nycdaug Chapter 243 Giving Up
Chapter 243 Giving Up
Princess Yonglin, however, shed tears and cried pitifully in front of Xiao Zhijie.
"After my mother passed away, my father never came to see me again. When I went to ask to see him, he avoided me like the plague."
"My father seems to have lost patience with me and doesn't want to see me anymore. What should I do? Waaah..."
Yonglin looked sorrowful and haggard, suggesting he had been suffering greatly in recent days.
Xiao Zhijie suddenly remembered that when he entered the main hall, the Emperor and Eunuch Li Pu seemed to be discussing Yonglin's marriage.
He smiled and offered some words of comfort.
"I don't think you need to worry. I heard the Emperor say that he will betroth you to the eldest son of the mighty general."
Princess Yonglin was taken aback, and lifted her face from under her handkerchief.
"The Bai family?"
Xiao Zhi nodded and said,
"I have met the eldest son of the Bai family. He is an outstanding person. Not only is he handsome and charming, but he is also of noble character. Your father has arranged this marriage for you. Do you still think that your father no longer loves you?"
This is an excellent marriage, and Yonglin himself knows it.
She had seen him before at a banquet in the palace; he was a handsome and imposing young man.
She was close to Consort Xiande and her daughter, and shamelessly told her mother about it at night.
"Mother, that man is so handsome."
Consort Xiande playfully pinched her nose and laughed.
"You are about the same age, would you like your mother to help you find a spouse?"
Yonglin shyly buried her head in the quilt and acted coquettishly, but Consort Xiande already knew what was going on.
Consort Xiande had told Li Pu about her idea, and Li Pu thought it was appropriate, but he wanted to find a suitable time to bring it up.
Later, the matter was shelved, and the Consort Xiande passed away. It was Eunuch Li Pu who remembered Consort Xiande's long-cherished wish and brought it up in front of the Emperor.
Although the Emperor acknowledged Xiao Zhijie, Yonglin was the child he had cherished since childhood, so naturally he would not abandon him.
However, he had been too grief-stricken lately and did not want to see anyone, so he did not meet with Princess Yonglin.
But he still kept the princess in his heart, and when Li Pu mentioned the eldest son of the Bai family, he felt it was appropriate.
Bai Zhiqing of the Bai family is a mighty general who made great contributions during the cold wave at the beginning of the year.
The Bai family is currently at its peak, and if Yonglin marries into the family, she will surely enjoy a life of happiness.
After considering it in his mind, he asked Li Pu to draft the imperial edict. As they were talking, Xiao Zhijie came in.
The tear tracks on Yonglin's face dried, and a look of longing appeared on his face.
Suddenly, she felt at ease.
She knew that her father still loved her, and her mother loved her too.
Seeing that Yonglin had calmed down, Xiao Zhijie waved goodbye and left the palace.
When they returned to the Qiao family home, Qiao Qingshu had already slowly gotten out of bed and tried to walk with the help of Wanqiu and Lindong.
Seeing this, Xiao Zhijie quickly stepped forward and took one of her arms to help her walk.
Now that he can move around slowly, it seems he will be fully recovered soon, which makes Xiao Zhijie happy.
After walking for a while, he helped her to the table and sat her down.
Qiao Qingshu suddenly said,
"Late autumn, approaching winter, let's brew some tea."
Lin Dongmu pointed blankly at the steaming teapot on the table and said,
"Miss, this was just cooked. You..."
Wanqiu nudged Lindong in the elbow, and Lindong grabbed her arm and ran out.
"It's all cold, let's go boil another pot of water."
After the two maids left, Xiao Zhijie sat down opposite Qiao Qingshu.
Qiao Qingshu spoke up,
How are things going at home?
Xiao Zhijie knew what she wanted to say, and simply nodded in agreement.
"The food is ready."
Qiao Qingshu asked again, her face expressionless.
"Has the divorce agreement been signed?"
Xiao Zhijie smiled and said,
"Tear it up."
With her brows slightly furrowed, Qiao Qingshu slowly raised her head, as if to say something.
How could you...?
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Zhijie interrupted urgently.
"I will not be an emperor, and you will not have to be an empress or a princess. You and I are just ordinary people, living an ordinary life."
Qiao Qingshu was taken aback, then laughed, thinking he was just talking nonsense, and said,
"Stop talking nonsense. You have already recognized the Emperor. You are a prince and the future Emperor."
Xiao Zhijie, however, forced a smile and retorted.
No, I am not.
His tone was firm and resolute.
"I'm not."
That expression didn't seem to be lying, and Qiao Qingshu immediately became alert. She frowned and said...
"What are you talking about? What don't you mean?"
Xiao Zhijie grabbed her hand and said,
“I don’t want to lose my wife. I don’t want to be a prince, nor do I want the throne. I will not live in the palace. We are just an ordinary couple and want to live an ordinary life.”
Qiao Qingshu was suddenly stunned; this news was simply too much for her to process.
You don't want the throne anymore?
So many people covet the throne, and you just give it up like that?
Just to be with her?
She pulled her hand away, and said somewhat angrily,
"Are you stupid? Even a fool knows to choose the throne, yet you're even less intelligent than a fool!"
Xiao Zhijie, however, wouldn't let her go, and grabbed her hand again, saying...
"Yes, I was stupid, but now that you've gotten involved with me, there's no going back. You have to take responsibility."
After saying that, he stood up, walked over the table, and hugged Qiao Qingshu, his tone becoming extremely gentle.
"Shu'er, I have feelings for you, I can't lie to myself, and I don't want to lose you for anything else. We've been through so many years, and I don't think there's any loss in not being the emperor, but if I really lose you, I think I'll spend the rest of my life in pain."
He pulled the person in his arms tighter and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"I will not divorce you, and you should give up that idea as soon as possible and live a good life with me."
These words were spoken with deep affection and stubbornness, and Qiao Qingshu in his arms already had tears in her eyes.
She considered many possibilities, but never this one.
How could any man in the world possibly give up his great empire for a woman!
I've never seen anything like it before!
Especially after experiencing her previous life, her husband Xiao Chengyan was willing to exploit and use her for the sake of the country, squeezing out every last bit of her value.
In the end, he was ruthlessly abandoned and met a tragic end in the cold palace.
This is the proper conduct of someone in imperial power, not someone as sentimental, righteous, and virtuous as Xiao Zhijie. Such a person would never survive in the bloody and turbulent royal court.
Perhaps leaving was the best choice for Xiao Zhijie. And perhaps the wisest choice.
She suddenly felt a sense of relief. Yes, such a person was not suitable for the palace.
Then let's spend our lives together and be an ordinary couple.
Having children, men farming and women weaving—this may be the most ordinary life, but it's the life Qiao Qingshu wanted in her life!
This man is willing to give up everything for her, so what reason does she have to refuse!