"Kill him!"
Ling Yao had never seen Qing He so vulnerable. Shocked, her eyes turned red, and she wished to tear the person inside to shreds.
The guards were about to rush in, but Qing He quickly stopped them. "Princess, your servant is fine. He's already been poisoned by me. Let it go!"
"We cannot let it go. I want him dead!"
"Princess!" Qing He's eyes pleaded.
"Qing He, you are not a servant. You are my sworn sister," Ling Yao said, looking at her with sadness. "Are you afraid he will die in Jing Country and cause trouble? It's alright. I will protect you. I won't let you get hurt again. It's my fault."
She unfastened her cloak and tied it around Qing He, her voice choked with emotion. "I'm sorry, Qing He... I'm sorry."
Sorry, I cannot give him to you.
"No, Princess, it's not like that," Qing He shook her head, unsure how to explain.
She and that person...
"Princess, there's no one inside!" Yu Liu emerged from the room, casting a faint glance at Qing He.
"Send the County Princess back to the palace."
"Princess..." Yu Liu was startled. "Then what about you?"
Ling Yao's sharp gaze fell on Yu Liu. "You two, send the County Princess back to the palace. I don't want to say it a second time."
Her eyes were cold, her words sharp, as piercing as the winter wind, allowing no room for objection.
Yu Liu and Yu Shan were alarmed, and even Qing He dared not say another word, only a deep sense of unease welled up in her heart.
Was something wrong with the Princess?
"I'll go find the General," Yu Liu said to Yu Shan. Yu Shan then took Qing He back to the palace, while Yu Liu went to find someone.
Meanwhile, Xiao Shan rode to the palace gates. The palace guards refused him entry, stating it was the Princess's order. This made him quite angry, and he ended up climbing over the palace wall to get in.
He was still thinking about Du Ling's suggestion: talk more about their time in the village, to help her recall his good qualities.
However, the person he was looking for was not in Feng Que Tower, but had gone out of the palace.
He had said the outside of the palace was not safe, yet she still ran out. Xiao Shan felt his heart ache with worry.
Just as he was about to leave the palace to search for her, he was stopped by the Emperor, who said the Commander of the Imperial Guard was absent and asked him to arrange the palace's defense for the next day.
By the time Yu Liu found him, it was already dusk.
The Princess had not returned to the palace.
The Emperor was also shocked.
When Xiao Shan, with his men, found the guards and the hidden guards who had appeared, they were all blankly guarding the entrance to the tea house. They all gave the same answer: the Princess was resting in her room at the tea house.
Yet, the room was empty. Where was she?
The tea house owner recalled that the young lady had left mid-afternoon.
She had used a soul-capturing technique on the guards and left on her own.
Xiao Shan realized the problem, feeling both fear and regret. He truly shouldn't have provoked her.
Where had she gone?
Ling Yao hadn't gone anywhere. She had simply entered the inn opposite the tea house. She had no money, so she used the golden hairpin from her head to pay for the room and spent the entire afternoon sitting alone in the room.
She didn't know that someone had been following her all along.
Song Beiting had received a message from the Emperor and had been following her since she left the Jiangbei Prince's residence. He watched as she, lost in thought, left the tea house and came to this inn.
Song Beiting knew she might not want to see him. He redeemed the golden hairpin and then booked a room in the adjacent one, listening for any sounds from her room throughout the afternoon.
However, there was no sound.
Perhaps she was asleep?
It was already dark. Why hadn't she come out yet? Was she upset and sad after an argument with that person?
He couldn't sit still any longer and went to knock on her door.
After a while, he heard her voice: "Send it in!"
She must have mistaken him for a food delivery person. Song Beiting thought for a moment, then went downstairs to get the meal before entering.
The room was dim, with no lights on. She sat quietly by the window, the faint light falling on her, making her a dark silhouette, exuding loneliness.
A familiar pain surged in Song Beiting's chest. Her appearance reminded him of a scene he had witnessed in the palace many years ago.
It was a golden autumn noon. Everyone thought the little princess was resting in her chambers, but only he, from afar, saw that small figure huddled on the very top floor of Feng Que Tower.
The wind was strong, and she was tucked under the eaves of the glazed tiles. If one didn't look carefully, no one would have noticed her.
He was terrified. After following the Second Prince into Feng Que Tower, he quickly ascended to the rooftop with his cover.
"Princess, here, give me your hand," he said softly, afraid to speak loudly.
When she turned her head, her eyes held a fleeting look of loneliness and a hint of annoyance at being disturbed. But before he could ponder the meaning, her beautiful eyes became clear and pure again.
She smiled shyly. "Qing Tang Gege, I saw a very beautiful butterfly flying here, so I came up."
"Mm, alright. Where is the butterfly?" he said, agreeing, and slowly approached.
"It wasn't a butterfly. It was a fallen leaf blown up by the wind."
She said it earnestly, and he didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a child's playfulness.
However, when she went for the marriage alliance and he lay on his bed, refusing to eat, he replayed every past scene in his mind.
Only then did he gradually understand that she wasn't playing. There was no butterfly. She was gazing into the distance, at the world outside the palace, at freedom.
And now? Now that she was free, why was she filled with such loneliness?
"Qing Tang Gege?"
Ling Yao turned her head. This time, he easily caught that hint of displeasure.
The displeasure of being disturbed.
Exactly the same as many years ago.
Was he never welcome?
Song Beiting lit the candle. His long fingers used a bamboo skewer to adjust the wick, lowering his head to hide his dejected expression.
"The Princess is pregnant and should not be out for long. Your subordinate will escort you back to the palace?"
After saying this, he regretted it slightly. Perhaps he could have stayed a little longer.
"Can't I just be alone for a while?" Ling Yao murmured. "Can't I be willful just once?"
Of course! Your subordinate will guard the Princess!
Song Beiting wanted to answer immediately, but her next words stopped him.
"Let's go back!"
She stood up, her swollen belly making her appear even more frail. Song Beiting's eyes instantly dimmed, and he took off his outer robe. "It's cold outside. Princess, please wear this. You can return it at the palace gate."
She didn't take it. "Qing Tang Gege, do you harbor any resentment?"
Song Beiting's hand trembled. He wanted to say no, but was it truly no? Facing her clear eyes that could see through people's hearts, he couldn't bring himself to lie.
If he didn't, he wouldn't have practiced his sword day and night to vent his sorrow.
If he didn't, he wouldn't have constantly watched the Shenwu General, hoping to find his flaws.
Jealousy. He couldn't stand the smug face of that man, which was earned by taking away his happiness.
"You resent me, don't you?"
"No." This time, he answered quickly. He resented fate, perhaps he had also resented the late Emperor, but he had never resented her.
What right did he have to resent her?
"It's not your fault. It's us who didn't protect you well enough. If I had been more decisive back then, you wouldn't have suffered so much."
And wouldn't have met that person.
"Princess, is he really that important?" His hand quietly clenched.
"Important, very important."
Song Beiting's shoulders slumped, all his strength drained away. His handsome face lost its color.
He should have known long ago. The way she looked at that man was filled with intense love and dependence, unlike how she looked at him or anyone else.
He no longer had a chance.