Chapter 69 The person in the portrait is my late wife.

Gazing at the gold-painted plaque of the Xuanbei Marquis Mansion, Xie Jing got off the carriage hesitantly.

He left very hastily that year. The fake death drug prepared for him was very strong to make it look realistic. He fainted and lost consciousness. He must have been carried out in a coffin with suona playing and paper money scattered all the way. It was a very painful memory.

I didn't say goodbye properly, and now I'm here again. Thinking of the past, I can't help but feel homesick.

·

His Royal Highness Prince Jing finally failed to refuse the invitation of the Crown Prince and came to the Marquis' Mansion to pay a visit on his day off.

Yu Qing told him that Qiying would prepare a simple banquet at the mansion to express her gratitude, and would not hold a grand ceremony. The Marquis' wife had taken the Marquis to a medicinal spring on the outskirts of Beijing to recuperate for a few days and was not currently at the mansion.

So Xie Jing hesitated for a while, but finally agreed.

He had always been trying to show his goodwill to Yu Qing. This time, the prince took the initiative to invite him to be his guest and asked twice. It would be unreasonable for him to refuse.

The Xuanbei Marquisate has always been a place of elegance and nobility, unlike other aristocratic families that often have numerous guests and hold banquets for fun.

There are not many people who can be regarded as honored guests by Prince Yu. Even Prince Rui probably has not received an invitation from Yu Qing.

Xie Jing should be quite proud of receiving such an honor.

But he had stayed in the Marquis' Mansion for more than half a year after all. Even if he had little contact with people outside Wenhua Garden, with so many people coming and going, what if someone was impressed by his face?

Even if no one would compare His Royal Highness Prince Jing with Princess Qingjia, he still felt guilty.

He had previously refused to come to the Marquis's residence, mainly because he was worried about meeting Yu Qing's parents... If he really had a banquet with the Marquis and his wife, Qiying, and Yu Qing, wouldn't that just be a family dinner like before? No matter how calm Xie Jing was, he was afraid he would be exposed.

"Your Highness Prince Jing, please come in."

The housekeeper of the Yu Mansion came over to greet them, and the servants were well-trained and courteous in welcoming the guests.

Yu Qing was also in front of the hall and said casually, "Why did Your Highness prepare all this?"

Xie Jing naturally did not come to Yu Mansion empty-handed. He prepared several gift boxes and asked the guards of the palace to carry them all over.

When he saw Yu Qing, he immediately smiled calmly and said, "It's just a small gift. I hope you don't mind it."

Xie Jing originally thought that the butler would lead him to the front hall for receiving guests, but Yu Qing turned around in front and walked deeper into the hall.

Isn’t this... the direction of Huaifeng Pavilion?

Xie Jing thought to himself, Yu Qing had already invited him to a place near where he lived? Did this mean they were already close?

Although he was a little surprised, he remembered that Yu Qing had also entertained the Fifth Prince and his cousin here, so Xie Jing felt relieved.

·

After such a long absence, the Xuanbei Marquis's Mansion hadn't changed much. There weren't many servants coming and going in the mansion, so Xie Jing felt a little more at ease.

He remembered that when they first got married, Yu Qing had specially renovated the garden and lotus pond for him. He wondered if everything there was still the same as before.

Soon the lotus would bloom, would the koi fish still be as vibrant? He used to go there often to feed the fish, and often walked his terrier along the path to the garden to relax.

How is the puppy now? Xie Jing’s house still has the rope that was custom-made for it.

Qiu Lian and Dong Li sent a message saying they were still living in Wenhua Garden, and they should be taking care of the flowers and trees in the yard...

A series of past events came to Xie Jing's mind like pearls and jade, and he felt a little emotional.

Soon they arrived in front of the courtyard and Yu Qing stopped.

Xie Jing asked knowingly, "Huaifeng Pavilion? What a nice name. The calligraphy is also very beautiful. Was it written by the prince?"

Yu Qing smiled and said, "It's the handwriting from my youth."

She turned to Xie Jing's attendant and said, "This is my residence. It's usually inconvenient for too many people to come in. A few of you..."

When the guards were outside, they never left Xie Jing's side.

