherwise, summon Master Jiu over and I will talk to him personally!” The man, surnamed Tang, argued with a determined tone.

 The two shopkeepers glanced at each other, both put in a spot. Not daring to offend the customer, they asked the shop assistant over and ordered him, “Go and summon Master Huan down!”

 “Yes!” The young shop assistant turned away to carry out his order.

 Yu Long examined the fishing picture and also felt that it was a good painting. The simple outline, the fisherman’s clothes, and the beautifully painted green mountains; all gave a very rich artistic feel.

 As she was looking at it, she heard one of the shopkeepers say, “Shopkeeper Tang, our shopkeeper is here! You can talk to him!”

 A tall, lanky man walked down from upstairs. The two shopkeepers and the surrounding shop assistants greeted him, “Master Huan!”

 Yu Long turned her head casually and glanced over. Her usually composed expression gradually changed, and she froze instantly.