Yu Qingyu and Princess Rachelle walked side by side in silence on a path leading deeper into the palace gardens, surrounded from both sides by fragrant elderberry trees, which provided them with shade and privacy. The sweet scent hung heavily in the air, to the point of being almost nauseatingly overwhelming. Or perhaps it wasn't the scent, but rather Yu Qingyu's nerves that caused the discomfort. Although he was hoping for such an opportunity - that is, having a private conversation with the princess - now that it arrived, his mind was filled with a lot of conflicting thoughts, and he could only chew on his lip without saying a word.
After all, he knew next to nothing about the woman. He wanted to stop the engagement and help improve her situation somehow, but he didn't know what would be the best way to approach the subject. The topic was sensitive to begin with, and the High Society highly valued discretion, so addressing the issue directly could be considered improper…
