She Knew What She Was In For

"Yunge," Nangong Xuan said powerlessly. He had just heard everything Zhan Yunge had said. He had worked hard so that they could get closer but from the looks of it, his efforts might get wasted.

Zhan Yunge glanced at him mildly. "The Zhan family is not good enough for you. What are you doing here, Your Highness? Please leave."

The moment she finished her sentence, she walked past him and entered Mingzhu Garden.

Nangong Xuan sighed. He had come over the moment he heard the news. The empress dowager had unexpectedly beaten him to it by sending Princess Jingya to come over to the residence the moment Zhan Yunge arrived. He was to blame for allowing Zhan Yunge to suffer this indignation.

Nangong Xuan held her wrist and pulled her towards him. He bent over slightly to see her cool face. He said indulgently, "Sorry, I was late. Don't be mad. The only reason this marriage still stands is because your family saw how sincere I was about the marriage, right? On account of my sincerity, please give me a chance. I am nothing like them. Don't you know how I feel about you? Ever since I saw you when I was three years old, you became the love of my life. I want only you. No one can stop me. Trust me. You don't have to care about other people's opinions."

Princess Jingya might have had her doubts when she first heard Zhan Yunge mention this. Now that she had heard it from Nangong Xuan's mouth for herself, she finally believed it. Zhan Yunge was right. Nangong Xuan was always the one actively courting her and not the other way around.

Princess Jingya felt deeply defeated. Nangong Xuan was the mighty crown prince of Shengyu Empire, but Zhan Yunge was not interested in him. The empress dowager thought she was being charitable by offering Zhan Yunge a place in Nangong Xuan's harem as a lowly concubine. Unfortunately, Zhan Yunge did not even care for the title of the crown princess. Why would she lower herself to become his concubine?

"Your Highness, why don't you go back to the palace and check on the empress dowager? I just got here. I certainly don't want her to get agitated and fall sick again, okay? If I go back to Mount Qingnan, I will never set foot in the capital again." Zhan Yunge continued being angry even though Nangong Xuan kept coaxing her.

She was genuinely angry. No one ever had the audacity to treat her this way ever since she was born. Even if the person in question was the empress dowager, she was not going to do as the empress dowager said.

"Even if you dump me, I will never give you up. If it comes to this, I don't want to be the crown prince anymore. I will marry into the Zhan family, okay?" Nangong Xuan knew she was genuinely upset, so he kept comforting her.

Princess Jingya inhaled in shock looking at Nangong Xuan. She knew he meant what he said. If it really came to that, he would genuinely do it.

Princess Jingya had never seen them interact in person. Now, she finally got it. Zhan Yunge was not lying at all. Zhan Yunge did not seem to care about being the crown princess at all. Nangong Xuan was genuinely the one who kept compromising for her.

She had never seen her lofty nephew lowering himself and speaking so nicely. Even though he was a reticent young man, he had a lot to say to Zhan Yunge.

"Doesn't that sound good? Mount Qingnan is the best place on earth." Since Nangong Xuan kept trying to comfort Zhan Yunge, she decided to let it slide, so she simply nodded.

Princess Jingya was stunned. Perhaps she should tell her mother to drop it and stop interfering with Nangong Xuan's marriage. What if they ended up driving Nangong Xuan away? Even though the emperor had many other sons, no one was as good as Nangong Xuan.

Nangong Xuan finally looked at Princess Jingya. "Aunt, please be sure to report this to the empress dowager."

Nangong Xuan did not take it out on Princess Jingya at all. Princess Jingya could not help feeling uneasy. She could never fully understand her nephew. Even though he looked calm, he was not going to let it slide.

"Xuan, the empress dowager is doing this for your own good," Princess Jingya attempted to explain the situation to Nangong Xuan, but she choked mid-sentence when his face grew even colder. She was unable to say a word and could only leave the residence.

Zhan Yunge narrowed her eyes as she watched Princess Jingya from behind. Lu Qingye had sent her word warning her about this. Although she had already seen it coming, it was quite different to experience it firsthand. Zhan Yunge had lost her cool. Also, Lu Qingye would never have expected that the person who came bearing the message was his mother.

Zhan Yunge wanted to give Princess Jingya face on account of Lu Qingye, but Princess Jingya had deliberately said these things at the empress dowager's orders. Also, Princess Jingya was on the empress dowager's side. Zhan Yunge had just arrived in the capital, but Princess Jingya had come over to insult her. She would be doing her reputation an injustice if she did not fight back.

