She heard Prince Liang say that he had previously sought to marry her cousin Bai Qingyan because he had mistaken her cousin for the little girl who had given him a handkerchief at the palace banquet.

When he learned that her cousin was severely injured and could not bear children, he feared her cousin would be heartbroken, so he had previously exerted all efforts to seek marriage with her.

However, seeing her cousin’s absolute ruthlessness toward him, his heart felt as if it were being twisted by knives. He didn’t understand why the girl who had been so kind to him as a child seemed like a completely different person when she grew up!

He had thought that little girl whose smile was sweeter than maltose candy also despised him as a waste.

This was how Dong Tingzhen was moved by Prince Liang. She felt sorry for Prince Liang – a prince, yet living so pitifully. She wanted to be good to Prince Liang, to do everything in her power to make him happy.

After all, Prince Liang was someone easily satisfied. When Dong Tingzhen merely had someone send him a plate of pastries because she saw he had waited long at the Dong mansion’s side gate, he actually hid them in his chest, took them to Yanwo, brought them back from Yanwo, saying that carrying the pastries she gave him was like having her accompany him.

How could Dong Tingzhen not be moved by such a man who treasured her thoughtfulness so much?

“I’m a useless waste! I know I can’t compare to Chen Zhaolu. Chen Zhaolu has the talent of a top scholar, but I am nothing! I’m timid and cowardly, ignorant and incompetent! Qingzhen, you’re so wonderful, yet I…” Prince Liang cried so hard he could barely breathe.

“No! No, Your Highness!” Dong Tingzhen’s heart melted like water seeing Prince Liang cry. She gently stroked Prince Liang’s back, speaking softly: “You are a prince… no one can compare to you!”

“Then… then what must I do to marry you?!” Prince Liang looked at Dong Tingzhen with wet eyes full of hope. “Qingzhen… I know I’m stupid! Teach me! Just tell me what to do… I won’t fear even mountains of knives or seas of fire!”

Dong Tingzhen took out her handkerchief to wipe Prince Liang’s tears. She knew Prince Liang had a reputation for being cowardly and incompetent, but she felt sorry for this man. He should have been heaven’s favored son, yet everyone in the capital could bully him. She wanted to protect Prince Liang.

Previously, when Prince Liang had mistaken her cousin for her and still wholeheartedly sought marriage even knowing her cousin couldn’t bear children, it showed his sincerity. Dong Tingzhen didn’t want to hesitate anymore.

“Do you dare… petition His Majesty for my sake? As long as His Majesty grants the marriage, once the imperial decree is issued… even my mother and father cannot prevent us from being together!” Dong Tingzhen said after making up her mind.

Prince Liang grasped Dong Tingzhen’s hand, his eyes showing no retreat or evasion: “However, after last time when I mistook the Duke’s daughter for you and made a scene before Father Emperor, this time if I go to seek marriage with you, I fear… Father Emperor won’t agree!”

Dong Tingzhen helped Prince Liang sit properly, removed the safety locket from her neck, and handed it to Prince Liang: “This is the safety locket I’ve worn close to my body since childhood. It was made by my maternal grandmother, Madam Shoushan Bo, when I was born. I’ve never been parted from it! I wear the bracelet you gave me on my hand. Even if we go before the Emperor… our mutual affection, I dare to acknowledge!”

“Qingzhen!” Prince Liang lowered his head again, crying until his shoulders shook. He forcefully caressed Dong Tingzhen’s hand: “Doing this will harm your reputation! I’m wronging you! I’m useless, only able to marry you through such methods… I cannot be without you. If I had any other way, I wouldn’t want to harm your reputation in the slightest!”

“It’s alright! It’s alright!” Dong Tingzhen gently comforted Prince Liang. “This is my willing choice! I don’t blame you! In the future… We’ll just live our lives well together!”

Prince Liang nodded vigorously: “Qingzhen, I value you… more than my own life. If I didn’t have you, I wouldn’t want to live! Right now, Chen Zhaolu is truly too outstanding, with the talent of a top scholar. I’m afraid you’ll be taken away, so I can only use this method! I’ll compensate you doubly in the future. I’ll also strive to live like a proper person, not letting others look down on me… thinking you married such a waste! I swear I’ll only want you for this lifetime, absolutely never taking concubines!”

Dong Tingzhen was moved to tears.

“I know that I previously nearly harmed the entire Duke Zhenguo’s mansion. Master Dong surely detests me! For your sake… I can go to the Duke’s mansion to find Bai Qingyan and apologize! Beg her forgiveness! This way… You won’t be so troubled before your parents.”

Dong Tingzhen nodded, grateful for Prince Liang’s thoughtfulness toward her.

When Dong Tingzhen emerged from the private room wearing her veiled hat, her eyes were still red. After getting in the carriage and removing her hat, she lowered her eyes to fidget with the handkerchief dampened by tears, unable to help but laugh shyly.

Although Prince Liang was cowardly, he truly cared for her. Her mother and father had such a good relationship… but Father still took two concubines. She knew that every time Father spent the night in a concubine’s room, the lamp in Mother’s room stayed lit all night.

She dreamed of the devoted love described in storybooks – one lifetime, one couple.

So even if Prince Liang was mud that couldn’t stick to the wall, as long as he was willing to guard only her for this lifetime, she was willing to be satisfied.

Dong Tingzhen wiped her tears with her handkerchief, couldn’t help but laugh again, and raised her hand to touch the missing safety locket at her chest, her heart full of a young woman’s longing for the future.

Prince Liang acted swiftly. Upon leaving Shi Fang Studio, clutching Dong Tingzhen’s safety locket, he headed straight for the imperial palace.

Knowing he could no longer grasp Bai Qingyan in his palm for his use, Prince Liang thought of Dong Qingyue, the Prefect of Dengzhou. Unfortunately… Dong Qingyue had no daughters, but Dong Qingyue’s brother, Honglu Si Minister Dong Qingping, did!

Prince Liang would proceed step by step. As long as he married Dong Qingping’s daughter, making the Dong family stand on his side in the succession struggle would be very easy!

After all… Dong Tingzhen was Dong Qingyue’s niece, while Bai Qingyan was merely a nephew’s daughter!

In his future struggle for the supreme position, he could promise Dong Qingyue and Dong Qingping great power and important positions for their sons. If he could also make them believe… he was a puppet emperor they could easily control, they would naturally be willing to follow him and help persuade Bai Qingyan to pledge allegiance to him.

Once he obtained that position, dealing with the Bai family would be effortless, wouldn’t it?

He had been thinking wrongly before, always expending energy on how to destroy the Bai family, forgetting the simplest approach… he should seize the throne. Once he secured the throne, the Bai family… would be subject to “when the ruler wants a minister to die, the minister cannot refuse to die.”

·

The sun moved westward, sunset clouds spread across the sky, and the entire capital was bathed in golden light.

It was finally approaching sunset, and the weather had cooled down, no longer as hot as midday with its cicada calls and bird cries that made people restless and anxious.

In Qinghui Courtyard of the Duke’s mansion, tall trees stood on the western side. At this hour, the tree shadows stretched long, enveloping the courtyard in shade, making it quite cool.

Bai Qingyan’s severe injuries had left her with cold symptoms. The capital’s summers were extremely hot… Since Bai Qingyan couldn’t use ice, Bai Weiting had people plant low shrubs on the south side of Qinghui Courtyard and towering trees on the west side. This way, it neither blocked the view nor provided summer cooling.