"About Miss Ning?" Zhen Lin immediately looked at Ning De.
Princess Ning De nodded lightly, "Yes, about Miss Ning. I just found out myself."
Zhen Lin frowned slightly.
Princess Ning De saw his hesitation, but she had to say it. She couldn't let her brother be kept in the dark. "She is already engaged."
Upon hearing this, Zhen Lin looked up sharply, "She's already engaged to someone else?"
"Yes, she told me herself." Princess Ning De sighed inwardly as she watched her brother's complexion turn pale.
It seemed as if Heaven was making things difficult for the two of them.
They were only facing hardship in matters of love.
She could endure hardship, but she could help her brother avoid it.
Thinking about it now, Zhen Xu was already married. Zhen Xu wouldn't have any more children, but her brother could. All he needed now was a wife.
She had never thought much about it before. Her brother didn't even have a concubine. At the time, she only cared about his health and thought it was good that he didn't have a woman around him.
Later, Lin Qingluo was also a cheap prospect, and she absolutely didn't want a liar near her brother.
"She's already engaged," Zhen Lin said, his gaze somewhat vacant.
The sudden news left Zhen Lin momentarily blank.
"Indeed, but an engagement can be broken." Princess Ning De's eyes flickered with an obscure light.
As long as she wasn't married yet, nothing was irreversible.
Zhen Lin suddenly stared at Princess Ning De with dark eyes, "Since she is already engaged, we should not disturb her anymore. Ning De, this matter cannot be mentioned again."
He didn't want to be a scoundrel who broke up a loving couple.
He would rather offer his blessings from afar.
Moreover, he didn't want Miss Ning to think of him as a despicable and shameless person. Besides, he could feel that in Miss Ning's eyes, he was just a patient.
Princess Ning De watched Zhen Lin walk away quickly, leaving only his retreating back. She murmured, "As long as my brother wants something, I must not disappoint him. Moreover, if he misses Miss Ning, he might never fall for anyone else."
For him and his sister, they either didn't fall in love, or once they did, it was for a lifetime, and they were devoted.
...
When Qin Yiqing returned from outside, she was reeking of alcohol.
It seemed she hadn't had enough.
Carrying two or three wine jars in her hands, she approached Yun Shu and clamored, "Master, drink with me! I want to drink."
Knowing to call her Master in the Pingyang Prince's manor meant she was still somewhat lucid.
Yun Shu, smelling the strong scent of alcohol on Qin Yiqing, guessed some of the reasons.
Was it related to Ji Rong?
In the past, the few times Qin Yiqing got drunk and sought alcohol, it was always related to Ji Rong.
She really couldn't avoid Ji Rong.
"Give me a reason to drink with you." Yun Shu took a wine jar from Qin Yiqing's hand.
Not bad, the wine was well-bought.
She hadn't had a drink in a few days, and the moment she smelled the alcohol, her greedy little worm was indeed stimulated.
Qin Yiqing blinked, putting on a grimace that was more bitter than a cry, "Because I'm happy! I'm exceptionally happy today. Really, I'm so, so happy! The happiest day of my life, you don't know how happy I am!"
Then why does your smile look worse than a cry? Yun Shu thought to herself.
But no rush. After another jar of wine, Qin Yiqing would spill everything herself.
"This is a good reason. Come, I'll drink with you. Since it's something to celebrate, let's drink until we're both drunk today." Yun Shu opened the wine jar in her hand.
Immediately, an even richer aroma of wine spread out.
The scent was delicate and pleasing to the nose.
Yun Shu took a large gulp directly.
Seeing this, Qin Yiqing's eyes lit up. It was indeed with Yun Shu that one could drink heartily!
Only by drinking with Yun Shu could she truly enjoy herself and be happy! Yes, she was truly happy now, not drowning her sorrows in alcohol!
Whether she was deceiving herself or others, Qin Yiqing also opened the wine jar and took several large gulps.
The two of them drank with great gusto.
In just a moment, both jars of wine were emptied.
Towards the end, Qin Yiqing felt as if she were walking on clouds, unsteady on her feet. She grabbed Yun Shu's arm and leaned her head on Yun Shu's shoulder.
"Ji Rong is getting married! He's marrying another woman. What we said before about only having each other by our side now sounds like farting. There are no vows in this world! Because vows are meant to deceive people. You see how many solemn oaths I've made, saying I'd only marry Ji Rong in this life, and Ji Rong also said he'd only love me and marry me in this life. But look, we've gone our separate ways!"
Qin Yiqing's voice was as low as a mosquito's hum.
Perhaps she thought she was dreaming.
In dreams, she could speak her mind freely.
Yun Shu glanced at the door. No one was outside.
At this hour, she had already sent the servants who were originally attending in the courtyard to rest.
Then Yun Shu asked softly, "Why did you break up?"
"He's not happy being with me now. I can see he's unhappy after losing everything he was proud of. The Ji family can help him, but they said I'm a jinx and would make Ji Rong lose everything, turning him from an admired figure into someone ridiculed by the masses."
"I understand Ji Rong. He's so proud, how can he always stay in the dust? He's unhappy, so how can I be happy? Yun Shu, I'm unhappy."
Even though she was drunk and muddled, Qin Yiqing knew she was talking to Yun Shu at this moment.
However, Qin Yiqing probably still thought she was in a dream.
Yun Shu fell silent upon hearing Qin Yiqing's words.
If it were her, she might have chosen the same as Qin Yiqing. Sometimes, holding on tightly is not as good as letting go.
So, after they left the capital of Dongning Kingdom, these stories unfolded.
"But separating from him, my heart aches so much! Knowing he's getting married, I should actually be happy for him. The marriage the Ji family found for him must be a match made in heaven, something I can't compare to. He will return to the clouds again, but I... I'm just petty. I'm really not happy at all."
"Ji Rong is really marrying someone else."
"I can never think of him again."
"Wuwuwuwu... I hate Ji Rong, I hate this damn fate! He's getting married, and I'll get married too! I'll get married tomorrow. Does the Ji family think Qin Yiqing is unmarriageable? Do I have to wait around for Ji Rong to marry?"
Listening to Qin Yiqing's angry words, Yun Shu sighed softly in her heart, "If you can't let go, then go see him and say a real goodbye."
Only then could she truly move on.
If Ji Rong, upon seeing Qin Yiqing, could leave with her regardless of everything else, then that would be their choice. If Ji Rong still chose glory, then Qin Yiqing could let go of everything from the past.
Qin Yiqing didn't seem to hear Yun Shu's words, only nodding repeatedly, "I'll go tomorrow..."
Find someone to marry.
No...
Find someone to sleep with.