"Careful."
Qi Yelin reached out with his long arms, and Gu Zhaoyan leaned into his embrace as if by instinct. Before he could speak, she interjected, "I feel dizzy. Let me lean on you for a moment."
"Dizzy?" Qi Yelin looked skeptical. He reached up to touch her forehead. "You don't have a fever."
"Dizziness doesn't always mean a fever. I’m just furious at Song Hesheng." It had to be said, Qi Yelin’s chest was perfectly firm yet soft, even more comfortable than the custom-made pillows she had commissioned for herself. "Just let me rest for a while; I'll be fine soon."
Qi Yelin’s entire body went rigid. He was unaccustomed to such intimate proximity with Gu Zhaoyan, so the very next second, he pushed her away. "Men and women should keep their distance. Eldest Princess, please have some self-respect."
If not for having seen him dress her in her wedding gown in her previous life, Gu Zhaoyan might have actually believed him.
"When you were holding my hand just now, gently wiping each of my fingers, why didn't you think about men and women keeping their distance?" Gu Zhaoyan stared straight at him.
The intensity of her gaze left Qi Yelin with nowhere to hide.
"Qi Yelin, do you find me beautiful?"
Beyond her political acumen, Gu Zhaoyan’s beauty was the talk of the town. She was, without question, a woman who could topple kingdoms and cities. Had she not always been so fastidious about her reputation—never keeping male consorts—the number of men trying to become her paramour would have brought the entire Capital to a standstill.
"Why has the Eldest Princess suddenly become concerned with her appearance?" Qi Yelin found the Eldest Princess rather strange today, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Of course, he didn't dislike it; he was simply unaccustomed to it.
"A scholar dies for his bosom friend, and a woman adorns herself for the one who delights in her," Gu Zhaoyan said, stroking her own cheek. "From the Emperor's ascension until yesterday, I never allowed myself a moment of rest. Now that I have set down those heavy burdens, it is only natural that I start considering myself."
"So, is the Eldest Princess’s own lifelong commitment also under consideration?"
"Prince Shen, you are so clever."
Gu Zhaoyan gave him an approving look. "Although you and I have crossed swords at court, in private, you have never once caused me trouble. On the contrary, you have helped me many times. For that, I must say thank you."
The sudden expression of gratitude caught Qi Yelin off guard. "The past is in the past, Eldest Princess. There is no need to bring it up."
"How can I not?" Gu Zhaoyan chuckled coquettishly. "You may not care, but I do. I am still counting on you to help me find a good Imperial Son-in-law."
The conversation had returned to where it started. Qi Yelin remained silent for a few seconds, looking at her earnestly, his eyes clouded with confusion. "Eldest Princess, do you truly intend to marry?"
"Given how much the officials loathe me, once they learn I have annulled the marriages with those three families, they will surely propose to the Emperor that I be married off to someone. Instead of waiting for them to choose, I would rather find someone myself; at least that way I have a choice. Besides, there is always the worst-case scenario..." Gu Zhaoyan felt a pang of reluctance to leave the warmth of his chest. "...being sent away for a political marriage."
The mention of a political marriage instantly soured Qi Yelin’s expression. "If a nation must rely on a princess's marriage to maintain peace, its fortune will not last long. Furthermore, with Dayan’s current strength, there is no need to rely on the marriage of a princess to maintain relations with other countries."
Why hadn't she realized before that Qi Yelin was so good at offering comfort?
"That may be true, but you don't know how many people despise me."
She couldn't lean on him any longer, or she would have wanted to stay the entire day. Seeing Gu Zhaoyan step back, Qi Yelin did not let go of the hand he had around her waist. "With your support, they could achieve twice the result with half the effort, yet they use your reputation to scheme for greater personal gain. They are simply sour because they cannot reach the grapes."
"I never imagined Prince Shen saw things so clearly. In that case, would you like to reconsider? I am being serious..."
"No."
Before she could finish, he cut her off ruthlessly. Gu Zhaoyan brushed his hand away and stepped out of his embrace. "Forget it. I've said too much today that I shouldn't have. I am tired and wish to return to my estate to rest."
Qi Yelin’s robes were still scented with Gu Zhaoyan’s perfume—a faint floral fragrance that lingered around him. "Eldest Princess..."
"Hmm?"
Gu Zhaoyan turned her head to look at the tall, slender Qi Yelin and broke into a smile. "Can't bear to see me go?"
Hearing this, Qi Yelin’s wavering heart hardened instantly. "Eldest Princess, try not to visit my estate if you have nothing important to do in the future. This prince is very busy."
What a heartless thing.
Gu Zhaoyan pursed her lips. "Oh."
Qi Yelin: ?
Why wasn't she angry? Just a single, dismissive word?
But by the time he regained his focus, Gu Zhaoyan had already walked out of the courtyard. Only the lingering scent of flowers remained to remind him that everything that had just happened was real. He slowly raised the hand that had held her waist and sniffed it.
The scent of lilies.
A breeze swept through, and the servants standing in the courtyard watched as their usually stern, joyless master wore a faint smile on his lips. He looked like the red plum blossoms blooming beneath the winter snow—dazzling and eye-catching.
***
"Moyu, help me do one thing."
After returning to her estate, Gu Zhaoyan called Moyu to her side. "Use whatever means necessary to acquire the Mingyue Restaurant."
"The Mingyue Restaurant has been struggling for the past six months. No one knows if it’s due to poor management or if they’ve offended someone, but they are about to close down. Why would you want to buy it at a time like this?"
"The Mingyue Restaurant is an old, established brand and a landmark of the Capital. I cannot bear to see it perish like this. Hurry and get it done."
Moyu nodded. "Yes."
When speaking of the Mingyue Restaurant, one had to mention another of the three potential Imperial Son-in-laws: Shen Yuan.
The Shen clan was a century-old noble family and the wealthiest in Dayan. As the eldest son of the direct line, Shen Yuan had been doted upon since birth. The Shen clan’s businesses spanned the entirety of Dayan, yet in the restaurant industry, they could never compete with the Mingyue Restaurant.
To crush them, the Shen clan had secretly conspired with others, poaching the restaurant's head chefs to steal secret recipes and offering high wages to lure away their staff. Most viciously, they had bribed the restaurant's suppliers to contaminate the raw ingredients, causing patrons to suffer from severe illness, with several even dying.
This was the root cause of the Mingyue Restaurant’s business plummeting toward bankruptcy.
In her previous life, Gu Zhaoyan had not understood it. Given the Shen clan’s wealth, even if the Mingyue Restaurant opened another hundred locations, it would not have shaken the Shen family’s status. It was not until she was nearing death that she understood: the Shen clan’s businesses were spread far and wide, and they naturally possessed an intelligence network. The Mingyue Restaurant, thanks to its ancestors' wisdom, occupied several key areas in the Capital, and the Shen clan wanted to acquire those locations to complete their network.
Becoming the secret owner of the Mingyue Restaurant and cutting off the Shen family’s designs was the first step in Gu Zhaoyan’s plan to deal with them.
As for Shen Yuan...
A tranquil face appeared in Gu Zhaoyan’s mind. "Jintang, go to a certain place and help me redeem someone."