Chapter 13: Your Highness, Liyan Is Not Stupid

 

Qi Yun…

 

Shen Yian suddenly remembered, isn’t this the name of Gu Ruoyi’s personal maid in the original novel?

 

Gu Ruoyi’s mother, the Zhen Family, was a prominent family in Luo Prefecture. In the seventh year of the Mingyuan era, a severe drought hit Luo Prefecture, leaving the land barren and thousands of people starving.

 

At that time, the entire Great Qing Dynasty was in turmoil, with internal strife and external threats from the northern barbarian tribes.

 

A rebellion broke out in Luo Prefecture, and Gu Qing, who was still a general at the time, was ordered by the imperial court to lead the troops to suppress the rebellion.

 

When Gu Qing’s army arrived in Luo Prefecture, he met the Zhen Family, who were distributing food to the refugees. He fell in love with Zhen Xi, the eldest daughter of the Zhen Family, at first sight.

 

The rebellion was eventually put down, and Zhen Xi became pregnant. The imperial court then ordered Gu Qing to lead the troops to fight against the northern barbarian tribes, leaving Zhen Xi behind.

 

Seventeen years later, Gu Qing returned to Luo Prefecture, only to find that the Zhen Family had disappeared without a trace.

 

Gu Ruoyi…

 

The lively young girl was followed by a beautiful woman behind her.

 

Her body is more delicate than flowers, her hands are white and pointed, her long black hair cascades down behind her like a waterfall, her eyes are like waves, her eyebrows are like ink paintings, and her expression is as clear as autumn water. She gives people an indescribable feeling of tenderness and delicacy. She doesn’t say a word, but she is full of charm.

 

No wonder she could make all the male leads fall for her.

 

Shen Yian silently withdrew his gaze and turned his head away.

 

According to the original novel, Gu Ruoyi should have met him seven days after returning to the Martial Marquis’s mansion, where he would help her out of a predicament, and they would have their first encounter.

 

The original plot has long been changed beyond recognition by him, and those opportunities and treasures that might appear have long been plundered by him. It doesn’t matter whether the timing is correct or not. It is an expired strategy book in itself and can be thrown into a corner to gather dust.

 

Although it was just a glance, Gu Ruoyi was deeply attracted to Shen Yian’s stunning good looks, and her heart was racing with excitement.

 

“Granny, how much is this wooden hairpin?”

 

“Three copper coins,” the old woman replied, thinking for a moment before adding, “Two copper coins would be fine.”

 

The wooden hairpin was exquisitely carved and polished, but it didn’t have any decorations, and the wood itself wasn’t valuable. The most it was worth was the craftsmanship.

 

“Granny, here’s the money,” Ye Liyan carefully placed three copper coins in the old woman’s hand.

 

“Thank you, young lady, thank you,” the old woman said gratefully.

 

“Granny, are these wooden combs for sale too?”

 

“Yes, they are, but they’re a bit more expensive than the hairpin,” the old woman replied.

 

Ye Liyan looked at the row of delicate wooden combs, and her little hand and the other hand touched a wooden comb at the same time.

 

Shen Yian raised an eyebrow, guessing that this scene would unfold.

 

“Please.” Ye Liyan sensibly withdrew her hand, raised her eyes and saw Gu Ruoyi in front of her. She was startled. What a beautiful woman…

 

Through a layer of white gauze, Gu Ruoyi could feel Ye Liyan’s extraordinary and otherworldly cold temperament. Since she could go shopping with such a peerless young man, the person in front of her must be a daughter of some rich family.

 

Gu Ruoyi, who was standing opposite her, couldn’t help but feel a sense of crisis.

 

“Sister, please,” Gu Ruoyi said, curtsying.

 

Although the Zhen Family had fallen, Gu Ruoyi had learned etiquette and needlework from her mother since she was young.

 

Qi Yun stood aside, turning her head left and right, looking at the two girls with a puzzled look, wondering why they suddenly stopped talking.

 

“Granny, how much is this?” Shen Yian’s voice broke the awkward atmosphere.

 

The old woman’s cloudy eyes sparkled with clarity: “Young Master, this is made of cow horn, and it’s a bit pricey, one or two silver coins.”

 

Shen Yian looked at the exquisite wooden comb in his hand and chuckled: “It’s truly a masterpiece, the craftsman who carved it must have put in a lot of effort.”

