Chapter 10

Where did this bracelet come from?
In an instant, everyone present turned their eyes toward Yan Yiming. The emerald jade bracelet on her fair wrist was unmistakably exposed. Those with discerning eyes could tell at a glance that the jade was of such vibrant green it seemed to drip with color, definitely not an ordinary piece. Judging by the Crown Prince’s tone, it seemed someone had given this bracelet to Yiming?
At that moment, Yan Yiming pulled down her sleeve, attempting to cover the bracelet, her expression one of surprise as if asking, “How did you notice?” while spinning a lie, “It’s just a trinket I bought casually from a jade shop. How could Your Highness recognize it…”
“The finer the jade, the higher its hardness, and the more difficult it is to carve. To sculpt such rare jadeite into such a delicate piece, only Lu Zichen’s Kunwu Blade in this world could achieve that. Even your Ding Manor would struggle to commission Lu Zichen. What jade shop could casually carry his work?” Nan Gongxuan, lacking in emotional intelligence but not in intellect, tightened his grip on Yan Yiming’s wrist. “I ask you again, who gave you this bracelet?”
The force on her wrist felt as though it could crush her bones. Even with Yan Yiming’s professional composure, the pain was unbearable. She struggled fiercely but failed to break free, her displeasure evident. “What does it matter to Your Highness where the bracelet came from? It hurts, let go of me!”
Young Master Yan hurried in just in time to hear his sister’s complaint, nearly stumbling in shock. Taking in the tense situation, he shuddered again and quickly squeezed over to his mother’s side, intending to ask what was happening, only to find that his own mother was also wide-eyed in astonishment at Yan Yiming’s behavior.
It was truly unbelievable. Yan Yiming dared to defy even her parents but would never say “no” to the Crown Prince. Since when did she dare to contradict him, let alone complain?
Watching the Crown Prince’s face grow increasingly dark, his handsome features turning as black as ink, the Duchess grew genuinely afraid that her daughter would suffer. Anxiously pinching herself twice, she stepped forward and softly urged, “Your Highness, please don’t be angry. Yiming, can’t you speak properly? Quickly apologize to His Highness...”
“All of you, leave,” Nan Gongxuan still held Yan Yiming's wrist, his gaze sweeping over the hesitant crowd as he sneered, “I merely wish to speak with Lady Yan. Do you think I’ll devour her?”
The Yan family members had no choice but to retreat, glancing back every few steps. Young Master Yan quickly sent his personal servant to the Fifth Prince’s residence to seek help. The Dowager Duchess, sharp-eyed, noticed her grandson’s frantic pacing and spoke up while the others were still bewildered.
“Qi'er, out with it. What’s going on? Where did that bracelet truly come from?”
By now, the others had all withdrawn, leaving only the sound of Little A’s nervous breathing. Yan Yiming glanced down at her still-captured wrist and sighed helplessly, negotiating with Nan Gongxuan:
“Your Highness, on such a dark and windy night, a man and a woman alone in a room, pulling and tugging like this... It doesn’t hurt much, truly, but it’s rather damaging to my reputation.”
“Since when have you cared about reputation?” Nan Gongxuan scoffed. Under the candlelight, he could see a faint bruise forming on her pale wrist. Perhaps he hadn’t expected her skin to be so delicate, and he finally released his grip.
Yan Yiming rubbed her still-throbbing wrist, her beautiful face scrunching up in discomfort. The delicate arch of her brows furrowed slightly, lending her a pitiful yet charming demeanor.
Nan Gongxuan’s gaze softened almost imperceptibly, though his tone remained cold.
“Does it hurt?”
Yan Yiming shot him a sidelong glance and muttered under her breath, “Of course it hurts.” After rubbing it a few more times, before his expression could improve, she looked up seriously and said, “Your Highness, in the past, I was so desperate to marry you that I didn’t care about my reputation. But now I still need to marry someone, so of course I must care about it.”
The anger Nan Gongxuan had just suppressed flared up again, as if someone had poured oil on the flames. He let out a cold laugh.
Yan Yiming actually had thoughts of marrying someone else?
“Marry?” Nan Gongxuan practically spat out the word. “Who do you want to marry? Minister Yang’s eldest son? The heir of Prince of Jiangxia? Or... my dear younger brother, Nan Gongye?”
Yan Yiming tried to reason with him gently, “Your Highness, Ye’er is, after all, your own brother.”
“Ye’er?” Nan Gongxuan had called him by that name for seventeen years, but now it grated on his ears for the first time. He looked down at Yan Yiming and sneered, “How affectionate.”
“If Your Highness dislikes hearing it, then I won’t, “
“Yan Yiming, drop that pretentious tone!” Nan Gongxuan roared, unable to contain his fury. He had never seen such a bold, provocative version of Yan Yiming. Every word and expression of hers displeased him immensely.
“As you wish,” Yan Yiming replied, wiping all expression from her face as she grew serious. She lifted her head and met his gaze intently, speaking with resignation, “It seems Your Highness already knows where this bracelet came from. But, Your Highness, what exactly are you angry about? That the Fifth Prince gave me the bracelet? Or that I accepted it?”
Nan Gongxuan instinctively wanted to rebuke her for playing word games, but for once, he paused to consider the difference between the two statements.
