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墨書 Inktalez
Shuilian, despite living in constant fear, was finally able to rest assured during her pregnancy under the strict protection of Yun Kexin and the others. The following year, she gave birth to a son named Yun He. Yun Yang was overjoyed at having a child in his old age and repeatedly called Shuilian the "heroine" of the Third House. Whenever he had free time, he would hold Yun He tightly, making Fu Yin beside him feel envious. She thought to herself that when Yun Xia was born, he had never been this happy, and even when Yun Xia grew to four or five years old, he had never been this affectionate. Was this just the fate of girls? Why was he so attentive to Yun Kexin?
Yun Ran was also unhappy. As a concubine, she did not receive the love of her father and legal wife. On the other hand, Yun He was adored by everyone. When he turned one year old, Yun Yang extravagantly held a birthday banquet at the residence, which made Yun Ran both angry and pained. In the Third House, she now had someone she disliked: Yun He. Every time she saw him, she would give him a cold shoulder and did not allow him to call her "Elder Sister Five."
This year, Yun Kexin turned twelve. Calculating the days, it had been less than a year since Feng Yinxiao and Yun Ke's triumphant return. Besides instructing Shansheng and Shanying to secretly keep an eye on Fu Lianyin's actions to prevent her from harming Shuilian, she also watched over Shuilian while preparing nourishing food in the kitchen. Fu Lianyin had initially harbored murderous intentions when the Water Concubine gave birth to her son—she had considered tampering with the nourishing food—but because Yun Kexin was already on guard, Fu Lianyin found it impossible to act. Realizing that the Water Concubine had continued the lineage for the Third House and had become increasingly dear to Yun Yang, she thought that if she were too eager to eliminate her now, she would surely be abandoned by Yun Yang. It was better to be cautious. After much thought, she decided to abandon the idea of having Shuilian "die suddenly" and instead execute her second plan: once Yun He turned three, she would take care of him herself as the legal wife.
In the twenty-sixth year of Taihe, Yun Kexin turned thirteen. The days until Feng Yinxiao and Yun Ke's return were getting closer; she had finally endured these three years. She marveled at how uneventful things were and hoped they would continue smoothly.
Walking in the spring sunshine through a garden full of blooming peach blossoms, Yun Kexin's beautiful face wore a slight smile as her heart brimmed with endless longing.
"Seventh Sister, what are you looking at?" Fu Yihang appeared behind Yun Kexin without her noticing and stood quite close, his tone intimate.
"Nothing," Yun Kexin jumped in surprise upon realizing it was Fu Yihang. Goosebumps rose all over her body as she moved aside cautiously and said, "Just taking a stroll. When did Young Master Fu arrive?"
"I've been here for quite a while; it's you who didn't notice me," Fu Yihang smiled while closely observing Yun Kexin's increasingly charming face and delicate figure, feeling a stir in his heart. "What are you so lost in thought about?"
"Young Master Fu, I already explained earlier that I was just casually admiring the flowers in the garden," Yun Kexin tried to remain patient. "Did you come here for something urgent?"
If there was anything bothersome in these three years, it was Fu Yihang. Tong Zhichen had visited her before but always maintained a gentlemanly demeanor without overstepping boundaries unlike Fu Yihang, who was as clingy as a sticky plaster. "Then I'll accompany my cousin to admire the flowers," Fu Yihang replied off-topic, intentionally ignoring Yun Kexin's question. "I also really like peach blossoms; you know that."
Yun Kexin's pretty face turned colder than unspent frost as she couldn't help but mock internally: Who knows about your trivial matters? Stop trying to get close to me here! Raising her eyes, she collided with Fu Yihang's sinister gaze and suddenly recalled that when she turned ten, he had intended to propose to the Third House when she turned thirteen. Her vigilance immediately heightened.
"Young Master Fu, forgive me for not knowing that you liked peach blossoms," Yun Kexin splashed cold water on him nonchalantly. "Also, I have never claimed to like peach blossoms; I just happened to pass by."
Fu Yihang's expression changed slightly but quickly returned to a smile. "It's no problem; I'm just happy to accompany Seventh Sister."
Yun Kexin frowned. How could she shake him off? It felt rather sad! In her previous life, they had been so close they seemed like one person; they reached a point where they felt like they hadn't seen each other for ages if even one day passed. Yet this time around, things were vastly different. Besides resentment and heartbreak, did she still harbor some vague expectations for another person?
Recalling their farewell three years ago in the training grounds' tent—how reluctant they had been with their lips pressed together—every memory made her blush and her heart race.
Watching as a sudden calmness enveloped Yun Kexin’s icy face which then took on a dreamy blush added an alluring charm to her appearance; Fu Yihang held his breath as his admiration became hard to conceal. But when he thought that her blush might be for Feng Yinxiao, anger surged within him—
"Cousin, are you thinking about him?" Fu Yihang suddenly raised his voice almost to a shout. "That Young Marquis? Right?!"
Three years ago, he "accepted" Yun Ran's "suggestion," using some means to have the then Deputy Minister of War, Uncle Fu Yueheng, assign Feng Yinxiao to the battlefield, intending to separate the two for three long years. Three years is neither too long nor too short; it is enough time to forget or cool one's feelings for someone. However, three years later, Yun Kexin still showed no signs of wavering, which made his three years of waiting feel utterly wasted, and just thinking about it left him feeling unwilling to accept it. The charming blush on Yun Kexin's face dissipated instantly under Fu Yihang's sharp questioning, replaced by her usual expressionless demeanor when facing him.
