Chapter 682: Chapter 683 Side Story: Excitement_1 Chapter 682: Chapter 683 Side Story: Excitement_1 “What’s the situation in the court now? Did Father Emperor inquire into Yu Jin’s escape on his own?” Nangong Anan suddenly asked.

Xiao Yu said annoyed, “Your Highness, why are you still worried about him at this time? He clearly abandoned you without a second thought!”

“Xiao Yu!”

Xiao Yu bit her teeth and had to curtsy, saying, “It was impertinent of your servant to speak out of turn. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”

“What exactly happened?”

“Your Highness, rest assured, Prince Qi made a diversion for him, and the rage that had initially consumed His Majesty has largely subsided. If Your Highness is concerned that he will be punished by His Majesty, you need not fret. Both Marquis Chen Mansion and He’an Prince of the Daqian Dynasty would do everything in their power to protect him. Now that he has escaped the control of the Qilian Kingdom, he naturally won’t look back, nor is it possible for him to do so. Your Highness can be at ease about his safety.”

Nangong Anan sighed, “So be it. This place must be the last one he wishes to be, and even I am probably the person he hates the most. Why would he ever want to come back?”

Originally, Yu Jin’s leg was broken unintentionally by Nangong Anan, and although it was now largely healed, the shadow of that injury must have turned into hatred in his heart.

Just then, a young palace maid suddenly came to announce, “Your Highness, the Pingnan Prince Heir has arrived.”

Nangong Anan said impatiently, “What’s he doing here? Send him away, I’m not in the mood to see him now.”

Xiao Yu said with difficulty, “Your Highness, you are not unaware that His Majesty has always looked favorably on the Pingnan Prince Heir, hoping that you could marry into the Pingnan Marquis Mansion. Now with His Majesty’s health failing, Your Highness should also consider His Majesty’s feelings, and not be so willful, ignoring the Pingnan Prince Heir all the time.”

Actually, these were just superficial concerns. Privately, Xiao Yu felt that the Pingnan Prince Heir was more reliable than Yu Jin. The Pingnan Prince Heir and Nangong Anan had grown up together as childhood friends. The two of them had a great relationship, and the Pingnan Prince Heir genuinely liked the Princess. If the Princess married him, she would definitely not be mistreated in this life.

Nangong Anan was the Princess most beloved by the Emperor, so how could he bear to use her as a pawn for political alliance with his in-laws? Was it not because the Emperor believed that the Pingnan Prince Heir could bring happiness to Nangong Anan that he had issued such a decree?

In her heart, what Xiao Yu was really anxious about was that the Princess was unwilling to accept this favor!

Nangong Anan said in annoyance, “If I were actually willful, I wouldn’t have waited until now without telling Father Emperor that I have no interest in him at all!”

It was simply because she feared angering the Emperor. Now that the Emperor’s health was getting worse by the day, Nangong Anan was still clear-headed about that.

“I’ve really pampered you for nothing, treating me with such indifference, aren’t you?”

No sooner had she finished speaking than a young man darted into the palace and came to a stop before Nangong Anan. Although he wore a playful smile, there was a hint of hurt deep in his eyes. Who else could it be if not the Pingnan Prince Heir Gao Xiang?

Xiao Yu was startled and exclaimed, “Prince Heir, how did you just barge in here?”

Immediately disoriented, she positioned herself in front of Nangong Anan, “The princess hasn’t changed her clothes yet, men and women shouldn’t touch!”

Gao Xiang chuckled, “I saw her when she wore open-crotch pants, what’s the big deal? Xiao Yu, if there’s nothing wrong, hurry up and get out, don’t be in the way here.”

Xiao Yu’s face was full of black lines, but still, she obediently went out.

Seeing him so full of energy, Nangong Anan too felt helpless, “What are you doing? Aren’t you afraid that the imperial guards will chop you to death for trespassing into my chamber?”

“Chopped to death by mistake? You sure have some imagination, hmph, you might be willing for me to die but your father wouldn’t bear it. Do you think I could easily come to see you in your palace if he hadn’t let me come today?”

Ever since Nangong Anan returned from a trip to the Daqian Dynasty, she had been shutting herself up in the palace, languishing in sorrow. The emperor, seeing this, also felt distressed, but had no solution, and could only specially have Gao Xiang come to coax her.

“Stop it, I’m not in the mood to deal with you. My father just wanted you to check on me, and now you have, I’m alive and well. You don’t need to stay any longer,” Nangong Anan said with an already grievously heavy heart. The hurt she felt inside was not something a few jokes from Gao Xiang could erase, after all, he was the man she loved most in this lifetime. Such a blow was too much for her to bear!

“Furthermore,” Nangong Anan’s tone turned a few degrees colder, “My father has arranged our marriage, and I didn’t object because I don’t wish to anger him. His health is already poor; naturally, I wouldn’t want to aggravate his condition. If you truly understand me, you would know this is just a delaying strategy. I will not marry you.”

Nangong Anan was not foolish; she obviously understood Gao Xiang’s feelings for her. Unfortunately, although she had grown up with him and they shared a bond, she had never felt romantic affection for him. The one love of her life was reserved for Yu Jin; she could not fall for anyone else. Marrying Gao Xiang would only harm him.

Nangong Anan wanted to put an early end to his hopes. Only if he stopped harboring any feelings for her, could he live a life more content than anyone else.

Gao Xiang’s expression suddenly turned serious, “Nangong Anan, what do you mean by that? Are you trying to sever ties with me now? Does our childhood bond mean nothing compared to that man who used you as a stepping stone and discarded you once done?! To this day, are you still so deluded? Fine, I’ll lay it out today too; since you can’t let go, don’t force me to. I will not let go. It is my unshirkable responsibility to look after your entire life, whether you are willing or not in your heart, I cannot ignore you!”

Nangong Anan was taken aback; Gao Xiang was always never serious, and this sudden outburst even scared her.

Gao Xiang said sternly, “I don’t expect you to appreciate the affection I’ve had for you since childhood, but you should be aware of your father’s favoritism towards you. You are his most cherished daughter, and now his health is failing, and his life is at risk at any moment. Yet what are you doing? Degenerating yourself for an insignificant man, making your father worry about you instead. Tell me, aren’t you being selfish?”

Nangong Anan’s eyes immediately reddened. Her father had always cherished her the most, and now that he was gravely ill, wasn’t she worried about him too? But she couldn’t hide the trauma in her heart. Yu Jin had left her so decisively; she couldn’t bear such a blow; her sorrowful emotions just could not be contained.

These days she’d been like a walking corpse, recalling every little detail of the past, attempting to find a trace of his love for her, but it was all in vain.

Right, if he loved her, how could he have abandoned her so resolutely?

While Gao Xiang said those words with the intention to provoke Nangong Anan, after speaking, he clenched his teeth and turned to leave, “If you have any conscience left, pull yourself together. Do you really want to see your father pass away in regret?”