Chapter 71

As the sun was setting, Shen Yian led the way, with Cheng Hai and E Lai following behind. The three strolled leisurely along the streets of the southern market.

Along the way, E Lai kept reviewing the game of Chinese chess he had played with Yin Hai, seeking advice from Shen Yian on chess techniques.

He was anxious because he had lost. Apart from the opening moves, he had been completely dominated by Yin Hai, suffering a crushing defeat even after taking back three moves.

Shen Yian expressed his inability to help, admitting that his chess skills were limited to beating beginners. He couldn’t compete with prodigies like Yin Hai and Fu Sheng.

Passing by a high-end zither shop, Shen Yian paused briefly, remembering that Mendu should have sent his guqin here for repairs. He wondered if he should stop by to see what strings were available.

As he hesitated, a familiar voice reached his ears.

“Greetings, Your Highness, King of Chu!”

By chance, Ye Feng and Ye Liyan were approaching from nearby.

“Uncle Ye, Liyan?” Shen Yian turned, addressing them more intimately since there were no outsiders around.

Ye Feng’s old face reddened upon hearing “Uncle Ye”: “Your Highness, you’re too kind!”

Shen Yian smiled slightly, thinking that in a few days, he’d be calling him father-in-law in private.

“Are you going to the zither shop?” Shen Yian asked, noticing the zither case on Jinxiu’s back.

“Yes, Your Highness. Two of Liyan’s guqin strings broke during today’s practice due to age.”

Ye Feng sighed lightly. The guqin was left to Ye Liyan by her mother, and the girl had cried when two strings suddenly broke today.

Shen Yian paused, remembering his own guqin, feeling a bit awkward.@@novelbin@@

As the three chatted, Ye Feng’s eyes occasionally drifted towards E Lai. He thought this big fellow would surely make a fierce general if he joined the army.

Feeling uncomfortable under Ye Feng’s strange, appraising looks, E Lai struggled to contain his aura. If the man wasn’t His Highness’s future father-in-law, he would have shouted: “What are you looking at, old man?!”

The group entered the zither shop. While the shopkeeper was talking with the father and daughter, Shen Yian chose the most expensive steel strings from a shop assistant.

He didn’t believe steel strings would break as easily as silk ones.

When it came time to pay, Shen Yian was forced into a polite tussle with Ye Feng.

“Uncle Ye, we’ll soon be family. There’s no need to be so particular!”

“No way! How can we let Your Highness pay? The Ye family can certainly afford this! Shopkeeper, how much did His Highness spend? Return the money to him, I’ll cover it!” Ye Feng slapped down a 100-tael silver note on the counter, with full of bravado.

“General Ye… His Highness chose our shop’s most expensive steel strings, worth 700 taels of silver…” the shopkeeper reminded softly.

“How much?” Ye Feng was stunned. 700 taels of silver?! Were these strings made of gold?!

Ye Liyan, holding the money bag, was equally shocked. She didn’t know strings could be so expensive.

“His Highness replaced seven steel strings, each costing 100 taels. Including your expenses, it’s 800 taels in total,” the shopkeeper explained with an awkward smile.

Ye Feng’s face froze. It was too embarrassing; he hadn’t brought that much money with him.

“Uncle Ye, please hear me out.”

In the end, Shen Yian skillfully resolved the awkward situation with some clever words.

Leaving the zither shop, the afterglow was still there and it was not dark yet.

Ye Feng looked at the young couple before him, soon to be officially united, and couldn’t help but recall his own youth.

In the sunset, he and she had walked side by side on a not-so-bustling street. He spoke of his aspirations for the future, while she smiled gently, quietly listening to their future plans. Alas, those days could never return.

A father knows his daughter best.

His daughter hadn’t seen His Highness much these past few days, she must be missing him. An old fellow like himself, with one foot in the grave, shouldn’t interfere with the young couple.

