Qiu Lu was speechless watching Xie Jin flee in disarray once again.
Why was it that every time Marquis Xie came to see the Prince, he ended up upsetting the Prince and being driven away?
Just as Qiu Lu was about to shake his head and return to the study, the gatekeeper ran over.
He approached Qiu Lu and reported in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Qiu Lu’s face suddenly changed.
“Go, I’ll go take a look.”
…
A secluded courtyard in the capital.
It appeared unremarkable.
However.
Several hidden guards were concealed in the shadows around the courtyard, protecting the small residence like an impenetrable fortress.
Not even the slightest disturbance could escape their notice.
Inside the courtyard, Qian Le’er lay on the bed, her expression somewhat dazed.
Her health had improved considerably over the past few days.
At the same time, she had also calmed down.
She had been staying by herself, only occasionally venturing out to sit for a while in the afternoon.
When one is waiting for someone, they can’t help but want to be alone.
Someone to whom she hadn’t properly apologized.
Young Master Yi.
She wanted to see Young Master Yi, to tell him some things, and also to warn him to be careful in the future, as her so-called master intended to scheme against him.
This was one part of it; she harbored another thought she couldn’t share with anyone.
She had fallen deeply in love with Young Master Yi, her heart consumed by him.
Her ability to persevere until now was largely because of him, and she wished to be able to watch him from afar in the future.
After experiencing so much, she understood that a life together for her and Young Master Yi was impossible.
She only hoped that they could be together in the next life.
In that future life, her ambition would not be so high, she would fall in love with him at first sight, and no matter what happened, she would never betray him!
She silently told herself that as long as she had said sorry to him and Marquis Zhongyong, she would have no regrets in this life.
From now on, she would peacefully recover her strength and seek revenge!
She would only bless Young Master Yi from afar.
She didn’t know how long she waited.
She fell asleep.
When she woke up, she heard sounds outside the door.
“Brother Qiu, Miss Qian has been constantly asking to see Young Master Yi. We were truly afraid of any incidents, so we sent someone to the Prince’s mansion to call for you.”
“It’s alright, I understand everything.”
Upon hearing Qiu Lu’s voice outside the door, Qian Le’er immediately got up. She wasn’t walking fast enough yet.
She almost fell as she got out of bed.
After steadying herself through gritted teeth, she slowly walked towards the door.
Reaching the door, she pushed it open with a shove.
Standing at the threshold, she looked at Qiu Lu.
“Cousin.”
Hearing this, Qiu Lu turned his head and nodded at Qian Le’er. “Le’er, let’s talk inside.”
Qian Le’er immediately nodded.
The brother and sister entered the room.
After sitting down, Qian Le’er got straight to the point. “Cousin, I want to see Young Master Yi.”
“Why? There are so many misunderstandings between you and Young Master Yi, and you know he has been unfavorable to you.” Qiu Lu replied with a frown.
He didn’t understand why she was still not giving up.
After all that had happened, Young Master Yi had already seen through her. With Marquis Zhongyong still bedridden, why did she insist on seeing Young Master Yi?
Qian Le’er sensed Qiu Lu’s anger and knew what he was thinking.
She pursed her lips, trying to force a smile of relief, but the experiences of the past period had made it impossible for her to smile.
“Cousin, I want to see Young Master Yi not because I still have feelings for him, or because I’m still hoping for anything. I want to apologize to him, and to Marquis Zhongyong. Now that I’ve truly repented, I realize I was wrong,” Qian Le’er said sincerely.
If she still harbored any fantasies at this point, she would truly be beyond redemption.
Hearing this, Qiu Lu felt a pang of pity.
However, he still stated the facts. “Le’er, Young Master Yi will not see you. He probably already knows the truth and your purpose in contacting him. The situation in the capital is complex right now, and he is staying in seclusion at Marquis Zhongyong’s residence, solely caring for Marquis Zhongyong.”
“As for your apologies, I will convey them to Young Master Yi and Marquis Zhongyong for you. Le’er, regarding Young Master Yi, I know you feel guilty, but the best outcome for both of you now is to not meet.”
He didn’t want to be too cruel with the truth.
Perhaps Young Master Yi had never truly liked her.
Upon hearing this, Qian Le’er gritted her teeth, froze, and then a self-mocking laugh escaped her. “It seems that I am not even worthy of saying an apology to him now. Cousin, even though you were considerate of me and didn’t speak too plainly, I understood. I know that even if I requested to see Young Master Yi, or knelt at the gates of Marquis Zhongyong’s residence, Young Master Yi would absolutely refuse to see me.”
Qiu Lu frowned, unsure how to respond to Qian Le’er.
Qian Le’er suddenly had an epiphany.
She suddenly loathed herself.
Then, with a self-deprecating tone, she said, “To see Young Master Yi with my current defiled body would be a desecration to him. Cousin, I understand everything. It’s just that I didn’t recognize reality earlier. Now, I recognize it.”
Qiu Lu’s eyes reddened, and he immediately stopped Qian Le’er from speaking ill of herself. “Le’er, it’s not your fault, it’s Jiang Luoxi’s fault! It’s her who is so insidious and venomous! Le’er, the Prince and Miss Yun Er are doing everything they can to deal with Jiang Luoxi. I believe it won’t be long before we can get revenge! When that happens, you can also get revenge, and after we’ve avenged ourselves, I’ll send you anywhere you want to go in the world.”
She didn’t know that the words she spoke also pierced his heart like a thorn.
Causing him immense pain.
His uncle and aunt, if they knew, would surely resent him for not taking good care of Le’er.
Qian Le’er shook her head. “Cousin, it is indeed Jiang Luoxi’s fault, but it’s not your fault. It’s my fault. It was my ambition that was too high, allowing myself to be blinded. Cousin, you should return to Prince Ye’s mansion. From today onwards, I will no longer wish to see Young Master Yi. Don’t worry.”
Seeing this, Qiu Lu wanted to say something more to persuade Qian Le’er, but the words caught in his throat. He suddenly felt that no matter what he said, it would be difficult to heal the pain in Le’er’s heart and all that she had been through.
…
A few days later.
Suddenly, news spread from the palace.
Empress Dowager Geng had hanged herself in the cold palace.
She had taken her own life at night, unseen by anyone. She was discovered only at dawn, already deceased.
When Zhan Tianhong learned of the Empress Dowager’s death, it was said that he remained silent for a long time.
He then issued an order to allow the Empress Dowager and the Regent to be buried together.
However, neither of them could be interred in the imperial mausoleum.
Many people spoke of the Emperor’s deep affection, that despite the Empress Dowager’s grave mistakes, she was granted her wish to be with the Regent.
When this news reached him, Zhan Tianye had already arrived at the General’s mansion and was having lunch with Yun Shu.
Yun Changfeng sighed deeply. “Life is unpredictable.”
Then, he looked at Yun Shu and Zhan Tianye. “The situation is becoming more complex by the day. Prince Ning is watching from the sidelines. I’ve decided to go to the palace to see the Emperor after lunch. It might not be a smooth meeting today, and I’ve prepared myself for three consecutive days of visits to the palace.”