Qin Qianqian stared in disbelief as Wei Jing, pulled further and further away from her by Princess Jian, drifted further and further away...
Why? It's one thing for others, but why did Wei Jing treat her like this? Why didn't she even say a word in rebuttal?
Even if he really changed his mind because of Tang Ning, the sweet and happy ten years they spent together before couldn't have been faked, right? Is his heart made of iron?
Concubine, concubine, concubine...
hehe.
Was he really so cruel as to let her enter the Prince Jian's mansion as a concubine? To let her be humiliated, mocked, and trampled upon like this? She had nothing left, absolutely nothing...
Does Wei Jing really have to kill himself right in front of him before he'll even turn around and look at her?
Yes or no……
Qin Qianqian's eyes were so red they looked like they could bleed at any moment. Then she slowly raised her head, her gaze unconsciously falling on a pillar to the side, her eyes flickering.
Because she was sitting with her back to Madam Qin, the other party couldn't see her eyes at all. Only Tang Ning noticed that Qin Qianqian was staring fiercely at the pillar not far away.
Wow.
Is he trying to commit suicide?
The "crying, making a scene, threatening suicide" routine—I must say, Qin Qianqian is quite adept at it.
However, she bet a candied hawthorn stick on it.
Qin Qianqian would never run into a pillar!
Tang Ning raised an eyebrow in her mind. In fact, to be honest, the main reason why Qin Qianqian and Wei Jing made such vows of eternal love and were inseparable was that the two of them were the same kind of people at heart.
Selfish, callous, and cold-blooded.
Otherwise, Wei Jing wouldn't have repeatedly defied the Princess Consort of Jian for Qin Qianqian's sake.
What these people have in common is that they are selfish to a terrifying degree. They cherish themselves more than anything else in the world. Moreover, Qin Qianqian has inherited her mother's "wonderful quality" that "every man for himself will be punished by heaven." If you asked her to die with certainty, she would still be willing to try. But would Qin Qianqian do something like hitting a pillar, where she couldn't control her strength and would be crippled even if she didn't die?
Are you kidding me?
As expected, even after Princess Jian and Wei Jing had disappeared through the gate, Qin Qianqian did not move an inch. Only her tightly clenched fists trembled and shook incessantly.
Oh.
Tang Ning chuckled inwardly, but on the surface, she kept her brows furrowed and looked at Qin Qianqian beside her with a worried expression.
Seeing Princess Jian lead Wei Jing away, Madam Qin's disappointment in Qin Qianqian was palpable.
She never imagined that Qin Qianqian was such a naive person. Did she really think she could still rely on Wei Jing? How foolish!
Men are the most unreliable thing in the world. Even General Qin, who was considered a good husband by outsiders, still got entangled with the younger sister of a junior officer after she became pregnant while he was on the frontier.
In this world, a woman can only talk about other things after she has established herself.
How many of those who use their looks to please others end up with a bad ending?
If Wei Jing really wanted to marry Qianqian, he should have knelt down first when he arrived at the General's Mansion, taken all the responsibility upon himself, and then proposed marriage. He should have even been the one to persuade the Princess Consort of Jian.
When Princess Jian later suggested that Qianqian become her concubine, wasn't that Wei Jing's indulgence?
But in the past, he would never have done such a thing!
Considering the scene where Wei Jing's eyes unconsciously followed Tang Ning as soon as she entered the hall, Madam Qin lowered her eyes slightly.
Ultimately, she came to the conclusion that he had fallen in love with someone else.
The object of his affections was none other than Tang Ning.
It was at this moment that Madam Qin finally felt from the bottom of her heart that Tang Ning was indeed her daughter. How long had it been? She had managed to completely win over Wei Jing's heart. You know, she had warned Qin Qianqian so many times before, but almost every time the other party was indifferent, as if she was certain that Wei Jing could not live without her.
But who in this world can't live without whom?
