Yan Shi Ning’s peach blossom tree in life was pitiful.

She lived past eighteen years and had yet to see her peach blossom tree blossomed even once.

She wasn’t a bad match, she was sane and beautiful. But she didn’t know why she didn’t even have one suitor. It was an insane situation.

Her father was the prime minister, Yan Jing. It was a pity she wasn’t her father’s golden daughter.

Yan Jing was a poor scholar, he struggled to study for ten years. During that trialling period, Yan Shi Ning’s mother Dung Thi supported him. Yan Jing and Dung Thi had a loving relationship. Unexpectedly after he entered the palace to take the imperial examination, he caught Princess Kang Hua’s attention.

Yan Jing faced a difficult dilemma. On one side he loved Dung Thi and on the other side was his high ambition. His final decision was he wanted both and married Princess Kang Hua.

He thought he would live an ideal life. But on his wedding night with Princess Kang Hua, Dung Thi packed her belongings and returned to her family’s country home. Dung Thi never returned to the imperial city even though she gave birth to Yan Shi Ning in the country.

After Yan Shi Ning’s birth, half of Yan Jing’s heart was in the imperial city and the other half was with Dung Thi. Occasionally he visited his parents and Dung Thi in the country. He missed Dung Thi and wanted to visit more often but Princess Kang Hua was a powerful force and didn’t allow him to visit them often.

More than ten years past by quickly. Dung Thi worked hard to earn a living and died of pneumonia. When Yan Jing found out Dung Thi died, he cried continuously. Then he brought Yan Shi Ning to the imperial city. That year Yan Shi Ning was only sixteen years old.

Usually young ladies at the age of sixteen were the target of many matchmakers. But Yan Shi Ning’s family background wasn’t ideal. Even though she was the prime minister’s daughter, she didn’t have high hopes for an ideal husband. Prominent men wanted to marry someone who was most compatible with them to elevate their status. In the prime minister’s manor behind Yan Shi Ning was his golden daughter. The golden daughter’s mother was a princess and the princess was also the empress’ blood sister.

Compared to Princess Kang Hua’s daughter, Yan Shi Ning didn’t have any powerful family connections and Yan Shi Ning was alone in the world. It was the main reason why many court officials didn’t want to marry Yan Shi Ning. Their eyes focused solely on the prime minister’s golden daughter.

For two years Yan Shi Ning stayed in an endless restless state in the imperial city. No suitors wanted to marry her. When she was free she thought about the two consequences of not having suitors. One, soon she would past the desirable marriage age to start a family then it was logical that the ground below was forced to look at what was above. Second, her father stood behind Princess Kang Hua to support the princess, and Yan Shi Ning’s marriage state wasn’t an exception.

Although Yan Shi Nang aged as each day past, she didn’t care if she became an old maid. When other people pitied her, she smiled and silently maintained her gentle and docile image.

She remembered what her mother instructed her before dying, ‘the imperial city isn’t like Xuan Qing. After you leave Xuan Qing, you can’t follow your impulses. Princess Kang Hua isn’t someone you should offend. If you offend her, she’ll take revenge. You need to be careful of your words and actions.’

Since Yan Shi Ning lived in the imperial city, she listened to her mother’s warning and controlled her words and actions. She quickly became well known in the imperial city for being gentle and docile.

At the beginning she wasn’t used to supressing her impulses. The heavens knew she was someone who had a quick temper and restless. It was hard for her to be a well behaved young lady who never showed her teeth while laughing. Luckily the more she acted gentle and docile, it gradually became a habit.

Within two years living in the imperial city when people were free and talked about the prime minister’s oldest daughter they would associate Yan Shi Ning with gentle and docile. Of course afterward they would say that it was a pity someone so gentle and docile couldn’t be married off.

Yan Shi Ning didn’t feel it was a pity. The heavens knew she didn’t care about being unwed and that she had already prepared to live an independent old maid’s life.

