Yes, I Do(n't)

Chapter 1: The awakening of the black-bellied miss

After 2 long years, Crown Prince Nangong Yingjun1 has returned victoriously after securing a treaty with the Kingdom of Beitang and this has ended the years of war in between the Kingdom of Nangong and the Kingdom of Beitang. His return is celebrated and rejoiced throughout the kingdom.

Emperor Nangong Zhuguan2 and Empress Mu Jianrui3 are both happy with the returning of their beloved son but are shocked when he declared that the engagement between him and the di daughter of General Shen Jilie should be annulled as he promised to marry Second Princess Beitang Xing whom he praised as being the right woman to be his wife and the crown princess of their Kingdom. They tried to change his mind, but he is adamant with his decision.

No one knows how Shen Baiyu managed to hear about the recent news but what everyone knows is that upon hearing that the fiancé that she had waited for 2 long years had decided to push her aside for another woman. Her fragile health has been hugely affected by this sudden news.

Empress Mu Jianrui cries when her eunuch reported that her beloved niece has fainted after severely coughing with blood and haven't woken up yet. For 3 long days, she has been nervously waiting for the positive news only to hear that her niece's condition has worsened. And, the imperial doctor even said that there is a slim chance for her to get better because it seems that not only her body is weak, she is deeply affected with a broken heart as well. She should have not let her niece to be engaged with her son in the first place. Her son only implicated her beloved niece. She has lost her younger half-sister and now, her niece is fighting for her life. She continues to kneel and pray for the well-being of her niece.

On the fourth day, at the morning assembly, everyone is talking about the engagement between the crown prince and the di daughter of General Shen Jilie. The crown prince is adamant on breaking the said engagement, but the emperor is not giving in. As they are talking amongst themselves, the emperor enters the hall with the empress walking by his side. The crown prince is walking behind the royal couple. Once the royal couple both sit on the throne, the crown prince sits on his seat which is just next to the throne. Empress Mu Jianrui look at her son sneeringly before looking at the new arrivals, General Shen Jilie and his son, Captain Shen Yili4.

Emperor Nangong Zhuguan smiles apologetically at his beloved general and says, "General, there is no need for you to be in this morning assembly. We know that your oldest daughter is still critically sick due to our ungrateful son."

General Shen Jilie and Captain Shen Yili both kneel on their knees to show respect to the emperor before both stands up and go to their respective place in the assembly.

Empress Mu Jianrui then softly asks, "General, how is Baiyu? We heard that her condition has worsened last night..."

General Shen Jilie then says, "This general's daughter's condition has worsened last night but miraculously she has since woken up and slowly recovering under the care of this general's concubine. She is getting better by the minutes."

When Crown Prince Nangong Yingjun heard what he has just said, he smirked. Captain Shen Yili look at him glaringly before he steps out to say something in front of everyone, "Your Majesties, this captain has brought a letter entrusted by Baiyu."

Emperor Nangong Zhuguan then says, "Really? Do read the contents of the letter for us to hear. This is news... She has never done this before. Isn't that right, beloved wife?"

Empress Mu Jianrui nods her head in approval. Her niece has always been quite withdrawn all these years. This is her first time to reach out to those other than the Shen family members. Maybe she wanted to say her thoughts on the recent matter embroiled in between the royal family and the Shen family.

Captain Shen Yili unfolds the said letter then vocally read, "I, Shen Baiyu, has recently discovered that Crown Prince Nangong Yingjun has absolutely no intention to marry nor be engaged with this commoner. It might be that I am not worthy to be the crown princess of the Kingdom unlike, Second Princess Beitang Xing who is of a royal lineage. This commoner am willing to accept the decision made by His Royal Highness with an open heart. But this lowly commoner also knew that this engagement has been done in a written contract between the two families. The engagement should be annulled for good but as it is a written agreement between two families, it is appropriate for the cancelling party to compensate the accepting party accordingly. With this, I am returning the golden dagger belongs to His Royal Highness and to ask that his esteemed self to return the jade ornament that I had given to him too. Once I have received the jade ornament and appropriate compensations from His Royal Highness, the contract will be destroyed in front of other witnesses. There is another wish that I wish to sincerely ask from royal aunt and royal uncle, that from this day onwards, the matters of my marriage will only be decided by me and no one else. On a brighter note, I sincerely wish all the best for His Royal Highness and his chosen bride. Sincerely, Shen Baiyu."

The royal couple is looking at Captain Shen Yili disbelievingly. Empress Mu Jianrui then asks, "Is that what is truly written by Baiyu?"

Captain Shen Yili then passes the letter to a nearby eunuch before he passes it to the Empress. The empress reads the letter and smile, "It is indeed written by her... Ask her to attend the welcoming banquet as this empress needs to personally talk to her before any decision will be done."

Crown Prince Nangong Yingjun looks pissed. How dare for her to make such demand from him?!?!?! He decided to personally visit that irritable woman to show her that he is not someone that she should challenge.

Meanwhile, back in someone's courtyard, that so-called irritable woman is now lying comfortably on the couch while one of her maidservants is softly massaging her feet. She seems to be quite contented at that very moment even with that sudden drop of a "bomb" at the royal family. She even smiles because she knows that someone at that very moment is extremely annoyed with her sudden demands. Did he think that breaking off one's engagement is as simple as A, B, C...? Dream on, young one. This older sister will show you and the others that she is not the type to be stepped onto. When life gives you lemons, make lemonades out of it.

Before long, the beautiful young woman is sleeping soundly on the couch. Her maidservant realized that she is sleeping with a smile on her face, therefore, she stops massaging before she took a thin blanket from the cabinet to cover the body of that beautiful young woman. The maidservant then silently walks out from the room and closes the door softly. She then ordered another maidservant to stand guard nearby just in case their mistress calls out for assistance.

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