Xiao Yuzi swallowed the words that had already reached the tip of his tongue.
"Master, I meant that Prince Rui has gone too far. We clearly agreed yesterday that we would go hunting together today, and she even said she would take us into the wild to barbecue. But the moment that Young Master Shang delivered an invitation, she immediately canceled her plans with you and went to some poetry gathering for literati with him."
Ye Lihan picked up his book and continued reading, though his mind was elsewhere.
"Didn't she say so herself? It was because there were several literati of extraordinary status attending."
"Master, you actually believe that?"
The more Xiao Yuzi thought about it, the more indignant he became.
"When have you ever heard that Prince Rui likes poetry, calligraphy, and painting?"
Ye Lihan unconsciously tightened his grip on the book, crumpling the pages in his hand.
His face cold and tense, he said, "Whether she truly likes them or is pretending to, it has nothing to do with me. We only need to act according to the contract."
"Master, actually... actually, I think Steward Li was right. Why don't you..."
After hesitating for a long while, Xiao Yuzi still could not hold back.
"Shut up!"
Ye Lihan slammed the book onto the table, anger in his eyes. "I am a man of standing, and a Prince at that. How could I do something so dependent on a woman?"
"How is that dependence?"
Xiao Yuzi retorted softly, unwilling to give in.
"Prince Rui is the best among women in appearance, ability, status, and position. Besides, although she is a royal prince, she never looks down on men. A woman like her would be impossible for you to find even after returning to Dongjin."
A woman this outstanding—forget