Chapter 22: Severing Thoughts and Cutting Off Emotions

  Leaning in this warm and spacious embrace, Qing Sang had a familiar feeling. Lifting her head to look up, she saw a pair of ink jade-like eyes, it was Tong.

  Tang picked up the green silk scattered under the green mulberry tree and tied it back behind her ear, then hugged her and walked away.

  The cold wind on a winter's day stung Qing Sang's face, and also made her come to. She whispered urgently: "Your Highness, please put me down." As she spoke, she struggled uneasily, wanting to get down.

  Tong Yan gazed at the small face with tears in her eyes, who was holding a green willow branch and a pear flower, and said softly: "Do you want to attract more attention?"

  Qing Sang's face turned red upon hearing this and she didn't dare move again. She was afraid that arguing would attract even more attention from others.

  Silently passing by Tong's shoulder, I saw that the crowd at the North Gate had all dispersed. The last figure seemed to be the Crown Prince, but because it was not clear, I couldn't confirm.

  Thinking of the prince, this man who was about to become her husband, Qing Sang's heart tightened, feeling that he had seen this scene before.

  It's just unknown whether the emperor and empress saw it, if they did, they would inevitably reprimand.

  Tang had already carried her to a horse-drawn carriage while she was lost in thought.

  Pu Jinye, who had rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, was blocked by the guards and couldn't enter. He was anxious and worried, but when he saw his daughter Qing Sang being carried out in the arms of the Seventh Prince, he was even more shocked and pale. He hastily knelt down to pay his respects while anxiously looking at Qing Sang.

  Qingsang saw his father, feeling ashamed and wanting to fall to the ground, but Tong hugged him tightly and without saying a word, put him on the horse carriage and sat down together.

  Pu Ji Nian hastily got into his own carriage and hurriedly followed behind.

  If it wasn't for the loud cry of Xue Pen, who was locked in the house, Jing Yu (also known as Jia Bao), who had escaped to Qing Sang Yuan, heard it and ordered the servant to release Xue Pen. Pu Ji Nian still didn't know that Qing Sang had made such a shocking move.

  The green jade is gone, the green bi has gone to that northern Rong, and it's all gone. If Qing Sang, his most beloved daughter, had a life of three longs and two shorts, then he would truly be filled with regret, and in unbearable pain.

  Chased to the North Gate, he was stopped by the guards again. In his anxiety, he saw Qing Sang being carried out by the Seventh Prince, and the shock this scene brought was not small. His daughter was someone the Crown Prince had taken a liking to, how did she get involved with the Seventh Prince? Although he had heard his mother mention that the Seventh Prince had sent Qing Sang back to their residence before, he thought it was just a coincidence. But such coincidences couldn't keep happening again and again.

  Following the horse carriage in front for a while, Pu Jinye finally realized that it was the road back to the mansion.

  The green mulberry in the carriage leaned into Tong's arms, her rationality constantly telling her to cut off what needed to be cut off, but her love for Tong still comforted herself time and again, just this once, letting herself sink one last time.

  Listening to Tong's heartbeat, Qing Sang's sorrow comes from within, tears seem to have dried up, only feeling bitter from mouth to heart.

  After getting off the horse carriage, Tong ignored Qing Sang's opposition and carried her into the Pu manor.

  What's the matter with everyone in the mansion, because of the strange story of Qing Ge?

  Tang ignored the puzzled glances of others and walked straight in. He recognized Xue Pan, and shouted at him: "Lead the way." Xue Pan hastily quickened his pace to walk ahead.

  Seventh Prince ignored the etiquette, carrying his daughter into her boudoir. Pu Jinye panicked, disregarding his identity, rushed forward and knelt down in front of Tang, pleading: "Seventh Prince, think thrice! My daughter is still a maiden in the inner chambers, it cannot be like this!"

  Qing Sang suddenly used force to fall to the ground. Tong was distracted by Pu Ji's interference and couldn't focus, Qing Sang's sudden burst of strength caught him off guard, and before he could react, Qing Sang was about to roll onto the ground.

  Fortunately, Tong had been practicing martial arts since he was young, and his body was agile. He quickly grabbed Qing Sang's waist to support her, and Xue Pan also rushed forward to help, so Qing Sang didn't fall flat on her back.

  The old lady, Wang and others did not know what was going on and dared not come forward, so they could only stand far away outside the courtyard.

  The green mulberry tree breaks free from the ring of Tong's embrace and retreats to one side.

  Tang arrived in Beijing at dawn today and suddenly received a holy order to go to the North Gate to send off the envoy to the Northern Rong and ten famous women.

  The emperor ordered all of you children to go and see him off. The meaning is that each of the children must remember today's humiliation and cannot forget the hatred of the northern Rong.

  It turned out that among the ten women, there was actually the second daughter of the Pu family, and she had gone voluntarily. Upon further inquiry, it was learned that during Pu's recent departure from the capital, many misfortunes had befallen the Pu family: Pu Liu Shi, the eldest lady of the Pu family, had been murdered, and the second lady, Xiang Yun, had also died in loyalty to her lord. Being intelligent as he was, he could already imagine the general cause and effect of the whole affair. Qing Bi had volunteered to go to Beijun for his father's sake, so that he could regain his official position. Although he admired Qing Bi's actions, he couldn't help but selfishly think it fortunate that it wasn't Qing Sang who had gone to Beijun instead.

  At home, Qing Sang was heartbroken and grief-stricken. He had intended to comfort her after seeing him off, but he had not expected that Qing Sang would disregard life and death, defy the imperial edict, and rush to see him off.

