If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

The two had known each other for a long time, but remained silent.

"Don't you have anything else to say to me?"

Wang Jue stared at her intently.

Xi Lingxian closed her eyes and ignored her.

Wang Jue gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. "You used to talk so much, why are you so quiet now?"

"We used to talk a lot, so we argued a lot too."

"But I see you and Ji Ruchuan still talking a lot. You just don't have anything to say to me, right?" His eyes were smiling, but his words sent a chill down one's spine.

No wonder he's a rich kid, he has quite the temper.

"You find me annoying, but aren't there people who don't find me annoying and are willing to talk to me?"

Wang Jue raised his hand and flicked her cheek.

Xi Lingxian clicked her tongue and frowned. "Don't touch me."

Wang Jue glanced at the medicine bowl and the empty candied fruit dish beside him, "Still has quite a temper."

"How old are you? You need to eat a dish of candied fruit after drinking half a bowl of medicine?"

Xi Lingxian felt a surge of anger; this man was even more detestable than in her previous life.

"I didn't eat at your place, so what's it to you?"

Wang Jue raised an eyebrow, but surprisingly did not retaliate.

Xi Lingxian was still ill, and talking for a while had taken a toll on her energy; she didn't want to look at him, so she simply closed her eyes and leaned back on the soft couch.

She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, but could vaguely feel the gaze of the person next to her fixed on her.

After an unknown amount of time, I heard a rustling sound of fabric rubbing against my ear, followed by footsteps that gradually faded into the distance until they disappeared completely outside the courtyard.

Xi Lingxian slowly relaxed her tense shoulders, letting out a barely audible sigh.

……

The following day, news of the Prince of Chenliu returning to the capital to meet the emperor spread like wildfire throughout the city.

At 9:00 AM, the Imperial Guards lined up along the main street of Jiankang City, their banners fluttering and their armor gleaming.

Prince Xiao Yun of Chenliu, riding a tall horse, wore a princely robe with a long sword at his waist. Five hundred elite cavalry followed behind him. The horses' hooves pounded on the bluestone slabs, and the people couldn't help but marvel.

"This is the Prince of Chenliu? He's so young and handsome!"

"I heard he's only just turned twenty and hasn't married a princess yet."

"You must be here in the capital for marriage. As a member of the royal family, you must marry a noblewoman from a family of equal social standing."

Amidst the murmurs and discussions, Xiao Yun remained oblivious, his gaze calmly fixed on the palace's defensive lines, as if all the commotion had nothing to do with him.

After entering the palace, Xiao Yun kowtowed to the emperor in the Taiji Hall.

Looking at his handsome and extraordinary nephew, the emperor felt very relieved. "Ah Yun has come from afar; you must have had a long and arduous journey."

"To share Your Majesty's burdens, I dare not complain of hardship." Xiao Yun stood up, his peripheral vision slowly sweeping over the ministers in the hall.

His gaze lingered on each person for only a short time; he had long heard of Wang Jue, the eldest son of the Langya Wang clan.

Although he had never seen it before, it didn't seem to stop him from spotting it at a glance.

Wang Jue stood third in the civil officials' column, dressed in the court robes of a third-rank official, looking strikingly young among a group of white-haired old ministers.

A gentle breeze and a bright moon; a relaxed and carefree atmosphere.

Xiao Yun smiled slightly and nodded in his direction.

Wang Jue nodded slightly, showing perfect manners.

The Emperor spoke, "You're new to Jiankang and not yet familiar with many people. This is Wang Jue, son of Grand Commandant Wang, currently serving as Vice Minister of the Chancellery. He's young and promising; you can get to know him better in the future, A-Yun."

"So it's Young Master Wang."

"When I was in Chenliu, I often heard people talk about the people in Jiankang. They said that the Langya Wang clan had a prodigy who, at the tender age of twenty, was already famous throughout the court and the country—his poetry and prose were unparalleled in Jiangnan, and his political opinions were incisive and insightful. Even the old Grand Tutor exclaimed, 'The younger generation is truly formidable.'"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Having met you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved."

