"Nian Ru, calm down—" Zheng Congyuan could refuse, but so much had happened today, he knew that Nian Ru was not in a good mood, and it was more about venting his emotions.
He had experienced an assassination attempt, and the instant of terror made everyone cast off all shackles, leaving only what they most desired, even if he was the Crown Prince, he too felt desires like any ordinary person.
Nian Ru would be even more so.
Fu Dong listened to the movent inside the room and glanced at Nanny Yun, what to do?
If things continued this way, trouble was bound to arise. Now that the Commandery Princess was no longer in the palace and without the Crown Prince’s Hidden Guard by her side, this place was filled with people from the Prince’s Mansion, and it was only a matter of ti before soone would find out.
With a sigh in her heart, Nanny Yun wondered what she could do. She had already done everything she could say or hint at. But Nanny Yun was not panicking; the Commandery Princess needed so ti to slowly adapt to the current changes, and there was nothing they could do.
Nanny Yun shook her head; she had faith in the Commandery Princess and understood the importance of the matter.
"Brother Crown Prince, do you not want anymore?" Zheng Nianru suddenly lifted her head, her pitiful appearance and her eyes, reddening as if about to cry, plunged Zheng Congyuan’s already despairing heart deep into a mire, unable to extricate himself.
"Nian Ru, you will always..." Zheng Congyuan regained his senses, what was he saying, what did he plan to do! The hand he had stretched out retracted as if scalded; he was like a devil, willing to abandon all morality and decency, he would be dood.
"I don’t want just words, I want you to be truly here, by my side..." Zheng Nianru grabbed Zheng Congyuan’s hand, wishing to lt him into her own touch.
Zheng Congyuan opened his mouth, struggling with words that would make him feel ashad, so ashad to be standing there, so ashad of the uncontrolled desires in his mind that were about to break through all rationality, leaping into a hellish abyss, with no will to turn back.
Zheng Nianru looked up at Zheng Congyuan and slowly rose to her feet, unsure how much of her actions were real or feigned. She wanted a conclusion, either to break off completely or to be irreparably dood.
She didn’t want this, a life without goals, without future, without hope. She wanted to live and die with vigor and clarity.
Zheng Congyuan’s trembling hands moved slowly, slowly... He sought a reason that could convince himself, he wanted...
When Prince Duan stepped into the courtyard, his brows furrowed, why were they all standing outside...
"Fu Dong, where is the Commandery Princess—" The mont Prince Duan spoke, it struck like a thunderbolt, nearly causing Fu Dong to jump, who then turned and collapsed to the ground in a half-kneel.
"Prince, how co you are here?" Nanny Yun imdiately asked, her voice changing out of nervousness.
"Why so loud?" Prince Duan frowned, "Didn’t I just see two shadows..." Prince Duan pointed to both sides of the main door, had he just seen...
Qi Ling and Qi Jin on the beam dared not even breathe. They were the first to notice Prince Duan’s arrival, unable to warn the others in ti, they had to disappear themselves first, to save the rest.
Nanny Yun’s face turned pale, thankfully it was dark and the lights were dim.
"Prince, what person? Don’t scare your servant, I’ve been standing here and haven’t seen anyone, it must have been a shadow of a tree," Nanny Yun said, clutching the front of her clothes, annoyed to see that Fu Dong was still on the ground.
"You child, all you do is doze off, get up quickly," said Nanny Yun as she stepped forward.
"Prince, why have you co so late?" Nanny Yun’s heart was beating so fast that she almost couldn’t hear anything else, her legs trembling, barely able to walk forward.
Housekeeper He amiably nodded to the two servants following the Commandery Princess, understanding that they had suffered alongside her in the palace; hence, within the mansion, they ought to be treated even better.
"Where is the Commandery Princess?" Prince Duan still found it odd as he rembered these two usually served the Commandery Princess up close. Why were they outside the room, and why was there no sound from within?
Housekeeper He also glanced inside the room, which was lit but silent, giving off a strange atmosphere.
As Prince Duan was about to push the door open, Housekeeper He went to pull Fu Dong, who was still kneeling. This girl was too concerned with etiquette. In the Prince’s Mansion, the Prince didn’t mind these matters; she must have gotten used to suffering in the palace.
"Prince, please wait—" Nanny Yun’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest as she grabbed hold of Prince Duan, only to realize she had behaved improperly and stepped back.
"Prince, the Commandery Princess is not in a good mood and has sent us all out," Nanny Yun said quickly, thinking on her feet. Otherwise, if Prince Duan entered and saw only the Commandery Princess inside, he would suspect sothing.
Prince Duan paused briefly, and at that mont, Fu Dong also ca back to her senses and imdiately stood by Nanny Yun’s side, despite trembling all over.
"Prince, today the Commandery Princess was frightened and is feeling upset. She wanted to be alone for a while—" Her words were almost identical to Nanny Yun’s, but with an addition, which imdiately reminded Prince Duan of what Zheng Congyuan had ntioned.
Prince Duan paused slightly, and his heart also started to ache. Although Zheng Congyuan had promised to give him an explanation, he was also aware that the truth behind it all was likely grim...
Nanny Yun and Fu Dong were so anxious they could barely breathe, wishing nothing more than for Prince Duan to turn around and leave at once.
Prince Duan felt that he still needed to talk with Nian Ru. At her young age, dwelling on so things could lead to obsession and entrapnt in dead ends. She had finally found a respite in these difficult tis, and such days would only beco rarer in the future.
"Nanny Yun, why are you sweating so much?" Housekeeper He, noticing the sweat on Nanny Yun’s forehead in the dim light, considerately handed her a handkerchief.
Nian Xia hurried over with a bucket of water.
"Prince, Prince—" Nian Xia arrived without even setting down her bucket.
Prince Duan had already knocked on the door, causing Nanny Yun’s legs to give way, and Nian Xia quickly supported Nanny Yun’s arm.
"Nian Ru, open the door; it’s your father—" Prince Duan called patiently. For many years, he had wished to cherish his daughter as she grew up but couldn’t. Now that she was older, the lost ti had always been a chasm between him and Nian Ru, and at tis he felt so estranged from his own daughter that he barely knew if he could be a good father.
Nanny Yun’s vision darkened. She thought to herself that if she fainted, maybe it could salvage the situation.
Just as Nanny Yun was about to pass out, the door creaked open.
Zheng Nianru stood quietly at the door with reddened eyes that required no feigning. Like a fairy in the lamplight, she appeared so aggrieved that even the light around her seed ready to be extinguished, causing a pang of pain in Prince Duan’s heart because of his own helplessness.
Nanny Yun imdiately steadied herself by clutching Nian Xia’s hand. She didn’t need to faint; fainting might not have been effective anyway, and she snatched the handkerchief from Housekeeper He’s hand.
"Thank you, Housekeeper He. We’ve all been quite tired today. I even carried two buckets of water. Who knew... I’m getting old..." Nanny Yun shook her head, making Housekeeper He feel like he hadn’t done his job well enough. How could the attendance of the Commandery Princess still be burdened with such laborious tasks? The Prince had said more than once that they should treat the servants well. He had indeed grown muddled.
Tomorrow, he would hire so sturdy old won to co in, and he would make it happen tomorrow.
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