Chapter 1577 - 1572: Xie Family Siblings to the Rescue
Chapter 1577: Chapter 1572: Xie Family Siblings to the Rescue
These all suit my taste perfectly," she said with a smile, "The Princess is so considerate, even knowing the hobbies of a nobleman’s daughter like me, I thank the Princess for her thoughtfulness."
Rong Yun glanced at the tea snacks in her own hand and spoke softly, "You like them too? Then it must be a coincidence. I always eat these, maybe our tastes are just similar."
Her indifferent manner showed no sign of flattery in her words; Xie Qingyi’s estimation of Rong Yun changed a bit.
Indeed, it was her own overthinking; a simple-hearted girl, even if wronged and having lost a child, could not become someone like Li Yunshu, a person with deep schemes.
In Xie Qingyi’s heart, she felt even more pity for Rong Yun, the Princess.
Xie Qingyou chattered nonstop, unable to be silenced even by the cakes as he struck up a conversation with Rong Yun, "Sister-in-law, what treasures are you keeping in that chest? Why are you packing them so carefully? Mu Yan brother said you don’t like calligraphy and painting, and aren’t good at it either, why are you keeping such a huge pile of stuff!"
Rong Yun’s face turned red as she was caught off guard, speaking somewhat timidly: "I... my writing may not be good, but I’ve been practicing! I’ve even hired a tutor to teach me! These are, they are Qin Muyan’s belongings, I’m just organizing them and then preserving them on his behalf."
"Preserving what?" Xie Qingyou’s curiosity was piqued like a child, his eyes drawn to the chest, craning his neck to peek.
If it were someone else, Rong Yun would definitely not have shown them, but since Xie Qingyou had been Qin Muyan’s good friend for many years, Rong Yun did not stop him from looking.
As Xie Qingyou looked inside, Rong Yun simply continued to tidy up, "These are the paintings Qin Muyan made before, as well as the letters he wrote to Su Yingxue. They got messed up when I went through them before, and later Qin Muyan wanted to throw them all away, with some even burned by Wei Jue. I thought it was a pity to burn them, so I took them from Wei Jue, sorted them out, and stored them away."
"What?" Xie Qingyou was so shocked that his accent slipped out, pointing at the chest with his folding fan, "All that stuff... is Su Yingxue’s? And you’re tidying them up? And preserving them for Mu Yan brother?"
Xie Qingyou, completely unapologetic, laughed heartily in front of Rong Yun, "Sister-in-law, you really have a heart as broad as the Four Seas! Does Mu Yan brother know about this?"
Rong Yun glared at him, "He’s not as idle as you, how could he have the time to know about this?"
"Don’t be angry, sister-in-law! I’m just admiring you, I mean no harm," Xie Qingyou, after a bout of glib talking, crouched down beside Rong Yun, speaking softly and seeking to please her.
"I just don’t understand, you’re clearly the jealous type, who in the world could tolerate their husband’s past love? And even preserve her things! Mu Yan brother even said to burn them!"
This wasn’t just something that puzzled Xie Qingyou; even Xie Qingyi was somewhat baffled.
She glided over gracefully to Xie Qingyou’s side, looking at Rong Yun with great curiosity, "Princess, are you not wary of these things? And you still take the care to tidy up and keep them for Your Highness."
She had heard from Xie Qingyou that these very items once caused strife between Rong Yun and Qin Muyan, leading to Rong Yun being wronged and losing her child.
And now, she chooses not to destroy them, but to keep them?
This act... indeed made her re-evaluate Rong Yun.
She too wanted to know why.
Rong Yun smiled at them, pride in her eyes, "Of course they should be kept, these are all feelings from Qin Muyan’s heart, even if Su Yingxue did not receive them, but I have, a man’s most sincere affections for a woman, are the most precious treasures under the heavens, just like his feelings for me, his treasures should be carefully preserved and must not be wantonly destroyed."
The rejection of love is a matter of individual choice, which is understandable.
But a lack of appreciation for love, its careless defilement and abandonment, is the most heartbreaking of all.
Su Yingxue may not choose him, but the precious affection he held for Su Yingxue, she will definitely preserve it well for him.
This proves that he has truly loved.
"Moreover, I am confident that he loves me the most, now and in the future. Su Yingxue will not come between us and ruin everything, these items are his fondest memories, and should be properly preserved."
As she spoke, Rong Yun had almost finished packing up everything.
She instructed Nanny Yan and Xiao Xiang to carry the chest to her room, lock it up, and place it in the wardrobe.
Nanny Yan, together with the strong Xiao Xiang, came to move the chest.
Xie Qingyou watched as the chest was moved into Rong Yun’s room, tapping his folding fan against his palm, "Tsk tsk! The magnanimity of our sister-in-law, it truly is extraordinary. She is bound to hold her position as the Princess of the Scarlet Flame King securely!"
Xie Qingyi, however, shook her head.
She turned to exchange a smile with Rong Yun, then followed Xie Qingyou and left.
With a sense of regret, she told Xie Qingyou, "I fear she may not sit securely in her position as Princess."
"Sister, what are you saying! Her heart is as broad as the sea, this..."
"It’s not about having a broad heart," Xie Qingyi interrupted him without hesitation and seriously added, "This is a woman’s pure devotion to a man. The Princess simply loves Your Highness wholeheartedly, which is why she cherishes everything about him so much. But..."
The expression on Xie Qingyi’s face suddenly became very grave, as though she felt deeply for this girl whose love was so sincere.
"But what? Sister, you have always been clever; even Li Yunshu was very polite when she saw you today. What did you notice?" Xie Qingyou sidled up to Xie Qingyi, seeking her guidance.
Xie Qingyi didn’t enlighten him, knowing that advice would be pointless.
It was just as she pitied Rong Yun, no amount of wisdom and advice could change her.
How ruthless Li Yunshu could be, with the Imperial City of the Great Wei Dynasty in such turmoil, how could it possibly accommodate such pure, star-like heartfelt sentiments?
Xie Qingyi returned to Marquis Xie’s Mansion and went to the temple to light an incense stick for Rong Yun’s lost child and prayed throughout the night.
She, who was usually clear-headed and didn’t believe in ghosts or fate, could only pray for Rong Yun now, asking the heavens to have mercy on her.
If only...
She wouldn’t suffer too much.
But how can the sorrows of this world be managed by the gods?
In the eleventh year of Qin Rulie’s ascension to the throne, the Prince Zhao started a rebellion, claiming a lack of heirs in the Imperial family of the Great Wei Dynasty, and Qin Rulie dispatched Qin Muyan to lead an army to suppress the uprising.
Qin Muyan, valiant and skilled in battle, crushed the rebels. However, with the rebels scattered in disarray, many cities were ignited with the flames of war, leaving the Great Wei deeply scarred.
The Imperial City.
Located too close to enemy territory, the tall, imposing city gates were blackened with gunpowder smoke. Gates that once stood open were now firmly closed.
Qin Rulie ordered the imperial palace to be locked down, relocated the civilians near the city gate to safer locations, and then issued an imperial decree to bring all the womenfolk from the Scarlet Flame King’s mansion into the palace for refuge.