At the end of spring, Song Jinyu felt the little princess's pulse and finally let out a sigh of relief. "From now on, you can live as happily as other princesses and princes," she said. "You no longer have to worry about your health. I hope you'll be happy and healthy from now on."
Princess Heyi cheered loudly. "Great!"
"Concubine Jia sent a message saying she's coming to pick you up and take you back to the capital," Zhongli Mingye said as he walked in. No one knew when he had entered.
"Ah?" Heyi didn't want to leave. She had been going out to play with Jinyu every day, exploring every corner of Liuzhou City.
They had picked green apricots, climbed trees to get bird eggs, and dug wild mushrooms under the tree roots.
They had boiled a few bird eggs in the river water. It was the first time Heyi had ever eaten them. Although the taste was just so - so, the princess thought they were delicious.
"Sister Yu, come with me to the palace!" Heyi made up her mind to take Jinyu with her.
"No!" Two voices spoke simultaneously. Jinyu and Zhongli Mingye looked at each other.
Heyi gave them a mischievous smile. "You're so in sync!"
"Heyi, my sister - in - law is about to give birth soon," Jinyu said, trying to hide her shyness and changing the topic.
"I need to accompany her more." The danger in the palace was no less than that in the martial - arts world. She would rather roam in the martial - arts world than enter the palace.
Heyi stole a glance at Zhongli Mingye. Her fourth brother looked cold, and she knew there was no way she could take Jinyu away.
Zhongli Mingye sent several generals to escort Princess Heyi back to the capital. Jinyu saw her off outside the city. As the princess's carriage got farther and farther away, just as she was about to turn around and go back to the mansion, she was stopped by Qingfeng.
Qingfeng bowed. "Miss, the prince asks you to go to Qingli Zhai."
Jinyu looked at him crossly. Wasn't that man supposed to be sending Princess Heyi back to the capital? She had no choice but to follow Qingfeng reluctantly.
Ouyang Jinse watched Jinyu's figure from afar and a smile curled up on his lips. After today, you'll be mine.
"Are you ready?"
Several black - clothed men knelt down. "We've made all the arrangements, sir."
"Prepare more men. That girl is always full of wits."
Ouyang Jinse had been waiting in Liuzhou City ever since the crown prince left. He was not willing to lose Song Jinyu like this.
Now that his repeated proposals had been rejected, he had no choice but to take drastic measures first and report later.
"Miss, I'll go get your cloak," Niuniu said.
Qingli Zhai was a corner tower by the river. There were windows all around. The river breeze blew gently, and the water vapor was thick. Although it was the end of spring, it was still a bit cold by the river.
"Go!"
There were already many pastries on the table, as well as a few storybooks. Jinyu wondered what Zhongli Mingye was up to.
She walked casually towards the window. From time to time, people passed by. She saw a man running in a hurry from afar. As he got closer, it was Zhongli Mingye. He was dressed in his regular prince's attire today, looking very imposing. But his hasty steps didn't match his status.
When he finally reached Qingli Zhai and pushed open the door, Jinyu looked at him in surprise. "Are you being chased? You're running so fast..." Then she laughed.
Looking at the prince's hair that had been messed up by the wind, it was really a bit funny.
Zhongli Mingye didn't say a word. He walked silently towards her. Looking into her clear and bright eyes that reflected his face.
He finally admitted that his heart was lost, lost on her. Although he had seen her every day these days, in order to avoid suspicion, he hadn't even said an extra word to her.
And she always seemed so carefree.
Now that Zhongli Heyi had finally left, she had been taking the princess out to play every day. Zhongli Mingye was afraid something might happen to them, so he had people follow them every day. Hearing the reports, Zhongli Mingye was extremely envious. He wished it was himself who could play recklessly with Jinyu.
Seeing that he didn't say a word and just stared at her with his phoenix - like eyes, Jinyu couldn't help but sigh.
"Your Highness, have you gone crazy?"
The next moment, she knew whether this man was crazy or not. He hugged Jinyu tightly in his arms, letting her hear his rapid heartbeat.
"You!" Jinyu was trapped in his arms. At this moment, she clearly understood that this prince might really have fallen in love with her.
But she couldn't accept this love.
After a long time, she broke free from his embrace. "Your Highness, you..."
Niuniu had just gone down from Qingli Zhai to get the miss's cloak from the carriage. Unexpectedly, she was suddenly blocked by several black - clothed men. After a fight, Niuniu was knocked out and taken away.
Around the corner, Ouyang Jinse looked expressionlessly in the direction of Qingli Zhai.
"Why???"
There was finally a crack on Zhongli Mingye's perfect face. He tightly grabbed Song Jinyu's arm. She actually didn't accept his feelings and hoped that Zhongli Mingye would stop pestering her from now on.
Obviously, she didn't resist him. Why did she reject him now?
"Because there's a huge gap between our social statuses. I don't want to live a hard life," Jinyu said.
"Also, Your Highness, there's something you can never give me in this lifetime," Song Jinyu said calmly, stating her reasons.
She knelt down and bowed. "Please, Your Highness, keep your distance from this humble girl in the future."
Zhongli Mingye was completely hurt by these cold words. There was a wounded look in his eyes. "What is it that I can't give you?"
Song Jinyu lowered her head. "This humble girl only loves one person in her life. She will experience the prosperity of the world with him, and naturally hopes that that person will only love her as well."
"This humble girl is selfish."
She might as well make everything clear. She was such a person. She would take what she wanted and reject what she didn't. "Your Highness, this humble girl just wants to live a smooth life and doesn't want to waste her energy on irrelevant things."
She might as well say it all in one breath and let him give up this idea completely. As Song Jinyu was talking, many emotions suddenly welled up in her heart. She seemed a bit sad.
She was so sad that she didn't dare to look at Zhongli Mingye.
"So be it..."
Zhongli Mingye had concubines in Liuzhou City, and there might already be side - concubines in the capital. At his age and with his high status, how could he not have other women?
Song Jinyu was determined to draw a clear line from him today. Otherwise, she was afraid she would fall into the abyss.
After saying these words, Song Jinyu immediately left Qingli Zhai. She didn't want to see the expression on the man behind her. She was afraid she would regret it.
Hearing these words, Zhongli Mingye's heart was touched. What she wanted, he couldn't give? What he wanted to give was far more than what she asked for.
Looking at her hurriedly fleeing figure, Zhongli Mingye finally felt heartache. These so - called reasons were just because she didn't love him.
Thinking of this, Zhongli Mingye closed his eyes.