Chapter 288 Absurdity
Inside the room, only after hearing the Crown Prince's footsteps completely disappear did Qi Yuxuan slowly pull the blanket down over her head, revealing half of her flushed cheeks.
She turned over and stared blankly at the bed curtains above her head.
She still couldn't quite believe it; it all felt like a dream.
In her past life, she never even met the Crown Prince before he died young. In this life, she is going to marry him.
She even unconsciously compared the Crown Prince to Xie Tingzhou.
Xie Tingzhou has everything the Crown Prince has, and he also has things that Xie Tingzhou doesn't have... Does she really deserve such a good Crown Prince?
Her previous failed marriage made her dare not hope that she could find a good husband this time. If she could start over, she would only know a few more things than others. In terms of character and ability, she was not the most outstanding among the noble ladies in the capital.
However, the crown prince actually fell in love with her.
She pinched the soft flesh of her cheek hard; it really hurt.
"Princess! Why are you pinching yourself!"
Lanxin was startled as soon as she stepped inside. Why did she see the princess pinching her as soon as she came in?
Qi Yuxuan's face turned even redder, "No, you've mistaken me..."
Seeing that there was nothing wrong with her expression, Lanxin continued, "Princess, Miss Jin Yuan has arrived. She is kneeling outside and says she is begging for your forgiveness."
This was an undeserved disaster. She harbored no resentment towards Jin Yuan and believed that Jin Yuan wouldn't dare to deliberately drag the princess and the county princess into the mess. That child was spoiled by her family, and now she probably really knows fear.
She slowly sat up, her chest and throat still feeling a little uncomfortable, and she didn't intend to see anyone: "Let her go back, I don't blame her."
Lan Xin let out a soft "Ai," and seeing that she wanted to get out of bed by herself, she quickly said, "Princess, you mustn't! The imperial physician said that you must rest in bed. Damage to your lungs and internal organs is no joke. If you don't recover properly, you may develop a chronic illness!"
Qi Yuxuan: "But I'm awake now, and it's getting stuffy lying in bed. Could you give me the embroidery hoop so I can embroider something?"
As time went on, Jin Yuan, who was kneeling outside, grew increasingly anxious.
She had just heard that Princess Chang Le had woken up, so she hurriedly went to ask the Empress and Princess Min Ying for punishment, and then ran back to Fuqu Garden. But the Princess refused to see her at all, saying that she could not forgive her on behalf of her daughter.
Jin Yuan dared not eat anything. She was kneeling under the sun, feeling dizzy from hunger, her heart pounding in her chest, and she was sweating profusely with anxiety.
Just before her vision went black and she was about to collapse, the maid who had gone in earlier finally came out!
When Lanxin came out, she saw Jin Yuan's swaying and precarious appearance and frowned.
What does Miss Jin mean by this? She came here to apologize, but instead she's feigning pitifulness? Is she trying to fake fainting to frame the princess for being mean-spirited?
Lan Xin was overthinking things, and her tone wasn't very polite: "Miss Jin, the princess has already said she doesn't blame you, so please go back quickly!"
After saying that, she immediately ordered two maids to help Jin Yuan out, so that she wouldn't collapse in front of the princess's door and bring bad luck.
Before Jin Yuan could even speak, she was dragged and carried out. It wasn't that she didn't want to leave, but she was so hungry that she was trembling and didn't even have the strength to stand up. So she was helped up, albeit unsteadily.
After leaving the Lotus Garden, Jin Yuan turned back with a pale face and a hint of resentment in her eyes.
Princess Chang Le has such an air about her! She didn't do it on purpose. She even knelt down to beg for forgiveness, but the princess wouldn't even see her, and her servants are still so arrogant!
She hates Princess Chang Le! She hates her so much!
The southwest, a thousand miles away from the capital.
After a hurried journey, Duan Wei and Xiahou Zhong's army finally arrived at the border, facing the dark mass of the Southern Yue army outside the city gate.
The scouts had already reported back to Xiahou Zhong yesterday, confirming that most of what the Princess of Chang Le in the capital said in the letter to her son was true. However, a small part of it involved secrets of the Southern Yue army, and it was impossible to verify its authenticity in the short term.
That's enough.
Xiahou Zhong did not hold back his praise for Princess Chang Le and his son. He then turned around and told General Duan Wei some of the confirmed facts from the letter.
Surprisingly, General Duan did not believe these things.
Duan Wei was nearly seventy years old, tall and with black hair and beard. He could eat three large bowls of rice in one meal, and his energy and spirit looked like that of a man in his forties or fifties. This was why the court dared to send such an old general as him to lead troops.
Duan Wei slammed the letter and the scout's statement on the table: "Absurd! How could Princess Chang Le, a mere woman, possibly know such information? Why does the scout's statement match perfectly? Use your brains, or you might get scammed and end up helping someone count their money!"
He was furious, not only because Xiahou Zhong, whom he had personally mentored, had so easily believed the letter, but also because even the Princess of Chang Le in the capital had been misled by treacherous people. How many others had been secretly deceived into doing things that harmed themselves for the benefit of others?
Xiahou Zhong and the other generals lowered their heads. Duan Wei was old, but his temper was still as explosive as when he was young, and no one dared to continue to provoke him at this time.
Except for Xiahou Yin.
He wasn't wearing armor, and his physique wasn't as robust as the generals beside him. He looked like a frail scholar who had intruded, yet he stepped forward fearlessly, speaking with righteous indignation:
"General Duan's words are inappropriate!"
“Princess Chang Le is not the mere woman you speak of. She foresaw the conspiracy of Nan Yue long before the plague last year. This letter is also sent at the risk of being suspected by us because she did not want to see so many of our soldiers make unnecessary sacrifices. General Duan may not believe it, but you cannot slander and belittle her like this.”
Duan Wei looked at the immature kid and narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Say it again."
Before Xiahou Yin could finish speaking, Xiahou Zhong covered his mouth and dragged him back two steps.
Xiahou Zhong broke out in a cold sweat. If he had known his son would be so reckless, he would never have brought the person to the southwest!
"General Duan, my son has been behaving improperly and is unable to distinguish right from wrong. I hope you will forgive him!"
To everyone's surprise, even though Xiahou Yin's mouth was covered, his eyes remained firm and unwavering, as if he were a loyal man who had been persecuted.
Duan Wei waved his hand, "Let go, let him continue!"
"General Duan..." Xiahou Zhong's voice trembled with fear. He only had this one good-for-nothing son!
Duan Wei slapped the wooden table again, causing it to shake for a moment, as if it couldn't withstand such a rapid and intense slapping.
"I told him to keep talking!"
Xiahou Zhong dared not disobey and could only release his hand covering Xiahou Yin's mouth.
Xiahou Yin was released and met Duan Wei's almost murderous gaze. His eyes showed no fear, only sincere earnestness:
"General Duan, my father once told me that you are a man of profound strategy and a man of good judgment in appointing people, and that you are the most outstanding general in the history of Qi. But today you made a rash decision without knowing the full picture, which is truly disheartening!"
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