Chapter 24 A Plea for Love I thought of the princess, longed for the princess, and so I came…
Yan Ning's answer was exactly what she expected, but hearing him say it so confidently still caused Li Yunru unbearable heartache. She couldn't control her emotions, her eyes reddened as she looked at him, her lips trembling, yet she remained proud and stubborn.
"Then what are you doing here? Get out! Get out! This princess doesn't need your fake pity or concern, and she doesn't need you to come and see her!"
When Yan Ning said these words, his heart was also wracked with pain. His shoulders slumped, as if he had lost all his strength, and he had lost all the demeanor of a refined and outstanding young nobleman.
He didn't leave, but hugged her again and said in a hoarse voice, "But I need the princess's care."
He said in a daze, "My father has never made me kneel since I was ten years old. He made me kneel all night yesterday, and he only let me go at dawn today. My knees are covered in bruises."
She knew this, and even that she had played a part in making things this way. Hearing him say this, she softened a little, but still wouldn't budge.
"Who called you here!"
She stubbornly replied, "If you're injured, just stay home and rest. I'm not a doctor, I don't know how to treat illnesses, what use are you here!"
And he keeps saying things she doesn't like to hear, which is really annoying!
Yan Ning said, "I missed the princess and longed for her, so I came here on my own."
He said with a hint of helplessness, "Princess, why should things come to this between us?"
"The current situation is the result of causes and effects from all sides. It has nothing to do with you or me. Although we are of noble status, we are nothing more than insignificant grains of sand in this situation, and we cannot change anything. Emperor Xuan understands this, and so does the Empress. Therefore, they do not want you to get involved and only want you to live your own life in peace..."
“I can’t live a normal life anymore,” Li Yunru said.
Not to mention the passing of her father, the death of Crown Prince Li Xun, who was kind-hearted but soft-hearted and unable to cope with the changes in the court, nor to protect the glory left by Emperor Qi Xuan, even setting all that aside, the Yan family looked down on her so much, and the Cui family sided with Cui Wan, scheming at every turn to try and get her into the family.
Her life in the Yan family was especially difficult when she was a princess. Now that she has lost this status and honor, she doesn't dare to think about what will happen to her.
How humble, cautious, and treading on thin ice she had to be to secure a place in the Yan family.
Yan Ning has feelings for her and will protect her to some extent, but he always puts his family first. So even if the best outcome is that she stays as his legal wife, the Yan family will still allow him to take concubines and have more children.
At that time, whether it's out of his own heart or out of filial piety, he will accept it.
And what about her?
She was expected to be like Madam Cui, like those other matriarchs and noble ladies of noble families, tolerant and magnanimous, watching her husband welcome one new bride after another into the house, and she still had to put on a smiling face and offer her blessings.
She could never do that!
Princess Liyang's husband is hers, and therefore belongs to her alone. She will not share him with any other woman!
If she doesn't leave, she will have to learn to endure and accept things day after day, eventually becoming someone she doesn't recognize. Yan Ning's affection for her will also slowly disappear over time as one beautiful woman after another enters the house.
No matter what, she could never live a good life!
But what's the use of saying all this? In people's eyes, it might just be pointless whining and needless worry.
She fell silent and said no more.
The room fell silent.
Seeing this, Shu Yun promptly cleared all the maids out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.
Li Yunru pried his hands off his waist and said, "These high-sounding words are meaningless no matter how many times they are spoken. You cannot give up your status and honor, and neither can I. There is nothing to talk about. Please leave, my lord."
She told him to leave.
Yan Ning knew that she was very stubborn and would not change her mind once she made up her mind, but she never expected that even after she lowered her head and gave in, she would not soften even a little.
That's so twisted!
She's a really difficult girl.
Oh no!
"The princess is truly heartless."
Yan Ning hated her stubbornness, yet he also loved it terribly.
No one has ever dared to make him look so pathetic.
They were turned away.
His upbringing told him that he had to maintain some dignity and that it was time to leave, but a voice inside him was clamoring.
When asked why he needed to maintain a respectable appearance, he did not answer the question.
This is your legal wife, the person you've shared a bed with for many days. You've both seen each other's best, worst, and even most private sides.
Why let those cold, dogmatic rules bind you?
In the palace, in private, no one knows about your predicament...
This shouldn't be the case.
Have you forgotten why you rushed over here this morning?
It's understandable that she might be a bit temperamental, emotionally unstable, or even extreme after losing a loved one. You can tell your mother to be more tolerant, so why can't you do the same to her?
right.
That's right.
His little princess was usually well-behaved, a bit stubborn but open-minded and considerate. She always gave him face in public and never made a fuss. This was all because she was too heartbroken. He shouldn't have treated her like this.
He convinced himself and stubbornly refused to leave, remaining there. Li Yunru slightly raised her beautiful eyes and saw that he had a sullen face, but did not move an inch.
"Aren't you leaving yet?"
Yan Ning said, "I rushed here early this morning and haven't had breakfast yet. My legs are a bit weak and I can't walk much."
Li Yunru: "..."
