Volume 1, Chapter 31: The True Heiress is a Mastermind

"Since this is your wish, I will, of course, help you fulfill it. Rest assured, I will walk by your side until the very end."

After saying this, An Qianqian pushed him away and ran off.

For some time afterward, An Qianqian avoided Si Chengnian, using the excuse that she was busy embroidering her wedding gown. She truly did not know how things had suddenly turned out this way. Was she not merely supposed to complete a mission? How did she end up being... kissed? In all her life, she, An Qianqian, had never allowed anyone to treat her like that! The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

She tossed and turned on her bed, at a loss for how to face Si Chengnian. Cheng Mingyue noticed her daughter had been avoiding him lately; whenever she asked, An Qianqian would brush it off with various excuses. Although she did not show it on the surface, Cheng Mingyue was secretly delighted. Her daughter was finally spending more time with her instead of constantly obsessing over Si Chengnian. This suggested that her daughter might not be a slave to romance after all.

Time flew, and two months passed. The betrothal gifts from the Yan Kingdom finally arrived in the capital.

The procession lined up outside the city, a sea of fluttering banners and gleaming armor visible from afar. Leading the delegation was the Minister of Rites of the Yan Kingdom, dressed in official robes and a black gauze cap. He held the golden ledger symbolizing the betrothal gifts, followed by dozens of brawny Yan guards, each holding gold-painted lacquer boxes filled with meticulously prepared offerings.

At the very front of the procession were ten magnificent steeds—blood-sweating horses draped in saddles made of Shu brocade, inlaid with turquoise and red coral. Beside each horse walked a groom in leather armor, holding the reins with a straight posture and vigilant eyes.

Following them was a procession carrying various treasures and artifacts: a bronze incense burner as tall as a person, engraved with patterns of dragons and phoenixes, its hollow lid emitting wisps of fragrant smoke; and a pair of jade ruyi, carved from a single piece of Hetian jade. The jade was warm and delicate to the touch, cool against the skin, and topped with night-luminescent pearls that cast a soft glow even in broad daylight.

Further back were chests of silk and fabric. When the lids were opened, they revealed colorful Shu brocades, light and ethereal Wu silks, and exquisitely embroidered Su silks. These fabrics had been specially selected by the Yan imperial family as materials for An Qianqian’s wedding gown and dowry.

Si Chengnian rode a tall, pitch-black horse in the middle of the procession. He wore a dark robe embroidered with the Yan imperial emblem of the sun and moon.

At that moment, however, his eyes were unfocused, his heart entirely occupied by the image of An Qianqian. For the past two months, he had been blocked at the gate by her maidservants, unable to get a single word from her. Did she regret it? Did she think that kiss that day was too presumptuous? Countless thoughts churned in his mind; worry coiled around him like vines, making it hard to breathe.

In front of the Duke of Rong’s mansion, An Mingxia and his family had been waiting for a long time.

The Minister of Rites of the Yan Kingdom walked up to the mansion gates, bowed to An Mingxia, and announced in a loud voice, "I, Su Wenhuan, Minister of Rites of the Yan Kingdom, by the order of His Highness the Crown Prince, have brought these betrothal gifts to seek the hand of the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Rong, An Qianqian. I hope the Duke will grant his consent."

With that, the guards behind him opened the lacquer boxes one by one, displaying the treasures within. An Mingxia glanced at the gifts and nodded inwardly. Each item was a masterpiece; the sincerity of the Yan Kingdom was evident.

"Minister Su, please, come in."

An Mingxia invited everyone into the mansion, where the women of the household had been waiting in the front hall. Si Chengnian stepped in quickly; had it not been for the constraints of etiquette, he would have rushed inside. Upon entering the hall and seeing An Qianqian sitting to the side with a calm expression, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she was willing to sit here, it meant she would not call off the marriage.

The engagement ceremony was tedious and slow. Si Chengnian had no heart to listen; his mind was entirely focused on when he could speak with Qianqian. Cheng Mingyue noticed his anxiety and laughed behind her handkerchief for a long time. When an opportunity arose, she said to An Qianqian, "Qianqian, your father and I are here to handle things. Why don't you and Chengnian go for a walk in the garden?"

At Cheng Mingyue's words, Si Chengnian’s heart leapt, and his hands, hidden in his sleeves, clenched tightly. He suppressed the overwhelming joy that threatened to burst from his chest, his gaze lowered as the tips of his ears turned red, daring only to steal glances at An Qianqian’s reaction.

An Qianqian lifted her eyelids, glanced at him, and stood up indifferently. "Let’s go."

The words were as light as a feather, yet they sent a jolt through Si Chengnian’s entire body. He hurried to follow, nearly tripping as his robe caught on the threshold. He stumbled half a step before regaining his balance, causing the maidservants standing in the corridor to cover their mouths in amusement.

An Qianqian walked ahead, her skirt brushing against the flowerbeds and startling a few butterflies. Si Chengnian followed three steps behind, his gaze glued to her back. The longing and anxiety of the past two months surged into a bitter ache, tightening his throat.

"That night..." he finally couldn't help but speak, his voice as dry as if rasped by sandpaper, "I was too rash."

An Qianqian did not stop walking.

"Good that you know."

Si Chengnian’s heart sank abruptly. He hurriedly took half a step forward, his tone carrying a note of pleading he hadn't even realized was there. "I didn't mean to be presumptuous, it’s just... just that I lost my composure when I saw you. If you are angry with me, punish me... you can even slap me, just don't be so cold to me."

As he spoke, he actually began to raise his hand. An Qianqian sidestepped to avoid him, her brow slightly furrowed. "There is no need."

The words carried her usual coldness, but the distance of the past was gone. Si Chengnian froze, feeling a bit uneasy.

"You thought I was avoiding you because I was angry?"

An Qianqian suddenly gave a faint laugh, though the warmth did not reach her eyes. "In all my years, no one has ever dared to be so audacious in front of me."

Si Chengnian’s face turned pale in an instant, his heart gripped by an invisible hand.

"But you are different."

She paused, watching his eyes light up, and added, "I am not angry at you. I was just thinking that since we are destined to spend this lifetime together, we might as well make things a little more pleasant."

Si Chengnian’s breathing stopped abruptly. He grasped her hand, which had come to rest against his chest; his palms were burning hot. "You mean..."

"I mean," An Qianqian pulled her hand back and turned to walk behind the rockery, "behave yourself from now on, and I will grow old with you."

Si Chengnian watched her retreating figure and suddenly let out a low laugh, a laugh trembling with relief. He quickened his pace to catch up, and this time, when he walked side-by-side with her, the distance was just right.

Laughter of children drifted from behind the rockery. An Qianqian stopped to look and saw several young maids chasing butterflies. Si Chengnian followed her gaze and suddenly said, "After we are married, I will build you a garden just like this in the Yan Kingdom, filled with all the flowers you like."

An Qianqian did not respond, but at an angle where he could not see, her lips curled slightly.

*Very well.*

Lowering her head once in a while was not a loss of face.

"Qianqian, the betrothal has been settled. The situation in the Yan Kingdom is unstable, and my father is critically ill. Could we set off for the capital as soon as possible?" Si Chengnian asked cautiously. He did not feel at ease leaving An Qianqian alone in the Shang Kingdom; he simply wanted her by his side at all times.