Seeing that the Thirteenth Prince looked off and was clutching his chest, He Yue asked curiously, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
There was a hint of concern in his words.
The Thirteenth Prince exhaled a breath of stale air, released his grip, and blinked blankly, feigning ignorance: "N-nothing!"
Could it be said that he was frightened by her words?
Next, the Thirteenth Prince deliberately kept a certain distance from Heyue, glancing at her cautiously from time to time, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
He Yue noticed his unusual behavior, turned her head to look at him closely, and frowned slightly: "What are you doing? Am I a monster?"
Seeing that she seemed to be angry, the Thirteenth Prince shook his head vigorously, but the expression on his face betrayed him.
He Yue didn't believe it. Seeing his guilty and evasive look, and recalling her own words, she understood. She chuckled, tilted her head to look at him, and blinked gently: "You weren't scared by me, were you?"
The thirteenth prince's face flushed red, and he turned his head away to retort, "N-no, that's not true!"
At this moment, the Thirteenth Prince felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze, and he was slightly annoyed, his expression becoming tense.
"Don't worry, I won't harm you, what are you worried about?" He Yue teased jokingly.
Perhaps He Yue no longer dislikes this foolish boy, nor does she reject that kind of fate in the future, but if possible, He Yue would not want to make things difficult for him.
As a prince, he was destined to have three wives and four concubines. Since Heyue could not treat him with sincerity, she would rather keep her distance from him, so that they could perhaps get along more comfortably.
For some reason, the thirteenth prince felt rather sullen upon hearing these words.
I really want to say that I'm not afraid of being harmed by you!
But the next moment, he was stunned by his own thoughts.
What's wrong with him?
I shook my head violently to get rid of those messy thoughts.
While telling myself, I realized that women are more adorable when they are gentle.
But her gaze unconsciously drifted to the small figure beside her, walking freely without looking back, waving her hand. A voice in her heart told her that this was actually quite cute.
“But, given Fourteenth Brother’s personality, once he wants something, he probably won’t give it up easily. When it comes to the imperial concubine selection, will Sixth Sister be able to avoid it?” Thirteenth Prince concealed his thoughts, still not optimistic about her actions.
He Yue rolled her eyes slightly and smiled gently: "How could you know that the Fourteenth Prince wouldn't take a fancy to another princess at that time? There are plenty of girls prettier than my Sixth Sister. The Fourteenth Prince is so young. In his heart, he probably only sees my Sixth Sister as a novel toy. No matter how much attention he has, it will soon turn to another toy."
It wasn't that Heyue didn't think highly of or belittle her sixth sister, but rather that she simply couldn't trust the feelings of these princes.
Everyone talks about how Hailanzhu was the most favored concubine in the harem and how Consort Dong'e was loved by Emperor Shunzhi, but in the end, it's all just talk. Didn't they all die young? Who knows the truth of history?
Heyue didn't believe that just a few meetings could make the Fourteenth Prince fall deeply in love with the Sixth Sister.
Being a royal wife is not easy. You can see this from the case of the Fourth Prince's wife. Even if she is respected by the Fourth Prince, what good is it? She still has to endure her husband's favoritism towards other women, while she has to pretend to be virtuous.
Moreover, with her simple mind, Sixth Sister simply couldn't be as composed as Fourth Prince's wife, keeping all her likes and dislikes hidden in her heart, maintaining her status as the principal wife and her husband's respect.
If Sixth Sister were to enter such a place, she would be devoured without leaving a trace. Her so-called husband would not have the time to care about how to manage the household or how to maintain her position among his wives and concubines. Without her husband's wholehearted protection, she would have to rely on herself for everything.
"How do you know that Fourteenth Brother hasn't truly fallen in love?" Thirteenth Prince was very unhappy with her definition, as if in her eyes all princes were like that.
This infuriated him.
"So what if he has such thoughts? Does he really intend to force himself on a woman who doesn't like him?"
The Thirteenth Prince thought to himself, "That's quite possible."
He couldn't say it aloud, so he had to swallow it back.
"I wonder how things went between Sixth Sister and Yiduli." Heyue was very curious and wanted to go back and see.
"There's something I need to tell you." The Thirteenth Prince's lips moved, but he finally spoke.
"What?" He Yue blinked, confused.
Looking into her clear, innocent eyes, the Thirteenth Prince realized for the first time that even she could be incredibly slow-witted.
No matter how fierce she appears on the surface, she cannot hide her simple and straightforward mind.
At this moment, the slight fear the Thirteenth Prince had felt towards her earlier inexplicably dissipated considerably.
He then showed a hint of helplessness: "Before the selection of imperial concubines, they are not allowed to make a private engagement. If you don't want your family to be punished, you should think about it carefully."
He Yue was stunned for a moment, her expression stiffening.
What the heck is this?!
"Your royal family is so domineering!" He Yue cursed angrily.
The Thirteenth Prince's face darkened, and he glared at her fiercely: "Are you out of your mind? How dare you say such nonsense!"
He Yue retorted angrily, "It's just the truth, and I can't even say it?! How can you bully people like this? Why should we reserve people for your royal family first?"
After saying that, he turned around and went back to where he was.
The Thirteenth Prince was furious. Before he could say anything, he saw Heyue turn and walk away into the distance. His anger was instantly suppressed, with nowhere to vent it. In the end, he sighed helplessly and chased after her.
"What's wrong with you now? These are the rules of the royal family. How come they've become bullying and domineering in your eyes?" The Thirteenth Prince couldn't help but complain.
He Yue stopped and turned to look at him.
The thirteenth prince thought she was going to get angry again, so he quickly covered his mouth with both hands, took a few steps back, and kept a distance from Heyue. His eyes darted around, and his comical appearance made people laugh.
He Yue smiled, her eyes crinkling, completely unlike her earlier annoyance: "Let me tell you, nothing can stump me. It's just a talent show, isn't it? As long as Sixth Sister doesn't get selected, she'll still have to marry someone else, right? As long as you don't say anything, and Fourth Prince doesn't say anything, who will know? Besides, Sixth Sister and Yi Duli are completely innocent. It's just that our two families are relatives, and our children have been visiting each other more often. How can we talk about them arranging a marriage in secret? Thirteenth Prince, don't try to pin such a big accusation on our household. We can't afford to accept it!"
The thirteenth prince was stunned and speechless for a moment.
"Furthermore, since you know all this, how could Fourth Master not know? If it were really as serious as you say, would Fourth Master have let me have my way? After all, Fourth Master is a man who values rules very much. If Thirteenth Master wants to persuade me to change my mind, he should think of a better way to do it. To be honest, your excuse is too lame!" He Yue smiled and shook her right index finger. She didn't show any anger at being exposed, only teasing, but her smile was a little cold.
The thirteenth prince felt embarrassed by his thoughts being exposed, and also flustered when he saw her slightly cool smile.
Heyue ignored him and turned to leave.
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