Chapter 602: Otherwise, There Will Always Be Regret

Chapter 602—Otherwise, There’ll Always Be Regret

Xingxing had met Princess Qing An several times and genuinely liked her. Upon hearing the news, she let out an intrigued "Wow!" and smiled, saying, “Then I must definitely go congratulate the princess.”

The old matron smiled and waved her hand. “It’s not settled yet.”

They exchanged a few more words before the matron took her leave.

Yu Yongliu arrived shortly after.

The invitation from Ying Manor still lay on the table, as Xingxing hadn’t put it away yet. She was sitting nearby, eating some ice cream. Seeing Yu Yongliu come in, she swallowed her bite and greeted him, “Third Brother.”

“Aunt just sent some over. There’s plenty left—I put them in the icebox. Want some, Third Brother? Should I have Zhao Ying get you a bowl?”

Yu Yongliu gave a noncommittal “sure,” so Xingxing told Zhao Ying to bring one out from the icebox.

Brother and sister sat together on the daybed by the window, enjoying their ice cream.

Yu Yongliu casually mentioned, “Earlier I saw a strange old matron enter your courtyard?”

Xingxing nodded. “She came from Ying Manor. They invited me to visit their estate tomorrow.”

Yu Yongliu gave a soft “hmm.” “Today, the Ying Princess and Qing An came here to visit. It makes sense they’d invite you back—it’s only polite.”

Xingxing suddenly looked at Yu Yongliu and suppressed a grin before slyly saying, “Right. But according to what the matron hinted, one of the Ying Princess’s maternal cousins is coming tomorrow. She even mentioned that Qing An might soon be getting engaged… Third Brother, what do you think she meant? Could it be that Qing An and this cousin are meeting for a matchmaker’s visit, and they invited us along to make things less awkward?”

As soon as those words came out, Xingxing noticed her dear third brother’s expression instantly darken.

Yu Yongliu simply sat there silently, not speaking for a long while.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Xingxing signaled to Zhao Ying to dismiss the maids from the room. Once alone, she gently nudged Yu Yongliu with her elbow and whispered, “Third Brother, if you like Qing An, why don’t you ask Second Aunt to send a matchmaker to propose on your behalf?”

Yu Yongliu shook his head. “…I already asked her. She turned me down.”

Xingxing gasped slightly, completely taken aback by this revelation.

“That can’t be right?” she immediately doubted.

She had been observing Qing An closely today, and the way the princess kept glancing at her third brother had been obvious.

Could she have misjudged everything?

No—how could she have misread each and every look?

Xingxing eyed Yu Yongliu skeptically.

“Did Qing An really refuse?” she pressed quietly. “Third Brother, tell me exactly how you approached her.”

Yu Yongliu hesitated, his cheeks turning faintly pink.

Discussing such matters with his little sister felt… too strange.

“…Anyway, she refused.” He never hesitated when speaking in court, but now, trying to explain this to his sister, he found himself completely at a loss for words.

Seeing his discomfort, Xingxing suddenly caught on.

“Third Brother, I have a feeling,” she said, clearing her throat lightly. “Could it be that you… didn’t quite express yourself clearly and ended up causing a big misunderstanding?”

Otherwise, why would Qing An act the way she did today?

Even later, when the Prince of Ying's consort brought Princess Qing An to visit, that itself was a signal.

Yu Yongliu frowned and remained silent.

Clearly, he was reflecting on whether he had said something wrong earlier.

Xingxing let out a "Hey!" and slapped Yu Yongliu's arm. "Third Brother! Guess why the old nanny suddenly started talking to me today about your cousin coming tomorrow and the princess’s impending engagement?"

Yu Yongliu was startled.

He hadn’t expected his little sister to be so perceptive at such a young age.

But Yu Yongliu resolved himself.

He couldn't afford to miss this chance and spend the rest of his life in regret!

Yu Yongliu wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and stood up, as if he had found his resolve.

Xingxing watched excitedly. "Third Brother, you can do it! You definitely can!"

She was practically ready to jump onto the table to cheer him on!

Yu Yongliu sighed helplessly. "You're still young and may not fully understand love... But yes, I must give it a try. Otherwise, I'll always feel regret."

Xingxing nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah! Go for it, go for it!"

Yu Yongliu balled his fists, gave Xingxing a determined nod, and strode out.

Watching his retreating figure, Xingxing exclaimed, "Aiya!" and rested her chin in her hands, excitement rising within her.

Was she about to get a sister-in-law soon?!

When the doorkeeper at the Prince of Ying’s manor announced Yu Yongliu’s request for an audience, Qing An was sitting beside her mother, watching her play cards.

At the news, her hands trembled, and the melon seeds she was shelling scattered to the floor.

The Prince of Ying’s consort, however, looked thoroughly pleased.

He had come rushing over as soon as he heard the news.

Now that’s what I like to see!

Why should only her precious daughter suffer from love troubles?

Smiling broadly, she had the maids clear away the cards.

She turned to Qing An. "Sweetheart, shall we let him sweat a bit?"

Qing An’s heart raced.

Still hesitating, she said, "...What if he has some official matters to attend to?"

Her mother exasperatedly bopped her on the forehead. "Marrying you is the most important matter there is!"

Rubbing the spot where she'd been poked, Qing An's heart fluttered.

Seeing her daughter’s expression, the princess prodded, "How about it? Should we make him wait a little?"

"No—" Qing An blurted out. Then, noticing her mother's raised eyebrow, she fidgeted with her fingers nervously. "Mother, what if he really does have other business? What if we make him miss something?"

The Princess of Ying laughed in exasperation, having clearly seen how her daughter had already given her whole heart to him—even though nothing had even happened yet.

Indeed!

Yu Yongliu was a fine young man. Yet before anything had truly occurred, he had already charmed her darling daughter into this dazed and lovesick state, leaving the Princess both annoyed and helpless.

"Alright then. I won't be the bad guy here," she relented, and had Yu Yongliu summoned.

Princess Qing An, however, was too flustered to face Yu Yongliu and slipped away into the inner chamber.

When Yu Yongliu entered, he lifted the front panels of his robe and performed a deep ceremonial bow before the Princess of Ying. "I have a request to make of Your Highness."

The Princess was startled.

Was the top scholar (zhuangyuan) about to drop to one knee and propose marriage outright?

As the saying goes, the more a mother looks at her future son-in-law, the fonder she grows.

Though earlier the Princess of Ying had still felt some resentment, now as she gazed upon the tall, handsome young man with an air of nobility kneeling before her—his bearing dignified, yet filled with earnest entreaty—she found herself growing more and more pleased.

Still, she had been expecting Yu Yongliu to ask directly for her daughter's hand. Instead, all he requested was a single meeting with Princess Qing An.