Chapter 168 Let Me Be Your Support
Seeing Lu Qian standing in front of her safe and sound, Song Lingyi's eyes instantly filled with tears and she stopped arguing with him.
"Where...where have you been all day?" His voice was hoarse and filled with tears.
Facing those tearful black eyes, Lu Qian felt a pang of pain in his heart, his throat rolling, and the words on his lips were still incoherent: "You have the protection of the prince, and I don't. We have to find a safe place to stay."
Song Lingyi blinked and wiped away her tears with her sleeves: "Don't be ridiculous. He has to protect the people of the whole city. I haven't seen him all day. But you, you are not a soldier, nor a pirate. Is it necessary for you to hide for so long without seeing anyone..."
Hearing the word "hide", Lu Qian's eyes darkened.
He was indeed hiding, afraid of seeing her and Xiao Mingyi in harmony, talking and laughing, and afraid that he would become a joke.
After two breaths of silence, Song Lingyi asked again, "How did you end up hanging out with pirates?"
Lu Qian lowered his eyes, returned to his usual nonchalant look, and jumped onto the square table.
"How difficult is that? I followed Sima Wang to the restaurant, but I didn't expect the pirate leader to be there too."
He paused briefly, and Song Lingyi became interested and asked hurriedly, "And then?"
"That pirate leader was originally the second-in-command. Two years ago, the pirates suffered a heavy loss, and the first-in-command was beheaded by the crown prince. This second-in-command has no special abilities, strong limbs, a simple mind, and is a bit superstitious. I just had a drink with him and tricked him a little, and he treated me as a brother."
Song Lingyi frowned: "That's it?"
It's too simple. I thought it would be as thrilling as a spy war.
Lu Qian raised his eyebrows: "What else?"
The truth was definitely not as simple as it sounded. For example, that drinking spree nearly made him vomit blood. He didn't say anything because he didn't want to worry Song Lingyi or make her feel guilty.
I don't want to, and there's no need.
Sima Wang was right when he said that since he couldn't protect Song Lingyi, he might as well let her go.
From childhood to adulthood, he relied on the prominent background of the Duke's Mansion. He never thought about entering the officialdom, nor did he have any lofty ambitions. He was muddle-headed and mediocre. He was a well-known playboy and devil in Kyoto.
My parents often praise His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for his wisdom, bravery, and resourcefulness; and the Second Prince of the Pei family for his talent and good looks, who stands out from the crowd.
In comparison, his tricks are nothing.
Today, the prince descended from the sky and saved the people of the city, but what about him? He could only mingle among the pirates and almost couldn't even protect the woman he loved.
Thinking of this, a complex look of sadness and mockery flashed across Lu Qian's eyes.
"I'm leaving now."
“…”
Song Lingyi was stunned for a moment, instinctively feeling that there was more to his words than meets the eye. "Where are you going?"
"Youzhou." There was a rare seriousness in Ruifeng's cold eyes.
After these few days, Lu Qian finally figured it out - he didn't want to be confined to Kyoto all his life and be a young master who accomplished nothing. He wanted power, not relying on the Duke's Mansion, but relying on the power he had fought for himself.
He was promoted too slowly as an official in the court, and with his father putting pressure on him, it was difficult for him to make a name for himself. Joining the army was his only option at the moment.
"Youzhou? You want to join the army?!" Song Lingyi was shocked.
The pretty boy is really good at making a big splash.
Yesterday he was on good terms with the pirates, and today he's thinking about joining the army. Could it be that the pirate invasion has opened up the Ren and Du meridians of this devil?
Lu Qian raised his eyebrows slightly, and said calmly, "Why are you so surprised? I'm still young, and I have to do something earth-shattering to make my life worthwhile."
“…”
It's really earth-shattering.
Song Lingyi pursed her lips and said softly, "But you haven't discussed this with your uncle. Aren't you afraid that they will worry?"
"Discuss with them?" Lu Qian curled his lips and smiled, saying nonchalantly, "Either my father would threaten to break my legs, or my mother would use the old lady to pressure me, telling me not to go anywhere and to stay quietly in the Duke's Mansion, becoming a useless person for the rest of my life."
Song Lingyi was speechless.
The words were blunt, but the logic was sound. Given the personalities of his uncle and aunt, they would definitely not agree to let Lu Qian join the army.
"You always blame me, but have you thought it through?" Lu Qian asked back.
"What are you thinking about?"
Song Lingyi's thoughts were still on joining the army, and she didn't realize what he meant.
"Marry the prince."
This was too blunt, causing Song Lingyi's face to instantly turn red. She turned around, picked up the wooden tray, and walked out. "The medicine is almost cold. I have to take it to Hongju and the others."
But Lu Qian didn't give her the chance to change the subject. He jumped lightly onto the table below and blocked her way.
"how?"
"Even if we can't be lovers, I'm still your brother. Don't you want to tell me, or haven't you thought it through?"
Song Lingyi raised her eyes and glared at him.
Now he knows that he is her brother. When he imprisoned her earlier, he said that she was partial to one and not the other.
While Song Lingyi was secretly complaining, she was also overwhelmed with emotion. Before, she could have rejected Lu Qian without any burden, but today, he risked his life to protect her from the pirates. She was not a plant, so how could she not be moved?
After hesitating for a long time, he said, "I think both."
Lu Qian curled his lips. "Being a Crown Princess is quite glorious, but have you ever thought about the future? Your Highness the Crown Prince is going to be the Emperor, and with three thousand beauties in his harem, he might forget you one day."
This wasn't meant to be provocative or out of jealousy. Born in the Duke's mansion, he was accustomed to hearing the secrets of the palace. Your Majesty and Empress Shen were a young couple, and they had once been deeply in love. But after the birth of Consort Shu, Your Majesty never set foot in Yongning Palace except on the first and fifteenth day of each month.
Their love at a young age turned into dislike for each other when Empress Shen left the palace to practice Buddhism at Baohua Temple.
"He said that I am the only one in this life." Song Lingyi's black eyes were clear.
Lu Qian sneered in his heart.
As a prince, he would not use sweet words to deceive the little girl. Since he dared to say it, he must be willing to do it.
But things are unpredictable, no one can predict what will happen in the future.
"Everyone can make a verbal promise. You need someone to rely on in order to be invincible in the harem."
Song Lingyi's eyes were half closed. It was precisely because she agreed with what he said that she hesitated to respond to Xiao Mingyi.
"Do you know why His Majesty is tired of Queen Shen and favors Consort Shu, but has never considered deposing the Queen and appointing another Crown Prince?"
When their eyes met, Lu Qian's eyes were as deep as a pool.
"Because... the Huo family?"
Song Lingyi heard from Lu Yu that Queen Shen's mother's family guarded the northern border and held a large number of troops. If His Majesty wanted to depose the queen and appoint another crown prince, it would affect the interests of the Huo family. How could the Huo family sit idly by?
"That's right."
Lu Qian took a half step forward and stared at her for a while with his eyes lowered.
"Kyoto is full of beautiful ladies with distinguished family backgrounds. The Duke's Mansion alone cannot secure the position of Queen. So... Song Lingyi, give me ten years. If I can make a name for myself in Youzhou, let me be your support."
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