Chapter 106

The first time Yan Yiming casually sketched a map of their surroundings, Yun Xiao held it this way and that, finally turning it upside down before it looked right to him. He said to Yan Yiming, “Imperial authority is supreme, and facing south is revered, so naturally south should be at the top and north at the bottom. Why is your map upside down, with north up and south down? It's wrong, wrong.”
Yan Yiming paid him no mind, taking the map back with the same cool, detached tone. “It's my map, I'll draw it as I please. You, shut up.”
Yun Xiao glared at Yan Yiming, stammering “You, you, you...” several times before plopping down in a chair and sulkily closing his mouth. Shao Jingyu, sitting to the side, took the map Yan Yiming had drawn and chuckled at the two of them.
Back then, they ate the coarsest food, drank untreated water, and lived a life of hardship unimaginable to the nobles of the capital. Yet in Shao Jingyu's heart, those were the most unforgettable memories of his life. Later, he returned to the north, even venturing into the desolate northwest where yellow sand blotted out the sky and no plants grew. Every night, he seemed to hear the distant howls of wolves. Shao Jingyu turned to look at the empty tent, save for himself, and slowly closed his eyes.
The Yan Yiming who had always rested nearby was gone. She had been away from him for three full years.
In those three years, his subordinates never voluntarily mentioned Yan Yiming in his presence, nor had he encountered anyone who bore the slightest resemblance to her. Day by day, time passed like this until today, when Shao Jingyu's heart, dormant for three years, stirred back to life.
If there were only a few similarities, it would be one thing, but why were they so alike?
Horsemanship rivaling that of elite cavalry, masterful skill with a Miao knife, the habit of staying silent when injured, and the ability to casually draw maps that defied convention.
Even the red mole at the corner of her eye was identical to A'Ming's.
Shao Jingyu stood in the gradually cooling autumn wind. Even identical twins wouldn't share so many similar traits, yet they were this alike, even those little quirks of A'Ming's that few knew about were exactly the same.
Shao Jingyu could find no reason to convince himself unless they were one and the same person.
But wasn't that conclusion even more absurd than his earlier suspicions?
Once doubt took root, previously unnoticed details surged into his mind. For instance, how Princess Ming, clearly the daughter of the Prince of Jiangxia, had betrayed him to rescue the Crown Prince, an act that was already extraordinarily unusual.
In truth, Princess Ming herself was an enigma, and precisely because of that, placing that outlandish conjecture upon the eccentric Princess Ming no longer seemed quite so far-fetched.
A ripple slowly formed in Shao Jingyu's well-like eyes, behind which brewed a coming storm. He gazed intently in the direction of Yan Yiming's residence but ultimately restrained himself from moving.
Truth or falsehood required further verification. If it were false, it would be but a fleeting dream, he had been dreaming of A’Ming for three years already and was long accustomed to it.
But if it truly was her, Shao Jingyu's breathing grew heavier, his hands clenched together with an uncontrollable excitement and agitation. He warned himself not to startle the snake in the grass, not to frighten her.
If it really was her, then the reason she parted ways with Prince of Jiangxia became clear. Of course, aside from that, a trace of ferocity flickered across Shao Jingyu's face. Like Crown Prince Jian Yuyan, Shao Jingyu also began to ponder why Princess Ming would risk her life to save the Crown Prince.
Compared to the reason for betraying Prince of Jiangxia, he was more concerned with another question.
Although His Highness had not explicitly stated it, the implication in his words was that Princess Ming was deeply devoted to him. According to the Crown Prince, shortly after Princess Ming arrived in the capital, she expressed her desire to become the Crown Princess but was promptly rejected by His Highness.
Later, rumors spread in the capital that Princess Ming and Jian Yuyan had grown close. However, the moment she stepped forward to save the Crown Prince, Jian Yuyan was completely dismissed from Shao Jingyu's mind.
The physician said she was severely injured, didn't he? So, she was willing to endure injury to protect the Crown Prince, wasn't she? So why? Could it truly be because she harbored feelings for the Crown Prince?
With a sharp “crack,” a branch as thick as a child's wrist snapped. Shao Jingyu seemed to snap back to reality, casually brushing the fallen bark from his hands.
Why trouble himself with such thoughts? Matters like these could be clarified with a simple question.
