4 The Third Prince

Taking a small sip from a delicate cup, Yun Da Xia unabashedly appraised the handsome young man sitting opposite her while worry stirred her head.

Her dreams that night had been plagued by the scent of blood and the pain of a thousand bolts striking one's body. She found herself more awake than asleep, causing her to look like a panda when the sun rose to paint the sky orange. The madame of the manor had seemingly stationed outside her rooms, rushing in the moment her feet left the bed to vehemently fuss.

Though Yun Da Xia still maintained misgivings; her stomach had long become satisfied with the current circumstances, being stuffed with light cakes and premium tea. Shen Huiqing accompanied her daughter, telling stories of years prior. The hopeful glint in her eyes slowly dimmed whenever the young girl could only give a half-hearted smile and nod along to her accounts. Madame Yun may have come to a resolution the night prior, but she would like to dream.

Yun Da Xia wished she could give some kind of compromise regarding her personality, but the original soul of this body, she could not reconcile with.

The Young Miss Yun was a noble lady that exuded class from her core. Her grace painted her upbringing, her talents in the scholarly arts unparalleled. Emotions rarely adorned her face, allowing her to be worthy of the title 'Ice Goddess.'

She, on the other hand, had never been the kind of person who could employ a state of aloofness and refinement.

Though being crippled by memory loss was a somewhat substantial excuse to hide behind, wariness still stuck by her. The family she gained would not hold suspicion towards her, but what of someone looking from the outside?

Head traumas should allow for great shifts in disposition, right? Her acting was already subpar; how could she constantly pretend to be detached!

Especially in front of a certain ex-fiancé; faced with her current predicament, Yun Da Xia could only awkwardly smile. Setting her tea down, she cleared her throat. "Your Highness, the matter of you visiting today, this miss is curious as to how I can be of service?"

She mentally gave herself a pat on the back, pleased that her speech was quickly adjusting to the older time period. Perhaps her aptitude for theatrics was slowly rising?

His Highness, Tian Chan Ge, hummed in acknowledgment. His slender fingers lightly tapped the sides of the precious cutlery on the table, brows lightly creased. Looking at her peerless face, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary at all. However, a feeling in his gut hinted that something was fundamentally odd.

"Miss Yun, this Prince's main purpose for coming here is to check on your health. The rumors concerning your illness painted it to seem as if you were about to readily stroll around the gardens of the underworld." His line of thinking was the same as a large majority of people. This Yun Da Xia had attempted to commit suicide because the marriage contract she had been promised since young had easily become null and void. Hysterics hit her and she soon fled out into a stormy night.

Thus getting hit by lightning.

Looking at her, it didn't seem like she had suffered from such an incident at all.

The girl in question let out a tinkling laugh, brightening her face. "Your Highness, please do not bother with this lowly one. This miss is only experiencing difficulty in remembering the past. Overall, the body is not harmed. You do not need to concern yourself with such a matter."

When the steward came to announce the prince's arrival, she had seen a quick change flash on her new mother's face. A sense of aversion tinted her view of the prince. Though the words exchanged were nothing but polite, there was definitely a hint of ridicule in Tian Chan Ge's eyes.

She did not need a man who disliked her in this life or a loveless marriage for that matter; so she had truly meant her last words.

The prince frowned, "Difficulty in remembering the past? To what extent?"

She shrugged, "I have no recollection of any of my relationships, be it family or friends. I fear that if I pick up a brush or strum the qin, I would no longer be able to replicate my previous capabilities." This, of course, was all just a preemptive measure in case of any future unavoidable talent showcases.

"My condolences, Miss Yun." Really, he had no sympathy for her at all. At least now, she wouldn't be a hindrance to his future engagement. Tian Chan Ge hummed, pondering if General Yun would bring issue to. it.

"Many thanks, your Highness." Her nose twitched watching him.

Who wouldn't know what the third prince was thinking? From the moment their engagement had been abolished, rumors spoke of a beautiful young woman who could be seen by his side constantly.

A little tasteless, in her opinion, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

His heart wanted the throne.

She smiled, "Your Highness, if I may speak out of line, I would like to give thanks again for another matter." The prince raised a full brow ever so slightly, "Oh?"

A sharpness entered her eyes, "The engagement was canceled because of Your Highness' concern for the common good. I have never been suitable to become Imperial Consort. I and my family bear no ill will and thoroughly support your decision, so please worry not."

Her words were lacking subtlety, but oh well. She could not be bothered to deal with three thousand concubines and be cast aside as a political pawn, so it was best he got the point.

Tian Chan Ge tightened his mouth, uncomfortable about the words she said. Was it so easy to say those words?

A forced chuckle escaped his lips, "Miss Yun, it should be this Prince thanking you for being so understanding." Glancing at the cold tea in front of him, a smile graced his face. "This Prince has overstayed his welcome. Please, continue recuperating, Miss Yun." He didn't give her time to respond as he flicked his sleeves and vanished out the door.

Yun Da Xia did not deign him with a response. Instead, she was interested in the disgusted looks sent her way by his page boys.

If they had the guts to be so disrespectful, they had the permission of their masters to be so. As to why the Third Prince disliked her so, she had a theory. Waving her hand, she sent the other servants in the room with her away.

Master had once said that this world was ruled by the law of the jungle: the strong have power, while the weak have no choice but to follow. Based on the transparent desires in Tian Chan Ge's heart, she had not fit his requirements.

Sighing, she prepared herself. Forced into a foreign body and circumstance had distracted her from an innate emptiness. She had thought that it was the natural weakness of this new body that dulled her senses to an extent. However, as time passed, there was no sign of her regaining the powers of her previous life. The encounter with His Highness today reminded her of that fact. If her speculations were correct, this would be a great inconvenience.

Opening her hand, her palms were beautifully unmarred. In the past, runes littered its surface. Each one painstakingly carved by her master or herself. It had been a slaved over by master and disciple. Now, she had a blank canvas to work on by herself.

Yun Da Xia willed for a blue flame to take shape, hoping that her body wouldn't truly be ablank canvas.

But even as sweat poured down her brow, stinging her eyes, not even a flicker appeared.