Chapter 260: Ending Part 5

The woman standing under the plum tree in the courtyard was wearing a water-red dress with dark flower patterns and a cloak with plum velvet embroidery. She was holding a white oil-paper umbrella in her hand. She just stood there quietly, with a cool and extraordinary temperament, a leisurely look, and beautiful eyes.

When Xia Jinghe saw the person coming, his eyes lit up, and he ignored Luo Xue and walked straight to her: "Why are you here?"

Nan Xing raised the umbrella in her hand a little higher and tilted it towards him, saying lightly: "The Queen asked me to come here, and the Emperor asked me to bring you something."

"So... Father must have received some new information." As he spoke, he took the umbrella from her hand, accidentally touching her hand, frowned, and said, "Why are your hands so cold? Come on, go inside quickly, or you'll catch a cold."

"Yeah." Nanxing followed him into the house.

When she passed by Shen Qingxi who was still standing in the corridor, she suddenly stopped, lowered her eyelashes slightly, and asked, "Miss, is there anything else?"

She was much taller than Shen Qingxi, and when the two stood together, her aura was obviously overwhelming.

Shen Qingxi tightened her grip on the umbrella handle and tried to maintain a sweet smile on her face: "Sister, you are so beautiful."

"I know." Nan Xing raised her eyebrows and looked at Xia Jinghe, "Your confidante?"

Xia Jinghe shook his head and said, "I saved him by chance on the way to South City. He can be considered...an old friend."

"Old friend?" She looked Shen Qingxi up and down and said, "She looks like a girl from Jiangnan."

Shen Qingxi smiled and said, "Sister, you have a good eye. I was originally the daughter of the Shen family, the richest family in Hangzhou. I just moved to the capital three years ago."

Nan Xing nodded slightly, and said in a neutral tone: "I only have one sister, Tangtang, so you should just follow others and call me princess."

Shen Qingxi was obviously startled, then secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said quickly: "So you are the Crown Prince's sister. I don't know you well, I hope the princess will forgive me."

Xia Jinghe said coldly, "She is not my sister. If you have nothing else to do, go back to your own courtyard and take good care of yourself. I have some important matters to attend to, so it is inconvenient for me to entertain you."

He is ordering us to leave.

Shen Qingxi didn't understand what he had said wrong and felt aggrieved, but he couldn't stay here any longer, so he bowed with his head lowered and walked out.

Nanxing glanced at her slightly lonely figure and followed Xia Jinghe into the house.

There was a charcoal brazier burning in the house, and the room was filled with warmth as soon as she entered. She took off her snow-stained coat and sat down. Xia Jinghe put away his umbrella and brought a hot water bottle and put it in her hand.

"When did you arrive in Nancheng? Why didn't you let anyone inform me in advance?" There was obvious anger in his tone.

"I entered the city at 11 pm. I knew you were very busy and didn't want to disturb you, so I went straight to find Governor Yang, and he personally showed me the way."

At this point, she frowned slightly: "I just heard that there is a female master here when I entered the mansion. I guess it must be Miss Shen. Don't blame me for being nosy. It would be very difficult for a Tiangan woman to become the Crown Princess of Xuan Cang. Even if the Emperor and Empress agree, the court officials and the people will not agree."

Xia Jinghe's brows were furrowed even tighter than hers: "My lady, who told you this? It's ridiculous! Besides, when did I ever say I wanted to marry her as the Crown Princess?"

"Uh..." She blinked: "Then Miss Shen is obviously interested in you, can't you see it?"

"There are countless women in the imperial capital who are interested in me. If I care about all of them, my heart will be as wide as the ocean, right?"

Having said this, he paused, glanced at her, and said unhappily, "You are as good as a mirror at understanding other people's thoughts."

Nanxing saw that he seemed unhappy, so he touched his nose and thought that he might have encountered something unpleasant, so he decided not to touch the thorns. He said, "Is there any extra room here for me to live in?"

"No, you came in a hurry and haven't packed up yet."

"Oh, then I'll go stay at the inn." She said, and stood up to leave.

Xia Jinghe immediately grabbed her wrist and said, "It's snowing heavily, the restaurants and inns outside have already closed."

She didn't take it seriously: "Just knock on the door, the shopkeeper will open it. Only a fool would take the money that comes to his door."

He still didn't let go, and said helplessly, "I have an unused side room next door with a bed. I'll have someone make the bed and mattress later."

"You should have said it earlier. I just don't feel like bothering around, so I'll just stay here for one night." Nan Xing sat back down, turned around and saw a food box on the table, so he asked, "Did you just have dinner?"

Xia Jinghe shook his head and said, "I've used it outside."

"Oh, that was sent by Miss Shen just now." She said it in affirmation.

Xia Jinghe did not argue, but reached over to open the lunch box and asked her, "Have you had dinner?"

"Not yet." She leaned over to take a look at the chicken soup in the cup with the spoon still in it, and realized that he had just drunk it. She quickly waved her hand to refuse: "I don't want to drink the soup. Do you have any hot food?"

Since she didn't want to drink it, Xia Jinghe didn't force her. He ordered someone to clear the chicken soup and asked the kitchen to prepare a few dishes and send them over.

…

In this side room, Shen Qingxi was pacing back and forth.

After waiting for a long time, she finally heard the door open. It was the maid she sent out to inquire about the news.

She immediately went up to him and asked, "Have you found out?"

The maid nodded and said, "I have found out everything."

Shen Qingxi closed the door and took her into the inner room.

The maid said, "I asked the guards around His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and learned that she was the adopted daughter of the current emperor before he ascended the throne. She was named Princess Yong'an and she and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince were childhood sweethearts."

She suddenly thought of Xia Jinghe's denial of her words just now, "She is not my sister." He was denying his brother-sister relationship with Princess Yong'an.

Could it be that he has feelings for the princess?

Shen Qingxi's mind flashed with Nanxing's enchanting face and her cool and elegant temperament. Her words were indifferent and distant, yet contained a sense of oppression. This was not something that could be formed overnight. It was something that someone of her background would find difficult to develop in her lifetime. She only felt as if a chill had come from her heart and spread throughout her limbs.

Then the maid said, "I heard that the Empress dotes on Princess Yong'an very much and gave her the same title and reward as the legitimate Princess Yongle. She even has her own mansion and land in the imperial capital."

She felt even more flustered. She sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the corner of her clothes, and muttered, "What chance do I have of winning against her..."

Although this maid was sent to Shen Qingxi by Prefect Yang, she came here on her own initiative. She was counting on Shen Qingxi to lead her to a good life. Even if the other party is a princess, she can't give up before she even starts.

So the maid comforted her, "Young lady, don't belittle yourself. You have a wealthy family and a brother who is a high-ranking official. Princess Yong'an is an orphan without any support from her family. Even though she is of noble status now, she and the Crown Prince are still siblings. It is not easy for her to become the Crown Prince's consort."