Chapter 135: This Princess Listens to You

Xiao Shunzi: ...
For some reason, he always felt completely superfluous.

The sound of the Emperor's reprimand from inside had just ceased when the heavy doors swung open. Yuan Zaichun emerged clad in imperial yellow robes, yet utterly devoid of his former arrogance. As he raised his eyes and caught sight of Qiao Qingyun, Zhong Shi, and the others waiting outside, the words perched on the tip of his tongue were abruptly swallowed back down.

"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince."

Qiao Qingyun, maintaining strict propriety, obediently curtsied. Those behind her echoed the salute in unison. Finding Zhong Shi standing so protectively by Qiao Qingyun's side, Yuan Zaichun offered a bitter, self-deprecating smile before striding away with large strides.

"What has gotten into him?"

Qiao Qingyun watched Yuan Zaichun's retreating figure with a bewildered expression.

Zhong Shi hurriedly urged, "County Princess, let us go inside."

"Oh! Right, right."

The bustling entourage crowded their way in. The moment she crossed the threshold, Qiao Qingyun dropped to her knees before the Emperor, "Qingyun pays her respects to Your Majesty, my imperial uncle."

Hearing Qiao Qingyun's voice, the Emperor turned abruptly and strode rapidly toward her seat. "Quickly, rise. Let your uncle take a good look at you."

With that, the Emperor pulled Qiao Qingyun up with his own hands, inspecting her thoroughly from head to toe. Noticing that her left arm hung limply and could not move, his expression instantly turned tense. "What is this?"

For a moment, Qiao Qingyun did not know how to respond. What if she told the truth and Yuan Zaichun was summoned back here to be chewed out all over again?

Qinguo, however, had no intention of leaving any leeway for Yuan Zaichun. She blurted out immediately, "It was the County Princess who used her own body to block a blade and protect His Highness the Crown Prince."

"What!"

The Emperor was struck pale with fright, as though the person in question were not his own flesh and blood. He anxiously grasped Qiao Qingyun's hand. "Qingyun, you must not come to any harm! If anything were to happen to you, how would your uncle ever face your mother?"

Qiao Qingyun cast a feigned, reproachful glance at Qingguo, then let out a light laugh. "Uncle need not worry. Qingyun has thick skin and a tough hide. It was merely a slash; it is of no consequence."

"And you still say it is of no consequence! Your uncle has already questioned the messenger who returned. They said you remained unconscious for a full day, and that you only pulled through because emergency treatment was administered just in time. Look at yourself—just going out for a few days, look how wretchedly battered you've become!"

The more the Emperor spoke, the more his heart ached. Glancing aside unintentionally, he spotted Zhong Shi and noticed a sword scar on the young man's face. Although not terribly deep, it was glaringly conspicuous. With polite formality, the Emperor inquired, "And what befell the young master of the Lu Clan?"

Zhong Shi lowered his gaze. "It was Zhong Shi's failure to adequately protect the County Princess. I neglected to realize that the assassin was not yet fully dead, which resulted in the County Princess sustaining severe injuries."

Having said this, Zhong Shi dropped to his knees with rigid propriety, "I beg Your Majesty to punish me."

"Enough, enough. Since Qingyun has returned safely, how could We possibly punish you two? Besides... We are well aware of whose doing this was."

A flash of murderous intent crossed the Emperor's eyes. He gripped Qiao Qingyun's hand a fraction tighter, entirely unaware that she was already fragile to such an extreme degree. The pain wrung a soft gasp from her lips, "Hiss... that hurts..."

"What is it? Did your uncle squeeze too hard?"

The Emperor panicked all over again. After fussing over her with a flurry of anxious concern, he finally had someone escort Qiao Qingyun back to the Zijing Palace.

Who could have anticipated that the moment they reached the courtyard gates, they would spot a man in imperial yellow robes seated within?

Today, who in the world possessed the privilege of swaggering so brazenly into the Zijing Palace?

None other than Yuan Zaichun!

"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince."

The women stepped forward briskly, requiring no one to bar their way, and offered formal salutes along with their entourage. Meanwhile, Zhong Shi and Hongying simply stood where they were, too lazy to stir.

