Chapter 110

Yan Yiming looked at Jiang Yi's still smiling face. The sudden gloom and obsession from earlier seemed like nothing but an illusion, and now he was once again that peerlessly elegant young nobleman.
But Yan Yiming knew that the inexplicable fear she had felt in that moment was definitely not something Jiang Yi had fabricated to scare her.
Perhaps Jiang Yi had ultimately reined in all his emotions, burying them deep in his heart once more, but that couldn't hide the fact that he had been truly angry.
Wrapped in the quilt, Yan Yiming could still feel the marks Jiang Yi had left on her neck. After everything had calmed down, her skin throbbed with a dull pain. She truly hadn't intended to resist, if Jiang Yi wanted it, she would have given it to him. But in the end, it was Jiang Yi who had helped straighten her clothes, treating her with the same gentle care as always before leaving.
Little A cautiously asked why Jiang Yi had suddenly stopped. Yan Yiming touched the still-stinging spot on her neck. She had asked Jiang Yi the same question before he left. Tucking her in, he had smiled and said, “Because it wasn't appropriate.”
Whether the timing wasn't right or the place wasn't suitable, Yan Yiming didn't press further.
Jiang Yi walked out of the room. The chilly wind of early winter sobered his somewhat muddled thoughts. After a long while, a bitter, self-mocking smile appeared on his face.
Nothing was appropriate, not the timing, not the place, and certainly not Yan Yiming's willingness.
He remembered Yan Yiming once explaining to him that her relationship with Jian Yuyan was merely a way of life, not born of any genuine affection. So how was her indulgence and compromise with him any better than what she had with Jian Yuyan?
It was only out of guilt that she sought to compensate him. But what he wanted had never been something so superficial.
If he had truly continued, how would he be any different from Jian Yuyan in her heart?
So he forcefully suppressed his anger, or perhaps desire, and stood somewhat disheveled in the early winter air, letting the cold wind wash over him.
Even she herself felt utterly miserable.
A’Ming often inadvertently revealed many things, yet even she remained unaware. He asked her if it could compare to the life-and-death bond she shared with Shao Jingyu. She said it couldn’t, explaining that the moment General Yan died, her trust in Shao Jingyu had vanished.
So, if Shao Jingyu hadn’t taken that wrong step out of selfishness, in her heart, the four ordinary years of their youth together truly couldn’t measure up to the three years of camaraderie with Shao Jingyu.
Just as he had guessed, Shao Jingyu was not someone Yan Yiming could equate with Nan Gongxuan or Jian Yuyan.
He hadn’t lied to Yan Yiming, he was genuinely jealous, genuinely angry, but in the end, he buried it all deep inside.
He held a trump card that could truly threaten Yan Yiming. She knew what she feared and worried about the most, yet he had never revealed his hand. Unless it came to the last resort, unless things reached an irreparable point, he still wanted her to stay willingly for his sake, not out of coercion.
He was someone who never accepted losses, yet when facing Yan Yiming, he always endured again and again, showing her boundless tolerance and gentleness, just to let her know the limitless extent of his affection for her.
People always have emotions; people can always be moved, right?
As for Shao Jingyu, since he had chosen to nip the seedling of Yan Yiming’s trust in the bud, there was naturally no chance for a withered tree to flourish again.
The night breeze swept by, and Jiang Yi turned to glance once more at the still-lit lamp in Yan Yiming’s room. Only then did he seem to feel a chill, shivering slightly before letting out a soft laugh and leaving the place.
Inside the room, Yan Yiming listened as Little A reported that Jiang Yi had finally left, then pulled the quilt tightly around herself and lay back down.
In the blink of an eye, the night passed.
The next day, the maid helped Yan Yiming with her makeup as usual. Suddenly, Yan Yiming recalled Jiang Yi’s question from the day before: where did this maid hide to eavesdrop after leaving the room?
Little A had also confirmed that she indeed pressed herself against the windowsill, keeping an eye on the movements inside, waiting for an opportunity to report to Shao Jingyu.
Shao Jingyu had sent someone to watch her, especially paying attention to her relationship with Jiang Yi. If Yan Yiming had initially thought it was because Shao Jingyu didn’t trust her, after Jiang Yi’s arrival, she could confirm that Shao Jingyu must have discovered something, leading him to suspect, or even be certain, that she was the same Yan Yiming from before.
Yan Yiming reflected on what traces she might have left during this time and eventually concluded that the issue lay with the Crown Prince.
This time, she hadn’t had much contact with Shao Jingyu. Aside from Jiang Yi, the person she interacted with the most was the Crown Prince. And along the way, in order to survive, she had indeed revealed many flaws in front of Nan Gongxuan. Nan Gongxuan might not realize it, but Shao Jingyu was a different story.
Yan Yiming seized an opportunity to arrange an accidental encounter with Nan Gongxuan. Over tea, she subtly probed, asking if Shao Jingyu had inquired about her.
Nan Gongxuan’s feelings toward Yan Yiming were now quite complicated. He had finally realized that he might harbor unusual emotions for her, but ever since the Crown Princess’s death, he had vowed never to take another principal consort. As for a secondary consort, how could Yan Yiming possibly give up on Jiang Yi, whom she had worked so hard to win over, just for that title?
Nan Gongxuan thought it best to avoid her to spare himself the trouble, yet whenever he saw her, he felt it was better to have her in sight. Simply sitting and chatting with her brought him joy. However, he couldn’t understand why she kept bringing up Shao Jingyu.
