"Do you love her?" she asked, frowning.
The man in front of her nodded without hesitation and simply said, "Yes."
"If you love her, don't let her go so easily."
Because if she left, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
She didn't say the last part. Thinking of her own decision back then, which had made her regretful until now, she didn't want to see her relatives go through the same regret.
Hearing this, Helian Qi frowned even more tightly. Then he raised his head, his eyes filled with determination, and said, "I understand."
He knew that if he still loved, he must never let go easily. After all, that woman was still waiting for him.
Princess Shangyang smiled contentedly at this. Then she stood up, patted his shoulder, and said, "We of the Helian family will never admit defeat. As long as it's something you want to hold on to, hold it tightly in your hand!"
With that, she turned and left the small pavilion. Helian Qi, still sitting there, watched as the woman's back gradually disappeared. Then he stood up and left the imperial garden.
He was going to see someone.
Back in the palace, Princess Shangyang entered her son's bedroom. She placed the jade pendant that had warmed in her hand on his pillow, then smiled and left the bedroom.
Who could tell what the future held? It was up to the young people to strive for it.
On the other side, Helian Qi had already rushed to the Queen's palace. The palace lanterns in the main palace were still lit. It seemed that the people in the palace hadn't gone to bed yet.
Thinking this, he strode in. When the door opened, he found that the palace was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. It seemed that only the sound of the candles burning could be heard.
At this moment, Dongfang Yi was sitting on a stool, half of her body leaning on the table, her head propped up by her hand. Her eyes were slightly closed. It seemed that she had fallen asleep.
Seeing this, Helian Qi felt a sudden warmth in his heart. It was a sense of peace, the feeling of knowing that someone was waiting for him and that he was cherished.
So he tiptoed over, wanting to carry the woman back to the bed. But unexpectedly, as soon as his hand touched her, her eyes opened.
"Helian Qi..." she murmured sleepily.
"I woke you up. Go back to sleep. I'll carry you over," Helian Qi said, then picked the woman up horizontally.
But Dongfang Yi suddenly hugged his waist tightly and buried her head in his chest, rubbing against it constantly. She said, "Don't sleep. I've been waiting for you!"
Hearing this, Helian Qi rubbed his chin against the top of her head. Then he gently placed her on the bed and sat down beside her. He reached out and tapped the tip of her nose, smiling as he said, "Such a little girl."
Dongfang Yi looked up at him with a bright smile, enjoying the tenderness the man in front of her was showing her at this moment.
Then Helian Qi seemed to think of something and asked, "Dong'er, will you leave me?"
After hearing this, the expression on her face froze for a moment. Then she shook her head firmly and replied, "I'll never leave you, unless I'm dead."
"Don't say the word 'dead'," Helian Qi frowned and stopped her from saying more.
Dongfang Yi then scratched her head with a smile and said, "I just wanted to make you feel at ease."
With that, she couldn't help but yawn, even tears welling up in her eyes.
Helian Qi could tell that she was sleepy. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then stood up and said, "I just came to check on you. Go to sleep quickly. I'll come back tomorrow."
With that, he turned and left the bedroom.
Dongfang Yi lay in bed, pulling the quilt over her head. Her mind was racing.
Thinking about her own origin, she was not from this era after all. She didn't know exactly why she had come here, nor did she know if she would stay here forever or go back.
But for now, she had fallen in love with Helian Qi. If she had a choice, she would be willing to stay here for the rest of her life.
Then she remembered that nightmare of hers. In the dream, there was Helian Qi, but she could never touch him. And there was an old voice, as if calling her to some place.
Thinking of this, she felt a strong sense of uneasiness. She was afraid that something unexpected would happen in the future. She was afraid that if she left, Helian Qi would be left alone. Just thinking about it made her heart ache.
On the other side, Helian Qi returned to the Qianqing Palace smiling all the way. Even Ru Yi was shocked as if seeing a ghost and asked, "Your Majesty, have you encountered something happy?"
Helian Qi coughed lightly in embarrassment. Then he put away the happy expression on his face and went into the inner palace to look at the official documents.
But in his heart, there was a resolute voice telling him that he would only love Dongfang Yi in this lifetime and would do everything to love her.
The Jiangshan of the Dongsheng Kingdom was destined to be shared by him and Dongfang Yi.
At this moment, it was a different scene elsewhere.
In Concubine Chu's palace, Concubine Chu stared wide - eyed in the darkness. The pain on her back was coming in waves.
"Dongfang Yi!"
She couldn't help but roar. Then she shouted, "Cuiping!"
Soon, a little maid ran in from outside the palace. As soon as she came in, she knelt beside the bed, lowering her head and asking, "What does Your Highness want the maid to do?"
"How's the thing I told you to do?" she asked, her eyebrows almost knitted together.
Hearing this, Cuiping sneered. Then she replied in a shrill voice, "Your Highness, don't worry. Cuiping always does things properly."
Hearing this, Concubine Chu laughed. Her face showed an extremely embarrassing expression due to the pain. Then she regained her composure and waved her hand, signaling the maid beside her to leave.
In her hand, she tightly grasped a red piece of paper with only four words written on it.
"Qingming in April."
These four words meant the day when Prime Minister Nangong was going to usurp the throne. At that time, the emperor would lead people to pay respects to the ancestors at the newly renovated imperial mausoleum. Without any defense, he would surely fall into the pre - arranged trap.
Thinking of this, a triumphant smile appeared on her lips. Then she said coldly, "Dongfang Yi, I will never let you go."
Indeed, she decided to strike first. Before Nangong Liuyun took action, she would completely kill Dongfang Yi. Only when she died at her own hands could she feel at ease.
With that thought, she threw her head back and laughed maniacally, a strange smile stretching across her lips.