Su Rong was also looking at Ye Guixue.
For Dawei, she harbored both a national grudge and insatiable ambition.
If Dawei was not eradicated, Daliang would never know peace, and Nanchu would always be threatened. It’s uncertain when they might be swallowed. Therefore, if she ascends to the throne, she would join forces with Yan Huisheng to devour Dawei.
Ye Guixue took a deep breath and suddenly laughed, "The princess truly dares to dream."
Su Rong also smiled, "Yes, I dare to dream. But that doesn’t mean it cannot be achieved, right?"
"Yes." Ye Guixue nodded, turned around, and did not continue the topic. He neither agreed nor disagreed, only softly said, "Princess, will you join me for a walk? Such beautiful red plum blossoms, it’s a pity if we can’t appreciate them wholeheartedly."
Su Rong nodded, "Alright."
The two walked deep into the red plum blossoms till the end.
At the end of the red plum blossoms, there was still a forest, except it was full of peach trees. The bare branches looked very desolate, a stark contrast to the abundant flowering red plum.
Ye Guixue said, "I also have a property that I purchased five years ago. At that time, I heard from a spy in Jiangning County that the Princess loved peaches, so I chose a mountain and hired a fruit farmer who specialized in peach cultivation to plant many peach trees. In spring, there are peach blossoms to see, a ten-mile peach blossom forest, it should be beautiful. In summer, there are peaches to pick, served on the princess’s jade table, you should like it. Five years have passed, and it’s just the right time. Spring is full of peach blossoms, while summer is abundant with fruits."
Su Rong didn’t know what to say, she wanted to say "I’m sorry." But it was too light. She wanted to say "You should have let me know about your existence earlier. Even if you didn’t come yourself, a letter letting me know you were waiting for me to grow up would have prevented Zhou Gu from moving my heart." But she couldn’t say it.
She understood that the Nanchu King and Ye Xiang Residence had conspired to hide her identity and existence, not daring to take the slightest risk of being discovered by the Nangong Family and the Nanchu Royal Family, and have a flood of assassins pouring into Jiangning County earlier. Therefore, the Nanchu King didn’t dare to act, Ye Guixue didn’t dare, and the whole Ye Xiang Residence also dared not.
They had paid five years for her, could she just brush it off by cancelling a marriage affair?
But what about all the things that happened before this, if she doesn’t brush it off, what can she do? Who allowed her to have regrets about Zhou Gu, and also counted the account of Ye Xiang Residence and Ye Guixue on her father’s head.
It’s his throne waiting for her to inherit, it’s the ladder to heaven he laid out, which she refused to climb.
Seeing her silence, Ye Guixue said again, "I have been looking forward to the princess for full five years. Compared to Lord Thursday, as far as I know, he didn’t even know what kind of girl the princess was before he went to Jiangning County. He was unwilling and didn’t want to marry."
Su Rong nodded, "It’s true. But feelings can’t be quantified like that."
"Indeed, they cannot be quantified like that." Ye Guixue nodded, "Therefore, I deeply regret that I was too careful in these five years, not daring to send messages to the princess via spies. As a result, compared to Lord Thursday, I am the late one."
He thought that it wouldn’t be too late even if he was late, but it turned out that it really was too late.
Su Rong couldn’t find reassuring words. She had prepared to face him when she proposed to return the Tiger Talisman of ten thousand soldiers today. However, when the moment came, she realized that she was still somewhat unable to face Ye Guixue.
All she could do was to take out the Tiger Talisman, hand it to him, and softly say seriously, "Guixue, I’m sorry."
Ye Guixue didn’t take it, "Can’t you keep it? I agree to cancel the marriage, you keep the Tiger Talisman, regardless of father’s decision, I..."
Su Rong shook her head, "I won’t take the Tiger Talisman. You take it back. When you return to Nanchu, think carefully about what I said."
She repeated solemnly, "I can’t promise you the position of the king’s consort, but I can make you my auxiliary minister, to be remembered for eternity. As long as the Ye Family doesn’t betray, I won’t move the Ye Family in my lifetime and let the Ye Family become the first family in Nanchu instead of the Nangong Family. I will join Yan Huisheng in dividing up Dawei. In the future, Nanchu will no longer be a small country."
