Chapter 65: All Her Thoughts Were Of The Princess

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too. 

Meng Chang'an did not know what exactly she felt so wronged about. She hated her elder brother for being too sentimental and failing the Princess, yet she also hated him for being heartless. Since he clearly had someone in his heart, why did he still marry the Princess and delay the Princess' lifelong happiness?

The marriage certificate was merely a formality, yet what lay in the Young Master’s heart was an insurmountable chasm.

After all, compared to an ordinary romance between women, love between sisters-in-law inevitably carries a layer of ethics that is difficult to accept in society.

"Marrying Her Highness is indeed an act of helplessness."

Seeing the unconcealable bitterness and pain in the Young Master’s eyes, He Changping could not help but sigh and explained, "Chang'an, do you know, if not for this marriage, it might not only be me but even Qingyang Clan that may no longer have a place in this world."

Meng Chang'an was not an unreasonable or ignorant person. Hearing He Changping's sigh, she already had some guesses forming in her heart. She immediately furrowed her brows and took the initiative to ask, "Is there trouble within the clan?"

Talking about secret matters under the blue sky and bright sun might inevitably leak through the walls and be overheard.

He Changping did not explain further to the Young Master on this small path; he merely patted her shoulder lightly and said in a low voice, "Let us go and talk inside."

After the battle at Baiyun Inn, thanks to her old friendships, Bai Shuangyan had already taken the initiative to prepare a new residence for these children, shielding them from prying eyes from all directions.

The Princess' new residence was only separated from He Changping's by a stone path.

In just a moment, Meng Chang'an followed He Changping into his house.

Inside, wine was warming on the stove, and even small dishes were already prepared on the low table by the couch near the window.

Meng Chang'an raised her eyes and glanced at the two sets of bowls, chopsticks, and wine cups already prepared on the table. It was then that she realized her elder brother had already made arrangements and specially come to find her.

She was unsure of what he might want to say to her by doing so.

Even though she had her doubts, the Young Master did not ask further. She simply took her seat, poured a glass of wine for her elder brother, and pushed it across to the seat opposite her. Then, she leisurely poured a glass for herself, gently sniffing the fragrance of the wine, and smiled as she said, "Elder Brother is so thoughtful, even warming the wine."

He Changping smiled lightly, then raised his glass to clink with Meng Chang'an's. He sighed, "It has been a long time since we, brother and sister, sat at the same table and had a proper conversation."

The siblings had been separated since childhood due to their parents' divorce. While there was no love between their parents, the bond between the brother and sister was truly close. Although they had not grown up together, even seeing each other just a few times a year, they remained closer than most siblings.

If not for this marriage causing Young Master Meng to feel a bit uneasy, there might not even be a single argument between them, let alone resentment.

Perhaps it was true that twins shared a special connection. Before Young Master Meng could even snap out of her thoughts, He Changping had already asked, "Has my marriage to Her Highness made you sad?"

Such a direct question made Young Master Meng's expression stiffen for a moment.

Was she sad? She probably didn’t even have the right to say she was sad, did she?

If she set aside her sibling relationship with him and simply faced the Princess' nominal husband, how could she respond to such a question from her husband?

According to her nature, when dealing with strangers, she would never lack the proper expression or words. But this question came from her own elder brother.

If she still wanted to keep that thread of familial affection intact, she should not allow even the slightest hint of sadness to show.

Looking at the face before her, so similar to her own, Meng Chang'an gave a self-mocking smile. After finishing the wine in her cup, she said, "You two are married, what is there for me to be sad about?"

"Chang'an, my eyes are not blind. It is not hard to see how much you care about Her Highness."

The Young Master bit her lip, then immediately poured herself another glass of wine, muttering, "You are overthinking. I am not sad."

After a brief pause, the Young Master lowered her gaze and spoke again, "If I were to be sad, it would only be because I blame you for abandoning our father, for ignoring the lives of those in the clan, and leaving us with such a mess."

It had been a long time since she had drunk, and now, the fragrant, warm wine flowed down her throat and into her stomach, which made Young Master Meng unconsciously recall the feelings and emotions she had the last time she drank. She couldn’t help but remember the impulsive actions she had taken after that last bout of drunkenness.

The images and thoughts that crossed her mind ultimately couldn’t compare to the longing in her heart, which gathered into the same face. 

It was all the Princess...

Thinking of this, Meng Chang'an quickly blinked and turned her head to look at the scenery outside the window, avoiding He Changping's gaze.

After all, they were blood-related. The sorrow that unconsciously leaked out from the Young Master could not escape He Changping's sharp eyes.

Indeed, matters of the heart were truly harmful.

He wanted to reach out and rub the Young Master's head, just like when they were children, comforting her when she was upset or sad, telling her that her brother was here, and not to be afraid.

But when he thought of how distant his sister was toward him now, and the clear resentment she carried, He Changping ultimately stopped his hand, letting those feelings of regret and sympathy turn into a deep sigh.

"It is all this Elder brother's fault. These past days, it was Elder Brother who caused you to suffer."

He Changping spoke delicately, without explicitly stating what the so-called suffering referred to. He simply sighed and said, "I never meant to involve you in this matter, it was just that Her Highness..."

Only then did Meng Chang'an turn back around, quietly waiting for He Changping to continue.

