Tan Hua - Chapter 21

“What?!” 

Song Liqing thought he misheard.

“I said, abandon Jun Qiyu and stay with me. I won’t let you down.”

Looking at his solemn expression, Song Liqing felt absurd.

“Don’t tease me. You’ve only seen me a few times. Do you even know what kind of person I am?”

“What kind of person? I don’t know, but I have a lifetime to find out. Whether you’re the Crown Prince’s attendant or not, when you spoke in the Taihe Hall earlier, I confirmed one thing.” Pei Xingxu said earnestly and straightforwardly, “You, Song Liqing, are the person I’ve been looking for in my life.”

“Shut up!”

Song Liqing didn’t want to listen, nor did he want him to continue.

“Please take back these words. There are many ears in the palace, and if they reach the Crown Prince’s ears, it will cost you your life!”

“I’m not afraid of Jun Qiyu.” Pei Xingxu persisted, “I’m not trying to steal you from him… You’re his Crown Prince’s attendant, aren’t you? I see you’ve lost weight compared to a few days ago. Jun Qiyu only favors those who flirt and act coy. It pains me to see that.”

This struck a nerve with Song Liqing.

“What do you know? He was just temporarily confused, led astray. He will come to his senses someday.”

Pei Xingxu didn’t understand why he was so angry and why he was so fiercely defending the person who hurt him.

“Jun Qiyu boasts about worthless things like Hu Nu’er, neglecting the real treasure. It’s ridiculous! Do you know how I felt at that time? Jealousy, yes, I’m not jealous of his power and background, but I’m jealous that he could have you by his side so devotedly… What has he done to deserve such unwavering loyalty from you?”

“He…”

Song Liqing couldn’t find the words. He was deeply rooted in emotions, unable to extricate himself.

“Our fate has a limit.” Pei Xingxu insisted stubbornly, “Our fate has just begun.”

Song Liqing found it unreasonable: “What fate do we have?!”

Pei Xingxu raised his wrist and smiled with bright eyes and white teeth.

“At least, we can consider ourselves… fellow sufferers now?”

“…”

Song Liqing was speechless.

“In that case, if I have smallpox, should I look for everyone in the world who has had smallpox? Can I keep up with you? Stop bothering me.”

Song Liqing got on his carriage and pulled the curtain tightly.

“Go! Back to Qilin Residence,” Song Liqing urged the coachman.

“I’m serious…”

Pei Xingxu watched him walk away once again, helpless.

At first, he thought Song Liqing looked down on him like those little servants who only cared about pleasure. But after getting to know him a few times, he realized there was a vast galaxy in his heart, unfathomable and profound.

Unfortunately, every time, Song Liqing avoided him like the plague.

Back at the banquet, Pei Xingxu’s heart followed. The food and wine were tasteless, and Song Liqing seemed like a puzzle, attracting him to explore and speculate. Moreover, he felt pity for him. Just thinking about his cold appearance, his lonely eyes, Pei Xingxu felt extremely distressed…

He might be able to be his redemption.

“Prince of Loulan!”

“Hmm?”

Pei Xingxu snapped out of his thoughts, seeing the eunuch by Emperor Xuan’s side looking at him.

“Oh, yes.”

He quickly got up, took the gift box carried by the attendant, and personally presented it to Emperor Xuan. The eunuch took it, opened the box, and presented it to Emperor Xuan for inspection.

Pei Xingxu timely bowed and said, “Loulan presents a pair of jade teapots, five thousand cattle and sheep each, and one thousand horses, to congratulate the prosperity of Jingguo and wish the Emperor eternal longevity.”

Emperor Xuan gestured, and the eunuch read out the return gift list.

After expressing his gratitude, Pei Xingxu didn’t pay attention to the specific return gifts.

He hesitated, wondering if he should speak up at this moment…

“Is there something else, Prince of Loulan?” Emperor Xuan inquired.

Finally, Pei Xingxu couldn’t contain his impulse.

He knelt in the hall and performed a grand salute. In terms of status, he didn’t need to kowtow to the Emperor of Jingguo all the time.

“I have one more request, hoping that the Emperor will fulfill it!”

“Hmm? What do you want?” Emperor Xuan didn’t immediately respond, unsure of what request he would make.

Pei Xingxu said in a muffled voice, “I want to request a person from the Emperor and the Crown Prince.”

“A person?” Emperor Xuan was puzzled and smiled, asking, “Which official’s daughter from Jingguo prompted you to make such a solemn request to Us? We haven’t bestowed a princess upon you, hehe.”

Pei Xingxu raised his head and said, “It’s not someone of noble birth… What I’m asking for is just a seventh-rank minor official, the Crown Prince’s attendant, Song Liqing, who was present in the hall just now!”

As soon as this statement came out, all the courtiers of Jingguo in the hall gasped in shock, and then the entire court, including civil and military officials, fell silent.

Jun Qiyu stood up abruptly, glaring angrily.

An elderly courtier, about to drink from a cup, froze in mid-air. His fingers trembled, and with a clang, he dropped the cup to the ground.

The sound of the cup rolling echoed in the hall.

“Bold!” The chief eunuch by Emperor Xuan’s side scolded sharply.

Emperor Xuan raised his hand slightly and asked calmly, “Let Us ask you, what do you want with Song Liqing?”

“Nephew… admires his talents. He is graceful and elegant. Nephew… was captivated at first sight.”

Pei Xingxu didn’t understand why everyone was so fearful, silent, and shocked, and why Jun Qiyu’s face was frosty.

Pei Xingxu continued, “I know he is the Crown Prince’s attendant, an official appointed by the court, so I dare not neglect it. I am willing to offer a generous gift and respectfully request the Emperor to grant this union. My Loulan will always look up to Jingguo, and this is our determination to establish an everlasting alliance between the two nations!”

The hall was eerily silent.

To publicly request the Crown Prince’s consort at a banquet in front of the Crown Prince himself, this was probably unprecedented. Pei Xingxu was truly audacious…

Emperor Xuan, who was experienced, didn’t get angry, but instead half-jokingly defused the embarrassment, “You’re new to Jingguo and probably don’t know that Liqing has already been promised to someone by Us, and they are already married. You, it seems, are a step too late.”

“What? Already married?” Pei Xingxu couldn’t believe it.

The chief eunuch spoke sharply, “Prince of Loulan, Song Liqing, the Crown Prince’s attendant, is the Crown Prince’s consort, personally bestowed by His Majesty.”

“The Crown Prince’s consort?!” Pei Xingxu felt as if thunder had struck him, unable to recover for a long time.

“The Crown Prince’s consort… He is Jun Qiyu’s consort… Why… Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

Standing in the hall, he seemed to have become a joke, numb all over. His fingers trembled involuntarily, his heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife.

So… Song Liqing could never belong to him?

Little did he know that although Song Liqing had been given in marriage by the Emperor, he was not favored by the Crown Prince Jun Qiyu. Jun Qiyu had been resisting from the beginning until now, so the courtiers and servants also avoided mentioning this Crown Prince’s consort in front of Jun Qiyu, especially rarely mentioning it in front of the Crown Prince, lest they touch on the sore spot of this tyrant.

Pei Xingxu thought that with his identity, he could save Song Liqing from the fire and water.

He also didn’t expect that his momentary impulse would almost bring disaster upon Song Liqing.