  As Qing Bi's carriage headed north, Emperor and Empress had already returned to the palace. He saw Qing Sang running towards the carriage and fell to the ground. The concern and pain in his heart made him rush over without hesitation, picking her up, for him, as long as he could give her a little comfort, it was good enough.

  But the life and resistance in Qing Sang's eyes made him feel bitter. He always felt that Qing Sang was like a high-flying kite, which might break free from his hands and fly away at any moment.

  The title of King he can give up, the identity of the royal family he can also ignore, but this woman is indeed the one he thinks about in his heart, cannot be given up. He resists marriage for her, fights to the death for her, just because Father Emperor said that if this matter is successful, he will allow him to divorce. However, why does he always feel that he can't grasp Qing Sang, and can't understand Qing Sang's heart.

  Tang stood silently, looking at Qing Sang who was standing in front of him with his head lowered, unsure of what to do.

  Pu Jiannian, who was now kneeling on the ground, understood Tang's thoughts at this time. However, he also knew that if they continued down this path, it would lead to the downfall of not only Qing Sang but the entire Pu family. With a sob in his voice, he bowed his head and begged: "If Your Highness truly cares for my daughter, please withdraw your pursuit. My daughter is already the person in the Crown Prince's heart; I implore you to let them be together."

  Tang heard this and her expression turned cold and desolate. She said softly: "Pu Shangshu, you should know that Sang Er is also a person in my heart."

  Pu Ji Nian heard Tang say this and couldn't help but feel great fear, knocking his head to beg: "I implore Your Highness to spare the young girl, to spare my Pu family."

  Tang Bu Li stared straight at Qing Sang and asked, "I want to hear it from your own mouth, are you going to marry the Crown Prince or me?"

  Pu Ji Nian had long known that Qing Sang was unwilling to marry the prince, and now he was certain that Qing Sang had already had feelings for Tong. This was probably the real reason why she was unwilling to marry the prince in the first place.

  He was secretly afraid, if Qing Sang spoke his mind clearly, the Pu family would be in turmoil from now on.

  Qing Sang raised her head, staring at Tong, her heart aching like a knife cut, but a smile spread across her lips as she said lightly: "I'm just a humble servant girl, how could I be worthy of Your Highness's favor? Alas, I've already been betrothed to the Crown Prince and will marry him after the mourning period. Your Highness mistakenly fell in love with me, but I'm not fortunate enough to accept your affection. I hope you'll soon marry Miss Ge from the Ge family."

  "Hahaha~" Tong burst out laughing, but her eyes were filled with sparkling tears. She took a step forward, grabbed Qing Sang, and looked straight into her eyes, saying: "You already have Emperor Brother in your heart, don't you?"

  Qing Sang was pierced by the despair and grief in his eyes, but her mouth firmly replied: "Yes!"

  Tang took a deep breath and asked reluctantly: "In just a few days, your thoughts have changed so quickly. I don't know what it means to wear this diamond-shaped earring."

  Qing Sang pushed open the door, picked up the earrings and put them in her hand, retreated a few steps, knelt down, raised her hands above her head, bowed her head and said loudly: "Your Highness's kindness is remembered by the slave girl, this earring please Your Highness take back. The slave girl respectfully sends off the Seventh Prince!"

  Tang coldly smiled and with a swift hand knocked the earrings out of Qing Sang's hands, then turned around in anger and left.

  Is the mother's house covered with a green tile roof?

  The old lady, Wang, saw that the Seventh Prince had left and then walked into the courtyard. Seeing Pu Jiannian and Qing Sang looking disheveled, she couldn't help but sigh: "What kind of sin did our Pu family commit? Some died, some left, and now we've even gotten entangled with this evil fate."

  Pu Jiannian wiped away the tears on his face with his sleeve and said softly to the old lady, "Mother, please take care of yourself. The children will handle this matter."

  As she spoke, she gave a signal to the maidservants, and the two maidservants quickly supported the old lady away.

  Pu Ji Nian then said to Wang Shi: "Water Lotus (Wang Shi's nickname), the matter that just happened must be kept strictly confidential among all in the mansion. If there is any leak, it will be severely punished."

  Wang's wife wiped away her tears and nodded. She had heard that her daughter, Qing Sang, had gone to the Northern Gate, and she was so anxious that she almost fainted. Now, she also saw some clues between her daughter and the Seventh Prince, and she was worried, but she didn't know what to do. However, she knew that if this matter were to be exposed, it would ruin her daughter's reputation, so she hurriedly took orders and went to handle it.

  Pu Ji Nian then sent away Xue Pen, and only then did he nod to Qing Sang to enter the room.

  After closing the door, the two sat down and Pu Jiannian said: "Sang'er is willing to marry the prince."

  Qing Sang's eyes were lifeless, she didn't want to think about it carefully, and mechanically nodded.

  Ba Jiannian looked at his daughter and knew she was suffering, so he sighed and said: "Sang'er, your father had originally hoped that you would marry into an ordinary family as a legitimate wife, be loved and cherished, and live a happy life. But now it seems that's not possible.

  "Beautiful as a cloud, what is called true love may be just temporary!"

  Pu Ji Nian knew that this was true, so he said: "As a father, I also know that the marriage of the imperial family is more related to court affairs, and it's extremely difficult to be alone. Therefore, as a father, I want to talk to you about the emperor's succession at this time. Although this matter should not be discussed in vain, since you are going to marry into the imperial family, you must understand some things clearly."

  Qing Sang knew that her father was extremely worried about her, so he slowly told her about the imperial family's affairs. Although she was feeling anxious, confused and hurt at this time, she still perked up her ears and listened carefully.

  Because she knew all this meant that after entering the imperial family, she could understand some things earlier and live carefully.

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