Chapter Nineteenth: Sisterly Love

  Qing Sang listened to Qing Bi's words, and didn't show any surprise, but instead looked at her with an inquiring gaze.

  Ever since she heard that Qingyu was pregnant, Qing Sang's heart had been hanging in suspense, having seen many palace struggle dramas in her past life. How many concubines who were pregnant could give birth safely? When the news of Qing Yu's death came back, Qing Sang felt that the cause of death was not simple. However, she was outside the palace and had no evidence, so what could she do with just a sixth sense? Now that Qing Bi mentioned it, it finally confirmed her own thoughts, but she couldn't be sure if Qing Bi already had evidence or was just having an intuition like herself. So, Qing Sang quietly waited for her to continue speaking.

  Qingbi wiped away her tears with a silk handkerchief and slowly said, "This matter started from when my mother and I went to the palace to visit my sister. On that day, my sister was already pregnant, but she only said it was morning sickness and loss of appetite. Later, the three of us chatted idly about family matters, mentioning your entry into the palace. My mother said that our grandfather had intended to find an opportunity to send you into the palace to assist her, and asked my sister to think of a plan. My sister agreed and said she would think about it."

  Qingbi paused for a moment, then continued: "We chatted for a while, and the Empress Dowager arrived, pulling Mother aside to hint that she wanted to speak privately. My sister took me to the side room. It had been two years since my sister and I last saw each other, and I had countless words to say to her, but didn't know where to start. Luckily, my sister broke the silence, asking about my marriage prospects and your recent situation. After that, she told me to find a good family to marry into as soon as possible, even if they were not wealthy, as long as they were kind and understanding. We fell silent for a moment, then my sister said I should no longer argue with you, but rather support each other like branches on the same tree. I was about to retort, but she said she was walking on thin ice in the palace, and her life was precarious every day. Now that she's pregnant with the Emperor's child, she's even more vulnerable to danger, and could lose her life at any moment. Although she seemed to agree with Mother on the surface, in reality, she didn't want either of us to enter the palace again, to live through another day like this. I listened to her words, feeling fearful, and asked her why she spoke like that, who was trying to harm her. But no matter how I asked, she refused to speak further, only asking me to promise to take care of Father, Mother, our ancestors, and all the younger siblings. I agreed, but never expected that Mother would be harmed by someone. How can I face my elder sister now? How can I have the face to see her after death?"

  The jade pendant spoke up to this point, and was already sobbing uncontrollably

  Qing Sang followed the sighs and poured a cup of tea for Qing Bi. After drinking, her emotions slightly calmed down, and she continued: "I chatted with my elder sister for a while, then heard the palace maid come to report that the Empress Dowager summoned us two into the inner chamber. We entered the chamber and saw our mother's anxious expression, but it was inconvenient to ask more questions. The Empress Dowager chatted with me and a few others for a while before returning to the palace. My sister asked Mother what the Empress Dowager meant by her words, but Mother refused to reveal even half of it. Finally, my sister let out a long sigh and ordered someone to bring some palace snacks for us two to enjoy."

  Qingbi continued: "We had only been in the palace for less than two hours, but Mother said that my sister should rest well and not stay any longer. When it was time to leave, I didn't understand and didn't want to leave, but Mother scolded me. My sister took out a pair of double-butterfly jade hairpins from her box and asked Mother to give them to you, hoping that you would find someone suitable soon. I saw Mother move her lips as if she wanted to say something. At the time, I thought Mother was going to ask why my elder sister had agreed to help you enter the palace but then said that you should find someone suitable. Then my sister said it was a gift from the Emperor and Mother smiled and accepted it."

  Qing Sang understood that Liu Shi thought Qing Yu was hinting at her to enter the palace to help the emperor with the double butterfly jade hairpin, and that the good man referred to the emperor. However, Qing Sang knew that Qing Yu didn't mean it that way, but rather meant what she had said to Qing Bi, hoping she would find an ordinary family, knowing cold and heat.

  Qing Sang said: "When I bid farewell, my mother hugged my sister and cried bitterly, reluctant to part with her. Finally, when we took our leave, my mother refused to listen to my sister's words and insisted on performing the grand ceremony. My sister's eyes were brimming with tears as she insisted on seeing us off to the Xiwu Gate. It had snowed two days ago, and the road was still covered with unmelted snow. Suddenly, my mother grasped my sister's hand and recited a poem: 'The winter snow drifts outside the windowpane, / The misty rain half enters the village homes. / In the distant mountains, the trees are white, / It's hard to tell plum blossoms from willow flowers.' Then, in a low voice, she said to my sister, 'In the palace, there are hidden undercurrents; be careful with everything.' Only then did she let me get into the carriage. Not long after that, my sister and the child in her womb both disappeared."

  Qingbi gritted her teeth and said: "It must be that someone harmed my sister. Since then, I have been thinking day and night, and also asked my mother if she had any suspicions at the time, but my mother just cried and didn't speak. Suddenly one day, I remembered that my mother was very strange that day, reciting poetry for no reason. Thinking about the poem again, carefully pondering it, wasn't it related to Xue Fangyi, the daughter of General Fu Yulei who entered the palace at the same time as my sister? Because her skin was as white as snow, she was given the title 'Snow'. Was my mother hinting at Snow in the poem?"

