Chapter 1

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The wind gently brushed through her hair, making the willow branches sway. Half a cup of tea sat cooling on the table, while a faint, elegant fragrance rose from the small incense burner. Her half-tied black hair was adorned with gold ornaments and a striking peony and butterfly hairpin made of pearls and emerald feathers. Her bright eyes and white teeth, complemented by a flawless pearl necklace likely offered as a tribute from another country, added to her beauty. On her jade wrist, a green and yellow jade bracelet revealed a small black mole. The young lady sat beneath the willow tree, dressed in a vibrant, intricately embroidered gown, sipping tea and watching the fish in the lake. Her natural grace exuded an authoritative aura, making her luxurious attire seem secondary.

From a distance, no one dared to approach.

Everyone whispered that the eldest daughter of the Duke’s Mansion, Jiang Ruohua, had suddenly changed. Gone was her previous gentle and humble nature. She even dared to reject the imperial marriage bestowed upon her with Prince Ying. Not only did she defy the royal decree, but she did so without facing any consequences.

People thought it was not surprising. After all, what kind of family was the Duke’s Mansion? And who was Jiang Ruohua? She was a noblewoman, daughter of a powerful minister. If she wanted to break off a marriage with a prince, it was not an impossible task.

Some people felt it was long overdue. Although Prince Ying had a good record, he brought the daughter of a fallen family with him before even getting married, treating her like a concubine. This was a slap in the face to Jiang Ruohua, the future princess.

Previously, Jiang Ruohua turned a blind eye to this, enduring everything. Calling it gentle and humble was just a euphemism for being weak and incompetent, without the dignity of a princess, bringing shame to her family. No wonder her family never intervened, feeling ashamed of her.

Watching the fish in the pond, Jiang Ruohua drank the slightly cooled tea. In this early summer heat, it was indeed refreshing.

Noble ladies avoided her, either out of fear of the broken engagement or because they never liked her. Now, in the peaceful silence, she felt truly happy.

However, there was another person in the garden who wasn’t happy.

Looking blandly towards the approaching figure, her calm and composed demeanor made the other person hesitate. Jiang Ruohua slightly raised her lips, placing her silk fan on the table. The approaching Zhao Yuexi looked pitiful, with fine eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, her plain dress enhancing her delicate appearance. But such beauty was fragile, and her constant melancholy was tiresome.

Recalling her dream, she wondered how she once tolerated such a fragile person by her side.

In this group of noble ladies, both Jiang Ruohua and Zhao Yuexi were unpopular. One was the legitimate daughter of a noble family, the other was cherished by Prince Ying. Neither was liked by other noble ladies. Jiang Ruohua’s lack of presence embarrassed her family, making her unworthy of the princess’s title. Zhao Yuexi, an orphan living with relatives, clung to Prince Ying, using lowly tricks to gain favor, which noble ladies despised.

“Miss Jiang,” Zhao Yuexi said, her face slightly red with anger, making her look sickly. “What did you do to Prince Ying? I have never seen him act that way… Cough, cough. He never spoke to me like that. If you truly broke off the engagement, why is he acting like this?”

Jiang Ruohua frowned at the frail Zhao Yuexi. “How Prince Ying treats you is his business, not mine.”

“Or is it that you, the person closest to Prince Ying, can’t keep his heart and now seek advice from me, who broke off the engagement?” she mocked, laughing. “That’s not impossible. If you’re sincere, kneel and beg me.”

“Begging requires humility, not arrogance!”

Her stern gaze was full of authority, unlike her previous weak self.

“You…” Zhao Yuexi was shocked, stepping back. She had always relied on Prince Ying. Now, without his support, she didn’t expect Jiang Ruohua to be so formidable. Panicking, she bit her lip, unwilling to let go of her only support. “Miss Jiang, aren’t you afraid of rumors? After breaking off the engagement, Prince Ying changed. Aren’t you afraid of being blamed?”

Zhao Yuexi’s voice was soft but anxious.

Jiang Ruohua remained calm. Blame? If she still feared that, she wouldn’t be Jiang Ruohua!

“Miss Zhao, you seem to have misunderstood something,” Jiang Ruohua smiled. “I went to the palace to personally break off the engagement. You speak as if I was abandoned. Do you know the consequences of slandering someone? As for the blame…”

She paused. “If I dared to reject a royal marriage, neither I nor my family fear the consequences.”

She looked into Zhao Yuexi’s evasive eyes, saying slowly, “Miss Zhao, think carefully. You can’t afford to provoke someone who defied the royal family.”

Zhao Yuexi turned pale and left in a daze.

“Hua Chan, let’s go.” Jiang Ruohua finished her tea, finding the tea garden boring. She wanted to teach Zhao Yuexi a lesson. Zhao Yuexi, in her plain dress, seemed delicate and lovable, favored by Prince Ying. But without understanding the ways of the noble, she was just a fragile flower dependent on his affection.

“Miss, slow down,” Hua Chan quickly supported her. “Miss, if the Third Lady finds out, she will be angry.”

Jiang Ruohua ignored her, asking instead, “Hua Chan, do you think it’s better to be obedient for Prince Ying or to be assertive like now?”

“Well…” Hua Chan hesitated. “I think… this is the real you. If it makes you happy, then this is better.”

“Exactly. If the Third Lady is angry, let her be,” Jiang Ruohua said casually, recalling the dream from a few days ago.

The dream was so real, with vivid details of Prince Ying favoring Zhao Yuexi and humiliating her. Her meekness, shaped by the Third Lady’s strict upbringing, seemed so distant now.