Chapter 007 Chapter 7

Xie Qingya was the first to look away when Xu Duanyi came over.

His expression remained the same, still that carefree look, he fanned his cloak lightly, his eyelids lowered, not even glancing in the direction of Xu Duanyi.

It seemed as if he didn't recognize who she was, but it also seemed as if he didn't care who she was.

The rest of the people had also stopped what they were doing after being shouted at by Xu Duanyi.

But I didn't recognize who she was.

As they got closer, someone recognized Shi Yu beside her and started to discuss among themselves: "This maid looks familiar. She seems to be the girl who knows martial arts beside the princess."

"It seems to be true. When the princess went to the south of the city to distribute porridge last time, I saw her from a distance. The girl standing next to her seemed to be this girl."

Discussing this.

How could the group of people who just intended to beat up Xie Qingya dare to continue offending him in front of Xu Duanyi?

In addition to the few who originally carried swords, the rest of the stones and sticks that they had just picked up were thrown aside, and they bowed in the direction where Xu Duanyi was walking and asked: "Excuse me, sir, is this Her Royal Highness the Princess?"

Most of Xu Duanyi's face was hidden under the hood.

The cold wind blew the soft hair on the hood, making the face that was vaguely visible under the hood look even more jade-like.

When Xu Duanyi came over, he first glanced at where Xie Qingya was without making a sound. Seeing that he was fine, he withdrew his gaze with relief.

When asked by many people, she never concealed anything.

He stopped in front of the crowd and replied softly, "Yes."

When those who had originally had some doubts and guesses heard this, their expressions changed slightly, and they turned towards Xu Duanyi and greeted him with their arms folded.

"Hello, Princess."

Xu Duanyi also bowed slightly, returned their greeting, and then let them get up.

"Everyone, please come up."

After everyone stood up one by one, Xu Duanyi looked at Xie Qingya.

Many years have passed.

This was the first time they were so close.

Xu Duanyi remembered that the last time they were so close was in the first year of Tianhe, when she was twelve and Xie Qingya was fourteen.

My cousin is gone.

Naturally, he no longer had to continue being a study partner.

When he was fourteen years old, he began to follow his father and brothers to the battlefield. On June 16, that was the first time she took the initiative to leave the palace to find him.

The army set out with flags and drums roaring.

She came out too late and the traffic was heavy, so she didn't have time to go to the Prince of Nan'an's Palace to see him.

She thought she could only watch him leave from afar through the crowd, and that the amulet in her hand would never be given away.

Xie Qingya suddenly turned around for some reason.

Then he rode his horse towards her.

People don't know what he is going to do.

She doesn't know either.

She stared blankly at the young man riding his horse towards her from under her veil, until she heard a familiar voice whispering into her ears.

"Xu Duanyi, you really kept me waiting."

She raised her head slightly and saw the familiar boy leaning over his favorite pony. He was wearing silver armor, and the sunlight and the prying eyes of the onlookers were all hidden behind him.

And his familiar peach blossom eyes were right in front of her, facing her silently through a thin layer of veil.

At that time, Xie Qingya was full of vigor and vitality, and he was very dazzling.

That was also the last time they were so close. He took the amulet from her hand, and before walking away, he looked at her, raised his hand, and then put it down.

The young general finally held the reins.

Before leaving, he left her a message: "Wait for me to come back, Xu Duanyi."

For the next three years, he stayed at the border and never came back, but she often heard news about him.

The young man who was once not optimistic about the future made remarkable achievements in two years. At the age of sixteen, he was awarded the rank of General Zhaoyong.

The young general was famous throughout Daxia.

I wonder how many people want to marry him.

But before she waited for him to come back, she received the news that he was engaged to Baozhu.

Later, he finally returned, but he also brought back the coffins of his father and brother.

The once dazzling young general has never been seen since then.

She had left the palace several times. She wanted to see him and see how he was doing now, but she never got to see him again.