The empress dowager might not like her, but Zhan Yunge wanted to make it clear to the empress dowager as well. Her grandson was not good enough for Zhan Yunge either, but he kept harassing her. She certainly did not beg Nangong Xuan to make her the crown princess.

No one was allowed to insult her and get away with it.

Also, it would be a good lesson for Princess Jingya. Princess Jingya would probably finally wake up and stop interfering in her relationship with Nangong Xuan. Zhan Yunge hoped Princess Jingya could back off now rather than get Lu Qingye involved in the future.

She did not look at Nangong Xuan or attempt to fling his hand aside. Considering her cultivation skills, she was unable to do it even if she wanted to.

"Yu Shu," said Zhan Yunge.

"Yes, Miss." Yu Shu came out from hiding.

"The empress dowager has too much time on her hands. I really don't mind if people start thinking I agitated her so badly that she took ill again," said Zhan Yunge mildly.

Before Zhan Yunge left Mount Qingnan, she had told Yu Shu and the others to prepare a lot of backup plans. To be safe, she had come up with two strategies to handle the empress dowager.

"Yunge, do you have to do this?" Nangong Xuan sighed. After all, the empress dowager was his biological grandmother. Zhan Yunge's actions would undoubtedly intensify her relationship with his grandmother.

Zhan Yunge raised her head and looked at Nangong Xuan. He had never seen such coldness in her eyes before and he could not help trembling.

She used her other hand to pry off his hand. Nangong Xuan watched as Zhan Yunge did her utmost to wrest herself free. Although he looked calm on the surface, he was shocked by her stubbornness.

After she finally succeeded in pulling off his hand, she flung his hand away and said, "You ought to know. From the moment you chose me when you were three years old and made me the crown princess, you knew this would happen."

Zhan Yunge spoke solemnly to Nangong Xuan yet again. He looked at her without saying a word.

"This is just the beginning. I don't even know how many lifetimes I have lived and I don't remember a lot of things. However, I remember one thing. I was never kind. In each lifetime, I was a formidable woman. I am sure you know what I mean by that. Since I was destined to die whenever I turned 16, I would never lower myself to do things against my will. I would never cheapen myself for anyone." Zhan Yunge's expression looked increasingly calm as she spoke.

Nangong Xuan could not help feeling sadder for her when he noticed the composure in her eyes.

"The empress dowager has humiliated me, but you want me to forgive her. Have you ever considered my feelings? Today, the empress dowager did it to me. Who is next? Is it going to be your mother or your father? What are you going to do then? If you had to choose between me and your family, what would you do?"

Nangong Xuan narrowed his eyes. He had already considered the problem previously, but she would never believe it if he brought it up now.

"How could you expect me to sit back and not retaliate after the empress dowager told me to give up my title as crown princess and make me a concubine? If you can't take it, maybe we should call off the marriage once and for all. I believe the empress dowager genuinely loves you. I am sure if you marry the girl of her choosing, life would be easier for you."

After speaking her mind, Zhan Yunge felt a lot better. She knew what she was signing up for by coming to the capital. The people who could genuinely cause irreparable damage to their relationship were his relatives and not mere gossip.

Nangong Xuan could disregard the opinion of the public, but he could not disregard the opinion of his doting parents and grandmother, just like how she would never be able to turn her back on the Zhan family. Princess Jingya's visit to her residence had opened her eyes to the kind of future that stood before them, so she wanted to make things clear to him.

Nangong Xuan could not let her go on talking. Initially, he simply wanted to know what she was thinking, but he could no longer handle it.

"Are you really angry? I thought you did not care about anything." Nangong Xuan sighed gently.

"I am angry that the empress dowager thinks she can do whatever she wants to me. I already knew the marriage would not go smoothly before I even got here. Why do you think the emperor wants me to move to the capital a year in advance before the marriage? Did he invite me here because he really likes his daughter-in-law? I am sure you know exactly what he is trying to do. I get it if they want to try and call off the wedding, but I cannot let them get away with insulting me." Zhan Yunge sounded absolutely cold. Even though she looked nonchalant on the surface, she understood her circumstances fully.

"Don't you care about me?" When she decided to give up her title as crown princess, Nangong Xuan felt a little sad. Even though he loved her with all his heart, she calmly wanted to call off their marriage.