Chapter 4: I Was Wrong

  Ling Yuancheng heard this and was stunned for a moment before reluctantly saying: "Originally... sister has the good fortune to marry into the Wang Fu, as her sixth brother, I should be congratulating my sister. However... sister is after all a concubine's daughter... and also, Rui Qinwang's leg..."

  She smiled faintly and said calmly, "As the Prince of Rui is a member of the imperial family, he doesn't need to farm or engage in business. Whether or not he has those two legs doesn't really affect anything. As for the issue of status, since things have not been settled yet, I will do my best to fight for it!"

  She had said so much, what else could Ling Yuanching say? After a long sigh, Ling Yuanching asked seriously: "Sister, have you made up your mind? Won't you change it again?"

  Yan Dai couldn't help but smile wryly at Ling Yuanqing's words. If he had said this a day earlier, perhaps she would have reconsidered. But now that she had made up her mind, it was already too late. Pressing her lips together, she replied in a soft yet resolute tone: "Yes!"

  Ling Yu's clear eyes sparkled, wanting to speak but stopping several times, finally saying in a low voice: "Sister may not know..."

  Yan Dai listened to him say this, and naturally looked at him intently, waiting for him to continue. Ling Yuanqing hesitated again for a moment before saying in a low voice: "I don't know if it's my misconception, but recently... I've been feeling that Cheng Yan has been acting strangely..."

  At this time, Ling Yuancheng suddenly mentioned Xiao Chengye, but it made Yuan Dai's heart puzzled and bewildered. She looked at Ling Yuancheng with a questioning gaze, her eyebrows slightly furrowed as she asked: "Sixth Brother, what do you mean by these words?"

  Since it's already been said, Ling Yuancheng also frankly clarified: "I think, Cheng Ye has intentions towards your sister!"

  Yuandai was taken aback for a moment, then shook her head and laughed: "Sixth brother must have made a mistake!" Ling Yuancheng was not the first person to want to match her with Xiao Chengyan. Time had passed, and now Xiao Chengyan had clearly given up, but unexpectedly another Ling Yuancheng appeared.

  "Little sister should know, I am not the kind of person who speaks nonsense!" He paused again before continuing, "If we talk about status and position, Xian Ye is indeed inferior to Prince Rui. However, the Xiao family is also one of the top aristocratic families in Da Zhou, and Xian Ye's character and temperament are also among the best among the young masters of the aristocratic families in Pingjing..."

  Ling Yu's words were cut off by Yan Dai's bitter smile as she raised her hand: "Sixth brother... you have to understand, the one who intentionally arranged a marriage for me is the Empress!"

  As soon as these words came out, Ling Yuancheng was stunned and couldn't say a word for a long time. Yuan Dai's sentence reminded him. It was like the morning bell and evening drum, which woke him up immediately. The current empress, wasn't she exactly Xiao Chengye's aunt?

  There was a bit of confusion in her mind, and she continued vaguely: "Although the Empress Dowager got two pots of moon orchids from me and gave them to the Queen Mother, I don't think that's why. The Queen Mother only wanted to arrange a marriage for me because of these two pots of flowers!"

  Ling Yuanchen's eyebrows were tightly knitted: "What reason does the princess think the Empress Dowager has, to want to arrange a marriage for her younger sister?"

  After sighing, Yuan Dai said: "I don't dare to be certain, but I think there must be some meaning of the old lady in this too!"

  As soon as these words came out, Ling Yuancheng couldn't say anything else. First, it was the empress who arranged the marriage, and among them, there was also Old Lady Xiao's help. In addition to these two people, they were both from the Xiao family. Thinking about this, no matter how optimistic Ling Yuancheng was, he felt that the matter between Fang Dai and Xiao Chengye was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Taking a long breath, Ling Yuancheng said: "Since my sister has said so, what else can I say?"

