Chu Qingluan's tone was filled with scrutiny, and her eyes returned to calm.
The sudden questioning made Xie Yunqi's heart tighten, and he looked a little guilty.
"Qingluan...I..."
He spoke with difficulty, "Gu Yanran, she said she knows your whereabouts..."
Chu Qingluan's eyes widened slightly, and she looked at him in disbelief: "So? You just let her control you?"
Is this still the Xie Yunqi who made the ministers helpless and turned the tide in the court?
Xie Yunqi raised his head, his eyes filled with undisguised pain and struggle: "I, I know her words are most likely false, but I dare not disbelieve it! I... dare not gamble!"
He looked at her lovingly, and the torment and despair of the past few months were laid bare before her.
"Qingluan, I can't take any risks as long as there's even a glimmer of hope. I'm afraid she'll completely hide any information about you, or... do something bad to you."
Chu Qingluan's eyes moved slightly when she heard this, and her tense expression eased a little, but still not completely softened.
"What about your marriage? And what about the war with the Qin Dynasty? You know I came here for peace."
Speaking of this, Xie Yunqi's eyes suddenly darkened, and the murderous aura of a powerful official emerged again.
"I've already found out who was behind the assassination attempt on you and Qin Yuan. It was Qin Xuan, the second prince of the Great Qin, and Qin Jialuo. They were dissatisfied with Qin Yuan's rule, and even more dissatisfied with his marrying into the Great Chu as the crown prince. They wanted to use your assassination to provoke war between the two countries and seize power."
"But don't worry, they have already received the punishment they deserve, and there is no chance of them turning things around."
Qin Xuan's legs had been crippled by Qin Yuan, and he would be unable to walk for the rest of his life, and would never have the chance to hold that position again.
Qin Jialuo was given a group of concubines who were as ferocious as wolves and tigers, and his life was worse than death.
Chu Qingluan frowned slightly, obviously unable to accept this method.
Xie Yunqi added, "I know this is far from enough. Ultimately, this is all because of Qin Yuan's incompetence. He failed to eliminate these evil spirits in the Qin Empire, and he also put you in danger. You almost..."
His voice deepened, with a hint of fear: "When I learned that you might no longer be here, do you know that I..."
"I feel like nothing matters anymore. Peace and the overall situation are not as important as avenging you."
"So, you just acquiesced? You even fanned the flames, watching Chu Lang sideline my father and even allowing them to harm him?"
Chu Qingluan's voice was a little cold, completely devoid of the warmth she had just had.
Xie Yunqi was filled with fear. He raised his head and looked at her deeply, his tone still paranoid:
"At that time, I was no different from a walking corpse. Only desolation and destruction remained in my heart. Qingluan, if you blame me, I have nothing to say. But if I could do it all over again, in the despair of thinking I had lost you, I might...still make the same choice."
Chu Qingluan: “…”
Listening to his paranoid, even desperate, and "honest" words, for a moment, I didn't know whether to be angry or laugh.
"So, you think I should be moved. For me, you can abandon the country of Great Chu, even disregarding the safety of your father, and seeking the skin of a tiger."
"Do you think that as long as the motivation is 'for my own good', no matter how absurd something is, it can be forgiven?"
"Yes, you are completely desperate and want nothing more than destruction. So you just watch that fake empty father act arrogantly in my face and do nothing?"
Chu Qingluan questioned repeatedly, and with every extra word she said, Xie Yunqi's heart sank a little.
"Is your love based on allowing my country to fall into chaos and my loved ones to be in danger?"
Xie Yunqi's heart tightened, and he opened his mouth, but was unable to refute.
At that time, he was really desperate and didn't think so much.
If he had known that she would react like this, he would never have let Gu Yanran find an opportunity to exploit him no matter what he said.
"I'm not..."
He turned pale and was speechless when asked.
"It's not something..." Chu Qingluan interrupted him, her tone carrying a hint of deliberate indifference: "Don't you think you're not wrong? Do you think that if you had a chance to do it all over again, your choice would be impeccable?"
She took a deep breath and suppressed the emotions surging in her heart.
In fact, she understood his despair when he lost her, but understanding did not mean agreeing with him.
Chu Qingluan stood up and looked down at him: "It seems that you haven't realized where you are wrong."
Her eyes regained their former calmness and dignity, and her voice was a little distant.
"Calm down for a moment. Tonight, just pretend I was never here."
Seeing Chu Qingluan preparing to leave, Xie Yunqi panicked instantly.
A huge panic gripped him again. He stood up suddenly and grabbed Chu Qingluan's wrist, his voice filled with unprecedented panic and pleading.
"Qingluan, I know I was wrong! Don't leave!"
But Chu Qingluan had made up her mind that she must make him realize his mistakes clearly, instead of indulging in the emotion of "I am crazy about love and I am right".
Otherwise, you will inevitably make irrational judgments due to similar emotions in the future.
She reached out, trying to break free from his large hand, but failed.
"Xie Yunqi, let go! You know you can't trap me!"
Her tone became more resolute, and her eyes became even colder. But Xie Yunqi's strength was astonishing, holding on tightly to her, not letting her go, as if he was afraid that she would disappear completely and never come back.
He simply hugged her, his voice hoarse as never before: "I know I can't trap you, but I can't let you go. Don't leave me alone. I've had enough of these past few months..."
His voice was filled with pain and fragility, forming a huge contrast with his usual cold and noble image.
Chu Qingluan's heart felt like it was stabbed by something, and it felt slightly sour.
"Qingluan, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have put personal vendettas before the greater good. I shouldn't have allowed Chu Lang to hurt His Majesty, and I shouldn't have used the excuse of 'for your own good' to condone everything. It's all my fault. Can you give me another chance? I will definitely change."
He looked into her eyes and pleaded, "I'll do anything you ask me to do, even asking you to apologize to His Majesty or to end the war against the Qin Empire. As long as you don't leave and are willing to care about me, I'll do anything."
Seeing him like this, Chu Qingluan almost softened her heart.
But the next second she told herself that if she forgave him so easily, he might not really remember the lesson.
She took a deep breath and stopped struggling with her fingertips.
"Are you really willing to do anything?"
Xie Yunqi heard there was hope and said without hesitation, "Yes! As long as you don't leave, I will resign from my post and be punished in the imperial court, and I will do it!"
"Who wants you to resign?" Chu Qingluan stepped forward and grabbed her arm.
"I want you to pay back every debt you owe me."
If he were just dismissed from office, wouldn't that be too easy for him?
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