vstars Chapter 44 Giving You a Hard Time
Chapter 44 Giving You a Hard Time
When Qin Jinghao arrived, he was startled to see the suddenly darkened scar on Jiang Qingyue's face. "Your face..."
Jiang Qingyue looked startled and quickly stood up, covering her face and bowing to the Crown Prince, "Your...Your Highness the Crown Prince."
The contrast between Jiang Qingyue's behavior before and after surprised Qin Jinghao for a moment.
However, recalling Jiang Qingyue's attitude just now, he felt that the woman in front of him was really hypocritical.
He snorted coldly, then walked straight to the head seat and sat down.
Jiang Qingyue immediately ordered her servants to prepare tea, but Qin Jinghao refused, saying, "No need. I came here only to warn you."
Jiang Qingyue listened respectfully, which pleased Qin Jinghao somewhat. "Regarding our marriage..."
"I know," Jiang Qingyue quickly interrupted Qin Jinghao.
She knew, of course, that Qin Jinghao wanted to warn her not to covet what didn't belong to her, so she decided to retreat in order to advance.
"I have been living away from home for many years and know that I am not worthy of Your Highness. My sister Chuchu has been with Your Highness for many years and is well-educated and courteous, far superior to me. I am self-aware and will not covet what does not belong to me."
Jiang Qingyue's words surprised Qin Jinghao.
Logically speaking, Jiang Qingyue should say that this originally belonged to her and was her due, but now...
Qin Jinghao felt that this woman must be doing it on purpose. "It's good that you know. I also want to tell you that I don't like you, but the marriage decreed by the Emperor can't be canceled so easily. I will marry you, but only to this extent. After all, Chu Chu has lost her status and is in a very difficult situation. It is right for you to give in."
Whether Jiang Qingyue was genuinely sensible or just pretending, it was exactly what he wanted.
"This humble woman is unwilling." Jiang Qingyue's four words carried an air of pride and stubbornness.
"What did you say?" Having been humiliated twice in one day by the same person, even Qin Jinghao, who wanted to be tolerant, could hardly hold back anymore.
Jiang Qingyue seemed oblivious to his change in mood and said again, "This subject says, this subject does not wish to!"
"You scoundrel! His Majesty has decreed this marriage. Do you want to defy the imperial decree? It's fine if you're courting death, but do you know that you'll implicate the entire Prime Minister's residence!" Qin Jinghao was so angry at Jiang Qingyue that he almost laughed. This woman was simply ungrateful.
"This humble woman does not intend to disobey the imperial decree. However, none of this has ever been what this humble woman desired. Your Highness and Sister Chuchu have a deep and abiding affection for each other, and my existence will always be a thorn between them. If this humble woman is unhappy, neither Your Highness nor Sister Chuchu will be happy. Moreover, in the future, there will inevitably be people who bring up our parentage, which will also have a negative impact on Your Highness."
"This humble woman has no intention of competing with Sister Chuchu for anything, so I'm sure His Highness the Crown Prince will have a way to ensure that this marriage remains on Sister Chuchu's name."
Jiang Qingyue reasoned with them and appealed to their emotions, appearing to be considering both Qin Jinghao and Jiang Chuchu's feelings.
Qin Jinghao scrutinized Jiang Qingyue's expression, as if trying to find any trace of lying on her face, but he found none.
"Hmph, if I hadn't seen how aggressive you were in the courtyard before, I might have actually believed you." Qin Jinghao had seen many women like this before; they would say they didn't want her, but what they did behind her back was a completely different story.
Jiang Qingyue lowered her head, her voice muffled, "Your Highness, you don't understand."
Jiang Qingyue ignored Qin Jinghao's attitude and continued speaking, unconsciously using "I," her tone filled with sorrow.
"I have been living away from home for many years. Although life was hard, it was peaceful and carefree. But this sudden identity has disrupted my original life."
In order to fit in with them, I tried to please them in every way, but it often backfired. I was also a victim. What did I do wrong?
I want to get along well with Chuchu, but my family always misunderstands and thinks I want to take everything away from her.
To avoid misunderstandings, I've been avoiding her at all costs, but my second cousin treated me like this; he's family too…
As she spoke, tears streamed down Jiang Qingyue's face, and her hand unconsciously touched the scars on her face, as if reminding her of something.
"To clear my name, I had to stand up and fight for myself. But after going through so much, I'm tired. I don't want anything—family, marriage, identity—I can give up everything. But there's one thing I can't give up."
At this point, Jiang Qingyue paused for a moment, seemingly gathering her emotions, "All I have left are the things my mother left me..."
As she spoke, Jiang Qingyue slowly sat down on the ground, hugged her knees, and buried her head deeply in her arms.
Although the words were brief, Qin Jinghao could hear the sorrow and bitterness in them, and for a moment, he fell silent.
He had heard the rumors and knew that there had been trouble ever since Jiang Qingyue returned. At first, he thought she had deliberately caused it, but later events seemed to indicate otherwise, and even seemed to be related to Chu Chu.
I thought she would take this opportunity to say bad things about Chu Chu, but she didn't. Instead, she remained very calm and even defended Chu Chu.
Is this the kind of person who, according to the world, has a snake's heart and schemes against Chu Chu?
Qin Jinghao was no longer sure.
Seeing Qin Jinghao remain silent, Jiang Qingyue knew she had achieved her goal, so she added fuel to the fire.
"Your Highness, after entering the monastery, please allow me to take my mother's belongings and enter into a Buddhist nunnery to spend the rest of my life with only the ancient Buddha and the flickering lamp. In this way, I will neither disobey your decree nor disrupt your relationship with Chuchu." Jiang Qingyue's words were earnest and moving.
Qin Jinghao's feelings were very complicated. Since she had said this, it was definitely not a joke. Besides, as she said, she was also a victim. What had she done wrong?
Qin Jinghao had forgotten his initial intention to intimidate Jiang Qingyue, and instead comforted her, "Why are you doing this? Your aunt and your uncle can both help you. You're not completely alone."
Jiang Qingyue sneered inwardly. As expected of a cold-blooded and ruthless fellow, even at this point, he still didn't forget to use this incident and the incident to test her.
“Although you and my mother have a close relationship, I cannot always cause you trouble. As for King Qin…” Jiang Qingyue paused deliberately when she mentioned Qin Xuanyu.
As expected, Qin Jinghao involuntarily leaned forward.
"As for why the King of Qin intervened, I have no idea. Perhaps it's because of ***."
"But, my uncle once said that you helped him."
"How could that be? Before I returned to the Prime Minister's residence, I was just a commoner, let alone someone who could help the Prince of Qin. On the contrary, the Prince of Qin has been kind to me, and I don't know how to repay him."
Jiang Qingyue's words were watertight, completely distancing herself from the King of Qin.
Upon hearing this, Qin Jinghao felt much more at ease.
He looked at Jiang Qingyue thoughtfully, and finally said with a complicated expression, "You should give up the idea of becoming a nun. I will give you an explanation." After comforting Jiang Qingyue, Qin Jinghao left the Prime Minister's residence.
He needed to observe further. If Jiang Qingyue's actions just now were genuine and not feigned, then such a tactful woman, along with her maternal grandfather, would indeed be a better match for him.