But quickly it became clear that as she aged, someone else would see her marriage state as an obstacle in their path. She waved her fan, looked at the sky and inwardly realised it was possible for a person to be an obstacle in relation to marriage.

Yan Shi Ning sat silently opposite her father in the courtyard.

Yan Jing contemplated for a while about how much he owed his oldest daughter and felt guilty discussing his youngest daughter’s marriage plight.

‘Shi Ning, the crown prince wants to marry Shi Ting,’ Yan Jing said. ‘The latest the wedding can be postpone is at the start of next year.’

Yan Shi Ning lowered her head and laughed inwardly. She knew her father’s motive for telling her about Yan Shi Ting’s good news wasn’t so that she could say to Yan Shi Ting, ‘little sister, congratulations.’

What her father wanted to say was, ‘your little sister wants to get married, you should think about your little sister’s situation and prepare yourself mentally to quickly find a husband so that you won’t interfere with your little sister’s auspicious wedding day.’

The culprit behind her father coercing her to find a husband was clearly Princess Kang Hua’s powerful influence.

It isn’t right for Shi Ting to be married before her older sister,’ Yan Jing said.

Yan Jing sighed endlessly and felt incredibly guilty.

Yan Shi Ning appeared to look guiltier than her father. ‘Father, it’s my fault for causing you to worry.’

Yan Shi Ning thought it was pointless for her father to start feeling guilty. But every time the usual guilty expression was visible on her father’s face, she loved to respond to it by appearing more humble and apologetic to make his conscience eat up his stomach.

Yan Jing saw the way his oldest daughter was incredibly humble and understanding, it made it hard for him to face his oldest daughter.

‘Shi Ning, do you have someone you admire?’ Yan Jing asked. ‘If you tell me who it is, I’ll act accordingly as your father.’

The corner of Yan Shi Ning’s mouth curved upward slightly and she spoke in the gentlest tone. ‘I have no one in my heart. I leave it up to father to make arrangements for me.’

On the surface she sounded like a filial daughter. But in her heart she didn’t believe her father regarded her highly or that his main intention was to find her a good husband.

She didn’t want to waste time opposing her father. It was better for her to act submissive and filial. What alternative did she have? Go find the crown prince and tell him her grievances that her father didn’t care about her marriage state? She was a realistic person and knew the outcome would be the same, she would be forced to be married off to a man who supposedly was ‘intelligent and strong.’

She wondered about the unlucky ‘intelligent and strong’ man who would be ‘persuaded’ to be her husband.

‘Tomorrow there’ll be a banquet at the palace in honor of the crown prince,’ Yan Jing said. ‘Shi Ning, you’ll be attending the banquet too. If you meet anyone that you like, tell me… Shi Ning, don’t worry, I won’t let Kang Hua and Shi Ting find you an unsuitable man to marry you off. If you don’t approve of any of the men you meet then I won’t approve of them either

Yan Jing looked at his oldest daughter lowering her head for a while and he didn’t want to put more pressure on her. He silently left the courtyard in a state of worries.

She raised her head after her father left the courtyard and she smiled mockingly. If she met a man at the banquet who was high in the sky, she doubted her father was capable of putting his pride aside and beg the emperor to command the prominent man to marry her.

Her father valued pride too much to lower himself. It was laughable that he thought he could make everything flow smoothly by voicing a promise he couldn’t keep. To an outsider his empty promise would deeply move them. But her father broke too many promises in the past. Why did he think that she could still believe his words were true?

Especially that year he promised her mother, ‘in this life I only need you.’

Yet her father chose ambition, status and riches and betrayed her mother by marrying another woman.

Early the following morning, Yan Shin Ning was brushing her hair when her chamber door opened.

Immediately a strong sweet perfume filled her chamber. She didn’t need to turn around to know it was her little sister Yan Shi Ting.

Yan Shi Ting was sixteen years old, two years younger than her. Put aside her bias, she thought her little sister was a rare beauty.

