As night deepened, the streets of Hangzhou were far from deserted. People came and went, and vendors were calling out their wares, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
After running out of Huanyun Tower, Yun Qing's pace gradually slowed down. As she walked, she angrily pounded on the makeup box with her hand, as if it were the embodiment of Li Yan.
He kept muttering under his breath, "Robber! Villain! Fool!"
After a long while, Li Yan finally found Yun Qing on the street. Seeing her muttering curses under her breath, he didn't find it vulgar at all. Instead, an indescribable tenderness welled up in his heart. He felt that the woman in front of him was both pitiful and adorable.
How should he coax her? After thinking for a moment, he bought a hairpin from a nearby stall, quietly walked over and handed it to her, sincerely saying, "It was my fault for speaking unpleasantly, please forgive me, Lady Courtesan."
Yun Qing was startled and turned to curse him. But the next second she saw the beautiful hairpin, and the words she was about to say were swallowed back, turning into a joyful exclamation.
Then, upon hearing the other party's sincere apology, the corners of her mouth, which had been drooping, involuntarily turned up slightly.
“Since that’s the case, then I’ll be magnanimous and forgive you. However…” Yun Qing deliberately dragged out her words, while staring at Li Yan with her big, dark eyes.
Seeing his handsome and extraordinary appearance, and his generous spending, he seems quite suitable to replace Yin Xiangjie.
Li Yan felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and couldn't help but ask, "But what?"
Yun Qing smiled slightly, then leaned close to Li Yan's ear and said mysteriously, "But you have to promise me one thing."
"What is it?" Li Yan asked curiously.
Yun Qing blinked her beautiful eyes and said frankly, "Take me away!"
"Huh?" Li Yan was stunned upon hearing this; he couldn't believe what he had just heard. "What did you say?" he asked again.
"I said I want to go with you!" Yun Qing looked at him earnestly. "What, you don't want to?"
"No, no..." Li Yan stammered, "Why are you coming with me?"
"Because I think you're a good person!" Yun Qing said matter-of-factly. "You just bought me a hairpin as an apology, doesn't that mean you like me?"
Looking at her innocent expression, Li Yan didn't know what to say for a moment.
"What's wrong? Is it not allowed?" Yun Qing lowered her head, feigning disappointment. "I thought you buying me things as an apology meant you liked me, but it turns out that's not the case."
Seeing her puzzled expression, Li Yan didn't know how to answer. How could someone let someone take her away on the first meeting?
Yun Qing kept her head down, so her expression was unreadable. All that could be heard was her sniffling: "If you don't like me, that's fine. I can live on my own. Don't worry, even if I'm destitute, I won't go to a brothel again."
Li Yan admitted that he had feelings for Yun Qing, but he never thought of taking her away.
After all, he simply couldn't connect Yun Qing with the women in his backyard. Although he had never touched them, just thinking about them in front of Yun Qing made him feel guilty.
However, faced with Yun Qing's expectant gaze, Li Yan couldn't bring himself to refuse. He hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded and said, "Alright, I'll take you away. But I already have a family, and I can't offer you the position of my legal wife for the time being. Are you really willing to leave the place where you grew up for me?"
Yun Qing raised her head, placed her hand in Li Yan's palm, and her eyes shone with unwavering determination. "I do!"
She answered without hesitation, "I don't want to stay here anymore. Here, I feel like a mindless commodity, being sold off every day. I want to go out and see the world with you, to experience things I've never experienced before."
And so, the two stood on the bustling street and made this seemingly impulsive decision.
Li Yan didn't know what the future held, but at this moment, he decided to be brave and follow his heart. Yun Qing, on the other hand, was filled with joy and anticipation for her new life, completely oblivious to the difficulties and challenges that lay ahead.
Li Yan felt the warmth emanating from her hand, and his heart stirred.
Looking at Yun Qing's beautiful face, he seemed to see their future.
Although the future may be full of unknowns, as long as there is such a person by my side, I believe everything will become better.
“Okay!” Li Yan nodded vigorously. “Since you’ve made up your mind, it will be too late to go back on your word later. But I promise you here: no matter what difficulties we encounter, I will protect you and take care of you with all my heart.”
Upon hearing this, Yun Qing smiled happily and tightly grasped Li Yan's rough palm.
At that moment, she seemed to see the wealth and glory she had always longed for beckoning to her.
For some time afterward, Yun Qing followed Li Yan, staying in the Jiangnan region to thoroughly investigate corruption.
Time flies, and about half a year later, the two finally embarked on their journey home and returned to the capital.
It was at this moment that Yun Qing realized that the "big shot" she had impulsively latched onto was actually more prestigious than she had imagined.
At that time, Li Yan's Eastern Palace only had one Liangdi and two Chenghui. Upon returning to the capital, Li Yan immediately went to the palace and pleaded with his father, the Emperor, to exceptionally bestow the title of Liangdi upon Yunqing.
However, Yunqing's information had already been presented on the desk in the imperial study, and Emperor Wen did not believe that a courtesan was worthy of his most beloved son.
However, Li Yan was unwilling to marry, so there was nothing he could do but offer him the position of a concubine in exchange for Li Yan marrying Mo Yanran, the daughter of a general, as the Crown Princess.
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