Ning Si finally had a hint of a smile on her face. After returning from Yueyang, she had been troubled by this for more than a month, always feeling that she was not clean. Even if His Highness was willing to marry her, she did not want to disgrace His Highness's reputation.
But His Highness had changed too much this past month, and his forceful seizure caught her off guard.
She did not know if His Highness loved her or hated her, or what other emotions he had. In any case, this marriage could not happen.
"With A Ying's method, I can rest assured." Ning Si relaxed and became happy, "It's perfect that Cai Xiu has always used my out-of-wedlock pregnancy to threaten me to find her a position. Since she wants to climb up, I will send her climbing up to see His Highness."
Gu Ying asked worriedly, "Is A Si's heart not hurt to send Cai Xiu into Prince Duan's bed?"
Ning Si pursed her lips, sourness welled up in her heart, and was quickly suppressed, "His Highness and I are destined to have no fate, so why force it? What's more... even if His Highness doesn't dislike me and marries me, there will always be a child of unknown origin between us in the future, and we will eventually become a resentful couple... I don't want to torture each other for a lifetime with him, it's better to separate now."
Gu Ying said nothing, gently holding her icy little hand, no longer dwelling on this topic, smiling and teasing her to make her a little happier.
After all, she was pregnant and looked so frail that her belly was barely noticeable, it was really heartbreaking to see.
Under Gu Ying's comfort, Ning Si finally calmed down a little, and secretly pondered in her mind the method of retreating in order to advance.
It was a good thing for Cai Xiu to want to stay in Prince Duan's mansion.
She could just persuade His Highness to keep her. If His Highness was unwilling, she would help pick some other ladies for him.
...
It took a long time to wait for the palace banquet, where the emperor and his subjects enjoyed themselves, lively and brilliantly.
Emperor Tianqi and Concubine Wan sat on the dragon throne, leaving Empress Su alone on the phoenix throne like a joke.
Halfway through the banquet, Empress Su left.
The liveliness belonged to Concubine Wan, while the other concubines had nothing.
Gu Ying felt that the emperor's women were very pitiful. It was a good thing Ning Si chose not to marry Li Hao.
The young ladies of prestigious families vied with each other to perform, just to make the princes present smile.
Gu Ying sat steadily by the prince's side, inconspicuously observing everyone at the palace banquet.
The emperor looked much weaker, with blackened lips and knitted brows, in low spirits and poor health. The imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau tried to nourish his body every day, but to no avail.
Concubine Wan was gorgeous and made up elaborately, smiling contentedly as she watched the excitement below.
As the commander of the Imperial Guards, Xia Zixi was naturally inseparable from guarding the emperor and Concubine Wan.
He stared straight ahead. If Gu Ying didn't know the inside story, she really couldn't imagine that he actually had an affair with Concubine Wan.
Prince Duan had a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, gentle and refined, with a scholarly grace. Despite his illness, he had an unfettered air, making it impossible to imagine his control over Ning Si.
It had been a long time since Gu Ying had seen Li Yang. He was particularly high-spirited today, showing off in front of Emperor Tianqi and Concubine Wan.
Gu Ying withdrew her gaze, rested her cheek in her hand, and was about to pick up a cup of hot tea to drink.
Zhao Changdu raised his hand to stop her, and said indulgently, "A Ying, endure it, don't drink the tea."
Gu Ying realized that she had migraine, and drinking this tea would probably keep her awake all night.
She put down the teacup with a smile, but did not notice the fleeting light in Li Yang's eyes.
After dinner, it was just dusk. The gorgeous sunset quietly spread out on the horizon, the evening sun fiery red. Concubine Wan suggested everyone go together to Chuanyin Pavilion to watch the show, and there would be a splendid fireworks display at night.
Gu Ying and Gu Shuang were not interested, preferring to find a place for the sisters to eat some fruits and pastries, drink two pots of hot wine, and have a heart-to-heart talk.
Seeing their thoughts, Zhao Changdu stroked the girl's soft hair, the corners of his mouth raised, "It’s boring here, I’ll have someone take you back first?"
This was exactly what Gu Ying wanted to hear. "Would His Majesty say anything about it?"
Seeing the girl's bright black eyes, Zhao Changdu's heart softened a few degrees. He smiled gently, "No."
Gu Ying looked up at him, tiptoed, and couldn't help kissing the man's sexy lips.
Seeing his stunned expression, she couldn't help but bend her eyes and smile, "Remember to come back early, I'll be waiting for you at home."
After speaking, she turned and left, not giving him a chance to speak.
Zhao Changdu was stirred up by the girl's fleeting kiss. He narrowed his dark and deep eyes, restless at heart.
"This girl—" was truly an enchanting little fairy.
"Why, just let her go like that?"
Walking over from behind was Ye Qingchi, with his hands folded in his sleeves, standing upright.
Zhao Changdu turned his face. In the evening sun, Ye Qingchi's gaze was indifferent, but he stared straight ahead with a meaningful smile in the corner of his mouth.
Following the man's gaze, he saw the innocent and naive Gu Shuang beside A Ying.
The two sisters were very close, walking hand in hand through the crowd. Passing Fu Xunzhi, Gu Shuang's face turned red as she hurriedly stuffed a purse into the honest man's palm.
Fu Xunzhi's face turned red, but Ye Qingchi's eyes grew even darker.
Zhao Changdu chuckled lightly.
But Ye Qingchi's face darkened, and his beautiful reddish brown eyes sank. "What is the Crown Prince laughing at?"
Zhao Changdu laughed slowly and meaningfully. "Laughing that the great young master Ye has met his match today."
Ye Qingchi's expression grew even uglier. He had been able to maintain his calm, but after seeing Fu Xunzhi carefully put the purse into his sleeve, he could no longer laugh.
He forcibly suppressed his emotions, even more irritable. Thinking of the foolish Gu Shuang who knew nothing, actually trying to get close with that useless honest man, his eyebrows wrinkled tightly. He slowly spat out two words, "Foolish."
But Zhao Changdu raised his eyebrows, "Since you call her foolish, why bother spending your efforts on her?"
Ye Qingchi frowned, "When did I spend effort on her?"
Zhao Changdu just smiled without answering. He knew about the things Ye Qingchi secretly did, nothing could be hidden from Floating Cloud Building.
Ye Qingchi realized that Zhao Changdu's eyes and ears were everywhere in Bianjing. Embarrassed, he pulled at the corner of his mouth and argued, "She is close with A Ying, I only treat her like a sister, nothing else, don't think too much."
