Today, Chasing Cloud and Chasing Moon Tavern was exceptionally quiet. The entire tavern was closed and only received Xiao Zhangping. It could be counted as Xiao Minglan's last gift to her niece who was about to be married off.
A palace maid guarding outside the tavern walked up the stairs to the railing on the second floor facing the river. She reported, "Your Highness, there is a person who claims to be a guard of Nan Ping Wang Fu. He is asking for an audience."
Xiao Zhangping quietly stared at the other side of the river in a daze. Hearing this, she casually waved her hand, "Let him come up."
After waiting for two whole days on Xuanwu Street, which was closest to the palace gate, the princess finally left the palace. Thus, Ning Shu, who had followed her all the way here, did not have time to wipe the sweat off her face. She hurried upstairs and finally saw Xiao Zhangping.
"It's you. Get up." Xiao Zhangping glanced at her and continued to lean against the railing to look at the bustling water market on the other side of the river. In the water market, the vendors along the river were guarding their baskets filled with fresh flowers, vegetables, oil tea, silk, and soft tofu. They smiled and waved at the men and women coming and going, while guarding the copper coin pouches at their waists.
Xiao Zhangping stared in a daze and said as if sighing, "There are only ten days left."
Ning Shu was stunned for a moment and then understood. She was talking about the marriage that was less than ten days away. Ten days later, she would be forced to wear the red wedding dress that symbolized the good relationship between the two countries and board the Luan sedan. She would never be able to return to this place until she died.
Looking at Xiao Zhangping's lonely back, Ning Shu could not help but feel pity for this girl who was of the noblest birth in the Great Yue Dynasty, but the most unhappy.
She knew that she should say something to comfort her. But in this situation, no matter what she said, it would be easy. After all, no one had the right to sympathize with something that did not happen to them. She pondered for a moment and could only say, "Your Highness, this trip is like the Zhaojun going out to the frontier. You are sacrificing yourself for the country and the people. The people will be grateful for Your Highness' righteousness and will remember it in their hearts."
Xiao Zhangping laughed bleakly, "The Zhaojun is respectable but not easy to be. If I could, I really wanted to be the daughter of an ordinary family in the marketplace, just like those women on the other side of the river, selling cloth, flowers, oil tea … I was willing to sell anything. As long as she brought home a few copper coins after a busy day, she would receive a greeting from her parents, brothers, sisters, and husband: "You've worked hard. Sit down and rest. I've specially left a bowl of herbal tea for you." It's a pity that I can only dream about this for the rest of my life. "
After she finished speaking, a female official standing guard not far away immediately coughed as a warning. Xiao Zhangping sneered. She swept her gaze over the dozens of pairs of eyes that were staring at her. She berated, "All of you, get lost. I don't want to see you on this floor. Don't try to scare me with Imperial Father's tricks. If you provoke me, I might just fall into this Chaobai River. "
The guards and maids were all shocked, but they knew that according to the temperament of the thirteenth princess, she might really do it, so they had to retreat further and further.
After waiting for the guards to retreat, Xiao Zhangping said to Ning Shu, "You came to find me to ask about the previous matter, right?"
Ning Shu was deeply apologetic, "Yes. I shouldn't have disturbed Your Highness at this time, but the matter is urgent. Right now, our only hope is on Your Highness. Please forgive me. "
Xiao Zhangping waved her hand and said, "After you told me that day, I carefully looked through everything and indeed found something that might be what you are looking for. However, I won't give it to you unless you give me a reason. Why do you want this item? What is the plum blossom kiss you mentioned that day? What does this have to do with Old Princess Yu and the heir? "
Xiao Zhangping's tone was cold and her words were sharp. It was as if she was a completely different person. However, Ning Shu wasn't surprised. After losing her last pillar of support and facing the fate of being sent to another country as a chess piece by her Imperial Father, even the most simple-minded person would be forced to grow up.
However, this was related to Xiahou Qing's secret, so she couldn't reveal it to another person. Ning Shu clenched her fists tightly. After a while, she bowed deeply and apologized, "Your Highness, please forgive me. That day, I lied to Your Highness. Actually, this item has nothing to do with the heir. In fact, it is closely related to me. My life and the survival of my family are all implicated by this poison called the plum blossom kiss. "
Xiao Zhangping looked at her from head to toe, "You?" Her heart was filled with doubt. She really couldn't understand how a lowly guard could be related to Old Princess Yu.
She sneered, "Ha! Don't lie. Otherwise, I will immediately call people to drag you to the Supreme Court for a heavy punishment! "
Xiao Zhangping raised her hand and was about to call the guards downstairs. Ning Shu's back was drenched in cold sweat on such a hot day. She hurriedly interrupted her and had no choice but to grit her teeth and whisper, "I'm not lying, because my real identity is not a guard of the Nanping Mansion, but Ning Shu of the Duke Ning Mansion."
Xiao Zhangping suddenly widened her eyes and stood up, "You deserve to die!"
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