No way?

Evening on the Grassland

Only at night could Yue'er reclaim her feminine attire, and even then, it had to be done in secret. Being with a girl like this required a certain level of tolerance and resilience. By day, they had to act like people with no special connection whatsoever; only by night could they stroll under the moon, whispering sweet words of affection. Fortunately, Yue'er was no longer bound to the Wenxuan Library. Otherwise, if she were to appear before Zhao Chengxian every day, it would be terribly difficult for the two of them to conceal their emotions, and people would surely discover something amiss.

Hand in hand, Yue'er and Zhao Chengxian strolled across the grassland. Zhao Chengxian gazed at Yue'er, who was dressed in a water-red gown, and smiled, "You remind me of a line of poetry!" He was simply overjoyed whenever he was with her.

Curiously, Yue'er raised her head to look at Zhao Chengxian and asked, "What poetry?" As she spoke, she was wondering how to tell him about what she had discovered earlier that day.

Zhao Chengxian pulled Yue'er's hand against his chest, held it tightly, and smiled. "When I recall how you looked in men's clothing during the day, and then look at you now all dainty and charming—doesn't it just bring to mind: *The male hare's feet kick restlessly, the female hare's eyes are muddled and blurred; with two hares running side by side on the ground, how can one distinguish the male from the female?* So you see, he was quoting the Ballad of Mulan. He used to think Hua Mulan's superiors and subordinates were rather foolish for failing to tell whether she was a man or a woman, yet he never expected that when the very same situation befell him, he too had almost failed to tell them apart. If he hadn't known Yue'er beforehand, he might truly have been unable to tell.

Hearing this conclusion, Yue'er burst into laughter and said, "Indeed! Even our seasoned Prince Jun was almost fooled. It seems my disguise as a man was quite a success!" Although Zhao Chengxian was reluctant to admit it, he had indeed been half-skeptical at first, wondering if Yue'er was simply Yang Wentai. Fortunately, he had the sense to keep testing and searching for answers; otherwise, how could he have found this present happiness?

They sat down on the verdant grass. Zhao Chengxian smiled faintly, pulled Yue'er into his arms, and said, "Yes, a success, a success, a tremendous success! You nearly fooled everyone. Only your brother knew the moment he saw you that you were Yue'er. Your brother is still the sharper one!" Having dressed in men's clothing since childhood, Hui Qinghui was thoroughly accustomed to it, so of course he could recognize her at a glance. Not only Hui Qinghui, but all the sworn brothers of the Hui Escort Agency would have recognized Hui Yue'er instantly—it was simply that they had never had the chance to cross paths, for they were brothers who had shared life and death together.

Leaning gently against Zhao Chengxian's shoulder, Yue'er laughed happily and said, "This is the first time I've ever heard you praise my brother. You don't think Sister-in-law made a mistake in choosing my brother now, do you?" Looking at Hui Qinghui and Silian, they were truly happy. Although Silian had suffered some hardship because of Madame Hui, there was far more sweetness and bliss, for their marriage was founded upon love.

Zhao Chengxian smiled, "You should go and ask Rou'er if she is happy. If she is happy, naturally I will not consider it a mistake!" In truth, they both understood the answer in their hearts; it was far better than forcefully marrying Silian to someone she loathed. Yue'er smiled knowingly. She understood that Zhao Chengxian was simply too proud to directly admit his past mistake, which she could well understand—if she were in his shoes, she might have done the exact same thing.

After pondering for a long time, Yue'er decided to tell Zhao Chengxian what she had learned during the day. After all, Zhao Chengxian had every right to know the truth, and perhaps this would be for the best for both him and Consort Xiang. Sitting upright and wearing a serious expression, Yue'er looked at Zhao Chengxian and said, "I want to tell you something. Promise me you won't get too worked up after hearing it, all right?" Yue'er rarely faced Zhao Chengxian with such a solemn expression, and her demeanor truly frightened him.

Zhao Chengxian quickly asked, "Has your identity been discovered?" He could only think of things concerning Yue'er herself.

Closing her eyes, Yue'er said, "This has nothing to do with me. Today, while investigating on Yayun Street, I accidentally uncovered a secret belonging to Consort Xiang of the Prince's Manor. The reason she has always been so indifferent to worldly affairs is simply because you do not exist in her heart at all; she is deeply in love with someone else. You won't have any extreme reaction, will you? I'm telling you this in the hope that you might set Consort Xiang free, so she can find the happiness she deserves!"

Having poured out everything in one breath, she opened one eye to observe Zhao Chengxian's expression, only to find no trace of shock on his face. It was as though everything were entirely within his expectations. Yue'er immediately opened both eyes wide, stared at Zhao Chengxian, and demanded, "Are you out of your mind with anger? People say a man can never endure such a thing! I was even worried you'd be furious once I told you!" She had never expected Zhao Chengxian to remain so calm. It seemed she had simply been overthinking the whole matter—it was all Weiyu's fault for making a simple issue sound so complicated.

Zhao Chengxian patted Yue'er's head with a smile and said, "If it were you who fell in love with someone else, I might indeed have the urge to kill!" Then, pulling the head-shielding Yue'er back into his arms, he smiled and continued, "Actually, as for the three secondary consorts in the Prince's Manor, they were all married to me as political transactions; there is no genuine affection to speak of. I was well aware that only Consort Xiang was forced into it. She has no desire to fight for anything; it is as if everything in this world is void to her." Their marriages had been beyond their own control, leaving them with no choice but to obey the dictates of their parents.

Yue'er sprang to her feet and exclaimed in astonishment, "You don't say! You knew all along? That means I worried myself half to death for nothing!" She felt thoroughly wronged. It turned out she had been needlessly borrowing trouble all day long, while he had known the truth the entire time—truly unbelievable.

Zhao Chengxian pulled Yue'er back down beside him and explained, "I knew that Consort Xiang's heart belonged to another, but I could find no proper justification to divorce her. Besides, if I were to divorce her, what would become of her afterward?" Consort Xiang's family were civil officials deeply imbued with Confucian ideology, and they could never accept a daughter who had been cast aside by her husband's family returning to her parental home. If she were truly divorced, she would have no choice left but to take her own life or become a nun, spending her days accompanied only by the dim light of an oil lamp. Staying in the Prince's Manor, at least she could live out her days in fine clothes and abundant food. That was his primary concern.

With a smile, Yue'er said, "You needn't worry about that. I discovered today that there is a man who intends to remain unmarried for the rest of his life for Consort Xiang's sake. I believe that as long as you are willing to grant your consent, he will gladly take her in. You aren't reluctant to let her go, are you?" If Zhao Chengxian dared to answer yes, Yue'er would certainly turn hostile on the spot.

Consoling her with a gentle smile, Zhao Chengxian coaxed, "How could that be? As long as I have you, I am entirely content. It's just that I need to go and speak with Consort Xiang personally before we can finalize this matter." Yue'er understood that, after all, this was their personal affair and naturally had to be resolved between them. She had merely stepped in to help bring Consort Xiang's feelings to light, and with that, she pressed Zhao Chengxian no further.