Chapter Five: Recounting the Events of Yesteryear

If he were to personally petition the Emperor to sanction the marriage of those two, it would be equivalent to disavowing his former relationship with Ye Qingyan. Beyond that, by handing over the woman to his nominal younger brother, all the gossip and ridicule would inevitably be directed at him. After all, a man who cannot even protect his own woman would be branded with labels of cowardice, incompetence, and cuckoldry for the rest of his life.

Meanwhile, Sun Feng and Ye Qingyan would hide behind him, comfortably settling into their roles as the Prince and Princess of Conquest. Although he no longer cared for the title or Ye Qingyan, he was not about to sacrifice his own reputation for the convenience of others, nor would he play the saint with his own life.

At this moment, everyone was waiting for Lin Qian’s reply, their eyes fixed upon him in anticipation. Ye Qingyan, too, sat by his side in silence. Lin Qian, however, remained unhurried. He picked up a piece of meat, savored it slowly, and then took a leisurely sip of wine.

Seeing this, the others could no longer contain their impatience.

"Sun Qian, are you listening to what your mother is saying?"

"When are you going to the palace to see the Emperor?" Sun Feiyan, known for her hot temper, finally burst out.

Lin Qian set down his chopsticks, raised his head, and looked at her with a calm expression. "Why don't you go yourself, Miss Sun?"

"Didn't you hear your mother? I am a woman of the inner chambers; if it weren't for that, why would we need you?"

"Seeking an audience with the Emperor is a major affair, and you say a woman cannot handle it. Yet, is marriage not a major affair? Why is it that when it comes to marriage, women are suddenly capable of making the decisions?" Lin Qian replied coolly.

Sun Feiyan and Li Hongfang froze. One was the matriarch of the Prince's estate, the other the eldest daughter; it would be simple enough for them to seek an audience. However, back when Lin Qian was still the heir to the Prince of Conquest’s estate, he and Ye Qingyan had been inseparable, a perfect match in the eyes of all. If they were to petition the Emperor to have Ye Qingyan marry Sun Feng, even with the Emperor’s previous marriage decree in hand, they would be seen by the capital’s nobility as bullies who tore apart a devoted couple. The Prince of Conquest’s estate was one of the four great military houses, and with so many eyes upon them, they were vulnerable to criticism.

If Lin Qian were the one to propose the marriage, all the public backlash would fall upon him, sparing the estate and keeping Sun Feng and Ye Qingyan clear of the fallout. It was the best strategy they could devise. Yet, the flimsy excuse they used to manipulate Lin Qian had been effortlessly thrown back in their faces. Both women were left speechless, unable to formulate a retort.

Sun Feng, observing this, was frantic. Ye Qingyan’s beauty was legendary throughout the Great Qian Dynasty. She was royalty, and her father was the Prince of the North, one of the four great military commanders. If he married her, he would secure the backing of two powerful houses, placing him in a position of supreme power. Lin Qian’s stalling was sabotaging his golden opportunity.

"This concerns my marriage, yet my elder brother keeps making excuses. Is he holding a grudge against me?" Sun Feng said, feigning injury. "If Brother resents me, I shall leave the estate at once. You are the true heir to the Prince of Conquest, and it should be you who marries Princess Anning."

At these words, Li Hongfang and Sun Feiyan’s hearts softened. They saw a son who had lived in exile for years, yet remained so sensible, modest, and unpretentious. In contrast, they looked at Lin Qian. Before Sun Feng returned, Lin Qian had been cultured and respectful, but since Sun Feng's arrival, he had become as stubborn and cold as a stone in a latrine.

"Sun Qian, I will give you one last chance. Go to the palace and propose this to the Emperor," Sun Feiyan commanded, glaring at him. "Feng’er treats you with such sincerity; can you really not bear to see him settle down?"

"Miss Sun, my name is Lin Qian, not Sun Qian," he replied flatly. "As for this matter, I cannot comply, for I am truly powerless to do so."

"Why powerless? Are you crippled? If you cannot walk to the palace, I will have a sedan chair carry you," Sun Feiyan demanded.

"I have long since had no connection to the Prince of Conquest’s estate," Lin Qian said softly. "My surname is Lin, not Sun. In what capacity would I represent the Prince of the North’s house? By what right would an outsider interfere in the marriage of the Prince of the North’s heir?"

Sun Feiyan fell silent. Her father had stripped Lin Qian of the Sun surname, which meant he was no longer part of the family and could not even be listed in the ancestral records. To have him represent the estate to propose a marriage for Sun Feng was indeed against all protocol.

"Brother, you are mistaken," Sun Feng interrupted. "Even if you lost the surname, you are still a man of this house. You lived here for eighteen years, and everyone—from the Emperor to the court officials—recognized you as the pride of this family. A name change cannot alter that reality. Besides, as long as Mother and Sister acknowledge your status, you can certainly represent the estate." Sun Feng looked at him with a sinister glint in his eyes. "Or is it that you are stalling because you still harbor feelings for the Princess?"

Lin Qian turned to look at Ye Qingyan. She lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze, just as she had done all those years ago.

Lin Qian laughed. "You call it 'old feelings.' It was nothing more than the foolishness of youth, a time when I didn't understand the coldness of the human heart. That is in the past. I do not dwell on the past, nor do I harbor any expectations."

"Then you are willing to help me propose the marriage?" Sun Feng asked, his face alight with excitement, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of malice.

"I have no expectations for the past, but that does not mean I intend to go to the palace," Lin Qian replied.

"What?" Sun Feng froze.

"Because whether you two marry or not has absolutely nothing to do with me. Therefore, I see no reason to risk the charge of deceiving the Emperor for your sake."

"What charge of deception? I said, if you are willing, Mother and Sister will acknowledge your status as a Sun!"

Lin Qian smiled. "Three years ago, you also acknowledged my status, yet I was still sent to the Imperial Stables, wasn't I? Besides, Sun, is your word even worth trusting? We are all here today—why don't you tell everyone exactly why I angered the Emperor and was disgraced in the first place?"