"Second sister, I'm fine, you go out first, don't worry about me."

  I looked at his lips, which were slightly blue from the cold, and saw that there were several wounds on his back that had already started to bleed. I couldn't help but feel a pang in my heart. Although it was early spring, the weather was still extremely cold. Even though he had a strong physique, he was used to being pampered and spoiled, how could he withstand such hardships?

  There were tears in Mother's eyes, but after glancing at Father's stern face, she didn't dare say anything else and slowly let go of my hand.

  I let out a faint sigh, lowered my eyelashes, and walked to Father's side to kneel down properly. I spoke softly: "Father is the head of the family, scolding my brother is only right, and as a daughter, I originally had no place to intervene. However, now that Lang has just returned triumphantly, tomorrow there is still an imperial banquet at the Imperial Palace waiting for him, if he doesn't attend, it would be a great disrespect. And even if he goes, if the Emperor sees his injuries, it wouldn't be good either."

  His father's expression slightly relaxed, but he still had a stern face and didn't say a word. So I continued to lower my head, and softly said: "This time, the fault lies entirely with me. If I hadn't gone to the north to find you, none of these things would have happened. Now seeing him punished alone, I really can't bear it in my heart. If father insists on not forgiving him, I naturally don't dare say anything more, and can only kneel down with him."

  As soon as the words fell, Yan had already hastily called out: "Second sister, what are you going crazy for? The cold air on the ground is so heavy, can you bear it? Who wants you to take everything on yourself? Who wants you to accompany me in kneeling? It's my own unwillingness to marry Princess Yiyang, what does it have to do with you?"

  I ignored him and knelt down beside him, he became more anxious, and because of the family rules, he couldn't get up, so he called out to his mother repeatedly: "Mother, please let my second sister get up!"

  Mother's face was also anxious, turned to father: "Old master, you see this..."

  My father, however, did not respond to my mother. With a calm expression, he said to me: "He himself has already said that this matter has nothing to do with you. What you are doing now is blackmailing me?"

  "I lowered my eyes and said softly: 'The daughter does not dare, but the father blames him, the daughter blames herself, only in this way can she be at peace.'"

  "How dare you? I think you clearly are!" Father was furious and coldly smiled.

  My heart is filled with sorrow, I lower my head and stop speaking, still kneeling upright and facing the ancestral altar.

  The mother couldn't help but shed tears, took a deep breath, and spoke to the father: "Old master, the children don't understand, you're right to be angry, but please don't get sick because of it. I'll accompany you back to your room to rest first, let Qing'er talk to him here, they have a good sibling relationship, he will listen to Qing'er's words."

  His father said coldly, "She dares to come and threaten me, do you think she will still advise her brother? They have grown up, their wings are hard, and there is no longer a father in their eyes, let alone this family!"

  A pang in my heart, I lowered my eyelashes even more, biting hard on my lower lip to prevent myself from shedding tears.

  And the mother shed tears, and let out a long sigh: "The children are not good, but they are still our sons and daughters. Seeing them like this, don't you feel heartache? It's cold outside and the temple is even colder, if they really get sick, what can we do? Tomorrow night is also the emperor's celebratory banquet!"

  Father looked at me and Liang for a long time as we knelt in front of our ancestors' memorial tablet, but ultimately didn't say anything and left with a flick of his sleeve.

  I knew he was being polite, but deep down, I couldn't muster up any joy. I recalled the faint glint of silver threads in his eyes when he bowed to me just now, and my heart ached, almost bringing tears to my eyes.

  Mother naturally didn't dare to reason with me and Wei, hastily following Father out of the ancestral hall. I and Wei also didn't dare get up, just kneeling there like that. I had no intention of speaking, he was silent too.

  Until Eldest Brother and Qing Wei rushed into the ancestral hall, busily helping us up.

  Arrived at Nan Shan Ju, Qing Yin was inside helping him apply medicine. My elder brother and the others instructed me to properly advise Yi, then they went to the main house where Father lived.

  She quietly sat in the outer room, and after a while she came out with a changed expression, walked to my side and said: "Second sister, father is angry with me, it has nothing to do with you, don't blame yourself, he was also driven mad by me before saying those words."

  I forced a smile: "I know."

  He saw me like this, paused for a moment, and said: "You were doing it for me in the first place, not really harboring any rebellious or coercive thoughts. Father knows, we all know, so don't get stuck on that anymore."

  I forced a smile: "But whether intentionally or unintentionally, I really am betting on Father's inability to bear it."

  He was taken aback, and then immediately said loudly: "That's also because..."

  "Alright, you don't have to make excuses for me anymore," I interrupted him: "Whether it's wrong or not, whether it should be done or not, these are things that one knows in their heart. I'm not regretful, and that's it."

  He didn't say a word, just gazed at me deeply, and I didn't want to think about it anymore, so I changed the subject and asked: "How are you? Are your injuries still hurting?"

  He shook his head: "It's just a minor injury, I'm only worried that Father will get angry and hurt his body."

  I let out a soft sigh: "You also know it will anger Father, why is your temper still so stubborn?"

  "He raised an eyebrow coldly: 'Royal Princess, which one is the energy-saving lamp? And this Princess Yi Yang, she's even more extravagant. Look at what she's done - selecting handsome young men to accompany her in the palace for entertainment, not to mention her interactions with court officials. A woman with such a strong desire for power? I'd rather become a monk than marry her!'"

  I let out a soft sigh: "You don't want to, you can explain the reason to your parents, or you can go and have a good talk with them, just say that you're still young and don't want to get married so soon. Your parents love you, they'll definitely find a way to compromise. Why make things so awkward like this?"

  His voice sounded somewhat stifled: "Second sister, you know I've always been annoyed by these roundabout things. For outsiders, it's unavoidable, but I don't want to do the same with my own family members. I thought Father and Mother would understand and wouldn't force me, but I didn't expect it to be like this."

  I felt a bit uncomfortable, just as I was about to speak up to comfort him, he had already quickly adjusted his mood and smiled at me, but I didn't know if he had really let go or just didn't want me to worry.

  "All I could do was sigh lightly and ask: 'What are you planning to do next?'"

  He smiled at me: "I've already thought it through, so you don't have to worry."

  I was somewhat perplexed and just about to ask him, but he clearly didn't want to say more. He relaxed his body against the windowsill behind him, changed the subject, and smiled at me: "Second sister, it's all your fault. If it weren't for you, I'd still be safely hunting white tigers in the maple forest of Bieyuan. Now look what's happened - no white tiger, but instead a princess who can't even be shaken off! Second sister, how do you plan to make it up to me?"

  Although I still have some worries, seeing him deliberately making a relaxed gesture, I can only cooperate with a slight smile: "Is the white tiger so easy to hunt? I don't know where you heard that there is a white tiger in that piece of maple forest, and you just stick to it like that."

  He smiled and said: "Didn't they say that the Third Prince saved someone from under the White Tiger's paw in that maple forest when he was thirteen? I, your brother, won't be any worse than him."

  I couldn't help but laugh: "There are so many rumors like this, and you believe it?"

  He smiled and said, "I didn't wait for the White Tiger, I also thought it was a rumor at first, but later asked Qin Zhao to know it wasn't. The Third Prince indeed saved the life of a princess from the previous dynasty from under the White Tiger's claws when he was 13 years old, but why did it become only the princess and no White Tiger by my time?"

  His words fell, and my heart, almost imperceptibly, trembled slightly.

  Maple forest white tiger, it turns out that I had never thought deeply about it before, but now, even if I want to be indifferent, it's already impossible.

  ∞ Ink Pavilion ∞ No Pop-up Window ∞