Later, seeing her aunt and Cao Da's jealousy and testing of the Nan'an Palace, and seeing Baozhu growing up and approaching the age of marriage, she dared not look for him anymore.

After several years, they finally met each other again.

The distance is the same as before, but it seems like there is something between us.

Although they were already engaged and would soon become the closest people in the world, Xu Duanyi could no longer find a trace of the past except the familiarity between them.

Xu Duanyi lowered his eyes and bowed.

Keep all your emotions in your heart.

"My Lord."

She called him softly.

Xie Qingya also lowered his eyes to look at her.

The self-deprecating and taciturn girl in my memory has grown into a graceful and elegant person. Now she is loved by everyone, and there are countless people who admire her.

"Your Highness, you really shouldn't have married this playboy. Look at him. He's already engaged to you, but he's still parading around town with a girl from Zuihualou. He doesn't even take you seriously! He's such a jerk!"

"This gentleman is right!"

"Your Highness is of such a noble status, how can you marry such a playboy? If Your Highness does not want to marry, we are willing to write a joint letter and report it to the emperor for his approval!"

This statement quickly attracted the approval of many people.

Xie Qingya sneered when he heard this.

He was too lazy to pay attention to these words.

If they could really file a complaint and cancel this marriage, he would really be grateful to them.

Xie Qingya was just about to say something to provoke them again.

Xu Duanyi, who was originally standing opposite him, suddenly turned around.

"Gentlemen, please don't say such things again."

"The Dengwen Drum is where the emperor listens to advice and the people voice their grievances. How can it be used for these things? Besides, my marriage to the prince is a done deal. It will not change, and it is impossible to change it."

"But Your Highness, you are so wronged!"

Some people felt sorry for her.

Xu Duanyi said gently: "My dear, you are joking. I don't feel wronged."

"What?"

People were shocked by her words.

Even those who were originally speaking in lamentations were dumbfounded because they were so surprised.

"Your Highness, are you really willing to marry him?"

As they talked, they pointed at Xie Qingya behind her and looked at Xu Duanyi in disbelief.

Xu Duanyi didn't know what Xie Qingya was doing at the moment.

She had her back to him and could not see his expression at the moment, but she could vaguely feel a real gaze falling on her.

But Xu Duanyi didn't know what meaning was hidden behind this gaze.

She didn't dare to guess.

Under the shawl, she silently clasped the heating pad in her hands.

"yes."

She responded softly.

A lot of crying.

Everyone present looked at her with disbelief, and opened their mouths to speak, but didn't know what to say.

The original noise is gone, and all that remains is silence, with only the sound of the wind whistling past my ears.

Xu Duanyi still had something to say.

There are some things she has wanted to say for a long time.

She felt distressed when she thought of the scene where Xie Qingya was surrounded and scolded by many people.

Once upon a time, he was so respected and loved.

Wherever he passed by, anyone who saw him would smile and call out "Thank you, young general."

No matter what he has become now, he doesn't deserve to be treated like this.

"I know you all think highly of me, but Jiashun is just a little girl, and I really don't deserve your attention."

When people heard this, they thought she was just being modest and was about to speak.

Then Xu Duanyi changed the subject and continued, "You all think that Prince Nan'an is not worthy of me, but I think I am not worthy of the prince."

"What I did was just some small things like distributing porridge and clothes."

"Many people can do these things."

"But the prince went to the battlefield at the age of 14 and was appointed as a general at the age of 16. Everything he did was a big deal. The border town of Jizhou is the fortress of our Great Xia. Every year, I don't know how many Tartar foreigners invade and try to invade our Great Xia."

"The prince has fought on the battlefield and saved tens of thousands of people."

"No matter what happens now, we cannot deny his past achievements and contributions, and you should not humiliate the prince because of me."

Those who originally wanted to speak now stammered and could not utter a single word.

Xu Duanyi didn't say anything else.

This was the first time she stepped forward to defend Xie Qingya, but it was not the first time she wanted to do so.

