"Niannian? Are you really leaving? If it's because of Ertai, I can help you."

She was confident she could persuade Ertai to stay.

Qing'er looked at the person sitting by the window, gazing at the torrential rain outside, seemingly lost in thought, and asked persistently.

She never expected that Niannian would want to return to Qingyang Valley when she didn't have much time left.

"Cough—cough cough—, Qing'er, I've made up my mind. My leaving is the best solution. Has the medicine been sent to the Scholar's Residence?"

Hearing Qing'er's words, he snapped out of his reverie, managed a faint smile, and spoke softly.

It's better for him to see her leave than for her to leave with his own eyes.

Ertai understood her, and she understood Ertai just as well. Just as the Empress Dowager thought, Ertai might not be able to get over it in the end. If he saw her leave with his own eyes, given Ertai's personality, there was only one possibility.

She left, and no one told Ertai what had happened to her. Ertai would only think that he had tricked him. He hated himself, resented himself, and wished he could drag her out and teach her a lesson. At least he would have a reason to live.

He may resent himself, or want to ask her for a reason, but as time goes by, he will eventually forget himself in the process of searching for himself.

“Princess, Princess Qing, Second Master Fu is here. He said he won’t leave until he sees you. It looks like he came to the palace in the rain. He’s soaked to the bone. He even avoided the umbrellas we were holding for him.”

Before Qing'er could say anything more, Xuan'er rushed into the hall and told her the news she had just received.

"Ertai?"

Upon hearing Xuan'er's words, Chen Nianxin's heart tightened immediately, and he became restless and anxious.

He's still injured!

She only learned today that Ertai had been flogged.

"Cough—cough cough—, Qing'er, cough—, Qing'er, can you hear me? Ertai is here? He's still injured, Qing'er—"

Chen Nian hurriedly stood up, his cloak slipping to the ground. A gust of wind carrying a chill blew by, making Chen Nian shiver.

The sudden movement caused a sharp discomfort in his chest, making Chen Nian bend over and cough violently. Soon, the handkerchief covering his mouth was stained with blood.

"Nian Nian—"

"Princess—"

The sight of Chen Nian terrified Qing'er and Xuan'er. They called out anxiously and frantically tried to help him back to his room.

"Qing'er, he's injured—"

Chen Nian grabbed Qing'er beside him, his eyes instantly reddening, and he spoke incoherently.

"Okay, okay, Niannian, shall we go back and rest first? I'll try to persuade Ertai for you, I'll go and try right now."

Qing'er nodded repeatedly in agreement, and together with Xuan'er, they tried to help Chen Nian back.

...

"Qing'er, I'm not going back."

Supported by the two, Chen Nian shook his head weakly, sat down on the chair behind him, took out a porcelain bottle from his body, poured out two pills, and fed them into his mouth. His gaze fell on Ertai, who was pale and soaked in the rain outside the window, his eyes full of heartache. His hands, which were holding the porcelain bottle, turned white at the knuckles.

"Send someone to find Lord Furen."

Chen Nian spoke in a hoarse voice to the person beside him.

...

"Ertai, go back. Niannian won't come out."

The first attempt to dissuade him was unsuccessful.

Seeing Ertai soaked to the bone and looking utterly disheveled outside, Qing'er glanced at Chen Nian, who was sitting by the window, glancing out every now and then, clearly worried but stubbornly refusing to go out. She sighed, then grabbed an umbrella and went out again to hold it over Ertai.

"Qing'er".

Looking at Qing'er standing in front of him again, a glimmer of expectation appeared in Ertai's ashen eyes.

"Ertai, go back. Niannian won't come out. Niannian asked me to tell you that you two are destined to be apart. Hate her or resent her, it's all fine. And I'm sorry, if you can, forget her."

When Qing'er met Ertai's pleading eyes, she couldn't help but look away.

This departure of Niannian will be a final farewell.

"What do you mean by being destined to meet but not to be together? What do you mean by forgetting her? Qing'er, can you please let her come out and see me? Just once, please? I don't want her to apologize."

Ertai's words were pleading.

Only deep contemplation could make the proud Ertai lower his head and become humble.

He didn't believe she wouldn't see him; they were perfectly fine just two days ago.

"Ertai, let's go back."

Meeting Ertai's lifeless eyes, Qing'er slowly shook her head.

"Ertai!"

As soon as Qing'er finished speaking, she saw Ertai faint. She exclaimed in surprise. Qing'er's words finally made Chen Nian, who had been watching outside, run out despite the heavy rain. He was quickly soaked by the rain.

"Ertai! Imperial Physician, quickly call the Imperial Physician!"

"Gege—!"

"Niannian! It's raining, you should go back quickly. You're not well, you'll catch a cold."

Seeing the person running out, Qing'er called out anxiously, and Xuan'er behind her also rushed out anxiously with an umbrella, holding a coat to put on Chen Nian.

"Qing'er—"

Seeing the person who had fainted on the ground, Chen Nian immediately knelt down, ignoring the pain and discomfort on his body, and stumbled forward a few steps to hold the unconscious Ertai in his arms.

"Imperial Physician!"

Touching Ertai's burning forehead, Chen Nian looked at Qing'er in a panic and helplessness, and shouted angrily to the person beside him in a hoarse voice.

"Qing'er, Youyou—"

On the other side, Yongxuan Fu Yuxing, who had come to find Ertai after receiving the news, saw the two people on the ground and Qing'er standing in the heavy rain, looking anxious and flustered, wanting to help but not knowing how to do it, and could only hold an umbrella for Chen Nian. The palace servants who dared not approach quickly ran over.

"Yongxuan, you've arrived."

Upon seeing Yongxuan, Qing'er felt as if she had found her pillar of support, and her voice was almost choked with sobs.

Niannian is not listening to her at all now.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'll handle it."

Yongxuan dropped the umbrella he was holding, hugged Qing'er, and spoke to her in a comforting tone.

"elder brother--"

Shen Nian looked at Yong Xuan with red eyes, unable to say anything.

Seeing Chen Nian in such a state, Fu Yuxing felt a dense, persistent pain in his heart. He took the cloak that Xuan'er had tried to put on Chen Nian but hadn't managed to, squatted down, and quickly and forcefully draped it over her shoulders.

"Youyou, Youyou, give Ertai to your brother, he will take good care of him, Youyou go back quickly."

Yongxuan released his grip on Qing'er, squatted down, and reached out to take Ertai's hand.

"It's all my fault..."

He murmured softly to himself.

It was her fault.

"Youyou, give Ertai to your brother, it's alright."

Yongxuan gently coaxed Chennian, who was clinging to Ertai, and tried to take Ertai away from him.

"It's all my fault..."

This thoughtful expression of Chen Nian's made the others who came out with him extremely worried.

"It will be alright, Shennian, it will be alright."

"It'll be alright, right?"

A clear and gentle voice reached Shen Nian's ears. Shen Nian looked up blankly and saw Fu Yuxing, who was calmly holding an umbrella for her beside her. The voice was very soft.

...