  Yan Dai smiled at him, but sincerely said: "Sixth brother's concern for me, no matter when in the future. I will always be grateful and won't forget!" As she spoke, she slowly got up and bowed deeply to Ling Yuanqing.

  Ling Yuancheng hastily reached out to help her up, shaking his head and sighing: "This matter concerns your lifelong happiness, you still need to carefully consider it!"

  Yan Dai nodded lightly and said, "Thank you, Sixth Brother, for reminding me! I will!"

  The two were talking here when the screen outside the pavilion suddenly spoke up and said: "Miss, Cai Lan has arrived!"

  Yuan Dai heard the sound, hastily shifted her gaze to look over, and saw Gao Tai below, Qiao Lan was hurriedly rushing over. Looking at her direction, she was heading straight for Feng Zhu Ting. Unintentionally raising an eyebrow, Yuan Dai turned back to glance at Ling Yuan Qing, smiling faintly: "I'm afraid the wise prince has already arrived!"

  Ling Yuancheng shrugged indifferently and said, "I think it's not necessarily so!"

  Just then, Chao-lan, who was standing at the foot of the steps, called out loudly: "Sixth Master, Ninth Miss, Prince Yu and Princess Lin-ch'ang have arrived!"

  Yan Dai couldn't help but smile when she heard that, and with a sly glance, she shot Ling Yuqing a look. Her eyes seemed to hold a hint of teasing. Ling Yuqing just sighed and gave her a white eye before saying, "Let's go! Since they've arrived, it wouldn't be good if we're late!"

  After leaving Fengzhutai, Yuandai asked Qiaolan: "Where is the princess now?"

  Chao Lan replied, "Earlier, the outside report said that Prince Rui and Princess Linchang had arrived together. Master heard it and hurriedly went out to welcome them with Miss. When Miss was about to leave, she remembered Ninth Miss and hastily sent me to invite Miss to go over as well!"

  Yan Dai suddenly understood as soon as she heard this. It turned out that Ling Yuanqing had invited herself to come to the Wind Bamboo Pavilion to talk, and Xiang Chengye also hurriedly went over to ask about Xiang Chengyan's intentions. At this point, they didn't say anything else and set off with Qiao Lan towards the main hall of another courtyard.

  The grand hall of the Xiao family's detached courtyard was not particularly spacious, but it looked very elegant and refined. When Yuan Dai and Ling Yuanqing arrived at the grand hall, everyone inside had already arrived. At the top of the hall, however, Prince Rui sat in the main seat, while Princess Linchang sat on one side with a sulky face, looking unwilling and resentful, but she didn't dare to speak out loud in front of Prince Rui.

  The next scene was Xiao Cheng Ye and his siblings, as well as the others, taking their seats in order of precedence. Among them were Guo's mother and her three children, but Ling Yuan Xuan was not present.

  Yan Dai glanced at her, and she also understood in her heart. After all, they had just replaced Ling Yuexian with a fake illness yesterday and didn't go to Pusu Mountain Villa. If Ling Yuexian came now, it would be hard to avoid exposing this lie, and they would have to continue pretending.

  The two entered the hall and sat down at their respective seats, paying respects to Prince Rui and Princess Linchang. As soon as they finished bowing, Prince Rui waved his hand lightly: "No need for more courtesy! Please sit!"

  Although he said there was no need for formalities, the two of them still bowed and thanked each other before standing up straight.

  Yuandai's eyes moved, and she saw Xiao Chengyan making eye contact with her. She couldn't help but smile at him and walked over to sit down beside him. Ling Yuqing naturally sat down next to Xiao Chengyan as well. After the two of them were seated, Prince Rui, who was sitting at the head of the table, lightly cleared his throat.

  After this light cough, Lin Chang Gongzhu, who was sitting beside him, finally stood up reluctantly, walked to the front of Xiao Chengyan and Yuan Dai without saying a word, and said with no sincerity: "Yesterday's matter, I was wrong!" (Your support is my greatest motivation.)