Chapter 17: An Encounter with the Crown Prince

There is no wall that is impenetrable. What happened in the Guanglu Temple that day was eventually spread out. Even if it was just discussed privately by everyone, it was not a glorious thing for both the Xiahou family and the Duke family. No one knew how the two families negotiated, but after a few days, someone from the Duke family came.

The betrothal gifts reportedly filled the entire hall, and the emperor permitted the young heir to assume a new position in Shanxi after his wedding. The marriage was set for early next month. Although there were some rumors, no one dared speak against a marriage between two such well-matched families. As for why the engagement had been arranged so quickly, even Xia Tong didn’t know what her second uncle had done behind the scenes.

While the entire capital was abuzz with gossip about the union between the two families, Xia Tong received a letter from Lin Qin, inviting her to meet.

“Miss, the Duke’s family has its eyes on the position of Crown Princess. They schemed against you before. Who knows what tricks they’ll pull this time. You should avoid getting too close to her,” Qing’er warned earnestly.

Xia Tong, however, remained focused on the blue jade bracelet she was toying with. She had confiscated it from her father earlier that morning. He had recently uncovered a case of land appropriation involving court officials and merchants, and the emperor had sent a reward. Word had it that her father was also due for a promotion soon.

“It’s all just a façade. For now, we’re still in-laws, so we must keep up appearances,” Xia Tong said as she slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, showing it off to Qing’er. “This bracelet is exquisite. Good thing I acted quickly today, or Father would have stored it away in the treasury.”

Such a beautiful bracelet—it would be a waste to sell it. Better to wear it herself.

“As long as you like it, how could the master not give it to you Miss?” Qing’er couldn’t help but chuckle.

However, Fang Yu, who had been silent, glanced at the bracelet with a strange look in her eyes. After a pause, she spoke softly, “Miss, I’ve read about this in ancient books before. If I’m not mistaken, this is a secret treasure of the Migaoli tribe, made from blue jade and stone. It’s said to promote health and ward off illness. If you hold it up to sunlight, you might see faint ripples.”

After hearing this, Xia Tong was stunned. She blinked her eyes and then immediately ran to the door, extending her hand. Under the sunlight, she saw layers of ripples seemingly moving within the jade bracelet, creating a breathtaking sight. She stood there, mesmerized.

Is the Emperor really that generous? Is he willing to give away such a treasure?

“Since the downfall of the Migaoli tribe, their secret treasures have been lost for decades. Pardon me for speaking out, but do you think the Empress in the palace wouldn’t covet this?” Fang Yu lowered her head and spoke frankly.

Hearing this, Xia Tong seemed to have a sudden realization. A treasure like this would indeed be coveted by the Empress. Furthermore, the Emperor didn’t mention the origin of the bracelet when bestowing the reward, which suggested that he wasn’t aware of its significance. But that didn’t make sense—if she, an outsider, could tell it was valuable, how could the sharp minds in the palace not know?

“Could it be that the emperor specially gave it to the master as a reward?” Qing’er asked, looking a bit confused.

Xia Tong frowned as she looked at the bracelet in her hand, feeling that there was definitely something strange about it.

“Forgive me for saying so much, unless someone gave it to you on purpose.” Fang Yu glanced at the bracelet indifferently.

A treasure like this would be more beneficial to the elderly, and it was unlikely that the Emperor would give it away. Whoever could part with such a treasure was certainly no ordinary person.

Xia Tong agreed with Fang Yu’s reasoning, but she couldn’t think of anyone who would be so generous to her father and capable of influencing the Ministry of Rites. This was clearly no small matter.

“It’s getting late. I should go meet with Lin Qin. Qing’er, you go check on Father and see if he’s left anything else valuable behind,” Xia Tong said, feeling anxious, and worried that her father might have already put other treasures in the family vault.

Qing’er quickly nodded and hurried out.

Xia Tong changed into a simple outfit and left with Fang Yu. She didn’t bring Qing’er along because Qing’er had a strong sense of belonging to the Xiahou family, while Fang Yu didn’t. No matter what, Fang Yu always prioritized her interests.

Lin Qin had chosen the same teahouse as their last meeting. Xia Tong felt a bit uneasy, fearing she might run into that creepy man again. But then she reassured herself that he probably had more important things to do. Besides, Lin Qin just wanted to explain herself, so Xia Tong decided to hear her out.

When Xia Tong arrived at the teahouse, it was still bustling with people. She made her way up to the second floor and into the same private room from before, where a petite young woman sat. Upon hearing someone enter, the woman immediately turned around, her face lighting up as she quickly stood.

“Sister Tong, I was afraid you were angry with me and wouldn’t come!” Lin Qin said, her eyes red and her face full of guilt as she grabbed Xia Tong’s arm.

The sound of storytellers drifted up from downstairs. Xia Tong gently pulled her arm away and slowly walked to the table, disappointment evident on her fair face. “I’ve always thought of you as my younger sister. I can’t even imagine what would have happened if I had gone that day. Why did the Duke family do this to me?”

Subtly pinching her thigh to bring out some tears, Xia Tong’s eyes reddened as she turned her head away, enveloped in sadness and disappointment.