Even Wei Jing, who was once head over heels in love with Qianqian, fell in love with someone else after meeting Tang Ning.
Even if Tang Ning used some underhanded tricks, she wouldn't think much of it. The world is inherently harsh on women, and if young women don't use their brains, their path will only become narrower and narrower.
Only someone like Tang Ning can live a prosperous and fulfilling life no matter what circumstances they encounter.
Thinking of this, Madam Qin even felt for a moment that it might be a good thing that Tang Ning and Wei Jing didn't get together. After all, Qianqian was involved, which would cause trouble in the future. If she didn't marry Wei Jing, with Tang Ning's character, looks, and intelligence, it wouldn't be a problem for her to marry someone better.
only……
Madam Qin's gaze involuntarily fell on Helan Ruo, who was still standing behind Tang Ning.
Logically speaking, this young master of Helan's status is sufficient, even higher than Wei Jing's. After all, Wei Jing's father, the Prince Jian, was only a prince of a different surname who was enfeoffed halfway through the dynasty. He could not compare with the Helan family, a family of great wealth and influence that had stood the test of time through the changing dynasties. Moreover, his mother was Princess Qingping.
Because of the palace coup that occurred in the past, the royal family was wiped out. Now, the only remaining bloodline of the late emperor is Princess Qingping and the current emperor. It is said that Princess Qingping was the only one who secretly helped the emperor when he was still the crown prince. Therefore, she was able to survive the bloody massacre. She was even given the title of Princess Qingping by the unpredictable emperor and married into the Duke of Guo's mansion with a grand wedding procession.
However, this young master of Helan has such a bad reputation that marrying Tang Ning to him is really not a good idea.
As for whether or not Tang Ning fell into the water, as long as Tang Ning doesn't mention it, He Lanruo doesn't mention it, and she pretends not to know, who would know that Tang Ning had fallen into the water before!
Thinking of this, Madam Qin's gaze towards Helan Ruo became more composed and at ease.
Helan Ruo, who was always very sensitive to the gazes of others, naturally noticed Madam Qin's gaze upon him. He subconsciously shifted his gaze from Tang Ning to Madam Qin's face, then looked at the lady who bore a striking resemblance to Tang Ning. She nodded and smiled at him, "This gentleman should be Helan Ruo, the son of Princess Qingping and grandson of the Duke of Guo, right? You're the one who escorted Ningning back to the manor, aren't you? I'm so sorry to have troubled you. And just now, I'm sorry, you witnessed the commotion at the General's Mansion. If it's alright, could you please…"
"Madam General, rest assured, I will not divulge any information about what happened in your household after I leave."
Before Madam Qin could finish speaking, Helan Ruo, who had already sensed the meaning behind her words, had already assured her that she would definitely keep the secret.
Upon hearing this, Madam Qin was surprised. She felt that this young master Helan did not seem to be as absurd and unruly as the rumors in the capital suggested. On the contrary, he was exceptionally reasonable.
If the rumors are true, then...
Madam Qin's gaze fell on Tang Ning again, this time because of her intelligent daughter.
One is Wei Jing, and the other is He Lanruo.
Tang Ning was more... cunning than she had imagined.
The methods she used here were not meant to be derogatory.
After all, compared to Qin Qianqian, who was stupid, vicious, and incredibly naive, she preferred Tang Ning, a girl with some cunning, shrewdness, and a generous and kind nature.
"Thank you very much then," Madam Qin said sincerely to Helan Ruo.
Then she looked down at Tang Ning with gentle eyes. Seeing that she was still kneeling, she immediately stood up, took two steps forward and helped her up, patting the back of her hand lightly. "Why are you still kneeling? Alright, your father and mother know what you mean. Don't worry, we will definitely investigate the matter thoroughly. You must have been worried for a long time today. You should go back to the courtyard and rest. You don't need to worry about Qianqian's matter. Your father and I know what we're doing."
