Chapter 76
After leaving the imperial study, Li Yin went straight to the library.
Stepping into the space filled with the scent of books, I saw Luo Sanrong standing quietly in front of the bookshelf, his eyes empty, as if he was lost in deep thought.
Li Yin raised the corner of his mouth slightly and tiptoed towards her. When he was behind her, he suddenly called out loudly, "Luo Er?"
Luo Sanrong's body trembled slightly and he quickly turned his head.
When he saw that it was Li Yin, a gentle smile slowly blossomed on his originally cold face, and he called softly, "Your Highness."
Li Yin's expression remained calm. He didn't tell Luo Sanrong about the thrilling conversation in the imperial study. Instead, he asked with concern, "What are you thinking about? My footsteps were so obvious when I came in, but you didn't even notice. Are you worried about something?"
Luo Sanrong did not respond directly, but looked at Li Yin sincerely and suggested: "Your Highness, let's go out for a walk together!"
Li Yin nodded in agreement without any hesitation.
The two walked side by side on the long winding gravel road. The surroundings were silent except for the occasional bird calls.
When they reached a certain place, Luo Sanrong stopped and turned to face Li Yin. Her voice was gentle but full of affection: "Your Highness, do you know when I was happiest recently?"
Upon hearing this, Li Yin couldn't help but turn slightly and wait attentively for her answer.
Luo San'er looked directly into Li Yin's eyes with a blazing gaze, and said solemnly, "When Your Highness called me 'Luo', at that moment, my heart was filled with happiness."
Li Yin's heart moved. After a moment of silence, he slowly stretched out his arms, gently embraced Luo Sanrong, and whispered in her ear, "I feel the same way. Whenever I call your name, I feel that you are so close to me, as if nothing in the world can separate us."
Luo Sanrong rested her head on Li Yin's chest, her voice very soft, as if she was muttering to herself: "So, this is enough. I dare not have too many extravagant hopes and I will not be greedy."
Li Yin hugged her tightly and said firmly, "But I want to be more greedy. It's natural to fall in love with someone and want more."
Luo Sanrong did not continue with this topic. Instead, he gently broke free from Li Yin's embrace and took two steps forward, saying as he walked, "Since I am already His Highness's person, I shall obey His Highness' wishes."
She paused, a hint of worry in her tone, "However, I truly do not want to put Your Highness in danger because of me. Even if I cannot always be by Your Highness's side as a woman in the future, my love for You will never change in the slightest."
Li Yin's heart tightened, and he quickly pulled her back, trying to interrupt her: "Don't say anything!"
Luo Sanrong, however, seemed to have made up his mind and continued to speak to himself, "So, Your Highness, please do not refuse the state marriage again. Your Highness, for your future, for the sake of this country..."
Li Yin raised his voice, with a hint of urgency and helplessness: "I told you not to say anymore..."
In an instant, the atmosphere around them seemed to freeze, and there seemed to be an invisible barrier between the two of them.
Luo Sanrong was in front, moving forward slowly with slightly heavy steps;
Li Yin was behind her, looking at her back, feeling bitter.
——
The next morning, as the morning light filtered through the eaves, Li Yin arrived solemnly. Amidst the curling smoke of tea, he told Mr. Chashan what he wanted directly: to find a way to let Luo Er stay by his side as a daughter.
Before he finished speaking, Mr. Chashan raised his eyes and asked back, a hint of inquiry between his brows: "Why is Your Highness so concerned about her? She is just a small eunuch in the palace."
"Her entry into the palace was accidental," Li Yin lowered his eyes, his tone filled with a hint of reminiscence. "When I fell in love with her, I didn't even know she was actually a girl."
Mr. Chashan stroked the rim of the teacup with his fingertips, pondering for a long time before muttering softly, "The gap between our statuses is as great as an insurmountable chasm, and fate plays a cruel trick... Your Highness, didn't you ask me to clear all obstacles for you before?"
Li Yin nodded slowly, his eyes firm.
But Mr. Chashan changed the subject, his tone adding a bit of solemnity: "It's just that the person Luo Ye relies on in his heart is not Your Highness."
Li Yin suddenly raised his eyes, his eyes full of confusion.
"If one day, you and Luo He were caught in a dilemma and had to make a choice," Mr. Dashan stared at him and asked word by word, "Will Your Highness abandon her?"
"I can't." Li Yin said with almost no hesitation, his voice loud and clear.
Mr. Chashan looked at the undisguised determination in his eyes, was silent for a moment, and finally nodded, as if he had made up his mind. He raised his hand to brush away the dust on his clothes and said, "Today, let's bring Luo He here."
Luo Sanrong was completely lost as she followed Li Yin out of the palace. Li Yin only said, "I'll take you to see someone you want to see," but he wouldn't reveal their name. Clutching the hem of his clothes, she kept trying to guess who it was, but she couldn't figure it out.
