novelaction Chapter 222 Princess Qingcheng 22
Chapter 222 Princess Qingcheng 22
……
Upon receiving the news, Emperor Wen quickly rushed to the palace gate with a group of people. Seeing Xue Yi's thin and frail figure, he felt so distressed that he hated his rebellious son even more.
"An Xia!" A voice came with a hint of vicissitudes and calmness, and Xue Yi looked over.
The man's hair had begun to turn gray, and he seemed much older than when she had seen him three days ago. Wrinkles also appeared on his face, and he looked very sad.
His time is coming...
Xue Yi's nose felt sore and tears welled up in her eyes. She ran into Emperor Wen's arms and cried like a child.
"Father, An Xia misses you so much..."
At this moment, she was not the cold-hearted Xue Yi, but Xia Nanrou who had suffered injustice and longed for fatherly love.
Emperor Wen held her in his arms, and his wrinkled hands kept comforting her, "My dear child, it is your father who is sorry for you..."
Xue Yi shook her head, "No, no..."
He had already done enough for her.
The imperial decree of marriage granted her unlimited honors and favors, and she would be given the first chance to choose the best items and tributes.
As long as she liked it, Emperor Wen would reward her without hesitation.
Knowing that his time was up, he planned two options for her.
One is to become the future queen mother of Daxia and enjoy supreme honor.
The other is to become the most honorable princess of Daxia and spend the rest of her life with her beloved.
He is a good father and an even better emperor.
……
Emperor Wen brought his entourage back to the Xuan Zheng Hall. After dismissing the palace maids, only Emperor Wen, Xue Yi, Xie Yunya and Jun Liche were left in the hall.
Emperor Wen did not let Jun Liche step down, probably because Jun Liche saved Xue Yi.
Emperor Wen sighed, and then revealed an old secret.
"Once upon a time, there was a woman of unrivaled beauty and fame in the capital.
One day, when she was strolling around, she accidentally bumped into the third prince at that time. The third prince fell in love with her at first sight, but in the end he only waited for the news that she was already married.
The woman's husband was a general who was a top-ranking general in the imperial court and treated her very well. However, due to the war, the general died in the battlefield in order to save 30,000 people in the border city. The woman was heartbroken and mourned for him. She wanted to commit suicide to follow the general.
She happened to be stopped by the Third Prince who came to visit her. At that time, the Third Prince had been named Crown Prince.
He promised the woman the position of Crown Princess, but she refused and threatened to commit suicide, so he had to give up.
Later, the general's family fell, and they forced the woman to hand over all the property in the house, or even robbed it directly.
The woman fainted from grief and when she woke up she found out she was pregnant.
The crown prince at that time brought her back to the East Palace and took good care of her. After he ascended the throne, he made her a concubine and doted on her.
But no matter how many years he spent, he could not win the girl's heart. She passed away a few years after giving birth to the child, leaving only a ten-year-old daughter alive. "
At this point, the people present had roughly understood what was said.
The only concubine who had a daughter was the deceased Imperial Noble Consort Shujia.
And that daughter was Xia Nanrou.
"Shao Heng knew about this. So he has been taking care of An Xia since she was a child, just like a future wife."
"I once gave him an imperial decree, promising Li Nanrou, the daughter of the former General Dunhou, to be the Crown Prince's principal wife, and to be crowned as the Queen after he ascends the throne. This was originally intended to provide a guarantee for An Xia's second half of life. If she became Shao Heng's Queen, An Xia would have no worries in her life and would have everything she needed for the rest of her life."
"But... I didn't expect An Xia to choose the boy from the Xie family in the end. Shao Heng was angry and came to me to argue."
"I spoke too harshly and forced Shao Heng to present gifts and congratulate An Xia. So Shao Heng..."
Everyone present was silent. This was equivalent to raising a wife for several years and suddenly having her marry someone else, and being forced to congratulate her and another man.
Everyone will go crazy...
Xue Yi blinked her eyes and said, "Why is Xia Shaoheng so angry?"
Originally, Xia Shaoheng could have chosen not to attend her and Xie Yunya’s wedding ceremony, out of sight, out of mind.
Now he was forced to participate and congratulate her, and to witness her and Xie Yunya worshipping heaven and earth and entering the bridal chamber with his own eyes, which would drive him crazy.
Xia Shaoheng went to argue with her and asked her to reconsider, but she kept saying that she and Xie Yunya were in love with each other.
Oops, I hit you right there.
Emperor Wen looked at the silent people in the room and realized that something was wrong.
"This matter is my fault for not thinking it through. Although Shao Heng was wrong, but..."
"I gave him a sword. I hope An Xia and the Xie family kid can calm down."
Xue Yi pursed her lips and asked softly, "Brother Shao Heng, how is he now..."
