Consort of King Ning whispered, "They seem to be from the palace."
Su Hai was the Commander of Dark Guards, usually concealed in the shadows.
Unless in special circumstances, he would not reveal himself.
This time, he was obeying Emperor Hongtai's decree to escort the Third Royal Highness back from Yunzhou.
Consort of King Ning had never seen him before.
As for Qin Fengmian, the disciple of the National Master, Consort of King Ning had never laid eyes on him either.
In Yan Country, Daoist priests held a higher status than officials, forming a hierarchy of contempt.
As the direct disciple of the National Master, Qin Fengmian rarely deigned to associate with these official families.
He seldom appeared in public, so few had seen him.
Even though she did not recognize Su Hai and Qin Fengmian, Consort of King Ning could still discern their identities from their imposing aura and attire.
Such well-trained guards and maids could only belong to the imperial household.
Consort of King Ning had just heard that the palace had sent people to Yunzhou to fetch the Third Royal Highness Murong Xun, whose betrothal to her family had been called off.
Could it be... them?
With mixed feelings, Consort of King Ning wondered.
But Ye Chan said, "Mother, you're overthinking. If they were nobles traveling, how could they not have an escort?"
"Moreover, if they were from the palace, they would have sent someone to clear the path earlier. Why would they wait there?"
Consort of King Ning realized Ye Chan was right. The Third Royal Highness was just an abandoned prince deemed useless for over a decade. To fetch him back to the capital, such a procession would be unnecessary.
"Regardless, we've blocked their way. We should send someone to apologize."
If the carriage carried some influential figure, it would show King Ning's Mansion's impeccable courtesy.
Consort of King Ning beckoned a maid and instructed her to go apologize.
The caravan had been stopped for a while now, and even the patient Su Hai was growing impatient.
But the narrow official road was flanked by a mountain wall on one side and a cliff on the other.
As long as those ahead did not move, they could not proceed.
Just as Su Hai was about to send someone to inquire, a maid came running, panting, "Our lady said the carriage will take a while to be fixed. You'll have to wait."
Such a perfunctory and arrogant apology.
Even Qin Fengmian, whose hands were turning red from clutching the reins, had a deeply furrowed brow from the cold.
"Can your carriage be fixed or not? If not, just toss it down the mountain!"
The maid was taken aback by his outburst. "What did you say? Do you know who my lady is?"
"The King of Heaven himself?"
Qin Fengmian, already chilled from riding, was now enraged. "Unhitch the horses, move the carriage closer to the mountain wall and let the people through. She insists we wait? Who is your lady? She can't even come to apologize herself, and sends an ill-mannered servant to act arrogant? What a big show!"
Never had a maid of King Ning's Mansion suffered such insult. With reddened eyes, she turned and ran back to report.
Initially, Consort of King Ning was still considerate, thinking the other party might be some noble from the imperial capital. She feared spoiling the mood, so she sent someone to inquire first.
Little did she expect such rude words in response.
Even with her good temper, she could not swallow this humiliation.
Leaving the maid behind, Consort of King Ning came forward herself.
Concerned, Ye Chan followed her mother.
With a dark expression, Consort of King Ning glared at Qin Fengmian. "Young Master, we only have one coachman and two servants. How could we possibly move such a heavy carriage? On the contrary, you have so many people watching from behind. Couldn't you come forward and help? And you speak in such an unpleasant way. What, do you have a problem with King Ning's Mansion?"
Upon hearing "King Ning's Mansion," Qin Fengmian suddenly clicked his tongue and glanced back at the tightly curtained carriage.
Soon after, a voice drifted out from inside, "Even a five-year-old child knows to say 'please' when asking for help. The lady opens her mouth to question our offense and accuse us of standing idly by."
"To clarify, I have no issue with King Ning's Mansion, but with King Ning's Mansion's manners."
The voice was calm and melodious, yet every word pierced like a blade.
