Chapter Twenty: Illicit Love Affair

  Golden hooks, Hibiscus curtains, Golden silk cloud quilts, Flowing tassels gently swaying.

  This is neither a modern home nor the Northern Emperor's mansion after crossing over!

  Where is it?

  Turning sideways, luxurious sandalwood furniture, and a jade-inlaid brazier with swirling incense.

  Xiatong opened her eyes and gazed at the luxurious canopy: Last night, she was forced to kiss someone, pushed into the water, a spring dream, vague as if everything was leaving her, unbearable to recall!

  She sat up with a start, swung her legs over the side of the bed and accidentally knocked over the jade bowl on the bedside table, which fell to the ground with a loud "ding" sound.

  "Princess!"

  Qingli rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and as soon as she saw it was Xiaotong, she immediately jumped up from her chair, ran over and hugged her, crying, "Princess, you scared me to death! If something happened to you, how would I explain it to the Second Prince and the Emperor?"

  "Green leave!"

  Xia Tong was deeply moved, Qing Li had never cried before, from the moment she met her, this was her first time crying! Xia Tong gently patted her shaking shoulders and softly comforted her. Although she was most afraid of being exposed by her, but since these days, she really couldn't complain about Princess Luli as a master.

  "Alright, Qingli, if you cry again, I'll have to stand here with you for a whole day, looking like a beggar!" Xiaotong said, gently pushing Qingli away as she glanced around.

  "Ah!" Qingli blushed and nodded with a smile, "I'll help the princess change her clothes and wash up!"

  As she spoke, she quickly changed her clothes, and as the collar moved, something slipped out from inside.

  Qing Li picked it up and gave it a faint glance, slightly stunned for a moment, then casually stuffed it into Xia Tong's inner garment.

  Xia Tong took it out and held it in front of his eyes: It was a piece of transparent ink jade, with a carved dragon dancing around the character "cloud", its claws grasping and its mist spitting.

  This jade was only seen by her for the first time today, how did it end up on her neck? I really want to ask Qing Li directly, but looking at her expression just now, she must have seen it countless times before, no wonder!

  Xiatong thought for a moment, gazing at it, and involuntarily whispered a "cloud" in his mouth.

  "Princess!" Qing Li's hands, which were adjusting her clothes for her, immediately stopped and stared at her with a sigh: "If you miss it so much, how could you bear to leave in the first place?"

  I? Heartless leave?

  Xiatong was astonished in her heart, but she endured it and didn't dare to show it. She didn't know what kind of entanglement her previous life, Princess Liuli, had with the owner of this jade, and how ruthless she was when leaving him?

  Unable to understand, Xia Tong's thoughts turned and she looked at Qing Li as if it were an unbearable past event, sighed and asked: "Was I really ruthless?"

  Qing Li's eyes were deep and profound as he gazed at her, his tone melancholic: "Still not ruthless enough? When the Second Prince returned triumphantly, rushing back without stopping to hear that you had voluntarily agreed to marry the prince of Nan Guo, doesn't the princess think she is being very cruel?"

  In ancient times, a country would send a princess to be married off as a diplomatic gesture, it was a common occurrence. The second prince is heartbroken? Is she being cruel? The subtlety of this situation startled Xia Tong, could it be that her past life was playing out a sibling romance?

  Can't help but think of the person who deeply kissed her in the darkness last night, a chill ran down her spine, and indeed it was him!

  "Princess, you two are so in love, how can you bear to leave him?" Qing's voice came again.

  Good heavens! They are really bold, daring to make this illicit love public and letting everyone know about it.

  Xiatong had an awkward expression, seeing Qingli still wanting to say something, she couldn't help but interrupt her: "I'm doing this for Liriguo too, aren't I?" As she said that, she took off the jade pendant from her neck, "Treat it as a keepsake!"

  The true Mo Yan is dead. Even if she wears it every day, she can't recall a single bit of that second prince. What's the point of keeping it? She and he are just passersby in the end!

  After parting ways, there was a hint of desolation in his eyes, he bit his lip and turned to leave.

  "Do you like the Second Prince?" Xia Tong asked her.

  Qing's hand, which was leaving the jewelry box, trembled and stopped, turning around to look at her, with an unwavering gaze: "In the Lǐguó Palace, half of the palace maids like the Second Prince, it's normal for a slave like me to like him!" With that, she gave a self-mocking smile: "No matter how many people like him, I'm just a palace maid, a slave of the princess, not worth Your Highness' smile!"

  "Help me with my hair!" Xia Tong said, sitting directly in front of the dresser.