“It wasn’t like that! Sister Tong, let me explain,” Lin Qin said, flustered as she grabbed Xia Tong’s arm again. “It was all my idea. I just wanted you to become my sister-in-law. I never intended to harm you.”

“But doing what you did is no different from harming me. Don’t you know how important reputation is to a young woman?” Xia Tong’s lips trembled, her eyes glistening with tears of disappointment.

Their eyes met, and Lin Qin was at a loss for words, lowering her head in guilt. At that moment, Lin Qin’s maid stepped forward and said, “But the young lady really meant well. She’s been blaming herself every day since it happened and has lost a lot of weight. Even though she knew you would be upset, she couldn’t help but come to explain. The lady even got a severe scolding from Madam because of this. Please don’t blame her anymore.”

“Dongyao, shut up!” Lin Qin scolded her maid, clearly frustrated by her outspokenness.

Watching this duo, Xia Tong knew it was her cue. She slowly stood, eyes red, and looked at Lin Qin with disappointment in her voice, “I know you meant well, and I’ve never blamed you. But I’m struggling to let it go. Please give me some time. I need to calm down.”

With that, she wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and hurriedly left the room.

Lin Qin immediately ran after her, anxious, “Sister Tong, please, let me explain!”

A person needs to have some dignity. Xia Tong intended to maintain this cold front for a while before forgiving Lin Qin. After all, she couldn’t afford to offend the Duke family. It was all just a superficial friendship, anyway.

Hearing the footsteps chasing her, Xia Tong quickened her pace. But just as she turned a corner in the corridor, she nearly bumped into someone. Without stopping, she sidestepped and walked past the figure. Behind her, she suddenly heard Lin Qin’s surprised voice.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

Xia Tong froze in her tracks and slowly turned around. Standing behind her was a tall man dressed in a dark robe, with a sharp, chiseled face, sword-like brows, and bright eyes. His expression was calm. Beside him stood a cold-faced, black-clad bodyguard wielding a sword, looking intimidating.

Lin Qin seemed equally surprised and was now bowing deeply. Thankfully, no one else was around in the hallway. This was Xia Tong’s first time seeing the hero. He was indeed very handsome, exuding a protagonist’s aura, unlike that creepy man from before, who gave off a deadly vibe to anyone who got too close. Xia Tong glanced at Fang Yu, debating whether or not to greet him.

After a brief hesitation, Xia Tong dutifully took a few steps back, curtsied, and said nothing.

The woman’s eyes were still red. The two seemed to have had an argument. Given the recent engagement between the Duke family and the Xiahou family, as well as the incident at the Guanglu Temple, which wasn’t exactly a secret. Xiao Jing folded his hands behind his back and glanced indifferently at Xia Tong before speaking in a calm voice, “There’s no need for formalities.”

Rising with Lin Qin, Xia Tong dared not look directly at the Crown Prince. After all, he was meant for the heroine. She was about to leave when his voice, unhurried and composed, sounded again, “The Empress is often bored in the palace, so you should go to the palace to accompany her when you are free.”

Xia Tong: “…”

She couldn’t help but lift her head, meeting the man’s gaze in disbelief. He was looking at her too, his handsome, chiseled face devoid of any emotion, as if he were discussing something trivial.

Beside her, Lin Qin couldn’t help but tighten her grip, a flash of jealousy crossing her eyes.

“Hasn’t the empress been so overwhelmed by the palace affairs that she can’t even sleep at night, and her hair is turning white?”

Suddenly, a light male voice came from nearby. Xia Tong turned to see who had the audacity to speak so disrespectfully about the empress, but when her eyes landed on that arrogant and lazy figure, she quickly lowered her head, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

Seeing the person coming, Xiao Jing’s expression shifted slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his face. “It’s rare for the Regent to be concerned. These days, there’s nothing major happening in the palace, so my mother does have a bit of free time.”

At some point, the corridor had emptied of people. Lin Qin was visibly trembling with fear, recalling how she had once witnessed the Regent personally execute one of her distant cousins. That memory still sent shivers down her spine.

“How could the empress possibly be idle? Isn’t she busy selecting a consort for the crown prince?” The man approached, his gaze sweeping across them. When he noticed the jade bracelet on Xia Tong’s wrist, a subtle smile tugged at his lips. His eyes then fell on Lin Qin. “The young lady of the Duke’s family does seem quite a match for the crown prince.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Qin’s face flushed red with embarrassment. For a moment, she found the Regent was not so annoying after all.

However, the sword-wielding man behind Gu Qin couldn’t help but stare at Xia Tong’s wrist with a strange look on his face.

“Your Highness, please be cautious with your words. A woman’s reputation is no trivial matter,” Xiao Jing frowned slightly, his hands behind his back, clearly displeased.

The atmosphere grew tense. Xia Tong did her best to become invisible, silently cursing her luck for not checking the almanac before leaving home. How did she end up in the middle of a confrontation between the villain and the male lead?

Gu Qin idly stroked the jade ring on his finger and continued walking forward. As he passed by, he glanced back at them and said casually, “It’s not a joke. I believe the crown prince and the young lady from the Duke’s family make a perfect match. I will definitely ask the emperor to help the prince.”

**

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