Chapter 37: The Wind and Rain Are Coming (Part 2)

  Tang Hu sat in the hall above, Qing seeped into the hall below, four eyes faced each other, two people's eyes were clear and bright.

  Tong Xuan's heart was waiting for her, how could she not know? She only sighed that the two had fate but no luck. If they really didn't have a destined connection, then it would be better to cut ties cleanly. But instead, they kept getting entangled, leaving behind a faint, unattainable longing in their hearts.

  "Your Highness is already a married man, and now the border is turbulent, there are many things in the court, and the palace has also broken out with the plague. Your Highness should prioritize important matters and not get entangled in this private affair between a man and a woman." Qing Sang said harshly, speaking a few words of reason.

  Tang Xuan's expression turned slightly cold, and he said: "I will take care of the matters in the court myself, but you are not inferior to national affairs in my heart."

  If others were to hear this, they would surely say he's become muddle-headed. Qing Sang couldn't help but think that in the eyes of the ancients, could a country and a woman be mentioned in the same breath? Yet she still shamelessly indulged herself, indulging in Tang You's constant placement of her in such an important position.

  With emotions in his heart, he couldn't bring himself to say harsh words and instead reminded him gently: "Your Highness should be more careful, the Sixth Prince is not to be underestimated."

  Seeing that she no longer resisted, he began to care about himself, and a thread of joy surged up in his heart. He smiled and said: "Since you've thought of it, I won't hide from you that yesterday's affair was set by Sixth Brother, but unexpectedly it was ruined by a rainstorm. However, it wronged you."

  Qing Sang heard this and felt her face burning again. She didn't need a mirror to know that she was definitely red like a ripe tomato.

  Tang Xun saw her small face flush, and his heart felt pity for her. He wanted to say that he would never let her be humiliated, but he also knew the current situation, so this could only be empty talk. Therefore, he changed the subject and said: "From now on, there may be a storm in the imperial court. I thought these things wouldn't affect you, but from what happened yesterday, it seems that you might also be used, so you should be careful too."

  Qing Sang felt a little afraid after hearing this. She had already thought that the death of the crown prince would not be simple, and yesterday's events were also related to the sixth prince, Qing Wang. Thinking about it, the current situation was indeed getting more and more tense. The coveted throne seemed to have blinded people's minds. With these thoughts in mind, she stood up and said anxiously: "I'm just a small woman, I won't affect the court politics, at most I'll be used, but Your Highness is the one who should be careful, you're the first in line."

  Tang Xuan saw that she had already started calling him "I", and the concern was overflowing from her words, the distance between them unconsciously shortened a few more steps. He smiled and said: "Sang Er, rest assured, I will be careful no matter what, I will also keep you safe."

  The deep-seated emotions that had been suppressed for a long time slowly rose again.

  The relationship between the two gradually improved again, and they started talking about yesterday's events once more.

  "Why did the Sixth Prince want to let the Eighth Prince come, instead of implementing this plan himself? So that he missed the timing?" Qing Xie was a bit puzzled. If Taiping had come herself and disrupted her and Taiping's affair, wouldn't the effect be the same? Wouldn't it also make Taiping lose his reputation and wouldn't it also not miss the timing due to the heavy rain?

  "If he directly confronts me, the resistance will be even greater," Tang Xun said with a hint of coldness.

  Qing Sang suddenly understood, she still remembered her father telling her about the situation of each prince. The status and family power of Tong Huan's mother were far higher than those of Tong Ping. If Tong Ping openly fought with Tong Huan, he would not be his opponent. Although yesterday's plan was designed by him, he could only become a behind-the-scenes person. If he personally implemented it, even if he ruined Tong Huan's declaration and deprived him of the title of King Qing, Chen Xianfei's family members and officials who supported Tong Huan would not let him go, but would bring more enemies. Borrowing the hands of ordinary people would not have a good effect, such as arranging a eunuch or a guard to witness it, even if it reached the emperor's ears, considering the royal reputation, he would find a way to smooth things over, or even silence them. Therefore, Tong Kun was the most suitable. He was the emperor's beloved youngest son and only seven years old, so his words were innocent and the emperor would not blame him no matter what. This was the safest plan.

