Chapter 76: How can the old love win her heart back? ...
The guards welcomed Xie Jing to the familiar main hall.
Xie Jing found that he was not ready to face her, but it was too late to say he was afraid now. He took a deep breath and walked into the door - but found that it was empty and there was no one.
Xie Jing was startled, then turned around and asked, "...Where is the commander?"
The guard said, "Commander? The commander just went to the back garden."
Xie Jing paused, a little hesitant. Yu Qing was usually busy with official business at this time.
"Your Highness?" the guard asked. "What are you looking for? Let me get them for you."
"No hurry," Xie Jing said, turning around and brushing his sleeves. "I'll go greet your commander first."
·
The back garden of Beichensi was not as solemn and majestic as the previous area, and it was also some distance away from the training ground of the imperial guards. There were several pavilions, houses, rockery and ponds in it. It was one of the few leisure places in the entire government office. Xie Jing would come here in the past.
Halfway through, he vaguely heard the sound of music. The further he went, the clearer the sound became, and it seemed to be a sheng music.
After walking around the rockery, you will see the pavilion by the water with two figures inside.
One of the unfamiliar girls was playing the sheng, while Yu Qing had his back to them, a relaxed posture, one hand supporting his chin, as if he was listening attentively.
Xie Jing said slowly: "...Is it her?"
The guard didn't understand Prince Jing's incoherent words. Seeing Xie Jing staring at the girl, he explained, "That's Princess Nanyue from Lanzhou. She's temporarily staying at Beichensi."
He was about to go up and pass on the message, but Xie Jing raised his hand to stop him, saying softly, "Don't interrupt, just listen to her finish."
The music was long and melodious, but Xie Jing felt it was extremely long. He silently stared at Yu Qing's motionless back.
Finally, the princess stopped playing, put down the sheng, and smiled at Yu Qing, saying, "How does it sound? Mother once said that I played this piece the best."
Yu Qing's clear voice rang out, saying, "Not bad. I've never heard such a good sheng before."
Xie Jing was stunned. At that moment, he almost wanted to rush forward and ask her to listen to it again and say it again.
This song is obviously not as good as the one he played, how could she not hear that?
She had praised him before, saying that his piano playing was the best music she had ever heard in her life. Xie Jing would take time out to practice piano in the past two or three years in order to improve himself and avoid being surpassed by others.
How many people has she told this?
Maybe it didn't matter whether it sounded good or not. If Yu Qing liked it, everything was heavenly music.
As if someone had poured ice water on him, Xie Jing's anxious mood dimmed again.
·
Yu Qing felt a little sleepy.
When she learned about the princess's escape on the street yesterday, she was shocked. She had no choice but to take her to Beichen Division for resettlement, and then submitted an urgent letter to the emperor, explaining the reason.
Nan Yue escaped the fire, terrified and with burns on her hands. She finally stopped crying when she entered the government office. She was surrounded by stern-faced, tall, and strong guards. She was unfamiliar with the place and immediately panicked.
Yu Qing first asked someone to tidy up a side courtyard and a few rooms for her and her group of sad-looking followers to rest for a while, and then stayed with her for another half an hour.
The doctor bandaged her wound and brought her food. After eating, Nan Yue finally calmed down and talked about her experience.
Yu Qing felt sorry for the girl. She was the daughter of the King of Lanzhou. Ever since her mother's death, no one had doted on her. The king's new queen had treated her with disdain, and a few days ago, she was planning to marry her off to a nobleman over a decade her senior. Nan Yue didn't want to end her life there, so she took a few loyal servants, stole some documents, packed her bags, and fled overnight.
After traveling all the way from Lanzhou to the Central Plains, I found that the world outside was not so beautiful either. But for the sake of freedom, it was nothing.
Unexpectedly, when she arrived in the capital, she met a bad guy and almost lost her life. The little princess finally became afraid.
Yu Qing consoled her for a moment, wondering why all royal families were the same. The girls reborn there might seem glamorous, but in reality, they endured just as much hardship and suffering as anyone else.
At the same time, I also felt that the princess was very courageous. Although she cried for a long time, she did not show any mercy when she set fire to people.
Perhaps there was still a shadow. When Yu Qing was about to leave at night, Nan Yue whispered that she was afraid there were more thieves and she didn't dare to sleep.
So Yu Qing told her not to worry, saying that the place was guarded by the Imperial Guards and anyone who trespassed would lose their head, so it was extremely safe.
I heard news from the palace this morning that someone would be sent to inform the Lanzhou royal family later.
Yu Qing thought, if she went back, wouldn't she still be bullied? She might as well settle down in the Central Plains.
But the fastest round trip would take more than a month, and I don’t know whether they will send someone to pick me up later. I have no idea for the time being.
Apart from this, the emperor did not care about anything else and did not mention where to place the princess.
It is not very convenient for Nanyue to live in Beichensi all the time. It is okay for three or five days, but it is not suitable for a long time. After all, this is the Imperial Guard Mansion. Yu Qing plans to send someone to find a house for her.
