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Chapter 1 Yan Ning lay in bed 。Brocade curtains embroidered with flowers, a summer of blooming splendor, it's undeniably the best time of year. Yet, the fervor outside feels like an invisible barrier, shielding everything from view. 。The house was as cold as ice. 。Yan Ning was shivering from the cold, but she didn't care. She lay straight on the bed, staring at the canopy above her head, which had already lost its freshness. The pomegranate flowers were drooping. 。His eyes were vacant, and he didn't even look at the handsome and elegant young man standing beside him. 。A whimper of winter brushed past her ear, and a frigid tear traced its way down Yan Ning's cheek, disappearing into the pillow. 。"Shen Yanqing, when will you divorce me?" The voice was hoarse yet calm, seemingly indifferent to the words 'divorce'. 。Standing by the bed was a handsome and elegant young master from a prominent family. He was graceful and refined, with a jade pendant hanging around his neck that added to his noble air. In his hand, he held a celadon clay soup pot, the pale green color complementing his long, jade-like fingers beautifully. It was so exquisite that it reminded one of how much Yan Ning used to love such things. 。But now he had no strength left, nor did he look at the young man, just gazing placidly at his bed curtains. 。His voice was cold and sharp, but in reality he was just a young boy. He was thin and frail. At this moment, the section of his wrist protruding from beneath the covers was alarmingly slender, almost pale with no trace of color. 。Even though she was frail, her eyebrows and eyes were still as clear and beautiful as a lotus after the rain. Her delicate face, so thin and fragile, made people feel pity just by looking at her. 。Shen Yanqing looked silently at Yan Ning, whose heart was as dead as ashes. After a long time, he slowly bent down, his slender hand gently brushing over Yan Ning's cheek. 。The cheeks, once flushed, now pale and cold. 。"Yan Ning, don't overthink it " 。Since we are husband and wife, we are going to spend our whole lives together. 。"Seeing his wife smile softly in bed, he remained silent, stirring the stew in his hand for a long while before gently saying, “You should believe me.” 。Believe him?Yan Ning was stunned, thinking back to that year when he had come to the Guogong's Mansion regardless of everything to marry her, so happy and joyful, so trusting in him. 。But what difference does it make? For three years, he favored so many concubines. Those concubines laughed and joked in front of him, flaunting their favors, looking down upon those who failed, not even giving them a finger... 。He tormented her with indifference, trampled her with the disdain of his concubines, and through all his means brought her to this pitiful state. 。He now says he wants to be together for life. 。How terrifying 。"The eldest sister is dead, and the revenge for the ninth prince's concubine has been avenged." 。You should be happy. 。"Shen Yanqing..." Yan Ning was a very tearful child, but now she had no strength to cry. She just numbly turned her head slightly, avoiding his finger as she softly said, "You want my elder sister dead, you want to humiliate me, seeing my pain brings you joy." 。You got everything. 。Now that I am of no use to you, why not dismiss me and let me go home. 。"The tremor in his voice was still there, even with the calmness, a faint quiver. Yet, Shen Yanqing only remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, “Don’t overthink it” 。Yanni, let's live a good life together from now on. 。Yet Yan Ning smiled. 。My older sister is dead. She died at their hands. 。The person she always protected and loved the most died at the hands of these beasts. Shen Yanqing is still hypocritically pretending to want to live a good life with her now. 。How to live a good life? Humiliation, trampling, being looked down upon, forever staying in this small courtyard and enduring Shen Yanqing's grinding? "You haven't eaten or drunk for three days, and you haven't left..." 。“Seeing that Yan Ning wouldn't even look at him, not even with his eyes closed, Shen Yanqing lowered his head slightly and placed the simmering casserole in front of Yan Ning. He spoke softly, “This is your favorite bird’s nest ” 。Yanni, you take good care of your child. We'll talk about our things later. 。