"Your Highness is too kind; I am unworthy of such praise."

Their gazes met silently in mid-air.

Like two drawn swords, their blades meeting.

Xiao Yun withdrew his gaze and turned to the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I have just arrived in Jiankang and there are still many things I do not understand. In the future, I will inevitably have to consult with young talents like Prince Wang. I hope Your Majesty will grant me permission."

The emperor breathed a sigh of relief and nodded quickly: "Good, good, I'm relieved that A-Yun can interact more with Minister Wang."

Wang Jue bowed slightly, as if in response to the emperor's words.

The welcoming banquet for the Prince of Chenliu was held in Qinghui Hall, east of Taiji Hall. The hall was brightly lit, and the sounds of string and bamboo instruments could be heard across the water, their lingering notes echoing in the air.

Xi Lingxian sat at the women's table, listlessly counting the cups in front of her.

"Fanfan, why are you spacing out again?"

A clear, crisp voice came from beside me, tinged with a hint of reproach.

Shen Qingdai poked her cheek. "What are you thinking about? Is something still bothering you?"

Xi Lingxian looked away and smiled, "It's nothing, I just feel bored."

"Boring?" Shen Qingdai leaned closer and lowered her voice, "Do you know how many people are desperate to get in tonight? You think it's boring?"

"I've heard that this Prince of Chenliu is very young and handsome, unlike those other old and decrepit princes. Some people saw his procession when he entered the city and said that he looked better on horseback than anyone in a painting."

Xi Lingxian chuckled: "When did you start paying attention to these things?"

"I'm just asking around for you!" Shen Qingdai said matter-of-factly, "Isn't your father arranging a marriage for you? Just in case..."

"There's no 'what if'," Xi Lingxian interrupted her. "I won't marry into the imperial family."

Shen Qingdai opened her mouth, "Then who do you want to marry..."

Xi Ling lowered her head.

She doesn't want to marry anyone.

All she wanted was to stay with her father, to stay with the Xi family, and to live a peaceful and stable life.

A commotion suddenly arose outside the hall, and the high-pitched shouts of eunuchs grew louder as they approached.

"His Highness the Prince of Chenliu has arrived—"

The palace doors were wide open, and the lights were shining brightly.

Xi Lingxian had no interest in the young and handsome prince. She just kept her head down and drank her tea, thinking about how to find an excuse to leave early.

"It's here! It's here!" Shen Qingdai excitedly tugged at her sleeve. "Look!"

Xi Lingxian sighed and glanced lazily towards the palace entrance—

Then her movements froze.

At the entrance of the hall, a tall, slender figure strode in.

He was dressed in royal robes, black top and crimson skirt, with a long sword at his waist, and his gait carried the agility characteristic of a soldier.

The candlelight in the hall fell on him, outlining his sharply defined face.

His eyebrows slanted upwards, and his eyes shone like cold stars.

Xi Lingxian's fingers tightened suddenly. Was it the person who helped her defeat the bandits that day?

The eunuchs' chants still echoed in the hall.

Shen Qingdai whispered from the side, "This is the Prince of Chenliu? He's so young, so..."

She didn't hear a single word of what Shen Qingdai said after that.

She stared blankly as the man sat in the royal seat, chatting and laughing with those around him.

The person who came to her rescue on the mountain path, the person she thought was just a passing knight-errant, turned out to be the "unfriendly" Prince of Chenliu, as her father had described him.

Xiao Yun was talking to the ministers beside him when he seemed to sense something. Suddenly, his gaze swept over everyone in the hall and landed precisely on her.

Eyes facing each other.

Xi Lingxian turned her face away, suddenly becoming alert.

A prince from the imperial family who had just arrived in the capital happened to appear on a mountain road outside the city and happened to save her, the legitimate daughter of the Xi family in Jingkou.

Isn't that too much of a coincidence?