MYUFPC CHAPTER 17
There's a girl in my heart
Jiashan hadn't expected Zhan Yue to turn the tables on her in such a way. Although his breathing was steady, his tall stature, narrow waist, and broad shoulders naturally created a sense of oppression over her.
Jiashan was slightly stunned before she realized what was happening. She smiled and, in a moment, had a set of words ready: "Daren is a high-ranking official, and my cousin is just entered the officialdom. Since your official rank is higher than his, he should naturally be more polite to you."
Zhan Yue's lips moved.
His gaze remained fixed on Jiashan. His voice was gentle, but his tone was bland: "When Your Highness speaks to me, you seem to prefer to speak in official language."
"But when you speak to Pei Daren, it's clearly not like that."
Zhan Yue looked up at her. Perhaps Jiashan was mistaken, but she felt that there was a hint of loneliness in his eyes.
What was he lonely about?
Jiashan's heart moved.
Zhan Yue continued, "Does Your Highness think I am difficult to get along with?"
Jiashan smiled and said, "Of course not. If I thought Daren was difficult to get along with, I wouldn't be here talking to you frankly."
Zhan Yue pursed his lips. He brushed away the leaves that had stuck to his sleeve and turned half his face to face Jiashan.
After a long silence, Zhan Yue leaned back slightly, resting lightly against the tree trunk. His gaze fixed on the vines, and his long eyes narrowed slightly: "There's something I've always wanted to ask Your Highness."
Zhan Yue paused, then looked up at her and said slowly, "Since Your Highness said you wanted to speak frankly, I'll be direct."
His words aroused Jiashan's curiosity, and she smiled brightly, her expression full of excitement: "Please go on, Daren."
"There's a girl in my heart," Zhan Yue's voice was deep, and his words were earth-shattering as soon as he opened his mouth. Before Jiashan could show any surprise, Zhan Yue continued calmly, "In the past, I always felt that I wasn't good enough for her."
"But these days, I've been tossing and turning, and I think that rather than letting her marry those ordinary men, I might as well ask her to marry me." Zhan Yue's long, thick eyelashes fluttered as he stared intently at Jiashan, his tone serious, "At least I will treat her well."
His voice sounded steady at first, but upon closer examination, one could detect a slight tremor.
The last few words, "treat her well," seemed to sway in the air like a swing, full of yunwei.
Jiashan didn't know why, but seeing Zhan Yue so serious and restrained, she suddenly found it a little funny.
He probably never told anyone this before, which is why he's so nervous?
Zhan Yue looked up, "What do you think, Your Highness?"
Jiashan hummed, and analyzed the situation with a serious expression, "With Daren's talent, appearance, and character, I'm afraid there are very few women in the world who would be considered 'unworthy' of you."
Zhan Yue stared at her without blinking, his gaze never wavering. His voice was dry, "I am a concubine born son, and my mother's family has committed a crime."
"Daren, Are you ashamed of being a concubine's son?" Jiashan's tone was indifferent. She went straight to the point, "Do you think it's a great disgrace to have the blood of the Fu family of Yongding Marquis flowing through your veins?"
Zhan Yue was silent for a moment, then he said, "Of course not."
"The Heir of the Duke Anuuo mansion is not as good as Your Excellency, and in the Duke Anuuo mansion, I only respect you as a hero." Jiashan's voice was clear, her lips moved slightly, her eyes sparkling, and she didn't seem to be faking it.
Zhan Yue was almost blinded by this smile. He lowered his voice and said, "Do you really think so?"
"Yes," Jiashan smiled.
Even though Zhan Yue was a illegitimate son, he would one day be very high up. Moreover, being the Commander of the Imperial Guards/ Jinwu guards was already a position that many people aspired to but could not get. As for the matter of the Yongding Marquis Mansion, Jiashan always felt that there was a suspicion of "being falsely accused". It was probably just inconvenient to make it public in order to not tarnish the reputation of the late Emperor.
She had died young in her previous life and didn't know if Zhan Yue had eventually cleared the name of the Yongding Marquis Mansion, but she guessed that he probably would, right ?
After all, he seemed so capable.
In fact, apart from being a illegitimate son and the matter of the Yongding Marquis Mansion, there was almost nothing about Zhan Yue that was objectionable. Moreover, he was also so attractive.
She just didn't know who the girl that Zhan Yue had in his heart was. Was it Feng Shi?
It didn't seem likely.
Jiashan pondered. If Zhan Yue was referring to Feng Shi, then he wouldn't treat her with such respect. He just said that if he married that person, he would at least treat her well. In her previous life, Feng Shi's life was certainly not bad, but it couldn't be considered very good either.
So, in the end, he didn't actually marry the girl he had in his heart...
Jiashan pondered with regret, and when she lookedup at Zhan Yue again, there was a hint of caution in her eyes.
"If Daren doesn't mind, could you tell me who that girl is?" Jiashan remembered the task that Princess Ruyang had given her, and she took this opportunity of Zhan Yue telling the truth today to strike while the iron was hot.
She smiled and said, 'If she were from a noble family, and you married her grandly, wouldn't it be a beautiful story?'"
Zhan Yue looked at her intently, and following the soft sunlight, his eyes also shone with the warmth of the sun and moon.
