"Yuan'er..." You Yun was deeply moved. Chang Yuan's appearance had pulled the You family out of an exceedingly awkward predicament at once, blocking all the Sima family's painstaking schemes. He opened his mouth. "You need not..."
"Father..." Chang Yuan's face flushed faintly, as though this was her first time using that form of address. "This is a matter between your daughter and her husband. You need not concern yourself with it."
"Good!" Sima Yan sneered. "Since you are willing to stand up for You Zhongquan, today I shall first take one of your arms. If you are willing..."
"Shut up!" Before Sima Yan could finish, Sima Minghong berated him again. "If it were You Zhongquan, this old man would naturally take an arm first, then escort him back to my Sima family. But since you are You Zhongquan's wife, and a disciple of the Chang family besides, we shall leave that arm with you for now and discuss it after returning to the Sima family..."
"It makes no difference!" Chang Yuan replied flatly. "I am now You Zhongquan's wife. I have nothing to do with the Chang family!"
At this point, everyone understood. The Chang family surely did not wish to offend the Sima family either; all of this had been Chang Yuan's own decision.
"Father, Father..." Just then, a man in official robes, bearing a sixty-percent resemblance to You Zhongquan, rushed out through the side gate. He held a bloodstained tiger tally in his hand and cried anxiously, "Donglin Kingdom has already dispatched its troops! Their Imperial Preceptor has led a host of disciples to the outskirts of the capital..."
The instant You Yun heard this, anxiety appeared on his face. His gaze fell upon Chang Yuan, and he said quietly, "The matter is urgent. Yuan'er, you must endure