With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

Upon hearing this, Qin Senyao was struck dumb, turning sharply to look at Qin Jiaxue, his eyes filled with astonishment and confusion: "Xue'er! What nonsense are you talking about?! When did we...?"

"Brother!"

Qin Jiaxue interrupted him, tears streaming down her face, "Didn't you say you loved Xue'er the most? You said you would always protect Xue'er! Now that things have been exposed, don't you want to take responsibility? Can you bear to watch Xue'er be condemned by everyone?"

Qin Senyao was stunned, his mind a complete mess.

He loved Xue'er and doted on her since she was a child.

Even if they had thoughts of overstepping boundaries, they never imagined it would develop to this point.

Xue'er has clearly lost her innocence, and he doesn't want to be taken advantage of now!

Seeing Qin Jiaxue's tearful face, Qin Senyao opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to refute her, and could only repeat in vain, "No...it's not like that..."

Miss Zhao's scream had already alerted the servants and guests nearby.

Soon, footsteps began to approach.

The first to arrive was Lady Ruyang, who had come upon hearing the news. She arrived with a group of maids and servants, her face filled with astonishment: "What happened? What's wrong?"

However, when she saw the scene inside the room, the shock on her face instantly turned into panic.

How could it be Qin Jiaxue and Qin Senyao?!

Her plan clearly had a goal that was...

She subconsciously looked at Yun Nian, only to see Yun Nian standing at the door with red eyes, heartbroken.

Immediately afterwards, more guests were drawn to the commotion and gathered outside the private room, pointing and whispering among themselves.

The disdainful gazes left Qin Senyao and Qin Jiaxue inside the room with nowhere to hide.

Finally, the crowd parted slightly, and Marquis Ruyang walked over with a solemn expression, followed by Qin Jiuchen, whose expression was indifferent.

Behind Qin Jiuchen was Qi Luo.

Yun Nian's fingers, hanging by her side, curled slightly; her fingertips were icy cold.

She looked up, her tearful eyes filled with shattered starlight and endless sorrow.

Everyone was there, and she knew it was her turn to go on stage.

"Your Highness..."

She began, "Nian'er has always been deeply in love with the Prince, and has always been dutiful and respectful, never daring to overstep her bounds in the slightest. I thought that in a few days, we would be able to live in harmony and mutual respect..."

As she spoke, tears streamed down her pale cheeks like broken pearls.

"Nian'er asks for little; all she desires in life is to find a soulmate with whom she shares a deep understanding, mutual respect, and unwavering loyalty, to grow old together. If she cannot find such a person..."

She paused, then her voice suddenly became clear and resolute, "Nian'er would rather live alone for the rest of her life than share her husband with another, and she would rather be a wife in name only, watching her husband being affectionate with other women all day long."

This candid statement was sincere and heartfelt.

A young girl with beautiful dreams of love is dealt a blow by reality, and her grief and despair are vividly portrayed.

Especially the last sentence, "I'd rather grow old alone," was particularly powerful, resonating with many of the women present. They felt a pang of sorrow and looked at Yun Nian with deep sympathy.

"Now it seems that Nian'er was just indulging in wishful thinking."

Yun Nian raised her hand and fiercely wiped away the tears on her face with the back of her hand.

"Since the young master already has someone he loves deeply, and is even willing to do such a thing in someone else's residence, Nian'er, though of inferior birth, understands the principle that 'a forced relationship is never sweet.'"

"Nian'er doesn't want to become a stumbling block between the Prince and Xue'er, and she doesn't want the three of them to share a room in the future, only adding to their resentment and pain. Therefore..."

She paused, then spoke slowly.

"How about we call off our engagement?"

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this.

Cancel the engagement?

Isn't this a marriage decreed by imperial decree?

Is she defying the imperial decree?

Has Yun Nian gone mad?

Lady Ruyang was the first to react, and her expression changed drastically.

Things took a turn for the worse that was completely beyond her control.

Disobeying an imperial edict is a capital offense punishable by the confiscation of property and the extermination of one's entire family.

If the investigation goes to the bottom and it turns out she was the culprit behind it all, then she's finished.

She quickly stepped forward, trying to smooth things over, "Miss Yun, you mustn't be so impulsive. This might just be a misunderstanding! Young Master, please tell me, is there some misunderstanding? You and Miss Xue'er are definitely innocent, aren't you?"

She pinned her hopes on Qin Senyao, hoping he would back down and deny his relationship with Qin Jiaxue.

Qin Senyao was now in a dilemma.

说实话？

He said that as soon as he entered, he saw Qin Jiaxue disheveled and had been insulted by others?

Qin Jiaxue probably really won't survive.

Although he was unwilling to be taken advantage of, he also couldn't bear to push Xue'er, whom he had cherished since childhood, into a desperate situation.

However, if he admits it, he will confirm the scandal, not only bearing the stigma of being a heartless man, but also having to cancel his engagement with Yun Nian.

Although he didn't have much affection for Yun Nian deep down, this marriage was an imperial decree, a matter of interest, and a symbol of his status as the heir apparent. How could he just cancel it like that?

Yun Nian was backed by the Prime Minister's Mansion, and she herself was becoming increasingly attractive to him in a unique way.

He opened his mouth, but his head was buzzing and his throat felt blocked, so he couldn't say a word.

At that moment, a few whispers came from the crowd.

"Tsk tsk, judging from the prince's troubled expression, could it be that he can't bear to part with either of these beauties and wants to have one on each arm?"

"Hey, I've heard that the young master and this young lady from the Qin family aren't actually siblings. They're both adopted children of Prince Ningxiang. If they're mutually in love, marriage doesn't seem entirely out of the question?"

"That's true, but the imperial decree already granted the marriage! And with this commotion, where does it leave Miss Yun? She's so pitiful."

These comments, like needles, pricked Qin Senyao, making him even more irritable and embarrassed.

He looked at Qin Jiaxue and saw that her eyes were full of pleading and despair.

He knew that if he didn't step forward now, Qin Jiaxue would be finished.

After years of unrequited love, the truth finally prevailed.

He gritted his teeth, turned around abruptly, and knelt down with a thud in front of Qin Jiuchen, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines.

"Father! I know that what I have done is absurd and has brought shame upon the royal family. But Xue'er and I are truly in love. I beg you, Father, to consider our years of affection and grant us your blessing!"

His kneeling and pleading were tantamount to a tacit admission of his relationship with Qin Jiaxue.

All eyes immediately focused on Qin Jiuchen.

Qin Jiuchen remained expressionless, his gaze sweeping over everyone and landing directly on Yun Nian.

He spoke slowly.

"In this matter, Miss Yun is the one directly involved, and she is the one who has been wronged. Qin Senyao, you should seek her consent, not ask me for it."

He lightly kicked the ball back to Yun Nian.

As soon as she finished speaking, all eyes turned to Yun Nian.

Yun Nian raised her tearful eyes to meet Qin Jiuchen's gaze.

The moonlight and candlelight intertwined, reflecting in his eyes as if there were undercurrents surging within them.

She let two lines of clear tears slide down her cheeks silently.

After a moment, she finally spoke.

"Your Highness, Nian'er is unwilling."

"Nian'er requests to annul the engagement."