At present, Shao Jingyu and Nan Gongxuan remained in Changzhou awaiting the imperial decree. It was certain that the capital would soon dispatch high-ranking officials to handle the matter, so Shao Jingyu found himself with a rare few days of leisure. He ordered the most renowned chef in Changzhou to serve at his residence and then, quite naturally, suggested to the Crown Prince that they invite Jian Yuyan and Princess Ming to dine together.
Nan Gongxuan had not seen Yan Yiming these past days, not because he was too busy, but because he felt an indescribable discomfort.
Even though he had initially disliked Princess Ming, her life-saving grace and their interactions since had long since changed his perspective. Thinking of her again, recalling how she had tentatively asked if she resembled the late Crown Princess, and remembering how she had risked her life to save him, Nan Gongxuan pressed a hand to his chest and let out a long sigh after a moment.
Shao Jingyu asked why he sighed. Nan Gongxuan replied helplessly, “I do not wish to disappoint the lady's kindness, but there is nothing to be done.” In my heart, there is only my late Crown Princess.”
“And how does Your Highness plan to handle this matter?”
“I will find a day to make it clear to her,” Nan Gongxuan sighed. “Now that Prince of Jiangxia has ordered her capture, with instructions to kill if necessary, we must send more people to protect her.”
At the time, Shao Jingyu merely smiled without comment, thinking to himself that even though the Crown Prince claimed not to care much, he clearly couldn't help but be concerned about her. Reflecting on it now, Shao Jingyu regretted his earlier indifference, finding it difficult to suppress the overwhelming jealousy that surged within him.
When he brought up the idea of inviting Yan Yiming to the banquet with Nan Gongxuan, the Crown Prince frowned and pondered for a moment. Observing his expression, Shao Jingyu smiled and said, “Is Your Highness worried that the Princess still holds personal feelings for you? Why not take this opportunity for me to find out the truth?”
Nan Gongxuan glanced at Shao Jingyu. He was reluctant to see Yan Yiming disappointed, and if someone else were to speak up, it might be better than if he did it himself.
With that thought, Nan Gongxuan naturally agreed. That evening, he hosted a banquet for those who had contributed to the capture of the city. The others dined in the outer hall, while only he, Shao Jingyu, Jian Yuyan, and Yan Yiming were in the inner hall.
Yan Yiming had no desire to attend. Just the thought of sitting at the same table with these three men, having to tread so carefully to avoid revealing any flaws, made her lose her appetite before she even started eating. However, unable to resist Nan Gongxuan’s repeated invitations, she deliberately dragged her not-so-painful leg and limped her way to the banquet.
The moment Yan Yiming appeared, Shao Jingyu’s gaze locked onto her. As a martial artist, his eyesight was far sharper than most. The way she walked, the arc of her arm swings, everything revealed subtle clues.
Unfortunately, the Yan Yiming of the past gritted her teeth and never complained of pain, but now she was feigning injury. Her limp didn’t give much away to Shao Jingyu.
Controlling the smile on her face, she greeted everyone and took a seat, discreetly observing their expressions. Jian Yuyan still seemed somewhat despondent, Nan Gongxuan remained as he always was, but Shao Jingyu, compared to his previous aloofness, seemed much more enthusiastic and even initiated conversation with her.
Yan Yiming put on an expression of being pleasantly surprised and picked up her chopsticks, though she held them noticeably lower than she used to.
After Jiang Yi recognized her, Yan Yiming had no choice but to ask him how he had figured it out. Jiang Yi then pointed out each of her tells one by one.
Her favorite flavors, the quirks in her speech, even the small habits she herself had never noticed, like the way she held her chopsticks. Jiang Yi said she held them differently from others, preferring to grip them higher up, and he remembered all these details clearly.
Yan Yiming admitted that in that moment, her heart ached with a bittersweet pang. How deeply must he have understood her to remember even these trivial details so vividly?
From then on, Yan Yiming became more cautious. She changed the way she held her chopsticks and lowered her grip. Shao Jingyu and Jian Yuyan, who were also familiar with these details of hers, weren’t as fortunate as Jiang Yi had been to catch this evidence.
