Chapter 054 Chapter 54 (Additional update)
The two walked outside.
When Bi Xi and others saw them coming out, they hurriedly greeted them.
"My Lord, my Princess."
There were some greetings in unison.
Xie Qingya hummed without saying anything. He glanced at the maids in the yard calmly, but didn't notice anything.
He turned his head.
I was just about to tell Xu Duanyi to just send it here.
It was dark outside and the road was difficult to walk on, so Xu Duanyi didn't need to send him out.
He doesn't need anyone to send him off.
Before she could finish her words, Xu Duanyi said to her maid named Bixi, "I will escort the prince out."
Finished.
Xu Duanyi glanced at the night outside, and then told someone, "Go get a lantern."
"yes."
Bixi responded and went to pick up the lantern. This book is exclusively compiled by the LK team. Xie Qingya looked at Xu Duanyi beside him.
He knew her personality. She usually avoided him, but now she was doing this, probably because she wanted to ask him something.
As for what it was, it was easy to guess.
Therefore, Xie Qingya did not say anything to anyone about staying, but just waited for Bi Xi to come over with the lantern and when Xu Duanyi was about to take it.
He got the lamp in his hand before she did.
Seeing Xu Duanyi's surprised look, Xie Qingya looked at her and said calmly, "Let me take it."
Since it was originally intended for him, Xu Duanyi didn't say anything.
Just nodded and said okay.
Afterwards, Bi Xi and the others stayed, and Xu Duanyi followed Xie Qingya and continued to walk out.
Xu Duanyi did have something to ask.
Otherwise, given the current situation between the two of them, she would never disturb him.
After walking a few steps and leaving the yard, Xu Duanyi asked Xie Qingya, "How does the prince plan to deal with this matter? Is there anything I can do to help?"
What she was asking about was naturally Changning's affairs.
Although she had previously stated at the Qu family that the matter was over and she would not pursue it further.
But that was for her and Changning.
As Changning's brothers, if Xie Qingya and Ping'an did not want to resign, she would naturally not stop them.
She came to ask now because she was afraid that Xie Qingya would have no one to help him and would suffer a loss.
Fearing that Xie Qingya would feel uncomfortable, Xu Duanyi added before anyone else could speak: "After all, Changning grew up under my watch. I treat her as my younger sister. Like the prince, I don't want her to suffer losses outside."
The words had just fallen.
Xu Duanyi suddenly felt someone beside her, stopped walking, and looked in her direction.
Xu Duanyi looked puzzled.
"What's wrong?" Although he didn't know what was going on, Xu Duanyi still stopped.
At this time, the two had already walked out of Linfeng Pavilion.
The path was deserted and very quiet, with only the sound of wind blowing through the leaves ringing in their ears.
Xu Duanyi tilted his head slightly and looked at Xie Qingya beside him.
Xie Qingya was also looking at her at this moment.
Their eyes met. This time, Xie Qingya did not look away. Instead, he looked at Xu Duanyi and said, "Xu Duanyi, you don't have to be so nervous."
Xu Duanyi was stunned by what he said.
She looked at Xie Qingya.
His pair of dark and deep eyes were like two huge and charming whirlpools, as if they could suck people's souls in.
This time when the two looked at each other, it was Xu Duanyi who turned away first.
She felt a little embarrassed by what Xie Qingya said.
She didn't expect Xie Qingya to see it.
With her eyes lowered, Xu Duanyi whispered to Xie Qingya, "...I'm afraid that the prince will think that I'm meddling in your affairs again."
She told it like it was.
I really don't want Xie Qingya to misunderstand me.
This book is compiled exclusively for you by the LK team. But when Xie Qingya heard these words, his heart stagnated slightly.
For a moment, he looked at Xu Duanyi, who had her eyes drawn and didn't look at him. He wanted to overturn everything and start over again. He wanted to tell her -
Xu Duanyi, you can take care of me.
But when the words came to his lips, Xie Qingya finally swallowed them back.
"I don't think so."
Afraid that Xu Duanyi would feel uncomfortable, he retracted his gaze and stopped staring at her. His eyes fell aimlessly somewhere without any support.
Afterwards.
He then whispered to the others, "I can tell the difference."
"So you don't have to be so nervous."
He didn't say those words that day to make Xu Duanyi become like this.
