Volume 1, Chapter 2: You Must Apologize

The Marquis of Chang'an's manor was festooned with lanterns and banners, bustling with luxury and excitement.

Grand and luxurious carriages arrived one after another, pulling up before the gates. Noble ladies, dressed in splendid and elegant attire, arrived with their daughters and sons to offer their congratulations and grace the coming-of-age ceremony of the Marquis's eldest daughter.

Amidst this display of opulence, a fine steed galloped forward, stopping abruptly at the gates. A tall, slender youth, as graceful as a jade carving, dismounted in one swift motion.

Clad in fine brocade and holding a long whip, his face was like polished jade, his posture as straight as a solitary bamboo.

He was indeed like the fabled youth of white jade, whose carriage crossed the river; whose stroll along the eastern path to view the blossoms would stir the hearts of all in the capital.

"Ah! It is the Third Prince! The Third Prince has actually come!"

"The Third Prince appreciates beauty above all. Mother, quick, look at my hair and makeup. I must not displease him."

A crowd of young ladies—some bashful and shy, others bold and forward—all fixed their gazes upon the Third Prince, hoping to catch his eye.

Just then, a small carriage of coarse cloth came clattering slowly down the street, looking exceptionally out of place amidst such grandeur.

The crowd gathered at the gates could not help but turn their heads, thinking to themselves that this was the coming-of-age ceremony for the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Chang'an. Only the rich and powerful were invited; they wanted to see who could possibly be so destitute.

Wei Shuye handed his reins to an attendant and prepared to walk straight inside.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, prompting him to stop and look back.

The coarse curtain of the carriage was lifted, and Changle bent her head as she stepped out.

Through the ages, no beauty is absolute, yet she is a lady who ravishes the eye. Possessing a face that could topple empires, she is a wonder to all under heaven.

Though Changle possessed no reputation for talent or scholarship, her beauty was universally acknowledged in Shengdu; she was the undisputed fairest maiden of the realm.

She wore a pine-flower green, double-breasted gown with wide sleeves. On anyone else, it would have looked elegant and proper, but on her, it was breathtakingly radiant and soul-stirring.

Looking at her, Wei Shuye's eyes flickered.

In the past, he too had thought her beauty was peerless, and that only a woman of her looks was worthy of being his consort.

But those were the thoughts of his naive youth. Now that he had grown, he knew that a person's temperament and talent were what mattered most.

Changle, however, had a terrible temper. She possessed beauty but lacked substance—a splendid exterior concealing a hollow core.

The driver set down the stepping stool, and Changle stepped gracefully down from the carriage.

A young lady of noble birth, who happened to be wearing a pine-flower green gown as well, stamped her foot in frustration. "How irritating! Why did I have to wear the same color as her today?"

Changle's beauty was so brilliant that even the simplest gown, draped over her exquisite figure, took on an extraordinary allure. No one could hope to compare when wearing the same attire.

Changle's gaze swept over the crowd, naturally landing on Wei Shuye.

Wei Shuye did not avert his eyes either. "I didn't think you would come today."

"Whether I come or not is my business. It has nothing to do with you."

Wei Shuye stared at the mocking curve of her brow, impatience flashing in his eyes. "Must you speak to me in this manner?"

He admitted he had changed.

In the past, let alone this tone, even if Changle yelled at him, struck him, or scolded him, he would have accepted it gladly, finding her frank, endearing, and entirely without pretense.

But now, when she acted the same way, he only found her unreasonable, willful, and rude—especially when compared to someone else.

Changle stared at him, her hands clenching into fists inside her sleeves.

She had only spoken a single sentence, yet he was already losing his patience.

But once, he had been the one to tell her that she could remain carefree forever, and that he would protect her for the rest of their lives.

Changle had never doubted him, because no matter what happened, Wei Shuye would never ask who was right or wrong; he would simply shield her behind his back without question.

He used to call her Jiaojiao, telling her she was his very life.

He would hold her hand and say how he wished she would reach her coming-of-age quickly, so he could marry her.

They were childhood sweethearts, and the boy's affection had been honest and burning hot.

Changle once believed that even if the entire world abandoned her, Wei Shuye never would.

But that belief had come crashing down the day she accidentally caught him embracing and kissing another woman beside a carriage.

He had been so engrossed, so lost in the moment, holding the woman in his arms as if she were his most precious treasure.

Changle forced the memory from her mind. "Third Prince, even if you have no shame, you should at least show some reason."

"Was I the one who spoke first? Did I even acknowledge you?"

"If you hadn't addressed me, would I have even deigned to look at you?"

Wei Shuye frowned. He thoroughly disliked the tone she was using with him now.

"Speaking to me like this only shows you still haven't realized your mistake."

"Fine. I will wait until the day you realize your error before we speak again."

"My mistake? What did I do wrong?"

Changle laughed in sheer exasperation. "Wei Shuye, I went out for a proper meal, and it was your beloved who came lunging at me with a bowl of scalding hot soup. Was I supposed to stand there like a fool and let her pour it all over me instead of dodging?"

"Did you really just go there for a meal?"

Wei Shuye did not believe a word she said. Lowering his voice to a whisper meant only for her ears, he reprimanded her, "You clearly knew Xinyan was working as the manager at Qingfeng Tower, and you went there specifically to make things difficult for her and humiliate her."

"Xinyan knew you were upset. She wanted to apologize and make things clear to you."

"As the manager of the pavilion, she did the work of a common servant just to serve you herself. And what did you do?"

"You knocked the soup over, spilling it on her and scalding her entire arm. It still hasn't healed."

"Hua Changle, I never knew you could be so malicious! I truly misjudged you."

Looking at the intense disgust and impatience in Wei Shuye's eyes, Changle dazed for a brief moment.

Wei Shuye was much taller than her. In the past, he loved standing face-to-face with her like this, leaning down slightly to look straight into her eyes.

Back then, his eyes would always hold a doting, affectionate smile, as if he wished to drown her in his gaze.

The youth's gaze had been like rippling spring waters, like a lake gently stirred by a breeze under the warm spring sun, where waterbirds swept gracefully to rest upon the weeping willow branches.

Now, warmth had been replaced by disgust, and indulgence by impatience. The unwavering favoritism she once believed in was, in truth, easily shattered, leaving everything altered by a few whispered words.

Looking at him now, Changle actually grew calm. "Whether you believe it or not, I will say it again: I did not pour it on her on purpose. Nor did I go to Qingfeng Tower to eat just because I knew she was the manager, hoping to order her around and humiliate her."

"Had I known she was the manager of Qingfeng Tower, I would never have set foot in the place."

Qingfeng Tower was a property under Wei Shuye's name. Changle truly had not expected that he would allow the woman he loved to work as a manager in a tavern.

Had she known Lin Xinyan was there, she would never have invited such misfortune upon herself by dining there.

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that?"

"Believe what you want."

Changle made to leave, but Wei Shuye blocked her path. "Is this how you intend to resolve things?"

"Then how do you want to resolve it?"

"I want you to apologize to Xinyan."