Duke Jing's younger sister

Chapter 206: Not Loving Enough

The lattice window was half open.

The autumn sun is golden and bright.

Beams of light shone on the leaves of the autumn osmanthus in the yard, casting their mottled shadows into the house.

Jiang Li's back was hurt by the lattice on the door panel, but the man in front of her was determined not to let her go.

He seemed to want to use his arms to build a unique cage for her.

I want to trap her here forever.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly looked up at him.

Compared to the handsome and beautiful boy he was now, the young man now looks even more heroic.

The eyelashes are thick and long like a fan.

His dark pupils were like a deep pool of water, yet they were hot and exciting, locking onto her tightly.

It is so beautiful that one can't help but look at it a few more times.

Jiang Li subconsciously wanted to dodge, but there was nowhere to escape, so she could only ask softly,

"Now, everyone in Jiangdu City knows that I am the concubine of the Third Prince. Even if you don't want to...what can I do?"

"Or, you can divorce Xiao Wencong and marry me..."

Shen Beiqi rested his hands on the door, leaned forward and leaned close to her ear, his voice hoarse and low,

"Or, I can be your lover. No matter what my status is, I'm fine with it."

He deliberately emphasized the word "lover". After hearing this, Jiang Li's eyes flashed with surprise.

The word "lover"...

It is so inconsistent with the name of Jingguogong Shen Beiqi, who is famous in Southern Wu.

Shen Beiqi stared at her with his dark pupils and said frivolously,

"Or, do you want to try it out now to see if I am a qualified lover?"

After saying that, he raised the corners of his lips slightly.

"No, you have already tried it. Do you think I am qualified to be your lover, Concubine?"

Jiang Li: “…”

Her cheeks burned badly.

"Can't you just talk properly?"

Do you have to be so veiled in your words?

She understood that he was angry that she had hidden everything from him.

He was also blaming himself for not protecting her at the critical moment.

Whether it was a coincidence or destiny, the situation has now become like this.

She thought she had no ability to change anything.

But life had to go on, no matter how unwilling she was...

There has to be a conclusion between them.

I can't really be her lover like he said?

"...Not to mention the rule that abandoned women of the royal family cannot remarry, don't you know that concubines are not eligible to divorce the prince? The only way out is to be divorced."

"I have brought shame upon the Jiang family to this extent. Am I going to let the Jiang family have another daughter who is divorced?"

She couldn't figure out what she had done wrong.

Why were we pushed into this situation step by step?

In the end, one can only abandon his face and reputation completely in order to survive.

Since ancient times, divorced women have always had a miserable end.

If they do not have a strong family to support them, they will either become nuns or commit suicide.

The century-old reputation of the Jiang family has been destroyed by her.

Now, those Dongpai students have found the handle and are ridiculing Jiang Minzhi for not educating his daughter well and raising such a shameless daughter. How good can the family tradition of the Jiang family be?

Even his elder brother Jiang Cheng could not escape criticism.

If there weren't some hidden story behind his marriage to Xue Ling, I'm afraid even this marriage would have been called off.

If she was divorced and expelled from the house again, the Jiang family would really become a complete joke.

Shen Beiqi saw through her concerns.

He knew that even if he had the ability to bring her back to his side, he would not be able to stop the people from gossiping about him.

He doesn't care what others think of him.

All he cared about was her and whether he could spend his life with her.

But she obviously didn't think so.

He pursed his lips and asked with difficulty,

"Is it possible that in your heart, reputation and glory, those material things, are more important than staying with me forever?"

Her long eyelashes trembled suddenly, and she couldn't help but be stunned.

What people say is scary, and she has deeply experienced the feeling of it.

When those dirty words were thrown at her like sewage, even though she looked calm on the outside, how could she not care at all in her heart?

She could even imagine what would happen if Shen Beiqi really married her.

It would be like an immortal being banished to the mortal world, and she... would become a stain that could never be erased in his life.

What's more, the third prince Xiao Wencong is also implicated by her.

Even if she didn't care about her own reputation, how could she ignore the reputation of the Third Prince?

"I can ignore other people's opinions, but what about the Third Prince?"

Jiang Li raised her eyes to look at him, "He has done me a favor regarding the Crown Prince, this cannot be false."

"How can I repay kindness with hatred and make him the target of public criticism and a laughing stock in Jiangdu City?"

Even if the Third Prince is romantic and unrestrained, he would probably be mercilessly ridiculed by the world.

She could never be so shameless as to do this.

"What's more..." She paused, "Mother has always been very particular about respectability and would never allow a divorced woman to marry into the Duke's Mansion as his principal wife."

Not to mention being the legal wife, even as a concubine, she could not reach the high position in the Duke's Mansion.

"so…"

She took a deep breath and suppressed the pain in her heart, "We should still..."

Shen Beiqi raised his hand and gently pressed her lips with his warm fingertips to stop her from continuing.

If he let her continue talking, he was afraid he would go crazy.

The room suddenly fell into a long silence.

After a long while, he chuckled twice.

The laughter was very light.

There was a layer of mist in the deep peach blossom eyes, and a hint of sadness was faintly visible.

"Ari, you considered everyone, but not me..."

No matter how much you think or talk, it is still not enough love.

If they were in each other's shoes today, he would definitely not hesitate at all.

He took a few steps back, his steps slightly unsteady.

"Whether you like it or not, anyway..."

He will never let go!

Jiang Li lowered her eyelashes to hide the sadness in her eyes.

At this moment, she wished so much that she was as unbearable as the world said.

In this way, she could throw herself into his arms regardless of everything.

Hasn't she thought about him?

How could Shen Beiqi, who was as noble as the bright moon hanging high in the night sky, become the object of everyone's ridicule because of her?

"Tuk-tuk-tuk-"

There was a knock on the door.

Then, a man's respectful voice sounded, "Duke, my master knows you are here, please come over."

The person who spoke was Xu Pu, Xiao Wencong's personal bodyguard and also his confidant.

He knew everything that the Third Prince and Shen Beiqi were planning.

"Got it." Shen Beiqi responded in a low voice.

He turned around and his eyes fell on her bandaged hand.

He was about to reach out and hold her wrist, but she thought he was going to hug her forcefully again, so she dodged to the side and gave up her position at the door.

His fingers hanging in the air curled up slightly, and his chest felt very stuffy.

"Change your clothes and come with me."

He opened the door and the sunlight poured in like a tide, stretching his shadow long on the ground.

Xingping and Luo Zhi stood not far away, holding bags in their hands. Shen Beiqi waved to them, "Go change your daughter's clothes."

Xing Ping was stunned for a moment, then she understood, "Yes, Duke."

Jiang Li changed into a light blue silk pleated skirt, which was simple and elegant.

Seeing the Duke coming back, Xingping was also happy for Jiang Li, and she tied her hair into her usual bun again.

There is no need for those eye-catching hairpins, just a light blue velvet flower that matches the color of the skirt can be pinned in the hair.

Such a simple dress can make her look like a fairy in the forest, full of charm and aura.

Shen Beiqi stood in the corridor with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly.

The door behind him opened and he turned around, his eyes falling on her.

He glanced up and down at her, and when he saw her take off that disgusting wedding dress and regain her former elegance and agility, he felt much more relieved.