"But……"
Tang Ning glanced at Qin Qianqian with some worry, and realizing that she didn't have any good way to help her, she could only sigh softly, "Then I'll have to trouble Father and Mother to take good care of her. I'll go down now."
"Alright, Qianqian, your father and I still have some things to discuss with her. As for this young master Helan, Ningning, you're more familiar with him, so could you please see him off? Is that alright?"
"good."
Tang Ning nodded obediently.
It was at this moment that Qin Qianqian, who had been sitting on the ground and was quite shocked by the word "concubine" from the Princess Consort of Jian, finally moved her eyes and turned her gaze to Tang Ning.
Upon closer inspection, Qin Qianqian indeed noticed something amiss.
Why is Tang Ning only wearing a garnet earring? And why is the hem of her dress damp, with some flower petals and grass seeds stuck to it? Even the ends of her waist-length hair are damp, and her hair is stuck together in several strands. Even if she sweated, it shouldn't have gotten that damp.
Thinking this way, a bold hypothesis suddenly came to Qin Qianqian's mind.
Tang Ning, she clearly fell into the water.
That's why you look so out of sorts!
But why, even though she clearly fell into the water, has there been no news of her at all? Why...?
Helan Ruo!
Qin Qianqian looked at Helan Ruo walking beside her. It was obvious that Tang Ning had been saved by him, and he was worried about affecting her reputation, so he didn't say anything about it. He might have even helped her avoid the group of young ladies that she had specifically instructed Qiuling to lead over to watch the commotion!
Why should I?!
Why was she caught in bed with someone else, her reputation ruined, and she might only be able to marry into the Jianwang Mansion as a concubine, living a life of inferiority? Tang Ning, on the other hand, was protected by Helan Ruo so well that not a single word could get out of her. Even if the engagement was called off, there were plenty of talented young men waiting for her to choose from.
Why is Tang Ning so lucky?
On what basis?!
As Tang Ning and He Lanruo walked further and further apart, Qin Qianqian could barely contain the resentment in her eyes.
Until Helan Ruo suddenly turned around, she met Qin Qianqian's gaze, who had no time to hide her eyes.
Qin Qianqian panicked. She wanted to lower her head again, but it was too late. After only a glance, Helan Ruo turned her head away.
Watching Helan Ruo's retreating figure, Qin Qianqian was filled with panic. Had she just been discovered? She definitely had been discovered... But so what if a playboy discovered her malice towards Tang Ning? Her reputation was already ruined, so what did she need to beg him for anything?
Thinking this way, Qin Qianqian felt at ease again.
At roughly the same time, the carriage of Prince Jian's residence had already traveled quite a distance from the General's residence. Wei Jing stared blankly out the window, while Princess Jian's voice continued to chatter incessantly in his ear.
She told him not to even think about marrying Qin Qianqian; taking her as a concubine was already the biggest concession she could make. Didn't she see the look in Qin Qianqian's eyes just now? It was as if she wanted to devour her. She was afraid that if Qin Qianqian really married into the family, she wouldn't even be able to have a peaceful old age, because she would die at Qin Qianqian's hands sooner or later.
Unfortunately, Wei Jing didn't hear a word she said. Not only that, his attention was involuntarily drawn to a fried stinky tofu stall by the roadside. Who else could the stall owner be but the one he and Tang Ning had met earlier?
As he watched, Wei Jing became completely lost in thought.
In an instant, Tang Ning, who mustered up the courage to tell him she would help on the cruise ship, Tang Ning who ate stinky tofu with him and confided in him, Tang Ning who pretended to have a stomachache in front of Tingli Tower, Tang Ning who took the initiative to find a solution for him in Taibai Tower, Tang Ning under the Bodhi tree, including Tang Ning who carefully handed him the Jiangli Knife she had obtained in the heavy rain and wished him a happy birthday, all these images of Tang Ning flashed through Wei Jing's mind.
It seems that after leaving the Princess's residence, he hadn't even had a proper conversation with Tang Ning. She was his fiancée, and he should have explained things to her properly. No matter what, he shouldn't have just left like that; he should have had a serious talk with Tang Ning.
