Chapter 494: The Person Next to You, Flaw
"Let's roll it up, are we in Xiling afraid of getting involved in muddy waters? We'll take action when it's time." The Second Princess snorted, "We've been acquiescent for so many years, and outsiders are treating us like a weak nation."
The Queen raised her eyes and smiled at her, "Second sister, do you have so little confidence in me? Xiling Country will not stand and take a beating."
"It's not that I don't have confidence in you. It's just that things are different now. Before, when we saw no hope, we could just stay in one corner and protect the peace and prosperity of the country. But now we have Yu'er. Even if we don't fight for the whole world, we have to give him a stronger and more reliable backing." Speaking of this, the Second Princess couldn't help but complain, rolling her eyes at the Queen. "If you hadn't kept it secret, we wouldn't have been so discouraged for so many years, humph!"
"Yes, yes, it's my fault. Second sister, can you please forgive me?" The queen bowed with both hands, as if begging for mercy.
The two sisters looked at each other and laughed.
At this time, Nanny Jin walked in from outside the palace and bowed to report, "Your Majesty, Second Princess, the Prince Consort has arrived. He said he has an appointment with the Second Princess for a banquet tonight and is here to pick her up."
The Second Princess turned her head to look at the sky outside the window and realized, "It's already twilight hour? I was so lost in talking to you that I forgot the time. Today is the old lady of the Liu family's seventieth birthday. She invited Xi Qing and me to the banquet. The banquet is hosted by Madam Liu and Hong Qiang. We have to give Hong Qiang some face, so it's not appropriate to be late. I'm leaving now!"
After saying that, she stood up, said goodbye, and hurried out.
Nanny Jin sent the person out and watched the second princess walk towards the elegant man standing outside the palace door. She waited until both of them left before returning to the palace.
"Your Majesty, the Second Princess and her husband have left."
"Yes." The Queen sat behind the desk in the outer hall. The warm smile on her face had disappeared, and her eyes were cold. "Tell people to keep an eye on him. Nan Sang is in chaos. Let's see what he does. Remember not to alert the enemy."
After a pause, she continued, "Don't let the Second Princess know about this for now."
"I'd rather not," Nanny Jin replied, gritting her teeth. "Thank goodness the Second Princess kept her mouth shut and didn't tell him a word about the prince. That ungrateful bastard is hiding his true intentions too well! If he hadn't revealed some clues at the Second Princess's welcoming banquet a year ago when he heard that the Nansang royal family was nearly wiped out, we wouldn't have suspected him! How could he have the heart to do that? Among them were his own flesh and blood! Even a tiger won't eat its own cubs! Back then, he was just a poor scholar. Even with his talent and the honor of being the third place in the imperial examination, he would have only been a seventh-rank Hanlin editor after entering the officialdom! If it weren't for the Second Princess's favor, which gave him the chance to marry the princess, would he have been able to rise to such prominence?! He—"
Nanny Jin's breathing was rapid, her eyes were slightly red, and she couldn't continue speaking.
"Before we get solid evidence, all suspicions are just suspicions. Don't show them." The queen lowered her eyes, her fingers clasped tightly on the desk, her fingertips turning white.
She hoped it was a misunderstanding.
Otherwise, Xi Qing would not only destroy the Xiling royal family inheritance, but also ruin his second sister's life.
With my second sister's proud personality, if one day she found out that the person who murdered Xiling was actually the man beside her, I'm afraid she would be too ashamed to live in such a cowardly state.
Outside the palace, on the carriage heading to the Minister of Revenue's residence.
The second princess rolled up the small curtain on the side and looked at the spring scenery outside the window with interest.
The warm light of the setting sun shone on her profile, reflecting the smile at the corners of her eyes.
"In the past two years, you have been in the palace frequently, and every time you come back, you are in a particularly good mood. What happy things have you talked about with the emperor that I don't know?"
The man's clear and gentle voice, tinged with a smile, resounded in the carriage.
The Second Princess looked back at the man's handsome and elegant face, raised her lips and smiled, "Why would a man ask so many questions about a woman's secret? Are you unhappy that I'm in a good mood?"
Hearing this, the man smiled, a little helplessly. "I'm naturally happy if you're happy. Before, you seemed to be covered in thorns, pricking everyone. I knew you were suffering, and I felt bad for you. Fortunately, things have improved a lot in the past two years. You've become your youthful self again, talkative, cheerful, and full of energy."
He then changed the subject, his gaze fixed on the woman with a dark, deep glare. "It seems you've changed since my eldest sister adopted me as her godson. Unfortunately, after the Mid-Autumn Festival that year, I went out with friends to admire the red maple leaves. When I returned, my eldest sister had already left Du'an. I still regret not being able to see Bai Yu in person. If I had, I would have had a few drinks with him to thank him for making you so happy."
"At that time, my eldest sister would grab the child and wouldn't let go whenever she saw him. The Emperor and I were at our wit's end. But then, seeing her cheerfulness growing, we just accepted him." The Second Princess' smile faded slightly, and she sighed. "You know what my eldest sister has been like over the years. She'd go crazy and be confused from time to time, clinging to her stuffed doll all day long. Accepting the child would bring her some comfort, and it's better than seeing her suffer and us feeling miserable."
"That's true. As long as my elder sister is happy, that's all I need." The man smiled. "But are you really that confident? My elder sister is of noble status. What if the other party has any intentions... Now that my elder sister has gone with Bai Yu, if anything really happens, we may be too far away to do anything here."
"I understand your concerns, but is there anything we can do? When Bai Yu was about to leave, I even went out of my way to help stop my elder sister. You've heard what happened. Without Bai Yu, my elder sister is going crazy. Everything is just a temporary solution. Besides, Bai Yu may not have bad intentions as you think. My elder sister has been away from him for over a year now, and hasn't she been doing well? Even if he has ulterior motives, what benefits can he gain? He is an outsider, not of our royal bloodline. How dare he covet that position? It's a joke."
"I'm asking this out of concern for my elder sister. Look at you, you're even getting angry while talking." The man shook his head helplessly. Just then, the carriage stopped and he lifted the curtain to peek outside. "We've arrived at the Liu Mansion. Let's go down. Madam Liu and Hong Qiang are right at the door. They've come to greet us personally."
The man got off the car first.
The second princess breathed a sigh of relief, and looking at the man's bamboo-like back, a hint of guilt flashed across her eyes.
She couldn't tell him Yu'er's true identity for the time being.
When he finds out the murderer behind Xiling's murder and all the truth is revealed, she will apologize to him.
Xi Qing is just a scholar with an elegant and indifferent temperament. If he knew more about the complicated secrets of the royal family, it would only add to his troubles and might even put him in danger.
It’s better to know nothing, it’s more comfortable and safer.
Moreover, Xi Qing really couldn't help much in this matter.
There was another reason, and she didn't hide it. After the Xiling royal family had suffered so much, she didn't dare to fully trust even the person beside her.
The guilt was not because she had hidden something from him, but because she did not trust him completely.
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