Imperial Concubine Yun had thought the finalisation of this marriage would be rather difficult, but the worst case she thought of was Xuan Tianhua not being willing. She did not expect that when matters were already settled to this point, it was actually Xiangrong who told her she was not marrying, how was this possible?

  She suspected that she had heard things wrongly, looking at Xiangrong in a stunned manner and asking: “What did you say? Say it again!”


  Xiangrong repeated it again: “Forgive me, Your Highness, Xiangrong cannot marry His Highness the Seventh Prince, cannot marry into Chun Palace.”


  “Why?” Imperial Concubine Yun understood what she heard this time, but at the same time, she became more confused, “Third girl, didn’t you like Hua-er ever since you were young? I know all this, why are you saying that you will not marry? Your mother has already agreed, no one else has anything to say in opposition, this marriage is already something set in stone, why are you doing this?”


  As Imperial Concubine Yun spoke, she wanted to reach out and pull Xiangrong up, but Xiangrong rejected this resolutely, kowtowing to Imperial Concubine Yun three times, speaking unyieldingly: “Xiangrong really does not want to marry, for such a good person like His Highness the Seventh Prince, Xiangrong does not want to lie to him, does not want to ruin his life.”


  Imperial Concubine looked over with a frown, detecting that Xiangrong’s words had a deeper meaning, so she was not anxious to ask more, waiting for Xiangrong to continue on her own.

  Xiangrong gritted her teeth, steeled her determination and spoke again: “Your Highness, the feelings Xiangrong has for His Highness the Seventh Prince were matters from when I was young. At that time, I was young of age and did not know many things, believing that liking is love, thinking that since I have positive feelings, then I want to marry now. But I only understood now, I do not love His Highness the Seventh Prince at all, I do not have deep feelings for him. Of course, currently, whether the man and woman have feelings for each other when they marry are not important, but that is His Highness the Seventh Prince! He is worthy of a better woman, he is completely capable of getting a person who loves him wholeheartedly. And Xiangrong…… not only do I not love His Highness the Seventh Prince, there is someone else in my heart……”


  Xiangrong threw all caution to the wind, even risking her life, telling Imperial Concubine Yun this. Falsely leading a prince on and having someone else in her heart, for this matter, no matter how magnanimous Imperial Concubine Yun was, no matter how well Imperial Concubine Yun treated her, this was something which would not be tolerated. She knew, once Imperial Concubine Yun was angered, even if she was Feng Yuheng’s younger sister, it was very possible for Imperial Concubine Yun to sentence her to death.

  Xiangrong finished saying this and hung her head deeply, closing her eyes tightly, her heart in so much pain that it was like it had been cut. Heavens knew how deep her feelings were for His Highness the Seventh Prince, it was love which had seeped into the bones, carrying more weight than her own life. But now, she chose to use this method to personally cut this marriage, if it was possible, she would rather die immediately.

  Xiangrong suddenly regretted it a little, but she had thought of death. Why was she so stupid? If she died, His Highness the Seventh Prince would naturally not need to marry her, why did she have to use this kind of method? But thinking about it again, a bitter smile rose in her heart. If she died, His Highness the Seventh Prince would not use her as an excuse to never marry, right? That person…… she actually understood him rather well.

  Momentarily, there were hundreds and thousands of thoughts, Imperial Concubine Yun who was standing in front of her did not speak for a long time. Xiangrong did not know how much time had passed. Imperial Concubine Yun finally spoke again, but asked her: “It’s Old Fourth?”


  She was stunned and immediately realised, yesterday the Fourth Prince came and caused that commotion, Imperial Concubine Yun also took it to heart. She did not want to drag anyone into this, but since the topic moved to this, it made it difficult for her to cover up her lie that quickly. If she did not admit it was the Fourth Prince, when Imperial Concubine Yun asked who it was, how was she supposed to find a scapegoat?”


  Without any other choice, she could only nod, acknowledging: “Yes.”


