Jade Water Manor was located at the foot of Blue Cloud Mountain, a solitary large courtyard stretching for miles, with no other households nearby. Its grandeur and luxurious decorations were even more impressive than Si Yu Fortress.
“Sister Ran!” North Courtyard Feng Yin seemed to have anticipated my arrival, waiting early outside the door, his eyes smiling, bright as stars.
“Yi Chen!” I avoided Yu Luo’s hand coming to help me and jumped down from the carriage, greeting him familiarly while looking behind him.
“Don’t look, my big brother doesn’t know you’ve arrived yet!” His gaze was smiling, his tone gentle.
His figure suddenly stiffened, and his steps stopped, but he only coldly replied: “Miss Xin is overthinking!” Then he left along another corridor.
I couldn’t help but frown, staring blankly in the direction he had gone, my expression dim.
“My big brother is just preoccupied, he’s not unwelcoming to Sister Ran. Sister, please don’t overthink it!” Feng Yin smiled, her face wearing its usual gentleness.
“Is that so?” I uncertainly withdrew my gaze, feeling inexplicably empty inside.
Feng Yin nodded confidently: “Sister Ran is beautiful, smart, and kind. How could anyone dislike her? My brother is just troubled by the imperial marriage decree!”
“Imperial marriage?” I raised my eyebrow subtly.
“I heard that both Feng Yin and Wei Chen simultaneously sent envoys requesting marriage alliances. The Emperor has long intended to draw closer to the other three major families, so he issued an imperial decree inviting my brother and the young master of Si Yi Fortress to the capital in three days for the princess’s spouse selection banquet.”
“You mean Yan is going too?” My heart suddenly panicked, and my brow furrowed even tighter. “Besides the imperial family, aren’t there three other major families? Why only invite West Border and North Court?”
Feng Yin explained with a smile: “Because the eldest young master of the Nan Gong family married a year ago, and the second young master is rumored to have left home years ago and never returned.”
Moonlight poured down like gentle water, and the night breeze swept across, disturbing the lake’s tranquility and creating rippling waves. A dark figure in deep blue stood on the small path.
“Who’s there?” I cried out, moving closer to the black silhouette, curious who else was awake so late.
