Chapter 144 Meeting

Jiang Qingning raised his eyes. His clear eyes were like a deep, cold pond under the moonlight, clearly reflecting Qin Xiu's painful figure, but without a ripple:

"Qin Xiu, being with you brings too many concerns. Duke Qin's Mansion is a large and deep-rooted place, intertwined with various forces. A single move can affect the entire complex. He Ning's actions in the court today are definitely not accidental."

"Your Majesty urgently summoned the Crown Prince of Zhenbei back to the capital, and immediately granted him an important position. Furthermore, he now asks her to marry a woman of sensitive status, one with whom you have a complex relationship. Qin Xiu, can't you see that this is a move by His Majesty?"

"He Ning is the sword that His Majesty has hung over your Qin family's head, used to check and balance, or even cut off your Qin family's wings. If I join your Qin family, I will be tying myself and my father and brothers in Lingnan to your Qin family's ship, and we may be crushed to pieces at any time."

She paused, her eyes growing colder. "From today on, our partnership ends here. Regarding the matter concerning the Duke Lin family, Ning Pavilion will prepare a generous gift tomorrow to express our gratitude. From now on, we will have nothing to do with each other."

After she finished speaking, she turned decisively and walked towards the lighted door, her back straight and lonely, without any trace of nostalgia.

Just as she was about to step over the threshold, Qin Xiu's voice came from behind her, with a desperate plea:

"Jiang Qingning, you're so eager to distance yourself from me...are you planning a rebellion?"

She suddenly stopped in her tracks, her whole body seemed to be frozen in an instant.

The next moment, she turned around suddenly.

Those eyes that were always cold and calm, at this moment, seemed to be filled with poison, instantly bursting out with an undisguised cold murderous intent.

Qin Xiu's heart suddenly contracted when he saw this look, and a wave of excruciating pain instantly swept through his body.

He staggered back half a step, the blood draining from his face, leaving only endless bitterness and unbelievable sadness.

He looked at the chilling murderous intent in her eyes, as if all the strength in his body had been drained away. His voice was hoarse and broken, with a humble plea:

"Even if you really have this intention, I, Qin Xiu, will do my best to help you. I only ask you not to push me away..."

The murderous intent in Jiang Qingning's eyes slowly faded, leaving only a deep sense of alienation and indifference.

She looked at him as if she were looking at a stranger, and said with a soft pout: "Master Qin, please respect yourself."

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around without hesitation, stepped over the threshold, and closed the door behind her.

Qin Xiu stood alone in the cold courtyard, looking at the closed door, as if he had lost his soul.

The moonlight stretched his lonely shadow very long.

After a long time, he staggered and turned around, disappearing step by step into the thick night.

The next day.

While the people of the capital were still relishing yesterday's gossip, the tightly closed door of Ning Pavilion was opened in full view of the public to the confidant sent by He Ning.

Heavy gift boxes tied with red silk were carried into the courtyard of Ning Pavilion like a stream.

Silks, antiques, precious medicinal herbs... a dazzling array of items almost filled the four courtyards of Ning Pavilion, as if silently declaring the sincerity and determination of the Zhenbei Palace.

This scene formed a stark contrast to the desolate scene of Qin Xiu being turned away and leaving alone yesterday.

"See? Prince He's people went in, and they brought so many betrothal gifts."

"Tsk tsk, Jiang is quite resourceful. Yesterday she was still keeping Prince Qin hanging, and today she's climbing up a higher branch."

"It seems that Prince He has been chosen, Prince Qin...ah, really..."

"I knew this woman was no ordinary woman. Look at this scene!"

The discussions in the streets and alleys were like boiling water, and the envious, jealous and contemptuous eyes almost drowned Ning Ge.

In the hall, the servants had already left.

He Ning was wearing a moon-white brocade robe with cloud patterns. He stood as tall and straight as a pine tree and looked very imposing.

He sat upright in the guest seat, his eyes fixed on the cold and frosty figure in the host seat.

Jiang Qingning was wearing a simple and elegant lilac-colored skirt today, with her hair tied up in a simple bun and only a white jade hairpin in her hair.

There was no expression on her face as she calmly accepted He Ning's scrutiny, her posture dignified and distant.

He Ning looked at the extremely beautiful face in front of him, but with a frost between his brows that could not be melted, and his heart skipped a beat for no reason.

Unlike the distant view in the rain the previous evening, looking at her up close now, her aura, a strange blend of coldness and aloofness with dignity and gentleness, had a thrilling attraction to him.

He subconsciously felt a slight joy. The astonishment of this first sight really shocked him.

Jiang Qingning keenly caught the fleeting light in his eyes and understood everything.

She raised her hand slightly and said, "Everyone, go down."

Zi Su and others who were standing by immediately bowed and retreated, leaving only the two people sitting opposite each other in the hall.

He Ning calmed himself down, a gentle and decent smile appeared on his face, and he spoke first, his tone full of sincere appreciation:

"Miss Jiang, I was rude to you in the court yesterday, but my sincere feelings are evident to all. Today, I have prepared a small gift to express my gratitude. I hope you will not despise it."

Jiang Qingning's eyes swept over him calmly, and his eyes were so penetrating that the smile on He Ning's face paused slightly.

"His Royal Highness."

Jiang Qingning's voice was clear and clear, without any polite greetings, and he got straight to the point. "Your Highness proposed in the Golden Palace yesterday, and today he came to my house with such a generous gift. With such a grand gesture, he didn't hesitate to put Qingning at the center of the storm. Is it just because of his sincere feelings?"

He Ning was stunned. He didn't expect her to be so direct.

He said seriously, "Of course, He fell in love with the girl at first sight and sincerely wants to marry her."

Jiang Qingning curled his lips. "Your Highness, perhaps even you yourself are not completely convinced by what you said? Your Highness has been ordered to return to the capital. His Majesty has appointed you as a third-rank censor, the same rank as Qin Xiu. Do you know why His Majesty urgently summoned you to the capital, and why he chose to push you into the center of this storm at this very moment?"

He Ning's eyes narrowed slightly, and the gentleness on his face gradually faded.

Jiang Qingning spoke, and every word was clear, striking He Ning's heart.

"The Qin family is powerful and deeply rooted. Your Majesty has long been wary of them.

Your Highness's father, the King of Zhenbei, commands a large army and dominates the northern border. To Your Majesty, he is both a source of support and a sword hanging over your head."

"Now His Majesty has summoned Your Highness back to the capital and appointed him to an important position. He is nominally appointed as a high-ranking official, but in reality he is a hostage, and also a sharp weapon to check and balance the Qin family.

And yesterday, His Highness publicly proposed to me, an orphan girl who had an affair with Qin Xiu, was expelled from the Jiang family, and whose father and brother were far away in Lingnan.

Your Highness, what do you think His Majesty is thinking, what do the civil and military officials in the court think, and what does Qin Xiu feel?"

He Ning's expression changed slightly as he looked at Jiang Qingning.

"Your Highness's actions are tantamount to actively stepping into the chess game carefully laid out by His Majesty, placing yourself on the front line of confrontation with Qin Xiu, becoming the sharpest and most conspicuous knife in His Majesty's hand."

"Your Majesty will be pleased to see this happen. The marriage that Your Highness requested may soon be granted."

"Because this marriage itself is a brilliant move for Your Majesty to use to pressure the Qin family, divide the nobles, and consolidate the imperial power."