He never wanted her to be like this.
He was just naive and didn't dare to accept her kindness.
He was afraid that if he got stuck deeper and deeper, it would be bad for both of them.
"We will have many more opportunities to meet in the future."
What he was talking about was Changning's proposal tonight.
——About them coming over for dinner together in the future.
He has seldom made promises in recent years, but since he has already promised Chang Ning, he does not want to be a villain who goes back on his word.
No matter what.
At least he won't avoid them anymore.
Changning and Ping'an are like this, and Xu Duanyi... is the same.
I don’t know if it’s so that the two of them don’t have to feel awkward around each other in the future.
Or maybe he simply didn't want to see Xu Duanyi facing him cautiously again.
Xie Qingya spoke his heart out to her for the first time.
"Xu Duanyi, you don't have to take care of my mood like this all the time."
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Xu Duanyi looking up at him again. Xie Qingya turned his head again, his thick eyelashes drooping. He faced her and said, "If I feel uncomfortable, I will tell you."
Xu Duanyi shouldn't be like this.
He didn't want her to do that either.
He hoped that Xu Duanyi could always be generous and calm, and always be respected and loved by others.
That is what Xu Duanyi should look like and have the life she should live.
There was a calm expression in his eyes as he said this.
No extra emotions.
But it was enough to make Xu Duanyi's originally reserved mood gradually relax.
Under Xie Qingya's gaze, she gradually let go of her nervousness and became calm again.
"good."
She whispered her agreement.
All her shyness and reservedness was simply because she was afraid that she would affect Xie Qingya and make him unhappy.
But since Xie Qingya said so, she had nothing to be afraid of.
Xu Duanyi suddenly felt much more relaxed.
In fact, she is not like Changning, who reveals her emotions and allows people to see through them at a glance.
After all, she is not a child anymore.
Moreover, living in an environment like the palace, it would not be a good thing if all emotions were exposed.
But Xie Qingya seemed to be born with the ability to capture Xu Duanyi's emotions.
I saw that the corners of her eyebrows and eyes were no longer frowned as before, and the corners of her lips were no longer pursed as before. Her eyes were once again filled with that soft and bright smile.
He knew that her mood at this moment was no longer as tense as before.
This also made Xie Qingya happy.
Under Xu Duanyi's gaze, the corners of his lips unconsciously twitched upwards.
But only for a moment.
Dare not let anyone find out, it will disappear in a flash.
He immediately calmed down his emotions, turned away again, and answered Xu Duanyi's question: "Changning asked me to stop."
"She said you had gotten justice for her and she was no longer afraid of them."
Xu Duanyi guessed it.
Changning is kind-hearted by nature, and is afraid that his own affairs will affect his two brothers.
Naturally, they would not want them to come forward. This book is exclusively compiled by the LK team for you, but she does not know whether Xie Qingya is willing to listen to Changning's decision.
Just when I was about to ask.
Xu Duanyi suddenly heard Xie Qingya's voice again.
"I met the old man today." Xie Qingya still used the old name.
When he was the prince's companion, he was also influenced by the old man in Yu's study like the other princes.
But he was not a reader by nature.
Therefore, every time he met Xu Duanyi, he would complain about Mr. Qu.
He was called "old man" when he was a child.
When Xu Duanyi heard it for the first time, he got angry with him and said with a red face that he shouldn't be so disrespectful to his teacher.
He laughed at her at that time and said she was a little old-fashioned.
Now I don’t know if she still remembers it.
Just when he was about to add another sentence, he heard Xu Duanyi ask him: "Mr. Qu?"
Xie Qingya looked over instinctively.
As if she hadn't expected it, she still remembered it.
But their eyes met in the air, and Xie Qingya nodded and retracted his gaze first.
"He said he would give me an explanation about this matter."
Since Mr. Qu has come forward and said this, there is no need to worry that the Qu family and those others will just gloss over the matter.
This can also be considered an explanation to Xie Qingya and Ping An.
But Xu Duanyi was still a little worried.
"Ping An, that is—"
She frowned, looking worried.
When Xie Qingya heard him talk about Ping An, his expression also became silent.
Of course he knew what she was worried about.
He was equally worried.
His younger brother used to be introverted and well-behaved, and he had the best temper among the three brothers.
