After leaving the palace, the two didn't return to the Guest Reception Office. Chu Qing took Wei Ying to an inn that was still open and checked in.
When Wei Yi and the others rushed over after getting the news, they saw their two masters looking gloomy. They all lowered their eyes and didn't dare to ask a single question.
The teachings they received from the very beginning were to ask less and do more.
Only Ruan Zheng stared blankly at the two of them, then asked doubtfully, "What's wrong with the prince and the princess? They look really unhappy. Could it be... the food in the palace doesn't taste good?"
Everyone: "..."
The only one who dared to provoke their masters was this heartless Ruan Zheng. Hearing his words, Luoluo couldn't help taking a deep breath, then kindly tugged at his sleeve, signaling him not to ask anymore.
But Ruan Zheng still looked blank, his big eyes full of confusion. "What's wrong? The prince and the princess are unhappy. As their subordinates, we should help our masters solve their problems! Also! I heard... the food in the palace should be good!"
Luoluo retreated to Chu Qing's side helplessly, not wanting to care about this fool anymore.
Fortunately, Chu Qing and Wei Ying were patient with Ruan Zheng.
Chu Qing raised a faint smile and said, "This princess and the prince are just a bit tired. You don't need to worry."
Hearing this, Wei Ying also nodded, then said indifferently, "You may leave. This prince wants to have a talk with the princess."
Wei Yi and the others immediately bowed their heads in agreement, then neatly filed out.
As for Ruan Zheng, he was dragged out by Wei Yi and Wei Er.
Seeing that there were only the two of them left in the room, Wei Ying suddenly lay down on the bed.
Chu Qing had never seen Wei Ying so dejected before. All she could feel was heartache, but she didn't know what else she could do.
She didn't know how to comfort him.
Logically speaking, it was really a pity that Wei Ying had a mother like Nangong Yin. Fortunately, neither of them was indecisive. Wei Ying wouldn't easily soften his heart towards Nangong Yin. After all, he still remembered vividly her condescending tone back then.
However...
Wen Lang was different.
He knew nothing.
Wei Ying was very unfamiliar with his father.
But Chu Qing wasn't.
She had really lived with him for a while.
Although he always looked cold and indifferent to everything, when others bullied him, he would grit his teeth and endure it, and then seek revenge when he got the chance.
But Chu Qing knew that Wen Lang was actually very kind-hearted.
Thinking about it this way, Wen Lang and Wei Ying were really quite alike.
With these random thoughts in her mind, Chu Qing could feel how lost and helpless Wen Lang must be now.
"Zizhan, what are you going to do..." Chu Qing finally couldn't help asking.
However, Wei Ying didn't answer her immediately. It was a long while later that he replied sullenly, "I... don't know..."
Hearing this, Chu Qing sighed and continued to ask,
"If the emperor of Dongyi... wants to recognize you as his son, would you like to come back?"
Wei Ying frowned, then sat up slowly and said, "Qingqing, if I say I'm really not interested in power, would you believe me?"
Chu Qing nodded seriously and replied with a "Yes".
Wei Ying continued, "But if I come back, it won't be up to me whether I want to or not. After all, there is only one prince in Dongyi now. He will surely regard me as an enemy. Moreover..."
Speaking of this, the helplessness on Wei Ying's face disappeared, replaced by a dark look in his eyes.
"I'm going to stay for a few more days and get in touch with... that national teacher."
...
Nangong Yin returned to her palace dejectedly. After driving out all the maids, she extinguished all the lamps in the palace.
Only in the darkness could she gradually calm down.
As the eldest daughter of the Nangong family, she had been pampered since childhood. Therefore, although she was excellent in every aspect, there was... a slight flaw in her character.
She thought she was better than everyone else in the world.
Even her elder brother.
She wanted to climb above him.
Later, when she sneaked out of the house once, she met the Prince of Guangling, who had concealed his identity, at the Hairpin Flower Festival. So at that time, she didn't know his identity.
However, young, promising and handsome men always attracted attention.
So Nangong Yin thought... she wanted him to fall in love with her.
Sure enough, he fell in love with her.
But she entered the palace.
The emperor of Dongyi, Wen Lang, whom she married, was cold both on the surface and in his heart. At first, not only she but also the whole world thought that she entered the palace because Wen Lang was in love with her.
However, after the child was born and they occasionally said a few sweet words to each other, Nangong Yin gradually realized that Wen Lang didn't have any feelings for her in his heart.
The royal family is the most heartless.
A bit disheartened, she accidentally met a mysterious man.
He said his name was Dumi.
It was not until later that Nangong Yin found out that Dumi came from an island outside Dongyi, and now he was the national teacher of Dongyi.
She thought the man approached her because he was in love with her. But as time passed, she gradually realized that A Mi was truly indifferent to worldly desires.
She liked to call him A Mi.
Because she didn't know when it started, whenever she was in a bad mood, she would go to him. Gradually, he became her friend. Whenever she lost control of her emotions, he could always comfort her.
In short, A Mi was the person she trusted most in the palace.
Even... until now, she still didn't doubt that A Mi was lying to her when he said the child was a disaster star.
All the past scenes flashed through her mind one by one. Until now, she still didn't think she had done anything wrong.
No...
If there was a mistake...
There was indeed a mistake!
She shouldn't have given her son to that man!
That man must have been unable to get her love, so he took revenge on her son!
Yes, it must be so!
Otherwise, how could her own son not be eager to return to her side after learning his true identity!
She didn't even mind his identity as a disaster star!
The more Nangong Yin thought about it, the more her head hurt.
Her whole body seemed to be on fire.
Just as she was kneeling on the ground, holding her head and silently screaming, a cool evening breeze suddenly blew gently on her face.
Nangong Yin looked up belatedly and saw A Mi in a moon-white robe standing in front of her.
Still with that compassionate look on his face, but seeing him made her feel calm.
After her breathing gradually calmed down, a pair of fair hands were gently placed in front of her.
Nangong Yin placed her hand on them very familiarly and stood up from the ground.
"You finally came to see me." There was an involuntary sob in Nangong Yin's voice.
Dumi's expression remained as calm as the moonlight, and his voice was a bit ethereal. "If I didn't come, I don't know what stupid thing you would do."
"My son doesn't recognize me. What should I do..." Nangong Yin continued tremblingly.
Dumi was very tall, so when he looked at Nangong Yin, he was looking down at her.
"You can't do without him in your life, but he may do without you in his."