CHAPTER 90: CHAPTER 89: THE BROKEN ENGAGEMENT

Grandiose!

Isn’t this exactly the shiny sponsor?

Yu Nianzhao looked at her with a different gaze, becoming a bit more fervent.

"Then I really won’t be polite. Once the temple is completed, I will definitely inform Princess An Nan first!"

"Well, that would be wonderful. Just the right time to seek some talismans!"

"I can also contribute." Prince An Nan tried to blend in.

"Humph, it’s not necessary for the Prince to get involved, after all, doesn’t the Prince always disbelieve in ghost and god talk?" Princess An Nan gave him a glare, still harboring resentment towards him.

Prince An Nan smiled awkwardly and touched his nose, "Isn’t it due to witnessing the prowess of Princess Consort Su that I have come to believe? Seeking peace and harmony in the mansion."

"A harmonious mansion indeed!" Princess An Nan cast him a disdainful look, unwilling to pay attention to this old man any longer.

"If you still worry that malevolent spirits might affect you, you can buy an exorcism talisman." Yu Nianzhao took out talismans for sale, "One thousand taels of silver each."

"Buy, buy, buy, the Prince shall buy them all." Prince An Nan waved his hand generously, bought all the exorcism talismans, and distributed one to each person.

"Can I have one as well?" Ms Cui raised her hand, asking weakly.

"Oh, I almost forgot you’re still here, here’s one for you." Prince An Nan handed the talisman to Ms Cui, solemnly saying, "Only, today’s events are of great importance, affecting both the reputation of the mansion and Yongning Marquis Mansion..."

"Don’t worry, Prince, I am also from Yongning Marquis Mansion, naturally I understand the principle of shared glory and shared loss, I will definitely not speak carelessly." Ms Cui repeatedly assured.

Once the mansion’s affairs were settled, Yu Nianzhao was also preparing to leave.

Zhixi couldn’t move all the silver alone, she ultimately had Xie Yunzhe personally escort them back to Prince Su Mansion.

Once Xie Yunzhe returned to the mansion, the first thing he did was to find Prince An Nan and his wife, and kneel on the ground to ask, "Father, Mother, can I break off the marriage with Marquis Wu’an Mansion?"

Prince An Nan asked in surprise, "Why is that? Although the Princess just returned, the marriage was indeed an arranged betrothal from childhood, nothing seems wrong with it?"

"But Father, do you know, Princess Consort Su was originally the one betrothed to me, the true legitimate daughter of the Pei Family." Xie Yunzhe’s eyes were filled with deep darkness, "Pei Yunzhi is a fake daughter, swapped at birth, Yu Nianzhao returned to the Pei Family when she was ten, and was later sent to Tomb Guard City."

Prince An Nan suddenly realized, "I see... No wonder Princess Consort Su isn’t close to the Pei Family. I only heard about their severing ties but didn’t bother to learn more. Yet, even so, she has already been granted marriage, it’s impossible to exchange the betrothal candidate."

Xie Yunzhe lowered his eyes and said, "I know, but Pei Yunzhi’s parentage is uncertain, also not suitable to be the future Princely Heir’s wife."

"Hmm, what you said does make sense, indeed requires careful consideration." Prince An Nan slightly frowned, starting to ponder this issue deeply.

Princess An Nan looked at Xie Yunzhe with a complex expression, and after Prince An Nan left, she asked, "Are you wanting to break off the engagement for Princess Consort Su?"

Xie Yunzhe hesitated, not hiding it, "I indeed have a favorable impression of her, she... the more I look, the more different she seems."

"But Princess Consort Su has her own ideas, you might not be in her favor." Princess An Nan spoke directly.

"I know, before I felt it didn’t matter whom I married, Pei Yunzhi also was a noble lady, would be a good fit as the future Princely Heir’s wife, but now... I’ve changed my thoughts, even if not for Yu Nianzhao, I want to reconsider extensively."

"But what about Prince Su? You can’t just fight against your royal uncle."

"Mother, rumors say Prince Su won’t live past twenty-six. As long as I can delay their wedding, then after a year, no, maybe even less..."

Seeing the eagerness and hope in Xie Yunzhe’s eyes, Princess An Nan’s heart softened.

"Alright, I understand, I will bring this up with your father."

"Thank you, Mother!" Xie Yunzhe finally smiled and left.

Within three days, the news of the withdrawal of the Princely Heir’s engagement caused a stir throughout Shangjing.

——

"Did Xie Jiuxiao not return last night?" Yu Nianzhao wrapped herself in a thick fox fur, only feeling cold.

Indeed, without Xie Jiuxiao’s evil qi to nourish her, her body was becoming weak.

It seems she has to quickly establish more temples, so even without the evil qi, she can rely on incense offerings to continue living.

"It seems another murder happened last night, this time the victim was a gate officer, a seventh-grade official. If it were just an ordinary murder, it wouldn’t be as significant, but..."

Dongfang Chenyuan secretively leaned closer, "The state of the gate officer’s death is the same as those previously deceased, all with hearts carved out!"

"Carved out hearts?" Yu Nianzhao frowned, "Is Xie Jiuxiao still at the murder scene?"

"Indeed, the Prince is investigating the case overnight. Such brutal acts, killing and then carving out hearts, are excessively violent. The emperor has ordered immediate investigation, otherwise, a curfew might be imposed."

"Curfew?"

"Yes, our Shangjing is always bustling, even at night, with lots of people and thriving commerce. If a curfew is really imposed, it would surely cause panic among everyone, so if it’s enforced, it would be out of absolute necessity."

"Where is he now? Dongfang, take me to see him." Regardless of anything else, she wants to find Xie Jiuxiao to sustain herself for a while.

"Ah? Is the Princess going to the imperial prison? Such a bloody place isn’t suitable for you."

"Even ghosts fear me, just a prison, what’s to fear?"

"Seems... that’s true too!"

Dongfang Chenyuan clapped his hands and decided to take her over.

Just as they were walking out of the mansion, a figure approached them aggressively.

"Yu! Nianzhao!" Pei Yunzhi could no longer maintain her fairy-like, pure image, angrily blocking Yu Nianzhao’s path, her eyes shooting infinite resentment and fury.

"Good dogs don’t block the way!" Yu Nianzhao glanced at her, wanting to bypass her and leave.

"Yu Nianzhao, are you trying to escape? You’re guilty, aren’t you? Previously, you spoke so calmly, but that was just pretense. You’re jealous of me having the Pei Family’s support, envying that I’ll become Princess An Nan’s wife, so you’re scheming to ruin everything I have, right? You’re truly despicable, showing one side outwardly, another behind the scenes, who are you trying to please by acting like this?"

Pei Yunzhi was both angry and aggrieved, her eyes red as she stared intently at Yu Nianzhao, unwilling to let her leave so easily.

Lien Yanran caught up and grabbed Pei Yunzhi’s arm, lowering her voice, "Yunzhi cousin, don’t be foolish, discussing this in public, do you not care about your reputation?"