"Yun Ni, let me give you a massage." Sheng Mingyu stretched out his hand and kneaded her waist, abdomen and shoulders with his broad palm.
His movements were gentle and slow, and Gu Yunni lay relaxed in his arms.
The two chatted intermittently, and Gu Yunni's nose was surrounded by his scent.
It was late at night, Gu Yunni nestled in his arms and gradually fell asleep.
Soon, her cheeks were covered with sweat. She suddenly woke up and grabbed Sheng Mingyu's arm.
At some point, the nails dug into his flesh.
Smelling the familiar scent on him, Gu Yunni came to her senses and immediately felt something was wrong.
When the second prince came today, he smelled like a man in black!
"Yun Ni, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare? Let's go back home and sleep. It's not safe here." Sheng Mingyu patted her gently and told the coachman to drive the carriage.
At the same time, he took a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off her face.
Gu Yunni threw herself into his arms, feeling the cool fragrance on his body, and her heart calmed down a little.
"Mingyu, when the second prince came to visit today, I smelled the same scent on him as the man in black I met before." Gu Yunni pulled his sleeve, feeling a chill on her back.
The Second Prince’s visit to Changning Village today is thought-provoking.
Could it be that he wanted to know the progress of the investigation into the case and whether there were any clues?
"Yun Ni, don't worry. Leave this matter to me. I will send someone to keep an eye on the Second Prince. Just rest for a while."
Gu Yunni felt safe only when she pressed her whole body against him.
Not long after, she arrived at the Prince's Mansion and returned to the familiar place before she could continue to fall asleep.
…
The next day.
The emperor was handling affairs in the imperial study when the imperial concubine suddenly walked in.
"Your Majesty, I think the eldest princess is old enough, and although she won't marry out..."
Before she could finish her words, the eunuch who was carrying the message called out, "Your Majesty, the eldest princess requests an audience."
The imperial concubine was a little surprised. She was just talking when he arrived.
The eldest princess hurried in and knelt in the middle of the imperial study. "Father, I am willing to share your worries and agree to the marriage with our western neighbor."
The emperor looked stunned. He had just rejected the marriage proposal not long ago, and now she actually asked to go on her own initiative. Disappointment rose in his heart for a moment.
"Weier, have you thought it through? Why are you so determined to get married?" The emperor felt suffocated and was very puzzled.
The imperial concubine looked at the eldest princess today with some surprise.
Her cheeks were slightly red and her eyes were dull, making her look more like someone was controlling her.
"Your Highness is willing to share your father's worries and form an alliance with our western neighbor."
After the princess finished speaking, she began to kowtow, and some red marks appeared on her forehead.
She didn't stop until the emperor stopped her.
This seemed even more abnormal in the eyes of the imperial concubine.
"Your Majesty, perhaps the eldest princess is just a young girl. We shouldn't jump to conclusions on this matter. After all, this is a matter of marriage."
The imperial concubine whispered quietly in the emperor's ear.
She had watched the eldest princess grow up and couldn't bear to see her enter a den of wolves.
The emperor frowned, but naturally would not refute the imperial concubine, so he nodded.
"Since the Princess is determined to get married, then please come inside and we will discuss it carefully before making a decision."
The imperial concubine brought the eldest princess into the bedroom, and handed a memorial to Gu Yunni, asking her to come and take a look.
The imperial concubine poured tea for her personally and asked her further questions.
"I have watched you grow up. Your mother even knelt before me to prevent you from marrying out. We were worried about your marriage, but we never forced you to marry out. Why are you so determined to marry your neighbor to the west?"
The eldest princess' eyes were red, but she pursed her lips and said nothing. She looked dazed.
"Your Highness, there is no need to say more. I have made up my mind. This is also a way to help my father relieve his worries. Moreover, as the eldest princess, I should be sympathetic to the people's feelings."
Seeing her stubborn appearance, the imperial concubine could only hope that Gu Yunni would enter the palace soon. She didn't know what was wrong with this child?
Gu Yunni hurried into the imperial concubine's palace and was surprised to see the eldest princess holding the teacup in a daze.
The princess saw Gu Yunni coming and turned her head away, "I don't need anyone to persuade me."
"Princess, if you want to arrange a marriage, what about the Minister's son?" Gu Yunni had no choice but to bring up the Minister's son's title.
The last time I saw them, they were so affectionate, and the love in their eyes could not be faked.
When mentioning him, the eldest princess closed her eyes in despair, her heart aching, but she still insisted on being herself.
"That's enough. You don't need to persuade me anymore."
The eldest princess waved her hand and prepared to leave.
The emperor did not agree this time, but as long as she begged again, he would definitely agree after much persuasion.
"Princess, there's no need to worry. We can have a chat." Gu Yunni pulled the princess' sleeve and looked at her eagerly.
The eldest princess softened her heart a little and returned to the tea table.
"Well, I'm going to arrange a marriage in the future, so let's talk today."
Gu Yunni filled the teacup, but actually her fingertips moved quietly as she put the white powder in.
The colorless and odorless white powder added to tea can confuse people's minds.
The imperial concubine was also providing cover nearby. The eldest princess took a sip and didn't find anything wrong.
Gu Yunni put her hands under the table, put them together, and took out a yellow talisman.
When the princess wasn't paying attention, he hit her on the back with the yellow talisman.
This is a truth talisman.
"Princess, why are you so determined to marry our neighbor to the west?"
In Gu Yunni's heart, the eldest princess is a woman with a firm heart and tenderness, who will never joke about her life.
The princess covered her face and burst into tears. "I don't want to either, but I... am already a broken flower and a withered willow. How can I marry the Minister's son?"
The tears in her eyes flowed down the handkerchief, and the words she said shocked the two of them.
Gu Yunni didn't care about anything else. She patted her back and comforted her slowly, "Princess, how do you know that the Minister can't accept you? Can this little bit of affection be severed?"
Perhaps because these things had been kept in her heart for a long time, the eldest princess finally told what happened.
"Although I am a princess of a noble country, I have never liked to be restrained. Back when I was traveling, someone abducted me and took me to the mountains and raped me. For all these years, I have kept this secret in my heart and have always wanted to forget it. But the life I have lived these days has made me realize that I cannot forget..."
When talking about the painful things, the eldest princess burst into tears.
The imperial concubine showed a look of heartache. It was not easy for a woman to survive in this world, let alone losing her innocence.
"There's no need to marry our neighbor to the west." Gu Yunni continued to pat her back.
Now that their country is strong and has paid tribute to all dynasties, there is no need for the eldest princess to sacrifice her own happiness for marriage.
"You don't know, the Second Prince of the Western Neighboring Country knew that my body had been defiled, so he threatened me to marry into the Western Neighboring Country to save face. If I didn't agree, he would spread the news. How could I still have the dignity to live then?"
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