Chapter 7

As soon as Xu Duanyi arrived, Xie Qingya was the first to avert his gaze.

His expression remained unchanged, still carrying that indifferent and carefree demeanor. He lightly flicked his fan against the large cloak on his body, his eyelids lowered, not once directing a glance in Xu Duanyi’s direction.

It was as though he had not recognized her, or perhaps, as though he didn’t care who she was.

The others had also been halted in their actions when Xu Duanyi called out earlier.

However, they didn’t recognize who she was.

As they drew closer, someone recognized the maid beside her, Shiyu, and whispered among themselves, “This maid looks familiar. She seems to be the one from the princess’s side, the one who knows martial arts.”

“Now that you mention it, she might be the one. I saw her standing beside the princess last time when the princess went to the south of the city to distribute rice porridge.”

With this discussion, the group of people who had just intended to confront Xie Qingyao dared not continue to offend him in front of Xu Duanyi.

Except for the few who carried swords and daggers, the others who had picked up stones and sticks tossed them aside and bowed as they approached Xu Duanyi, asking, “May I ask, are you Her Royal Highness, the Princess?”

Xu Duanyi’s face was mostly hidden beneath her wind hat.

The cold wind gently blew on the fine, soft fur of the hat, making the face slightly visible beneath, showing a jade-like beauty.

As Xu Duanyi approached, she first looked over at Xie Qingyao without making a sound. Seeing that he was unharmed, she relaxed and withdrew her gaze.

When the people asked, she did not hide the truth.

She stopped in front of them and gently responded, “Yes.”

Those who had been uncertain or speculating immediately changed their expressions. They turned towards Xu Duanyi and cupped their hands in salute.

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

Xu Duanyi also slightly bowed and returned the greeting, then allowed them to rise.

“Please, rise.”

Once the crowd stood back up, Xu Duanyi finally looked towards Xie Qingyao.

After many years, this was their first time being so close.

Xu Duanyi remembered the last time they had been close, it was during the first year of Tianhe, when she was twelve and he was fourteen.

Her cousin had passed away, and Xie Qingyao, his companion, no longer had a role to play.

When he was fourteen, he followed his father and brothers to the battlefield. On June 16th, that was the first time she had gone out of the palace to find him.

The army was preparing to march, and the sound of the drums and flags filled the air.

She had come out too late, and the roads were blocked, so she couldn’t reach the South An Wang’s residence to see him.

She thought she would only be able to watch him leave from afar, never able to give him the protective amulet in her hand.

But for some reason, Xie Qingyao suddenly turned around.

Then, he rode his horse straight toward her.

The crowd didn’t know what he was doing.

She didn’t know either.

She lost herself for a moment, staring at the young man riding towards her, until she heard his familiar voice softly reach her ear.

“Xu Duanyi, you really kept me waiting.”

She slightly tilted her head and could see the familiar young man dismounting from his beloved steed. He wore silver armor, and the sunlight and the gazes of the onlookers were hidden behind him.

His familiar peach blossom eyes met hers through the thin veil, silently.

At that moment, Xie Qingyao was radiant and full of life, truly dazzling.

That was the last time they were so close. He took the protective amulet from her hand, then paused and looked at her. He raised his hand, but put it back down.

The young general held the reins.

Before leaving, he left her with these words: “Wait for me to return, Xu Duanyi.”

For the next three years, he was stationed on the border and never returned, but she often heard news of him.

The boy who had once been underestimated achieved great success in two years, and at the age of sixteen, he was named the General of Zhaoyong, ranked third in the military.

The young general’s reputation spread throughout the empire.

Many people wished to marry him.

But before she could wait for his return, she received news of his engagement to Baozhu.

Later, he finally returned, but with the coffins of his father and brothers.

The once dazzling young general was never seen again.

She had gone out of the palace many times, wanting to see him, wanting to know how he was, but she never saw him again.

Later, seeing her aunt’s caution and probing towards the South An Wang’s residence, and noticing Baozhu, who was nearing adulthood, she didn’t dare to seek him out anymore.