Xie Jing was very cautious in other places, but in Yu Mansion, it was like returning to his own home. With Yu Qing around, nothing would go wrong. Knowing that she didn't like outsiders, Xie Jing also said, "Then you guys wait outside. I'm with the prince, so there's no need to follow me all the time."

Yu Qing thought, how brave he was. He was led into the inner courtyard so casually, without any guards.

Was he not on guard or was he confident? Was his claim of not knowing martial arts also a lie? After all, he had too many secrets.

Xie Jing held a folding fan in his hand. It wasn't too hot out yet, so he looked even more elegant and graceful. Yu Qing looked at his slender fingers on the fan handle, but couldn't see any surprising potential hidden in them.

Entering Huaifeng Pavilion, Xie Jing looked around, a little puzzled, and asked, "Why is Miss Qiying not here?"

Didn't Qiying say she would host a banquet? The elegant hall in Huaifeng Pavilion is still empty.

"It's still early, and the meal isn't ready yet," Yu Qing said. "It's boring to wait any longer. Your Highness, please come with me and look around."

Xie Jing had no doubts about it, as he had indeed arrived earlier.

Yu Qing introduced: "This is the study."

"It's quite spacious. I'm sure you have quite a collection of books," Xie Jing praised generously. "The prince is not only an expert in martial arts, but I imagine he's also well-read."

Yu Qing said, "The collection of books is not bad, but it mainly contains weapons and other collections. Your Highness, would you like to see them?"

Xie Jing followed her into the study with great interest.

The interior furnishings are still grand and simple. The longbows on the wall are black, and the animal heads made of gold and bronze have a beautiful luster.

Xie Jing glanced around halfway when he caught a glimpse of a painting behind the desk in front of him and was immediately stunned.

The painting was not large, but it stood out from the other furnishings and was located directly opposite the door, making it extremely eye-catching.

On it was his own face.

He was struck by lightning and froze on the spot.

Yu Qing, however, looked calm, seemingly unaware of Xie Jing's hesitation, and asked, "Why don't you follow?"

Xie Jing looked into her deep eyes and his heart skipped a beat.

To say it's creepy is no exaggeration.

A chill ran down Xie Jing's back, and he had forgotten about the painting.

What does Yu Qing mean by hanging this in her study? Could it be that... she has already...

He walked forward stiffly with Yu Qing. Princess Qingjia's beautiful face was vivid, looking at Xie Jing through the paper.

Xie Jing: “…”

"What's wrong, Your Highness?" Yu Qing asked.

Xie Jing couldn't pretend not to see it, so he could only say with difficulty: "This portrait..."

"Oh, this one," Yu Qing introduced, "The person in the painting is my late wife."

Xie Jing: "Oh..."

Yu Qing came to the painting with a nostalgic look on his face.

Watching her fingers gently stroking her face on the drawing paper, an indescribable throbbing mixed with fear arose spontaneously.

"I was once married to Princess Qingjia, and we lived in perfect harmony. However, she was a beautiful woman with a tragic fate. She passed away less than a year after our marriage. I have hung this portrait of her in my study as a token of my longing."

Xie Jing said dryly, "...That's really a pity."

"Yes. It's a pity that Your Highness has never met her. If she saw Your Highness, she would surely be very surprised," Yu Qing smiled. "After all, you and her look so much alike, don't you? Seeing you is like looking in a mirror."

Xie Jing thought, it’s over.

He was overwhelmed by Yu Qing's kindness and only now realized that this was the Hongmen Banquet.

Xie Jing bravely said to Yu Qing, "Are they similar? Not bad. Actually, there are many differences. For example, my eyes are a different shape, my nose is smaller, and I have more hair..."

Yu Qing listened to his nonsense, which was so absurd that she wanted to laugh. She looked at the portrait calmly, then at Xie Jing, and found that what he said was true.

Xie Jing looked at Yu Qing's cold gaze, his throat choked, and he didn't dare to say anything further, so he just smiled ingratiatingly.

"Yes, the painters in the palace are not very skilled and they failed to portray her beauty." Yu Qing said.

Xie Jing was sweating profusely. Just as he was about to speak, Yu Qing suddenly shouted, "Close the gate."

