Chapter 44 A Satisfying Return: "Does Your Highness have a wife you fancy?"...
A crescent-white curtain adorned with peony blossoms gently brushes past a screen painted with plum blossoms against the snow. The closed windows shut out the ceaseless noise outside. In the tranquil pavilion, a wisp of incense smoke rises between the two people dining opposite each other, then slowly dissipates in the sunlight.
Xue Rongyue broke the silence first, deliberately asking, "Your Highness, is the food to your liking?"
Qin Jin's forehead veins throbbed repeatedly. Knowing that she had ill intentions, he forced a cold expression and pretended not to hear.
Xue Rongyue was not about to let him off so easily. She frowned mischievously and said, "Your Highness is not speaking. Is it because you don't like the dishes?"
Taking a deep breath, Qin Jin, his face stiff, forced out, "No."
Xue Rongyue couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips: "That's good. If not, Your Highness should use more, after all... we've been waiting for more than an hour, you must be starving."
really!
Qin Jin closed his eyes briefly, then said calmly, "Xue Rongyue."
Xue Rongyue was secretly laughing when she suddenly heard Qin Jin call her by her full name, and she couldn't help but feel a little guilty: "W-what's wrong?"
Qin Jin looked up at her: "I came early to keep our appointment because I was waiting for you."
Xue Rongyue met Qin Jin's gaze, tilted her head in surprise: "Waiting for me?"
Qin Jin nodded: "I have something important to discuss with you."
Resting her chin on her hand, Xue Rongyue said leisurely, "So, the young master finally has something important to discuss with me?"
Qin Jin said calmly, "General Xue will be returning to Chang'an soon."
In an instant, a myriad of complex emotions surged into her heart, and Xue Rongyue's smile faded slightly: "I know."
She asked suspiciously, "Why did the Crown Prince suddenly bring this up?"
Qin Jin continued, "I will be leaving Chang'an soon, and the matter of the man in black can only be entrusted to you for investigation. However, since you are in the Xue residence, you will inevitably be hindered by General Xue."
Xue Rongyue understood: "The young master doesn't want me to move back to the Xue residence."
Qin Jin did not deny it: "No matter how careful you are, with General Xue in the mansion, it is inevitable that your whereabouts will be discovered, which could easily cause complications."
Xue Rongyue's heart sank slightly.
Qin Jin's words were blunt and straightforward. He was warning her not to reveal her whereabouts in investigating Wang Jinhu's case to her father, otherwise, something unexpected might happen.
Qin Jin is wary of his father, so the current situation of the Xue family is predictable.
I don’t know whether I should be glad or not, but because of that incident years ago, which made Qin Jin and the Emperor aware of it, she has been estranged from General Xue and his daughter for many years, so they haven’t developed much wariness towards her now.
However, given the escalating conflict between the emperor and the empress dowager's faction, it's uncertain how long this situation can continue.
If she doesn't find a way to resolve her current predicament, she will eventually suffer the same fate as in her previous life.
Xue Rongyue felt a sudden sense of powerlessness.
As a woman who was not allowed to make achievements, under the oppression of patriarchal authority, she could not make choices for the Xue family by going against her father, a general with many military exploits, and the emperor sitting on the dragon throne would not easily trust her.
She didn't have many bargaining chips to use to change her fate, a reality she had to accept.
In the marketplace, the sudden sound of music and singing drew Xue Rongyue's attention. She stood up, walked to the window, and looked down.
Today is an auspicious day for marriage, and this is the second wedding procession to pass through the market.
The attendants, dressed in red wedding robes, were beaming with joy as they scattered candies and coins at the crowds who kept coming. Amidst the cheerful music, the onlookers offered their congratulations. The groom, sitting high on his horse, smiled smugly as he clasped his hands in greeting.
A thought suddenly occurred to Xue Rongyue: why did she suffer such a disgraceful end after being rescued from the water in her previous life?
Some people were unwilling to facilitate the marriage between the Xue and Liu families, so they sabotaged the rescue attempt.
Even if someone dared to tamper with things at this critical juncture, it wouldn't be easy.
After all, it was the eldest princess's banquet, so the person who made the move would not dare to act openly. She was of noble status, and there must have been more than one maid or guard who jumped in to save her after she fell into the water. Even if one of them behaved inappropriately, they would be immediately interrupted by the other rescuers and would not be allowed to do as they pleased.
Not to mention, this kind of behavior is inherently full of variables, and as long as she resists and does not cooperate, the chances of it becoming a habit are extremely slim.
Therefore, the change can only happen to her.
In her previous life, she retained all her memories from before she transmigrated into the book. Unwilling to compromise, she became even more resistant to the engagement with the Liu family.
Her breath hitched for a moment, and Xue Rongyue realized with almost sorrow that perhaps the complete ruin of her reputation in her previous life was a scheme by her, or even a plan she had orchestrated.
Even more so, she had long been estranged from her father and they loathed each other, so why would she feel jealous and target him at every turn because of his excessive doting on his adopted daughter?
Thinking of how she was later jilted by the Liu family because her reputation was ruined, and how she was expelled from the family by her father for making things difficult for the female lead, thus escaping the tragedy of having her family wiped out, Xue Rongyue felt a tightness in her chest.
These events, for better or for worse, ultimately enabled her to change her fate of dying tragically at the hands of the Imperial Guards. But was this an accident, or the result of her having foreseen the signs in her previous life and deliberately orchestrating it?
"It is the second son of the Marquis of Huaiyang's family who is getting married."
Following Xue Rongyue's gaze, Qin Jin suddenly said, "She married the daughter of the Liu family of Pingzhou."
Xue Rongyue came to her senses.
