Chapter 105

As expected, Jian Yuyan had noticed something and was clearly waiting to confront her face to face.
Annoying, extremely annoying.
This was Yan Yiming's genuine state of mind.
Since arriving in this system, Yan Yiming had deeply understood one principle: always leave some leeway to avoid suffering later due to past ruthlessness.
She had once thought that completing the mission would allow her to return to the real world, only to find it was yet another new trial. She had assumed she could leave without a trace, but ended up leaving too many clues for Jiang Yi to recognize her.
This time, she had left in too much of a hurry, thinking she could escape safely, only to be spotted by Shao Jingyu. Now, she had to face Jian Yuyan.
Yan Yiming forced a strained smile that didn't look very pleasant. “Young Master Jian, long time no see.”
“Long time no see,” Jian Yuyan replied expressionlessly, his gaze fixed intently on Yan Yiming's face, finally settling on the small red mole at the corner of her right eye.
This woman, he had never understood her from the start.
Back when she had sought him out to collaborate, Jian Yuyan had assumed she was acting as Jiang Xiawang's eyes and ears, merely guarding against his father's betrayal, with the ultimate goal, like his father's, of overthrowing the royal family.
But later, she betrayed Jiang Xiawang, disregarding her own life to escape with the Crown Prince.
It was only after that incident that Jian Yuyan came to understand many things. The letters he had received from A'Ming were also her arrangements; the encouragement in A'Ming's letters for him to rebel had been orchestrated by her. She had deliberately let him leak the information and used his hand to destroy everything his father and Prince of Jiangxia had planned.
From the very beginning, her approach to him had been solely to bring down Chancellor Jian and the Prince of Jiangxia.
She was clearly the most favored daughter of the Prince of Jiangxia, yet now she had become the mastermind pushing Jiangxi toward ruin. Jian Yuyan couldn’t comprehend her motives, was it for the Crown Prince? Had she betrayed her family and willingly sacrificed her own life for love?
Yet Jian Yuyan distinctly remembered her telling him that there were far more important things in this world than love.
All of it left him baffled, but at this moment, the most urgent matter wasn’t unraveling these mysteries, it was finding A’Ming.
How did she know A’Ming’s appearance, and why did she possess A’Ming’s letters? Jian Yuyan fixed his gaze on Yan Yiming and asked firmly, “Where is A’Ming?”
If Yan Yiming had been somewhat anxious before, after hearing Jian Yuyan’s question, her worries vanished.
She breathed a silent sigh of relief. It was all because Jiang Yi had seen through her identity so quickly before, leaving her with lingering apprehension. She had assumed Jian Yuyan had also recognized her.
But the facts proved that Jian Yuyan was not Jiang Yi, he lacked Jiang Yi’s sharp intuition and bold imagination. Since Jian Yuyan was asking where A’Ming was, it meant he believed she had hidden A’Ming away, not that he suspected she was A’Ming herself.
With that, Yan Yiming’s heartbeat steadied, and the pallor left her face. She allowed Jian Yuyan to scrutinize her openly, showing no trace of unease as she said, “I injured my leg recently, and standing is quite uncomfortable. Shall we move to the pavilion over there to talk?”
Jian Yuyan was slightly taken aback. He had only seen Yan Yiming return safely with the Crown Prince and had forgotten how many elite soldiers Chancellor Jian had dispatched to hunt them down after learning their whereabouts. The returning pursuers had reported losing track of the two, leading him to assume they might have perished.
Imagining the hardships they must have endured, Jian Yuyan took a few steps back. Yan Yiming played her part convincingly, limping toward the pavilion. He instinctively reached out to support her but withdrew his hand, simply following behind.
Seizing the moment, Yan Yiming quickly organized her thoughts. Once seated, she glanced at Jian Yuyan’s barely concealed anxiety and said slowly, “To be honest, I don’t know where she is either.”
Jian Yuyan hadn’t expected such a straightforward answer, but he wasn’t particularly surprised. He glanced at her and remarked, “The princess once gave me a portrait of A'Ming. I heard you painted it yourself but had an artist make a copy. May I ask why?”
“Well…” Yan Yiming drew out the word, meeting his gaze with an apologetic smile. “It’s just that my painting skills are rather crude, and the original was too unsightly to show. That’s why I had an artist rework it. How unsparing of you to point out my shortcomings, Young Master Jian.”
Jian Yuyan’s expression darkened. His spies had clearly reported that the artist’s copy was identical to the princess’s original, to his eyes, there was no discernible difference. Yet Yan Yiming claimed her skills were lacking. The original painting had long been destroyed, and even with his spies as witnesses, what could he do if she refused to admit it?
