The top-level junior sister also wants to act weak today

Inside the study, flickering candlelight casts a warm yellow hue throughout the room. Shen Yun sits at his desk, brush in hand, the tip of his pen gently tracing across the rice paper, outlining smooth lines.

Yufeng walked in quietly, leaned over, and his eyes fell on the drawing paper. Suddenly, his eyes lit up: "These eyebrows, these outlines, your highness is drawing Miss Jiang?"

Shen Yun paused slightly with the pen in his hand, raised the corners of his lips, and said "hmm" softly, which was considered as his agreement.

Seeing this, Yu Feng couldn't help but laugh, with a hint of ridicule in his tone: "Oh, His Majesty just said he was willing to grant the marriage, and Your Highness started to act so blatantly~"

"Yufeng..." Shen Yun shook his head helplessly, and added another stroke to the drawing paper, outlining the figure's hair more delicately. He whispered, "My father said that he would only grant the marriage if I was willing to go to Canglan Country to get blood. But I don't want to harm innocent people."

Upon hearing this, Yu Feng's smile gradually faded and he sighed, "Alas, speaking of this, Your Majesty is really too obedient to that Taoist priest. As long as their family doesn't join forces with the court, with General Jiang around, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Shen Yun put down his brush and looked at the figure in the painting. A complex expression flashed across his eyes. "In fact, my father's purpose is very clear. Although he says he is afraid of us, he actually wants to annex us."

He paused, his tone heavy. "Today, I mentioned the Demon King to him. He said it was a matter of the immortals and that the imperial court was powerless to resist. He also said that Canglan would threaten the safety of the people of Yun. If I'm not mistaken, he wants to weaken Canglan and wait for the Demon King to descend, so that he can take advantage of the chaos and annex Canglan."

"No way..." Yu Feng swallowed, "How about this, Your Highness, pretend to agree first, and then when you get to Canglan Country, find someone to get some blood and put it in a bottle, and use that to trick that stinky Taoist priest. Let's get the imperial decree granting the marriage first?"

"Your Majesty will send someone to keep an eye on me. I'm not that easy to fool."

After saying that, Shen Yun stopped writing and looked at the black and white bottles not far away.

Suddenly, he thought of something, and then smiled at Yufeng: "Good Yufeng, what you just said reminded me. I have thought of a way, and I think I can hide it from my father."

"Since that's the case, Your Highness, please quickly agree to His Majesty's request so that His Majesty can grant you marriage!"

"No rush." ​​Shen Yun pursed her lips and said, "I will go talk to Yingxue tomorrow."

-

The next morning, just as the sky was turning pale, the morning light filtered through the carved window lattices into the main hall of the Marquis's mansion, coating the furnishings in a soft golden hue.

The hall is filled with the aroma of sandalwood and a hint of refreshing fragrance, making it seem particularly quiet.

In the center of the main hall, Jiang Jinchen and Shen Yun sat on either side of the main seat. The steam from the teacups rose slowly, enveloping their faces.

Chu Ying walked in holding Jiang Yingxue's arm, talking and laughing.

As soon as she came in, Jiang Yingxue saw Shen Yun and her father sitting in the main seats.

Seeing this, the two of them immediately let go of their hands and saluted Shen Yun.

Jiang Yingxue looked at Jiang Jinchen blankly: "Dad, why is the Crown Prince here too?"

"Didn't I tell you?" Jiang Jinchen patted his head. "Maybe I got up too early, so my mind isn't clear. It's okay, as long as you're here. It's just that His Highness wants to see you."

Hearing this, Jiang Yingxue looked at Shen Yun and asked, "I wonder why the Crown Prince asked me to come here?"

Jiang Jinchen nodded after hearing this and said, "Yes, it's still very early. Your Highness, why did you come here so early? Is there anything urgent?"

Shen Yun nodded slightly, a look of apology on her face. "It is indeed inappropriate for me to come and bother you so early in the morning. However, this matter is sudden and important, so I thought of coming here earlier."

"I wonder...?"

Shen Yun smiled and turned his gaze towards Jiang Yingxue, his eyes filled with tenderness: "Yingxue, the emperor intends to arrange a marriage for us. Are you willing to become my wife?"

"A granted marriage!?" Jiang Yingxue, Jiang's father, and Chu Ying said almost in unison.

Jiang Jinchen was stunned for a moment, then he laughed dryly twice, with a tentative tone in his voice: "Oh, I guess Your Highness is joking, right?"

Jiang Yingxue also froze in place, forcing a smile onto the corners of her lips, her voice a little strained: "Ha...haha...but Prince brother...this is not funny at all. Why are you making such a joke so early in the morning?"

Shen Yun looked at Jiang Yingxue's stiff expression, and his heart suddenly sank, as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest. The tenderness in his eyes gradually gave way to a hint of loss, and his voice deepened a little: "Yingxue, don't you want to marry me?"

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became stagnant, and even the air seemed to grow heavy. Chu Ying stood aside, her eyes flickering between Jiang Yingxue and Shen Yun, hesitant to speak.

Jiang Yingxue raised her eyes, her gaze was clear, but with a hint of indescribable alienation.

She knew Shen Yun very well. He was always serious and rigorous, so he must not be joking at this time.

She frowned slightly, then spoke softly, "Brother Crown Prince, didn't you say that you only treated me as your sister, and that there was no relationship between man and woman?"

Shen Yun quickly stood up, her voice a little flustered: "Yingxue, I love you, and I did before and I still do now. But my father was afraid of the Canglan Kingdom and wanted me to marry him. At that time, I was afraid that you would delay yourself because of me and miss others. I didn't want to drag you down, so -"

"As you wish." Jiang Yingxue interrupted him, her voice calm but with a hint of determination, "You didn't delay me. As you wished, I do like someone else. So, Your Highness..." She paused, her tone filled with helplessness, "There is no possibility between you and me."

"How...how could this be?" Shen Yun's voice trembled slightly, his eyes full of disbelief. He had never thought that his momentary retreat would push her so far.

"Miss!" Yu Feng's eyes widened as he couldn't help but interrupt, "You've only been away from the capital for over a year. How could you fall in love with someone else so quickly? This is truly too unkind of you!"

"Yufeng!" Shen Yun shouted sternly, with a hint of suppressed anger in his voice.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm the waves in his heart, and said in a low and hoarse voice: "Don't blame Yingxue..."

Jiang Yingxue's heart trembled slightly when she saw Shen Yun's distraught look, but she quickly suppressed her emotions, clasped her hands together, and bowed deeply to Shen Yun, saying respectfully: "Your Highness, please explain this matter to His Majesty. If Your Highness is embarrassed, I am willing to go to the palace to explain it to His Majesty."

Hearing this, Shen Yun felt a pang of bitterness rising in his heart, as if a blunt knife was slowly cutting through his heart. He opened his mouth, but found himself speechless.

The morning light shone on Jiang Yingxue, making her figure appear frail and cold, as if she would vanish in the wind at any moment. He suddenly realized that he might have truly missed the person he loved.

After a long silence, he forced a smile. "No need. My father wanted to grant us a marriage because he saw that I was attracted to you. I can just explain it to him."