Emperor Wen recalled the report from the imperial physician and sighed, "Shao Heng is seriously injured and is still recovering in the Eastern Palace. The imperial physician told him to rest well. I'm afraid he won't be able to see you get married."
"Can I go see Brother Shaoheng?" she asked softly.
Emperor Wen paused, "Of course... Shao Heng is also worried about An Xia."
Xue Yi turned around and walked away, and Xie Yunya and Jun Liche did not try to stop her.
The prince was indeed pitiful in this matter. No wonder he always tried to stop the two of them from contacting the princess.
It turns out that in the prince's heart, the two of them are superfluous people, always pestering the future crown princess...
Xue Yi entered the East Palace unhindered and successfully saw Xia Shaoheng lying on the bed with his eyes closed and resting.
The man's former fierce and arrogant look now looked pale and fragile. He became gentler and not so irritating when he was asleep.
Xue Yi sat beside his bed, then asked the palace maid to leave. She wet a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Xia Shaoheng's forehead.
Feeling the touch, Xia Shaoheng opened his eyes, and a familiar smell lingered in his nose.
He was stunned. Was it a dream?
Nan Rou must hate him to death now. He forced her to have her body and even beat up the palace maid she cared about.
She would not come to see him.
She would never forgive him.
"Brother Shaoheng." The girl's soft voice came into his ears. No, it was not a dream, it was really her.
Xia Shaoheng was delighted and was about to stand up, but as soon as he moved his whole body suddenly felt pain.
"hiss---"
Xue Yi quickly pushed him down, saying in a reproachful tone, "What are you doing? You are so badly injured yet you still insist on being strong."
"Nan Rou..." Xia Shaoheng spoke softly, his eyes looking at her were full of love and reluctance.
He just missed her too much and wanted to hug her.
Hearing the man's slightly hoarse voice, Xue Yi stood up, poured a glass of water, and brought it to Xia Shaoheng's lips.
Xia Shaoheng drank it obediently without saying a word, just looking at her quietly.
for a long time,
Neither of them had words.
The hall was silent, yet also a rare moment of relaxation.
It was Xia Shaoheng who broke the silence first. He murmured, "Nan Rou... I'm sorry."
The sound was very small, but it was clear and distinct in the silent hall.
Xue Yi paused holding the cup, then pursed her lips and said nothing.
Xia Shaoheng felt a sore nose and turned his head away, tears sliding down the corners of his eyes and sinking into the pillow.
He didn't dare to look at her expression, for fear of seeing disgust and aversion.
He was wrong, but he didn't regret it.
He really liked her. From the first time she accepted his jade pendant, her flower-like smile was engraved in his mind.
Watching her and Xie Yunya playing around, he stood in the dark and became crazy with jealousy.
Even that palace maid was closer to her than he was. There was a high wall between them. He was her royal brother, and she only treated him as a brother.
No matter how much care and attention he gave her, it was all the love of a brother, but as the eldest brother, he only cared so much for her, his sister.
She doesn't know and isn't sure.
He was furious that day and had intended to go to her palace to persuade her to reconsider and not allow her to marry Xie Yunya.
But she insisted that she and Xie Yunya loved each other and wanted to marry him.
He was so angry that he collapsed, but his father still forced him to congratulate her.
He kissed her impulsively, even...
But she had already given her body to him, so she probably wouldn't marry Xie Yunya anymore...
Xueyi sat down, put away the handkerchief, and then spoke softly: "Next month, I will marry Yunya. I have discussed it with my father. Brother Shaoheng does not need to attend the banquet."
What? They're getting married?!
Xia Shaoheng turned his head suddenly, not even caring about his injuries.
He endured the severe pain and sat up, holding Xue Yi's hand stubbornly. "You are already mine, why do you want to marry him!"
"Will you be my Crown Princess, my future Queen?"
He begged, and finally let go of his self-esteem and pride as a crown prince.
Looking at Xue Yi’s silence, the man felt no greater sorrow than a dead heart.
He held the girl's soft hand in his. They had already performed the Zhougong ceremony, but she still wanted to marry someone else...
“Why…how am I inferior to him…” He murmured, stubbornly refusing to let go.
Because he used too much force to stand up, the wound on his arm had reopened, and blood soaked his white shirt, but he seemed unaware of it and only wanted an answer from Xue Yi.
The girl looked at the blood spilling out and tried to break free from his hand. "Your wound has broken open again. You need to take care of it quickly. I'll go call the imperial physician."
After saying that, she was about to get up and leave.
However, Xia Shaoheng did not let go. With red eyes, he forcefully brought Xue Yi to the bed.
Regardless of the wound on his arm and the pain in his bones, he forcefully pressed her under him, stubbornly refusing to let her leave.
This kiss was different from the last one. It was not fierce but had an irresistible power.
He was trying to keep her in his own way, begging her not to leave.