If he was displeased that the Fifth Prince had given Yan Yiming the bracelet, then he disliked the idea of the Fifth Prince having feelings for her. If he was displeased that Yan Yiming had accepted Nan Gongye’s bracelet, then he was upset that she had accepted his brother’s favor, or perhaps that she might have feelings for Nan Gongye as well.
If the former had already angered him, the mere thought of the latter was unforgivable.
The reason for his anger was already obvious.
But Nan Gongxuan never wanted to admit it, nor did he want to acknowledge this reason.
He lowered his head to meet Yan Yiming's gaze, his eyes tracing the delicate features of the woman before him before finally settling on the red mole at the corner of her eye. As if he hadn't heard her earlier words, he reminded her, “Yan Yiming, you once swore before everyone that you would marry no one but me in this lifetime. Yet now, you are secretly involved with others. Do you think I cannot see it?”
Yan Yiming listened to his righteous words and closed her eyes as if deeply disappointed, replying calmly, “A great man's word is his bond, but I am just a woman. It was merely a playful remark back then. Your Highness need not take it to heart.”
That once-shocking vow that had stirred the capital had now become nothing more than a playful remark.
Nan Gongxuan recalled the vibrant woman who had stood before everyone, boldly declaring that she would marry no one but the Crown Prince, leaving the Emperor and Empress both amused and exasperated.
At the time, he had felt nothing, for Yan Yiming had said such things to him countless times. He only remembered the envious looks of his royal brothers, after all, she was the capital's most celebrated beauty.
His chest suddenly tightened painfully, a dull ache throbbing within. Anger choked his throat, and he found it absurd. A playful remark?
His lips pressed into a cold, hard line as he sneered, “What kind of woman, with no sense of propriety, would dare treat such words as a jo, “
He didn't finish his sentence, for when he looked down, he saw the lingering pain on Yan Yiming's pale face before she forced a smile and said,
“Yes, in Your Highness's eyes, I am nothing but a shameless, clingy, and unpleasant woman, utterly unworthy compared to the understanding and refined Miss Jian. Since that's the case, why doesn't Your Highness go find Miss Jian instead of coming here to torment yourself!”
Nan Gongxuan watched her stunning face, unable to conceal its sorrow, and upon hearing her words, he no longer felt anger but a pang of heartache. Helplessly, he said, “I never meant to belittle you.”
Yan Yiming let out a bitter laugh, her voice soft as a whisper, drifting into Nan Gongxuan's ears, “I no longer care to understand Your Highness's intentions. It was you who told me to stop clinging to you. Now that I have finally given up, you should be happy, shouldn't you?”
Should he be happy?
Nan Gongxuan didn't know. All he knew was that at the mention of the word “give up,” his heart ached faintly.
Without another word, Nan Gongxuan silently summoned the servant who had been waiting nearby with a cloak. He took it and draped it over Yan Yiming's shoulders himself. “The night wind is chilly. Go back and rest. I will visit you another day.”
Yan Yiming watched from afar as Nan Gongxuan's tall figure receded into the distance. Wrapping her cloak tighter, she muttered softly, “He still has a bit of emotional intelligence, at least.”
Little A hurriedly reminded her, “He still has 22 points.”
“...That's practically negligible,” she retorted, rubbing her still-throbbing wrist.
Little A nodded silently, a hint of unease creeping in. “What are we going to do now that the two brothers have turned against each other?”
“They're still brothers, do you really think they'd come to blows? If you're curious, go follow Nan Gongxuan and see for yourself.” Yan Yiming wrapped herself in her cloak and headed toward her courtyard, unconcerned. Seeing that Little A still didn't get it, she added, “Nan Gongxuan is definitely going to find Nan Gongye right now. That fool Yan Yiqi has probably already tipped Nan Gongye off. If Nan Gongye finds out, he'll rush over. By my estimate, he should be arriving any minute now.”
Little A seemed a bit skeptical, or perhaps intrigued by Yan Yiming's speculation. After hesitating for three seconds, she decisively followed Nan Gongxuan to witness the drama. Just as she floated to the entrance of the Yan residence, she saw Nan Gongye dismount from his horse and run straight into Nan Gongxuan, who had just stepped out of the estate.
Before she could even marvel at Yan Yiming's foresight, she saw the young man, who bore a striking resemblance to Nan Gongxuan, his face full of anxiety, confront his elder brother without even a greeting. “Why are you here, Your Highness?”
Nan Gongxuan stared coldly at Nan Gongye for a long moment before replying in a low voice, “I should be the one asking you that, Ye'er. Even if I didn't marry her back then, I never said I would let her go.”
Nan Gongye's lips tightened abruptly. His greatest fear was that his elder brother would refuse to let go, but what angered him even more was Nan Gongxuan's unrepentant attitude despite his wrongdoing.
“Your Highness, you already have Lady Jian,” Nan Gongye reminded him, suppressing his anger. “You shouldn't meddle with A'Ming anymore.”
“Jian Yu'er is mine, and so is Yan Yiming,” Nan Gongxuan declared arrogantly, looking down at his closest brother. “It's only today that I've learned you harbor such thoughts. Out of consideration for our brotherhood, I won't hold it against you, but I want you to understand: Yan Yiming is not someone you can trifle with. You couldn't touch her before, and you certainly can't touch her now. Ye'er, it's time to put an end to this foolishness.”