Eternal Night - Chapter 175
"Hmph, what else is Your Majesty thinking? Father must be blinded to want such a woman to be the Crown Princess!" Yan Di was furious when he learned that Yong Ye had stabbed me in the back.
I shook my head; he didn't understand. Yongye had her own difficulties.
"If she falls in love with me, I will marry her." That was all I could say to Yandi.
"Is it just because she's beautiful?"
"No, her heart is like crystal; it reflects different colors under different light. Brother Yan, I want her." I knew I had to be firm; otherwise, Brother Yan would become estranged from Yongye, and Father would hesitate.
I returned to Anguo as soon as my injuries healed. I didn't know where Yongye was hiding, but I knew that with her skills and cunning, she would be fine.
I happened to rescue her from the drugged area outside the Peony Courtyard, and I thought she would feel a little guilty or affection towards me. But I was disappointed. Besides lying to me out of wariness, she genuinely wanted to kill me. Her attitude towards me was completely different from how she treated that kid surnamed Yue, and I instantly became angry.
I've thought more than once that if Yongye believed me, and if she just told me the truth, I would definitely treat her with sincerity.
She didn't.
I was furious and wanted to teach her a lesson, to scare her. So I sold her to the Peony Courtyard, knowing I could get clues about Youli Valley from her. I also knew that Youli Valley was determined to capture her alive, so she was definitely of use and wouldn't harm me.
However, she disappeared. Mo Yu had already left the Peony Courtyard, and it was Li Yannian who remained there.
In an instant, I was filled with remorse. My heart sank, and I became anxious and restless.
After the palace coup in Anguo, I followed Li Yannian. I could only pray to God to help me find her. I only prayed that she would not die. No matter what happened to her, I decided to take care of her for the rest of my life.
During the six days and six nights I searched all over Yishan, it wasn't that I wasn't tired or didn't want to sleep, but that I couldn't bear to leave her. I couldn't find her, and I couldn't find peace of mind for even a moment.
When I couldn't eat or sleep because of her, I knew I had truly fallen in love with her. No matter how many good people she killed, no matter if she had feelings for another man, I loved her.
When we found the stone house, Yongye looked at me nervously. The wariness and tension in her eyes weren't because of Li Yannian, but because of me.
Am I really that much of a target of her hatred? That much she hates me? That much she wants to kill me all the time?
I told her I didn't want to kill Xinghun. However, this news still didn't make her lower her guard. I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, thinking that the person she truly loved was Yuepo.
In the bamboo house beneath the Yishan stone platform, I found a note written by Yuepo to Yongye. They already had deep feelings for each other, which made me feel even worse, especially Yongye's sly expression as he eagerly looked at the note, which angered me.
When she woke up and blurted out Yuepo's name, I wanted to tell her that she was already engaged and couldn't think about other men, especially one who seemed elusive and whose whereabouts were a mystery to me.
Prince Duan sent a letter urging the State of Qi to extend a betrothal gift.
Li Tianyou became emperor, and Prince Duan did not want Yongye to marry him.
I finally understand why Prince Duan wanted to arrange this marriage.
Yongye has killed too many Anguo officials in the capital. Once her crimes are exposed, her life will be in danger. If she marries into Qi as the Crown Princess, Prince Duan can clear himself of any wrongdoing and save Yongye's life.
Having figured this out, Yan Di and I took the betrothal gifts to the Prince Duan's residence to formally propose marriage.
The thought of Yongye marrying me soon fills me with joy.
I wanted to see Yongye, but I was a little embarrassed, so I invited her to the banquet in Yandi's name.
Emperor Youqing issued an edict to bestow the title of Princess Yong'an upon Yongye. I was looking forward to seeing her beautiful in women's clothing, but Yongye appeared dressed in men's clothing. I felt that this was Yongye's style, but I also felt that she had other intentions for not wearing women's clothing.
Later, I heard that she defied the imperial decree and refused to let Li Tianyou see her in women's clothing. Could it be that she only wore women's clothing for that boy? This speculation made me feel very uncomfortable.
I don't believe she would dare to dress as a man and get married.
Yongye's every word and action influenced me constantly. I harbored a deep resentment, concealing my identity from her, intending to wait until she entered the palace and appeared before her, to give her a taste of her own surprise. Unexpectedly, when she emerged from behind a group of maids on the ship, I nearly vomited blood. She really had dressed as a man to marry, and she did it all so naturally.
From her attire, I discerned two things. The person in her heart is that boy. Her obedient marriage was merely to make things easier for Prince Duan.
Yongye didn't understand. The moment she set foot on the soil of Qi, she was already the Crown Princess of Qi. If she left and eloped with someone, the Qi royal family would lose face.
As the carriage entered the capital, I watched her retreating figure as she walked into the inn and sighed. Unless I grant her wish and allow her to live in anonymity, she will never be able to be with that boy.
At the same time, I wondered, am I really not as good as that guy who couldn't protect her? For a moment, I really wanted to shave my beard, change my clothes, and go see her.
When Yan Di saw me stroking my beard and looking in the mirror, he sighed and said, "A woman adorns herself for the one who appreciates her, yet you, my brother, are tormenting yourself like this!"
I froze, abandoning my plan to let Yongye see my true face. A dignified man like myself had to use my looks to win her favor; I disdained to do so.
I didn't tell Yongye the truth. In my heart, I hoped she would stay, even if it was just for the sake of the agreement between our two nations. I thought that after we got married, she would be my wife, and I would make her fall in love with me. However, Yongye still left.
Hearing this news was like the sun sinking into a sunset lake; everything went dark, and my heart turned to ice.
I want to see just how deep her feelings for that guy really are.
She only had one place to go: Ping'an Clinic. That's what the note in the bamboo house said. Whenever Shengjing appeared at this clinic, he couldn't leave my sight.
From afar, she saw that the young man surnamed Yue leading her into the clinic. The setting sun shone on them; one was handsome and refined, the other was incomparably beautiful—truly a perfect couple.
I ordered the soldiers to search, and they reported back that inside was a loving elderly couple.
That night, after I got drunk, I said to Yan, "I will not be the crown prince."
After a long silence, Yan Di said to me, "Take another look, think about it again."
I slammed my hand on the table and stood up angrily, saying, "I never wanted to be the crown prince! If it weren't for the eternal night..."
"Brother, have you ever considered why Yongye showed mercy and yet desperately wanted to kill you? It's true she ran away from the marriage, but brother, have you forgotten that Yongye didn't know she was going to marry you?" My brother Yan then turned around and tried to persuade me. His words were like a bucket of cold water poured over my head, and I instantly sobered up.
Yongye didn't know she was marrying me, which is why she ran away from the wedding. Those words rekindled my hope.
I saved her many times, and Yongye harbored feelings for me as well. Was she afraid I would find out she was Xinghun who killed her? If Yongye knew she was marrying me, would she still leave?
I left the palace and lay down opposite the Ping An Medical Clinic, gazing at the courtyard from afar.