After Refusing to Be a Substitute, He Was Taken by the Eldest Princess and Bestowed in Marriage - Chapter 1:

Chapter 1: A Prince Consort, Yet Merely a Stand-In

In the summer of the fourth year of Yuanshuo, at Changning Princess’s residence in the capital of the Great Phoenix Empire.

“Ji Yuanyi has returned…”

Inside the flower hall of the princess’s residence, Princess Xiao Wanyu of the Great Phoenix Empire wore a flowing gown. Her skin was like porcelain, and a peony adornment embellished her forehead. Her appearance was ethereal and refined. She looked toward Prince Consort Qin Yan, who was seated upright beside her, but her gaze was exceptionally cold.

Seeing Qin Yan remain silent, merely holding a cup of tea and lost in thought, Xiao Wanyu frowned slightly, thinking to herself, “Could it be that he refuses to leave?”

“Qin Yan, you were originally a mere drifter. If not for this palace, you would still be suffering in the frigid borderlands.”

“For the past three years, I allowed you to enjoy wealth and honor, rising among the imperial relatives and nobles, receiving admiration from countless people—you ought to be satisfied.”

“But what doesn’t belong to you will never be yours. A fleeting dream must end. Don’t give in to greed, anger, or delusion, and don’t foolishly long for things that never belonged to you.”

“This is the divorce letter. Sign it. I will present it to the Emperor and request permission for our separation. When the time comes, I’ll grant you some money. Though you’ll no longer be the prince consort, you’ll live out your days without worry of food or shelter.”

As she spoke, Xiao Wanyu ordered the maid beside her to hand over the already-prepared divorce letter for Qin Yan to sign.

“Alright.”

Qin Yan, still holding his teacup, finally spoke. He didn’t try to persuade her to stay, nor did he say anything emotional. He simply responded with a calm, “Alright.”

Then, right in front of Xiao Wanyu, he picked up the brush to sign his name.

“Wait…”

Just as he was about to sign, Xiao Wanyu suddenly stopped him.

The brush paused in Qin Yan’s hand. He looked up, confused, at Xiao Wanyu.

“Does Princess have any other instructions?”

Xiao Wanyu’s expression grew odd. She hadn’t expected Qin Yan to agree so easily, without even a hint of reluctance. He didn’t look upset at all. That made her feel inexplicably uneasy.

She stared at him, trying to catch a glimpse of regret on his face. But after a long look, all she saw was calmness.

“Qin Yan, have you really thought this through? Once you sign this divorce letter, and I present it to the Emperor, you’ll no longer be the prince consort. You’ll fall from a noble relative of the imperial family to a mere commoner.”

Xiao Wanyu emphasized, trying to make him understand the seriousness of the matter.

Qin Yan looked a bit surprised. His eyes held confusion as he looked at her.

“Isn’t this exactly what the Princess wants?”

He found her words odd. 

Wasn’t she the one insisting on the divorce so Ji Yuanyi could take his place? Why was she saying something that sounded like… she wanted to keep him?

“That’s right. This is what I want.”

“My prince consort can only be Ji Yuanyi. If not for the situation back then, I would’ve married him long ago. Now that he’s back, the title should rightfully return to him.”

Xiao Wanyu quickly stated.

“Then that’s that.”

Qin Yan couldn’t help but laugh bitterly in his heart. Just now, he had thought Xiao Wanyu was reluctant to let him go, but it turned out he was overthinking. From beginning to end, he had always just been a stand-in.

With that realization, he no longer hesitated and signed his name on the divorce letter—Qin Yan.

As she watched him sign, Xiao Wanyu narrowed her eyes. Strangely, instead of the joy she had anticipated, an unexplainable frustration surfaced in her heart.

“Princess, this humble one—no, I suppose now I should say this commoner…”

“This commoner has signed the divorce letter. It’s not proper to stay in the Princess’s residence any longer. I’ll be leaving today and will never trouble you again.”

“There’s no need for you to give me any money either. Had it not been for you, I might’ve died three years ago. I owe you everything. I dare not ask for anything more.”

“From today on, let us part peacefully. Should we ever meet again, we’ll be strangers. I sincerely wish the Princess and Young Master Ji a long and happy life together.”

After signing, Qin Yan stood and bowed to Xiao Wanyu. It was a sincere and heartfelt bow.

He had known since three years ago that he was only a substitute. That’s why, even though he had been endlessly patient and attentive to her, he always remained clear-headed and aware of his place. So when this day finally came, he had already mentally prepared for it. In fact, it felt like a burden had been lifted.

He had always been a broad-minded person. More importantly, he was a transmigrator. Matters of love were something he could let go of easily, and so he did so with a calm heart.

Three years ago, Qin Yan had fallen off a cliff during a hiking expedition. When he woke up, he hadn’t died—instead, he found himself transmigrated into a fictional ancient dynasty called the Great Phoenix Empire.

Because of his strange clothes and behavior, he was arrested by soldiers. Unable to produce any form of identification, he was deemed an undocumented vagrant and was to be exiled to the border.

At that moment, he happened to encounter Princess Xiao Wanyu, who saved him because he bore a striking resemblance to her long-lost first love, Ji Yuanyi.

Thus, he became Ji Yuanyi’s stand-in. Later, Xiao Wanyu petitioned the Emperor to grant them a marriage, and Qin Yan was made prince consort, staying by her side for three years.

Over those three years, Qin Yan had gained a clear understanding of this world and, thanks to Xiao Wanyu, had received legal identification. So even if he left her now, he wouldn’t be as helpless as he was when he first arrived.

In his eyes, he had already repaid Xiao Wanyu for her kindness. Now that Ji Yuanyi had returned, it was time for him to step down.

As for whether he was reluctant to leave—truthfully, Qin Yan didn’t feel there was anything worth being reluctant about.

Outsiders thought he had incredible luck, going from a nobody to the prince consort of the Emperor’s beloved daughter—a true rags-to-riches tale.

But only Qin Yan knew the truth. Xiao Wanyu had only used him as a substitute. She had never responded to his efforts. In her eyes, he was just a dog, a toy she used to vent her emotions and ease her longing.

In three years of marriage, he had never even touched her hand. What feelings could there be?

Now that he could finally divorce and leave that kind of life behind, Qin Yan felt thrilled. His heart felt at peace, and he was eager to leave, free to go wherever he pleased, like a fish leaping into the vast sea or a bird soaring into the sky.

“You…”

“You’re that eager to leave me?”

Hearing his eagerness to depart, Xiao Wanyu frowned slightly and looked at Qin Yan.