CHAPTER 623: CHAPTER 210: IMPLEMENTING (FOUR UPDATES)

"Impossible, Yanqing brother, your feelings for me can’t be fake. You’ve been so kind to me, I don’t believe it’s all a lie!" Xie Ruilin’s eyes brimmed with tears, her body swaying, unable to bear it.

She would rather Song Yanqing hate her.

But she absolutely can’t accept that he doesn’t love her.

Song Yanqing’s kind behavior was only because Xie Ruotong’s situation was too tragic, which caused him to feel guilty.

But that’s not it.

Song Yanqing fell in love with Xie Ruotong.

"My kindness towards you was only because I eternally remember the life-saving grace," Song Yanqing spoke calmly to Xie Ruilin, treating her as if she were a stranger, "Always mindful of your kindness, I forced myself to be good to you, only good to you."

Xie Ruilin looked at Song Yanqing in disbelief.

She couldn’t believe it.

"The person I love is Xie Ruotong," said Song Yanqing.

He finally said it.

Xie Ruilin’s tears streamed down.

She found it very ironic.

The irony was extreme.

Their feelings over so many years, yet Song Yanqing said it was only out of gratitude.

Song Yanqing and Xie Ruotong have only been married for a few months? Yet he has already fallen in love with her.

"Even harboring gratitude towards you, I resolutely fell in love with her," acknowledged Song Yanqing.

Acknowledging that he truly loves Xie Ruotong.

Otherwise.

How could he not control himself and share a room with her.

Otherwise.

How could he purposefully hurt her, taking revenge for her allure to him.

But.

It’s too late.

Everything is too late.

Xie Ruotong will not love him anymore.

Never again.

"Song Yanqing," Xie Ruilin looked at his silhouette hazily, "you love her, do you think you can still have her?! She is with Gu Xingchuan! They are together! You’ll never get her in your life!"

"That’s her best possible outcome." He’s not worthy of her.

Gu Xingchuan is very good.

Good in every aspect.

Even though, at that time he didn’t admit he fell in love with Xie Ruotong, after seeing the image of Xie Ruotong with Gu Xingchuan together, he could not help but investigate Gu Xingchuan.

An unblemished good person.

The one who truly deserves Xie Ruotong.

"That is her outcome, not ours," Song Yanqing spoke indifferently.

"Since you’ve completed Xie Ruotong’s happiness, why can’t we have the best outcome?"

"Because I don’t love you," Song Yanqing coldly stated without mercy, once again cruelly.

Xie Ruilin laughed.

Laughed so hard that her tears flowed even more fiercely.

"Song Yanqing, you’ll regret this! You’ll regret treating me this way!" Xie Ruilin screamed in breakdown.

"I’ve already regretted it," Song Yanqing was extremely indifferent to Xie Ruilin’s emotions.

He regretted.

Not being good enough to Xie Ruotong.

From now on.

He can only live in regret.

Song Yanqing left.

Without any attachment to Xie Ruilin, he walked into the room that used to belong to Xie Ruotong.

The room inside remained exactly as it was before Xie Ruotong left.

Nothing had changed.

None of the furnishings could be touched.

Even the sheets were not allowed to be changed and washed.

He just lay on the bed where Xie Ruotong once slept.

Just like that.

Feeling the lingering warmth that she once left behind.

...

Xie Ruilin completely broke down.

She kneeled on the ground, utterly heartbroken.

She couldn’t believe that Song Yanqing could be so ruthless towards her.

It was only because Song Yanqing was excessively devastated.

Only because he hadn’t come out of the shadow of Xie Ruotong’s final decision!

As long as he is still alive.

As long as she is still alive.

She must make Song Yanqing fall in love with her.

Deeply and helplessly in love with her!

...

The next day.

The news that Xiao Jinxing would lead troops to the border spread throughout the entire Daxuan Kingdom.

Xiao Jinxing had previously led a team to control the plague in Yuyu State. This time, facing the nation’s crisis, it was Xiao Jinxing who again went forth to command the troops, to protect and defend the country.

Among the common people of Daxuan, his reputation surged dramatically.

Xiao Jinsen naturally felt a bit displeased.

But in light of major events, he would not fuss over some external honors.

He was just waiting for Xiao Jinxing to leave.

Then he would seize the position of Crown Prince.

That evening.

The Emperor personally conducted a farewell for Xiao Jinxing.

Ye Qichi naturally followed Xiao Jinxing as well.

This was primarily a family banquet.

The Empress Dowager Wen Jingtang, who usually disliked attending royal banquets, also appeared at the feast.

In the grand hall, nearly all the royal relatives and nobles were present, including Xiao Hezhen who had married into Marquis Wu’s Mansion.

Xiao Hezhen and Wu Xufan were seated together.

Her eyes kept shifting towards Xiao Jinxing’s side intermittently.

She was obviously very reluctant to let go.

This departure was fraught with unknown dangers; if anything unexpected should happen.

She was so frightened that her face turned pale.

"Don’t worry, your third brother is lucky, nothing will happen to him," Wu Xufan was originally socializing.

He suddenly blurted out this sentence, startling Hezhen.

Wasn’t Wu Xufan’s attention supposed to be on socializing?!

She stabilized her emotions and said somewhat uncomfortably, "I don’t know when the war will end."

"Your third brother is brave and wise, he will soon quell the chaos," said Wu Xufan.

It seemed like he was consoling.

And also affirming Xiao Jinxing.

Xiao Hezhen glanced at Wu Xufan and slowly asked, "Aren’t you going with my third brother to the campaign?"

"Are you hoping I leave?" Wu Xufan laughed.

No particular emotion could be discerned.

It was as if they were having a casual chat.

"No, I just think it’d be better to have one more person by my third brother’s side," Xiao Hezhen said, "I heard the Princess is going too, she’s a frail woman..."

"Do you have any misunderstanding toward your sister-in-law?" Wu Xufan exaggerated his expression.

Xiao Hezhen frowned.

"Your sister-in-law is never a frail woman." She completely keeps your third brother in line.

"But the Princess is still a woman after all."

"You know Xie Ruotong, right? The young lady from Duke Mansion, now separated from Song Yanqing and staying with the Princess, she’ll also go this time, along with several assassins, to protect the Princess."

"How do you know everything?" Xiao Hezhen asked him.

Wu Xufan just smiled, "I’m just that smart."

"..." Xiao Hezhen really couldn’t stand Wu Xufan’s arrogant demeanor.

But it must be said.

After talking with Wu Xufan for a while, he indeed felt somewhat reassured.

However, he suddenly thought of something else.

And his brows furrowed together again.

Wu Xufan continued drinking, his attention mostly on Xiao Hezhen, even though Xiao Hezhen wouldn’t care or even notice.

Wu Xufan carelessly added, "Yuan Wenkang, as the Deputy General of the Prince, will naturally also go to campaign at the border."

Xiao Hezhen’s heart skipped a beat.

How could Wu Xufan know that she had thought of Yuan Wenkang?

She actually knew he would go too.

But with this departure.

Xiao Hezhen dared not show her emotions.

Wu Xufan pretended to know nothing and continued drinking.

The royal banquet lasted a long time.

It was apparent, Xiao Zhanping’s reluctance to let go of Xiao Jinxing.

In the grand hall of the previous dynasty, Xiao Jinxing’s firm dedication to campaign for the protection of the nation indeed touched him.

He truly felt proud to have such a son.

The key was that this son was the one he cared little for and even "abandoned" in the past.

At this moment, thinking that he was going to war tomorrow, all he felt was sorrow.