After many years, they finally met again.

The distance between them was the same as before, yet it felt as though something was separating them.

Though they were engaged and about to become the closest people in the world, Xu Duanyi couldn’t find any trace of their past familiarity.

Xu Duanyi lowered her gaze and bowed slightly, hiding all her emotions in her heart.

“Your Highness.”

She softly called him.

Xie Qingyao also lowered his gaze to look at her.

The shy and introverted girl from his memories had grown into a graceful and confident woman. Now, she was loved by many, and the people who admired her were countless.

“Your Highness, you should not marry this wastrel. Look at him, he’s already betrothed to you, but he still walks through the streets with the girl from the Drunken Flower Tower, flaunting it without a care for you! It’s simply outrageous!”

“That’s right! This gentleman speaks the truth!”

“Your Highness, such a noble status, how can you marry such a wastrel? If you don’t want to marry him, we are willing to jointly write a letter and petition to the Emperor!”

This remark quickly drew the support of others.

Xie Qingyao sneered at the sound.

He couldn’t be bothered with these words.

If they truly could petition and stop this marriage, he would indeed be grateful to them.

He was about to speak and provoke them further when Xu Duanyi, who had been standing opposite him, suddenly turned around.

“Gentlemen, please cease these words.”

“The petition is for the emperor to hear advice from his subjects and to resolve grievances, not for matters like this. Furthermore, my marriage to the prince is already settled, and it will not be changed, nor can it be changed.”

“Your Highness, this is truly too much of a sacrifice!”

Someone spoke up, feeling sympathy for her.

Xu Duanyi softly said, “My lord is joking, I do not feel wronged.”

“What?”

Everyone was surprised by her words.

In fact, they were so shocked that those who had been lamenting before were now speechless.

“Your Highness, you… you are truly willing to marry… marry him?”

As they spoke, they pointed at Xie Qingya, who was standing behind her, looking at Xu Duanyi in disbelief.

Xu Duanyi had no idea what Xie Qingya was doing at that moment.

She had her back to him, unable to see his expression, but she vaguely felt his gaze, almost palpable, landing on her.

But Xu Duanyi did not know what the meaning behind that gaze was.

She didn’t dare to guess.

Under her cloak, she silently held onto the hand warmer in her hands.

“Yes.”

She replied softly.

An uproar followed.

The people present looked at her with disbelief. They opened their mouths, wanting to speak, but didn’t know what to say.

The previous noise had vanished, leaving only the sound of wind whistling through their ears.

Xu Duanyi still had something to say.

There were things she had wanted to say for a long time.

She thought of the scene earlier where Xie Qingya was surrounded and insulted by the crowd, and her heart ached.

There was a time when he was highly respected and adored.

Wherever he went, anyone who saw him would smile and call him “General Xie.”

No matter what he had become now, he should not be treated like this.

“I know you all value me, but I am just a small woman from Jia Shun. I truly don’t deserve this much attention.”

When the crowd heard these words, they thought she was being modest and were about to speak.

But Xu Duanyi’s tone changed, and she continued, “You all think that the King of Nan’an is not a good match for me, but I think it is I who am not worthy of the prince.”

“What I do are just small things, like giving out porridge and clothes.”

“Many people can do such things.”

“But the prince went to war at fourteen and was made a general at sixteen. Everything he has done is of great importance. The border defense in Jizhou is a key stronghold for our Great Xia. Every year, many foreign invaders attempt to invade us.”

“The prince has saved thousands of people on the battlefield.”

“Now, no matter what has happened, we cannot deny or erase his past achievements and sacrifices. You should not shame the prince because of me.”

The people who had been about to speak were now left dumbfounded and could not say another word.

Xu Duanyi did not speak any further.

This was the first time she had stepped forward to defend Xie Qingya, but it was not the first time she had wanted to do so.

There had been many times at banquets when she heard people discuss how Xie Qingya’s actions were now despicable. There were even people who were not on good terms with Baozhu, using this opportunity to insult her.