Ye Feng made an excuse and left for home with Jinxiu and Jinlian.

With Shen Yian’s tacit approval, E Lai, showing good judgment, led Cheng Hai away.

The southern market was already quiet, and once they left, only the two of them remained on the street.

“Let’s go for a walk,” Shen Yian stepped forward and naturally took Ye Liyan’s small hand.

“As Your Highness wishes,” Ye Liyan nodded shyly, feeling the warmth from his large hand.

It would be dark soon, so Shen Yian didn’t plan to go far. He decided to stroll around the southern market, have dinner, and then escort Ye Liyan back to the Duke’s mansion.

Come to think of it, without Cheng Hai and Jinxiu following, this was their first proper date as a couple.

Before they could leave the street, they encountered three people who surprised Shen Yian.

“Fourth Brother, Miss Gu!” Shen Yian smiled lightly at Shen Jingyu, Gu Ruoyi, and Qiyun.

He was curious. Had his fourth brother become aware so early? Was he already making moves on Gu Ruoyi?

Seeing the two of them with a maid at this hour made one think.

Fifth Brother, you need to speed things up! At this rate, I might as well go all-in on the King of Song.

“Sixth Brother, Miss Ye.”

“Greetings, Your Highness King of Chu.”

“Greetings, Your Highness King of Song.” The three women curtsied.

“What a surprise to see you again, Miss Gu,” Shen Yian spoke first. He had already told Ye Liyan about what happened at Thousand Gold Pavilion, so there would be no misunderstandings.

“Thank you again for helping Ruoyi out of that situation, Your Highness King of Chu,” Gu Ruoyi curtsied, her gaze unconsciously drifting to Ye Liyan.

Who was she? Why was she always alone with King of Chu?

For some reason, after seeing the other person again this time, she felt inexplicably uncomfortable and developed a sense of “hostility”?

“You’re too kind, Miss Gu. It was all thanks to the Fourth Brother last time.”

“I apologize, Sixth Brother. I misspoke earlier. Should I be calling her sister-in-law now?” Shen Jingyu looked apologetically at Ye Liyan.

“Fourth Brother, you’re a few days early, but it won’t be long now,” Shen Yian smiled slightly.

Hearing this, Gu Ruoyi’s heart skipped a beat.

Sister-in-law?

What does this mean…

Could it be…

Are they getting married?

Gu Ruoyi unconsciously stared at Shen Yian and Ye Liyan, her mind gradually becoming confused.

“Miss Ruoyi, this Miss Ye is Sixth Brother’s fiancée, daughter of General Ye of the Northern Garrison.”

“Sister-in-law, this is the daughter of Martial Marquis General Gu,” Shen Jingyu took the opportunity to introduce the two women.

“Liyan greets Miss Gu,” Ye Liyan curtsied gracefully.

“Ruo… Ruoyi greets Miss Ye,” Gu Ruoyi came to her senses and stumbled through her curtsy, then added with a somewhat unnatural smile, “Thank you again, Miss Ye, for letting me have that wooden comb last time.”

“Oh? You’ve met before?” Shen Jingyu looked at the two women with interest.

“We met once at a hairpin stall, but we didn’t know Miss Gu at the time,” Shen Yian recalled, then turned to Ye Liyan. “Liyan, you can take off your veil now, there are no strangers here.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Ye Liyan also felt it would be impolite to continue wearing the veil in front of everyone.

Before she could raise her hand, Shen Yian had already gently removed Ye Liyan’s veil, their movements incredibly intimate.

Gu Ruoyi bit her red lips lightly as she saw Ye Liyan’s face, which was no less beautiful than her own. Especially when she saw those azure blue eyes, color drained from her face, and she felt a sense of suffocation.

Shen Yian glanced from the corner of his eye, easily noticing the hidden discontent in Gu Ruoyi’s eyes.

Give up, I’m the man you can’t have.

“Eh?! Fourth Brother! Sixth Brother!”