A flicker of confusion passed over Shao Jingyu’s face, but it vanished in an instant. He took the initiative to ask Yan Yiming about the dangers she and the Crown Prince had faced during their escape, remarking that he never expected the princess to possess such impressive martial skills.
Yan Yiming was mainly on guard against Jian Yuyan and hadn’t realized that Shao Jingyu was also suspicious of her. Hearing this, she glanced at Nan Gongxuan and modestly replied, “You flatter me, General.”
“To escape unscathed from the pursuit of hundreds of elite soldiers is no flattery,” Shao Jingyu said with interest. “If the opportunity arises, I wonder if I might spar with the princess.”
Of course not.
A single match would expose everything.
Yan Yiming frowned slightly, finally sensing something amiss. Shao Jingyu’s words and actions seemed to have an ulterior motive.
Jian Yuyan remained immersed in the sorrow of A’Ming’s unwillingness to see him again, or perhaps that A’Ming had found another man, and didn’t notice the tension at the table. Nan Gongxuan, however, finally stepped up. Seeing Yan Yiming fall silent, he intervened to defuse the situation.
“The princess is still injured. Sparring can wait until she has fully recovered.”
“Your Highness is absolutely right,” Shao Jingyu said, his gaze still fixed on Yan Yiming's face. After a long moment, he added, “I've heard the Princess is also exceptionally skilled in horsemanship. It seems there are many areas where I might seek your guidance.”
Yan Yiming's chest grew increasingly tight. Frowning slightly, she responded indifferently, “We can discuss that another time,” then fell silent, wishing only to finish the meal quickly and leave as soon as possible.
She was now certain that Shao Jingyu must have discovered something.
Back when Jiang Yi had gradually pressured her into admitting her identity, Yan Yiming had only felt guilty and unwilling to face him, never afraid.
Even at his most pained, Jiang Yi couldn't bear to harm her in the slightest. Subconsciously, Yan Yiming had always considered him harmless. But Shao Jingyu was different. His inherent ruthlessness and obsession ran deep in his bones. Even though she knew Shao Jingyu had wronged her in the past, facing him still evoked an unprecedented fear in her.
Throughout the banquet, Shao Jingyu's relentless pressure made it hard to breathe. Jian Yuyan seemed to be in a daze the entire time, while Nan Gongxuan was inexplicably distracted. It wasn't until Shao Jingyu raised a question that piqued both their interests that they suddenly turned their attention to Yan Yiming.
Shao Jingyu remarked, “The Princess risked her life to save His Highness the Crown Prince, such profound affection is evident. Once we return to the capital and His Highness reports to the Emperor, this wonderful marriage will surely be approved.”
Nan Gongxuan choked on his tea, frantically blinking at Shao Jingyu. This wasn't what they had discussed! Just as he was about to speak, Yan Yiming cut him off.
With utmost seriousness, Yan Yiming stated, “I saved His Highness for reasons other than what the General assumes.”
Nan Gongxuan thought to himself that Shao Jingyu was being tactless, how could she admit such a thing in front of so many people? He failed to notice the slight curl of Shao Jingyu's lips at her words.
“So it wasn't for His Highness,” Shao Jingyu said. “Then what was the reason? If the Princess is unwilling to say now, you will have no choice but to explain when we reach the capital and face the Emperor. Truly, there is nothing worth concealing to this extent.”
Shao Jingyu left her no room for refusal. Yan Yiming found herself trapped, regretting her decision to attend today. Just as she struggled to find an explanation, a deputy general hurried in to announce that Lord Jiang, personally dispatched by the Emperor, had arrived in Changzhou and was already at the door.
At the mention of “Lord Jiang,” Yan Yiming suddenly felt as if she had seen a glimmer of light.
Shao Jingyu inwardly sighed in disappointment, but consoled himself that there would be plenty of time later. He ordered someone to greet the guest. The group set down their chopsticks, washed their hands, and proceeded to the tea hall. Shortly after, Jiang Yi's tall figure appeared before them. The deep purple official robe, as always, accentuated his distinguished bearing.
His handsome face carried a hint of a smile as he calmly paid his respects to the Crown Prince, then exchanged greetings with Shao Jingyu and Jian Yuyan. Finally, his smiling eyes settled on Yan Yiming. To everyone's surprise, his clear, gentle voice said, “I'm sorry I'm late.”