Even if you…”He remained silent for a long time, a faint trace of gloom flitted across his handsome face. He looked at Yan Ning and said softly, "If you want to collect your cousin's, the Tenth Prince Consort's body, I will go with you." 。His voice was gentle and warm, like the spring breeze. Yan Ning suddenly opened her eyes and looked at him, a glimmer of color flashing in her gaze. 。"Really?" "Really" 。A warm smile appeared on Shen Yanqing's face, he helped Yan Ning up and fed her the bird's nest in his hand. 。Yan Ning sat there for a moment, staring blankly at the bird's nest in front of her and Wen's warm smile just inches away. She felt absurd and ridiculous. 。Back then, he won her heart at first sight with just such a smile. 。He also wore that smile as if he were deep, knowing full well that the Duan family was a den of tigers and dragons, yet he still went all in and married him. 。Does he like bird's nest? He doesn't like eating bird's nest. 。He was just complaining to his elder sister while munching on the bird's nest she had given him, "dripping" little complaints as he ate. When that man who walked over with a smile like the spring breeze asked, "Do you like bird's nest so much? You've already eaten two bowls..." 。When that happened, I was so flustered, like being caught sneaking a rabbit into my older sister's arms and then feeling embarrassed again. 。That's all he was, a spineless and pathetic wretch. He just casually asked, like some dandy playboy, with a smile that brushed the matter aside, never to be mentioned again. 。Wanting to explain, but too timid to know how to start. 。At that time, Shen Yanqing was just a stranger to her, and she didn't know what he liked. There was nothing to blame. 。But after three years together, he still didn't know she disliked bird's nest. 。People like this, they say they're going to live a good life from now on. 。Tears welled up in Yan Ning's eyes, her pale face like a wilting flower. She finished the small bowl of bird's nest and looked up at Shen Yanqing expectantly, asking, "I've eaten the bird's nest, when are you going to take me home?"This Duanbo Mansion wasn't her real home, her home... perhaps it was all gone now. Her elder sister, her aunt-in-law... No matter how much it had fallen apart, it was still the place she grew up. 。Her tears were sparkling, Shen Yanqing looked at her for a long time before saying, "Wait until you feel better..." 。He was about to speak when he heard the sound of a maidservant's voice outside the room, "Young Master, there is someone from the Ninth Prince's Mansion..." Before the maidservant could finish her sentence, Shen Yanqing lowered his eyes and placed Yan Ning on the bed. He watched as she gave him a mocking smile and covered her tear-stained face with his long hand, "Yan Ning, don't think about..." 。I'll be right back. 。Okay 。"Yanni didn't fuss, she said obediently," 。Such gentleness, it was the first time after their wedding that she hadn't gone to the Ninth Prince's Mansion out of heartache. 。His corner of his lips twitched upwards, just as it had when he was with Yan Ning. 。"Yanni, Anning, you have to be good" 。"His voice had a hint of , Yan Ning softly agreed with a soft hum, then closed her eyes." 。Seeing that she seemed about to fall asleep, Shen Yanqing gently let out a breath and looked at the maid who was weeping softly beside her. After a moment, she turned away. 。When his shadow disappeared in the room, Yan Ning suddenly sat up and struggled to get out of bed. 。“Girl” 。Fu Dong cried and stepped forward to support 。"Run quickly" 。Let's go home. 。"Yanni felt utterly powerless, yet her eyes shone with an unnerving brilliance. Under Fu Dong's service, she changed into a simple garment similar to that of a maidservant. Fu Dong supported her as they walked out the door." 。The outside of the house was eerily quiet. This courtyard wasn't even worthy of being served by servants. 。But Yan Ning was happy that there weren't many servants here for the first time. 。Hurriedly leaving the courtyard with Fu Dong, they reached the Second Gate. Watching Fu Dong stuff a large Eight Treasures red gold bracelet into the smiling hands of the gatekeeper, she walked toward the Second Gate together. 。"What sound?" He asked weakly, suddenly hearing what seemed to be celebratory sounds coming from somewhere. 。Although the madam at the gate didn't know why the princess was going out, she couldn't help but smile with her eyes narrowed when she saw the enormous golden bracelets. She wasn't concerned about anything else and became even more attentive, following Yan Ning and saying, "I heard that King Chu visited earlier..." 