The Prince Wants to Assassinate Me Every Day-Chapter 838 - 422: A Chance Encounter (Second Update)
That night.
Song Yanqing and Gu Xingchuan drank a lot.
It seemed that when friends meet, a thousand cups are too few.
Both of them became so intoxicated that the next day, Gu Xingchuan couldn’t attend the morning court session, and Song Yanqing didn’t go to the Imperial Palace to teach the two Princesses on time.
When he opened his eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.
Song Yanqing, who was not in good health, felt even weaker due to the drunkenness, and he kept coughing after getting up.
He was thinking.
He wondered if his chronic cough would ever get better.
With such a frail body, Xie Ruotong’s disdain and contempt for him were indeed well-founded.
He had overestimated himself all along.
He should have realized reality much earlier.
"Look at you, you can’t hold your liquor and yet you drank so much," Ming Yufang came into Song Yanqing’s room, her tone somewhat reproachful.
Song Yanqing listened silently to Ming Yufang’s scolding, without responding.
Ming Yufang naturally couldn’t bear to say too much to Song Yanqing, after a few reminders, she got to the point, "Since you didn’t go to the Imperial Palace today, I’ve asked the tailor to come and take your measurements for the wedding attire, there’s just over half a month to the wedding, and we can’t delay any longer."
"Alright," Song Yanqing agreed.
Ming Yufang was genuinely pleased to see Song Yanqing being so cooperative.
While handing him the hangover soup, she earnestly said, "Yanqing, I’m glad you’ve finally come to terms, otherwise I’d really not know how to face our Song Family ancestors. I only gave your father one child back then, and almost died giving birth to you. I managed to survive but was left with health problems, and I could no longer conceive."
"Your father is a devoted man, and you’ve taken after him exactly. When he married me, he promised not to take concubines, but when I couldn’t have more children, I actually advised him to take two more wives for the prosperity of the Song Family. But he said having you was enough, especially since you were intelligent and studious from a young age. Your father cherished you deeply and said having more children might lessen his affection for you."
Ming Yufang talked about family matters.
Song Yanqing just listened silently, without any response.
"If your father had taken concubines and we had more siblings, I wouldn’t have had to pressure you like this," Ming Yufang said, knowing her son, though he agreed, wasn’t truly happy and was forcing himself.
Being her own son, Ming Yufang felt for him.
She continued, "I’ve seen the girl from the Liu Family, I know you like talented women, so I specially inquired. She excels in everything: music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and she is as beautiful as a flower. Besides, she just turned sixteen this year, in her prime, no worse than Xie Ruotong. If you truly live with her sincerely, in no time, I’m sure you’ll like her..."
"Mother," Song Yanqing interrupted Ming Yufang directly, "Does Miss Liu know about my condition?"
"What do you mean?" Ming Yufang was puzzled.
"Does she know what I look like now?"
Even though he could marry anyone but Xie Ruotong, he didn’t want to harm other women. If that girl dislikes his looks, age, or health, he wouldn’t force it.
"Of course she knows. I told her," Ming Yufang said evasively, "You’re the top scorer this year, how many girls could refuse someone as talented as you?"
"I want to meet her," Song Yanqing stated directly.
Ming Yufang frowned.
"Arrange it, since I didn’t go to the Imperial Palace today, this afternoon, I’ll meet with Miss Liu."
"Meeting privately before marriage is ultimately not good for a lady’s reputation..."
"If she will be my wife, I don’t care what others say. If she doesn’t like me, I don’t want to delay her life," Song Yanqing said decisively.
Ming Yufang knew she couldn’t persuade him otherwise. If she didn’t agree, the marriage would fall through.
When discussing the marriage proposal back then, naturally, the matchmaker only praised the good parts, how could they have mentioned the scar on his face?
Looking at her son’s handsome face marred by such a sinister scar, Ming Yufang’s heart burned with anger.
Even though her son never talked about its origin,
she could guess it was Xie Ruotong’s doing.
It was said that after her son and Xie Ruilin were secretly sent away, Xie Ruotong captured them, tortured them for information, Xie Ruilin died in prison, and Song Yanqing was spared because the emperor favored him.
The more Ming Yufang thought, the angrier she became.
Fortunately, her son had come to terms with it now; otherwise, marrying someone as ruthless as Xie Ruotong would leave him with a life of suffering.
"Alright, I’ll make arrangements," Ming Yufang agreed.
As long as it wasn’t Xie Ruotong, even if Miss Liu minded her son’s appearance and rejected the marriage, there would be other girls. She couldn’t believe that with her son’s talent, he couldn’t find a virtuous and understanding wife.
After noon.
Song Yanqing sat in a teahouse in Xun’an City, waiting for the girl from the Liu Family.
Several days had passed.
Xie Ruotong’s arranged marriage should be concluded by now.
This was on Song Yanqing’s mind.
Suddenly, from another booth separated by a screen, a familiar voice came, "I never intended to marry, Mr. Wang, don’t worry, I’m just going through the motions as the emperor requested."
"Since General Xie is so understanding, I won’t say more. However, General Xie is quite different from what I imagined. I always thought of General Xie as burly and uncouth, leading ten thousand troops as the General of Cavalry; I didn’t expect such refinement and beauty, quite different from rumors," Mr. Wang praised sincerely.
"Mr. Wang flatters me," Xie Ruotong replied indifferently, maintaining a polite distance.
They engaged in casual conversation.
Their words were full of respect and politeness for each other.
"Mr. Song." A soft female voice snapped Song Yanqing back to reality.
He quickly stood up, "Miss Liu?"
"Yes, it’s me, Liu Qiushan." The woman smiled shyly, appearing a bit bashful.
"Please, have a seat," Song Yanqing courteously invited.
Liu Qiushan sat bashfully across from Song Yanqing, her cheeks flushed, eyes downcast, and gripping a handkerchief, too embarrassed to make eye contact.
"Miss Liu, meeting you today, I wish to acquaint ourselves early on. I don’t want to waste your time," Song Yanqing got straight to the point.
Liu Qiushan, surprised by Song Yanqing’s words, looked up.
As their eyes met, she naturally saw the sinister scar on Song Yanqing’s pale face.
That prominent mark spiraled across his fair skin.
In that instant, Liu Qiushan was visibly startled.
