Chapter 377

The carriage departed from the Third Prince’s residence, with A’er and Atu riding alongside on horseback.

Inside the carriage, Meng Guxue and Baili Chengyou sat on opposite sides, barely touching the carriage walls. In the already small space, they kept their distance.

Baili Chengyou frowned, his gaze sweeping over Meng Guxue’s face several times before finally speaking up, “Why are you upset?”

Meng Guxue remained silent, head bowed.

From Baili Chengyou’s perspective, he could only see Meng Guxue’s calm profile, a stark contrast to her usual lively and articulate self.

After a moment of thought, Baili Chengyou leaned towards Meng Guxue and softened his voice, “Are you feeling uneasy? Don’t worry. Stay by my side tonight, no matter what happens, nothing will harm you.”

At these words, Meng Guxue suddenly raised her head, her gaze fixed on Baili Chengyou’s face.

“So, something is indeed going to happen tonight?” she asked.

Baili Chengyou hesitated briefly, then nodded. “Big Brother suddenly proposed hosting the banquet and arranged it by the Jinghua River. He must have a plan in mind.”

“What kind of plan?” Meng Guxue pressed on.

Baili Chengyou glanced at Meng Guxue, but didn’t answer.

Seeing his reaction, Meng Guxue leaned back slowly, resting her back against the carriage wall, and let out a cold laugh.

“Baili, you’ve been exceptionally good to me this past year. Whether it’s your complete compliance in daily matters or the promise you made at the engagement banquet of a lifetime together.”

“The young ladies of the capital envy me, saying that this foreign princess has hit the jackpot, gaining such favor from you.”

“Baili, even I almost lost myself.”

Meng Guxue’s voice was unusually cold, her usually smiling face now serious.

“But now that I look back, all your favor has only placed me on a fiery stage, exposed to the scrutiny of everyone.”

“Everyone knows that the Third Prince loves his Third Princess to the bone, and the Third Princess is his weakness.”

“Baili, do you understand my predicament?”

Baili Chengyou’s expression changed as he listened to her words.

Meng Guxue’s coldness and calmness made him sense that this conversation couldn’t be perfunctory. If certain things were to be revealed, they could never be undone.

Thinking this, Baili Chengyou looked straight into Meng Guxue’s eyes and said in a serious tone, “I, Baili Chengyou, never stoop to such a show. Back at the poetry gathering in the Eastern Suburbs of Yong Dynasty, I promised you these things.”

“Now that I have brought you to Nanli, as a man, I naturally must fulfill my promises and do everything I said I would!”

“My only mistake was being too confident, allowing them to take advantage and causing you to be poisoned by Princess Xi.”

“Tonight, I am fully prepared and will never let you fall victim to someone else’s schemes again.”

Baili Chengyou’s eyes were sincere. He might not speak sweet words, but once he made a promise, he would spare no effort to fulfill it.

Meng Guxue had been in Nanli for more than a year. He believed he had protected her very well. Otherwise, in the strict and oppressive palace, how could she still retain such unrestrained innocence?

The recent suffering of the Queen Mother had caught him off guard, and he had discovered some unexpected things in his dreams, which had caused him to be in disarray and led to Meng Guxue being manipulated by Princess Xi.

It was his fault, and he had deeply reflected on himself.

Meng Guxue gazed steadily at Baili Chengyou. After a long moment of silence between them, she relaxed her shoulders slightly, and the cold expression on her face slowly faded away.

She adjusted her posture slightly, her face still serious, and spoke softly,

“Baili, I admit that over this past year, I’ve often been demanding and occasionally unreasonable, but I’ve always considered your boundaries.”

“I don’t expect you to understand my situation and struggles, but I hope you know that I’m also learning and growing constantly.”

“Now, with the situation in Nanli so tense, even if you didn’t intend to involve me, I’m already part of it.”

“You all often plan ten steps ahead, so I’m learning to plan three steps, five steps ahead. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Baili, what I want is not to be protected in ignorance, but to grow stronger, to protect myself, to protect Xiao Tao, and even to protect—”

Meng Guxue became more and more agitated as she spoke, her gaze suddenly fixing on Baili Chengyou’s face, but she stopped herself.

She took a deep breath, then continued, “I know my abilities are weak, and I don’t expect you to lay out all your plans for me. But when the situation involves me, Baili, I hope you can communicate with me, at least so I can be prepared and maybe even fight back.”

“Like tonight’s banquet, Baili, have you thought about it? Is there something you want to tell me?”

Outside the carriage, night had already fallen. There were no lights inside the carriage, and it was dim and stuffy.

At this moment, faint light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow on Meng Guxue’s face.

Baili Chengyou looked stunned, his eyes moved, his emotions overwhelming and indescribable.

This Meng Guxue… was not the one he knew.

In his dreams, she had been the delicate flower, the money tree by Shen Yuanbai’s side, gentle and loving.

There were times when Baili Chengyou even doubted why he would fall for such a woman.

But, in order to save face and for the formulas in Meng Guxue’s mind, he had brought her to Nanli with great effort.

Yet over this past year, he had discovered that Meng Guxue, though seemingly fragile, was indeed special.

Whether it was her talk of equality and freedom, or her lively and carefree nature.

He had thought that as long as he protected her under his wing like Shen Yuanbai did in the dreams, it would be enough.

But in his ignorance, Meng Guxue had quietly grown. Her words just now surprised and pleased him, making him feel that he had underestimated her all along.

Now, Meng Guxue was not weak at all. She even seemed to be shining.

“Baili?”

Seeing Baili Chengyou staring blankly at her, Meng Guxue hesitated for a moment before reaching out and waving her hand in front of his eyes.

This was her last bit of honesty. She didn’t want to be melodramatic, so she had laid out all her questions and left the choice to Baili Chengyou.

Baili Chengyou slowly raised his eyes and looked at Meng Guxue. When their eyes met, a different kind of light flickered in his eyes.

He lightly smiled, then suddenly grasped the hand that Meng Guxue had extended.

Meng Guxue frowned slightly at his action. “Why are you holding my hand? So?”

Baili Chengyou’s lips curved slightly, warmth in his voice as he said, “If you want to know, I’m willing to tell you. But you have to sit next to me.”

Meng Guxue: ?

Where’s the cause and effect in this sentence?

Curiosity got the better of her, and without hesitation, she scooted over and sat next to Baili Chengyou, urging him eagerly, “Alright, tell me! I’m dying of curiosity!”

A faint smile played on Baili Chengyou’s lips as he leaned closer to Meng Guxue and spoke softly.