An indescribable impulse surged into Wei Jing's mind.
"parking."
By the time he realized what was happening, he had already called for his carriage to stop.
“Ah Jing, you…”
Suddenly, the carriage stopped. Princess Jian, who hadn't reacted yet, looked up at Wei Jing in surprise.
"Mother, I won't go back with you yet. I have something I need to do at the General's Mansion right now!"
Upon hearing this, Princess Jian grabbed Wei Jing's arm tightly. "If you want to go back to find Qin Qianqian, let me tell you, unless your mother dies right in front of you today, don't even think about turning back!"
"no……"
"ah?"
Princess Jian was somewhat bewildered, then she saw Wei Jing raise his head with a burning gaze. "It's not Qianqian. I want to go back to see Tang Ning. She...she's my fiancée, isn't she? I should give her an explanation for what happened, right? But since it happened, I haven't even said a word to her. So I want to go to the General's Mansion again to see Tang Ning. I want...I want to explain to her, and there are some things I want to ask her..."
Upon hearing Wei Jing's words, Princess Jian still thought that Wei Jing was using Tang Ning as an excuse, but in reality, he was only after Qin Qianqian.
But when she saw the tenderness in Wei Jing's eyes when he mentioned the name Tang Ning, she immediately convinced Princess Jian, causing her to release her grip on Wei Jing.
As soon as she relaxed, Wei Jing immediately got off the carriage.
It was too late for Princess Jian to regret it at this point. Once out of the carriage, Wei Jing was like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, and he ran straight towards the General's Mansion.
In response, Princess Jian could only secretly pray that Wei Jing hadn't lied to her. It would be best if he could persuade Tang Ning, then she could get a good daughter-in-law she had long admired, which would be wonderful.
Unaware of what his mother was thinking, Wei Jing ran to the entrance of the General's Mansion as fast as he could.
At the same time, Tang Ning, who was about to see He Lanruo to the door, heard the man beside her sigh with a laugh, "I say, aren't you being a little too heartless?"
"Um?"
Tang Ning, who didn't understand the meaning of his words for a moment, simply looked up.
He Lanruo curled her lips into a smile, leaned down slightly in her direction to meet her gaze, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I helped you with such a big favor, and you haven't even said thank you yet. I finally managed to send you back to the General's Mansion, but you didn't even let me show you around before you rushed to send me away. Don't you think you're a bit cold-hearted?"
Upon hearing these words, Tang Ning, who hadn't even thanked He Lanruo once, blushed instantly.
"I...I...thank you for your help. Also, if you're not in a hurry, perhaps we can take a stroll in the garden of the General's Mansion. However, my garden is not as big or as beautiful as the Princess's."
Tang Ning stammered as she spoke.
"It's okay, I don't mind."
Helan Ruo had no concept of politeness and simply walked forward.
He didn't necessarily want to stay and see the scenery, but he had something he wanted to remind Tang Ning, this overly kind person, to be careful about. However, the entrance wasn't a good place to talk, so he naturally had to find a quieter spot.
The two had just started walking towards the garden when, a moment later, a panting Wei Jing appeared directly at the entrance of the General's Mansion. Not only that, he also learned from the gatekeeper that Tang Ning was currently in the garden.
He immediately headed straight for the garden.
Walking to the small pond in the General's Mansion Garden, He Lanruo subconsciously stopped, looking at the vibrant roses blooming by the pond.
Seeing that he had stopped, Tang Ning was a little surprised, "Aren't you going to continue watching?"
Hearing Tang Ning's words, He Lanruo found it quite amusing. She turned around and looked at her with a helpless expression. "I think you're quite smart, so why do you keep asking silly questions and doing silly things? Do you really think I want to see the General's Mansion's garden? I can even go into the Imperial Garden of the Palace whenever I want. Do I need to be so interested in your little garden?"