"Fu Shizi, please conduct yourself with dignity," Yun Kexin turned slightly away and said coldly, "I have told you many times that in private, with only the two of us present, please be mindful of your words and actions. Do not be overly aggressive; it would only invite gossip that benefits neither of us."
"Why?" Fu Yihang suppressed the irritation clawing at his heart and forced himself to speak pleasantly. "My feelings for Seventh Sister are as clear as day."
"That is you, not me!" Yun Kexin suddenly turned around, raising an eyebrow and saying, "Fu Shizi, I have decided not to marry in this lifetime. Give up on that thought; do not bring it up again."
"What about Feng Yinxiao?" A sinister glint flashed in Fu Yihang's eyes. "Let me tell you this, cousin: the war has been going on for three years now, and there has been no news from the army. He might have—"
"Shut up!" Yun Kexin could no longer endure it; her voice rose slightly as a cold light flickered in her eyes. "Fu Shizi, do you know that my cousin Yun Ke is also fighting in this war?"
"This... this... no," Fu Yihang appeared flustered. He wished for Feng Yinxiao to die on the battlefield but had never considered that it might affect Yun Ke. He stammered awkwardly, "Seventh Sister, don't misunderstand me; I mean no harm. I just wanted you to be mentally prepared."
"Stop it; I don't need any mental preparation," Yun Kexin said, her good mood ruined after days of pleasantness. She just wanted to distance herself from Fu Yihang, whom she considered a "plague." "It's just that I never thought my cousin would get into trouble! Fu Shizi, I want to see my younger brother. Please do not follow me."
She left without looking back.
"Seventh Sister, no matter how you treat me, my feelings for you remain unchanged," Fu Yihang shouted at her retreating figure without caring for his image. "Also, the other day, I had my father and mother formally propose to my uncle and Aunt..."
Yun Kexin was so angry she stomped her feet: What is he doing? Is this emotional blackmail? In her previous life, she had only seen Fu Yihang as gentle and refined and had never noticed his entangled nature—disregarding appearances and resorting to any means.
"Fu Shizi, let me remind you," Yun Kexin slowly turned back with a calm tone full of mockery for his "infatuation." "My marriage has already been arranged by Second Uncle in a brocade box; that person is neither Feng Yinxiao nor you!"
With that said, she flicked her sleeves and left him standing there in disbelief: When did Seventh Sister become so "dominant"?
As Fu Yihang predicted, a few days later, King Han Fu Yueze and Princess Wang Ling visited the Duke's residence of the Third House.
"Brother, Sister-in-law, please have some tea first," Fu Lianyin greeted her family politely with a smile. "Although we traveled by carriage, it's still quite a distance from King Han's residence to the Duke's residence; it must have been tiring."
"What tiring? Today the prince and I came to seek a match for our daughter," Wang Ling said playfully while turning her head away from Yun Yang with a smile. "Third Master, please do not take offense."
Fu Lianyin understood that her brother and sister-in-law were certainly here for their precious son Fu Yihang and smiled accordingly.
"Sister-in-law is for Nephew, right? It's fine, we're all family here, so feel free to speak your mind."
"The lady has a point." Yun Yang, who was delighted with the arrival of a precious child, had maintained a good mood for the past two years and rarely showed a stern face to the servants. " Han Wang, the princess, you can speak freely without any concerns."
"It's all for Hang Er," Wang Ling said casually while gently pushing aside the lid of her teacup with her red-dyed fingers, smiling leisurely. "Sister and Three Elders know his feelings for Seventh Young Lady, which have remained unchanged over the years. Now that the two children are fifteen and thirteen, isn't it time to settle their marriage?"
"This..." Yun Yang was taken aback and didn't respond immediately. "I remember that Han Wang and the princess favored Princess Li Yuyong from Prince Jin's Residence. How come—"
Wang Ling almost blurted out: Don't mention any Princess, she's already married. Instead, she smiled and said:
"At that time, we did think that way," Wang Ling said, though she loved her son, she didn't want to lose face. "But who knew that Hang Er only has eyes for Seventh Young Lady? As parents, we felt sorry for him, so we eventually went along with his wishes. Coincidentally, both families have become closer. I wonder how sister and Three Elders feel about this?" Wang Ling thought her words were sincere and tactful, elevating Yun Kexin while not embarrassing the royal family. She expected Third House to agree readily, but unexpectedly, Three Elders spoke with an apologetic tone:
"Han Wang, princess, we have seen Nephew Fu's feelings for Seventh Young Lady. However, Kexin's situation is special; back then, we couldn't interfere with the marriage with Second House, and it has been like this for years."
Both Fu Yueze and Wang Ling turned cold, their expressions alternating between awkwardness and displeasure. Fu Lianyin secretly blamed her brother and sister-in-law for not taking decisive action years ago when Yun Yang was in harmony with her; now it was too late to seek a marriage alliance with Third House, as Yun Yang had leaned towards Second House, not to mention they still had a son "in charge."
"We understand this," Fu Yueze, being a prince, quickly concealed his displeasure and said with a faint smile, "What I mean is, could Lord Yun communicate with Second House to consider an alliance with Han Wangfu? I'm sure they are well aware of Hang Er's feelings for Seventh Young Lady." Fu Lianyin cast a pleading glance at Yun Yang—hoping he wouldn't outright refuse but leave some room for negotiation. Considering how the Fu Family had "taken care" of Water Lily over the years, Yun Yang reluctantly nodded and forced a smile at Han Wang and the princess. "Alright then, I'll try to bring this up with Second Sister-in-law..."
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