Yan Yiming replied naturally, feigning confusion, “For some reason, I always feel that General Shao harbors an inexplicable hostility toward me. I truly don’t understand, which is why I wanted to ask Your Highness.”
“Is that so?” Nan Gongxuan was surprised. “When Shao Jingyu mentioned you to me, he spoke of you with great admiration.”
Yan Yiming pretended not to believe it, scoffing lightly, “The first time General Shao met me, he outright called me a treacherous rebel. How could he possibly admire me?”
“You saved my life. I would never allow you to be misunderstood. A few days ago, when I mentioned to Shao Jingyu how clever you were throughout the journey, he was also quite astonished.”
Yan Yiming’s heart skipped a beat, and she struggled to maintain her smile. “So Your Highness thinks so highly of me.”
“It’s not that I think highly of you,” Nan Gongxuan sighed. “I heard you were raised as a boy by the Prince of Jiangxia since childhood. No wonder your martial skills and horsemanship are so exceptional, not to mention your ability to devise such precise routes based on the terrain. Shao Jingyu was also full of praise and remarked that your talents reminded him of the Marquis of Yiyong, who once campaigned alongside him.”
Yan Yiming wished she could throw the entire cup of tea in Nan Gongxuan’s face.
After risking her life to save him, he was now unwittingly sabotaging her efforts.
And he had the audacity to look as if she should feel honored by his praise.
No wonder Shao Jingyu was suspicious. Some habits she had brought from her previous life remained unchanged even after all these years, and she had inadvertently left clues for Shao Jingyu to discover.
But given Shao Jingyu’s personality, his explosive decisiveness, even if he felt he owed her greatly from the past, once he confirmed her identity, he would confront her directly, opting for the most straightforward approach to resolve the matter once and for all.
Yet, Shao Jingyu remained inactive, merely having her watched or investigated. This meant he was still in the stage of suspicion, not confirmation.
So, there was still a chance to salvage the situation. Shao Jingyu could confirm she was the Yan Yiming of the past through certain details, but he could also doubt her identity due to other discrepancies.
First and foremost, compared to the cold and reticent Commandant Yan of the past, the current Princess Ming was almost excessively lively. Even with an injured leg, she could bounce around energetically. After making up her mind, Yan Yiming turned to leave. Nan Gongxuan stood up, wanting to keep her for more conversation, but as he lowered his head, he noticed a suggestive mark on her fair nape.
His hand trembled abruptly. Looking more closely, he realized it wasn’t just her nape, even behind her ears, in such a private and delicate area, there were similarly glaring red marks.
As someone who had long been experienced in such matters, the Crown Prince could tell at a glance what those marks were. For a moment, all words stuck in his throat. Yan Yiming bid him a cheerful farewell and left, and this time, Nan Gongxuan did not stop her.
Only then did he recall that informants had mentioned Jiang Yi dined with Yan Yiming every evening, sometimes staying until the dead of night. A man and a woman alone together for so long, it was only natural for something to happen. He had long known of her deep affection for Jiang Yi, so why did his heart now ache with an inexplicable bitterness he couldn't resolve?
Jian Yuyan lived with his mother and sister, Jian Yu’er. Nan Gongxuan had initially wanted to seek out Jian Yuyan to confide in him, but the thought of Jian Yu’er's presence made him hesitate, fearing it would be awkward. At this moment, he had no desire to see Jiang Yi either, so after discussing official matters with Shao Jingyu, with whom he had a decent relationship, he poured out his troubles.
Shao Jingyu was more than willing to listen to Nan Gongxuan share other secrets about Princess Ming. However, after hearing him out, he found nothing particularly new or interesting and began to feel somewhat disinterested. Just as he was about to make an excuse to leave, Nan Gongxuan murmured gloomily, “I always thought Jiang Yi was a gentleman, but it seems I was mistaken...”
Shao Jingyu's heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously clenched his fists. “What about Lord Jiang?”
“They're not even married yet,” Nan Gongxuan replied evasively. “And he couldn't even restrain himself. I truly... overestimated him...”
The maid had reported to him daily that Jiang Yi visited Princess Ming but never stayed overnight, which had given Shao Jingyu some breathing room. But now, the Crown Prince's vague words shattered those illusions.
Shao Jingyu took a sharp breath but did not let it show in front of the Crown Prince. As he passed through the rear garden, he unexpectedly saw Yun Xiao, looking bored, playing chess with Princess Ming.
Having been searching for an opportunity to see her, he hadn't expected it to come so soon. Without a second thought, Shao Jingyu walked over. Glancing down, he saw only a handful of pieces, it wasn't Go, but Gomoku.
Back then, Yan Yiming had found Go too mentally taxing and time-consuming, so she taught them the much simpler game of Gomoku. In their free time, they would draw a board on the ground, gather a few stones, and play for hours. Back in the military camp, soldiers could be seen everywhere, sitting or squatting, engrossed in games of Gomoku.
Shao Jingyu's heart suddenly raced. He hadn't expected Princess Ming to know this game as well.
But before his thoughts could fully form, Yun Xiao exclaimed, “I won again!” Yan Yiming frowned in frustration and said, “I've only just learned. Give me some time, and I'll definitely beat you.”
Yun Xiao paid no heed and laughed heartily for a while before noticing Shao Jingyu standing a few steps away. He immediately stood up and called out, “General!” Yan Yiming turned her head with feigned surprise, then her face lit up with delight as she also greeted,
“Ah, General!”