He looked deep into her eyes and said, "Now that you know, perhaps you will regret it."
Jiashan was surprised and asked, "Why would I?"
"I know my aunt asked you to inquire about my marriage," Zhan Yue avoided answering, a slight smile playing on his lips, his snow-white face elegant and handsome. "Your Highness can tell my aunt for me that when the time is right, I will tell her myself."
Jiashan hadn't expected that the private discussion between Princess Ruyang and her had already been known by Zhan Yue. Hearing him say this, she couldn't help but feel quite embarrassed.
After all, she was an unmarried girl, and had no relation with Zhan Yue. Being exposed by him like this, she was too embarrassed to ask any more questions.
Jiashan nodded and said, "As long as Your Excellency can understand my aunt's good intentions."
"I understand," Zhan Yue said.
He stood up from the willow tree trunk he was leaning against and gave a gentle smile. Zhan Yue's lips parted slightly as he slowly walked towards Jiashan. He lowered his head slightly and looked at her, his voice different from his usual coldness, instead carrying a hint of enticement. "I've shared a secret with Your Highness, shouldn't Your Highness reciprocate and share something with me?"
Jiashan wasn't so easily fooled by him.
She looked up at him and said lazily, "That's wrong. You told me of your own accord, I didn't force you. I never knew there was such a thing as mutual reciprocity."
Jiashan hummed, "It should be called forcing a sale."
Her voice was sweet, and her small melon-seed face was radiant, with a rare hint of girlishness. Zhan Yue kept looking at her, and seeing this, the smile at the corner of his eyes deepened.
He said, "Or, I'll ask, and you answer."
"Say whatever you want to say. If you don't want to say anything, then don't."
Jiashan turned her gaze to him, and Zhan Yue slightly increased the distance between himself and Jiashan. His expression remained unchanged, but his gaze was fixed on her. "Your Highness, you don't like my nephew, right?"
Jiashan raised her head and answered without any hesitation, "Yes."
“On that point, Daren can rest assured,” Jiashan looked at him with wide eyes, her pupils like crescent moons, shining brightly. “We've become so familiar with each other. If I were to marry Zhan Shaoying, wouldn't I be lowering myself by a generation? In the future, when we meet, I would have to call Daren 'Fourth Uncle.' I don't like doing things that put me at a disadvantage."
Her voice was lazy, as if she truly disliked Zhan Shaoying for this reason. But Zhan Yue stared at her for a long time, clearly seeing a flash of hatred and mockery in her eyes.
Did she hate Zhan Shaoying?
Zhan Yue's thin lips trembled slightly as he suppressed this doubt.
"I didn't expect the Princess to be so decisive," Zhan Yue said softly. "I have no other questions."
Jiashan scoffed, "Is that all Daren wanted to ask?"
Zhan Yue half-squinted at her, his expression pleasant, "If I asked something else, would you answer?"
"I can't say for sure," Jiashan thought for a moment and said seriously.
Zhan Yue slowly took a step closer to her.
Unlike the fragrance of orchids on Pei Yuantang, he had a faint scent of grass and trees. At first whiff, it was slightly bitter. Once the bitterness passed, what remained was a refreshing purity.
Zhan Yue smiled. He looked at her quietly, leaning forward, and said word by word, "I want to know who you want to marry most."
His tone was calm, but Jiashan unconsciously frowned, as if she had the illusion that he was suppressing something.
The setting sun cast its warm, crimson light through the sparse clouds, and through the gaps in the willow leaves, casting a shallow shadow on Jiashan's face.
Half of her face was illuminated by the sunlight, making her look bright and beautiful.
Jiashan looked at him and suddenly smiled, "You've stumped me."
Pausing for a moment, she lowered her head to look at her shadow on the ground, and she said softly, "I don't know the answer myself."
"There are many good men in the world, but not too many. But finding someone who can make both my father and me happy is probably not easy." Jiashan sighed.
Those young masters from noble families were basically all like Zhan Shaoying, each with their own flaws. Some were extravagant and debauched, some were uneducated, some were promiscuous, and some were arrogant and overbearing. To be honest, Zhan Shaoying was actually one of the better ones.
Given a second chance at life, Jiashan knew she should help Yuan Kang regain his sight, mediate the conflict between her cousin and uncle, and warn her father of impending natural and man-made disasters.
But when it came to her own marriage, Jiashan was at a loss.
Natural and man-made disasters could be avoided, but the human heart was the hardest to fathom.
Having been hurt once, how could she dare to start a second time so casually?
Hearing Jiashan say this, Zhan Yue pursed his lips slightly. After a pause, he lowered his head and said softly, "I think Your Highness will get what she wants."
Jiashan smiled and replied, "I hope the same for Daren."
She was still naive and unaware of the situation, and her tone was sincere. Zhan Yue looked at her sideways, seeing her fair complexion and her black hair cascading over her shoulders, her smile illuminated by the sunlight, the scene was as beautiful as a painting.
His voice softened involuntarily, but his eyes were firm, "Definitely."
In this lifetime, this wish of his, must be fulfilled.
Yunwei - a poetic quality that is difficult to translate directly, but conveys a sense of rhythm and melody