The young lady is delicate and soft, yet she criticizes the powerful minister for bowing and scrapin

The courtyard outside Jingchen Courtyard has become Wei Jun's favorite place to stay these past few days.

The zither on the table is played every day, but without Qi Yunli around, his fingertips produce a hoarse sound when they touch it.

The sun rose and set outside the window, and Wei Jun would often sit at her desk, staring blankly at the silver hairpin inserted into her chest.

"Your Highness..." Ru Feng said, unable to bear it.

"Is there any news about her?" Wei Jun's eyes gleamed.

"The secret guards haven't sent any news yet, but Your Highness, they're always very fast. However, you must take good care of yourself in the meantime, lest Miss Biao sees you looking haggard when she returns."

Wei Jun hadn't shaved his beard for several days, and he didn't care what others thought when he went to and from court.

"She'll like me even less, won't she?"

Ru Feng was quite frightened. "Hmm, Miss Biao likes clean-cut men."

"That's true, otherwise she wouldn't have chosen Shen Junshan or me." Wei Jun's tears inexplicably fell.

Ru Feng stood right behind his master, but didn't know how to comfort him.

Upon receiving Ru Feng's letter seeking help, Xie Dongpo immediately rushed to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence.

Unexpectedly, he stopped abruptly as soon as he entered the door, his eyes filled with astonishment.

I almost didn't recognize the disheveled figure sitting in the courtyard as Wei Jun!

His dark casual clothes were loose and baggy, and his hair was not combed up. He didn't look like Wei Jun at all.

When Xie Dongpo saw the front, he was even more shocked. Wei Jun's chin was covered with stubble, dense and thick.

Her already thin face now looks even more haggard.

"You, you haven't slept for days?" Xie Dongpo came to his senses and sat down next to him. "I heard from Fu Chong that your sweetheart ran off with someone else, and you're heartbroken and devastated."

Wei Jun heard the voice but didn't move: "He's talking nonsense again. She's not someone he loves."

"That's not all? Don't even mention your sweetheart, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she's your lifeblood." Xie Dongpo almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

Wei Jun's only redeeming quality is his stubbornness!

"Brother, based on my years of experience in the dating scene, the other person is actually just a lowly ninth-rank clerk, while you are the heir of the Duke of Dingguo. The fact that she didn't choose you suggests that you do have some shortcomings compared to her..."

Wei Jun's eyes shifted to this, his gaze murderous:

"If you dare to say anything more, I'll break your legs."

Xie Dongpo: "See, you can't just threaten women like that. It's not easy for women to live in this world. Most of them lack a sense of security and need to depend on men for survival. But you're always shouting about fighting and killing. Tell me, who would want to follow you?"

Wei Jun remained silent.

"In terms of looks, you are definitely better than that lowly official. Not to mention in terms of official rank, you are far superior to him. He promised to get married, what did you promise?"

"I promised her the position of concubine, but her status is too low to be the mistress of the Dingyuan Marquis's mansion." Wei Jun sighed. "I've thought so much about her, even hoping to find a docile mistress so that she can have an easier time in the future."

"Wait, did she agree to be offered the position of concubine?"

Wei Jun was puzzled. "What's the difference between a concubine and the mistress? They both serve me. Besides, she wouldn't be so greedy as to want to be the mistress of the Marquis's mansion."

"You definitely didn't ask her! I knew it! Concubines are confined to the inner courtyard all day and can't show their faces in public!" Xie Dongpo shook his head violently, looking utterly pathetic.

"You gave her the position of a concubine, but you didn't give her any money or ensure her safety. You scare her all day long. Let alone her, if I were a woman, I wouldn't follow you either."

"But she could have just said it directly. She wants money, she wants everything I have, she can say that."

"You want people to say that in your world, you're giving her the status of a concubine, and she should be grateful?" Xie Dongpo couldn't help but curse.

Wei Jun lowered his eyes and remained silent.

"You and she had a falling out?"

After a while, receiving no response, Xie Dongpo said calmly, "So she's pregnant. You gave her contraceptive soup?"

I want her to drink it.

"You want her to drink it!" Xie Dongpo was astonished by Wei Jun's unusual thought process. "Contraceptive medicine is extremely harmful to the body. If she drinks too much, she might not be able to have children in the future!"

Wei Jun frowned. "Why? I didn't know any of this."

"These things aren't written in the classics, so naturally you don't know them. When it comes to the Four Books and Five Classics, you're better than anyone else, but when it comes to love between men and women, you're far behind."

Xie Dongpo felt he had said enough. Any further words would likely get him beheaded by Wei Jun.

The two sat together for a while before Xie Dongpo quietly left.

Wei Jun picked up the zither again, and the sound was much better, but he still couldn't play a complete piece.

Qi Yunli, no matter where you hide in the world, I will find you.

This time, I won't scare you.

Are you willing to give me a chance to make amends?

As the sun was setting, Wei Ruowei was bringing food to her brother when she bumped into Xie Dongpo.

"Thank you, young master," Wei Ruowei said listlessly.

"Why are you also so sickly?" Xie Dongpo asked curiously. "I've invited you out for riding, archery, and flower viewing these past few days, but you haven't come. Why is that?"

"My Ah Li has left the manor, and I am heartbroken." Wei Ruowei lowered her head, her finger still adorned with a jade ring.

"It's her?!" Xie Dongpo's eyes widened.

It turns out that everything that happened before had a reason.

Qi Yunli is the person Wei Jun truly cares about in his heart.

"And seeing my brother like this, I'm even more worried," Wei Ruowei added.

Xie Dongpo had a vivid imagination. Wei Ruowei's sorrowful appearance didn't seem like she was hurt by a friend leaving without saying goodbye, but rather by her beloved.

Her haggard appearance was similar to that of Wei Jun.

"Wei Ruowei, you shouldn't have..." Xie Dongpo lowered his voice, "You shouldn't have fallen for your older brother. Even though he's your cousin, you're blood relatives, you share the same grandmother!"

Wei Ruowei, who was short of blood and energy, was so angry at him that her blood boiled. "You're talking nonsense!"

"Otherwise, who was the person you told me you loved last time?" Xie Dongpo didn't believe him. "You wouldn't just lie to me like that."

Wei Ruowei put down the food box. There were no servants around, so she simply sat down on the grass and started scratching at the grass.

"No one has ever known my secret, not even the person I love. You have to keep it a secret for me."

"Hmm." Xie Dongpo's heart was pounding.

He wanted to see which scion of a powerful family would dare to steal his woman. He planned to beat that guy up tomorrow and throw him in front of Wei Ruowei so she would be able to dispel his allure.

"Ah Li, the person I like is Ah Li."

"What did you say?!"