"Rong'er, whether you understand or not, there are some things I still need to tell you."
"Your father and I did know each other in our early years, but we were both young then and neither of us thought about anything romantic. Later, we both got married and lost contact. It wasn't until your father came across my old shop while seeking medicine for your mother that he realized your mother was terminally ill and beyond medical help. Even though your father knew it was futile, he still asked me to help him find precious medicinal herbs. After your mother passed away, your father saw how difficult it was for me, a widow, to run the shop, and that's when he started thinking about remarrying."
"Your father was worried that you would be taken advantage of, so before the marriage we had an agreement that his side's property would eventually be left to you, while my side, apart from the portion he contributed, would only own the profits we made ourselves. Apart from living together, we acted like business partners in our daily lives."
“We originally thought that living together would allow us to help each other and look out for each other, but who knew that it would still cause you to have bad thoughts. Before, you tricked Xia'er and Wan'er into going out and they were almost kidnapped by human traffickers. Do you think I didn't want to punish you? It was your father who rushed back overnight and begged me not to tell anyone. He knew that once this matter got out, your life would be ruined. For this reason, he was willing to hand over all his businesses to me to manage.”
“He knew long ago that you poisoned his food. He had Wang Ma switch our food. He knew he was deeply poisoned and there was no way to save him. Before he died, he even promised that all his property would go to me after he passed away, just so that you would have a place to live.”
The Queen Mother's words shocked Xiang Wan. She hadn't expected such a hidden story behind these seemingly ordinary events. Master Qin's love for his daughter was as clear as day, yet Qin Rong had completely destroyed it. If Qin Rong were still lucid, how would she face herself? She had destroyed the most profound paternal love in the world; if her birth mother were still alive, how would she bear to know these things?
Qin Rong was still muttering to herself, but as the Queen Mother spoke, pain appeared on her face, tears blurred her vision, and she stared straight ahead, reaching out as if to grasp something. After a long while, she seemed to be helped up, a smile on her face, and said as she walked forward, "Father, Mother, we're home. Rong'er just made a sachet for Father to take with him. Remember Rong'er when you're out!"
This time, Qin Rong has truly gone mad.
Looking at Qin Rong's appearance, the Queen Mother felt a pang of pity, but still said, "Rong'er, since I promised your father, I will not go back on my word. As long as I am in the Qin family, I will make sure you have a home."
"Xia'er, Wan'er, from now on you will have to rely on yourselves. You will be responsible for managing the shops I bought before, and you will be responsible for your own profits and losses. I am tired, so I will stay here and look after the Qin family and Qin Rong. If you get married, come back to visit when you have time."
The Queen Mother's words saddened the two sisters, who repeatedly tried to comfort her.
From then on, Qin Rong never left the Qin residence again. After this incident, the Queen Mother seemed to have completely let go of the past. She spent her days praying to Buddha, copying scriptures, and occasionally accompanying her two daughters out of the residence for a stroll, truly enjoying her later years.
Xiang Wan and Xiang Xia devoted most of their energy to running the shop, and in their spare time they would go to Li Niangzi to learn skills. In this dynasty, girls could be engaged at the age of sixteen, but Xiang Xia had not yet made any moves. It was not that the Queen Mother was indifferent, but she was just preoccupied with the occasional visits of the Prince.
After the ball, her affair with the prince was common knowledge, and no one dared to propose marriage at that time. Of course, who would dare to try and steal the prince's woman? Seeing that Xiang Xia was about to become the prince's sister-in-law, many people had designs on her, but Yuan Feng secretly thwarted them all, sending Yuan Yi to follow her and report back.
That day, Xiang Wan was busy in the shop when a guard she had only met once came in and said that the prince had something important to discuss with her.
Xiang Wan, unsuspecting, gave a few instructions to the servants and headed out the door. A carriage stopped by the roadside, and Yuan Feng lifted the curtain and smiled at her, "Get in, I'll take you to a nice place."
After climbing into the carriage and settling in, Xiang Wan noticed that Yuan Feng's attire was very different from usual. He looked so out of place dressed like a farmer.
"Giving up a perfectly good prince position to become a farmer?"
The longer Xiang Wan spent with Yuan Feng, the more she understood his temperament. He didn't like being overly respectful in front of others; he was more comfortable interacting with him like a friend.
"How about becoming a farmer's wife and experiencing life?"
"Thank you so much, but I still think being a businessman is more interesting."
"Life is a long journey; how will you know which lifestyle suits you best if you don't try things out?"
"Does finding someone suitable mean you won't become the ruler in the future?"
“The destination is the same, but the journey can be more exciting. Besides,” Yuan Feng suddenly smiled, half-jokingly saying to Xiang Wan, “I only have you as a friend. Can you bear to let me walk this path alone?”
Xiang Wan was stunned. This style of Yuan Feng was simply ruining the prince's image.
"You're not serious, are you?"
What do you think?
How long do you want me to walk with you?
"Who knows? Maybe it will take a month, maybe a year, maybe a lifetime."
Yuan Feng's casual remark startled Xiang Wan, turning her face pale.
"Damn it, stop the car! Stop the car! I want to get out! You're trafficking a minor! Does His Majesty the King know about this?"
“Once you’re in my car, do you think you can get out?” Yuan Feng raised an eyebrow and smiled wickedly. “Besides, if you stay here, you’ll probably become a prince’s wife tomorrow.”
"How could that be? Didn't I refuse?"
"In my father's eyes, you already are. He has always been impatient; he can issue a decree at will, and you'll have to marry. Do you want to marry me sooner?"
"Of course not!"
"Okay, then we'll wait until you're an adult."
"Wait a minute, I meant that regardless of whether I'm an adult or not, I don't want to marry you!"
"…Yeah?"
Xiang Wan blurted out her answer prematurely. Seeing Yuan Feng's downcast expression and sad face, she couldn't bear it and comforted him, "You will meet a better woman, not necessarily me!"
"Really? Then you'll stay with me until I find the woman I like, okay?"
Yuan Feng looked up, his expression focused, his eyes filled with pleading and sorrow. This sight softened Xiang Wan's heart, and she hesitantly nodded.
While Xiang Wan was still thinking about introducing more women to him in the future, and that sooner or later one would capture his heart, Yuan Feng's eyes, brimming with smiles, were filled with the satisfaction of having his prey caught in his trap.
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