He couldn’t understand why she would conceal her handwriting or distance herself from any connection to A’Ming. Suppressing his anger, he let out a cold laugh. “The princess is far too modest.“
“You flatter me.”
Jian Yuxi took a deep breath before continuing, “Since you were able to paint A'Ming's portrait, you must have met her before.”
“I have indeed met her,” Yan Yiming nodded, then hesitated for a moment before sighing. “But now, I truly don't know where she is.”
Jian Yuxi's gaze sharpened. “Why is that?”
Yan Yiming tapped the stone table lightly with her finger before speaking slowly. “Four years ago, while traveling in Jiangnan, I did come across this young lady named A'Ming. Seeing her alone with injuries on her face, I couldn't help but take a few extra glances. Later, by chance, we exchanged a few words and gradually became acquainted.”
When it came to fabricating her own story, Yan Yiming spoke effortlessly. “That's why I know so much about the relationship between you and A'Ming, and of course, I'm familiar with her appearance.”
Yan Yiming's expression was utterly sincere, and Jian Yuxi could detect no trace of deceit. Moreover, she had described both the timeline and A'Ming's characteristics with perfect clarity. Jian Yuxi was momentarily stunned. “Then those letters...”
“Those letters were indeed written by A'Ming herself,” Yan Yiming said. “I must admit, I wronged you in this matter. Before coming to the capital, I made a special trip to see her and asked her to write those letters in case they might be needed later.”
“But those letters clearly urged me to turn against Prince of Jiangxia and side with the imperial court,” Jian Yuxi said, word by word. “You are the daughter of Prince of Jiangxia. How could you have instructed her to write such letters?”
“I have always been on the side of the imperial court, so why wouldn’t I instruct her to write such letters?” Yan Yiming clicked her tongue. “Later, when I betrayed my father to save the Crown Prince, wasn’t that proof enough?”
So, in the end, it all came down to this question: As the daughter of Prince of Jiangxia, why did you betray him?
“That question, I'm afraid I cannot answer,” Yan Yiming finally stopped playing along. “Young Master Jian, I answered your questions earlier because you asked about A'Ming. But now you are probing into my secrets. I don’t believe I have any obligation to answer you.”
Yan Yiming straightened her expression, her smile fading. “Back then, when you were under Chancellor Jian’s control, it was I who helped you break free. It was I who guided you toward a path of survival, ensuring both your life and Madam Jian’s safety. And now, you are pressing me aggressively, as if I owe you something.”
With those words, the situation swiftly turned in Yan Yiming’s favor. Jian Yuxi was taken aback.
“Now that Chancellor Jian has fallen, you have rendered great service to the court and your life is no longer in danger. With the world ahead of you and no more burdens to bear, why must you insist on digging into my motives? What I told you earlier is true, I did meet A'Ming, and it is also true that, having betrayed Prince of Jiangxia, I can no longer track her whereabouts. If you care about her, you may search for her yourself. However, I have a few words of advice for you.”
Jian Yuyan's heart skipped a beat with a vague unease, but he persisted in asking her, “What words?”
“In this world, no one cannot live without another. Now that everything has finally passed, your life is just beginning. It's time to let go of the past and look toward the future.”
Jian Yuyan could hear the bitterness in his own voice. “Did she... tell you to say that?”
“Since you understand, there's no need for me to spell it out,” Yan Yiming replied with a faint smile. “All that happened in the past, whether you wronged her or she wronged you, is now over. She has started a new life and sincerely hopes you won't cling to the past. Of course, she wishes you peace and happiness in your future life.”
With that, Yan Yiming turned and left, leaving Jian Yuyan desolate and lost, unsure how long he remained sitting alone in the pavilion.
After leaving the pavilion, Yan Yiming continued to limp, still playing her part. Not far along, she encountered a maid who had come looking for her, informing her that the Crown Prince had specially summoned a physician to treat her injuries.
Yan Yiming gave a noncommittal “Oh” and, leaning on the maid's arm, returned to her quarters. The Crown Prince was indeed thoughtful, having arranged for two physicians, one of whom was a female doctor.
The female physician, following the Crown Prince's instructions, thoroughly examined Yan Yiming from head to toe. Her expression shifted from initial surprise to outright shock, and by the end, she regarded Yan Yiming with nothing but pity.
Yan Yiming felt slightly unnerved by her gaze. After dressing again, she had the two physicians escorted out. Shortly after, they sent over some golden wound medicine, instructing the maid to apply it for her.
Shao Jingyu, having finished his tasks, happened upon the departing physicians and casually asked about Yan Yiming's condition.
