Hening took a glance at him and then took the initiative to give a way, letting Song Qinghan to walk before him, while saying expressionlessly, “The flowers won’t be beautiful if I’m alone admiring them.”
Song Qinghan quietly browsed at Hening up and down, right at that moment he failed to guess the age of this femina man. Yet if he asked directly it would not be polite at all, so currently he was kind of hesitant.
Hening had seen through Song Qinghan’s mind, he said directly, “Ask whatever you want to ask, I won’t complain nor punish you, well, because you are quite different from them.”
Hearing that, Song Qinghan felt queerer in his mind.
It was said that the royal family was rather ruthless. Would it be possible that it was the first time for Hening to gain such an unrequited REAL genuineness because of that rescue, and that made him trust Song Qinghan so easily?
If it was nothing wrong with that speculation, then Song Qinghan’s consideration might be a bit redundant. After all, Hening was just a pitiful guy from a royal family who didn’t get an ability to express his emotions just like kiddos. Only kiddos would choose to send all his toys to his friends without concerning the others’ judges.
Thinking of this, Song Qinghan relaxed his shoulders and tried not to resist Hening that much. He smiled and explained, “You’re not old at all, but I notice that you get a cloud of sorrow around your eyebrows, I wonder why you always get a long face yourself? Forget it if it bothers you, I’m just curious.”
Hening was utterly stunned after hearing that, and he subconsciously reached out and brushed past his eyebrows, while murmuring, “You’re the first one to inform me this fact.”
As expected, Hening was just a poor guy who seemingly didn’t even have to worry about the supply of food and cloth with that exalted identity, yet getting his own bitterness behind the scene. Probably no one but himself could get to know the loneliness he was suffering now.
After the knot in his heart was untied, Song Qinghan completely put his mind at ease. He then patted Hening on the shoulder like a big brother did, and consoled, “What’s gone is gone! We, as human beings, should always look forward and head to the future. Live at the moment and cherish the times you get, only by that can you live in happiness. You know, time is always a good medicine, it will pacify you till everything bothering you go away.”
Well, Song Qinghan didn’t know what he was talking about currently, he just tried his best to make every possible inspirational nonsense to cheer the femina man up. He didn’t care if it was reasonable or not, he did it well as long as he succeeded hoaxing Hening.
In fact, Hening was indeed hoaxed by Song Qinghan. He stared at Song Qinghan with astonishment and without eyes off, while frowning tight as if he was concerning about what words Song Qinghan just said.
Song Qinghan was a bit embarrassed being stared, he coughed lightly and tried to interrupt Hening’s thoughts, he pulled Hening’s hand and led him forward, and continued to be eloquent, “I will give you a simple example, now, free yourself to do whatever you want to do, or meet whoever you want to meet, after the strive to do and to meet, you will never be regretful even though the result might slap you in the face.”
They looked at the ground thoughtfully and suddenly said before he got into the carriage, “I got it.”
Noticing Hening’s determined expression, Song Qinghan was rather cheerful. He nodded like a chick pecking on rice, waved at Hening and said with satisfaction, “It’s my pleasure to help you, Your Highness, I appreciate that you bring me here to browse the beautiful flowers today, I’m going back now.”
Then, he climbed up onto the carriage the one at the back side without turning his head back. In that case, he did not catch the deep expression shown on Hening’s face right now.
When Song Qinghan returned home, Wu Dahu smiled when he saw Song QInghan’s appearance. He took a step forward to help Song Qinghan wipe off the petals on the shoulder and said slowly, “I thought that the banquet you attended was actually an in-yard one, and the servants would display and remove the flower pot one after another. I did not expect that you actually go outside for the nature sighting!”
Song Qinghan subconsciously looked at his muddy shoes, he pondered for a brief moment and then decided to confess everything he encountered today.
Wu Dahu seemed to be a little surprised, because he couldn’t see through the purpose of Hening. At the very beginning, he was just afraid that probably Song Qinghan would over concern the relationship between him and Hening, so he always kept a distance with that guy purposely. But now it seemed that Hening didn’t fix his eyes on Wu Dahu?
However, he did not think much about it. After all, even if Hening was a queer guy with a queer temper, he was just a femina male, he wasn’t that strong to harm Song Qinghan in any way, at most he would just summon Song Qinghan to be his playmate. But from the current situation, Song Qinghan seemed to have no intention to get himself involved into such a childish game
Because neither of them cared about this matter, so when the imperial decree arrived, both of them were totally shocked.
“By the Grace of Heaven, here comes an Imperial Decree. Now we have a bright and brave man with a surname ‘Wu’ who is with a generous temperament. By the will of the Great Heaven, I allow my dearest Infanta Hening to marry you.”
Seeing that both Wu Dahu and Song Qinghan were just kneeing without any further reaction, the eunuch frowned tight while seemingly showing a look of unpleasant. And after a moment, he seemed to think of something and smiled suddenly, saying gently, “Master, are you being hyper-excited over this matter? This is an Imperial Decree, you know.”
Wu Dahu came back to his senses and frowned. He didn’t look like he was “hyper-excited” at all. He tried his best to endure it and still reached his hand out and bent down. He extended his hands and said, “Me, a commoner, thank the Great Imperial.”
After the eunuch left, he still knelt on the ground and looked at the decree in his hand without saying a word.
