It wasn't until the next day at noon that I saw Nan Chengyao again, he pushed open the door and entered with a chill in his breath.

  I looked at the fatigue and indifference in his eyes, and sighed lightly in my heart. It seemed that he had already known about Dong Ming's affairs, and had probably guessed that it was all because of me.

  I actually knew long ago that I couldn't deceive him, all the previous acts were just for show to others, after all, I am the queen of Nan Chongyao, privately releasing a court prisoner is not easy to explain to him, as for how he wants to deal with me, I didn't let myself think about it.

  He glanced at me lightly and opened his mouth lazily: "Not having seen you for a night, does the princess have anything to say to me?"

  I stood up, calmly and properly bowed to him, without any hidden intentions: "Your Highness, I know that doing so is not right, but Dong Ming has saved me after all. I couldn't bear to watch him being executed. Your Highness can punish me however you want, I won't have a single word of complaint."

  He listened to me like that, the cold meaning in his eyes slowly faded away, looking at me for a long time, and finally sighed lightly: "So I said, the biggest weakness of the princess is that she values emotions too much."

  I looked up at him in a daze, and he smiled faintly, reaching out to pull me into his arms: "It's alright, you've always been too self-effacing. Now that you're by my side, just do as you please, it doesn't matter what happens, I can handle anything."

  A faint warmth rose in my heart, but my rationality remained on high alert. I cautiously opened my mouth to confirm: "Your Highness is willing to spare Dong Ming?"

  He smiled faintly: "The princess is joking, Dong Ming has already taken his own life in prison yesterday, what's the point of saying whether to spare or not?"

  He said so, and my heart, which had been hanging in the air for a long time, although it couldn't be completely put down, was also calmed down a lot.

  In fact, I also have doubts in my heart. His ruthlessness is well-known to me. He didn't give me a direct answer, so I don't dare confirm whether he has really let Dong Ming off or just used this as an excuse for the world while secretly sending someone to pursue him, leaving no room for any hidden dangers.

  Just as I was about to speak up and ask again, he smiled and tilted his head, leaving a light kiss on my cheek: "All night long, the princess's thoughts were on another man, it really breaks my heart, didn't you have any thought of me at all?"

  "I turned around with some unnatural movement: 'Your Highness, stop teasing me.'"

  He chuckled softly, one hand grasping my body, the other tracing my eyebrows, eyes and lips with his fingers at an extremely slow pace. His voice was low and husky, "How could it be teasing? For a whole night, I rode on horseback, yet not for a single moment did I forget to miss you, Princess..."

  Her voice faded away and finally disappeared in his deliberate and lingering kiss.

  I let out a faint sigh and gave up on the idea of asking further questions, because I knew that even if I continued to ask, there would be no outcome.

  People like him, if they don't want to lie, are most skilled at subtle flattery.

  And I'm the same, rather than being deceived, I'd rather have no answer.

  After lunch, I looked at the faint blue color under his eyes. Although he was still spirited, there was a hint of fatigue that could be discerned. So I softly persuaded him to take a short rest in the inner room.

  He might have been really tired, and didn't want to disappoint me, so he got up and lay down on the inner bed, that "turning soul" was still placed within reach.

  I lowered my eyelids, this person, even if he was asleep, remained vigilant and on guard, in other words, perhaps he never had a moment to truly rest.

  She turned and left the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

  Strolling carelessly in the small garden of the official residence in Ye City, there was still snow, but I wore a thick fox fur coat and didn't feel cold at all.

  At this time, I didn't know where Dong Ming was. Because of the urgency of the matter, I had no way to prepare warm clothes for him, and only prepared some silver coins, which were enough, but I didn't know if he would have a chance to use them.

  There is also Shu Ying, I have been worried about her every moment, in such cold weather, her body can't stand the chill. Does she have warm winter clothes now? And where is she exactly? It's been so long since then, but still, there is no news from her.

  I don't know how long it took, but I saw the sky gradually darkening, and just as I was about to return to my room, I suddenly heard a strange voice faintly coming from outside the garden: "It's finally possible to have a good night's sleep, all because of that little Dong Ming, what a hassle."

  I was startled, and the sound of his voice grew closer and closer. Unconsciously, I hid behind a snow-covered bush. Just as I had hidden, two men wearing armor walked in side by side.

  I've seen those two before, although I couldn't call out their names, but I also knew they were Nan Chengyao's trusted followers, having followed him for many years.