Halfway through the journey, Li Yin suddenly spoke, breaking the silence: "Luo Yan, do you still remember the child who sold lanterns back then?"
Luo Sanrong was startled for a moment, then nodded, a hint of warmth in her eyes. "I remember, when that child learned that Your Highness had cleared her name, her eyes lit up like stars when she smiled. I still remember it."
"She once asked me," Li Yin said, looking ahead, his voice soft but heavy with expectation, "what kind of dynasty I wanted."
"Then what kind of dynasty does Your Highness want?" Luo Sanrong asked curiously, slowing down his pace.
"I hope that in this world, children can be children without having to endure hardship early on; and that women can be women without having to hide their talents." Li Yin turned to look at her, his eyes blazing. "Everyone can live in peace and security, without having to fear the chaos of war... So, can you always stay with me?"
Luo Sanrong's heart warmed. Seeing the earnestness in his eyes, she softly but firmly promised, "If Your Highness needs me, I will always be with you."
Hearing this, Li Yin's lips curled up into a faint smile, and he reached out to brush away her hair: "My wish has come true."
"What wish?" Luo Sanying asked blankly.
"My wish is to make your wish come true." Li Yin leaned over, his warm breath brushing against her ear, and whispered, "I found your mother."
Luo Sanrong's whole body stiffened, and he slowly turned around following Li Yin's gaze.
Under the locust tree not far away, the figure was so familiar that her heart trembled. She was wearing a green cloth dress and a plain velvet flower on her temples. It was the mother she had been looking for for many years.
She almost stumbled over and threw herself into the warm embrace, her tears instantly soaking her clothes.
Xiulan hugged her back tightly, her voice choked with sobs: "Luo Er—is mother too late? She made you wait alone for so many years."
After they calmed down a bit, Xiulan raised her hand and touched Luo Sanrong's cheek, gently stroking the corners of her eyes and eyebrows with her fingertips. Her eyes were red with heartache: "You must have suffered a lot over the years, right?"
"No," Luo Sanrong shook his head, wiped away his mother's tears, and smiled comfortingly, "I've long forgotten the hard times. I used to worry that I'd never see you again, but now we've been reunited, haven't we?"
Xiulan nodded, and suddenly seemed to remember something. She took her hand and asked, "By the way, how did you become an eunuch in the palace? If Mr. Chashan hadn't said that he saw you in the palace, I still wouldn't..."
Luo Sanrong took the opportunity to put his arm around her, his tone soft and coquettish, "It's a long story, I'll tell you slowly later. But I met a lot of good people in the palace, and I live a stable life. His Highness treats me even better."
Xiulan's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly hid her strange expression. Following her gaze, she looked at Li Yin, who was talking to Mr. Chashan not far away, and asked softly, "Your Highness? Are you talking about the Crown Prince standing next to you?"
Luo Sanrong nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with unconcealable joy. His gaze unconsciously followed Li Yin's figure, and even his tone became a little lighter.
Later, I heard Xiulan say that after the mother and daughter were separated, she was displaced. Thanks to Mr. Chashan taking her in and taking care of her over the years, she was able to live a stable life.
Li Yin and Mr. Chashan stood aside, watching the mother and daughter talking not far away. He said softly, "Sir, your previous words have made me curious and worried, but thank you for giving me the opportunity to choose."
Mr. Chashan's eyes fell on Xiulan, and his tone was filled with a bit of sigh: "Destiny is something you can never avoid if you want to, or meet if you want to."
Upon hearing this, Li Yin raised a faint smile on his lips, and said with a hint of sarcasm: "Sir, I would like to return your words to you intact." Obviously, he still had not given up the idea of persuading Mr. Chashan to serve as an official in the court.
As the sun began to set, it was time to return to the palace. Luo Sanrong held her mother's hand, reluctant to leave, her eyes reddening again. Li Yin stood by and watched quietly, finally promising Xiulan, "I will get the official pass as soon as possible, and I will bring Luo Rong to see you often in the future."
Xiulan barely suppressed the complex emotions in her heart and knelt down to salute: "Thank you... Your Highness."
"Mom, don't worry. I'll come see you as soon as I have time," Luo Sanrong gave a few more instructions, then turned to look at Mr. Chashan with a playful tone, "Grandpa, I'm entrusting Mom to you. Also, please don't drink so much!"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Chashan glared at her in mock anger: "Girl, why are you calling me grandpa? I don't think you're that old, are you?"
The carriage moved slowly, raising a cloud of dust.
Mr. Chashan watched the carriage drive away and whispered to Xiulan beside him, "Now, all that's left is Luo Yu's choice."
Xiulan looked in the direction where the carriage disappeared, her brows furrowed tightly, her tone filled with worry: "You know, this is not something she could have chosen. Her appearance in the palace, and staying by the prince's side, is simply ridiculous and should not have happened."
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