Song Qinghan was at the same situation because he didn’t know what he should say currently.
Hening got no affection to Wu Dahu at all from the very beginning, so what was his actual purpose to break in this time?
If this was actually what the Emperor himself thought of, neither of them believed it, because even if Wu Dahu won the first place in the final tournament, he was still just a commoner. He got no solid background or power to match any kinsmen of the royal family, not even the unpopular ones.
Therefore, there was only one possibility that could explain everything. That was- it was actually the self-made requirement Hening came up with.
After a long silence, Wu Dahu finally spoke and slowly said, “Han, forgive me for accepting the decree. If I did not do that, probably we will irritate the emperor. But trust me, I have no feeling toward that so-called infanta at all.”
Song Qinghan nodded and said with a serious expression, “I know, I know you have to accept the decree, and of course that is a marriage you can’t refuse. Take it easy, don’t try to save a little only to lose a lot.”
Though Song Qinghan said so, his eyes were already soaked with redness.
No matter whether he was a modern person or not, he who fell in love with someone and decided to spend a life with the other party would never want to share his husband with the others. But, since he got no power at all to challenge the feudal system, he didn’t get a chance to say NO but keep his smile and accept it. FU*K IT!
Wu Dahu looked at Song Qinghan and felt even more uncomfortable. However, he was a man and couldn’t show too much emotion. Otherwise, his family would collapse without support. So without a further redundant consideration, he stood up immediately, pulled Song Qinghan up and hugged him hard, as if he wanted to convey his power in this way.
Just as the two of them were calmly pacifying each other by a warm and tight hug, a soft voice sounded at the door. Song Qinghan turned his head and saw Hening who was putting on a rather plain expression on face showing up in front of the gate.
Wu Dahu also noticed the existence of Hening. He frowned and said in an unkind tone, “What are you doing here?”
Hening walked into the yard and slowly looked around the surroundings. He said calmly, “I just come here to take a look at the place where I will relocate, or, it would be perfect if you come with me to see the place both of you are going to live.”
It seemed that he was rather dissatisfied with this tiny house. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have suggested to bring them to to his own mansion.
However, neither Wu Dahu nor Song Qinghan accepted the deal, and then Wu Dahu took the initiative to respond in decisiveness, “No need, east or west, home is the best. If Your Highness won’t be accustomed to it, you can live in your big mansion yourself.”
Hening smiled faintly, and then wandered leisurely and slowly to Song Qinghan. Just as he noticed Song Qinghan’s eyes which were full of redness, he got his tone with seriousness, saying, “Who made you cry? We’re in a family soon, bullying you will equal to bullying me. I can promise you nothing but the solid background behind you in the state capital.”
Song Qinghan shook his head with resignation, and then answered expressionlessly, “How dare I to claim ties of kinship with you, Your Highness? But I wonder what your choice will be? To degrade me as a concubine to Wu Dahu, or just kick me out of the family?”
Noticing that Song Qinghan was taking a serious tone, Hening took a pause, and after a brief moment of pondering, he responded thoughtfully, “Oh, that’s what you worry about? Sorry for that and I might lack a further consideration. Since I marry your husband as a kinsman representing the royal family, I can’t volunteer to be a concubine, that will be in inconformity with the laws. But trust me, I never get an intention to kick you out of the family and replace you, so there will be no pecking order between you and me and we are at a same place. Just regard me as your brother.”
The word ‘brother’ reminded Song Qinghan of the plot of the plays which were frequently shown on television series about ‘Sis’ from ‘the Palace Struggle Drama. In a consideration that he would start his life of fierce domestic combat, he couldn’t help feeling a bit gloomy.
He opened his mouth and couldn’t hold it in anymore. He asked directly, “When did you, Your Highness, do you mind me asking when you had a crush on Wu Dahu? How come you never show it before?”
Well, if Hening exposed his intention earlier, Song Qinghan wouldn’t have chosen to show his kindness. Yet the fact happened to be…
After a short silence, Hening glanced over at Song Qinghan and noticed that Song Qinghan was about to cry again. It seemed that Song Qinghan’s tear was killing him, so he eventually sighed, and answered, “I didn’t have a crush on Wu Dahu, so you don’t have to worry that I will strive for the favor competing against you, I just want to stay with you, that’s all.”
Song Qinghan and Wu Dahu were stunned at the same time, not much less than when they heard the contents of the decree.
Was it true that the all royal family members could only make disturbance? And the Emperor tried to turn a blind eye to that? How come such a femina male be so capricious and make his own marriage a joke just because he wanted to stay with another femina male?
Seeing that both of them were shocked by what he said, Hening acted as if nothing happened at all, he then continued to say slowly, “I was quite moved towards what you said to me this morning. So I went back to the palace and told them to the Emperor, and that’s why he made such an imperial decree. If this is the root cause which made you sorrow, I apologize. But as for the withdrawal of this decree, I’m afraid I can’t make it.”
Once the words were spoken, they would be like a pot of spilled water. It was a principle widely accepted to the ordinary folks, let alone to the Emperor? If the Emperor was someone with indecisiveness, probably the dynasty would welcome its national extinction sooner or later.
Song Qinghan sighed deeply and seemed to accept this fate completely. He said softly, “Alright then. But Your Highness, you can definitely summon me to visit you in your mansion if you need me as a playmate, why did you choose to sacrifice your marriage?”