"Do you not welcome me?" she asked softly.
Her tone carried a hint of pity, and something else, a softness she had never shown before.
With just those words, Lingxi burst into tears.
This great hall was too cold, so cold that she found herself wanting to approach even unfamiliar people.
She was a lofty goddess, a pampered and precious legitimate princess since childhood, while she was merely outwardly dignified, but inwardly a pitiable creature, like a wild weed.
Heaven and earth.
A chasm like that between clouds and mud.
And she had even dared to try and snatch this divine position that did not belong to her.
Now, facing death, she had longed for her father, her brother, her mother, but none of them had come. The one who had come was this elder sister whom she had admired since childhood, and secretly envied.
"Why are you crying? Didn't you say Father treated you poorly?"
Lingyao, seeing her in mourning clothes, assumed she was thinking of their father.
She probably didn't know yet that all the former powerholders of Jing Kingdom were gone. All those she had resented, those she felt had wronged her, were no more.
Only this vast, storm-battered palace remained, and they, the orphans without parents.
"I, I should have gone to see Father that day," Lingxi felt ashamed and followed along.
But then, she remembered she was dying, and what was there to be ashamed of? So she stopped caring about anything.
"I didn't expect you to be the one to see me before I die. Am I that detestable? Why doesn't anyone come? If you don't like me, why did you give birth to me? Who could have imagined that a princess of a kingdom would fall to such a state?"
"Lingxi," Lingyao interrupted her self-pity.
"Father, Mother, and the Consort are all gone. Today is the grand funeral, and the procession has already departed for the imperial mausoleum."
In the end, she decided to tell her. Truly, a princess of a kingdom should bear these things. She had been too sheltered for too long.
Whether she lived or not, she deserved to know.
Lingyao told her everything that had happened over the past year, from beginning to end.
"Lingxi, we are orphans now."
Compared to the past, which pain was greater – the lack of parental love?
"I will find a way to save you. Be strong. There are not many people left in this palace."
Lingxi was completely stunned.
"Uncle Wang, how could Uncle Wang?" she asked, bewildered. "He was the gentlest person. He would catch butterflies with me and bring me sugar figures from outside the palace. I even wondered why he wasn't my father."
Lingyao: "..."
So, Father had lavished all his affection on her, while Prince Runan had played the role of father to his other children?
What kind of love-hate entanglement was this?
"Elder Sister..."
Lingyao was somewhat surprised. Since she had grown up, she no longer called her that.
Lingxi cried like a wronged child, weeping without restraint.
"I thought I wouldn't be sad. I thought it made no difference whether they were here or not, but why do I feel so heartbroken!"
...
White banners adorned the entire city, officials in mourning, the imperial coffin slowly entering the imperial mausoleum.
Having resolved a major matter, on the road back to the city, the officials were weary, walking with their heads bowed behind. Xiao Shan rode beside the Second Prince's carriage, his brow furrowed, his mind elsewhere, as if he had encountered a difficult matter.
The generals accompanying him to the capital this time were Deputy General Chen Kui and Du Ling, who had just been promoted to captain. The border was unstable, and others dared not leave their posts, so Xiao Shan had only brought these two.
Chen Kui could not fathom his general's thoughts, but Du Ling could guess some of it. For no other reason than following General Shenwu for several months, he had come to understand him. Besides the General's young lady, Princess Lingyao, there was nothing else that could trouble the General.
Therefore, his current unusual behavior must be related to Princess Lingyao.
Chen Kui asked in a low voice, "General, what troubles you?"
Xiao Shan pursed his lips and thought, "I have a friend. His wife has a childhood sweetheart. They separated for some reason. Later, this childhood sweetheart came looking for her, wanting to snatch my friend's wife. Tell me, how should my friend get rid of this childhood sweetheart without shedding blood?"
"General, you have such a cowardly friend? When someone bullies them to their face, why bother about not shedding blood? Just kill him! Should this subordinate act on his behalf?"
The veins on Xiao Shan's forehead twitched. "…His wife dislikes violence."
"General, then you must tell your friend to be careful. Perhaps his wife is still entangled with that childhood sweetheart. Be careful not to become Wu Dalang and be poisoned."
Xiao Shan gritted his teeth. "His wife and he are very affectionate."
"That's not necessarily true. A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Women are a type of creature that cherishes long-term affection. It's hard to forget the first man they fell in love with."
"Chen Kui, punch this general."
"What is it, General?"
"I told you to punch me!"
"Yes, General, be careful!" Since it was the General's command, he had to obey!
Chen Kui swung his arm and punched Xiao Shan hard.
Xiao Shan shifted his body, seized his iron fist, and yanked it fiercely. Chen Kui's tall and strong body flipped off his horse. Fortunately, with his excellent martial arts, he managed to stabilize himself and not fall to the ground.
The General's martial arts are truly superb. I have learned a lot!
"Deputy General Chen, for causing a disturbance during the funeral procession and disrespecting the Emperor, you will be beaten with 50 large boards upon return, as a warning to others."
Wh-what did that mean?
Before Chen Kui could understand, two guards came up from behind and flanked him. "General Chen, pardon me."
This commotion did not attract anyone's attention. They only saw Deputy General Chen dismount and walk away with the guards.
However! He had no idea what had happened!
Xiao Shan looked at Du Ling. "Du Ling, what do you say?"
"Reporting to the General, this matter is actually very simple," Du Ling replied calmly. "You said your friend and his wife are very affectionate. Since that is the case, the childhood sweetheart is just one-sidedly enthusiastic. At this time, you absolutely must not deal with him, but instead, treat the wife even better. This way, your friend's relationship with his wife will only grow stronger. If that childhood sweetheart makes any inappropriate moves, it will surely annoy the wife. Wouldn't that be a bloodless victory?"
"That makes some sense," Xiao Shan mused on the feasibility of this method.
"Indeed. No wonder Yuan Bufeng values you. Your mind is quite sharp. Then tell me, how should one treat the wife well?"
"You can give gifts. Women generally like jewelry, beautiful clothes, and such."
Du Ling was truly not good at this. He didn't even have a woman!
Xiao Shan frowned. "But she lacks nothing. She probably won't like it."
"Yes, the Princess seems to lack nothing." Du Ling was also at a loss. How could he know how to please a woman?
After speaking, he felt something was wrong. Looking at Xiao Shan again, those dark eyes were looking at him ominously...
It's over. I let slip.
"This subordinate has made a mistake. I will accept my punishment."