He speaks slowly and blushes easily.
He used to tease him a lot.
now--
No matter how much Changning said, he didn't blame him.
But Xie Qingya knew that he had an unshirkable responsibility for many things turning out the way they were.
Changning's stuttering and peaceful personality.
It's all about him.
He has not dared to see them these years, but isn't he actually avoiding them?
Xie Qingya's eyes dimmed.
The hand holding the lantern unconsciously clenched a little.
"I'll go talk to him later," he said to Xu Duanyi.
In fact, even if Xu Duanyi didn't say it, he would still go to Ping'an to talk about it.
I avoided them all these years because I felt guilty and didn't dare to meet them. I also naively thought that if he stayed away from them, they might be better off.
But now it seems.
What's good? Where is it good?
Changning was bullied, and Ping'an became more and more withdrawn.
This is his fault and also his responsibility. He should not continue to evade it like this.
"Do you need me to accompany you?" Xu Duanyi asked hesitantly.
If it were Changning, she would naturally not ask like this.
But Ping An's personality...
他怕他們兄弟倆，根本沒辦法好好坐下來說話，回頭要是争吵或者打一架，那……
徐端宜正滿心憂愁。
忽然接收到，謝清崖看過來的目光。
徐端宜陡然生驚，她看着謝清崖遲疑地眨了眨眼，以為自己又冒犯他了，不由小聲問道：“我，是不是又管太多了？”
她也不知道謝清崖的界限在哪裏。
只能遲疑着詢問。
謝清崖看着她，搖了搖頭。
徐端宜剛松了口氣，便又聽到耳旁傳來謝清崖的聲音。
“徐端宜，你是不是太小看我了？”
“什麽？”
徐端宜第一時間沒反應過來。
她看向謝清崖。
待反應過來謝清崖的話，徐端宜神色微變，當即就要否認，只是還未說出口，便又聽他用平日那股散漫的語氣，與她說道：“放寬你的心，雖然謝平安那小子，這些年是挺不待見我的，但我畢竟要虛長他那麽多年。”
他哼笑一聲：“臭小子就算真要打我，也打不動。”
這還是兩人重逢以後，謝清崖第一次與她開玩笑。
徐端宜看着他，微張的嘴唇還未閉合，目光卻變得有些怔忡起來。
謝清崖顯然也感覺到了。
他亦沒想到，自己竟然會與徐端宜用這樣的語氣，說這樣的話。
但話都說出口了。
如今再去掩飾，倒也沒有什麽太大的意思。
越掩飾越心虛。
何況他此刻的心情，其實有着少有的輕松。
他喜歡這樣和徐端宜聊天說話的感覺。
他也已經很久沒有，這樣輕松過了。
那夜醉酒，也算一回。
說起來，還都跟徐端宜有關。
這一刻——
好似許多事都變得不存在了。
徐端宜只是徐端宜，謝清崖也只是謝清崖。
謝清崖看着徐端宜，他不知道這樣的日子，能持續多久時間。
他只能希望，能久一些，再久一些。
“好了。”
謝清崖收攏思緒，和徐端宜說：“你先回去吧，我去找平安聊下。”
徐端宜這時神智，已重新變得清明。
見他這樣說，便也沒再多言，她看着他，輕聲說好。
但她并沒有立刻離開。
她在謝清崖的注視下，遲疑了一會，最終還是看着謝清崖，多說了一句：“如果有什麽需要我幫忙的，王爺盡管與我說。”
“什麽都可以。”
謝清崖看着她此刻堅定的雙眸，思緒錯了一拍，心跳也好似僵停住了一般。
他看着徐端宜，一字一頓，遲疑着重複她的話：“什麽都可以？”
徐端宜點頭。
她沒多想，只在他的注視下，毫不猶豫又重複了一遍：“什麽都可以。”
——如果我要你，日後不再聽從你姨母的話呢？
謝清崖的心中，第一次陡然生出這一個念頭。
若非及時反應過來，恐怕這個念頭，就要被他訴之于口，說與徐端宜聽了。
好在他最後還是懸崖勒馬，及時住了嘴。
沒有把這個念頭，說與她聽。
不然，他實在有些，不知道該怎麽收場了。
