Chapter 238: with translation of chapter title

Which is more important?

There were no earth-shaking promises, no moving words, but at this moment, the Prince Xiang's words made Nie Jinxuan's heart jolt.

Familial love? Romantic love?

At this moment, Nie Jinxuan felt that the Prince Xiang before her was someone she could never hope to match.

But just then, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo turned his head and smiled at Nie Jinxuan, only to then look toward Yin Fengzhan, who stood beside Nie Jinxuan and had remained silent.

"It's just that, all these years, I've let you suffer."

The Prince Xiang's words were directed at Yin Fengzhan. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan first froze, then understood.

After all, the Prince Xiang had concealed this for many years, waiting for the right moment to explain the past to Emperor Shuncheng. But for Yin Fengzhan, over these years the rift between him and Emperor Shuncheng, father and son, was obvious. Moreover, Yin Fengzhan had suffered much grievance due to Emperor Shuncheng's suspicions…

This is an irreparable wound. And precisely because of this, the Prince Xiang now deliberately says these things to Yin Fengzhan. Of course, this is also the Prince Xiang indirectly telling Yin Fengzhan that you are indeed Emperor Shuncheng's own flesh and blood!

So, upon thinking this, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but turn her head to look at Yin Fengzhan, but at that moment she saw Yin Fengzhan merely glance at the Prince Xiang, then turn his gaze elsewhere.

"You too!"

Yin Fengzhan's words were impolite, even rude. Yet upon hearing them, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo first froze, then burst out laughing.

"Hehe~, this kid, you really are just like him! You never back down with your words… haha~"

The Prince Xiang laughed heartily, but after laughing his expression inevitably dimmed; he sighed and lifted his gaze to the crescent moon in the sky.

"Ah, time really flies—over twenty years have passed, yet it feels like just a blink…"

At this moment, the Prince Xiang's face showed a hint of sorrow and relief, yet also an unfathomable complexity. Then he pressed his lips, gave a light smile, and lifted his hand to replace the human-skin mask he had held for over twenty years back onto his face.

Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan froze instantly, and even Yin Fengzhan beside her furrowed his brows.

"Um… Your Highness Prince Xiang… are you… not planning to reveal your identity?"

Nie Jinxuan was puzzled. But upon hearing this, the now-masked Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo smiled at Nie Jinxuan, then, with his wrinkled yet still gentle gaze, looked at her and said.

"Whether I reveal my identity or conceal my lineage, my wishes are now fulfilled, and I have no other attachments—so who I am and what difference does it make? Moreover, the identity of Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo was abandoned by me over twenty years ago; I have forsaken my ancestors, so what face do I have to take it back now?!"

Saying this, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo nodded at Nie Jinxuan, glanced at Yin Fengzhan, then turned and walked away slowly…

At that moment, watching Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo's retreating back, Nie Jinxuan felt a myriad of emotions; but just after he had taken a few steps, she suddenly called out to him.

"Your Highness Prince Xiang, please wait."

"Huh?"

Hearing the voice, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo stopped, turned his head. Nie Jinxuan quickly stepped forward, and after silently studying his face for a while, she finally asked softly.

"Your Highness, may I ask one final question?"

"Hehe~, what question?"

"In your heart, Your Highness, which is more important—the emperor and Noble Consort Ning…?"

Nie Jinxuan asked earnestly; hearing this, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo indeed froze for a moment, then broke into a relieved laugh.

"The emperor and Wan'er? Hehe, who's more important… Actually, to be honest, I really don't know, I truly don't know…"

Who does he truly care about?! If it were back then, he Yin Yan duo could certainly say he cared for Wan'er. But after all these years, does he really only care for Wan'er? Thinking about this answer, he is no longer so certain…

Thus, thinking of this, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo's face involuntarily showed an indescribable emotion, and he sighed.

"I really don't know. Back then I thought I loved Wan'er, but when she chose the Third Prince, I didn't pursue it further! Perhaps, in my heart, that was letting her go! But is true love really like that?! I don't know, but I can be certain that if the Third Prince and I had swapped our identities back then, the Third Prince would never have given up!"

"So, thinking this way, perhaps Wan'er back then had already seen this, which is why she didn't choose me… Therefore, you shouldn't think that my abandoning my noble status and staying here is some noble act. I've never been noble; frankly, it's just to put my own mind at ease! Lately I've been thinking, if back then I had persisted a little more, been a bit braver, and clarified things with the Third Prince, then maybe Wan'er wouldn't have died, the Third Prince wouldn't have suffered these many years, and the outcome might have been better?"

Saying this, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo's eyes flickered with a hint of gravity, but it was instantly overtaken by relief; he gave a faint smile and lifted his gaze to Nie Jinxuan.

