ves, and..." she stopped talking, and angrily straightened her sleeves.

Fan Ruoruo saw the mood that she was in and sighed to herself. It seemed that the girls saw things as her brother said they would. "Who did you want me to talk to?" she asked. "My father or my brother? You know full well that in families such as ours, marriage isn't something we have any say over."

Ye Ling'er thought on what she had said. "...Or you could get your brother to leave the capital," she said, a faint hint of hope in her voice.

Fan Ruoruo frowned at her. Ye Ling'er's words were laughably absurd. Ruoruo's brother had had quite some influence on her, and so she appeared much more mature. But Ye Ling'er was still a clueless young n.o.blewoman. "Let's not talk of marriage anymore."

Ye Ling'er looked at her and smiled. "What is your brother's status? And Miss Lin's?"

Fan Ruoruo smiled. "My brother has a father but no mother; Miss Lin has no mother or father. Status? Those are their statuses."

Although Miss Lin was the illegitimate daughter of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister did not dare acknowledge her, nor could he. And her mother's ident.i.ty was even more of an unspeakable secret in the Kingdom of Qing – thus it was best to say that she had neither mother nor father.

Ye Ling'er seemingly could not imagine what Fan Ruoruo was saying beneath her smile. Unexpectedly caustic, her lips trembling, she spoke in a low and fierce voice. "Do you think this marriage is set in stone? Who knows what might happen?"

Fan Ruoruo felt a twinge of fear, but a gentle smile remained on her face. She walked slowly forward, pulling closer to Ye Ling'er, suppressing her feelings with all her might. "Perhaps you do not understand who my brother is. I advise you not to do anything inappropriate. As for the marriage... I don't consider it completely determined either. Perhaps when my brother meets with Miss Lin, whom you love so dearly, he may wish to leave the capital at once."

Though Ye Ling'er's family was known for its martial prowess, she was unimposing before this weak girl. "You presume your brother will dare to be so choosy toward Chen'er?"

Fan Ruoruo sighed. She spoke with the same manner that Fan Xian sometimes adopted himself. "I don't understand. This is a matter between the Fan family and Miss Lin. Why are you so concerned?"

Ye Ling'er thought for a while. "You know Miss Lin is in poor health," she said quietly. "So why is it necessary to go against her wishes and marry her off to someone she doesn't want to marry?"

Her words tugged at Fan Ruoruo's heartstrings. What young girl did not yearn for love? What young girl did not wish to marry a man of her own choosing? Putting herself in her shoes, Fan Ruoruo felt some pity for the girl, who had no power over her own love life. But... "First of all, the matter has been decided by the authorities. Secondly, it all depends on my brother's opinion. There's nothing I can do, Miss Ye."

She smiled as she said the last few words.

At that moment, concerned by the fight between the two girls, Rou Jia stepped out to find them. Seeing that all seemed well, she let out a sigh of relief. "Come back inside," she said sweetly.

Fan Ruoruo suddenly seemed at ease. "Miss Ye," she said gently, "I have heard that your friend is in ill health. My father happens to know a fine doctor. Would it be convenient for him to pay her a house visit?"