"What do you want me to do? Like him? Marry him?"
Chu Qianli smiled somewhat helplessly, shaking her head.
Were all these young girls lovesick?
"Have you forgotten who is behind him? Her Majesty the Empress! That's someone on a similar level to Hua Rong."
To throw yourself at such a dangerous person, weren't they tired of living?
"But Prince He also said he could give up his title for you and elope with you with money."
"Do you think that's realistic?"
This question left Fu Ning speechless for a moment.
Calming down, she realized how brainless she had been.
Seeing how good Prince He was to their young lady, and comparing him to the others around them who all wanted to harm her, to hurt her.
In contrast, Prince He was like a deity. Even Fu Ning was moved.
"But no matter what, you don't need to be so heartless to him. Even if he's just a friend..."
"He doesn't want to be friends with me. His intentions are very clear: he wants me to be his woman."
Chu Qianli lowered her gaze, looking at the pile of pastries on the low table in the carriage.
Her words weren't exactly cold, but they were very detached. "Fu Ning, if I am kind to him, wouldn't that be giving him hope?"
"But I don't have feelings for him in my heart. I didn't before, I don't now, and I never will. If I give him hope, he will only be more despairing in the future, do you understand?"
"Moreover, he's a bit impulsive wanting to elope with me now, but it's just impulse. Wealth, status – those princes who are accustomed to being high and mighty, born with silver spoons, who can truly let go?"
Prince He couldn't.
Neither could a certain someone.
They were all the same kind of people.
Chu Qianli yawned. "Fu Ning, I'm a bit sleepy. I want to sleep for a while."
"Alright, I'll tidy up for you."
As soon as Fu Ning finished tidying the pastries, she turned around and saw Chu Qianli slumping over crookedly.
Fu Ning was startled and quickly supported her. "Young lady, what's wrong?"
"Sleepy..." Chu Qianli was still yawning, feeling even weaker. "Help me... tidy up, I really need to... sleep for a while."
As soon as she said this, she collapsed onto Fu Ning, her eyes tightly closed, her breathing even.
She had really fallen asleep.
She was that tired.
Fu Ning helped her lie down and covered her with a blanket.
Chu Qianli slept soundly, not opening her eyes even once in the middle of it.
The procession wasn't moving slowly.
Prince Xuan's group seemed very anxious, having fallen behind them several times.
The road ahead was vast and unknown.
Southern Ming, full of unknown forces, the Southern Ming Emperor, full of magical legends, the Southern Ming Grand Preceptor, full of mysterious power... were getting closer and closer to her...
...Five days later.
Chu Qianli woke up amidst a clamor.
When she woke up, Fu Ning was still sitting beside her, her eyes swollen, clearly having cried.
But she was very restrained and enduring. Apart from her eyes looking red and swollen, her expression was at least calm and composed.
However, the moment she saw Chu Qianli open her eyes, Fu Ning's nose suddenly stung, and tears rolled down.
"What's wrong?" Before Chu Qianli could even stretch her limbs, she sat up abruptly and grasped Fu Ning's shoulder.
"Who bullied you? Was it Chu Feiyan? I'll go kill her for you!"
Fu Ning had never been one to cry. She was definitely a very strong girl.
If she hadn't suffered immense grievance, she wouldn't be like this!
What had Chu Feiyan done to her?