"and you……"
"I have something to say to you."
He Lanruo sighed softly, "When I came out of your main hall earlier, I noticed that your dear sister, Qin Qianqian, was looking at you with a strange gaze, as if she hated you to no end. I want to remind you to keep an eye on your sister and not let her scheme against you."
"The truth about your drowning incident hasn't been fully revealed yet. Although it's not appropriate to investigate openly, I've locked up that man, so I should be able to get some information out of him. As for that little maid, I'll definitely find her for you. All you need to do is be on your guard. Just take this as me trying to sow discord. I have a feeling that your drowning is somehow connected to your dear sister."
He Lanruo said this without hesitation.
Upon hearing this, Tang Ning's eyes widened immediately. "Qianqian?"
"Do you need to look so surprised? Is Qin Qianqian that surprising to you? Think about how long you've been in the capital, and how many people do you know? Besides Qin Qianqian, who else would hate you so much that they would push you into the water and ruin your reputation? Only her. As long as you ruin your reputation, you can't marry Wei Jing. If you can't marry him, she can naturally maintain her good reputation and marry into the Jianwang Mansion at the same time. She kills two birds with one stone. If she doesn't scheme against you, who else would she scheme against? Who didn't expect that man proposes, God disposes? She herself was caught in bed with someone else and could only be taken into the Jianwang Mansion as a concubine. She got what she deserved."
Helan Ruo chuckled.
However, there are still some doubts about Qin Qianqian's matter. How could someone who cherishes her reputation so much possibly sleep with Wei Jing in the princess's residence? Even a cornered dog wouldn't act like this. Besides, Wei Jing doesn't seem like the type to let her scheme against him...
Therefore, there should be another group of people mixed in here. As for which group it is, he needs to go back and investigate carefully.
Upon hearing this, Tang Ning subconsciously took a step back, getting closer to the pond, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"But...but Qianqian doesn't seem like that kind of person!"
"How long have you known her, and what kind of person do you even know?"
He Lanruo retorted irritably, "I just saw her glaring at your back with her own eyes after you left. Do you think I'm lying to you? Do you think I have that much free time?"
I'm meddlesome, and they don't even appreciate it.
He Lanruo felt a little embarrassed.
"No, I didn't mean you lied to me."
Tang Ning hurriedly explained, but seeing that He Lanruo still didn't want to talk to her, she immediately reached out and tugged at He Lanruo's sleeve. Before she could say anything, her foot suddenly slipped, and she fell uncontrollably towards the pond.
"ah!"
A soft gasp had barely escaped Tang Ning's lips when a strong arm reached out from her waist. "What, you want to fall into the water and have me save you again? I told you you like to do silly things, but you didn't believe me. Be careful. I'm here with you today, so I can save you. What would you do if I weren't here?"
Even Helan Ruo didn't realize how much he cared about Tang Ning after falling into the water, and how intimate his tone of voice became.
That's right,
He Lanruo's current favorability rating: 65.
It's gone up again.
Upon hearing this, Tang Ning, who subconsciously reached out and grabbed He Lanruo's collar, looked up at him somewhat awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I really didn't notice. Thank you for saving me again."
Seeing Tang Ning's sincere apology and thanks, He Lanruo, who wasn't particularly angry to begin with, immediately helped Tang Ning to her feet. Before her arm had even left her slender waist, she coughed lightly and said, "You're welcome."
He had barely finished speaking when he noticed that Tang Ning, who had just been awkwardly laughing at him, suddenly stood still, staring blankly at what was behind him.
Seeing this, Helan Ruo subconsciously turned around and met Wei Jing, who was standing not far behind them, his forehead covered in sweat from running, his eyes fixed on Wei Jing's arm around Tang Ning's waist.
“Brother Jing…”
Tang Ning slowly spoke and called out to him.
Upon hearing this call, Helan Ruo, who had been in a good mood just moments before, suddenly felt uneasy for some reason.
What's wrong with him?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com