Qin Zhen watched Lou Yan put away the imperial edict, and felt complicated for a moment.
Lou Yan saw her frowning, as if he was afraid that she would be unhappy, and continued to explain: "Don't worry, I won't use this imperial edict to force you to do anything. You can completely pretend that it doesn't exist. What's important is not this imperial edict, but
It's your wish."
Qin Zhen finally spoke and asked: "Then why do you still want to ask for this imperial edict?"
Lou Yan smiled and said softly: "There are so many people who want to marry you, and they are all better than me, and they are all more powerful than me. How can I compete with them? This imperial edict is just for me.
It's just a way out for myself. If...if you like me one day and are willing, I have to have the confidence to fight with them, right?"
Qin Zhen was silent for a moment and asked: "When was this imperial edict... requested?"
Lou Yan didn't hide it, and said: "On the day the Queen passed away, Xiao Yao went to the Qinzheng Hall and knelt down to beg His Majesty for a marriage."
Qin Zhen's mind was spinning quickly and she suddenly came back to her senses.
She knew this.
She was still a little confused at the time. Why didn't the emperor waver at all about the queen's last wish and Xiao Yao's begging? Wasn't he afraid of chilling the hearts of the queen's family?
Now she understands.
The reason why the emperor refused to agree was because Lou Yan took the lead and asked for the imperial edict before the emperor agreed.
Qin Zhen looked at him: "What... did you use in exchange for the emperor's imperial edict?"
Lou Yan looked relaxed: "You should be able to see that His Majesty still loves me very much."
Qin Zhen could indeed see it, but this was not enough for the emperor to easily agree to give this imperial edict.
But Qin Zhen didn't dare to ask any more questions.
She blinked and suddenly said: "It's too cold, I'd better go back first."
With that said, he turned around and left.
Lou Yan's eyes moved slightly, and he reached out to hold Qin Zhen's wrist, then put the oil-paper umbrella in his hand into Qin Zhen's hand, and said softly: "You can take another look at such a beautiful scenery, and I'm leaving!"
After he said this, he turned around and walked back step by step without stopping.
Qin Zhen held the umbrella and looked at Lou Yan's back.
He lowered his head and walked very seriously.
Qin Zhen watched for a while and realized that Lou Yan was looking down at the footprints when they came, and then walked back step by step on those footprints. The footprints in the snow were still in pairs as before. If you didn't look carefully, you wouldn't see them at all.
I couldn't see anyone leaving first.
Qin Zhen: "..."
She suddenly felt sad.
It wasn't until the white figure disappeared in the plum forest that Qin Zhen came back to her senses.
She looked at the red plums in front of her, and suddenly she felt a lack of interest in watching them.
The surprise she felt when she first saw it disappeared, and Qin Zhen felt that the scenery of white snow and red plum blossoms was nothing more than that.
She did not leave immediately, but waited for another half an hour before holding up her umbrella and walking back along the way she came.
She lowered her head, as if trying to find the footprints left when she found them, but after a while, the footprints were covered with new snow and could no longer be seen.
For some reason, Qin Zhen's mood also hit rock bottom.
Manman stood in the corridor waiting for her. When he saw her coming out, he quickly stepped forward with his cloak and put it on her: "Is the princess cold?"
Qin Zhen shook her head and closed the oil-paper umbrella in her hand.
Manman reached out to help take the oil-paper umbrella, but Qin Zhen suddenly moved away and said calmly: "I'll take it myself."
Manman was stunned for a moment, then whispered: "Yes."
The two of them walked out. Qin Zhen looked at the empty manor and asked casually: "Where are the others?"
"The Third Highness?" Manman said, "The Third Highness said that he had to go back to deal with something, so he asked the servant to stay here and wait for the princess."
Qin Zhen fell silent and didn't say another word until she returned to Hulong Mansion.
After entering the house, Qin Yi came to the door as soon as he changed his clothes and shoes.
Qin Yi looked her up and down, with probing eyes.
Qin Zhen looked helpless: "Have you finished reading?"
Qin Yi snorted coldly: "He is quite honest and doesn't dare to do anything to you."
Qin Zhen was silent and suddenly asked: "How did you know that he has that kind of thoughts towards me... towards me?"
Qin Yi had repeatedly said that Lou Yan was plotting against her, but she didn't take it to heart.
But today Lou Yan made the matter clear, and she realized that what Qin Yi said was right.
When Qin Yi heard this, he sneered and said, "When he looked at you, it was clear in his eyes that he had evil plans against you. That means you are blind and can't see."
Qin Zhen was a little surprised. Did Lou Yan act so obviously?
She had a headache and rubbed her eyebrows.
Qin Yi looked at her face and reacted very quickly: "What, he made it clear to you?"
Qin Zhen: "..."
"If you don't deny it, does that mean you really made it clear?" Qin Yi stepped forward and stood in front of her, "You won't agree, right?"
"Let me tell you, it's okay for you to marry anyone you want. We don't have any objection to marrying any second-generation or merchant, but not the prince." Qin Yi said extremely seriously, "Your Majesty doesn't have many heirs. There are just a few.
But neither of them is a fuel-efficient lamp. Just look at it, these brothers will have a fight in the future, and we don’t want you to be involved."
"I know," Qin Zhen said word for word, "I know better than you."
If she gets involved with any prince, it will drag the entire Qin family into trouble. The Qin family is in such a position now, and it is even more at the forefront of the storm.
She has learned her lesson in her previous life, and she will never take that old path again in this life.
"Brother, don't worry. I didn't agree, and I won't have anything to do with the prince." Qin Zhen thought for a moment and then said, "I have no plans to get married."
If this were to happen to another family, they would definitely be anxious. How could a girl not get married?
But Qin Yi smiled and said boldly: "If you don't want to marry, don't marry. Our Qin family can't afford to support you."
Qin Zhen laughed and felt much more relaxed.
Qin Yi looked at the sky outside and said, "I'm going out."
These days, he always ran out from time to time, and Qin Zhen didn't ask much.
Qin Yi walked to the door, then turned back and reached for the oil-paper umbrella she placed at the door: "Lend me the umbrella."
Qin Zhen's originally calm expression suddenly changed. She stepped forward, snatched the umbrella back and held it in her arms, glaring at Qin Yi: "Why did you steal my umbrella?"
Qin Yi was stunned for a while: "I just borrowed it, how can it be said to be stealing?"
Qin Zhen pursed her lips and said, "I won't borrow it."
Qin Yi: "...Qin Zhen, we are brothers and sisters, and you don't even want to lend me an umbrella?"
"Have our Qin family become so poor that we don't even have an umbrella?" Qin Zhen waved her hand and shouted outside, "Manman, go find the eldest son an umbrella."
Manman quickly found an umbrella and put it into Qin Yi's hand.
Qin Yi looked at the umbrella in his hand, then at the oil-paper umbrella in Qin Zhen's arms, and said leisurely: "Qin Zhen, something is wrong with you."