In the afternoon, she listened to her subordinates report on many recent events, which took more than an hour and made her feel a little numb.
When she went out for some fresh air, she saw Nanyue, who said that Beichen Si was too powerful and majestic everywhere, so she didn't dare to wander around. Yu Qing thought about it and took her to the back garden.
The scenery here was nice, and the princess was in a better mood, so she suggested playing a song for Yu Qing.
Because Yu Qing saved her, she had a natural trust and affection for Yu Qing. Yu Qing was actually a little uncomfortable, just like Miss He from the Zhongwu Marquis Mansion who always followed her in the past. It was not good to be too cold, nor was it good to be too friendly. It always felt awkward.
She listened for a while reluctantly. The music was melodious and the sunlight was warm. She had just been busy for a long time, so she leaned against the railing and listened intently. She even felt like yawning.
Yu Qing supported his head with one hand, feeling a little drowsy, and didn't notice anything else.
Nan Yue looked very expectant when she asked her. She couldn't say that she didn't know much about the sheng, so she just praised her. Nan Yue immediately smiled brightly, and then her eyes suddenly fixed on the back: "Huh?"
Yu Qing turned around and was stunned for a moment.
Xie Jing stood in front of the flowers in front of the rockery, blending into the beautiful shadows of the flowers, as if in a dream.
Isn’t he still recuperating in the palace?
...It was indeed him. There was no one else in the capital with this appearance.
Yu Qing even suspected that he had fallen asleep and was dreaming. Why did Xie Jing come here suddenly?
The guard nearby reported, "Commander, Prince Jing is here to see you. I couldn't disturb you just now."
She raised her eyes and met Xie Jing's gaze from a distance, but they were too far away to see clearly.
But there was a faint atmosphere lingering around him, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it. He clearly didn't say anything and didn't move, but she actually felt a hint of... resentment?
Yu Qing hesitated in his heart, but he didn't let it affect his calmness when he asked, "Is there something wrong, Your Highness?"
Xie Jing stepped forward.
"I'm here today to pick up some items I left behind," Xie Jing said, "and come and say hello to the commander."
Yu Qing's first reaction was that he had really been sick.
Although he was still well-dressed and handsome, his sickly appearance could not be completely concealed.
His chin seemed to have become a little more pointed, his lips were very pale, and even his clothes seemed to have become a little wider. Qingjia was like this before, too, and every time he was sick, he would have this pale and haggard look.
Although Xie Jing's changes were not obvious, she could still tell because she was too familiar with this face to notice these tiny changes.
How could this happen after falling into the water?
"...When I came here just now, I was wondering where such a great piece of music came from," Xie Jing said, "it turns out it was this girl."
Yu Qing said: "This is Nanyue, the Princess of Lanzhou."
Nan Yue subconsciously looked at Yu Qing: "This..."
Yu Qing said, "You can just call me His Royal Highness Prince Jing."
Nan Yue said obediently, "Thank you, Your Highness Prince Jing."
Looking at them, Xie Jing actually felt a little redundant. His voice was a little stagnant, and he gave Nan Yue a forced smile: "Well, then, Princess, please continue. I will not disturb you."
After he left, Nan Yue finally recovered from her awkwardness around strangers. Her eyes lit up as she asked, "Was that the prince? My god, he's much more handsome than my brothers. Are all the princes in the Central Plains this handsome?"
Yu Qing felt a little strange when hearing others praising Xie Jing.
"...Not really," she paused, "others are different from him."
"How old is he?" Nan Yue asked. "Princes usually get married very early, right? Has he got a wife yet?"
Yu Qing was stunned. She knew that Qingjia's birthday was in April, and she had just turned 20 before she got married. She never had the chance to celebrate her birthday afterwards. In fact, she didn't know if that was Xie Jing's real birthday.
"He's about twenty-three," Yu Qing said, "and he's still single."
"Oh..." Nan Yue changed her mind and asked with a smile, "Then Brother Commander, are you married?"
Yu Qing: “…”
Yu Qing said calmly, "It happened, but my wife has passed away due to illness."
Nan Yue was stunned for a moment, then said, "Don't be sad."
"My mother also died of illness. I'm very sad," Nan Yue comforted him. "But even though she's not with me, she must always be thinking of me in her heart. The same goes for your wife."
Yu Qing looked at the innocent girl and suddenly felt warm in his heart. He didn't know whether he felt bad for her or for himself.
She sighed, "It's different."
After wasting some time, she stopped listening to Nan Yue playing the sheng. When she returned to the main hall, she found that Xie Jing had only taken away one painting - the one titled "Looking at the Sea Tide".
Why did he take away her favorite thing when there were so many other things to take away? However, it was originally his.
·
Nan Yue rested for two or three days and regained her lively nature. The capital is so big, and since she was already here, she naturally wanted to go out and explore.
Yu Qing was worried about her and her attendants, so he sent a few more guards to follow her.
When she was about to return to the Marquis' Mansion in the evening, she found that the princess had not come back yet. She wondered where she was having fun. Yu Qing asked her and she said she went to the Lantern Shop.