  "His Highness said that the queen's heart is kind, if she had to watch Dong Ming being executed, she would inevitably feel a lingering sense of resentment. That's why he deliberately gave her an opportunity. But this third princess isn't a simple character either... I thought we'd have to guard the secret passage for much longer, didn't expect it to be so quick..."

  Before he could finish speaking, another person interrupted him: "Speak softly, the prince has ordered that not a word of this is to be leaked."

  The person who spoke earlier laughed: "Forget it, Zhao Mo. There's not even half a shadow here, and the shift just changed. Which of the guards outside isn't your man? Who dares to eavesdrop? Even if someone really did listen in, who would dare leak out half a sentence?"

  Zhao Mo seemed to think he had been too cautious, smiled and said casually: "Being careful is good, I don't want my men to end up like those two jailers again - although they were expendable, they were somewhat innocent after all."

  That person laughed and said, "Zhao Mo, when did you also start to have compassion for women? Following the emperor's side for so long, don't you understand that the third prince does things either not at all or thoroughly. Since he has made up his mind to let the three princesses not be sad and hurt, he will definitely not let Dong Ming go, leaving any hidden roots of trouble for the future. He can only make this move. And if he wants to do it perfectly, without giving the princess any chance to speak ill of the imperial court, the most foolproof way is to silence them. Besides, those two people are not good things either, otherwise why would they be deliberately arranged to be on duty last night?"

  Zhao Mo smiled: "I naturally know, just saying. However, having followed the prince for so long, I really haven't seen him take an interest in any woman. Is it the princess or is she different? But since he ordered us not to leak a word, he must be afraid that the princess will find out. Looking at it this way, it's not entirely because of her identity as the prime minister's daughter. Do you think the prince really fell in love with the princess?"

  The person thought for a moment before saying, "Now it seems that falling in love is not easy to say, but being concerned is certain. Otherwise, why would he go to such great lengths? In fact, I would rather he fall in love with the princess or any other woman, as long as it can help him get out of the shadow of Princess Qinger."

  "Ouyang Xian!"

  His words were cut off by Zhao Mo's stern voice, perhaps it was this name that really offended him, and Ou Yang Xian suddenly woke up and stopped talking, speechless for a long time.

  After a long time, I heard Ouyang Xian's voice faintly coming from the end of the garden again: "...Your Highness used to...now looking at him like this...won't you feel uncomfortable?...If it weren't for Fenglin...that encounter with White Tiger...perhaps..."

  I watched as the two of them disappeared through the gate on the other side of the garden, their voices fading away.

  I remained still in the same posture as before, hiding behind the bushes without moving.

  It wasn't until I finally stood up that I realized my knees had gone numb and weak, and the sky had also unknowingly darkened.

  A star flashed across the sky, its dazzling light fleeting in an instant.

  I remembered what Su Xiu said once, every person has their own corresponding star, when the star falls, the person dies.

  So what I just saw was Dong Ming's star?

  Cutting grass without removing its roots is not something that Nan Xiangyao would normally do. I've known this for a long time.

  People like him will never disrupt their own plans for anyone, nor will they bury hidden dangers for themselves because of someone. So, he won't let Dong Ming go because of me, I know.

  Now he can go this far, at the cost of such a big detour, just to make me feel better in my heart, without burden, no longer sorrowful and self-inflicted, it's already beyond my expectation.

  But I didn't expect that my own sympathy and self-proclaimed cleverness would not only fail to save Dong Ming, but also drag two innocent people down.

  I slightly closed my eyes, the dull ache in my chest was throbbing, and a pair of hands had gently wrapped around my shoulders from behind. I heard Nan Chengyao's voice faintly echoing in my ears...

  "What is someone doing here?"

  I turned back and collided with his dark and profound eyes, a faint soft light.

  Wanted to smile, but ultimately couldn't.

  I know that the sorrow between my eyebrows at this moment will inevitably escape his eyes, and saying nothing will only make him suspicious.

  So I let him hold my hand, and leaned into his arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart, then heard my own voice whispering softly.

  "I'm worried about Shuying, Your Highness, really worried about her."

  I felt him tighten his arm around me slightly, I buried my face in his chest, and tears hid under my eyelashes.

  He didn't want me to know, so I won't know then.

  ∞ Ink Pavilion ∞ No Pop-up Window ∞