Chapter 568: The Princess Demon's Daily Life of Giving Up, Chapter 661: Shangguan Peilin's Thoughts

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Protagonist:

Yan Qianqian

He gently stroked Qianqian's silk-soft hair, feeling the delicate texture at his fingertips, as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. But in just an instant, he slowly released the arms holding her, letting them hang powerlessly at his sides.

His gaze lingered deeply on Qianqian, as if he wanted to imprint every detail of her into his heart. It was a complex look, filled with longing for her yet tinged with helplessness and resolve.

Finally, as if suddenly setting down a burden in his heart, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a relieved smile. He said softly: "Alright, I'm leaving. From now on, you continue being your little princess, and I will live for myself, pursuing the life I truly want."

His voice was calm and firm, without the slightest hesitation. After speaking, he looked deeply at Qianqian once more, then turned and walked toward the door without hesitation.

Reaching the door, he gently pushed it open, the hinge emitting a soft "creak," as if it were their final farewell. Then, without delay, he employed lightness kung fu, his figure swift as a ghost, vanishing without a trace from Qianqian's sight in an instant.

Only when he had completely disappeared did Qianqian come back to herself as if waking from a dream. She felt an emptiness in her heart, as if something important had been forcibly torn from her body.

Even though she clearly knew Ouyang Chengren was still alive, just thinking that from now on she and he would have no more connection, that sense of loss and sorrow surged like a tide, leaving her almost unable to breathe.

Qianqian stood there blankly in a daze until Xiao Ding returned, calling out: "Master, the medicine is bought, I'll go brew it for the Young Master right away, where is the Young Master?"

Only then did Qianqian come back to herself as if waking from a dream. Her gaze was somewhat confused, as if still immersed in her thoughts. After a long while, she slowly said: "No need, he's gone."

Upon finishing these words, a sudden unease rose in Qianqian's heart. She remembered his wounds had not yet healed, and he was penniless—where could he go?

Suddenly, she remembered he had once said he was staying at an inn in Kyoto. Presumably he must be going to the inn to check out now. If she sent someone to look for him, she should be able to find him.

But what would she do after finding him? Qianqian couldn't help but frown. He was such a proud person; he would surely not accept her help. Letting him stay at her own residence—though she had the means to support him—he would surely feel uncomfortable in his heart.

Moreover, if her parents found out about this, how would she explain it? How would they view her relationship with him?

Various thoughts kept flashing through Qianqian's mind, leaving her feeling conflicted and complex. She didn't know how to choose, and her mood grew increasingly heavy.

And Xiao Ding, standing beside her, seeing Qianqian like this, was also at a loss. He held the medicine in his hand but didn't know what to do.

The medicine seemed to grow warm because of his embarrassment. Seeing his master didn't know what she was thinking, he didn't dare disturb her easily, fearing he would interrupt her train of thought and incur her displeasure. So he could only carefully hold the medicine, turn, and leave the courtyard to ask the steward.

Qianqian stayed alone in the room, her thoughts surging, unable to calm down for a long time.

She pondered hard for a long time, finally convincing herself that she really couldn't bear to watch Ouyang Chengren leave like this. She

immediately summoned Wangchen, ordering him to quickly lead the Anqi to investigate where Ouyang Chengren was staying at that inn. If found, he must notify her at once.

Seeing Qianqian so anxious, Wangchen knew this matter was of utmost importance to her, so he dared not delay in the slightest, immediately summoning over a dozen agile Anqi to go search together.

Qianqian stood in the courtyard, anxiously waiting for news, her heart feeling as if gnawed by millions of ants. She paced back and forth in the courtyard without stopping.

Meanwhile, in the distant Dongying Guo, Shangguan Peilin and Shangguan Xingyan were discussing state affairs in the Yudi.

Shangguan Xingyan said excitedly to Shangguan Peilin: "Huangdi, now only our Dongying Guo and Dachang Kingdom remain. Moreover, Yu'er has formed a marriage alliance with Dachang Kingdom—doesn't that mean the two countries will forever enjoy a peaceful and prosperous age? This is truly wonderful! So why did Huangdi summon this son today?"

Shangguan Peilin frowned, gently rubbing his brow, seeming to have a headache over the current situation.

He slowly said: "What you say does have some merit, but look at this map." Saying this, he picked up a huge map from the table and spread it flat on the desk.

Shangguan Peilin extended a finger, pointing to a certain region on the map, continuing: "Look, now Beilin, Xishang, and Nan Liang—these three countries—no longer exist. Originally, Dachang Kingdom was located at the center of this continent, and its territory was also the largest.

However, the situation has changed. Beilin to the north, Nan Liang to the south, and Xishang to the west—these three former countries, though their territory isn't as large as Dachang Kingdom's, each is far larger than our Dongying."

He paused, giving the other time to digest this information, then continued: "So, the current situation is that Dachang Kingdom's territory is roughly equivalent to about seven Dongyings.

We formed a marriage alliance with An Wang, not with a Prince of Dachang Kingdom. In the future, who will ascend the throne of Dachang Kingdom is still unknown, and whether Dachang Kingdom will continue to trust our Dongying as it does now is hard to predict."

Shangguan Peilin's tone carried a hint of helplessness and worry. He looked at the other, seemingly waiting for a response. Finally, he couldn't help but ask: "Then, what exactly does Huangdi mean? We certainly can't defeat Dachang Kingdom—are we supposed to surrender?"

Shangguan Peilin said with a grave expression: "If we surrender voluntarily, perhaps we can still negotiate terms and strive to maximize our interests. But if that day truly comes, I fear our fate will be as miserable as Xishang's."

Hearing this, Shangguan Xingyan showed some confusion on his face and asked: "Then as long as we don't take the initiative to attack, they shouldn't come attack us, right?"

Shangguan Peilan shook his head and sighed: "Human desires are hard to fathom; no one can say for sure. Moreover, we don't know what kind of person the Crown Prince of Dachang Kingdom is now. Although we've only met him a few times, what if he's an ambitious man?"