  Qing Sang was shocked at this time, Xue Fangyi, Fu Ya Qin, could it be that she killed her sister Qing Yu?

  "This is just your guess, Second Sister, and there's no evidence to support it," Qing Sang questioned.

  Qingbi nodded and said, "Indeed, this is just my guess. But when I told Mother about it, she was shocked and warned me not to speak nonsense, let alone tell outsiders. Seeing Mother's strange expression, I had three parts of faith in my conjecture. However, to have more evidence, we need opportunities. Unfortunately, I'm not as good-looking as my sister, nor as talented as you, so I don't have anything to rely on to get those opportunities."

  Qing Sang knew that Qing Bi's so-called fate was actually entering the palace.

  "Nowadays, our Pu family is on the decline. After Mother's passing, Grandfather may not be as concerned about our family as before. This can be seen from his intention to take me back to the Liu Manor. Father is a straightforward person and is not good at flattering or fawning. I know he loves you and me equally, never treating us differently because we are girls. It's precisely for this reason that he would never agree to offer one of us as a tribute. If so, his career would truly be hopeless, and our Pu family would indeed be doomed. If fate is left to its own devices, it's highly likely you'll be sent to the Northern Campaign. Therefore, I had no choice but to ask Grandfather to take me to see the Crown Prince and request to go on the Northern Campaign."

  Qingsang heard this and tears gushed out like a spring, sobbing: "Second sister, why must you treat me like this?"

  Qingbi smiled and said, "Because you have a better chance than me, I don't care whether you enter the palace or marry the crown prince. In the end, it's to eliminate your sisterly affection for Dajie, as well as my own kindness in volunteering to go to Beijiang to protect you. Find out who harmed Dajie and let her rest in peace with that nephew she never met."

  Her face was as pale as a knife cut, grasping Qingbi's icy hand, she sobbed and said: "Second sister, how can you be at peace with this? You don't have to do this, just stay in the capital for one more day, and Eldest Sister's revenge will surely find its opportunity."

  Qingbi smiled, stroking Qing Sang's temples with her hand, and said in a gentle tone: "Apart from revenge, aren't you my sister? Although we've been competing since childhood, apart from Mother and Eldest Sister, I'm also close to you. Now that Eldest Sister and Mother are gone, even Second Madam has followed them, how can I bear to lose you again? I was annoyed with you, but it's because I was jealous of your talent and beauty. After going through many things, I finally understood what Eldest Sister said - we should support each other like the branches of a tree. As the treasure of our family, we should work together. Although I'm just a daughter, I should also do my part for our family."

  The more Qing Sang hears, the more painful it is in her heart.

  She had been at odds with Qingbi since childhood, but she never thought that Qingbi would have such a broad mind. In comparison, she was too selfish and had never done anything for this family or its members.

  Qingbi wiped away the tears on Qing Sang's face, took down a ebony hairpin from her head and put it on Qing Sang. She smiled slightly and said: "In those days, you and I fought over this black ebony hairpin that our grandmother gave to my elder sister, which caused you to fall into the pool and almost lost your life. Today, wear this hairpin as a memento of my apology to you and my elder sister."

  Qing Sang had no memory of this matter, only knowing that the original owner of his body had lost his life in a dispute over this hairpin and was framed by him.

  Everything is fate, Qing Sang sighed. If it weren't for this hairpin, she might not have had any entanglements with this family in this life.

  "Why has my sister refused to see me all this time? If she had told me these things earlier, perhaps there would still be a chance." Qing Sang knew that these words were already too late, but because of the pain in her heart, she couldn't help but let it out to relieve herself.

  "I'm afraid I'll regret it later..." Qingbi sighed with a bitter smile and didn't continue speaking.

  When Qing Sang thought back to the day when Da Niang returned to the manor and said she wanted to send a girl to Bei Rong, Qing Bi's terrified expression revealed that she was extremely unwilling to go. She had been holding on to this family with her own happiness for life, even with her own life.

  "I had originally intended to leave a letter for you on the day I left the mansion, telling you everything that was said today. I hope you can take care of our sisterly relationship and our parents' kindness, and do your best for the honor and shame of the Pu family, and for the sake of avenging Big Sister's grievances. Now that we have this chance to talk as sisters today, it won't be in vain for us to put aside past grudges and support each other!"

  Qing Sang looked at Qing Bi, her eyes shining with unshed tears and a hint of desperation. "As long as there's even the slightest chance," she said resolutely, "I'll also go to rescue Second Sister. I'm going to ask the Crown Prince to take me to see the Emperor."

  Having said that, he stood up and ran out of the room door.

  Qingbi stood up, seemingly wanting to chase after her, but then slumped back into his seat, muttering to himself: "Sister, it's better if this trip can make you give up"

  This chapter is all about recalling conversations, no exciting scenes, and won't make readers feel bored! Hehe, dialogue is actually the hardest to write~~~）Thick-skinned me asking for recommendations and collections again!