She was aware of the matter and instructed the steward of the manor, Old Geng, to send a congratulatory gift. The Marquis of Huaiyang's manor had always maintained a low profile and had no dealings with the General's manor. Moreover, it was the second son of the second branch of the family getting married, so the gift arrived but the person did not.
Suppressing her myriad thoughts, Xue Rongyue asked curiously, "The Liu family and the Marquis of Huaiyang's family have a long-standing feud, so why would they suddenly arrange a marriage?"
Back then, the young master of the Liu family had a falling out with the young master of the eldest son's family in the Marquis of Huaiyang's mansion. He even broke one of the young master's legs. The case even reached the Emperor's ears. In the end, both sides were given a slap on the wrist and the matter was dropped. The two families never had any contact again.
Unexpectedly, only five years later, the two families suddenly became related by marriage.
"The world is in turmoil, and everyone is driven by profit." Qin Jin said calmly, "Once you're married, you're bound together in the same boat. As long as there's something to gain, there's no grudge that can't be resolved."
Xue Rongyue's heartstrings twitched slightly. She turned to look at Qin Jin, her gaze meeting his straight eyes. Suddenly, she asked, "Where is the young master?"
Looking up, Qin Jin's usually sharp gaze softened slightly in the sunlight.
His dark eyes flickered slightly, and he seemed genuinely puzzled, asking in return, "What?"
Xue Rongyue chuckled, turned to face him, leaned against the windowsill, and casually toyed with the flowers in the porcelain vase with her fingertips, her gaze not moving an inch: "Does Your Highness have a wife you admire?"
Her question was so direct, without a trace of tact.
Qin Jin's jaw tightened for a moment, his prominent Adam's apple clearly visible in the dappled sunlight, and he showed a hint of surprise, but quickly composed himself as his eyelashes trembled.
Before he could answer, Xue Rongyue asked in a low voice, "The young master is about to come of age; haven't you considered marriage yet?"
Qin Jin's features were exceptionally striking. His sword-like eyebrows were clean and sharp, his brow bones were prominent, and his eyelids were thin without any excessive stickiness or heaviness. When he did not deliberately display his sharpness, his calm eyes were as deep as a still pool, concealing his emotions beneath a calm surface. Even when his gaze was fixed on him, it was impossible to discern anything from them.
The bright sunlight, filtered through the window, slanted down in front of him. His gaze met the intense sunlight without flinching: "Where is Madam Xue?"
Instead of answering, he asked, "Your marriage to the Liu family is completely over. Have you thought about the future?"
Xue Rongyue walked over slowly and sighed, "So, who should answer first?"
Their eyes met, as if in a contest, neither wanting to lose in this moment. Despite the hustle and bustle outside, the quiet chamber was so profound you could hear the dust settle, with only the gentle spring breeze tirelessly stirring the curtains.
Guang Sheng knocked on the door of the elegant room and whispered outside, "My lord, the lady has returned to Chang'an and summons you back to the manor for a talk."
The two casually looked away, and Qin Jin responded in a low voice.
Xue Rongyue took a step back: "...It seems that no one will get the answer today."
Qin Jin paused, turned his head to look at her: "If Madam Xue has figured out the answer, you can let me know at any time."
Xue Rongyue's heart stirred slightly. After a moment of silence, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why tell the young master? Does he want to help me assess my fiancé's character?"
The curtains fluttered gently, brushing against Qin Jin's straight nose. Qin Jin's thin lips curved slightly, a casual smile playing on his lips: "Yes, I'll help Lady Xue vet her. So that General Xue won't misjudge people and end up with someone like Liu Ruyu, who is of questionable character and has impure thoughts, thus ruining Lady Xue's life."
“In that case,” Xue Rongyue said with a perfunctory bow, “thank you for your trouble, Your Highness.”
"With the Crown Prince carefully observing for me, I am sure I will soon find a virtuous and handsome man who is my ideal husband."
Qin Jin's expression remained indifferent; he nodded slightly, acknowledging her gratitude.
After Qin Jin descended the steps and left the restaurant, Jingnu pushed open the door and came in. She saw Xue Rongyue standing by the window looking down, so she went over and asked, "What are you looking at, Madam?"
In front of the restaurant, Qin Jin smoothly mounted his horse, pulled on the reins, and his tall and broad figure stood out like a crane among chickens in the bustling crowd.
He reined in his horse and turned it around. As if sensing something, he slightly raised his eyes and met Xue Rongyue's gaze.
Xue Rongyue showed no intention of dodging him, and smiled at him in response.
His knuckles turned white from gripping the reins so tightly that Qin Jin's eyes drooped, and with a gentle flick of the whip, his figure gradually disappeared into the distance.
Opening the window, Xue Rongyue could faintly hear the wedding procession playing music in the distance. It wasn't until Jingnu asked again that Xue Rongyue finally looked away, her tone light and not at all regretful: "What a pity."
Jingnu asked, puzzled, "What's a pity?"
What a pity?
Xue Rongyue sat down and poured herself a cup of wine: "What a waste of this fine pear blossom white wine of mine."
Upon hearing this, Jingnu assumed that it was because Prince Qin had left in a hurry without being able to drink with his wife, so she sat down happily and said, "If the prince doesn't have the good fortune, I will drink with you. I guarantee you will have a great time today."
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Author's Note: The question, "Does Your Highness have a wife you cherish?" will keep Shizi pondering for half the night. A couple adept at feigning ignorance and knowing the answer perfectly well. Plus, there's the gluttonous maid, Jingnu.
This is the first update. If all goes well, there will be a second update around 10:30 PM tonight. If anything unexpected happens, just pretend I didn't say anything. [doge emoji]
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