Lin Qianqian turned away angrily and bit her lower lip, "You already got it."

“I didn’t get it.”

"Since I couldn't get your heart, I thought I'd settle for the next best thing: get your body first, then your heart."

A faint voice came from behind her ear. Lin Qianqian bit her bright red lips even tighter. She turned around abruptly and said seriously, "Please don't hurt me again."

"I'm already having a hard time, why do you want to make it worse? Is this love? You just want to possess me."

"Love, like, will think about the other person, you have never thought about me."

Zhang Qi reached out and stroked Lin Qianqian's ear, staring at the pink earlobe against the snow, and said, "Who said I haven't thought about you? I want to marry you."

"Besides, our relationship was conducted quietly and secretly. It did not cause you any trouble."

"That prince's love brought you trouble, causing you to be humiliated by his mother in every way. In contrast, I taught you a lesson for those he dared not teach."

"You should thank me. If I hadn't dealt with the Cheng family and distracted the wife, she would have focused on dealing with you."

"And what about the prince you loved wholeheartedly? He never protected you, nor did he think about finding out who was behind the framing of you?"

Zhang Qi's words made Lin Qianqian feel empty for a moment. A look of confusion appeared on her face, and her hands on her waist clenched involuntarily.

She doesn't know what love is, and has never seen what it's like to be loved?

Does the prince really love her? Is it love when he talks about it? Is it love when he says he can't leave her?

She really believed these words.

When she began to doubt, she recalled the past and suddenly came to her senses. She said, "I don't know how to love, and the prince may not understand everything either. But when you start to doubt, your heart will definitely think of the things he didn't do well in the past, and use them to measure love and hate... You made me doubt and guess, and then you might want to prove that he doesn't love me, but is just greedy for my beauty, so that I don't believe his emotional expression, then your goal will be achieved. Aren't you the same? You are also greedy for my beauty."

Zhang Qi curled his lips, his eyes flashing, "I just want you to be clear-headed and not sink into the love trap he set for you. He just likes your body. If he loves you, he will definitely find a way to give you the position of legal wife, but he didn't do that. He has been coaxing you with the position of co-wife, wanting you to stay by his side and have fun with him. He obviously wants to have both of you."

"If a normal man feels that he is not good enough for her, he will definitely want to let the woman he loves leave and let her find a better man to marry. But what about him? He clings to you because he knows that all women dislike him except you. Do you really think you have a high position in his heart? He just has no better choice."

"Stop talking." Lin Qianqian scolded Zhang Qi.

A trace of pain spread out from the bottom of my heart, turning into vines that gradually wrapped around my heart, and gradually, I became unable to breathe.

Zhang Qi watched Lin Qianqian's gradually changing expression, "But what about you? You are in so much pain, which shows how much you love him."

When you find yourself really falling in love with him, but he doesn't love you as much as he claims...

This pain.

Lin Qianqian hugged her head tightly, her heart aching as if being stabbed by a steel needle. She raised her hand and wiped away the tears that were flowing down her face. "You just want to hurt my self-esteem and make me feel that I have nothing worthy of a man's love except this body?"

"You are wrong. I don't need his love to prove whether I am worthy of being loved."

"Whether he loves me or not is not important to me."

After Lin Qianqian finished speaking, she lifted her skirt and ran back to Taile Office.

Back in her room, she buried her head on the table and wondered why she felt so uncomfortable and wanted to cry so much. Was it because she couldn't accept the fact that Gu Huai might not love her that much?

He is a young man who has just come of age and has just begun to understand and experience life. Adults can change their promises at any time, and he is still so young. Maybe he himself doesn't even know the meaning of what he said, so why is she entangled with this?

Lin Qianqian suppressed the pain in her heart and slapped both sides of her head. It hurt a little. She didn't want to be entangled in this kind of love.

She doesn't want to be trapped by any man.

……

Chunchan and Lin Qianqian ate and lived together. Before going to bed every day, the two of them lay on their beds and covered themselves with quilts. Chunchan would tell Lin Qianqian the gossip she had heard from other palace maids and eunuchs.

For example, which empress fell out of favor today, which empress fell into the water while visiting the garden, was poisoned, had a miscarriage, and which palace had a fire.

"I don't want to be a maidservant for other ladies. I might die someday. I just want to stay in the Imperial Music Bureau and be the youngest maid. Then I can be released from the palace and live my own life."

Lin Qianqian agreed, "This is indeed a good idea."

Chunchan said again, "By the way, tell me about you and the prince. I heard that he dotes on you very much. Why does he like you so much?"

Lin Qianqian looked at the ceiling and thought for a while. "Well, people are destined to each other. If you meet someone you particularly like, you will understand why you like that person so much."

Chunchan rested his head on his elbow and turned to look at Lin Qianqian. "I think he likes you because you are beautiful and have a special personality."

Lin Qianqian smiled and said, "You are right."

Isn’t it these things about being outside and the freshness of her personality that he likes?

Shou'an Palace

After finishing today's chapter, Lin Qianqian held her throat and cleared it. Concubine Xian beside her smiled and brought a glass of honey water to Lin Qianqian.

After thanking Empress Xian, she scooped up the honey water with both hands and drank it sip by sip.

The Queen Mother had not yet turned back from the story she had just told. She was looking in one direction without moving.

