The room was dimly lit, and although there were windows leading outside, the air was not fresh and there was a pervasive smell of decay.
“Miss Song, I’ll be waiting for you outside. Go in now, and remember, don’t act impulsively.”
Song He'er nodded, pushed open the innermost wooden door, and quietly went inside.
A draft blew through the room, lifting the curtains inside. By the dim candlelight, Song He'er could vaguely see a slender figure sitting beside the table.
Although they had only been apart for a few days, Song He'er felt that he had lost a lot of weight.
"Get out! Didn't I say no one is allowed to come in? If you dare disobey orders again, drag him away and execute him."
The cold, stern voice echoed in her ears again, making her feel somewhat unfamiliar with it.
"It's me."
The person in front of her trembled slightly, his hands shaking uncontrollably. He turned his head and stared at Song He'er with eyes that held a rare hint of anger.
"Who sent you!"
Song He'er stepped forward, looked at him, and said calmly, "I came here voluntarily. Do you think I wouldn't know if you locked yourself in here and forbade anyone to pass me messages?"
Jiang Huaifu remained silent, his face still cold, staring motionlessly at the painting in front of him.
Song He'er followed his gaze and saw a painting hanging on the wall that clearly depicted a mother and daughter traveling in the fields.
Perhaps he had also fantasized about such a scene of maternal love and filial piety...
"It's my fault that I let you down. It's all my fault. If I hadn't asked you to help me deal with Song Xiaoqi, you wouldn't be stuck in this situation. It's all my fault..."
Song He'er was filled with mixed emotions, and before she knew it, a large tear slid down her cheek.
"This is not your fault, it is my misfortune. Even if that incident had not happened, she would not have let me go. From beginning to end, I have always been a pawn in her eyes."
Song He'er gradually approached Jiang Huaifu, squatted down, and remained silent for a long time.
A pair of sincere eyes met those icy black eyes. "Stay. As long as you stay, you can live a good life. There's nothing in Nanzhao worth your staying for. You're born into royalty; such a noble status shouldn't be entangled with me..."
“You never used to say such high-sounding things.”
"But...but hasn't it already come to this? The Queen must know my identity—the daughter of a disgraced official, and a fugitive from the Central Plains. She doesn't care what she does to me, but if...if she reveals all of this to the world, your future will be ruined..."
"Since I went to Nanzhao, I have long since put aside all things like titles and future prospects. Why would I care now? If you say that, it really breaks my heart."
Song He'er sensed a faint sadness in his eyes, but even so, she had to do it. Jiang Huaifu had already helped her so much, and she absolutely could not allow him to get into trouble for her sake again, absolutely not.
"But we're out of options now. Are we supposed to dig a hole in here and fly out together?"
"......"
“You are the most noble prince of the Western Continent. Even though I have escaped the status of the daughter of a disgraced official, I am now a merchant. Please stay here for my sake.”
Jiang Huaifu didn't speak, he just sat there in a daze, expressionless, as if he had already made up his mind and no one could change it.
"Hey... say something!" Song He'er started to get anxious.
"Instead of trying to persuade me, you should think about how to expand your business after returning to Nanzhao, instead of trying to persuade me to stay in this secret room."
Seeing that all her efforts had been in vain and that the man before her was completely unyielding, Song He'er's anger grew. "Do you think I'm just bored and have nothing better to do than come to the palace to waste my breath on you? If it weren't for the fear that you would die and I would have to worry about a life every day, who would care about you? You can do whatever you want, but if this matter involves me, the Queen will not show any mercy!"
Jiang Huaifu saw that Song He'er was furious and suddenly felt relieved, as if this was the kind of thing he wanted to see.
So, with a slight smile, she replied calmly, "I know my mother better than anyone. Her greatest skill is simply to waste time with me. Once she sees no results after a long time, she'll give up. As for you, I know you're incredibly lucky. You'll never die at my mother's hands."
Jiang Huaifu's words, "He's incredibly lucky," left Song He'er feeling very uneasy. Did he know something?
“I’m not a god descended to earth, nor do I have nine lives like a fox. How can I not die? This was originally a very simple matter. As long as you stay, with your intelligence, those treacherous officials won’t openly plot against you. I… I was just worried that if something happened to you in Luzhao, you would fall into their hands, which is why I rushed here from afar. But now you are hidden by the Queen, so you are safe. Why not choose the most comfortable solution? If you really like Nanzhao, you can go there later when the situation is stable!”
"Do you think I'm at ease just because I'm by my mother's side? Can't you tell me who I really want to be with?"
These words were like a wake-up call. Song He'er had originally intended to continue pretending, as long as the two of them didn't break the unspoken understanding between them, they would just make do and continue like this.
But judging from the current situation, Jiang Huaifu seems to be unable to hold back any longer and wants to explain everything.
"You mustn't say that, Your Highness. From the day my family was raided and I was exiled, I vowed that I would rather live a life of poverty and never be entangled in worldly affairs. I am here to undergo tribulation, so I will never have any feelings for anyone that go beyond those between family and friends."
Jiang Huaifu was clearly angered by these words. His expression turned cold, and he turned his head away, sitting in his chair without saying a word.
Song He'er knew that no matter how much she tried to persuade him, it would be useless, so now she had to think carefully about how to get out of the situation. Anyway, with Shen Jiadai around, Jiang Huaifu wouldn't get into trouble here.
"You stay, I'm leaving..."
The scene was extremely awkward, and Jiang Huaifu remained silent.
Only when Song He'er was about to turn and leave did Jiang Huaifu speak: "How are you leaving?"
"Just make a hole in this secret room, then you can leave! Anyway, I'm not taking you with me!"
"Hehe, if I wanted to leave, I would have razed this palace to the ground long ago. I just don't want to implicate the palace maids and innocent people, so I'm staying here with that woman."
Song He'er knew that he was quite popular in the palace. Right now, apart from the Queen and the King's confidants, more than half of the guards in the palace would give Jiang Huaifu face. It was really ridiculous to think that a man with a large amount of military power was trapped in a secret room.
Song He'er really felt that she shouldn't have come here!
......
My darlings, I have to go to the hospital tomorrow, so I can't update twice tonight. See you tomorrow!
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