Yu Qing happened to be passing by, so he went to take a look, thinking it would be best not to stay there too late - although the market was bustling, there were many businesses that opened at night. It wasn't dangerous, but it was somewhat unsightly.
When he arrived nearby, Yu Qing saw two guards under a teahouse called "Tingyu Pavilion". He walked over and asked, and found out that the princess was in the elegant pavilion upstairs.
There are not only people singing and playing lyrics here, but also storytellers. Yu Qing went upstairs to the outside of the elegant pavilion and listened briefly. What they were talking about was a new story that has been popular in the capital recently. It seemed that the story was full of ups and downs, with the new loves and old loves of infatuated men and resentful women.
Nan Yue was sitting in a seat facing the door in the elegant pavilion, listening with great interest.
Yu Qing was about to call her when someone beside him said, "The storybooks haven't been as good as they used to be in recent years."
Yu Qing paused.
Nan Yue said, "Really?"
"They're all pretty much the same plot," the man laughed. "Nothing new or innovative."
Nan Yue said: "You must have seen it all before. I heard it for the first time and it's very novel!"
"That's right..." the man said, "If you like, I'll recommend you a few good ones later."
Nan Yue happily said, "Okay!"
At this moment, the storyteller finished his story and came to an end. Nan Yue looked up and caught a glimpse of a familiar figure outside the door. She immediately said, "Hey, it's the commander!"
Yu Qing approached and also saw clearly the person sitting to the side who was talking and laughing with Nan Yue just now - Xie Jing.
When Xie Jing saw her, the folding fan in his hand suddenly stopped, his eyes widened slightly, and his originally gentle smile faded a little.
Yu Qing also didn't know why these two people who had nothing in common were now listening to a book together leisurely.
Didn’t Xie Jing just recover from his illness? It seemed like he hadn’t even been to the Ministry of Revenue much, but now I ran into him here.
Yu Qing is a little slow in this regard and not as smart as usual.
After two or three breaths, she finally thought of something.
Nan Yue is a girl who is loved by everyone. A few days ago, Xie Jing came to Beichen Division and happened to see her. He also praised her for her beautiful sheng playing.
I remember that at that time, Xie Jing's eyes were always on Nan Yue.
Now, the two of them get along very well and have similar personalities.
"I didn't expect that His Royal Highness Prince Jing is here too." Yu Qing said.
"Oh, I happened to meet the princess today, so I invited her to have a cup of tea." Xie Jing said.
"Are you here to see me?" Nan Yue asked.
Yu Qing said: "Well, it's getting late, it's time to go back."
Nan Yue said obediently: "Okay, I've finished listening to the story, so let's go."
She turned around and politely said goodbye to Xie Jing, and Yu Qing led her downstairs.
Xie Jing's smile froze, and he suppressed his guilty conscience.
He'd been completely unable to eat or sleep for the past few days. His dreams were of Yu Qing getting married, and when the veil was lifted, the bride was someone else. He'd been torn between these two ideas for a long time, unable to sit idly by. But he couldn't control Yu Qing, so he had to resort to cutting off the source of the problem—no matter what, forcibly separating Nan Yue from her.
Even though he knew that this was unscrupulous, Xie Jing still did it.
Yu Qing likes her very much, Xie Jing thought, when she finds out, she might be angry with me again.
He accepted the fact that he was selfish or sinister. However, when facing Yu Qing, he still didn't dare to look up at her.
He went to the palace today to arrange everything, and in the afternoon he asked Duan Zhirui to inquire about Nan Yue's whereabouts, and then rushed over to meet her by chance.
His Royal Highness Prince Jing was not only handsome, but also gentle and non-aggressive. Nan Yue was young and naive, so she quickly let down her guard and almost revealed all her family wealth when they started talking.
Xie Jing was secretly glad at first, but when he heard her talk about her mother's death, how she battled wits and courage with others in the palace, and how she left the royal family alone, he was moved and heartbroken.
It's normal for Yu Qing to like such a good girl.
He looked down from the porch and saw Yu Qing and the princess walking side by side towards Beichensi - Yu Qing had indeed come specially to pick her up and would also personally send her back.
Xie Jing's heart suddenly felt bitter again. Would a temporary separation really work? Yu Qing was a determined person. If she really loved him, who could stop her?
How to win her heart back?
·
downstairs.
Yu Qing was originally going to return home, but she unconsciously followed Nan Yue back. She asked softly, "What did King Jing say to you today?"
Nan Yue said, "We talked for quite a while. There were so many things I can't remember. He was very nice! He even treated me to some snacks."
Yu Qing was silent for a moment.
"Oh, by the way," Nan Yue said, "he also told me that I'm of noble status, and it's not proper for me to always stay with you. So he's already arranged a palace for me in the imperial palace, just for us to live in. He'll also assign me some maids and Golden Feather Guards, so I can come with me when I go out to play... Commander, I've really troubled you these past few days!"
Yu Qing said: "...Is that so."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com