SFS Chapter 242 You're Still a Princess
Chapter 242 You're Still a Princess
Looking at Xiao Qianqian, who was trembling all over, Xiao Zhijie didn't say anything more. He simply ordered someone to take her away and keep a close watch on her.
At this moment, Old Madam Xiao slowly walked in, her gaze fixed intently on Xiao Zhijie.
The Xiao family has suffered so much these past few days, each one of which has deeply affected her.
Although Madam Xiao's spirit was on the verge of collapse, her years of experience as a matriarch allowed her to suppress all her grief and not be defeated.
Madam Xiao's attitude was one of calm composure, like Mount Tai collapsing but remaining unmoved.
When Xiao Zhijie saw that Madam Xiao was walking with a slight limp, he hurriedly went forward to help her, but Madam Xiao shook him off.
She said with some displeasure,
"No need, I can walk by myself."
She slowly walked to the table and sat down, looking at Xiao Zhijie.
"The Xiao family is in complete chaos now, with many dead and injured, but the only thing that gives me some comfort is that your identity has been revealed and you have returned to your rightful place."
Xiao Zhijie lowered his head slightly upon hearing these words.
Madam Xiao continued,
"Everything is in the past. Those who have wronged others should seek revenge, and those who have been wronged should seek redress. Cause and effect, and the cycle of reincarnation, all have their reasons. But how do you plan to live your life from now on?"
Xiao Zhijie was slightly taken aback, unsure how to answer, and his brows furrowed slightly.
"My grandson thinks... let nature take its course."
Old Madam Xiao scoffed and slapped the table dismissively, saying...
"What a fine 'let nature take its course' attitude! Are you going to let your wife who wants a divorce also 'let nature take its course' and divorce her?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhijie hurriedly looked up and denied it.
"No, I will not divorce her. We are husband and wife, husband and wife for life."
Old Madam Xiao sighed slowly.
"This girl is stubborn. I begged her so much, but she wouldn't give me any face. She must have made up her mind. It won't be so easy for you not to get a divorce."
Old Madam Xiao paused, then gave him a meaningful look and said...
"Go try your luck with your master."
Xiao Zhijie's eyes suddenly lit up. That's right!
Go ask his master, Ye Qingqiu. The master knows about Yin and Yang, and he should be able to make the lady change her mind.
Xiao Zhijie went straight to his master's Taoist temple, only to find it empty. He was shocked to realize that his master had left half a year ago to travel the world.
Just as he was feeling frustrated, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind: he remembered a sachet that his master had given him before he left.
It is said that if there is any problem that cannot be solved, one can open the sachet to find the answer.
He always carried the sachet with him, and as he bent down, he picked it up.
He slowly untied the sachet, opened it, and saw a line of small characters inside.
You can't have your cake and eat it too.
He slowly recited the sentence, and his mind suddenly became clearer. Could it be that he could not have his wife if he gained the world?
Does that mean the wife of the emperor cannot win the world?
Does this mean the lady doesn't want to enter the palace? Doesn't want to be a concubine? Doesn't want to be an empress?
He seemed to already have the answer in his mind, but he still needed to verify it.
When he returned to the Qiao family, Lin Dong was serving Qiao Qingshu her medicine. When Qiao Qingshu saw him come in, her eyes flickered slightly.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and dismissed the maids and others in the room.
Suddenly, only he and Qiao Qingshu were left in the room.
Qiao Qingshu looked at him, puzzled.
"what happened to you?"
Xiao Zhijie looked at her inquiringly and asked,
"Do you hate the palace? If I were the emperor, you wouldn't want to be the empress. You don't want to live in the palace, do you?"
Qiao Qingshu had never said these words to anyone. She didn't know how Xiao Zhijie could see into her heart, and she felt a moment of panic.
This expression, when seen by Xiao Zhijie, was already the answer.
He spoke again.
"If I weren't the emperor, and you weren't the empress, and we weren't in the palace, could we avoid divorce?"
Qiao Qingshu was taken aback; she really hadn't thought about this question before.
Looking back now, if Xiao Zhijie hadn't been a prince or an emperor, but just an ordinary person, she might have spent her life with him.
But she could only think about it; she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Qiao Qingshu didn't say anything, but Xiao Zhijie already knew the answer. He nodded and said...
"I understand. You should rest. I'll come see you another day."
After saying that, he closed the door and left, leaving Qiao Qingshu alone, still wondering.
What does he know?
She didn't say anything!
She frowned, too exhausted to think about anything, and lay down, turning over to sleep.
The old emperor, sitting on the dragon throne, was so angry upon hearing Xiao Zhijie's words that he could barely breathe.
"You really don't want this status and position! You don't want the throne anymore!"
Xiao Zhijie bowed his head and kowtowed.
“Father, this is not what I want. I have thought about it for a long time these past few days. I am by nature an idle person and do not have much talent. I am not capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities. I just want to be an ordinary person and live an ordinary life.”
"Be an ordinary person and live an ordinary life."
What a familiar phrase! This was a phrase that Consort Xiande used to love to say to the Emperor.
Consort Xiande said that if they were ordinary people, they could live the life of an ordinary couple, be self-sufficient, have children, and live a peaceful life.
She no longer had to share the emperor with the other concubines, nor did she have to live in constant fear.
The emperor had always thought it was just a woman's joke, but now these words were coming from the mouth of Empress Xiande's son.
The old emperor was moved for a moment. He knew that his son's personality was like his mother's: calm, peaceful, and indifferent to worldly affairs.
Although he was displeased, he still nodded in the end.
"Go."
Xiao Zhijie got up and left the main hall without looking back, and the huge palace immediately fell silent again.
Li Pu, who had been serving by the emperor's side, looked at the deeply sorrowful emperor and said in a low voice with concern,
"Your Majesty, what will become of this empire in the future...?"
The old emperor waved his hand and said...
"I think I can hold on for another ten years. There's no rush. We can discuss it slowly. My brother has been exiled to the north for decades. It's time to call him back."
Xiao Zhijie was hurrying towards the palace gates when he heard a shout behind him.
"Brother Zhijie".
He turned his head and saw that it was Princess Yonglin.
It was the baby girl who had switched identities with him back then.
They had met once before, during the Imperial Concubine's visit home. He was just about to leave the mansion when she came in to see the Imperial Concubine and was teased by Xiao Chengyan.
He helped her out of a predicament, and that's how they met once.
I only caught a fleeting glimpse of it back then and didn't remember much, but looking at it again now, I have a strange feeling about it.
Their lives were switched at birth!
Xiao Zhijie walked slowly down the path.
"The princess is looking for me?"
Princess Yonglin looked worried and frightened. She looked around before speaking.
"Am I going to be banished from the palace...? Will my father drive me away...?"
So that's what you were worried about!
Xiao Zhijie smiled and said,
"Don't worry, Princess, nothing will change. You are still a princess."