  Imperial Concubine Yun was so angry that smoke almost came out from her head, flicking her sleeve and walking away, not even wanting to pay attention to this Feng Xiangrong. Instinct told her and there must be something behind this, it was not as simple as Feng Xiangrong said, but she was angry, angry that these youngsters only kept everything inside their hearts, using their self-righteous methods to solve them, not thinking about the feelings of other people at all.

  She tried very hard to adjust her emotions, and when they calmed down to some extent, she turned around and asked Xiangrong: “You thought about it properly? Once these words are said, there is no way to take them back, once This One’s thoughts of facilitating this marriage are cut, this matter cannot be raised again! Giving up on Hua-er, you, can bear to do it?”


  She addressed herself as This One when she spoke, Xiangrong’s heart chilled, she knew, no matter what, the water she had thrown out could never be collected back anymore. Therefore, she sighed sadly in her heart, but still nodded: “This Commoner has decided.”


  “Alright! Alright! Alright!” Imperial Concubine Yun said alright three times. She had also used the word alright three times when she met Feng Yuheng for the first time, but the current time was not the same as before, with these three alrights, she cut off the marriage fate between XIangrong and Xuan Tianhua for their whole lives. “Go!” She waved her hand, already less agitated compared to just now, “Go to the courtyard and kneel, making fun of This One, This One is mindful that you are Princess Yu’s younger sister, so This One will spare your life. But you have to kneel for a full three days and three nights, this is considered a punishment for…… your unfaithfulness to Hua-er. The marriage between the two of you, will be dropped as of this moment!”


  Xiangrong kowtowed three times to Imperial Concubine Yun once again, leaving the room quietly, kneeling in the courtyard outside. In her opinion, this kind of punishment was the lightest one, Xiangrong pulled at the edges of her lips, wanting to smile, but tears constantly poured out fiercely instead and she was unable to stop them.

  From the day she met Xuan Tianhua for the first time until today, she had walked this path for four years, four years! She was so close to succeeding, marrying into Chun Palace under everyone’s envious gazes. She knew that Xuan Tianhua did not love her, but she also knew that Xuan Tianhua would definitely treat her well, that good treatment would not lose to any husband who deeply loved his wife, she could spend the rest of her life happily and without worry.

  She really wanted that kind of life! But it could not be done, it really could not be done! Knowing that the union between them was a predestined disaster, she could not act like she did not know and marry over forcefully. It was fine if the retribution went to her, if it went to Xuan Tianhua instead, she would never forgive herself.

  Therefore, all of this was worth it, right?

  Xiangrong consoled herself like this, as long as that person could live his life safely, did not matter if she lived well or not? If nothing else, she would spend the rest of her life alone, or find a normal person to marry, keeping her mother company, that was rather good as well. As a daughter, she should fulfill her filial duty as well.

  She knelt in Imperial Concubine Yun’s courtyard like this, her mind running wild and thinking about various things, constantly using various assumed possibilities to console and numb herself. But she did not know, when she was kneeling here, Qian Fengshou had already looked for Feng Yuheng and Xuan Tianming, speaking to them honestly about the destined disaster in the eight characters.

  It was not that Qian Fengshou did not keep this promise, it was just that Feng Xiangrong did not carry much weightage. In the end, he had to listen to the orders from Xuan Tianming and Feng Yuheng, in the end, his son was working under Xuan Tianming, so as he thought about it, he should not only think about following Xiangrong’s wishes, this matter could be hidden from Imperial Concubine Yun first, but he could not hide this from these two people.

  Feng Yuheng had already heard that Xiangrong was kneeling in Imperial Concubine Yun’s courtyard, but she did not know the reason for that. An Shi also heard about this matter, her heart pained for this daughter and she was also worried, but she did not dare to run over to Imperial Concubine Yun’s courtyard to ask, so she could only feel anxious on her own. Hearing the report from Qian Fengshou now, this husband and wife finally understood the whole story.

  Xuan Tianming did not express his stance on this matter, only telling Qian Fengshou: “Other than the two of us, this mater cannot be mentioned to anyone else. Return to Yu Province, there is nothing for you do here.” After dismissing Qian Fengshou, that was when he asked his wife: “What do you think about this?”


