Chapter 203
Shen Qingnian said softly, "Mother, affection alone is not enough, nor can it be enough. The current empress is dead, so what identity can I have to go back with? And what identity is His Majesty willing to give me?"
The inner courtyard of the Shen residence is already so treacherous, let alone the deep palace. I have already experienced freedom, how could I willingly return to that cage? Besides, I am a convict; returning to the palace would be His Majesty's punishment, not a chance to rekindle our past relationship.”
She could tell something from the man's final attitude towards her during the Flower Festival that day. If she had taken the initiative to express her feelings, he might have been so kind as to grant her a higher rank.
But she refused. She would rather be punished than stay in that way, and she was unwilling to use up the last bit of affection the man had for her to beg for more.
Liu Yurou hadn't thought that much about it. After hearing this, she paused for a moment, then said with some reluctance, "What about Yan Qing? He's been coming here every day these past few days, and it's clear he relies on you a lot."
She understood Qing Nian, but also felt sorry for Yan Qing. She thought that since His Majesty still had feelings for Qing Nian, he could forgive her and even allow the two to rekindle their relationship. However, she never expected that things would turn out so complicated.
Shen Qingnian shook her head and smiled bitterly: "Yan Qing is the Crown Prince, his status is so noble, his dependence on me is only temporary, he has a bright future and heavy responsibilities. Even if I can go back, I can't be Yan Qing's birth mother."
The current empress has passed away, and her relationship with Yan Qing is destined to remain a secret, especially with the presence of Xiao Shenxi.
The relationship was complicated and tangled, so she simply waited for the man's decree. She had lied to him three years ago, and this time she didn't want to use her feelings to blackmail him. She would accept whatever the man decided to do with her after returning to the capital.
The mother and daughter talked for a long time inside the house. When they came out again, Liu Yurou's worries had only increased.
What she thought was a turning point turned out to be a miscalculation.
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Three more days passed.
On this school day, Shen Qingnian took her two little ones to play in the street in the afternoon. They bought some pastries and some novel gadgets, and then found a quiet open space to fly kites.
This open space is not far from the Shen family's residence. Usually, many children play there, but for some reason, only Shen Qingnian and her two companions were there today.
The weather is great today, with a clear blue sky and not too hot, making it a perfect time to fly a kite.
Upon reaching the open space, the two little ones grabbed their kites and ran off, while Shen Qingnian stood under a tree, watching them play with a smile in her eyes.
The kite was launched into the air in no time, and she stood under the shade of the tree, looking up and gazing around.
The kite was shaped like a large bird, and now that bird was soaring in the sky. The cheerful laughter of Xiao Shenxi and Xiao Yanqing was like silver bells, making her smile.
Who knows how many more days like this will come...
At that moment, it seemed as if water droplets were falling from the tree, dripping onto Shen Qingnian's forehead.
Her smiling gaze remained fixed on the two frolicking little ones. Just as she noticed a water droplet on her forehead, she raised her hand and wiped it away.
But the smile on her lips froze the next moment.
It hasn't rained for the past few days, and the water droplets on my forehead feel warm and sticky.
Shen Qingnian brought her hand, which had been wiping away the water droplets, to her eyes. Her white fingertips were speckled with scarlet, and the water droplets on her forehead were clearly blood.
A stench of blood seemed to fill the air as two dark figures plummeted heavily from the tree, lying face up, motionless...
Shen Qingnian's pupils contracted sharply. She recognized the two men; they were the bodyguards the man had left by her to keep an eye on her!
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