After reading the letter of appeal that is sent together with Helian Xuan’s letter, he passed them to Ye Jiayao silently, turning to ask Little Jing “What are your thoughts?”

Little Jing holds his head with his hands, sticking his fingers into his hair, showing his extreme frustration, speaking in a low, muffled voice “What else can I do? I can’t possibly ask Big brother to not marry Princess Naya, can I?”

After Ye Jiayao read the letters, she remained silent for a long time too. Helian Xuan and Princess Naya built their relationship through the fire and smoke in the war. Both of them fight against the enemies hand in hand on the blood-soaked battlefield and their bond of going through life and death together is strong and not easily destroyed. Especially when Helian Xuan was besieged for seven days and seven nights by the Arzach Prince and was in critical danger when Princess Naya led three thousand brave West Mongolian soldiers through the siege… Helian Xuan knows very well that marrying a foreign princess requires the consent of the Emperor but in this letter, his determination is reflected in every stroke that is written with strength. He is bent on marrying her.

She thought that Ah Ruan is the one suffering the most but the Little Jing at this moment, his expression of loss and confusion, shows that he is not having it any better.

Is it a form of sympathy for Ah Ruan or a sense of regret for himself? Perhaps it is both.

Only, there is no point talking about this now.

The house is extremely quiet, no one knows what to say.

“Yaoyao, go take a look at the Old Ancestress, let me talk to Little Jing for a while.” Xia Chunyu starts.

Ye Jiayao nods, giving Little Jing a worried look before turning to leave.

From the Old Ancestress’s attitude, she can tell that the Helian family is not against Helian Xuan’s decision to marry Princess Naya. The Helian family places importance on friendships and ties. She merely brought Little Jing back from Ji Nan on the way and the Helian family repaid her with such great favour, not to mention Princess Naya who risked her life to save Helian Xuan from death. The Helian family would never oppose it, even if they were to be subjected to His Majesty’s suspicion.

They can only exclaim and sigh “It’s a pity…”

The pity is obviously Ah Ruan.

After sitting around with the Old Ancestress for around an hour, the latter starts to appear exhausted, looks like it is time for her to rest. Ye Jiayao is about to take her leave when Chunyu arrives and greets the elderly before the two of them departs together.

“I ran into Father and Mother just now, they made their way back to the residence first.”

“What about Little Jing?”

Xia Chunyu forces out a bitter smile “He’s alright, he isn’t that impetuous youth anymore, he knows his status and responsibilities. He won’t do anything rash.”

“Did he say he likes Ah Ruan?” Although that statement is already meaningless, she still has to ask about it.

Xia Chunyu squints as he looks up at the dark sky, the emotions in his eyes are as obscure as the sky “Will you feel better if he says he likes her?”

Ye Jiayao looks at him, stunned “What do you mean?”

Xia Chunyu gazes at her with clear, bright eyes “What do you think I mean?”

A sudden sense of frustration starts to seep into Ye Jiayao’s heart, she detests how he questions her ambiguously like this and immediately hardens her face as she answers “I don’t know.”

Xia Chunyu smiles “If he says he doesn’t like her, you will feel that he is still unable to let her go and will feel guilty and pity Ah Ruan even more, isn’t that the case? However, to Little Jing and Ah Ruan, it is best if he doesn’t like her. That way Little Jing would not be in pain and Ah Ruan would not hold on to him and marry the Third Prince with feelings of grievance and she would be able to accept the Third Prince more easily.”

Ye Jiayao is a little embarrassed after her thoughts are exposed.

“I am not blaming you for thinking like that. it is normal for you to feel sorry towards Little Jing. Although I used some tricks to marry you, I am still quite confident that I am the one that you like.” Xia Chunyu says with a smile.

“However, you really don’t have to feel sorry. A relationship goes both ways. There will only be happiness if both parties are willing. You don’t have to like a person back just because he likes you. you cannot force anyone when it comes to love. There is no such thing as someone letting another person down. Little Jing knows this too so you should come to terms with it too.”

Ye Jiayao is speechless. He is right. Actually, she only wishes for Little Jing to be a little happier.

Xia Chunyu holds her hands tightly, his gaze as gentle as the moonlight “That is why we can be together. It is because heaven is taking care of us. Hence, we need to treasure each other even more.”

Ye Jiayao looks back at him, trembling, feeling deeply moved. That’s right. In this era where freedom of love is shamed and marriage has to be decided by parents, her being able to meet him and ultimately be together till the end is the biggest fortune one can get.

These few days, Ye Jiayao has been going to the rest stop to accompany Ah Ruan, explaining to her Little Jing’s situation and difficulties. Although she is very upset, she said that she will understand. Little Jing is just like her, left without a choice. She will not blame anyone.

It is also only at the initial stages where she is upset. Very quickly, Ah Ruan starts to pester Ye Jiayao to teach her how to make food. The both of them bake cakes, flower biscuits, and other pastries together…

Ye Jiayao looks at her light dimples as she smiles, only, her smile is not genuine. She knows that she is trying to find things to do to prevent herself from thinking too much and so she puts in a lot of effort to teach her, offering almost all of her pastry-making skills.

Just like that, four, five days have passed. During that period, Liu Li said that she wanted to have some ice cream and You even specially ordered her to make some but she used Ah Ruan as an excuse to say that she forgot about it and hence, You has been even more unsatisfied with her. After that, the thing that she is most worried about eventually happened.

