Chapter 999: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 999: It’s Better to End the Pain Quickly (4)
“None of your business!” Yan Junyu snapped, furious. He had no idea what that girl—who’d been giving him nightmares for days—was thinking. “I warn you: don’t spout nonsense in front of her, or don’t blame me for roughing up a young lady!”
“You think I care what you say? Hah—how blind I must’ve been to fall for someone with neither cunning ambition nor true courage,” the County Princess of Chang’an replied, her mocking laughter tinged with an undercurrent of bitter disappointment.
Defeated by her taunt, Yan Junyu fell silent, peeling his tangerine with careless force as if it were his enemy.
The County Princess teased him for a while longer, but when he continued to ignore her, she lost interest. She spent ages peeling a large bunch of grapes, ate only a few, and then watched Mo Yan bustling in the courtyard, her expression suddenly wistful.
Outside the Mo residence, Da Ni’er—dressed in fresh clothes with her hair neatly done—watched the carts moving fruit back and forth, joy lighting up her face. She smoothed her dress, convinced it looked proper, then nervously stepped through the gate and walked inward.
Da Ni’er ached to see the man she liked. With each step, she imagined how she would, like Mo Yan, stand boldly before him and speak her heart.
She truly admired Mo Yan: brave, unhesitating, never timid. Da Ni’er hated her own fearful demeanor—how could she expect him to notice her when she froze at every turn?
Her mother, upon learning of her crush, had stopped sending matchmakers but often warned her against falling too deep—different status meant no future. Da Ni’er understood, yet couldn’t stop fantasizing. She hadn’t even confessed yet—how could anyone say it was impossible? Even a sliver of hope was worth keeping.
Her mother called her foolish; Da Ni’er thought so too. She’d tried not to think of him, tried to forget—yet every night before sleep, she replayed his smile, his voice, even the shape of his back. She couldn’t forget—perhaps she didn’t want to—and her dreams remained sweet.
But that sweetness shattered when she saw Yan Junyu sitting shoulder to shoulder with a stranger, speaking with the intimacy of old friends. It felt as if her heart had been cut by a blade, blood and pain everywhere.
Mo Yan finished giving instructions and turned to greet Yan Junyu and the County Princess—only to spot Da Ni’er standing forlornly at a corner. With her keen sight, Mo Yan immediately saw how ill Da Ni’er looked; the slender girl seemed about to collapse in the autumn breeze.
Seeing the intimate pair whispering, Mo Yan understood Da Ni’er’s heartbreak. Her heart ached for pity, and she almost stepped forward to explain that nothing was going on—then stopped herself.
Even if she explained, what then? Yan Junyu would never marry Da Ni’er. All of Da Ni’er’s fervent love was doomed to bear no fruit.
Better a quick pain than a long one. Rather than let Da Ni’er struggle hopelessly, Mo Yan resolved to let this break her heart once and for all—so she could truly move on and find her own happiness.
Steeling herself, Mo Yan p retended not to notice the heartbroken girl and walked toward Yan Junyu and the County Princess.
“County Princess, Young Master Yan, I heard His Majesty plans to marry you two. Would the Hejia County Princess have the honor of attending your wedding banquet?”
Before Yan Junyu could reply, the County Princess kicked him playfully and declared, “Soon, soon! This fellow can’t escape me. Just wait to attend our wedding feast!”
“Who wants to wed you, you tigress? Humph—I intend to live a few more years!” Yan Junyu retorted, coldly refusing.
He had no fondness for this madwoman who whipped him with a riding crop. Even if he must wed someone he didn’t love, he wished for a gentle, dignified wife—one who’d quietly fulfill her duties as Duchess, not start fights over everything.
“Hah! Imperial Uncle will marry us sooner or later. If you have the guts to refuse, I’ll respect you as a true man!” the County Princess shot back mercilessly. Her fierce manner belied her youthful beauty—yet she clearly had the capital to back it up.
Yan Junyu refused to be outdone. “Whether I’m a man has nothing to do with you, tigress. If you’re worried about not finding a husband and clinging to me, I can help. I’ll find you a suitable match.”
“But I want you specifically! If you find someone exactly like you, I’ll be gracious and stop pestering you. Otherwise, don’t even think about marrying anyone else,” the County Princess raised her chin, radiating authority.
Mo Yan almost bowed to witness such boldness. One teasing comment had sparked this grand spectacle. The County Princess’s every word and action were thrillingly brazen—far from modern expectations of demure nobility. But who could blame her? She had every right—and the courage—to match it.
In another life, she’d be the epitome of an admired beauty: countless suitors flocking to her, and many women both envying and revering her.
(End of Chapter 999)
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