或許如今好不容易才擁有的平靜，又會被他繼續打破。
“……知道了。”他沙啞着嗓音，答應了下來。
見身前女子，忽然又同他展顏一笑，似乎高興于他的答應。
“那我就先進去了。”
徐端宜的确感到高興。
見謝清崖答應下來，她也就沒再繼續逗留，免得誤了他的事。
和謝清崖打了一聲招呼。
見他點頭。
徐端宜便先轉身往臨風閣走去。
謝清崖看着她離開時，明顯比起先前，那要變得輕快許多的背影，心裏忽然又有些後悔和遺憾。
或許——
但這個念頭只持續了一個呼吸的光景，謝清崖便自己先把它按了下去。
他有什麽資格，去要求徐端宜做這些事？
就算徐端宜喜歡他，可這份喜歡，能比得過昭裕太後對她的養育之恩嗎？
謝清崖并沒有這個自信。
目送徐端宜離開，直到看不見了，謝清崖這才收回視線，提着燈籠離開了這邊。
離開臨風閣後，謝清崖問了暗中候着的暗衛。
知曉平安這會并不在自己屋中，而是在長寧那，謝清崖也沒說什麽。
“對了，王爺，剛才令吉過來了一趟，梅大人來了。”暗衛又與他禀道。
“知道了。”
得知梅雪征來了，謝清崖便先往書房走去。
他自行提着燈籠過去。
院子裏昌豐和令吉都在，書房門關着，雖未瞧見影子，但謝清崖知道梅雪征就在裏面。
“王爺。”
昌豐和令吉見他回來，忙上前與他行禮。
令吉從他手裏拿過燈籠，同樣與他禀了梅雪征來了的事。
謝清崖嗯一聲，正要進去。
忽聽身旁傳來昌豐的聲音：“王爺——”
謝清崖看到，他的貼身護衛，當着他的面跪了下去。
“求王爺責罰！”
令吉也已經知道，發生什麽事了，此時見昌豐跪下，他也忙跟着跪了下去。
“這事，屬下也有錯，屬下應該調查清楚，不該含糊了事，請王爺責罰！”
兩個從小跟着他長大的貼身護衛，就這樣跪着。
謝清崖卻沒有責罰他們。
“起來吧。”
他一邊收回視線，一邊說：“這事跟你們沒有什麽關系。”
他從不是會推卸自身責任，只知道責怪旁人的人。
這事說到底，就算昨日他知道，恐怕也會做與昌豐他們一樣的決定。
終歸是他這個兄長沒當好。
他吩咐昌豐：“你去看着些平安那邊，他什麽時候從長寧那回來，就過來回禀。”
“王爺……”
昌豐沒想到這事，竟然這樣就解決了。
他不敢置信地擡起頭。
但謝清崖已經頭也不回地往裏走了，昌豐猶豫片刻，最終還是跟令吉站了起來。
他朝着謝清崖的背影，鄭重其事地躬身一禮。
這才轉身出去。
令吉則繼續嚴守在書房門口。
替王爺重新關上門後，就在外頭守着。
……
書房內。
梅雪征已等了許久。
先前外面的對話，他也都已經聽到了。
此刻見謝清崖進來，他忙起身問道：“長寧沒事吧？”
謝清崖見他知曉，也不意外。
和他一樣，梅雪征也很關心長寧和平安。
他搖了搖頭，說：“沒事了。”
梅雪征聽他這樣說，這才松了口氣。
“沒事就好。”
話說完，他又面露不忿道：“那些人實在混賬！”
“你打算怎麽做？”他知道以謝清崖的脾氣，絕對不可能輕拿輕放。
謝清崖的确沒打算輕拿輕放。
有些事，不好與徐端宜說，不好說，也怕她擔心。
“我已經派人，去查他們的底了。”
屈家有老頭在，以老頭的脾氣，倒是不用擔心他會偏袒徇私。
至于其餘那幾戶人家——
謝清崖眼中閃過一道銳利的寒芒，他自然不可能真讓他們這樣好過。
養不教，父之過。
小孩子不懂事，那就只能由他們當爹的來償還了。
梅雪征聽他這樣說，便也沒說什麽。
既然謝清崖已經派人去查，日後若查到些不該查到的，那這些人家的命數也就到頭了。
看謝清崖于一旁洗臉架處，洗手。
梅雪征也重新坐了回去。
他握起茶盞，喝了一口。
他先前是從昌豐口中聽到這事的，自然也知道，那位嘉順長公主做的那些事。
想到剛才昌豐話裏話間的感激。
梅雪征此時言語之間也不乏感激之情。
“今日之事，還真多虧了那位嘉順長公主，我聽說，你們今晚是在臨風閣吃飯的。”
他起初也只是随口一問，并未想什麽。
未想并未聽到清崖的回答。
嘴邊的茶盞，重新移開。
“清崖？”
梅雪征看着謝清崖的背影，疑惑喊道。
謝清崖這才嗯了一聲。
水流聲繼續響起，謝清崖說是。
梅雪征便又收回視線，一邊喝茶，一邊感慨道：“旁的不論，這次的事，真是多虧了她。”
“若不是她發現了長寧的不對，我們還不知道，什麽時候才會知道。”
那長寧還不知道要受多少苦頭。
想到這些事，梅雪征心裏就有些後怕。
每每說起這位嘉順長公主，梅雪征便是又擔憂，又遺憾。
若這位嘉順長公主，只是一個普通人，那該多好？
那他們也就不用對她又感激，又提防了。
梅雪征心裏無奈，又有些悵惘。
他也希望，清崖身邊能有人陪伴，也希望，長寧和平安能有一個好嫂嫂護着。
偏偏嘉順長公主的身份，注定了他們之間的對立。
也注定了——
他們沒法真的，毫無旁骛地信任她。
“哥。”
屋內陡然響起這麽一聲。
梅雪征有些驚訝，他朝屋內，此時另一個活人看去。
似乎有些意想不到。
梅雪征已經很久，沒聽清崖這樣喊他了。
自從驚風走後，清崖就再也沒喊過旁人這樣的稱呼，似乎是怕想起驚風，又似乎單純不想與太多人，有太多情感之間的連接。
因此此時聽他這樣喊，梅雪征是吃驚的。
不過雖然吃驚，梅雪征倒是也沒有太多的錯愕。
他只是忽然心情很好，心髒也變得格外柔軟起來。
“怎麽了？突然這樣喊我，倒吓了我一跳。”梅雪征笑着與人說道。
Xie Qingya just looked at him and didn't reply immediately.