Consort of King Ning's face turned black with rage. "You!"
Qin Fengmian realized that this Third Royal Highness's true power lay in his sharp tongue.
When he insulted others, not a single word was vulgar, yet each struck mercilessly.
"Young Master, aren't you being a bit excessive with your words?" Ye Chan's brows creased slightly.
Although she could not deny being captivated by the voice from the carriage, her mother was the one being put in a difficult position, and she could not remain unmoved.
The voice from the carriage came again, "You think it's excessive?"
Ye Chan bit her lip lightly, her autumn eyes reddening slightly with grievance.
A beauty wronged would normally garner sympathy.
However, Xie Xun from inside the carriage merely laughed lightly, "How wonderful."
Ye Chan was taken aback. "Young Master, you..."
As the renowned top beauty of the imperial capital, she was used to being admired wherever she went, even earning the affection of the Crown Prince himself.
This was the first time a man had insulted her so.
Ye Chan could not hold back her tears.
Qin Fengmian burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.
Su Hai glanced at him and ordered his men to help move Ye's carriage aside.
It was only after much effort that the road was finally cleared.
Ye Chan stood there, weeping like a wilted flower.
Consort of King Ning was incensed. "Which family are you from? Dare you declare your household?"
"Enough, old woman?" Qin Fengmian was growing impatient. "It's not so terrible to humiliate yourself, but why pursue more insults?"
Consort of King Ning was practically numb with rage, pointing at him. "You, you all... My husband the King will not let you off!"
Qin Fengmian spread his hands. "I'm so scared. Please don't let me off."
After the caravan resumed its journey, Su Hai gave Qin Fengmian a disapproving look. "What you did earlier, aren't you afraid of causing trouble for the National Master?"
Qin Fengmian said, "Let me correct you. I'm now the Third Royal Highness's subordinate. My words and actions only represent the Third Royal Highness and cannot bring trouble to my master."
"Fair point." From inside the carriage, Xie Xun agreed, "Su Hai, take him to be cleansed when we enter the palace. My people cannot be treated shabbily."
Su Hai clasped his hands. "Yes."
Qin Fengmian: "!!!"
Jiang Xiaoxiao, unaware of the meaning of "cleansing," only asked Xie Xun, "The lady you spoke to earlier, is she your former fiancée?"
Xie Xun looked at her. "If she were my fiancée, then who are you?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao faltered. "I... the next one?"
Xie Xun started teaching her again: "Down the mountain, there's no such thing as 'first come' or 'later come'. An unmarried wife is an unmarried wife."
Jiang Xiaoxiao asked again, "Then will you bully me like you bullied her in the future?"
Xie Xun paused for a moment, and his gaze toward her became a few degrees hotter.
He said, "Maybe I'll be even crueler."
Jiang Xiaoxiao felt this person was bad. She had been helping him all along, but he still wanted to bully her.
Glaring at Xie Xun, Jiang Xiaoxiao huffed, "If you dare bully me, I'll dig a pit and bury you!"
In the capital Yanjing, outside the West Gate.
The Crown Prince Murong Yuan sat on horseback, his fur-collared cloak billowing in the wind.
He gazed at the carriage slowly approaching the city gate, a faint, enigmatic smile on his lips.
Su Hai jumped off his horse and came to the side of the carriage, speaking softly, "Third Royal Highness, the Crown Prince has come in person to receive you."
There was no movement from inside the carriage.
Su Hai called out again.
Still no movement from inside the carriage.
Su Hai looked helplessly at Murong Yuan.
Murong Yuan rode his horse over, his eyebrows slightly raised. "Third Brother, welcome back to the capital."
The Ye family's carriage had just arrived, and hearing that the Crown Prince was at the city gate, Ye Chan parted the curtains and stepped down from the carriage. She happened to hear Murong Yuan calling out "Third Brother" to the person inside the previous carriage.
Ye Chan froze, her entire body rigid.
