The daughter of the Marquis is too delicate, the abstinent prince pinches her waist and loves her

Chapter 159 Miss Xie, please go back.
Before she could take two steps, Yan Chuan reached out and grabbed her, blocking her way and saying, "Miss Xie, please go back. His Highness said he will not see you."

"He said it himself?" Zhi Xing clenched her fists in resentment.

Yan Chuan gave a muffled "hmm" and lowered her head, saying, "His Highness said that Prince Xian will be visiting tomorrow, and asked Miss to make good preparations."

One sentence was like a bucket of ice water poured over her, chilling her to the bone.

She bit her lip hard until the taste of blood spread, then slowly released it: "What else did he say?"

"His Highness said..." Yan Chuan hesitated for a moment, "Zhi Xing is dead. Miss Xie has no connection with His Highness. Please do not dwell on the past. Be a good young lady in the manor. If you can avoid going out, then do not go out."

The past? Zhi Xing almost burst out laughing.

Those late nights spent with him reviewing memorials, the tenderness with which he personally tucked her hair into his hair—all have become fleeting memories of the past.
Zhi Xing clenched her fists tightly, tears welling in her eyes but stubbornly refusing to fall. She raised her hand and pulled the hairpin from her hair, saying, "Return it to His Highness for me."

Yan Chuan looked at the familiar hairpin in his hand, hesitating to speak.

One day, Ye Jingnian came out of Zhixing's room with a piece of paper in his hand, asking him to find the whereabouts of this hairpin. He inquired for a long time before he learned that it was a new piece of jewelry from Langyuxuan, and he bought it on the Lantern Festival.

He held the hairpin, let out a soft sigh, and after Zhixing left, he walked to the open space and closed the door.

"Bang!" The sound of the door slamming shut was particularly jarring in the silent night. Standing in the distance, Zhi Xing felt a lonely fear creeping into her heart.

Inside the study, Ye Jingnian stood by the window, the jade pendant in his hand almost crushed.

As if sensing something, that familiar figure gradually disappeared from outside the Crown Prince's residence.

"Your Highness, the message has been delivered," Yan Chuan reported softly.

Ye Jingnian didn't turn around: "How did she react?"

Yan Chuan walked up to him and presented the hairpin in his hand.

Ye Jingnian's eyes dimmed slightly. He reached out and picked up the hairpin, remaining silent.

“Miss Xie looks very sad,” Yan Chuan said cautiously.

A gust of wind suddenly blew in from outside the window, rustling the leaves, just like the night we first met on the painted boat.

The apricot blossoms swayed in the spring breeze and drifted onto the lake. At that moment, Zhixing was as flustered as a fawn. The cool lake water soaked her, and the apricot blossoms of early spring fell on her.

At the time, she seemed pathetic, but in retrospect, she was more beautiful than anything else in the world.

"Being heartbroken is better than dying," Ye Jingnian seemed to be convincing himself. "The Prince will treat her well."

Yan Chuan's heart also sank. Seeing Ye Jingnian staring blankly out the window, he sighed and said, "This subordinate takes his leave."

Only after the door closed did he loosen his grip on the hairpin. The tip of the hairpin pricked his fingertip, drawing blood, which spilled onto his palm, but he was completely unaware of it.

"Zhixing, bandage my wounds." He murmured softly, imagining the girl crying like a child, her hands trembling as she held the medicine box and bandaged his wounds, asking him with a pained expression if it hurt.

When I came to my senses, the figure had vanished into thin air, and with a "plop," blood dripped onto the ground.

He sneered, placed the hairpin on the table, and casually flicked his hand.

The memorial spread out on the table was a memorial from the Second Prince's faction impeaching the Censor-in-Chief, and between the lines it implied that the origins of the Xie family's adopted daughter were unclear.

Ye Jingnian's eyes were gloomy. He knew all too well the Second Prince's methods. If those people knew the cause of Bai Muling's death, only death awaited Zhixing.

A marriage alliance with the Prince Xian would at least ensure her safety.

“It doesn’t matter if you hate me…” he whispered to the bright moon outside the window, “as long as you live.”

The backyard of Xie Mansion.

Zhi Xing returned quietly, only to find the light on in her boudoir.

Pushing open the door, he saw the Imperial Censor sitting at his desk, with several sets of gorgeous clothes and jewelry laid out before him. "Where have you been so late?" the Imperial Censor asked, his face grim.

Zhi Xing didn't answer, her gaze falling on the pile of brocade robes and fine clothes. The peonies embroidered with gold thread and the hairpins strung with pearls were all exquisite, but none of them were the style she liked.

The Imperial Censor stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, saying, "Prince Xian will be visiting tomorrow at dawn. Are you trying to escape?"

A blue light flashed in Zhi Xing's eyes, and the room moved without any wind. The teacup on the table cracked with a "crack".

The Imperial Censor was so startled that he released his grip and took two steps back: "You..."

Zhi Xing walked to the table, her fingertips gently touching the exquisite jewelry and clothes on it, and remained silent for a long time.

“Father.” She suddenly smiled, her voice eerily soft, “I will dress up nicely tomorrow and live up to Your Highness’s expectations.”

She picked up the most ornate gold phoenix hairpin on the table and examined it closely in the candlelight: "It's really beautiful. Your Highness has always had excellent taste."

The Imperial Censor, noticing her unusual behavior, felt a chill run down his spine: "Zhaozhi, what's wrong with you?"

"Father, please go back. Your daughter needs to rest." Zhi Xing put down the hairpin and turned to walk towards the bed.

After the door closed, she finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed to her knees. A sweet taste rose in her throat, and she vomited blood.

She collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted, and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

The next day, morning.

Zhi Xing got up early and had her maid dress her up. The usually elegant woman had heavy makeup on today, and her beautiful eyes looked empty.

“Miss, this phoenix hairpin matches your outfit perfectly today,” the maid suggested enthusiastically.

"Hmm." Zhi Xing's voice was light, like a sigh.

A commotion arose from the front yard; the King had arrived.

Zhi Xing took a deep breath and clenched her hands, which were hidden in her sleeves.

A maid entered the room and said, "Miss, Master wants you to go to the flower hall."

Zhi Xing stood up, took one last look at the unfamiliar reflection in the glasses, and was slightly stunned.

Inside the flower hall, Ye Jinlan was exchanging pleasantries with the Imperial Censor, but her eyes kept glancing towards the door.

When he heard footsteps, he stood up involuntarily.

Zhi Xing slowly stepped into the room, her curled eyelashes drooping as she bowed.

The moment the beauty looked up, Ye Jinlan felt her breath catch in her throat. She was even more beautiful than she had imagined, especially her eyes, which seemed to hold a thousand unspoken thoughts.

“Miss Xie.” He took out the star-shaped jade pendant. “I apologize for disturbing you, but I am here to return this item.”

"Thank you, Your Highness." She reached out and took it, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Ye Jinlan noticed her unusual behavior: "Miss Xie, are you feeling unwell?"

"It's alright." Zhi Xing forced a smile. "I just didn't expect to be able to find this jade pendant."

She stared at the jade pendant in her palm, nearly grinding her teeth to dust.

If she had known it was a monstrous thing, she would have smashed it to pieces!

The Imperial Censor interjected at the opportune moment, smiling as he said, "Your Highness may not know this, but this jade pendant was specially commissioned by my daughter's wet nurse when she came of age. It is now a keepsake from her wet nurse and holds great significance for her."

"I left the capital in a hurry that day, and it was only when I returned that I learned that the girl had cried for many days after she got back."