"So, in this world, meeting someone you love is easy, but meeting someone you love who also loves you is a heaven-sent blessing! And with that blessing, this still isn't enough—you must love each other, trust each other, and walk together through cold and heat, growing old side by side, to attain true happiness in life…"

"And on this path, I lacked that courage, so I did not receive heaven's favor. The Third Emperor received heaven's favor, yet he did not trust Wan'er mutually, nor deal with her sincerely; in the end, though they clearly loved each other, they hurt each other, caused misunderstandings, and ultimately one was secretly harmed by villains and perished, while the other suffered a lifetime unable to free himself! So I hope you two do not repeat this mistake—life is short, after all it's but fleeting clouds; seize every moment, cherish every moment, and mutual trust is what truly matters!"

Saying this, Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo glanced again at Nie Jinxuan, then at Yin Fengzhan, gave a faint smile, and turned to leave.

At that moment, watching Prince Xiang Yin Yan duo's lonely silhouette slowly fade into the night, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but her expression slightly fall, and an indescribable emotion welled up in her eyes…

The Prince Xiang left, and no one knew where he went.

As for the events of those years, although the Prince Xiang never told Nie Jinxuan, from a few fragments she could still confirm several things: namely, the Noble Consort Ning of that time truly loved Emperor Shuncheng. However, both were stubborn and obstinate, which led to frequent quarrels over trivial matters after Noble Consort Ning entered the palace!

At the same time, Emperor Shuncheng's suspicious nature played its part, and whether anyone else was secretly stirring things up, Nie Jinxuan cannot know, but the Prince Xiang's feelings for Noble Consort Ning made Emperor Shuncheng feel as if facing a great enemy; thus, at that time, Emperor Shuncheng, worried that someone in the harem might harm Noble Consort Ning, found an excuse to send her away. Yet he never told Noble Consort Ning of his worry, which inevitably made her think that Emperor Shuncheng no longer cared for her!

Once a misunderstanding forms, it becomes a deep thorn in the heart. Noble Consort Ning was also strong-willed; Emperor Shuncheng did not show his feelings, so she kept things bottled up. Coincidentally, Noble Consort Ning became pregnant—normally a good thing—but later, because her delivery came a bit early, it again aroused Emperor Shuncheng's suspicions!

The quarrel erupted again, and Noble Consort Ning, in anger, declared that the child was not Emperor Shuncheng's! Emperor Shuncheng thus suffered a heavy blow!

Afterward, such days continued, and in this unnoticed span, someone harbored malicious intent, secretly poisoned Noble Consort Ning, ultimately leading to her demise!

So looking back now, the matter is really just this simple! But Nie Jinxuan believes that in this, there must certainly have been someone secretly sowing discord between Emperor Shuncheng and Noble Consort Ning; otherwise, they would not have quarreled for so long!

Of course, as for the detailed details of those past events, Nie Jinxuan no longer wants to pursue them, since over twenty years have passed, Noble Consort Ning is dead, and Emperor Shuncheng has suffered the severest punishment from his inner demons—what more could there be?!

Only, the Prince Xiang finally said he lacked courage. Nie Jinxuan disagrees! I think that's just an excuse he made for himself! Or perhaps, in the face of love, the Prince Xiang could never fully sever his familial ties. So when Noble Consort Ning ultimately chose Emperor Shuncheng, he could only accept it resignedly. Yet when Noble Consort Ning died, he also closed off his heart, thereby fulfilling Noble Consort Ning's wish while also not wanting Emperor Shuncheng and Noble Consort Ning, two loving souls, to suffer torment lifetime after lifetime; thus he relinquished everything to guard that forbidden imperial precinct, awaiting the day he could openly clear up their misunderstanding before Emperor Shuncheng as a party involved.

Thus, the Prince Xiang is not lacking courage; he is simply too kind! But love has always been selfish!

Therefore, for Nie Jinxuan, what she wants to do—or rather, what she can do—now is only one thing: to find the mastermind behind the poisoning of Noble Consort Ning back then.

Because of Noble Consort Ning's affair and Yin Fengzhan's lineage, the truth has now been fully revealed. Yin Fengzhan no longer needs to be confined in the palace, so he later left the imperial palace and returned to Chen Wangfu. Nie Jinxuan, meanwhile, returned to the Nie household and simply awaited the reply from Long Jingyun's mother, who is making the peach blossom frost.

Just like that, three days passed in a blink. Then, on the evening of the fourth day, Nie Jinxuan finally received it. Upon getting the letter, she immediately got into a carriage and headed to Chen Wangfu.

Fourth watch uploaded! /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~I'm exhausted today……See you tomorrow!