A pair of large hands supported Qin Qing. She wanted to laugh but dared not, and then buried herself directly in Wang Yan's arms! Her body trembled slightly.
Wang Yan felt her trembling, and even though he knew it was feigned, anger still surged within him, while a hint of heartache flickered in his eyes…
To others, this scene appeared as her being terrified, but Princess Qingning, lying face-to-face with the two of them, was directly confronted by this glaring sight, which fueled her jealousy even more! Why?! Why did someone else achieve in just a few months what she had worked so hard for?! This is unfair!
At this moment, the guards finally rushed over. The old emperor waved to the secret guards, who quickly retreated. After the princess was released, she was quickly restrained by the guards again...
Her makeup was completely ruined, her clothes were in disarray, but her eyes were still fixed on Qin Qing.
Immediately following, a crisp slap echoed throughout the Imperial Garden…
The air suddenly became completely silent. The old emperor stood to one side, his hand still in the swinging motion, his face extremely grim!
Princess Qingning was stunned by the blow, then turned around abruptly, her face filled with anger and twisted murderous intent!
The old emperor, who had also experienced the struggle for the throne among princes, was still taken aback by Princess Qingning's expression. Perhaps he hadn't expected his usually spoiled and adorable daughter to have such a terrifying side.
Princess Qingning finally saw the person's face clearly, and her expression froze instantly, replaced by grievance and panic...
"Father...I..."
The old emperor regained his senses, his expression becoming incredibly complex before finally settling into utter indifference. This look only fueled Princess Qingning's growing fear...
"Guards! Proclaim my decree! Princess Qingning deliberately disrupted the event and suffered a hysterical episode. Immediately confine her to Zilin Garden!"
Zilin Garden, the legendary Cold Palace…
Princess Qingning panicked upon hearing this and frantically began to shirk responsibility, desperately struggling against the guards who were restraining her.
"Father, it wasn't me who started this trouble. That vile woman insulted me, and I acted impulsively! Father..."
The "bitch" she spoke of was now cowering in Wang Yan's arms, trembling...
The old emperor's heartless behavior, without any regard for who was right or wrong, perhaps stemmed from his belief that Princess Qingning had made a fool of himself and caused him to lose face, which led him to angrily imprison her in the cold palace...
This is also the first instance of a princess being sent to the cold palace!
The atmosphere quieted down again, and no one dared to speak, for fear that the angry old emperor would kill them.
After a moment, the old emperor sighed, his expression returned to normal, though there was a slight embarrassment in his eyes.
"This banquet is now adjourned. I will give you an explanation regarding the Qin family's matter! All of you envoys, please go back and rest early!"
After saying that, he left the garden, his departing figure carrying a hint of the weariness of an old father.
This was the scene Qin Qing saw, but she didn't have that illusion; instead, she felt a chill in her heart…
Behind this seemingly loving old father figure, she sensed the emperor's unfathomable nature and his willingness to sacrifice even his own family for the greater good. She was certain that the old emperor, for the sake of dignity and face, would even let Princess Qingning disappear...
The saying "Emperors are ruthless" is not just a saying.
The birthday celebration turned into a joke, and envoys from various countries witnessed it firsthand. Princess Qingning's marriage was now completely off the table!
When Qin Qing got back into the carriage and left, Madam Wang saw her calm expression as soon as she got in the carriage. She then realized what was going on and looked at her with a complicated expression.
Wang Yan sat down beside him, and the three of them quickly left the palace…
Over the next three days, even under the old emperor's strong suppression, rumors spread rapidly throughout the streets and alleys, and in a short time almost everyone knew about the 'Princess Qingning's madness for love'.
At this time, according to custom, after the birthday celebration, court officials and princes would usually lead envoys from various countries to watch the Heavenly Dragon Kingdom's 'Grain Festival'! This was mainly to celebrate the year's harvest! Although it was a simple affair, it didn't diminish the enjoyment of some people! It further showcased the great nation's cuisine, talent, customs, and cultural heritage!
As night fell, fireworks lit up the sky, and the streets were bustling with activity. Most of the families were happily heading to the lake to enjoy this festive scene…
Coincidentally, the largest lake in the capital of Tianlong Kingdom is not far from Qin Qing's rice shop.
That afternoon, Qin Qing was minding the rice shop. Because winter was approaching, people were starting to stock up on food, making her business very busy.
After finally finishing everything at the shop, she breathed a sigh of relief and sat down in a chair, thinking about whether to hire someone else or have Shaoyao come over to help.
Thinking it over, she put away all the silver she had earned that day and was about to close the shop when she saw a tall, silent figure standing at the entrance of the rice shop...
"Hmm? General, you seem to be quite free these days. What's wrong? Don't you need to accompany the envoys from various countries?"
Since their last parting at the palace, Wang Yan had become very busy, barely able to see her more than a few times! Naturally, she harbored some resentment.
Upon hearing this, the cold, hard curve of Wang Yan's face shifted slightly, as if he were smiling.
"I apologize. As an apology, how about I personally protect Madam Wang tonight?"
The address "Madam Wang" made Qin Qing blush instantly; she hadn't expected Wang Yan to have this side to him! So, she turned and closed the door, preparing to go over...
Suddenly, he sensed an unfamiliar presence and stopped in his tracks! He looked intently at Wang Yan in front of him; there weren't many people left on the street at this moment…
"What about the gift you promised me last time? If you don't give it to me, I won't agree to it!"
Three meters away, Wang Yan, who was standing under the tree, paused for a moment, then quickly regained his usual serious expression, as if he had thought of something.
"Qin, what are you talking about? When did I promise to give you a gift? Could it be that you've misremembered after just a few days?"
Qin Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this and smiled.
"I thought you were a fake! You gave me quite a fright!"
The familiar "Qin Shi" eased her mind slightly. She boldly walked over, and as their eyes met, a sense of unfamiliarity washed over her again, causing Qin Qing to instinctively pause for a moment.
Did you wear perfume?
As soon as she finished speaking, she realized something was wrong, but she didn't show it on her face, only her expression of confusion and dislike.
Wang Yan paused for a moment, then quickly regained his senses.
"Perhaps it just got off the cruise ship and picked up other people's scents."
Qin Qing nodded upon hearing this, showing no sign of anything amiss, but alarm bells were ringing in her mind! Perhaps she wasn't particularly familiar with Wang Yan, but given his skills, she believed that even in a crowded place, he would never allow someone to bump into him and pick up his scent.
Something's wrong with Wang Yan in front of me!!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com