Qin Quexi looked into her eyes, dark and deep with affection.
He could clearly see his own reflection within them.
From Gu Shengyin’s gaze, he saw anticipation and admiration, and inexplicably, Qin Quexi felt that his response would be very important.
Yet after remaining silent for a long time, he softly said, "Changge, if I asked you to leave everything behind in the Heavenly Phoenix Dynasty and come back to Da Qin with me, would you?"
He saw that after his words were spoken, the light in her eyes dimmed.
Qin Quexi suddenly felt an urge to take back what he had just said, but he did not.
Gu Shengyin flashed a smile and said lightly, "I was merely joking with you, Quexi. You know I can’t leave Heavenly Phoenix."
She looked up at the window and said, "It’s getting late. You should rest early."
Then she turned and walked away.
Qin Quexi watched her retreating figure, tall and straight yet emitting a sense of solitude.
He shook his head and laughed to himself, "How could someone as proud and unrestrained as Huang Changge ever feel lonely?"
But the next day, the official who came to meet the emissaries from Da Qin had changed.
Qin Quexi’s heart skipped a beat, asking why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince hadn’t come.
The official smiled and replied, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is busy with many affairs, and the emperor has ordered that I take over the responsibilities for the remaining days."
Qin Quexi politely offered a smile, wondering to himself perhaps she was upset about last night?
Next time I see her... what happens after I see her? Qin Quexi had not yet figured out an answer to this question.
However, during the following days, he never saw Gu Shengyin again.
Even when he personally went to Qinghuang Palace, the news he received was that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was not there.
Even someone as insensitive as Qin Quexi understood that Huang Changge did not want to see him.
He too was proud at heart, and since she did not wish to see him, he was unwilling to debase himself by insisting.
In the great hall of Qinghuang Palace, dressed in a plain white robe, Gu Shengyin asked Bi Xin who had come in to reply, "Has he left?"
Bi Xin answered that he had.
She was somewhat confused, for it appeared that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince cared for His Royal Highness Prince Yong. Why then wouldn’t she meet him?
Of course, it was not her place to question this, so she could only keep these thoughts to herself.
"The emissaries from Da Qin will be leaving in a few days, right?" Gu Shengyin suddenly asked.
Bi Xin respectfully replied, "Yes, Your Highness, in less than five days."
Gu Shengyin drank a cup of wine with a somewhat listless tilt of her head.
Qin Quexi, I’ll see whether you’ll truly be able to depart with a determined heart.
Two more days passed .
Qin Quexi suddenly found that the palace had become busy, all palace attendants hurrying about.
Curious, he stopped a palace attendant and asked, "Is there something significant happening in the palace?"
The attendant suddenly faced him, blushed for an instant, hesitated, and then replied, "Yes, His Royal Highness the Phoenix Monarch is selecting a Legal Spouse for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Our Qinghuang Palace will soon have a new master."
Qin Quexi felt as if something had exploded in his mind.
Legal Spouse... She was actually preparing to marry?
A surge of anger rose from the depths of his heart, tinting his eyes red.
Just the other day, she was declaring her feelings for me, and now she is to marry a Legal Spouse?
Qin Quexi walked toward Qinghuang Palace with a cold expression.