For no other reason than this: their status was roughly on par with Yuan Zaichun's. If they were to bow and scrape to him now, how could they hold their heads high in the future?

"No need for such elaborate courtesies."

The man seemed to deliberately maintain a distance, forcefully suppressing the urge to actively approach her.

Supported by Zhong Shi, Qiao Qingyun seated herself. Exchanging a glance with Yuan Zaichun, she asked, "Does the Crown Prince have some pressing matter that brings him to seek out Qingyun today?"

"His Majesty has already had Bu Shenglian banished to the nunnery."

"Mm."

Yuan Zaichun had brought this latest intelligence specifically to share with Qiao Qingyun, hoping it might pave the way for him to coax her back. To his dismay, she showed not the slightest bit of interest!

"She has already been taken away," Yuan Zaichun persisted, unwilling to give up. Qiao Qingyun massaged her temples and smiled. "And so, what is it the Crown Prince wishes to say?"

Indeed...

What was it he wished to say?

Yuan Zaichun gazed at Qiao Qingyun's pretty yet pale cheeks, and then at Zhong Shi, who stood by her side as an equal in status. What advantages did he possess now?

Realizing that Yuan Zaichun's words were stuck in his throat and unable to escape, Liufu anxiously piped up, "County Princess, His Highness wishes to welcome you back home. If you would only—"

"What kind of joke is this?"

Qiao Qingyun refused without a moment's hesitation. Locking her gaze onto Yuan Zaichun's face, she paused for a moment before continuing, "If the Crown Prince truly wishes to take me back, it is not entirely beyond the realm of possibility."

The moment those words left her lips, the hand with which Zhong Shi gripped his sword hilt visibly tightened with tension, while a glimmer of smiling hope crept across Yuan Zaichun's face. "Truly?"

"If the Crown Prince can manage to make me change my mind and win back my heart within a set period, there is nothing that cannot be discussed with my imperial uncle. However, if..."

The woman paused deliberately, her gaze shifting to rest upon Zhong Shi. "He has protected me faithfully for a long time, attending to my every need around the clock without a single moment of rest. This princess also has the right to choose him."

"Even if it means marrying far away to a distant land, surely that is vastly better than being subjected to assassination attempts every other day, is it not?"

Qiao Qingyun raised an eyebrow and tilted her head to ask.

Zhong Shi's previously taut nerves suddenly relaxed. In other words, he had an equal chance after all!

Yuan Zaichun stared at Qiao Qingyun's delicate face, desperately hoping to discern whether she was merely teasing him, but searched in vain for any hint of playfulness.

"Very well! As long as you are willing to grant this prince a chance, I will do anything!"

Hearing such words tumble from the lips of the august and untouchable Crown Prince left Qiao Qingyun and the others considerably startled.

The haughty Yuan Zaichun of the past, whose nose had always pointed toward the heavens, seemed gone forever, replaced by a remarkably humble man.

"Very well, then it is settled. The Crown Prince should take his leave for now; I must tend to my injuries in the coming days."

"Alright, alright, this prince will heed your wishes."

Yuan Zaichun stood up awkwardly and hurried away in anxious haste, terrified that if he lingered a moment longer, he might displease Qiao Qingyun.

At the Crown Prince's Mansion:

Following the imperial decree, Bu Shenglian was dragged out of the Tingzhu Courtyard, half-carried and half-hauled by guards.

"No! You cannot treat me like this! Where is the Crown Prince? I demand to see the Crown Prince!"

Heading the detail was Xiao Shunzi. Remembering how Qiao Qingyun had entered the palace gravely wounded earlier that day, he could not forget the kindness she had once shown him.

Back during the plague, it was Qiao Qingyun who had instructed him on proper preventive measures and personally helped him break his fever.

How could he not harbor deep resentment toward the woman who had driven away his benefactor?

"The Crown Prince? The Crown Prince probably never wants to see your face again! Because of you, His Highness has suffered how many reprimands! By imperial decree, you are to be banished to the nunnery this very instant!"

"It cannot be! This cannot be!"

Bu Shenglian was draped in lavish garments of fine silk and satin, her hands still clutching a pair of emerald jade bracelets.