。Our princess has opened the central gate. We should be waiting to greet King Chu at the front now. 。The King of Chu is Your Majesty's uncle, and naturally also the uncle of Lady Duanbo and Princess Changping. Such a rare honor to have Your Majesty's presence, Princess Changping naturally must greet with utmost respect. 。Yanni was taken aback. 。Vaguely, I remember my elder sister saying that King Chu was upright and incorruptible, a rare impartial person in the royal family. 。smiled. 。Shen Yanqing's mother is Changping Princess, and the emperor is his uncle. 。Looking back now, a lonely orphan living in the Duke's mansion was going to marry the Emperor's nephew, the only son of the Princess Consort. No wonder everyone laughed and said she was overreaching herself, that she would be despised by the Princess Consort like this. 。The midwife's face turned pale, and she stammered a few words before leaving. As Yan Ning realized that her infatuation was so ridiculous, she felt an excruciating pain in her chest, as if her entire body had been shattered at that moment. She suddenly vomited blood. 。"Young lady!" Fu Dong exclaimed in alarm. 。Yan Ning's shuang yi fell into his arms, staring blankly at the crimson in her hand, the electric spark, as if she understood something. 。A faint trace of pain flashed across her eyes. 。"Bu Dong, we can't go back home anymore " 。Unable to return to the Duke's Mansion, I couldn't see my elder cousin for the last time. 。But at this moment, perhaps it was the courage of a final desperate gamble, Yan Ning's thoughts were unusually clear. 。His breaths were ragged, his throat and lungs burning with a hot, metallic taste that almost suffocated him. He coughed, forcing himself to speak in a low voice, "Go to the front yard." 。His voice was faint, while Dong's cry grew louder and louder, but she still tried her best to support herself and ran quickly towards the front yard. 。When she saw the boundless splendor of the front yard, Yanning suddenly pushed open the Frost-Dispelling door beside her and stumbled into the middle gate. 。A magnificent steed stood at the central gate. A tall man with piercing, Yanning eyes, whose features were obscured by the distance, dismounted and stood there, looking imposingly. 。Though I couldn't see his appearance, that imposing and dignified aura of his remained unwavering even under Princess Changping's sharp rebuke. He forcefully bumped into him in front. 。Two arms reached out, slender fingers gripping the last straw of hope. 。Anyway...there's nothing to lose. 。The eyes gazed blankly upward, unable to make out the face of the person catching them. The small face lay limp against his arm. 。This is a powerful arm, feeling incredibly safe and steadfast. 。She sighed, smiled wryly, and struggled to push herself, covered in bruises, along the man's shoulder until she was close enough to his ear. She whispered, "Your Highness Prince Chu, my brother-in-law...the tenth prince and the tenth princess are innocent." 。They did not murder the prince. 。The Ninth Prince... keeps ten thousand private soldiers in Xicheng Town, five hundred miles south of the city. He is the treacherous official who covets the throne. 。<<<”s hands trembled as he reached into his bosom and handed a letter to the silent man, smiling and saying, "Consort Chu of the Ninth Prince and Shen Yanqing, son of Princess Changping, have been conspiring. Shen Yanqing poisoned his wife. This is a personal letter from Consort Chu to Shen Yanqing... The Ninth Prince has been cuckolded." The Ninth Prince and Consort Chu killed their cousin-in-law and sister-in-law... Now, they are going to join them>>>。It's not a good feeling to have your head turned green and cause a stir throughout the city, is it? "Your Majesty knows..." 。A serious yet steady voice came, Yan Ning smiled, her mind was slipping away, but she tried her best to raise her finger, pointing in the direction of the only one who cried for her. 。 "Farewell winter... home... 。You can't stay here. 。Shen Yanqing wouldn't let any of his maidservants go, he just wanted to, in the end, preserve the only person who stayed by his side. 。Timid for a lifetime 。Nowadays… even in death, he's still taking the fall. 。As my elder sister once said, I've lived a full life even if I die now. 。 |
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