 

“It was carved by my third son,” the old woman said proudly.

 

“I’ll take it,” Shen Yian said, handing over a few silver coins to the old woman.

 

“Young Master, you’re giving too much!”

 

“It’s not too much, it’s worth the price.”

 

“Thank you, Young Master!”

 

“Liyan, do you like it?” Shen Yian placed the comb in Ye Liyan’s hand.

 

Ye Liyan’s eyes were filled with joy and shyness, and she nodded vigorously, almost knocking off her veil: “I like it.”

 

In any era, giving a comb as a gift had always been a symbol of lifelong commitment and companionship.

 

Otherwise, Ye Liyan wouldn’t be so excited.

 

Gu Ruoyi watched from the side, her hands clenched tightly around her clothes, feeling a strange emptiness in her heart, but her stomach was filled with a mysterious force.

 

“Let’s go,” Shen Yian said with a warm smile, never once looking at Gu Ruoyi.

 

Ye Liyan nodded lightly to Gu Ruoyi and followed Shen Yian away from the hairpin stall.

 

“Miss, miss? That Young Master is already gone!”

 

Qi Yun waved her hand in front of Gu Ruoyi’s face to bring her back to reality.

 

“Oh,” Gu Ruoyi withdrew her gaze and responded softly, looking lost.

 

From start to finish, that Young Master seemed to have only looked at her once…

 

“Miss, did you fall for that Young Master?” Qi Yun asked with a smile.

 

“No,” Gu Ruoyi’s face turned red, and she looked away, her shy demeanor making the passing men turn their heads.

 

“You girl, you teased me again, you should be punished.”

 

“Wah wah wah, miss, please don’t pinch my face too hard, Qi Yun’s face is going to get pinched and swollen.”

 

Cheng Hai walked past the hairpin stall and raised an eyebrow, looking at the two girls.

 

Wasn’t that the daughter of the Martial Marquis?

 

Two days ago, the king had instructed him to pay special attention to a certain person, who was said to be very beautiful, but not particularly remarkable.

 

Jinxiu and Jinlian stared at Gu Ruoyi with wide eyes.

 

Apart from their own young lady, this was the second time they had seen a woman with such stunning beauty. They were so envious!

 

Up ahead, Shen Yian saw Ye Liyan’s hesitant expression and couldn’t help but laugh and ask: “What’s wrong? Are you thinking about that girl from earlier?”

 

Ye Liyan’s silence was a clear indication that she was thinking about something.

 

“Yes… Liyan has never seen such a beautiful girl before, with such a good temperament, and she must be a young lady from a noble family.”

 

Ye Liyan’s small hand tightened its grip, she didn’t often go out, and she had heard that Tianwu City had four great beauties.

 

Her grandfather would often praise her, saying she was a hundred, a thousand times more beautiful than those four beauties, but she knew it was just her grandfather’s comforting words.

 

Because of those blue eyes, when facing normal girls, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of inferiority.

 

Especially after seeing Gu Ruoyi today, that sense of inferiority was magnified infinitely.

 

If the king had met Gu Ruoyi earlier, would he have chosen her instead of herself, a representative of bad luck…

 

“Are you sure it’s the first time you’ve seen her?” Shen Yian suddenly grabbed Ye Liyan’s small hand and chuckled.

 

“I wouldn’t dare deceive Your Highness.”

 

Ye Liyan quickly lowered her head.

 

“Silly girl, don’t you look in the mirror often?” Shen Yian’s eyes were full of indulgence and concern, and it seemed that the rumors and gossip had a deep impact on Ye Liyan’s self-esteem.

 

“Li…”

 

Ye Liyan’s small mouth opened slightly, and her brain couldn’t understand the meaning of this conversation.

 

“Silly girl, you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, and those eyes are also the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, whether in the past or present.”

 

“You are my future queen, and I won’t allow you to belittle yourself.”

 

Shen Yian’s words were domineering, but his fingers couldn’t help but gently stroke Ye Liyan’s delicate nose through the veil.

 

Ye Liyan’s face turned red, and she wanted to take two steps back, but her hand was caught by Shen Yian’s, and she couldn’t move. She was so shy that she almost buried her little head in the chest. After thinking again and again, she finally retorted pitifully.

 

“Your Highness…”

 

“Liyan… is not stupid…”