Chapter 454 Does His Highness Want to Spare Her Life?

Shen Wantang looked at her and said seriously, "A Ning, if you want to cry, then cry. I'll be with you. But you must remember, after today, don't cry anymore, because all the days ahead will be good. It's a good thing you didn't marry into the palace; your good fortune is yet to come!"

Gu Qianning burst into tears: "I know that not marrying my cousin, the Crown Prince, won't cause the sky to fall, but my heart aches so much, it feels like it's being torn apart."

Shen Wantang sighed softly. It was perfectly normal for her to be sad and in pain. After all, she had liked the Crown Prince for so long and had always hoped to marry him. She never expected that he would turn around and marry someone else, and even give flowers to someone else in front of her.

She glanced around and saw that many people were looking this way. She pulled Gu Qianning up and said, "Let's go, we need to get out of the rain, or your clothes will get soaked. If you're upset, go find the Crown Prince and give him a piece of your mind. If you're not having a good time, don't make him feel good either."

Gu Qianning was pulled by her towards the side hall. As soon as they entered the hall, she said, "A-Tang, you are right. I should go to find the Crown Prince."

"Have you thought it through? Are you going to go and yell at him?"

"There's something I want to ask him about. Wait for me here, I'll come back once I've found out."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No need, I'll go myself."

Gu Qianning's expression was resolute. She opened the door and stepped back into the rain.

The young palace maid quickly stepped forward to hold an umbrella for her, and she took the umbrella, saying, "You don't need to come with me. Just stay here and serve the Crown Princess."

The young palace maid dared not disobey her, and could only reply with a "yes".

Gu Qianning held up an umbrella and made her way to the East Palace.

The palace gates were ajar. Gu Qianning reached out and pushed them open, then stepped inside.

However, she didn't see Xiao Qingxuan in the hall, but instead saw Yu Baoshu, who shouldn't have been there at all.

The umbrella in her hand fell to the ground.

When Yu Baoshu saw her, she was a little flustered. After all, it would be very unpleasant for an unmarried girl to appear in the Crown Prince's palace. Even though she had been secretly chosen by the Crown Prince to be his wife, she should still abide by etiquette before marriage.

She hurriedly explained, "Miss Gu, please don't misunderstand. His Highness the Crown Prince saw that I had nowhere to go, so he took me in temporarily."

Her heart was numb with pain, and Gu Qianning's voice was dry: "Really? Cousin... Your Highness is truly... a compassionate heart!"

There are so many empty side halls in the palace that they could accommodate dozens more girls. How could Yu Baoshu possibly have nowhere to go?

"His Highness the Crown Prince is so kind-hearted, how could he leave Miss Yu here alone? Where did he go?"

"His Highness... his clothes were wet, so he went to change them."

As soon as Yu Baoshu finished speaking, the Crown Prince came out from the inner palace.

Gu Qianning saw that he had indeed changed his clothes, and curled the corners of her lips: "Your Highness, this outfit is even more handsome than the one before. Who is this for? Miss Yu?"

The Crown Prince did not answer him, but turned to Yu Baoshu and said gently, "Miss Yu, I will have someone hold up an umbrella and take you for a walk elsewhere. The scenery in the palace has a unique charm when it rains."

Yu Baoshu knew they wanted to speak privately. She had been sitting on pins and needles, and hearing this was like a pardon. She quickly curtsied and said, "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Then, she hurriedly followed the little eunuch.

The doors to the main hall slowly closed, leaving only Xiao Qingxuan and Gu Qianning inside.

The hall was dimly lit, and the atmosphere was tense.

Xiao Qingxuan's previous gentleness towards Yu Baoshu had vanished, replaced by a cold indifference on his handsome face: "Cousin, have you forgotten what I said? Don't come to my palace."

Gu Qianning tried to hold back her tears, but she couldn't hold them back any longer. "You wouldn't let me come, but you sent Yu Baoshu instead. Why?"

There's no reason why.

"Is it because you hate me? Or is it because you like Yu Baoshu that she receives special treatment from you?"

“My cousin has crossed the line. You shouldn’t be asking these questions.”

Gu Qianning finally broke down, her voice becoming shrill: "Xiao Qingxuan, you know better than anyone whether I've crossed the line! I have the right to ask these questions. If you're still a man, answer me!"

Xiao Qingxuan looked at her, a crack appearing on his cold face: "A Ning, I don't hate you, but you really can't come anymore."

"I don't have to come, and I don't care to come again! But I have one more question to ask you."

What do you want to ask?

"Did you ever like me? Was your kindness towards me before just an act? Were you only nice to me on purpose to appease my father?"

“A-Ning, these are three questions.”

"Then answer all three questions!"

Xiao Qingxuan's hand clenched tightly within his sleeve. After a long silence, he finally said, "I only consider you my sister, nothing more. Does this answer answer these three questions?"

"younger sister?"

Gu Qianning suddenly laughed, but there was no smile in her eyes, only tears that kept overflowing: "Xiao Qingxuan, you liar, you've lied to me for so many years, you have no heart!"

Xiao Qingxuan watched her cry her heart out, and his hand, hidden in his sleeve, twitched, but he ultimately did not raise it.

He said softly, "Your clothes are all wet. Your mother has some clothes for you. I'll have someone fetch them for you. Change here before you go."

Gu Qianning's face was pale, and her heart was ashen: "Stop pretending. You seem to care about me on the surface, but you secretly wish I would die soon so that I won't delay your wedding."

"A-Ning!"

"Your Highness, you are of noble birth and great importance. I need not trouble you with my affairs. I will take my leave."

After Gu Qianning finished speaking, she turned and walked out.

Xiao Qingxuan picked up the umbrella from the ground: "It's raining so hard, and you didn't even take an umbrella? Gu Qianning, come back here!"

Gu Qianning acted as if she hadn't heard anything and walked straight into the rain.

"Someone come here!"

A young eunuch entered in response: "Your Highness."

"Take the umbrella, follow her, and deliver her to Gu Qianhan."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The young eunuch took the umbrella and ran out.

Xiao Qingxuan stood in the main hall, watching the direction Gu Qianning had left, without moving for a long time.

A figure slowly walked out from the inner hall and stood behind the crown prince.

“Your Highness, those who achieve great things must not be swayed by personal feelings. Replacing the Gu family's daughter with someone else as the Crown Princess is Your Highness's first victory, and we are all thrilled and happy for Your Highness. However, the Gu family will never let this go easily, and Your Highness still has a tough battle to fight. You must not be soft-hearted.”

Xiao Qingxuan remained silent for a long time before slowly relaxing the fist clenched in his sleeve: "Grand Tutor, I have not been soft-hearted. The Gu family is a major threat to my father and me, and we must eliminate them."

"Your Highness is so clear-headed, this old minister is relieved. I hope Your Highness will not blame this old minister for speaking out of turn."

“I won’t keep the Gu family here, but Ah Ning…”

"Your Highness wishes to spare her life?"

“A Ning is just a woman and has no ambition, so keeping her around will not cause any harm.”

"Your Highness, you must not be so soft-hearted as to ruin yourself in her hands. You should understand the principle of 'to nip the weeds in the bud'."