"As guests, we cannot refuse to provide a meal just because we are husband and wife."
Li Yunru was so angry at his shameless behavior that she laughed. She then asked Shu Yun to prepare lunch.
However, as it turns out, once you give in, you'll get another; once you soften your heart and give in, people will take advantage of you.
After lunch, Yan Ning still hadn't left. He said, "I was forced to kneel all night yesterday, and after being exposed to wind and rain, my knees are really sore that I can't walk. I hope the princess will have mercy and take me in for a few days."
His dark eyes stared at you intently, so sincerely that it seemed as if refusing you would be a sin.
Li Yunru suddenly thought that perhaps her husband shouldn't be too handsome, otherwise he wouldn't be able to handle a temper too badly!
"You're a complete scoundrel!"
She cursed and ordered someone to go to the Imperial Hospital to find a doctor.
Seeing her like this, Yan Ning's eyes gradually softened with a smile.
really.
His little princess is obedient and has a soft heart; she can't bear to see him suffer.
The imperial physician came to examine him and found nothing serious; he had just been kneeling for too long and had some minor abrasions, nothing serious. However, he was very pampered, so even if he was seriously injured, he refused to leave.
"You did this on purpose!"
"The princess noticed."
He was quite frank, raising his phoenix eyes slightly as he looked at her with a half-smile, admitting it directly without any attempt to hide it.
Li Yunru was puzzled by his behavior, but found it amusing, much more interesting than his usual aloofness. In the past, she would have teased him at a different time and place, wrapping her arms around his neck and rubbing against him, deliberately teasing him, "My lord, is it because you can't bear to part with me?"
"Oh dear, this handsome gentleman, so bright as the moon, is also indulging in the pleasures of love. If word gets out, he'll be a laughingstock. But it's alright, this princess will protect you. Anyone who dares to laugh at you, this princess will kill him!"
She wanted to tell him, "I really like how you are now, you're alive and well. If you keep it up, I will continue to favor you."
But she had no mind to think about these things right now, nor did she want to give him any perfunctory answers. She said helplessly, "Why are you doing this?"
He reached out, took her slender fingers, and gently stroked them a few times. He pulled her down to sit, his eyes, as bright as stars and the moon, gazing at her as he said, word by word, "Please, Princess, have mercy on me."
well.
Li Yunru sighed softly, "Never mind."
Since there aren't many more days like this left, let's treat this as our final farewell.
She stopped dwelling on the matter, withdrew her hand from his cold palm, took the wound medicine left by the imperial physician, pressed him down on the couch, and commanded, "Sit still and don't move around."
Once everyone was seated, she half-squatted down and sat at his feet, then reached out to untie his trouser leg. Realizing what she was doing, Yan Ning immediately stopped her, saying, "This kind of thing can be done by Jing Sheng."
He didn't need his little princess to do these servants' things; she should be a proud phoenix, perching only on the parasol tree, untouched by the mud and dust.
"You were just telling me to pity you, but now you're acting all sentimental."
Li Yunru retorted, "Is there any part of your body that I haven't seen before? Why be so coy?"
She didn't give up. She removed his hand, rolled up her plain white trousers, and revealed her long legs hidden inside.
Yan Ning's legs were very white and hairless, but unlike the young woman's, they were not slender and soft. They were firm, tight, long, straight, and powerful.
Walking with a breezy air, even at night... they can be deadly...
She never told him a secret she couldn't mention: she was extremely fond of his legs, especially in bed, when he would kneel on top of her and hold her captive.
Li Yunru could clearly sense its power, as well as its hidden thoughts that it tried to conceal due to its etiquette and upbringing.
He may be stubborn, but his physical reactions don't lie.
Having a beautiful woman kneel before him is naturally a wonderful thing in life, and Yan Ning does not deny that he feels immense satisfaction, both mentally and physically.
Li Yunru saw all his reactions and teased, "Young master, you are clearly happy in your heart, but you are so good at pretending. Ha, if you marry a noble lady from a wealthy family who is as good at pretending as you, how boring your life will be!"
Many of these families are like this; they do all sorts of things behind the scenes, yet they are utterly filthy. On the surface, they act all high and mighty, as if they were the bright moon, pure and unattainable.
Yan Ning's face fell inch by inch as she spoke, but she did not deny it.
That's right. If he hadn't married Li Yunru, but a woman from a similar family background, or even someone else, not Cui Wan, their lives would have been much the same...
He hadn't thought there was anything wrong with it before, but now... he thought, maybe life shouldn't be lived like this.
Yan Ning said, "If that's the case, then the princess should hold onto this position firmly, so that your subject won't have too much of a boring life."
Um?
The two looked up, their eyes meeting in mid-air...
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Author's Note: Originally, this part was supposed to have a lot of misunderstandings and be quite angsty, but I really couldn't bear to make the female lead suffer, haha, so I changed the plot!
97! 97! I'm so excited! I hope I can break three digits when I wake up tomorrow and give myself a chance to update more. Although I write slowly, I will try my best to do it! [cheering emojis]
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