He instinctively grabbed her hand.
"What's wrong?"
Nan Shiying lowered her head, looking at the white knuckles on his hand from the force of his grip. His grasp hurt her, but compared to the pain in her hand, Nan Shiying was more concerned about Ji Jinmo.
The eyes that never wavered or feared even in the face of immense storms were devoid of their usual calmness and composure, filled instead with panic and unease. He looked at her like a helpless child pleading for divine mercy. Nan Shiying had never seen Ji Jinmo like this.
Her heart twisted into a knot, wanting only to soothe his inner turmoil.
"Don't leave me!"
Ji Jinmo looked at Nan Shiying with a plea in his voice.
The sounds around her suddenly seemed to be enveloped in mist. Nan Shiying stared blankly at Ji Jinmo, unsure how to answer.
Leave?
Would she leave?
Nan Shiying didn't want to lie to him; she would.
She couldn't be a canary confined to a cage. Her heart yearned for the boundless sky, the vast ocean, the mountains, the rivers, the gentle breeze, the soft rain – a life free, unrestrained, and unburdened.
What would she gain by staying?
A man destined to be an emperor? A love that would forever be divided?
What could she believe in?
Could she believe in a man's promise at this moment, or in the existence of eternal, unchanging love?
Nothing in this world was less trustworthy than love.
She looked at Ji Jinmo, remaining silent for a long moment. Instead of answering him, she asked, "Is His Highness willing to forsake the imperial throne for me?"
Silence, still silence.
Ji Jinmo slowly lowered his gaze and released Nan Shiying's hand.
Even though she had long known the answer, she couldn't help but smile at Ji Jinmo's choice.
In the face of power and status, what was a woman?
She couldn't help but feel a sense of self-mockery. After living for so long, why did she still expect what was called love like a young girl?
She never denied her feelings for Ji Jinmo, but life wasn't solely about love.
"I'm tired."
Nan Shiying dismissed him.
Ji Jinmo looked up, his eyes burning with an emotion Nan Shiying couldn't decipher. His gaze was locked on her, and he asked with a firm and stubborn voice, "If I give up the throne, will you stay by my side forever?"
For whom was this display of deep affection? Did he truly believe she would be moved by it?
Her eyes held a hint of mockery as she nodded at him, replying with certainty, "If Your Highness is willing to give up the imperial throne for me, what's to stop me from staying by your side forever?"
"Good, I've noted it!"
Ji Jinmo gave Nan Shiying a heavy look, as if telling her not to go back on her word.
Nan Shiying couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, not even bothering to look at him again.
Ji Jinmo, however, gazed at her deeply until she turned her back, then he turned and strode out the door.
...
The Prince and Princess have argued!
The servants in the Xinyuan Pavilion were as silent as cicadas, each fearing being made a scapegoat by the displeased Princess.
Lü Wan's hair was turning white with worry. The Prince hadn't set foot in Xinyuan Pavilion for two days. In the past, unless there was urgent business, he would linger here. Now, he didn't even come. What if those two mistresses seized this opportunity?
"Can you stop pacing?" Nan Shiying threw down the book in her hand, frowning at Lü Wan.
She kept pacing in front of her, making her dizzy. What was the hurry? Could she not live without a man?
"My dear Princess, why aren't you worried at all!" Lü Wan sighed melodramatically. It was truly a case of the emperor not being worried, yet the eunuchs were anxious to death.
"Worried about what?"
"Oh, my dear Princess."
Lü Wan twisted her handkerchief, stamping her foot in anxiety. "What exactly happened between you and His Highness?"
Nan Shiying picked up the book again and replied nonchalantly, "Nothing!"
"What do you mean 'nothing'?" Lü Wan wished she could rush forward, snatch the book from Nan Shiying's hand, and drag her to the study. What was there that these two couldn't talk through? The Prince doted on the Princess so much; Lü Wan thought that as long as the Princess was willing to humble herself and go to the study, the Prince wouldn't be able to remain angry.
But the problem was, the Princess seemed even more upset than the Prince, and neither of them was willing to yield.
"Lü Wan, if you're really that idle, go to the small kitchen and ask what new dishes there are today. Don't hover around me."
Nan Shiying just wanted to send her away.
Upon mentioning the small kitchen, Lü Wan's eyes lit up. If the Princess wouldn't act, they would act on her behalf. She readily agreed and ran towards the small kitchen.
Nan Shiying blinked, truly unable to comprehend the thoughts of these young girls, going from anxious to happy in an instant. Were their emotions so fickle?
She couldn't figure it out, so she stopped thinking about it.
Lü Wan ran to the small kitchen. Bai Zhi, who was tending to the kitchen, saw Lü Wan and hurried to greet her. "Sister, why are you here? Does the Princess have any instructions?"
Lü Wan nodded, then shook her head, leaning close to Bai Zhi's ear and whispering conspiratorially.
Bai Zhi's eyes grew brighter and brighter. She clapped her hands, beaming with joy. "Sister, this idea is truly wonderful. Let's do it this way."
As Bai Zhi spoke, she turned and instructed the staff in the small kitchen, "Quickly make two small dishes that the Prince likes to eat."
Hearing this, everyone immediately got busy.
Is the Princess trying to make peace with the Prince? She should have done this long ago. Who in the inner court doesn't rely on the Prince's favor to live? What was the fate of the once-glamorous concubine now? These servants had also been worried for the past few days that the Prince wasn't coming. Now that it was good, and the Princess was willing to yield, they couldn't hold back.
Everyone worked with renewed vigor.
Soon, dishes that were both delicious and visually appealing were prepared.
Lü Wan packed the dishes into a food box and carried it towards the study.
...
In the study, Xuan Thirteen squatted outside the small kitchen, watching the bustling activity within. Thinking of the Prince's earlier instructions, he couldn't help but curl his lip. The Prince was really something. If he wanted to humble himself before the Princess, he should have gone to coax her personally. Instead, he made up all this talk about the small kitchen having new dishes, and how the Princess always liked novelty, and how the servants in the small kitchen wanted the Princess to try the new dishes.
What kind of excuse was that?
It was a good thing the Prince could utter it!
However, considering the Prince's unpredictable moods these past two days, Xuan Thirteen still felt it was best to appease the Princess quickly to avoid being implicated.
When the small kitchen finished the dishes, they handed the food box to Xuan Thirteen.
The moment Xuan Thirteen stepped out of the study, he saw Lü Wan approaching the study with a food box. His eyes lit up.