The servant outside received the order and immediately closed the door of Huaifeng Pavilion, and then a little thing was released.

The little white dog with long hair and short legs couldn't wait any longer. It had been held in the servant's arms with its mouth pinched. Now, as soon as it landed, it ran over like a fly, and arrived outside the study in the blink of an eye, barking excitedly.

Xie Jing was stunned.

Xuetuan was very happy and rushed around. Before Xie Jing could react, it was already at his feet. Its little claws left several gray marks on the surface of his light-colored boots.

Xie Jing said: "This dog is quite friendly."

Xuetuan didn't understand what people were saying at all. He wagged his tail and turned around, wanting Xie Jing to hug him. Xie Jing tried his best to hold back.

Yu Qing said expressionlessly, "Don't you want to hold it for a while?"

The snowball began to climb up his legs. Xie Jing closed his eyes, his head aching. He whispered to the dog, "Stop messing around."

Yu Qing sat down in the main seat and watched the man and the dog reunite after a long absence.

"It's not usually like this. This dog has always been very smart and understands human nature. It knows the difference between relatives and strangers. No matter how many people have fed it and accompanied it, it will not recognize its owner," Yu Qing said. "From childhood to adulthood, the people who are closest to it are only its parents."

Xie Jing: “…”

Yu Qing said, "When my wife passed away, it was very sad. I happened to be away from the capital at the time. I heard from the maids that it refused to eat or drink for several days and nights and had to be force-fed. For a long time, it was inactive and slept on the soft couch in Wenhua Garden every day, refusing to leave."

Xie Jing felt a lump in his throat and looked down. Xuetuan was looking at him eagerly with its bright black eyes. He didn't understand why Xie Jing was so cold to it after not seeing it for such a long time.

Although "mother" has grown taller and has broader shoulders, it recognizes his scent and still likes him the most.

Yu Qing sighed, "How pitiful! Doesn't its mother even want to recognize it now?"

“…”

Xie Jing slowly leaned over and held the puppy in his arms. Xuetuan whimpered, rubbing against his clothes as before, and bumping his palm with its head.

Yu Qing looked at the puppy who was still so close to him, and thought, dogs and humans are really different.

It will never understand what deception is.

Even if it was abandoned, it would not bear grudges. When they met again, it would jump on them joyfully to express its happiness. Yu Qing couldn't help but feel sad for it.

Xie Jing gently stroked the puppy's fur, silent. At this moment, silence was an admission of everything.

Yu Qing finally got the answer to the entanglement, distress and confusion she had been experiencing for several months. She had gone around in circles and taken many detours, but she didn't expect that the truth was just her intuition.

No one had ever deceived her so thoroughly. She had every right to be angry, to be disgusted, to question him.

But looking at Xie Jing's pale face and bloodless lips, she didn't know what to ask. She just felt a little tired and didn't even have the energy to support her anger.

Xie Jing also thought Yu Qing would be angry.

——After all, he still hadn't forgotten how she strangled him and pinned him to the ground, nearly suffocating him to death.

Yu Qing stood up and raised his hand. Xie Jing's heart tightened, but Yu Qing just took down the portrait behind him and slowly rolled it into a scroll.

"This painting isn't usually hung here," Yu Qing said calmly, "I just took it out to use temporarily."

Xie Jing: “…Yeah.”

She looked at Xie Jing's tense jaw and said, "Don't worry, Your Highness. I won't do anything to you."

The atmosphere fell silent again. Xie Jing looked at her calm face and suddenly felt lost and helpless. It would be better for him to question her harshly.

Yu Qing said: "Your Highness, do you have anything else to say?"

Xie Jing was speechless. No amount of sweet talk could refute his own defense. He could only whisper, "...No."

He was in great pain. If he could, he wanted to throw himself into her arms without caring about his appearance, tell her how much he missed her, how he missed her every day without seeing her, and pretend to be good and nice like before, trying to win her sympathy and pity with tears.

But now she is no longer a princess, how can it work?

He felt very sad. If it was a man who was persistent and full of lies, Yu Qing would not give him a good look. But he had no other choice and did not dare to act rashly.

He was not afraid of anything else but being hated by her.