It took a long time.
Just when Mei Xuezheng realized something was wrong and looked at him with puzzlement, he put down his teacup and wanted to ask him what was wrong.
Xie Qingya suddenly grabbed the handkerchief in his hand and said to everyone, "I like her."
"What?"
These sudden and inexplicable words made even Mei Xuezheng, who was always known for his intelligence, feel a little confused.
"Who do you like?"
Subconscious questioning.
But when he saw the expression on Xie Qingya's face at this moment.
An idea flashed through Mei Xuezheng's mind.
His expression suddenly changed and he stood up.
"Do you like Princess Jiashun?" Mei Xuezheng couldn't help but blurt it out, unable to control his voice.
Lingji, who was outside, suddenly heard these words, blinked, and turned his head to look behind him with a confused look on his face.
"……yes."
Although Xie Qingya's tone was harsh, he did not deny it.
He looked at Mei Xuezheng and admitted, "I like her."
"You're crazy!"
Mei Xuezheng burst into tears.
When Xie Qingya heard this, he wanted to laugh, but he couldn't.
He lowered his head, clutched the handkerchief in his hand, and laughed hoarsely: "I wish I was crazy."
He also hoped that he had lost his mind.
But he knew clearly that he didn't, and he was very sober.
He was sober and fell in love with Xu Duanyi again, that's all.
"you……"
Seeing Xie Qingya, who was always clear-headed and rational, become like this, Mei Xuezheng wanted to scold him but didn't know how, and wanted to speak but didn't know how.
He frowned and looked at Xie Qingya, opening and closing his mouth several times.
He was wandering around the room like a headless fly.
He thought a lot.
During the time when Princess Jiashun married into the palace.
He worried about many things.
But he never thought that Qingya would fall in love with her.
He thought Qingya had long forgotten what love was.
But now, he actually told her that he liked her.
How could he not be shocked?
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and Mei Xuezheng suddenly stopped. He looked at Xie Qingya and asked, "You said before that you like a girl. Could it be... Princess Jiashun?"