After a long time, tears kept falling, and the nanny quickly handed her a handkerchief.

The Queen Mother sniffed and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "Daiyu died just like that. Poor girl. Her disease... is there no cure at all?"

Empress Xian said softly, "He's coughing up blood. He can't be cured."

The Queen Mother was sad again. She shook her head and said with difficulty accepting it, "Alas, what a lovely girl. She is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. She has her own little temper and is stubborn. But Baoyu hates studying and is unlearned. He likes to play with girls all day long and flirts with them everywhere. He is really a bit like Gu Shizi. Which man at his age would not accept the arrangement of his family and study hard? But he is good. He doesn't care about fame and fortune. He is obsessed with playing all day long. Gu Shizi is the same. He also likes to go to brothels and listen to operas. He is so young, but he has learned bad things from others. No wonder the Jia family will fail. There is no man who is responsible and good at studying. No wonder the marquis wants to adopt two sons under his name..."

Anle stepped forward and said, "Although Gu Huai is a prince, he is such a loser who likes to play. His reputation has long been tarnished. Few noble ladies of equal status would be interested in him."

"Everyone knows that those who like him are either seeking his family background and wealth to get close to the rich and powerful, or they are women from the lower classes who want a place to settle down."

"He is at the bottom of the eligible young men in the Beijing circle. He really looks like Baoyu. I think this mansion may..." When she said this, she quickly covered her mouth.

"Anyway, I agree with what the Marquis did."

After An Le finished speaking, he came over and put his arm on Lin Qianqian's shoulder and asked with concern, "You won't be angry if I say this about Gu Huai, right?"

Lin Qianqian shook her head. "Why would I be angry? Princess is telling the truth."

Anle rolled her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. She pinched her chin and thought for a moment, "So, I don't understand, why do you like him? Why are you so devoted to him?"

"You are such a thoughtful and individual person, how could you like a useless person? And give up your principles for him?"

Anle's question also made the Queen Mother and the maids beside her look over at her, waiting for Lin Qianqian's answer.

Looking at the gossiping eyes of the crowd, Lin Qianqian smiled, pursed her lips and said, "I like him because he has a pure character. He is very tolerant of me and is not like other men who dislike me because of my outrageous remarks."

"He would admit his mistakes and apologize to me. He is not too chauvinistic, too concerned about his reputation, and doesn't try to please women."

"Moreover, he will change because of me. He didn't like studying before, but he gradually started to study. He hated martial arts, but he also started to practice martial arts, although it might be a little late."

An Le nodded thoughtfully when she heard this. She still felt that there was nothing to like about Gu Huai. His family background was better, but he was a terrible person, and even worse as a husband.

The Queen Mother asked, "Has he really changed because of you?"

Lin Qianqian nodded, "Yes, he has changed a little. The Marquis praised him for his progress."

Anle said, "But what's the use of having a good personality? His talent and knowledge are at the bottom among all the nobles. There are many men who are more knowledgeable and self-disciplined than him. If you want to find a man, you should find a man who is not only good-looking but also has a promising future. Why did you choose him in the first place?"

Lin Qianqian raised her bright eyes and said, "If it were a talented and strict family child, they would definitely look down on me. And only someone as rebellious as the prince would redeem me."

Anle was convinced, "That's right."

The Queen Mother said, "So, he does have some merits, but it's not like he has no merits at all."

The Queen Mother held her forehead with her hand, "Just now I was wondering why almost all the girls in the Red Mansion like Baoyu? He is such a useless man, and there are better choices for marrying. I think it is probably because he can pity women, even though he is not as good as the girls in the boudoir in writing poems and reciting couplets."

An Le said, "He only cares for pretty young girls. I think he can say nice things to deceive the girls. In fact, he is just like other men. He must have a group of beautiful women to make girls jealous. Isn't he the same as Master Gu? He coaxed Qianqian to follow him and she was devoted to him. No, I suddenly feel that Master Gu is more like Sun Shaozu!"

"Who has advantages? What advantages?" A powerful and majestic voice like a bell sounded, and then a man in the dragon robe of the Ming Emperor stepped into the room.

Anle walked over and said, "Father, we were saying that Baoyu and Gu Shizi are a bit similar, and asked Qianqian what she likes about him, and she was talking about his strengths."

"Gu Huai? Does he have any merits?" After the emperor sat down, he laughed dryly and said, "Among this group of children from noble families, his achievements are really not good enough. How could the Pingyang Marquis have such a son? It is said that a good father will have a good son. Obviously, this saying does not apply to him."

"This year's imperial examination produced many talented people. I really don't want to give court positions to these children of aristocratic families who only know how to live off their wealth and have no knowledge. Even if it's a small position, they will rely on their family connections to sit in the office and do nothing, which will cause some difficulties for lower-level officials. If the position is too low, it will cause dissatisfaction among important officials."

Concubine Xian served chrysanthemum tea to the emperor who was leaving the court. The emperor took the glass teacup and looked at her for a second longer.

This glance made Empress Xian lower her head shyly and stand quietly beside him.

The emperor took two sips of tea and looked at Lin Qianqian. "Tell me, what are his advantages? How did he conquer you?"

"There are so many good men in the world. My sons are also very good. You are so opinionated and have your own personality, why do you like him?"

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