Chapter 454
Xiao Rongyan drank the osmanthus dew in his cup: “I am fortunate to taste the osmanthus dew made by the Crown Princess Consort herself. It is an honor.”
Bai Qingyan also nodded slightly towards the Crown Prince with a faint smile: “Your Highness is considerate. I am deeply grateful.”
“There’s no need for such formalities. We are cousins by marriage. We are family!” The Crown Prince said with a laugh.
Without any songs or dances for entertainment, and without wine, the simple banquet ended quickly.
“I fear the Emperor might send someone to deliver an edict at the Princess of Zhen’s residence. Thus, I won’t keep her here. Rongyan… you will escort the Princess of Zhen back.” The Crown Prince said with a smile.
The reason for keeping Bai Qingyan at the Crown Prince’s residence for a meal was to give Bai Qingyan and Xiao Rongyan a chance to interact.
Qin Shangzhi raised his eyes to look at Bai Qingyan, then at Xiao Rongyan, and he understood why the Crown Prince would do this.
However, Qin Shangzhi felt that the Crown Prince’s use of Bai Qingyan’s lifelong matter, as a means to seek Xiao Rongyan’s silver coin, was somewhat cold-hearted.
With Bai Qingyan’s intelligence, Qin Shangzhi believed she had long understood the Crown Prince’s intentions. The Crown Prince’s actions might make Bai Qingyan feel disheartened.
“I take my leave!” Bai Qingyan bowed to the Crown Prince.
Xiao Rongyan had come on horseback, without a carriage.
The Crown Prince also pretended not to notice and didn’t have the Prince’s residence prepare a carriage for Bai Qingyan, making his intentions obvious.
Xiao Rongyan said to Bai Qingyan, “Fortunately, the path from the Crown Prince’s residence to the Princess of Zhen’s residence is shaded by green trees. Walking is not a problem. I… can also have a word with Miss Bai.”
Bai Qingyan’s hand hidden in her sleeve tightened, and she nodded: “Mr. Xiao, please.”
“Miss Bai, after you.”
Yue Shi, holding a sword with the guards, stood not far away, secretly smiling, and praised the Crown Prince of Jin Kingdom in his heart.
“I know what Mr. Xiao wants to say.” Bai Qingyan walked alongside Xiao Rongyan with her hands behind her back, slowly moving along the tree-lined path.
“I also know what Miss Bai wants to say.” Xiao Rongyan said methodically, “For Miss Bai, I am a person from another country, and our ambitions are largely the same. If we were to form an attachment now, it would inevitably become a burden when decisions need to be made.”
Xiao Rongyan understood everything clearly in his heart.
She lowered her eyes and said, “Without attachment, it’s each for their own benefit, as it should be. With emotional ties, there will be excessive expectations! Back then, Princess An Le, the full sister of the Jin Kingdom Emperor… married into the Shu Kingdom to be a consort for the sake of stabilizing the Emperor’s position when he was still the Crown Prince. In the war to destroy Shu… I personally led troops to control the Shu harem. Princess An Le was confident in their sibling bond, so she did not flee with her children but returned to Dadu with the triumphant army. She thought the Emperor would spare her children, considering their bond since childhood, and she could return to her homeland. But the Emperor chose to cut the grass and root! Princess An Le also resented the Emperor. She was shot to death by arrows while plotting to assassinate the Jin Kingdom Emperor.”
“Was the Emperor wrong in this matter? As the ruler of the Jin Kingdom, he was not wrong to be thorough! Was Princess An Le wrong to try to assassinate the Emperor? She wasn’t either! The fault lies in the emotions! The Emperor could ruthlessly eliminate Princess An Le’s children, but he could not kill the sister who grew up with him and married into the Shu Kingdom to stabilize his position as Crown Prince. Princess An Le’s confidence in their sibling bond led her to return to the Jin Kingdom with the army, leading to her children’s tragic end. Her choice to assassinate the Emperor was understandable.”
Bai Qingyan paused and turned around, with her clear black and white eyes solemnly looking at Xiao Rongyan: “In this world, everything has reason, except for emotions which cannot be measured by reason. This is true of the human heart. Who can be an exception?”
Emotions… indeed the least reasonable thing in this world.
The wind passed, rustling the branches and leaves.
A cool breeze swept across the hem of Bai Qingyan’s long sleeves, and she bent slightly to bow to Xiao Rongyan: “Mr. Xiao, please stay. I will walk the rest of the way alone.”
As Bai Qingyan was about to leave, Xiao Rongyan grabbed her wrist.
Yue Shi and the guards, who were holding horses and following behind them, quickly turned away, not daring to look.
“Mr. Xiao!” Bai Qingyan glanced around. This area was home to noble families. Ordinary people would not come here unless necessary. At this noon hour, the streets were empty due to the heat.
Xiao Rongyan’s fingers were long and slender, clearly defined, and strong.
He gently pulled Bai Qingyan towards him, his deep eyes seriously gazing at Bai Qingyan’s delicate face.
They were so close that Bai Qingyan could see Xiao Rongyan’s long eyelashes clearly.
“I understand what you said! My mother, whose wisdom far surpassed that of men, fell because of emotions. Back then, my mother and father belonged to the same country, yet it ended that way. I understand your concerns!” Xiao Rongyan said seriously with a calm expression, “I won’t force you, but let’s make a gentleman’s agreement! When the world is unified, then we shall become husband and wife!”
Bai Qingyan wanted to retreat, but Xiao Rongyan moved closer, his tall figure almost pressing against her. One hand tightly held her slender wrist, and the other grabbed her thin shoulder, lowering his voice: “This agreement is not for an emotional bond, but so that… there will be no one else between us! If Bai Qingyan has a husband, he must be Murong Yan. If I have a wife, she must be Bai Qingyan.”
Xiao Rongyan’s eyes were sincere and full of emotion: “Do you dare to agree?”
Bai Qingyan’s palms tightened.
The warm wind slipped into Bai Qingyan’s neck, making her ears burn.
Such unreasonable words. This was already a private lifelong commitment, yet not considered an emotional bond?
“I was injured years ago and cannot have children.” Bai Qingyan also lowered her voice, “You are the Ninth Prince of Yan. Without a legitimate heir… your brother might not agree.”
“There are countless women in the world who can bear children. But there is only one Bai Qingyan. I seek a wife… not children!”
Xiao Rongyan was very close, with his voice so low that when he spoke, the warm breath swept past her eyelashes, making her eyelashes tremble uncontrollably.
“If I hadn’t thought it through, I wouldn’t speak to you rashly! Once, the Crown Prince told me that if I were to marry into the Bai family, even if Miss Bai had few children, I would be blocked from taking a concubine as a son-in-law! I told the Crown Prince… that I chose a wife based on whether we could understand each other for a lifetime. What I seek is a confidant, not heirs!”
After finishing, Xiao Rongyan slightly eased his grip on Bai Qingyan, looking at her: “For my whole life, my heart’s desire is to have Bai Qingyan by my side!”
The weight of Xiao Rongyan’s words was so heavy that Bai Qingyan could not respond, her throat felt constricted.
He gently rubbed Bai Qingyan’s slender wrist, speaking slowly: “When the world is unified, we will become husband and wife! Before then… we will cooperate for mutual benefit. Once the benefits are exhausted, we will part ways, without discussing emotions. Such a gentleman’s agreement, do you dare?”