The female physician immediately launched into a torrent of words. “Oh my, I've never seen a young lady so badly injured. Her back, waist, arms, and legs are covered in wounds. The gash on her leg is a full two fingers long, truly frightening to behold. It must be terribly painful, yet she insists on pretending it doesn't hurt. How can a young lady with so many scars all over her body ever hope to marry in the future...”
Shao Jingyu was suddenly transported back in time. Many years ago, after treating Yiming's injuries, the imperial physician had worn the same expression and spoken similar words.
Waving his hand, Shao Jingyu dismissed the two physicians to report back to the Crown Prince. The familiar scene and words once again brought to mind the person who had left so many years ago, and a dull ache throbbed in his chest.
After a long while, Shao Jingyu let out a deep sigh, pondered for a moment, and went to seek out the Crown Prince.
Meanwhile, in Nan Gongxuan's quarters, having dealt with official matters, he frowned deeply upon hearing the physician's report. He had assumed Yan Yiming had only one injury on her leg, never imagining there were more. A wave of guilt and emotion washed over him, perhaps mingled with a touch of heartache he hadn't even realized he felt.
As Shao Jingyu entered, Nan Gongxuan happened to be writing on a piece of paper. Perhaps because he had been recalling how Yan Yiming had risked her life to protect him along the journey, he looked down to find that many of the characters he had written were related to her.
For instance, her title: Princess Ming
Or her real name: Ming Yiyan.
Shao Jingyu glanced over and caught sight of the conspicuous name. However, standing to Nan Gongxuan's right, what he saw was not “Ming Yiyan” but “Yan Yiming.”
It was just a fleeting glance. After reading it, he silently repeated the name and sensed a faint familiarity.
If he hadn't seen the characters, he might have thought someone was calling out to Yan Yiming.
Yan Yiming.
Yan Yiming.
When Shao Jingyu came to his senses, he realized that Ming Yiyan was clearly the personal name of Princess Ming.
An involuntary tremor stirred in Shao Jingyu's heart.
Nan Gongxuan hadn't noticed Shao Jingyu's momentary gloom. After discussing official matters, he finally brought up Yan Yiming, saying that the physician had just informed him she was severely injured.
Unable to conceal the guilt on his face, Nan Gongxuan sighed after a long pause. “Back when my father ordered me to practice martial arts, I thought it was useless. Now I somewhat regret it. If I had known some fighting skills back then, a woman wouldn't have had to suffer such injuries for my sake.”
Shao Jingyu was somewhat curious. “Back then, Chancellor Jian sent hundreds of elite soldiers to pursue Your Highness and the princess, but all efforts came to nothing. I assumed Your Highness had evaded the pursuers, but it seems there were several confrontations.”
Nan Gongxuan sighed and nodded. “There were indeed many confrontations.”
“I never expected the princess to be so skilled in martial arts.”
“I was equally surprised,” Nan Gongxuan said. “When I was captured, she once killed a soldier with a single move, swift and precise. Even the guards of the Eastern Palace don't possess such skill.”
“What weapon does the princess usually use?”
“Her weapon is rather elegant, a Miao knife.”
Shao Jingyu frowned slightly. It wasn't that he was overthinking, but Yiming had also favored a Miao knife.
The blade of this knife wasn't particularly long, making it less than the optimal weapon choice. Few people used such a knife, but Yiming had liked it. He never expected Princess Ming to share this preference.
Unaware of Shao Jingyu's thoughts, Nan Gongxuan continued talking about Yan Yiming. “I've accompanied my father on several hunting trips and am quite skilled in horsemanship. But that day, with pursuers behind us, I couldn't keep up with her. Even after riding for hours, while I felt somewhat unwell, she remained exceptionally relaxed, as if she were long accustomed to it. I never imagined a woman could possess such ability. To evade the pursuers, we hid deep in the mountains. I was worried about losing our way, but she knew the terrain perfectly, even casually sketching a map of the surroundings on the ground. Though her map was quite different from the ones I usually see.”
Not feeling discomfort after long hours of riding could only mean the person was accustomed to long-distance travel. Back in the capital, he too had enjoyed riding and archery, but even after heading to the battlefield, he still felt discomfort from prolonged riding until he eventually grew used to it.
Yet Princess Ming could match his endurance, this made Shao Jingyu suspicious.
And casually sketching a map...
It was an action he was all too familiar with.
Shao Jingyu's voice grew slightly hoarse. “How was it different?”
“When the sage faces south to govern the world, he rules with clarity, hence in map-making, south is placed at the top and north at the bottom, with east and west on the left and right. Yet she drew it with north at the top and south at the bottom, west on the left and east on the right...”
Shao Jingyu abruptly stood up.
“I have matters to attend to and must take my leave now.”