Volume One, Chapter 14: Little Imperial Uncle, Do You Need a Warm Wife to Snuggle With?

After packing everything up, Changle took a jade pendant out of the box.

The pendant was translucent and smooth, with a hollowed-out character "Xuan" engraved in the center.

This was the jade pendant that Wei Chengxuan had given her after she had helped him once, but she had never really paid it much mind and had left it unattended.

"Miss, are you really going to pawn all of these?" Lindong brought over a cloth and saw the items laid out on the floor. In her heart, she silently cursed the Third Prince once again.

She clearly remembered how much the young lady once treasured these things. Even dusting them off, the lady always did it herself, never entrusting others.

The Third Prince had never known how much the lady had secretly prepared and endured in order to marry him, nor the hardships she had borne.

Lindong used to feel it was unfair to her mistress, pitying her for all she had done for the Third Prince yet remaining silent, pouring her heart out in vain.

But now she felt extremely fortunate.

Fortunately, the lady had never said a word before. When the Third Prince learns the truth later, he will regret it.

Lindong could hardly wait to see the Third Prince drowning in regret.

It wasn’t just the Third Prince; when the Marquis and others learn of the lady’s true strength, they’ll realize that Hua Zhiyu doesn’t even compare to a single strand of her hair.

Thinking of those scenes, Lindong couldn’t help but chuckle.

"What are you smiling at, Changle?" Without even glancing at the items on the floor again, Changle stuffed the jade pendant into her sleeve pocket, gave Lindong a quick look, and stepped out the door. "Sell everything that can be exchanged for silver. Throw away the rest."

"I'm going out on business; I might be late coming back."

Changle left the courtyard and headed straight towards the main gate of the Xuan Prince’s Mansion.

The gate of the Xuan Prince’s Mansion was imposing and grand. Even the stone lions guarding the entrance were far more majestic than those at ordinary residences.

Counting last time, this was Changle’s second visit to the Xuan Prince’s Mansion.

Though not her first time, she was still awed by the mansion’s solemn majesty.

The guards at the gate had already been given orders. Seeing Changle approach, they asked no questions, simply saluted, and allowed her entry.

Changle didn’t know where Wei Chengxuan was. She hesitated briefly after passing the screen wall, about to inquire, when the mansion’s steward came forward to meet her.

"The prince is practicing swordplay in the Western Garden. Please follow me, miss," the steward bowed slightly and gestured politely.

Changle nodded faintly, and the steward led the way.

The Xuan Prince’s Mansion was a gift from the late emperor and was the largest residence in the entire Shengdu city after the imperial palace.

Yet, as she had felt during her first visit, Changle still found the mansion oppressively empty.

Not empty in a spacious way, but truly empty.

Apart from the landscaping and arrangements, there was no extra decoration.

For example, the garden had exquisite rockeries, pavilions, and winding streams, but there wasn’t a single ornamental pot beyond that. Changle even spotted wildflowers growing in the flower beds beside the bluestone paths—flowers common on the outskirts of the city—being carefully tended by the mansion’s gardener.

Inside the rooms, the emptiness persisted.

Changle glanced into several open rooms; they were bare, without even basic furniture like tables or chairs, let alone porcelain or paintings for decoration.

When she first came to the mansion, she had sensed a discord beneath its imposing grandeur, and now that feeling was even stronger.

Changle couldn’t quite pinpoint what this sense of discord was when the steward stopped walking.

"Miss, the prince is just over there."

Changle followed the steward’s gesture toward the courtyard beyond the corridor. The wind stirred the bamboo grove, rustling softly.

Wei Chengxuan wore a moon-white long robe, his hair unbound, black strands fluttering gently in the breeze.

He held a sword at his wrist, the blade flowing like a dragon diving into the abyss, then suddenly flicked it back in a beautiful sword flourish, the blade pointing skyward…

Changle stood beneath the corridor, captivated, not even noticing when the steward had quietly withdrawn.

Wei Chengxuan performed a graceful turn and threw the sword back.

The blade sliced the air with a sharp, ringing sound, flying straight toward Changle before clanging smoothly into the sheath hanging under the corridor.

Changle stared at Wei Chengxuan’s tall, poised figure, his robe billowing like a celestial being descended to earth. She swallowed instinctively, a phrase flashing through her mind: "Graceful as a startled swan, flowing like a wandering dragon."

"Have you truly made up your mind?" Wei Chengxuan’s voice pulled Changle back to reality.

She regained composure and bowed respectfully from a distance. "Yes, young imperial uncle."

Wei Chengxuan stepped leisurely onto the corridor, took a handkerchief to wipe his hands slowly, then poured two cups of tea from a small kettle burning atop a brazier. He sat at a small table beneath the corridor and casually gestured, "Sit."

"Young imperial uncle, this is the jade pendant you gave me last time. Now it’s being returned to its owner."

He didn’t take the pendant, so Changle held it for a moment and sat on a small stool beside the table, her expression somewhat reserved.

Wei Chengxuan pushed the other cup of tea toward her. Changle hastily reached out and pretended to catch it. "Thank you, young imperial uncle."

Wei Chengxuan said nothing, lifting his cup to drink quietly.

Changle couldn’t discern his thoughts, so she patiently waited.

Finally, Wei Chengxuan set his cup down and spoke, "Breaking off the engagement is possible, but do you know what you will face besides the gossip and slander afterward?"

Changle naturally knew.

By voluntarily ending her engagement with Wei Shuye, she had wounded his pride and, consequently, insulted his mother, Consort Rong. Consort Rong would never let her off easily.

She was fully aware of this and that was why she had thought of relying on Wei Chengxuan as her protector.

Changle lifted her eyelids and glanced at Wei Chengxuan’s expression. Her hands clenched tightly on her lap, the jade pendant pressing painfully against her palm.

Should she take the gamble?

Maybe Wei Chengxuan would actually agree!

After all, she had just happened to save him once, and he had already helped her twice.

But… what if he was merely annoyed with her and just wanted to get the pendant back to dismiss her?

Changle’s heart was a battleground of hesitation, her delicate face scrunching up like a steamed bun, her upper teeth unconsciously biting her lower lip until it turned a cherry pink.

Seeing Changle in such turmoil, Wei Chengxuan’s eyes darkened slightly as he put down his tea cup.

He had anticipated her fear.

After all, she was just a young girl, with no one to back her up. It was only natural that her heart was filled with confusion and anxiety.

Wei Chengxuan flicked his sleeve and said in a calm voice, "A life saved is a debt that cannot be repaid..."

"So, young imperial uncle, are you going to offer yourself in return?"

His words were suddenly cut off. It was rare to see Wei Chengxuan momentarily at a loss for words.

Changle stared straight at him, daringly continuing, "Young imperial uncle, it’s chilly tonight. Don’t you need a princess to keep you warm?"