Ye Guixue pursed his lips. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
Su Rong pushed forward again, "Guixue, trust me. Between us, even if we don’t involve love, we can still be close friends. Like our game of chess, I hope that we can always have a stalemate."
Ye Guixue looked at her, "Now that you’re giving back the Tiger Talisman, I can take it back to Nanchu, and everything might change. You must understand, one person alone, I can’t control the entire Ye Family. With my father and my elder brother around, I don’t know if they can accept this, even though I am loyal to you."
"It’s alright." Su Rong said, "Like I just told you, I have other options too. At worst, I could choose not to go to Nanchu. My ambition could be realized through Daliang, by conquering Dawei. As for the position of the King of Nanchu, let whoever wants it take it. If I don’t, if your family has the capability, feel free to take up the role."
Ye Guixue was stunned. After a brief silence, he accepted the Tiger Talisman and softly said, "The hairpin you gave me, I didn’t bring it with me."
Shaking her head, Su Rong smiled, "It’s alright. Before you leave, just return it to me."
She didn’t mention how she had the hairpin specifically made for him, or how there was a time when she deeply wished to use him as a stepping stone to sit on the throne in Nanchu.
Ye Guixue put away the Tiger Talisman with a sigh. "Su Rong, I’ve lost the mood to appreciate the plum blossoms."
From Lady Su Qi to Princess, then Xiaoqi, then Princess again, and finally to Su Rong again. The changes in how Guixue addressed her signified the evolution of their relationship.
Su Rong snapped off a twig of red plum blossoms and handed it to him, "Let’s go, we should head back."
She also lost the desire to enjoy.
Ye Guixue reached out to accept them.
Arm in arm, they wandered along the edge of the plum grove, eventually returning to the villa.
At the moment, it was just around noon.
The manager was already waiting for them at the exit. Seeing how early they came out, he was surprised and greeted with a bow and a smile, "Lady Su Qi, Second Young Master Ye, the lunch has been prepared. You two came out early, let me hastily tell the kitchen."
Su Rong glanced over at Ye Guixue, thinking about how he mentioned losing the mood to appreciate flowers. What about eating? He wouldn’t skip the lunch, would he?
Seeing Su Rong’s hopeful eyes, Ye Guixue couldn’t help but smile reluctantly, "Thank you, manager."
The manager quickly shook his head, "Not at all, not at all. Lady Su Qi, Second Young Master Ye, please, let me show you the way."
Su Rong let out a sigh of relief and followed the manager into the grand hall of the villa, along with Ye Guixue.
The grand hall was spacious, and everything was arranged simply. On the wall hung a large painting. Upon a closer look, Su Rong recognized it to be a painting of the plum grove. It was painted with loose yet bold strokes, depicting the four seasons — peach and pear blossoms in spring, plentiful fruits in summer and autumn, and the snow-covered red plum blossoms in winter.
The painting seemed randomly done, but it felt spontaneous and expressive.
There was no signature.
Su Rong asked, "Is this painting done by Zhou Gu?"
Only someone like him would be capable of such a painting.
The manager’s eyes crinkled in a smile, "Lady Su Qi was able to guess right away. Indeed, it was painted by our Young Master, several years ago when he was only ten. The Grand Princess saw it and liked it so she had it mounted and hung it here. Usually, we don’t have guests here, and the Grand Princess said that anyone who comes here is family and wouldn’t mock it, so it’s here for everyone to appreciate."
Su Rong nodded, without saying anything.
Ye Guixue laughed, "So, Lord Thursday actually excels in painting too. I’ve never heard about it before. A piece done when he was ten already showed such a strong foundation. It must have improved even more by now, after six, seven years."
The manager shook his head with a laugh, "This old servant has no idea. The Young Master hasn’t shared any new paintings for years. Perhaps he’s afraid that the Grand Princess would frame another one of his casual paintings and hang it on the wall. He wasn’t happy having this one hung here back then, but couldn’t refuse because the Grand Princess likes it."
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