  Feng Yuheng showed a troubled smile, “Xiangrong is a child who loves to overthink on insignificant things, letting her know that the eight characters for the marriage between her and Seventh Brother did not match, she must have looked for Imperial Concubine Mother to proactively reject the marriage.”


  Xuan Tianming nodded, finally expressing his views: “This is good too, I did not have a positive opinion about this marriage, so it is fine if it does not go through. As for Xiangrong, we should help her look for a good person so she would not be alone her whole life because there is no Seventh Brother.”


  Feng Yuheng continued to show a troubled smile: “What else can we do? She cut off the matter completely, who else can help her. Moreover……” Faint worry appeared on her face, “Destined disaster? Where is the disaster?”


  “You also feel that Seventh Brother’s actions are strange, right? Xuan Tianming finally asked her this, “During the journey, you advised me not to think too much, but in reality, you also thought a lot about it, right? Heng Heng, if this a disaster caused by the marriage, I can breathe a sigh of relief. Two people spending their days, even if there is disaster, where else can it happen? But I am afraid that this disaster is because of the war. Seventh Brother took my military tally, was it really for the sake of helping me bring the soldiers to the eastern border? Sending me over to Ji An Prefecture, is it really to have me propose the marriage for him?”


  Every sentence Xuan Tianming said entered Feng Yuheng’s heart, finally disturbing her emotions which were forcefully settled down. Once waves ripple on the surface of a calm lake, this wave could not be stopped. Wave after wave appeared, and finally surging upwards, it was difficult to revert to its original state.

  She was a little fidgety, walking a few rounds around where she stood, and she finally spoke: “It is mid-autumn tomorrow, after mid-autumn, you should head to the east side first! Do not worry, I will be protecting Imperial Concubine Mother and nothing unexpected will happen. I will try my best to advise her to return to the capital, if any dangers are encountered on the way, I will send her into the Space immediately, nothing will go wrong.”


  Xuan Tianming nodded, “We can only do this. I am truly rather anxious to head towards the east. I keep having the feeling that something huge will happen, as each day passes without me going, this heart cannot settle down.”


  At this end, Xuan Tianming and his wife were discussing the matter of heading to the eastern border after mid-autumn, on another end, the Fourth Prince Xuan Tianyi visited the Princess’ manor again, but once he entered the manor, he heard the matter of Xiangrong kneeling in Imperial Concubine Yun’s courtyard. Information did come from Imperial Concubine Yun’s side, saying that the marriage between the Seventh Prince Xuan Tianhua and Feng family’s Third Miss Feng Xiangrong would be cancelled. After Feng’s Third Miss knelt in her courtyard for a full three days and three nights, this matter could not be mentioned by anyone anymore.

  This piece of news shocked Xuan Tianyi greatly, but immediately after that, another piece of news of Imperial Concubine Yun’s side caused him to feel rather excited. Feng’s Third Miss personally admitted that the person she wanted to marry the most was the Fourth Prince Xuan Tianyi, the matter with the Seventh Prince was just a misunderstanding.

  When Xuan Tianyi heard this, he rubbed his hands together as his blood boiled! That girl finally saw the light? She finally understood who was contained in her heart? That was good! That was really good!

  He grabbed the attendant next to him, saying anxiously: “Go quickly! Quickly bring over the mandarin duck picture which This Prince finished sewing last night, I had originally planned to send it over as a congratulatory gift when she and Old Seventh are engaged, but unexpectedly, it will be using it myself in the end! Bring it over quickly, since Imperial Concubine Yun is here, let’s settle this engagement with her as witness!”


  Just as Xuan Tianyi wished, that mandarin duck picture was accepted by Imperial Concubine Yun on behalf of Xiangrong, and she even told Xuan Tianyi: “It is mid-autumn tomorrow, the Princess’ manor is organising a banquet, Old Fourth can come over as well! Didn’t you wish for This One to make a decision for you? While This One is here, This One will make the decision for you!”