Chapter 448: Misunderstanding Resolved, the Excited Crown Prince
Chapter 448: Misunderstanding Resolved, the Excited Crown Prince
Yes, wasn't there also someone from the Southwest border among them?
But she stubbornly failed to connect his visit to the incident site and his identity as the second prince of the Qin Kingdom.
These two thoughts ran separately in her mind.
Under his gentle probing, the two thoughts finally collided.
Liu Qingyun had considered many possibilities—someone with the surname Qin, someone without, someone dead, someone alive, someone from Miaojiang, and someone not from Miaojiang. Yet, she never imagined that the person could be the mute youth with whom she had sworn brotherhood.
In the darkness of the night, she had once used her fingers to carefully trace his eyebrows and facial features.
It was a face so handsome that it could provoke the heavens and enrage mortals.
However, the medicine's effects were too strong, and afterward, she couldn't recall his appearance no matter what.
If this was true...
Then, didn't she sleep with her sworn brother...
At this moment, words were insufficient to describe the tumultuous emotions and extreme embarrassment she felt.
No, she needed to stall for more time.
"Weren't you recuperating at the post station? How did you end up at the inn?"
"I was worried about you, so I went to the inn to find you... That night, I originally wanted to confess my identity to you, so I didn't wear my mask."
With that, everything fell into place.
Liu Qingyun stole a glance at him, feeling a bit guilty.
Lu Zhaoyan seemed to guess what she wanted to ask and innocently recalled, "The room was too dark, and I couldn't see your face clearly. I asked who you were, and you said, 'Who do you think I am? I'm the ninety-ninth man you've slept with.'"
Don't say it... It's too shameful...
Liu Qingyun wished she could find a crack in the ground to hide in—
"I wasn't sure if these were just my illusions," Lu Zhaoyan said, glancing at Liu Qingyun, "but now I'm certain they aren't."
Liu Qingyun felt even more ashamed.
"You... Umm... Umm..."
She made an awkward and resentful sound from her nose, clearly wanting to ask but not daring to.
"I..."
Lu Zhaoyan wasn't sure how to answer this question.
After some consideration, he tried to avoid the parts that hadn't been confirmed yet and said, "At that time, I wasn't in the best condition. Afterward, I thought... I mistook that person for you."
This statement carried a lot of implications.
Liu Qingyun was just a bit single-minded about certain matters; it didn't mean she had no brain.
She stared at him in a daze, "You..."
Lu Zhaoyan paused and spoke seriously, "I'll investigate and give you an explanation."
Liu Qingyun cleared her throat, picked up a cup of tea, and said calmly, "It's... It's nothing. It's just... that thing happened, but I've long forgotten about it."
Lu Zhaoyan looked at her sternly, "I'm not that useless."
Liu Qingyun choked on her tea.
"I haven't forgotten."
Lu Zhaoyan said earnestly.
Liu Qingyun thought, I have thick skin, but not that thick... Do you want to reconsider what you're saying?
Her stomach growled.
Never had there been a moment when the sound of a growling stomach felt so embarrassing.
Lu Zhaoyan said, "We've been talking for so long; you must be hungry."
"You're hungry too. Go eat quickly!"
Liu Qingyun quickly pushed him out, closed the door with one hand, and locked it with the other, her movements swift and smooth, without a hint of hesitation! When she was alone in the room, all the embarrassment doubled, and her face turned as red as a tomato.
She buried her head in the blanket, "Even rabbits don't eat the grass near their burrows... It's too humiliating..."
She had lost all her face in one night...
How could she face people from now on?
Suddenly, Liu Qingyun poked her head out of the blanket, "Wait, no one else knows about our sworn brotherhood! I slept with a crown prince; what's there to be embarrassed about?"
He didn't say, and I didn't say, who would know that I ate the grass by my nest?"
"Wait, it seems someone does know."
"Qing Yi."
"But she doesn't know who I am. Besides, she said that her family had arranged a marriage for her, and after she heals her face, she will return home to get married."
"Sigh, it's a pity I couldn't see her one last time."
Xi'er brought in the food, and Liu Qingyun ate and drank her fill before taking a nap.
She did what she should, eating and drinking, and not letting things bother her.
Compared to her, Lu Zhaoyan's emotions were far from settling.
He stood on the arched bridge in the Crown Prince's Mansion, gazing silently at the rippling lotus pond, his memories flashing through his mind—the past and the present intertwining like a shuttle, continuously shaking his heart.
His hand clenched into a tight fist.
He couldn't help but feel excited and confused.
If the person who spent the night with him was her, then what about Dou Qingyi?
Why, after waking up, was Dou Qingyi the one lying by his side?
And why, despite giving her a bowl of contraceptive soup, did she still carry and give birth to Lu Qi after ten months?
Ji Feng had just returned from the Imperial City and was looking for Lu Zhaoyan. Upon inquiring, he learned that Lu Zhaoyan had come to this place, leaving only Cui Hu by his side, who followed from a distance, not daring to approach.
Ji Feng said to Cui Hu, "Has His Highness encountered another worry?"
The Crown Prince would only stand on the bridge in deep thought when an extremely significant event occurred.
Cui Hu was startled and scolded in a low voice, "You're so loud, walking without a sound!"
Ji Feng replied, "I'm asking you a question."
Cui Hu sighed, "Ever since he met Lady Lin Yuan, His Highness hasn't been himself. Today, I don't know what he said to that woman in the room, but after coming out, his smile reached his ears, as if he were a newlywed."
Ji Feng looked at the Crown Prince's solemn expression and asked, "Are you sure?"
Cui Hu said, "I'm not exaggerating. His Highness has never been this joyful. Even when the Princess Consort and the Marquis came to acknowledge their relationship, he didn't look like a fool. But after he finished being happy, he ran to the bridge to calm down."
Ji Feng was the first to arrive by the Crown Prince's side, and he understood him well. The Crown Prince never allowed himself to be immersed in any emotion for too long.
So, Cui Hu's words were likely true.
What great joy had happened to make His Highness so delighted?
And what huge mishap had occurred that made His Highness want to overturn the entire Imperial City at this very moment?
Qiangwei Courtyard.
Dou Qingyi had just finished her lunch.
In fact, she had no appetite and only tasted a few bites before asking the servants to take away the food.
Hui Zhi had been caned to death, and the maid serving by her side now was Chun Tao.
Chun Tao spoke softly, "Madam, do you want to rest?"
Dou Qingyi asked, "Has Qianji Pavilion replied?"
Chun Tao shook her head, "No."
Last night, such a significant event had occurred. The Crown Prince, in front of her, had held her hand and left.
Anxiety filled her heart, and she wrote a letter and sent someone to deliver it to Qianji Pavilion that very night.
But the morning had passed, and there was still no response from Qianji Pavilion.
Could something have happened to Qianji Pavilion as well? Or were they busy with Liuying and Qi Er's grand wedding, temporarily held up by other matters?
"Go and prepare a carriage, I need to go out for a while."
Without delay, Dou Qingyi decided to go to Qianji Pavilion personally to discuss a plan.
She couldn't let the position of Crown Princess fall into someone else's hands.
However, just as she put on her cloak and stepped out of the courtyard, she bumped into Lu Zhaoyan, who was walking towards her.
Lu Zhaoyan's expression was icy, and his eyes were sharp, as if they could see right through a person.
(End of Chapter)
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