PNB Chapter 168 Standoff in the Snowstorm
Chapter 168 Standoff in the Snowstorm
The guest rooms were elegantly furnished, with Xiao Hengzhi and Duan Zhian each occupying one end.
The largest one in the middle was reserved for Jiang Mian and Wen Qian.
Night falls, lights go out.
The charcoal brazier inside glowed faintly, dispelling some of the chill.
In the darkness, Wen Qian's voice softly rang out: "Sister Man..."
"Ok?"
"What you said about those diners just now... is it true?"
Jiang Mian lay on her side and replied, "Those diners were just repeating hearsay. Knowing that Jing is brave and skilled in battle, he must have his reasons and abilities. He will be fine."
"But... I'm still worried..." Wen Qian gripped the blanket tightly, her voice growing weaker.
Jiang Wan replied confidently, "Don't worry, he will definitely return safely from this battle. You just need to take care of yourself and wait for him."
"Seriously?"
"really."
Hearing her say that made Wen Qian feel a little better.
Jiang Wan paused, then tentatively asked, "Qianqian, the Marquis's mansion treats you so well, have you really never thought about leaving there?"
After a moment of silence, Wen Qian pursed her lips and shook her head: "Zhi Jing went to such a dangerous place to protect me. It doesn't matter if the people in the Marquis's mansion don't like me, as long as he can return in triumph, none of that matters. Now, I only pray that he can be safe and sound."
Jiang Mian sighed silently in her heart and said no more.
Everyone has their own convictions, and outsiders have no right to interfere.
After a moment of silence, Wen Qian asked softly, "Sister Wan, the Prince is getting married. Are you... feeling sad?"
Jiang Wan was taken aback.
This was the first time she had been asked this question, and it was also the first time since Xiao Hengzhi was about to get married that someone had asked her how she felt.
Uncomfortable?
She subconsciously pondered those two words in her mind.
There was no stinging or soreness in that area of my chest.
Instead, it felt empty, as if a piece of it had been removed.
She remembered his fierce expression, the strength with which he held her in his arms, and the occasional hints of obsessiveness that made her heart race...
These fragments wove together into an impenetrable net, binding her tightly.
Now, this net is about to be lifted.
Why would she be upset?
"He and I were never meant to be together, and I was bound to leave the palace sooner or later."
Wen Qian continued, "But I feel that the Prince has always loved you. And... what about you? Do you truly have no feelings for the Prince at all...?"
affection?
In the darkness, Jiang Mian closed her eyes, and some images flashed uncontrollably through her mind.
It was the whip she lashed his back when she was angry; it was the warmth he found in her arms at Moon Bamboo Ridge; it was the burning darkness in his eyes when he was moved...
It can be affection.
She didn't.
She denied it resolutely in her heart.
Silence filled the room, and it was so long that Wen Qian thought she had fallen asleep before she softly spoke: "There is no possibility between the prince and me."
She turned over so her back was to Wen Qian: "Let's not talk about this anymore, let's go to sleep."
Silence returned to the room.
All that remained was the howling of the cold wind outside the window.
Next room.
Xiao Hengzhi lay on the couch, tossing and turning.
Jiang Mian lived next door, separated only by a wall.
So close, yet unable to touch.
When I close my eyes, I see her sleeping face, and a nameless anger rises from the bottom of my heart.
He sat up, put on his heavy cloak, and decided to go to the corridor to cool off.
As the door opened, almost simultaneously, a creaking sound came from not far away.
Duan Zhi'an walked out wearing an outer robe, a rare moment of embarrassment flashing across his face.
Xiao Hengzhi raised an eyebrow, adjusted his cloak, and walked over.
"Is the Grand Tutor having trouble sleeping?"
Duan Zhian replied casually, "It's just about choosing a bed."
“Choosing a bed…” Xiao Hengzhi raised an eyebrow but did not ask any further questions.
Each with their own thoughts, the two walked one after the other to the eaves of the outer corridor.
The wind and snow lessened, but the chill intensified.
Looking down at the snow-covered eaves and the empty courtyard, no one spoke for a moment; only the mournful sound of the wind and snow whistling through the air.
After a long silence, Xiao Hengzhi broke it first.
"...Grand Tutor's painstaking efforts were nothing more than wanting Li Zhijing to die in battle at Fengyu Pass and destroy the Pingnan Marquis's mansion. But have you ever considered that Wen Qian's heart will always be with him? What you have gained is nothing but an empty shell."
Duan Zhi'an spoke calmly: "A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one. Letting her see the truth sooner is a better choice. As for the Pingnan Marquis's residence—"
He changed the subject, adopting a businesslike calm, "Now that the Wen family case has made the Emperor suspicious of Your Highness, and Your Highness will soon be marrying into the Chi family, the power in the court will be even more stable. At that time, in order to maintain balance, the Emperor will inevitably favor the Second Prince."
"The Pingnan Marquis's Mansion has been dependent on Your Highness for many years. If it were to disappear, Your Highness would lose power in the court, but he could regain the Emperor's trust."
"As for the reason for the massacre, such marquis families are not innocent, nor are they without enemies. Rest assured, it will not implicate Your Highness."
Xiao Hengzhi scoffed, "You make it sound so high-sounding, but I think you just can't stand the person in Wen Qian's heart, not you. You're using the guise of paving the way for the Crown Prince to cover up your shady motives. Don't you find that ridiculous?"
Duan Zhi'an's face darkened, and he suddenly turned his head: "Personal motives? What about you? Miss Jiang's heart clearly belongs to His Highness. You forcibly imprisoned her by your side and obstructed her in every way. What does that mean? If you have no personal motives, you can let her go."
Xiao Hengzhi uttered three words decisively: "He is not worthy."
"What's wrong with him?" Duan Zhi'an took a half step forward, refusing to back down. "In terms of status, he is the Crown Prince. In terms of affection, the two of them are deeply in love. If you have no selfish motives, you will see these realities clearly; if you have no selfish motives, you will help others achieve their happiness. Otherwise, what difference is there between you and me?"
He was aggressive, revealing a rare sharpness in his demeanor.
The suppressed malevolence emanating from Xiao Hengzhi almost burst out of his cloak.
The wind and snow howled, and the two men faced off for a long time.
Suddenly, Xiao Hengzhi let out a cold laugh.
He took a half step forward, a smirk playing on his lips: “The difference is that what I want is never just someone by my side. Her hatred, her fear, her joys and sorrows... even her pain, can only be because of me.”
"And you, you don't even have the courage to admit it, you only know how to do despicable things. You are the one who is not even qualified to be compared with me."
After he finished speaking, he stopped looking at Duan Zhi'an's reaction.
His dark cloak drew an arc in the wind and snow as Xiao Hengzhi went straight back to his room.
Amidst the swirling snow, only Duan Zhi'an remained standing.