Never had

  The leading eunuch bowed his knee as soon as he saw Baili Qingyun, "Happy birthday to the princess."

  Baili Siqing didn't let her get up, but stared at the man behind her side and asked stubbornly: "Is there or not?"

  The people of the Jin country were shocked by the sudden question from the young princess, who had just arrived and didn't ask about their identity, but only asked if they had met the second prince.

  Chu Liuxiang looked back at her with a casual glance, as if seeing her for the first time.

  Her high-piled black hair fluttered gently in the wind, her face pale and translucent without powder or rouge. The emerald green coiled on her head and the apricot-red long skirt on her body complemented each other, blooming the whole spring.

  However, her expression did not show the lively smile of a young girl. Her calm and indifferent demeanor gave her an ethereal and melancholic beauty that overshadowed her youthful appearance.

  Baili Siqing had always disliked entangling with strangers, but this time she was unusually persistent. She stared tightly at his eyebrows and eyes, more intense than when they were in the South Study.

  A faint whisper floated into his ears, Chu Li's eyes remained unchanged, but his heart seemed to be suddenly grasped by an icy hand, and for a moment, his breathing stagnated. An inexplicable bitterness was suppressed in his throat, making it impossible for him to speak.

  The Jin people who followed looked at each other for a moment, seeing that the second prince had been silent all along, and rushed to pay their respects: "We have met the princess, this is our Jin country's Li Ye Huangzi."

  Chu Li Yao? Bai Li Si Qing stared at him with an urgent gaze, as if she wouldn't rest until he replied, "Why doesn't the Second Prince answer this palace's words?"

  Just now in the South Study, she clearly heard the guard's report and knew his identity without guessing.

  The Second Prince of Jin Country.

  Tiny beads of sweat suddenly appeared in her palm, quietly shrinking away, unseen by anyone.

  Chu Li Yao made a great effort to suppress the turbulent waves in his heart, and finally smiled slightly, shook his head and said seriously: "Never."

  Baili Siqing's body trembled, and this gentle denial was like a thin, sharp blade that suddenly swept across her heart, swift and painful.

  Chu Liyue's face floated with a suitable hint of concern, "What's wrong, Princess?"

  Baili Sicong raised his head and looked at him, the thread of hidden pain carrying a strong sourness that rushed to the bottom of his eyes, blurring the tall white shadow in front of him.

  His answer was anything but vague, landing clearly in her ears - Never.

  She suddenly loosened her tightly clenched fist, letting the wind dry the fine sweat on her palm, and said indifferently: "It seems that this palace has mistaken someone."

  The butterfly clothes saw that she was not feeling well and hurriedly stepped forward, saying in a low voice: "Princess, let's go back to the palace first."

  Chu Li Yao immediately stepped aside and bowed slightly, "Your Highness, please." A hint of relaxation seemed to appear between his eyebrows.

  Baili Siqing looked at him deeply, no longer asking questions, and quickly walked past his side, her footsteps not stopping.

  In the fleeting moment, Chu Li Yao restrained his desire to reach out and stop her, his body imperceptibly shifting half an inch away. His movements were humble and courteous, without any impropriety.

  After Baili Siqing left, the palace servant who led the way let out a sigh of relief and stood up to explain to Chu Lijun and others: "Just now was our country's Gaoyang Princess."

  The people of Jin were shocked and couldn't believe it, so that was Princess Gao Yang? Thinking of the purpose of this trip, they all subconsciously looked at Chu Li Yao. What a pity, such a good opportunity was wasted in vain.

  However, thinking of Baili Siqing's attitude towards Chu Lianyue, the worries in front of them were greatly reduced.

  As they walked to the corner, Die Xiang asked inexplicably: "Princess, have you seen Jin Guo's second prince?" Why did they not have any impression of Chu Li You at all?

  Baili Siqing turned back, the white brocade robe fluttering behind Chu Lianyao's elegant steps as she slowly disappeared into the depths of the palace walls.

  She stood quietly on the stone steps, looking up to see the clouds lightly covering the sun, the majestic palace stretching out like a sea, and the vast sky boundless.

  "I don't know."

  Apart from that elegant and composed demeanor, it was a completely unfamiliar face, even the gaze in her eyes was very unfamiliar.

  Also, how can someone with such a vastly different status be the same person?

  The maids were somewhat dazed, they followed the princess every day, but anyone who had appeared would remember one or two. And the second prince was as handsome as jade, with outstanding temperament, and they couldn't ignore him even more.

  Wasn't it the princess who met her when she went out of the palace alone before?

  All along, they were thinking hard about what forgotten details they had missed and regretting how they could have overlooked such an important matter.

  When they returned to Bao Yi Palace, there was an unexpected guest in the palace.

  The elegant woman sitting in the chair sipping tea saw them return, immediately put down her teacup and stood up. The hollow flying phoenix gold hairpin on her head made a tinkling sound as she moved her lotus steps lightly.

  The woman's voice was unusually warm and gentle, "Gaoyang, come let me take a look, has it changed?"

  "Princess Duan is well!" Huixiang and Huiyi put aside their thoughts and immediately bowed to pay their respects.

  The eunuch beside Princess Duan had a smile all over his face. "We have seen Her Highness Princess Gaoyang."

  "It's all right." Duan Fei grasped Baoli Qingcheng's hand, her joy unhidden. "The palace heard you returned at noon and I wanted to come see you earlier, but thinking that you must be very tired from the journey, I put it off for now. But as soon as a palace servant said you were resting well, I came right over."

  She didn't even take a hundred steps before she let go of her hand, and the lotus step circled around her once, suddenly filling the air with jade fragrance, and the whole hall was filled with fragrance.

  "It's indeed much taller, and the eyebrows have also opened up. Compared to Empress sister back then, it's like they were carved out of the same mold." She carefully gazed at Baili Qingyun who was now a shoulder taller than her, and her eyes suddenly turned red. "Since you left the palace, I've been worried every day, thinking about whether the people on Lei Mountain are serving you thoroughly, and whether you're living comfortably. Now that you're back in the palace, I can see you every day, and my heart is also very relieved."

  Baili Siqing gazed calmly at Duan Fei, who was gently wiping away her tears. Her pale blue dress with a delicate hem trailed on the ground, and her slender fingers grasped a soft silk handkerchief. Time seemed to have left no mark on her face, which was as smooth as a peach blossom, with eyes like autumn waves. Although she had long since passed the age of thirty, her complexion remained tender and charming, just like that of a young woman in her early twenties.

  Her words are flawless, expressing her concern for herself without being too deliberate, and showing a dignified and elegant demeanor that is considerate of others.

  But ——

  "Princess Duan, you've been pretending for so many years, aren't you tired?"

  She's exhausted just watching!

  Duan Fei's worried expression almost faltered for a moment, her hand paused slightly, and the handkerchief she was using to wipe away tears also came to a stop.

  Ba Li's words were like a sharp needle, mercilessly piercing her. It was as if he wanted to magnify her "malicious intentions" on the surface, stripping away her years of careful planning, and sweeping away the dignity of this imperial harem's number one consort.