Yan Shi Ting’s skin was white and delicately fragile, tiny waist, long slender legs and looked beautiful wearing any dress. Also, Yan Shi Ting was someone who knew how to wear makeup which enhanced Yan Shi Ting’s naturally beautiful face.

The first time she met Yan Shi Ting, she thought Yan Shi Ting was the epitome of beauty in the kingdom and she had predicted Yan Shi Ting’s fate correctly.

Yan Shi Ning predicted Yan Shi Ting’s beauty couldn’t be appreciated intimately by the emperor who was at an advanced age but Yan Shi Ting’s beauty was reserved for the crown prince.

The crown prince marrying the prime minister’s golden daughter secured the crown prince’s future and their marriage benefited both their families. The only obstacle in their marriage was the golden daughter’s older sister, herself. She smiled grudgingly while the golden daughter walked toward her.

‘Big sister can you dress quicker?’ Yan Shi Ting asked impatiently. ‘I waited for big sister for half a day!’

Yan Shi Ning turned her head around and saw Yan Shi Ting frowning, chin raised and wore an expensive and elegant dress.

‘Little sister, it’s been hard on you,’ Yan Shi Ning said.

Yan Shi Ting pouted and looked condescending at Yan Shi Ning. The heavens knew how much she wished her big sister didn’t exist to delay her becoming the crown prince’s consort.

Yan Shi Ting wore a bright red silk dress. She didn’t hesitate to pick up the hideous and cheap blue cotton dress.

‘Big sister are you wearing this ugly to death dress?’ Yan Shi Ting asked. ‘Aren’t you scared you’ll be embarrassed?’ She grabbed the dress her maid held and passed it to Yan Shi Ning. ‘Big sister, wear this, it’s new. I haven’t worn it before.’

Yan Shi Ning accepted the dress and forced a smile. ‘Thank you little sister.’

Yan Shi Ting sneered and left Yan Shi Ning’s chamber. If Yan Shi Ting didn’t want at least one man to be attracted to her at the banquet then Yan Shi Ting would never give such an expensive and beautiful dress to her.

Yan Shi Ning attended many banquets in the palace, the banquets were always the same. The elders would congregate in the palace banquet hall and the younger generation would use it as an opportunity to be entertained by musicians and dancers while exchanging secret loving glances with the person of their heart.

After the banquet ended the elders disappeared and the younger generation entertained themselves in the palace gardens. The younger generation would meet up in pairs in remote areas of the palace gardens to be intimate, it was a common pastime.

Yan Shi Ning was sheltered by the roof of the pavilion from the glaring sunlight. She sat waving her fan and smiled slyly. The heavens knew that her favorite time during palace visits was when the ‘gentle’ young men and ladies amused her with their unsubtle affectionate displays.

‘Big sister, don’t sit here in that state!’ Yan Shi Ting scolded scornfully. ‘If you see a man that you’re attracted to then quickly go to him. I hate big sister’s feigned innocence the most!’

Yan Shi Ning’s head suddenly ached and she sighed, her haughty little sister always love to scold others.

Yan Shi Ting was about to lecture Yan Shi Ning more when she saw someone familiar walked past them.

‘Big sister, don’t forget the purpose of you being here today,’ Yan Shi Ting warned and hurriedly followed the familiar person.

Yan Shi Ning smiled slyly, another young pair was going to meet somewhere remote in the palace gardens.

Yan Shi Ning wasn’t foolish enough to believe that her peach blossom tree that had been dead for eighteen years would suddenly bloom. All she needed to do was see the way the people in the palace gardens looked down on her existence to know the truth.

Everyone who attended the banquet at the palace knew of her situation, which was why they didn’t waste their time with her.

To maintain her elegant and docile image she wouldn’t approach a man first.

After her little sister left the pavilion, she pulled out a wine gourd and slowly drank comfortably and happily. Suddenly she saw a familiar man within a close distance and her happy smile disappeared.

‘MF!’ she cursed softly. ‘Mouthy boy!’