She had always wanted to speak up, but due to her position, she could not.

Now, however, she finally could speak.

But while she could talk to others about it, she didn’t know how to face Xie Qingya.

His gaze was still on her.

She could feel it.

But she didn’t know what suspicion or doubt might lie behind it.

The wind was too strong.

It blew off the accumulated snow on the sides.

Snowflakes fluttered in the wind, some falling on Xu Duanyi.

Shiyu, worried that she might catch a cold, brushed off the snow on her clothes and softly said, “Master, we should go back.”

“Mm.”

Xu Duanyi responded but did not leave immediately.

She turned around and faced Xie Qingya, saying, “I still have things to do, so I will not disturb Your Highness any longer.”

After speaking, Xu Duanyi gave a slight bow to Xie Qingya.

Then, she bid farewell to the people behind her and was assisted by Shiyu as she left.

However, not long after, Shiyu returned.

She had an unwilling expression as she handed the hand warmer to the woman next to Xie Qingya and said stiffly, “My master said, it’s freezing cold, and the young lady shouldn’t catch a cold!”

The young lady instinctively looked toward Xie Qingya after taking the golden hand warmer.

But Xie Qingya was still looking at the direction of the carriage.

The window bars had blocked his view, and the carriage curtain had fallen, so he could no longer see her.

Before Shiyu left, she was still upset.

But because her master had spoken, she didn’t dare do anything to Xie Qingya. She could only snort heavily at him and walk away with her head held high.

Soon, the carriage disappeared from everyone’s sight.

Those who had surrounded Xie Qingya earlier, now looked at him, unsure of whether to speak or remain silent. In the end, they all walked away with a flick of their sleeves, unable to express themselves.

A few scholars did, however, salute Xie Qingya with a fist salute.

“Just now, what the princess said, we have taken it to heart. The prince’s past achievements are beyond our comparison. This tribute is for the prince’s past efforts for the Great Xia.”

“However, we still want to say, Princess Jia Shun is truly a fortune that others can’t even ask for. For the prince to be betrothed to her is his good fortune, and he should treat her well, not carry on parading around with beauties every day!”

As the man spoke, his anger rose again.

Seeing that Xie Qingya lowered his eyelids and tapped his fan, remaining silent, the man grew angrier, wanting to reprimand him again. But in the end, he endured it and led his group away, flicking his sleeves.

Soon, the once lively place was left with only Xie Qingya and the beautiful woman.

“Your Highness, this hand warmer…”

The woman, originally a confidante left by Xie Qingya’s mother, was once a spy. Now she was gathering information for Xie Qingya and playing the role of his red-faced companion.

At this moment, holding the hand warmer, she felt as though she was holding a hot potato.

After pretending to be the prince’s confidante for so long, this was the first time she felt a bit overwhelmed.

What exactly did this future Princess Consort mean?

Xie Qingya glanced at the warming stove in her hand, and after a long pause, he finally spoke, “Keep it.”

“Oh…”

When Furong heard this, she didn’t say anything more.

After a while, she started to find something to talk about again. “Actually, this current princess is pretty good, much better than the previous one.”

“Though it’s the title…” Furong looked somewhat troubled.

She truly hoped the Prince could marry a gentle and ideal wife, but the identity of Princess Jia Shun was really worrisome.

Xie Qingya didn’t respond, only leading the group forward. When they were near Zui Hua Lou, he finally stopped.

“Go inside.”

Furong knew that her role for the day had ended. She nodded without saying anything.

Just as she was about to enter, she heard a voice beside her: “Give it to me.”

“What do you mean?” Furong was confused.

They hadn’t bought anything today.

Meeting Xie Qingya’s gaze, she seemed to sense something, and looked down at the hand warmer wrapped in Shu brocade in her hands.

Blinking, Furong wondered, “Why do you need the hand warmer? You’re not afraid of the cold.”

Xie Qingya shifted his gaze, impatiently saying, “You talk too much.”

Furong twitched her lips but didn’t dare defy him. She handed the hand warmer back to Xie Qingya.