Chapter 8 Who will pity me when my beauty fades and my fragrance disappears

Xie Fei sighed and said slowly: "Although Liang Shao was attracted by your beauty, he and you didn't spend much time together. He was attacked and disappeared. He was first rescued by Chen Bing'er. Later, the two of them spent time together day and night, and gradually developed extraordinary feelings. Naturally, your beauty was replaced."

"Perhaps Liang Shao had a moment of hesitation, but when he thought about how you, the princess, are of noble status and stunningly beautiful, while Chen Bing'er has nothing, the instinct of sympathizing with the weak in human nature came out, and for men, it manifested as pity."

"Besides, Princess, you can't satisfy Liang Shao's vanity as a man. You won't worship him like Chen Bing'er does, regard him as your only support, and regard him as your heaven. So, no matter what happens between you and Chen Bing'er, Liang Shao will choose Chen Bing'er. It's just a matter of time."

"It's actually like this..." Xiwen looked at Xie Fei in disbelief, and after a while she smiled bitterly.

"Most people in the world sympathize with the weak and envy the strong. To others, Princess, you are the strong one. So Liang Shao's attack and disappearance had nothing to do with you, but you were rumored to be a husband-killer. This is because many people are jealous of you in their hearts. They are like poisonous snakes hiding in the dark, and they will pounce on you and hurt you when you are not prepared."

"They won't sympathize with you because you are weak and sick and your engagement is broken off. They will only stab you insidiously and then rejoice - so what if you are a princess? You are not as good as them."

Xiwen's eyes widened in shock, her delicate body swayed, and she said in astonishment: "What did you say?"

Xie Fei looked at Xi Wen quietly, and after a while, he smiled and said, "So, Princess, you really don't have to be sad. Whether it's your fate to kill your husband or Liang Shao's infidelity, it's not your fault. It's just the human heart and desire. Most people in the world are like this, especially men."

Xiwen's eyes were dull, and for a moment she could not accept these secrets. She slid down the pillar and sat on the railing, panting without caring about her image.

For a while, there was silence in the pavilion, and Xie Fei did not disturb Xiwen. He knew clearly how difficult it was for someone as simple and innocent as Xiwen to accept such a mysterious human heart.

After a long time, Xiwen came back to her senses. She stared at Xie Fei with her sparkling eyes, as if she wanted to see through him. She asked softly, word by word, "Then, will you do the same, Prince?" There was a hint of uncertainty and faint expectation in her muffled voice.

"Me?" Xie Fei raised his eyebrows, then smiled softly and said affirmatively, "I won't."

Hearing this, Xiwen felt relieved. She secretly let out a sigh of relief and asked in confusion, "Why is the prince so sure?"

"Because I am not a mortal, I am just me." Xie Fei looked at Xiwen intently and smiled indifferently.

Xiwen's face flushed unconsciously. She hastily looked away, forced herself to calm her flustered mind, and said with a serious and somewhat sighing expression: "Thank you for clearing up my doubts today, Your Highness. I seem to understand a little bit, and I will try not to let my imagination run wild in the future. But I have lived alone in the deep palace for many years, and it may take some time for me to truly understand people's hearts."

"It's just a small favor, don't worry about it." Xie Fei nodded.

The night grew darker. In the distance, the sound of fireworks exploding could be heard in the night sky, illuminating a part of the sky outside the palace. A startled bird flapped its wings and flew towards the Jiubao Observation Pavilion standing on the lakeshore.

Xiwen looked at the bird standing on the glazed tiles with envy on her face and said softly, "That's great. I also want to have a pair of wings."

"What's wrong?" Xie Fei stood up and walked to the railing, looked at the bird and asked.

"The palace servants all said that if you stand on the top floor of the attic, you can see the bustling night scene of the street outside the palace. Unfortunately, I have never been there." Xiwen raised her white little hand, stretched out her slender index finger like a green onion, and pointed at the Jiubao Observation Pavilion in the distance. She spoke in a tender voice like a coquettish little girl.

"Do you want to go? I'll accompany you." Xie Fei glanced at her and said.

His soft and shallow voice rang beside her ears, and Xiwen's ears suddenly turned red. She shook her head half shyly and half regretfully: "Forget it, I'm too weak to climb up."

Xie Fei was stunned, frowning slightly. After a long silence, he asked, "Do you really want to see it?" There was a hint of strange meaning in his words.

Xiwen suddenly raised her eyes and turned to look at Xie Fei. Although she didn't know why he asked this, she nodded affirmatively and said, "Really?"

Xie Fei took a step forward and put his arm around Xiwen's slender waist. Xiwen was startled and was about to struggle, but Xie Fei's cold voice came from above her head: "Hold me tight."

Xiwen pursed her lips, a hint of hesitation flashed across her face, then she remembered that she and Xie Fei already had a close relationship, so it wasn't too much of an overreach for him to make such a small request. Her bright little face blushed as she slowly extended her arms and put them around Xie Fei's waist, but she didn't dare to use too much force. Her nose was filled with the light scent of green bamboo from his body, which was also like the faint fragrance of plum blossoms. Her face suddenly became hot and her heart was pounding like a deer.