She hurriedly stood and escaped the pavilion. The further she was away from mouthy boy the better otherwise three years of wood collection would be burned within a shichen hour.

‘But mouthy boy was supposed to be in Southern Jiang, why did he suddenly return?’ she mumbled softly.

Pei Jin saw a familiar figure fled and hesitated for a bit before following suit.

Yan Shi Ning strode past the path of willow trees while looking out in all directions for signs of anyone. Even in her paranoid state she couldn’t neglect her gentle and docile image.

She stopped in front a fake rock mountain and realised she didn’t know how long she walked for. She thought no one could see her in such a secluded area and sat down to think about why mouthy boy returned to the imperial city. While she was thinking she heard moans and groans from behind the fake rock mountain.

‘Ah… ah… can you be gentler?’ a young lady asked in a familiar voice.

‘I missed you to death,’ a young man said in a familiar voice.

‘You… ah… don’t stain this dress,’ the young lady said.

She tilted her head, peered through a hole in the fake rock mountain and her face turned red. A young man’s hand propped against the mountain and his other hand held onto the young lady’s waist. When the young lady turned around to kiss the man, she was shocked. The young lady was her little sister, Yan Shi Ting and the young man was the crown prince.

She took a deep breath and smiled slyly. She understood why her little sister was always confident the crown prince was within control of her little sister’s hand.

She hurriedly left, her eyes were looking at the clear sky and waved her fan.

‘It’ll be a shame to spoil such a beautiful life by accidently eavesdropping,’ she mumbled softly.

She didn’t look where she was walking and bumped into someone. She raised her head and saw a familiar face smiling smugly. She had wanted to open her mouth, but Pei Jin quickly covered her mouth and dragged her to another part of the palace gardens.

‘Big brother, let go of me!’ Yan Shi Ning said.

Pei Jin looked at Yan Shi Ning’s angry face and smiled. ‘In the past I said the young mistress of the Yan household couldn’t possibly be a gentle and docile young lady. In my memories, she is a little lion with sharp teeth and claws. Wait, she isn’t a little lion anymore, she’s now an old lion.’

Yan Shi Ning looked at Pei Jin’s mocking face and suppressed her desire to attack him.

‘But I didn’t expect you to secretly enjoy eavesdropping and spying on a couple’s intimate moment,’ Pei Jin teased and laughed as long as a summer’s breeze.

The faraway look in Yan Shi Ning’s eyes remembered that year Pei Jin used her as his amusement. She suppressed her anger and feigned a smile. ‘Ninth prince is right.’

Pei Jin was the emperor’s ninth son. He was twenty-four years old and was well known for his gentleness and kindness, which was why people called him ninth gentle prince.

But Yan Shi Ning knew clearly ‘gentleness and kindness’ didn’t have any relation to mouthy boy. They were only used as his mask. Underneath the mask he was a scoundrel and undisputedly the best liar in the kingdom.

After the crown prince and Yan Shi Ting ended their secret meeting, the crown prince left the fake rock mountain first to avoid suspicions. The crown prince saw one of his brothers and a young lady nearby and his heart panicked.

‘Little brother, why are you here?’ Pei Jin asked.

Yan Shi Ning saw how quickly Pei Jin wore his mask and internally cursed the expert liar.

The crown prince thought his older brother and the young lady didn’t discover what happened and sighed softly. ‘Uh, I came here from the palace’s Rui Qing. Why are big brother here with a young lady?’

‘I want to go to Rui Qing,’ Pei Jin lied and glanced at Yan Shi Ning. ‘Coincidently I bumped into Lady Yan who also wants to go to Rui Qing. We’ve been talking on our way to Rui Qing. Lady Yan is indeed beautiful and witty.’

Yan Shi Ning felt like her intestines were pulled out of her body but she smiled. ‘Ninth prince is the one who is handsome and wittier than an ordinary person.’

Inwardly she cursed Pei Jing, ‘heavens, will he die without his deceitful mask?’