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墨書 Inktalez
"What is there to be afraid of?" Xuanyuan Rui's eyes flashed with anger, a clear reflection of the restlessness typical of his age. "I've always believed that taking my father's place and fulfilling his wishes was the right thing to do, especially since the current emperor is my maternal grandfather..." As he spoke of family ties, Xuanyuan Rui gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment. "But when I learned that my parents' deaths were related to the emperor's petty suspicions, I felt that everything I had done was worthless!"
Because of this, all notions of loyalty and patriotism became meaningless to him. Sometimes, when he reflected on it, he found it quite ironic and felt utterly foolish.
"Everyone thinks like this," Qing Luan said, noticing him clenching his fists and glaring angrily, revealing his inner turmoil. She felt worried that one impulsive act could lead to disaster, so she advised him, "The emperor puts on a good show; the old prince's death and your father's death are merely our speculations. But others won't think that way. Even if we confront him directly, the emperor won't admit it. Instead, he might accuse you of harboring ill intentions. If that happens, we will go from being proactive to reactive, which would be very unfavorable for us!"
"Isn't there a simpler way?" Xuanyuan Rui murmured. He didn't want his father's reputation to be tarnished because of him; after all, his father had already died unjustly. It would be a disgrace for him as a son if his father couldn't rest in peace.
"..." Qing Luan fell silent for a long while. Just when Xuanyuan Rui felt hopeless, she suddenly spoke up. "It's not that there isn't a way; we just need to find a method to sow discord between Prime Minister Huang and the emperor. As long as Prime Minister Huang can't hold on, their cooperative relationship will collapse."
"Sow discord?" Xuanyuan Rui's eyes lit up, a strange smile creeping onto his lips as he said ominously, "Perhaps there's someone who can help us..."
"Who?" Qing Luan asked in astonishment.
What she had just said was merely a fleeting thought, yet she hadn't expected Xuanyuan Rui to take it seriously and come up with a plan. This made her feel somewhat excited and hopeful that this time they could truly resolve everything and allow the wronged souls to rest.
"It's a secret!" Xuanyuan Rui teased mysteriously without revealing more.
"Ugh!" Qing Luan was taken aback; she hadn't anticipated that he would joke with her. Furrowing her brows, she threatened, "Xuanyuan Rui, are you trying to test my patience? Are you going to tell me or not?" Did he not realize how tormented she was inside? His mysterious demeanor was simply unacceptable.
Seeing Qing Luan's furious expression, Xuanyuan Rui didn't get angry; instead, he sighed and said, " Luan'er, I still prefer your confident and assertive self. You've been frowning too deeply these days; it's as if you've become a different person. It pains me to see you like this... Luan'er, those grievances shouldn't weigh on your heart!"
"..." Qing Luan stared at him in shock, unable to utter a single word.
Since coming here, no one had ever spoken to her like that. Some coveted her wealth, others feigned humility, and many, like Sister Yun, cared for her without truly understanding her. She had always thought she could bear it all, but unexpectedly, a soft word from Xuanyuan Rui brought a mist to her eyes.
" Luan'er, seeing you in such pain makes me wish you didn't know me. You wouldn't have to face the truth and suffer like this!" He reached out to embrace her, his heavy words filled with helplessness.
"No," Qing Luan quickly covered his lips with her hand as soon as she heard him say that, shaking her head. "If I didn't know you, I would never find fulfillment in this life!"
" Luan'er, having you is what makes it worthwhile!" Xuanyuan Rui choked on his words.
After his parents were unjustly killed, he thought he would never find fulfillment again. Yet he never expected that a chance encounter in a fishing village would lead to their mutual completion. In the end, whose fate was it? No one could change that.
"You finally understand," Qing Luan said, her proud nature returning after the emotional moment. She looked up at him with dissatisfaction. "But you still haven't told me who you were thinking of just now!" Hmph, trying to trick her? Not a chance.
Seeing her fierce expression, Xuanyuan Rui couldn't help but chuckle. He leaned closer to her ear and whispered something softly before watching her reaction with a smile.
"Ah?" Qing Luan's expression was exactly as Xuanyuan Rui had anticipated—utterly shocked. She pointed at him in disbelief and exclaimed, "You... you actually..."
"Shh..." Xuanyuan Rui interrupted her surprise with a smug smile. "I initially intended to keep it under wraps, but I didn't expect it would serve this purpose. Perhaps it's fate."
"People make plans while heaven watches!" Qing Luan said through gritted teeth.
Having found a solution, Qing Luan's mood improved significantly; she smiled and returned to her usual cheerful self, which surprised Yun Yiqing greatly.
"Have you taken some medicine?" Seeing the person lounging on the soft couch in high spirits made Yun Yiqing wonder if something was off.
"You must have taken the wrong medicine," the person scoffed, unable to stand seeing someone else do well. "So, the marriage proposal has come down, right?"
"Don't mention that to me," Yun Yiqing rolled her eyes, her expression full of disdain.
"What? Are you not satisfied with the person the Emperor suggested?" She shot a sideways glance at her, curiosity piqued.
"Satisfied my foot," she blurted out in frustration. "Even if I'm getting older, my status is still there. Even if it's an arranged marriage, it should at least be someone presentable and convincing. But instead, they sent me an old man who could practically be my father... And that Consort De actually said that this kind of person knows how to care for others. Damn it, that poisonous woman! One day, I will crush her!" There was no need to hide her feelings here; Yun Yiqing's expression was fierce and terrifying.
"Consort De suggested this?" Qing Luan asked in surprise.
"Yes. The Emperor entrusted the marriages of me, Nishang, and Xuanyuan Rui to Consort De. The Ministry of Rites drafted a list for her to choose from, and I ended up with such a mismatched option. Meanwhile, Xuanyuan Rui is still set to marry Huang Jing'er. As for Nishang... this time is better than last time; at least he has some talent. It's just... sigh, Home is quite chaotic. That man's father has many concubines, and Aunt Huang, that man himself also has several mistresses. It’s bound to be lively." By the end of her rant, she was so furious that she started laughing.
Frowning, Qing Luan did not share her lightheartedness; instead, she spoke heavily, "According to what you said... the Emperor intends to divide Xuanyuan Rui or anyone related to me... Is this a coincidence or is there another scheme at play?"
"Whether it's a coincidence or a scheme doesn't matter; the Emperor has been ruthless towards both me and Xuanyuan Rui. After all, we are not his biological children. But now he treats Nishang the same way—what more can you say?" She felt powerless. Even if she got married, so what? Her status remained unchanged; she lived in the Princess's residence. At worst, she would just live alone under the title of a woman; it wasn't like she hadn't experienced such days before.
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