The cause of it is a rumour in the residence that there is something wrong with the baby in Liu Li’s stomach and that she has started to use wormwood.

The rumours quickly reached the ears of You and that caused her to be extremely shocked, which is followed by a surprise attack.

Although Liu Li has orders for no one to step into her courtyard when she is using the wormwood every morning, nobody dares to stop the arrival of You and she got caught red-handed.

Imperial Physician Li is speechless in the face of You’s questionings and You got someone to hire the best physicians in Jin Lin to make a diagnosis together. The result is that the fetus is dead in her womb and there is no hope for it. If Liu Li does not abort the dead fetus, her life would be in danger.

You brings Imperial Physician Li into the palace and reports the matter to the Empress Dowager, getting Imperial Physician Li to explain it to the Empress Dowager personally.

That night, You watched Liu Li drink the abortion medicine while Ye Jiayao and the others wait at the side room. After an hour, Liu Li starts to experience pain in her stomach and only at daybreak, was the bruised, dead fetus expelled out of her body. It was a boy.

You feels extreme heartache but she still keeps her spirits up, personally taking care of Liu Li.

Ye Jiayao finally manages to heave a sigh of relief. A huge stone in her heart finally falls to the ground. Seeing You’s bloodshot eyes and dark eye rings shows that she is unable to withstand the sleepless days and nights. Ye Jiayao finally persuades You to return her room to rest with the help of Sun Mama, staying back to take care of Liu Li.

Liu Li has long been exhausted and even if she is full of suspicion and hatred, she has no strength to question, falling asleep drowsily.

Xia Chunyu is the most devastated. For six months, he had been immersed in the happiness of being a father and all of the sudden, the child is gone just like that. It was a huge blow to him and his face was as pale as Liu Li’s. Xia Chunyu and Xia Chunli stay by his side, comforting him in any way the can.

“Second Young Mistress, the medicine is ready.” Zhou Xing’s wife personally brings the medicine over.

Xiao Ya says “Second Young Mistress, let me do it!”

Ye Jiayao says gently “You are tired too, go take a rest, let me do it.”

Qiao Xi goes to help the Third Young Mistress up, Liu Li has her eyes shut, saying in a low, stern voice “Get out.”

Ye Jiayao gives Qiao Xi a meaningful glance and Qiao Xi retreats quietly.

Xiao Ya goes up to put a cushion behind Liu Li so she has something soft to lean on.

Only then did Liu Li open her eyes. Her dark pupils are full of hatred, staring daggers at Ye Jiayao “Now are you satisfied?”

Ye Jiayao stirs the medicine to cool it down, saying gently “Third sister-in-law, don’t say that, everyone is upset over your miscarriage, however, you are still young, after you recuperate, you will be able to get pregnant again.”

“I don’t need you here as a hypocrite, aren’t you always hoping for this day to come? You must have been cursing me every night for these six months, haven’t you? Now your wish has been fulfilled.” Liu Li says ruthlessly.

Xiao Ya calls her princess softly.

Ye Jiayao sighs “You have just used up a lot of energy and your body is very weak, it is best to stop thinking too much.”

“Am I thinking too much? Do you dare to swear that you never had those malicious thoughts?” Liu Li says aggressively. She is going crazy. It was a foolproof plan but now that it has gone down the drain, she has to suffer from everyone’s disappointment, mockery and the pain of losing a child. She hates this seemingly gentle and kind person standing in front of her to the core. Every emotion and expression that Ye Jiayao shows seem to her to be sarcasm and mockery.

Ye Jiayao lets out a bitter laugh helplessly “Third sister-in-law, I thought you are no longer that princess Liu Li from before, I didn’t think that you would still be that princess Liu Li deep down inside. If you want to think of others like that, I have nothing to say. I do not wish to argue with you because it is pointless. Only, you cannot help but see me even if you don’t want to. Mother almost collapsed and Older sister-in-law is pregnant. I am the only one in the residence who can take care of you.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me, I don’t need you to cry crocodile tears, scram, I don’t want to see you.” Liu Li uses most of her strength to shout.

Ye Jiayao stays silent for a while, passes the medicine to the servant in Liu Li’s room and says gently “Sister-in-law, take care of your body.”

Then she orders the servant “If there is anything that is necessary, just tell Qiao Xi, she will pass the message to me.”

Ye Jiayao walks off expressionless. Who f*cking wants to wait on you. The anger only comes from being unable to trick her.

She hears Liu Li’s heart-wrenching cry from behind her. Ye Jiayao shakes her head and sighs. Every pitiful person has a hateful side.

Although Ye Jiayao is out of the house, she dares not leave the courtyard and rests for a while at the side room. Otherwise, if You knows that she left her job, she might just vent her anger and grievance on her. Enduring a little would prevent her from suffering from greater pain.

Xiao Ya is unable to persuade princess Liu Li “Princess, you cannot cry, you just had a miscarriage, if you cry like this, you will harm your body. You have to think about the bigger picture…”

Liu Li is unable to withstand the pain in her heart. She is a wilful person to start with, how would she be able to heed any advice? She is unable to suppress all the negative emotions surging up, making everyone in the room at a loss of what to do.

Xiao Ya has run out of ideas “I will get a physician.”

Seeing Xiao Ya run out of the room, Qiao Xi wanted to ask her what was the matter but who knew, Xiao Ya responded to her with a cold face, pushing her aside, running straight for the main house.