The moment Xu Chen stepped into the eastern courtyard of the Yue Mansion, all ten Yue brothers stood properly out of habit.
"This subject greets Your Highness."
Xu Chen nodded calmly. "No need for formalities."
Though the Crown Prince's presence naturally carried pressure, the Yue brothers were not ordinary nobles trembling before royalty.
This was the man who would marry their sister.
Which automatically made things different.
The moment Xu Chen sat beside Yue Ning beneath the pavilion, Yue Tao crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
The others immediately noticed.
Yue Jun sighed. "You're starting trouble again."
"I'm protecting our sister."
"You're about to get executed."
Xu Chen calmly picked up the tea served by the servants. "What are you protecting her from?"
Yue Tao immediately answered, "You."
The entire courtyard became silent.
Han Wei nearly stopped breathing.
Yue Liang slowly closed his eyes as if praying for his brother's survival.
But unexpectedly—
Xu Chen did not look angry.
Instead, he simply looked at Yue Tao calmly. "Why?"
Yue Tao straightened slightly but still answered honestly.
"Because you're taking our sister away."
The atmosphere softened instantly.
Even Yue Ning looked slightly surprised.
Xu Chen glanced briefly toward Yue Ning before answering quietly,
"I'm not taking her away."
The brothers looked at him.
Xu Chen's voice remained calm.
"She'll always belong to the Yue Family too."
Silence filled the pavilion for several seconds.
Yue Ming's expression softened faintly first.
Then Yue Heng looked away quietly.
Even Yue Tao suddenly looked less aggressive.
Because those words mattered.
A lot.
Yue Ning lowered her gaze slightly, hiding the faint warmth in her eyes.
Then Yue Rui suddenly ruined the emotional atmosphere immediately.
"Still, Your Highness visits our mansion too often."
Yue Jun nodded seriously. "At this point, the guards greet you like family."
Xu Chen looked entirely calm. "Is that a problem?"
Yue Tao leaned forward dramatically. "Yes."
"Why?"
"Because our sister hasn't even married yet."
Yue Ning immediately kicked Yue Tao beneath the table.
"Ow!"
Xu Chen glanced toward Yue Ning calmly. "Violence again."
Yue Ning narrowed her eyes. "Whose side are you on?"
Xu Chen answered without hesitation.
"Yours."
The courtyard instantly became quiet.
Then several brothers simultaneously made expressions of disgust.
Yue Liang pointed dramatically. "Did everyone hear that?"
Yue Rui looked deeply offended. "He didn't even hesitate."
Yue Jun rubbed his forehead helplessly. "We're never surviving after the marriage."
Even Yue Ming looked mildly speechless.
Meanwhile Yue Ning looked away calmly as if nothing happened, though the faint redness near her ears betrayed her completely.
Yue Tao noticed instantly.
Then gasped loudly.
"She's embarrassed!"
Yue Ning immediately grabbed another peach threateningly.
Yue Tao quickly hid behind Yue Heng.
Xu Chen's lips curved faintly again.
The brothers saw it clearly this time.
Yue Rui pointed immediately. "There! He smiled again!"
Yue Jun stared dramatically toward Xu Chen. "Your Highness, do you know the ministers in court think you're terrifying?"
Xu Chen looked unconcerned. "They are correct."
"Then why are you smiling so much here?"
Xu Chen glanced toward Yue Ning beside him.
Then answered simply,
"Because Ning'er is here."
Dead silence.
Absolute silence.
Han Wei silently looked toward the sky.
Hopeless.
Completely hopeless.
Yue Tao stared at Xu Chen for several long seconds before speaking emotionally.
"Our sister truly conquered the Crown Prince."
Yue Heng quietly drank tea while hiding amusement.
Yue Liang looked genuinely fascinated. "If officials heard this, they'd faint."
Yue Ning looked at Xu Chen suspiciously now. "Why are you saying strange things today?"
Xu Chen looked puzzled. "Strange?"
"Yes."
"I'm speaking normally."
The Yue brothers all immediately disagreed internally.
This was not normal Crown Prince behavior.
At all.
Yue Jun leaned back slightly while studying Xu Chen carefully.
Then unexpectedly, his expression became more serious.
"Your Highness."
"Mm?"
"You really care about Ning'er, right?"
The courtyard quieted again.
This time, no one joked.
No teasing.
Just honest concern from brothers who treasured their sister deeply.
Xu Chen met Yue Jun's gaze calmly.
Then answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
Not complicated.
Not poetic.
Just absolute certainty.
Something about that simple answer made the entire atmosphere lighter afterward.
Because the Yue brothers understood clearly now.
The Crown Prince did not merely favor Yue Ning.
He truly loved her.
Yue Tao suddenly sighed dramatically. "Fine. I approve slightly."
Yue Liang looked disgusted. "Who asked for your approval?"
"I'm an important older brother."
"You're barely reliable yourself."
"I'm emotionally reliable."
"No one knows what that means."
The courtyard exploded into arguing again.
Xu Chen sat quietly watching the chaos while Yue Ning calmly continued eating fruit beside him.
After a while, Yue Rui suddenly grinned mischievously.
"Your Highness."
Xu Chen looked toward him.
"When Ning'er bullies you after marriage, can we laugh?"
Yue Ning looked offended immediately. "Why are all of you assuming I bully people?"
All ten brothers raised their hands simultaneously.
Xu Chen calmly raised his too.
Yue Ning stared at everyone in disbelief.
Then Xu Chen quietly added,
"She kicked me out of the mansion last week."
The Yue brothers froze.
Then erupted into complete chaos.
"She WHAT?!"
"Our sister attacked the Crown Prince?!"
"She survived?!"
Yue Ning immediately looked horrified. "Why did you tell them that?!"
Xu Chen looked entirely calm.
"Because it happened."
Yue Tao looked at Yue Ning with newfound awe.
"Sister… you're the most terrifying person in the empire."