A wicked mother swaps her son and sucks his blood? The true legitimate daughter is reborn and goes o

Song Qingning stepped forward and bowed. A refreshing fragrance wafted from him, stronger and more pleasant than before.

Song Qingning really liked the fragrance.

Afterwards, she discussed official business with the Prince of Huai, and Uncle Qin invited her to stay for dinner at the Prince's residence.

She sat beside the Prince of Huai, the faint fragrance lingering around her.

Gradually, she smelled a familiar scent, as if she had smelled it before and had smelled it for a long time.

But in her memory, no one used this kind of fragrance.

She searched her memory again, trying to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

A picture suddenly popped into my mind.

In the picture, a man stands tall and offers incense in front of a memorial tablet, as if he is paying homage to someone.

Three sticks of incense, their fragrant mist rising gently.

The image flashed by in an instant. Song Qingning tried to see the people in the image and the words on the memorial tablet, but she couldn't make them out clearly no matter what she did.

Another sharp pain shot through her head, which subsided only when she stopped thinking about it.

Song Qingning returned to the Marquis's residence with suspicion.

……

The next day, Liu began to arrange a marriage for Song Qingning.

She wished she could marry Song Qingning to the lowest of the low, but she also knew she couldn't make it too obvious, or it would arouse suspicion.

After much thought, she found her goal.

The capital city has no shortage of young masters and noblemen who have some social standing but are themselves incompetent.

The spoiled, the lecherous, the ignorant—the more despicable the better—were all on her list.

Once Song Qingning marries him, she can forget about having a good life.

Liu had her own plans in mind. She hired a matchmaker to propose marriage, thinking it would go smoothly, but unexpectedly, she encountered setbacks one after another.

The matchmaker brought back a message.

Either the other party is already engaged, or they have no plans to get engaged at the moment.

None of them succeeded; it seemed everyone avoided Song Qingning like the plague.

Liu believed that the rumors she had spread earlier had worked.

She was very happy.

Furthermore, the inability to find a "suitable" person to finalize Song Qingning's marriage left her feeling depressed.

She feared that things might change if she waited too long.

……

Song Qingning waited for news from the Prince of Huai.

That night, after she returned home, she heard that Xie Xuanjin had entered the palace.

The next day, Meng Yushu came to find Song Qingning, pestering her to teach her how to paint, and nagging her to go to the Duke of Meng's mansion.

Song Qingning thought Meng Yushu really wanted to learn painting until she met Empress Meng in the pavilion of the Duke's mansion.

Empress Meng secretly left the palace to see her.

In the attic.

Empress Meng sat upright on the couch, her demeanor dignified and imposing.

Upon seeing Song Qingning and noticing her about to bow, he immediately stopped her, saying, "There's no need for bowing. Today, outside the palace, there are only daughters of the Meng family, not Empress Meng. Ning'er, come here."

Empress Meng looked at Song Qingning with loving eyes and gestured for her to sit beside her.

He further explained, "Ning'er, I had no choice but to have Yushu bring you here."

"There is no suitable reason to summon you to the palace, and summoning you rashly would be too conspicuous. That person is suspicious and it would implicate you."

She was referring to Emperor Yuan.

Song Qingning understood what she meant.

Emperor Yuan was wary of suppressing the Prince of Huai, and he would guard against anything that came close to the Prince of Huai.

"He has spies both inside and outside the palace. He's keeping a close watch on me and the Meng family, afraid we might make any unusual moves. Ha..."

Empress Meng sneered, her tone sarcastic and even tinged with disdain.

She made no attempt to hide her relationship with Song Qingning, treating her as one of her own.

Song Qingning knew that Empress Meng must have something to say if she secretly left the palace to see her.

Song Qingning, recalling that Prince Huai had mentioned marriage at the end of the year, asked, "Your Majesty, did Prince Huai mention my marriage to him?"

Empress Meng nodded, but then frowned, noticing something. "Your Majesty?"

Empress Meng looked Song Qingning over, her tone still kind and loving, "You still don't like Xuan Jin?"

"..."

Using the word "like" is too inappropriate.

"Your subject dares not."

Song Qingning hurriedly got up.

She was anxious and fearful, which Empress Meng noticed and felt somewhat disappointed.

She regarded herself as a subject and subordinate, guarding the boundaries without ever crossing them.

Thinking of Xuan Jin's decision yesterday, Empress Meng felt a pang of heartache.

"Is he not good-looking?" Empress Meng asked softly.

"nice!"

Empress Meng was very beautiful, and Prince Huai's eyebrows and eyes resembled Empress Meng's; he was equally handsome. How could he not be good-looking?

"So he's of poor character?"

"Your Highness is a man of noble character and a true gentleman."

"Why is that?" Empress Meng stared at Song Qingning, her brows furrowing with urgency. But as soon as she asked, she realized she had been too impolite and rude.

After a long while, Empress Meng actually laughed.

"Look at me, I got confused because I was worried."

"Liking someone isn't just about looks and character. If you don't like Xuan Jin, I have no right to blame or question you."

"But Xuan Jin is suffering too much."

Empress Meng's smile faded.

"After his brother died, all the malice was directed at him, but I was unable to protect him. The hardships he endured during those years in the North, both physical and mental, were something that ordinary people simply could not bear."

"But he pulled through. As a mother, I owe him so much."

"I owe him something, and I should make it up to him, but there are some things I can't give him, but you can."

Song Qingning was alarmed.

Empress Meng's next words shocked him so much that his eyes widened in astonishment.

"He loves you," said Empress Meng.

I love her!

Song Qingning felt as if she had been hit hard by something, and her mind went blank for a moment.

Coming to her senses, Song Qingning forced a smile, "How could His Highness... Your Highness, His Highness's status is so noble..."

"Do you think Xuan Jin would decide whether to fall in love with someone based on their status?" Empress Meng asked.

Song Qingning shook her head.

She felt that Xie Xuanjin was the one who cared least about status.

He harbors a rebellious spirit; if he likes something, even a ghost, he's willing to defy the world.

He loves her...

That's unlikely.

How could the Prince of Huai be fond of her?

Even after Song Qingning walked out of the pavilion, she was still in a daze.

Empress Meng's words before she left still echoed in his mind.

"Ning'er, since you're going to be husband and wife with him, why not temporarily stop seeing yourself as a subordinate and try to develop feelings for him? It shouldn't be difficult to like Xuan Jin."

Empress Meng's suggestion was very sincere.

It's not difficult to fall in love with Prince Huai.

But what happens after he falls in love? Even if the Prince of Huai is fond of her, how long can that fondness last?

One day, two days, one year, two years...

Her alliance with the Prince of Huai was aimed at protecting the Yongning Marquis's residence. She hoped that if Xie Xuanjin were to one day ascend to that position, he would allow her to leave, or perhaps bestow upon her a palace within the inner palace.

As long as one lives peacefully in one corner of the world, and lives to die of old age, that is enough.

But if one loses their heart, the outcome is unpredictable.

She can be loyal to him to the utmost, and after marriage, she can also fulfill her duties as a wife and treat him even better.

Song Qingning took a deep breath.

Then I remembered another thing Empress Meng said.

she says:

"In three days, the Emperor will bestow a marriage upon you and Xuan Jin!"

When Empress Meng said this, her eyes seemed to be burning with flames.

It's as if Emperor Yuan had no choice but to grant this marriage!