But the man stopped halfway through as if deliberately keeping her in suspense, making it seem like he wanted to tease her curiosity.

Meeting the Young Master's inquisitive gaze, and knowing she cared, He Changping could no longer hold back and finally forced a helpless smile, explaining.

"Actually, the marriage is a temporary measure. You must not misunderstand, my relationship with Her Highness is merely one of mutual benefit, not the love that others speak of. I need her status to fend off those who are eyeing the Qingyang Clan, and she also needs this marriage to do what she wants to do. In the end, we are simply using each other; if we were to define it, it could only be seen as a ruler-subject relationship between us."

Meng Chang'an had already suspected this hidden truth, but no matter how much she guessed, it could never be as solid as hearing it from her elder brother's mouth.

Now, upon hearing He Changping's explanation, and him openly stating that his relationship with the Princess was nothing more than a ruler-subject one, the stone that had been weighing on the Young Master's heart seemed to suddenly fall away.

A faint smile unknowingly appeared at the corner of the Young Master's lips.

After reflecting on the hidden meaning behind He Changping's words, the Young Master finally suppressed her smile and asked seriously, "What do you mean by those who are eyeing us from all directions? Could it be that some small-time thugs in the Jianghu have gone and caused trouble?"

Thinking about this, Meng Chang'an suddenly felt that something was off. She immediately furrowed her brow and added, "Wait, no. Qingyang Clan has long been at the top of the righteous path. The position of leader of the Wulin* Alliance is not so easily shaken. How could it have come to the point where without this marriage, we might not even be sure of keeping our lives?!"

*Martial arts society 

When the Princess was mentioned earlier, the sudden change in Young Master Meng's expression did not escape He Changping's notice. Seeing her mood lighten, He Changping could not help but smile as well. He then explained again, "Yes, if it were just some small people from the Jianghu coveting it, it would not have reached this point. Unfortunately, the ones who have their eyes on Qingyang Clan are not those lowly people from the Jianghu, but rather high-ranking officials in the court."

Upon hearing this, Meng Chang'an was momentarily stunned.

However, this was only a hint, as He Changping did not continue to elaborate. Before Meng Chang'an could ponder the deeper meaning behind his words, He Changping had already shifted the topic, casually refilling her glass with wine, and with a light smile said, "Never mind, it is useless to say more. Let us just continue drinking."

Young Master Meng refused to let go and quickly grabbed He Changping's sleeve, not giving him a chance to pull his hand back. She tugged at his sleeve and shook it, asking, "Elder brother! How can you speak like this, only saying half of it?! Hurry and tell me what exactly happened in the clan. I want to see if there's anything I can help with!"

No matter how serious Young Master Meng's expression was, He Changping was unwilling to explain further. However, this time, he could not control his thoughts and raised his hand to ruffle her hair, smiling as he said, "Stop asking. I really do not want to involve you in this matter. When I put you in danger in the capital before, I was already restless and full of guilt. This time, I truly do not dare to let you face danger again."

Unable to get the answer she wanted, the Young Master became displeased. She glared at her elder brother and angrily asked, "If that is the case, then why did you especially call me over?"

No matter how angry the Young Master was at this moment, He Changping still answered calmly, "I called you over today to tell you that I have arranged for someone to escort you to the Blood Flame Sect to avoid any danger on your journey."

Upon hearing this, the Young Master's expression darkened. She angrily slapped away He Changping's hand and moved back, avoiding his touch. She then spoke, "Why, elder brother, are you afraid that I will bring you trouble if I travel with you with a face that looks exactly like yours?”

The stir that Meng Chang'an had caused in the capital earlier had already led to various speculations from all parties. Although she had many flaws, at that time, she still did not leave any evidence for those with ulterior motives. However, even so, to this day, there are still many people with hidden agendas who wish to stir trouble by using the false Prince Consort's crime of deceiving the Emperor.

If the two traveled together, at first glance, no one might associate them with each other. After all, their male and female appearances were different, and it was unlikely anyone would think of them as twins. But if these two were to stay together for a long time, their twin identities would certainly be impossible to conceal.

By then, many things may no longer be under their control.

He Changping did not want to complicate matters, so he did not refute Young Master Meng's words. Instead, he said, "You must have heard about the assassins recently. This journey is dangerous, and if you were to get hurt again, not only would I feel guilty, but even Mother and Aunt would not easily forgive me after they find out."

Just mentioning this made Meng Chang'an angry.

This time, Young Master Meng could no longer hold back the grievance in her heart. She gritted her teeth and said, "Do not worry, Mother would not care about my life or death."

He Changping was stunned for a moment.

Before He Changping had a chance to offer any words of comfort, Young Master Meng had already suppressed the complex emotions in her eyes and gotten up from the bed.

"Do not worry, I am no longer a child. I will not be unable to survive without your protection. Where I want to go is my freedom. You do not need to worry about me unnecessarily..."

Unfortunately, before Young Master Meng could finish her sentence, she suddenly felt a spinning sensation.

"You..."

With the sudden dizziness, even Young Master Meng, as slow as she was, immediately understood what was happening.

Before the scolding words could leave her mouth, Young Master Meng had already lost her strength and fell backward.

In her unconscious state, it seemed as though she faintly heard a sigh echoing around her ears.

"Chang'an, I am sorry..."