  Qing Shen didn't want to get involved in the struggle for the throne, but he was drawn into it unintentionally. Tong Ping is also a thoughtful person, and the timely tea-serving servant made both of them mistakenly think that the other was from their own household, so they didn't easily see through it. However, it's also strange that they both misunderstood each other from the start. Thinking back to the scene when the two met yesterday, there were actually many unreasonable things, but... perhaps... their minds weren't focused on finding the truth, which is why things went smoothly according to Tong Ping's plan?

  Thinking of someone as clever as Tong Xuan being deceived, perhaps it's also because he was the one who invited him. He went to the mansion alone, without considering the consequences, all just to see Qing Sang. Thinking of this, the emotions in his heart could no longer be controlled and burst forth.

  She couldn't reveal herself as the widow of the crown prince, not even if she hadn't entered the palace yet. She couldn't have any contact with other men, let alone now that the crown prince hasn't been buried yet. If she continued to entangle herself with Tong Xuan, it would only harm him.

  The helplessness and pain of being unable to be together filled Qing Sang's heart with dark clouds

  After Tang Xun and Ge Yun'er left, Wang Shi asked about Qing Shen Tian's affairs, but Qing Sang only said that Yun'er had invited him to clear his mind, and refused to say another word.

  Wang was helpless and once again prepared to take his family to Wangjiazhuang, but unexpectedly Qing Sang refused to leave.

  Qing Sang said that he couldn't stay alone with his father here, no matter how much his mother tried to persuade him, it was useless. In the end, Wang Shi could only wipe away her tears and say that after settling down, Lao Tai Tai and others would come back to accompany Qing Sang, she also couldn't bear to leave her daughter's husband here alone.

  Just as they were about to set off, suddenly someone said that she couldn't stand the jolting of the carriage and was also unwilling to leave. In the end, only old lady Wang and a few maidservants and young servants went on the trip.

  Qingyu was also unwilling to leave, and Old Lady Wang had to persuade him repeatedly, coaxing him with many interesting stories from the countryside before he finally left reluctantly.

  After Wang's family left, the house became much quieter. The illness that had been lingering for a long time did not subside, and the burden of managing the household fell entirely on Qing.

  Aunt Qing, apart from her father, still cared about Tang Yun in her heart. After clearly knowing the rivalry between Tang Ping and Tang Yun, she stayed in the capital to get news of Tang Yun at the first time. Even if they couldn't be together, she could know his safety at any moment.

  A few days later, the plague in the palace spread to the outside, and many people in the capital also fell ill, with a high mortality rate. Some wealthy families secretly took their families out of the city to escape. In order to prevent the plague from spreading, the city was sealed off.

  At the time when Qing Sang was about to become the wife of Tong Xuan, unexpectedly, rumors began circulating in the capital that she was a jinx, saying that she had killed her relatives before marriage and then killed her husband after marriage, and now she had brought disaster to the people.

  The people, who were suffering from illness and death, became more and more mysterious as they passed on the rumors, and finally a group of people gathered to present a petition to the emperor, asking him to send someone to capture this female demon and save the people from disaster.

  After Pu Jiannian received the news in the palace, he was like an ant on a hot pot. He already knew that Qing Sang had not gone to the countryside with Wang Shi to avoid disaster. Now the people's words are fierce and they have lost their minds. His daughter is in a very dangerous situation. Without waiting for the emperor's orders, he feared that these people who had lost their minds would rush into the Pu Mansion and deal with Qing Sang.

  Pu Ji Nian knew that now was the critical period of national affairs, and the emperor summoned him to the palace, entrusting him with a heavy responsibility. He should have devoted himself wholeheartedly, but he couldn't help thinking of Qing Sang, who was his heart's desire. In the end, he plucked up the courage to ask for imperial permission to return home once.

  The emperor didn't even lift his head as he read through the memorials, and after a while, he said indifferently to let Pu Jiannian rest assured in the palace, he had already ordered He Yan to lead a thousand cow guards to Pu's residence, and Qing Sang would not have any problems for the time being.

  Pu Ji Nian was still worried, but seeing that the Emperor had already made arrangements, he could only thank him for his kindness first.