The Flourishing Era of Female Merchants

How could he treat her like this! Qinglan treated her like this, she must hear an apology from him, even if it's just a little bit of pity.

However, Qinglan's response remained indifferent. This tall and handsome man in blue robes didn't even glance at Sima Yan on the ground. "Don't forget, you're not one yet!"

Sima Yan froze again, looking at Qing Lan, her expression changing repeatedly. What did Qing Lan mean?

"What do you mean?" Sima Yan blurted out subconsciously, eager to know an answer.

"What do you mean?" Qinglan's lips curled into a cold smile, and with the icy look in his eyes, one could only feel that this man was cruel!

It was as if his next words would shatter all the beautiful dreams in people's minds.

This Qinglan was so cold that it inspired fear, yet so aloof that it inspired pity. This was the first time Anmi had ever seen Qinglan like this.

“Miss Sima, what could the First Prince mean? He just said that in a few days, Miss Sima will be the First Prince’s consort…” Nalan Jue realized something was wrong and immediately stepped forward, interrupting Qinglan’s words and preventing him from continuing.

"Shut up!" Sima Yan interrupted Nalan Jue sharply. He was just a hostage from a defeated country. What kind of King of Southern Xinjiang was he? To put it bluntly, he was just a slave of a conquered nation. What right did he have to talk to her?

Nalan Jue frowned. Even after years in the capital, when he had become accustomed to being treated with such disdain, anger welled up in his heart. This strengthened his resolve to reclaim the Southern Frontier. One day, he would make everyone look at him with new eyes. But for now, he knew that for the sake of the bigger picture, he had to endure.

Nalan Jue remained silent. His restraint was observed by An Mi, who frowned slightly. No one knew Nalan Jue's ambition better than her. Sima Yan's provocation just now had likely increased the destructive power of this sleeping tiger when it awakened.

Thinking of this, An Mi felt even more uneasy. However, she knew that some things, even if known in advance, could not be easily changed.

"Tell me, what exactly do you mean?" Sima Yan pressed on, determined to get an answer from Qing Lan.

Qinglan glanced at her indifferently. In his opinion, this Sima Yan was a brainless woman. She wanted an answer, so what if he gave her one? If she wanted to suffer a bloody defeat, he would let her have her way!

"Isn't that simple? If you don't want to be the Crown Prince's consort, there are plenty of people who can take your place!" Qinglan's voice was still icy cold, and her words were like an ice arrow that pierced Sima Yan's heart.

Sima Yan was stunned by Qing Lan's words, and it took her a long time to react. What did Qing Lan mean? Were there plenty of people to replace her?

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty has already bestowed the marriage upon us. How could you possibly disobey the imperial decree?" Sima Yan came back to her senses, feeling a sharp pain in her heart. When she said these words, she tried her best to make her tone sound firm, but she realized that even she herself lacked confidence.

"A marriage bestowed by the emperor? So what if it's a marriage bestowed by the emperor? Yu Ling'er was once Feng Yu's fiancée, also a marriage bestowed by the emperor, but what was the result?" Qing Lan narrowed her eyes, her expression nonchalant, as if making this marriage disappear was the easiest thing in the world.

Sima Yan's heart skipped a beat. Thinking of the deceased Yu Ling'er, her face turned pale, and her whole body was enveloped in coldness.

For the first time, she found this man terrifying.

Sima Yan looked at Qing Lan, constantly telling herself that this was her illusion, how could the man she was going to marry treat her like this?

Countless thoughts flashed through Sima Yan's mind. She shook her head at times and murmured indistinctly at others. Finally, after a long while, she looked up at Qing Lan again and said, "If my father finds out, he will definitely not let me marry you. He will definitely not!"

Sima Yan was bewildered. This man's ruthlessness towards her made her realize that she could not marry him. However, she did not want the marriage to fall apart, whether it was because she liked him or because she was determined to become the Crown Prince's consort.

Her father dotes on her so much. If he knew that she would suffer if she married into the family, he would definitely be reluctant to let her go. Even she didn't know whether she should tell her father about what happened today.

"Is that so?" Qinglan's lips curled up even more coldly, and there was even a hint of disdain and mockery in that coldness.

Those two words alone, along with that disdainful and mocking tone, were like a heavy hammer blow to Sima Yan.

Sima Yan's eyes flickered, and she subconsciously swallowed. Qing Lan seemed to be telling her how naive she was!

"It seems you still don't know your own identity and value." Qinglan spoke without any restraint. This time, he turned to face Sima Yan on the ground, like a ghost from hell, reaching out his evil hand towards her.

He once thought that this woman was somewhat intelligent, at least aware of her position in the marriage. However, it was clear that even if she knew something, she didn't understand it thoroughly, and she even dared to dream things she shouldn't have and think about things she couldn't have. He was determined to shatter such thoughts.

Is it cruel? Qinglan smiled coldly. Of all the women in the world, she would never be cruel to Anmi. What does it matter if she is cruel to the other women?

Qinglan approached Sima Yan step by step, looking down at her with a hint of pity in her dark eyes. "You are just a pawn, to me, and to your doting father! Don't you understand that, clever Miss Sima!"

"No way! No way!" Sima Yan shouted. Every word Qing Lan said struck her like a thunderbolt. She knew that her father was so keen on a marriage alliance with the First Prince's family because he saw Qing Lan's potential. However, she always believed that if her happiness conflicted with the interests her father valued, he would respect her opinion. But Qing Lan's words at this moment struck her like a thunderbolt.

How could that be? To her father, she was his most beloved daughter; how could she be a pawn?

Qinglan must be talking nonsense!

Sima Yan's eyes flickered. Although she was unwilling to believe what Zi Qinglan said, his firmness made her waver. Then came fear. She wanted to go to her father immediately to confirm that what Qinglan said was wrong, but she was also afraid. What should she do if the answer she got was not what she hoped for?

Sima Yan took a deep breath, remained silent for a moment, and finally made a decision. However... Sima Yan glared at An Mi, the resentment in her eyes burning even more intensely.

An Mi frowned, thinking that she had probably incurred the jealousy of women for no reason again. She sighed inwardly. Did Sima Yan really want her to make her wedding dress? If that would make her feel better, then why not accept her commission?