While still nervously thinking about all sorts of things, Xiwen suddenly felt a tightening around her waist and her feet were already in the air. Before she could react, the two of them had already climbed over the railing and left the pavilion. Without time to think about it, Xiwen immediately hugged Xie Fei tightly with trembling hands, closing her eyes tightly and being so scared that she dared not even breathe.

Xie Fei held Xiwen in his arms and tapped the calm lake surface a few times. They instantly flew far away, then he exerted a little force and they flew up in a flash.

There was the sound of the wind whistling beside her ears, Xie Fei's strong arm was around her waist, and the cool night breeze blew towards her. Xiwen's nervous mood slowly calmed down. She opened her eyes carefully, and the whole palace was taken in by her eyes - the quiet lake was at her feet, and beside the lake were green trees and lush flowers. There were pavilions scattered everywhere, and palaces were neatly located in the distance. In an instant, the top floor of the Jiubao Observation Pavilion, which she had thought was out of reach, was also within her sight.

It was all so wonderful that Xiwen was still in shock until her feet touched the ground.

"We're here." Xie Fei looked at the dazed person in his arms and said softly.

Because of excitement, Xiwen's cheeks were lightly flushed, making her face more beautiful. Xie Fei's cold voice rang out, and she finally reacted. She clutched his brocade robe tightly with both hands, looked at Xie Fei with bright eyes, and said with a joyful smile: "Xie Fei..."

Suddenly seeing Xiwen revealing such a bright and lovely smile, Xie Fei couldn't help but be stunned, his eyes slightly darkened, and a hint of doting flashed in his eyes imperceptibly.

Xie Fei stretched out his right hand and patted her head, raised his eyebrows, and said with a smile: "Don't you want to see your bustling night scene?"

"Oh, that's right." Xiwen blinked and smiled shyly, then quickly turned around and leaned on the railing to look outside the palace gate. Her bright eyes were as bright as stars, "Is that the street outside the palace?"

Xie Fei's clear gaze was cast on Xiwen's back. His right hand was behind his back and rubbing slowly. It seemed as if the soft and smooth touch of the woman's hair still remained in his palm. When he heard the question, he turned his head and looked outside the palace.

Perhaps because tonight is the Mid-Autumn Festival, the streets are bustling and lively, with dense crowds of pedestrians walking around. The continuous lanterns light up most of the night sky, and the warmth goes straight to people's hearts.

"Yeah." Xie Fei nodded and responded softly.

Neither of them spoke any more, and the building suddenly became quiet. Xiwen leaned on the railing and looked at the street with great interest. After a long time, she held her face with both hands and sighed slightly, with great envy: "It's really lively. Even if I can't hear any sound, I still feel it's lively just by watching from a distance."

Looking at Xiwen's envious face, Xie Fei suddenly remembered the autumn chrysanthemum viewing banquet that Tang You and the others had mentioned before. His heart softened suddenly, and he blurted out: "There will be a chrysanthemum viewing banquet in the suburbs in a few days. Do you want to go together?"

"What?" Xiwen turned around and looked at Xie Fei blankly, her eyes full of surprise.

Xie Fei looked away, shook his head and said calmly: "Forget it, it's nothing——"

"Can I...can I go?" Before she finished speaking, Xiwen looked at Xie Fei excitedly, her hands holding the railing slowly clenched, a bright light bursting out of her bright eyes, and she asked timidly and expectantly.

Xie Fei's right hand rubbed slowly again, his eyes moved slightly, and he smiled faintly: "Okay."

Xiwen was delighted, her eyebrows curved, and a pure smile appeared on her face. The next moment, she frowned slightly and said timidly: "But my mother..."

"Leave it to me." Xie Fei smiled lightly and said slowly.

"Yeah!" Xiwen nodded vigorously and smiled at Xie Fei, with two small dimples faintly visible at the corners of her lips.

About a quarter of an hour later, the palace bell rang, and the guests began to say goodbye and leave the palace one after another. Xie Fei also sent Xiwen to the gate of her palace. When he turned around, he heard Xiwen's clear and soft voice behind him: "Xie Fei."

Xie Fei stopped and turned to look at her.

"Thank you. Tonight is the happiest day of my life." Xiwen blinked, looked straight at Xie Fei, and said sincerely.

Xie Fei lowered his eyes and looked at the well-behaved and gentle woman in front of him, with a hint of smile between his pretty eyebrows. He took a step forward, stretched out his right hand and gently placed it on her head.

Xiwen subconsciously wanted to hide, but she finally lowered her head and let him touch her twice with a red face.

When Xie Fei withdrew his hand, Xiwen covered her face and wanted to leave, but the next moment, a small box was handed to her. She looked up at him in confusion and reached out to take the box.

"A greeting gift." Xie Fei said with a smile, paused, and continued, "It looks quite like you."

Xiwen blinked in confusion, she was very curious about what Xie Fei had given her, but her good upbringing did not allow her to open the box in front of him. She could only guess secretly in her heart while smiling and saying, "Thank you, my Lord."

"It's getting late, let's go back." Xie Fei nodded and said lightly.

Nodding obediently, Xiwen held the box tightly in her arms and stepped into the palace gate step by step.