A few years ago, at many banquets, she saw people discussing how terrible Xie Qingya's current behavior was. There were even many people who were not on good terms with Baozhu who used this as an opportunity to humiliate her.

Every time she wanted to speak, she couldn't because of her status.

Now I can finally speak.

But she could talk to others freely, but she didn't know how to face Xie Qingya.

His eyes were still on her.

She could feel it.

Little did I know that there was some suspicion and doubt hidden in it.

The wind is too strong.

The snow on both sides was blown away.

Snowflakes fluttered and fell with the wind, and many of them fell on Xu Duanyi.

Shi Yu was afraid that she would catch a cold, so he brushed off the snow on her body and said softly to her, "Master, we should go back now."

"Um."

Xu Duanyi responded but did not leave immediately.

She turned around again and said to Xie Qingya, "I have something else to do, so I won't bother you anymore."

After Xu Duanyi finished speaking, he bowed to Xie Qingya again.

Then he bowed and said goodbye to the people behind him, and then he left with the help of Shi Yu.

But not long after, Shi Yu came back again.

She handed the hand warmer to the woman beside Xie Qingya with a reluctant look on her face, and then said stiffly: "My master said that it is freezing cold, young lady, don't catch a cold!"

The girl picked up a gilded hand warmer for no reason and subconsciously looked at Xie Qingya first.

But Xie Qingya was still looking in the direction of the carriage.

But the window was blocked and the curtains were drawn, so he could no longer see her.

Before Shi Yu left, he was still unhappy.

Unfortunately, due to the order from his master, he did not dare to do anything to Xie Qingya. He could only snort at Xie Qingya and then walk away with a haughty look on his face.

Soon, the carriage disappeared from everyone's sight.

Those who had originally surrounded Xie Qingya, now looked at Xie Qingya, and it was not clear whether they should say anything or not. In the end, they all walked away without saying a word.

There were a few scholars who bowed to Xie Qingya.

"We have heard what the princess said just now. Your highness's achievements are truly beyond our reach. This gift is a token of our respect for your past contributions to Daxia."

"But we still have to say that Princess Jiashun is a blessing that others can't even ask for. It is a blessing for the prince to be engaged to the princess. The prince should treat the princess well instead of parading around with the beauty every day!"

As the man spoke, he became angry again.

Seeing Xie Qingya hanging his eyelids, tapping his folding fan, and not saying a word, she was so angry that she wanted to scold him, but in the end she endured it and left with her people in anger.

for a while.

This originally bustling place was now left with only Xie Qingya and that beautiful woman.

"My Lord, this hand stove..."

This woman was originally a member of Xie Qingya's mother's family. She was originally a secret guard. Now she is gathering information for Xie Qingya and acting as his confidante.

Holding a hand warmer at this moment is like holding a hot potato.

After playing the role of the prince's confidante for so long, this is the first time that she feels a little overwhelmed.

What exactly does this future princess of theirs mean?

Xie Qingya looked at the heater in her hand for a long while before speaking, "Keep it."

"oh……"

After hearing what he said, Furong didn't say anything more.

After a while, she started to talk again: "Actually, the current princess is pretty good, much better than the previous one."

"But it's just this identity..." Furong was a little worried.

She really hoped that the prince could marry a gentle and kind wife, but the identity of Princess Jiashun was really worrying.

Xie Qingya said nothing, but continued to lead people forward until they were almost at Zuihualou, where he stopped.

"Come in."

Furong knew that today's performance time was over, so she nodded and said nothing.

Just as I was about to go in, I heard someone say, "Give me the stuff."

"What is it?" Furong was puzzled.

They didn't buy anything today.

When she met Xie Qingya's eyes, she seemed to sense something and looked at the gilded hand warmer wrapped in Shu brocade in her hand.

Blinking, Furong was puzzled: "Why does the prince need a hand warmer? You are not afraid of the cold."

Xie Qingya looked away and said impatiently, "You're talking too much."

Furong twitched her lips, but did not dare to disobey, and returned the hand warmer in her hand to Xie Qingya.