Duke Jing's younger sister

Chapter 115 Understanding

"It's not a big deal..." Xue Ling bit her lower lip, "I just heard a while ago that... you and the second son of the Luo family..."

The girl mustered up her courage and finally asked, "Does he really like you, sister?"

Outside the gate of Jingzhao Prefecture, there is a tall and straight poplar tree.

The night wind was blowing, and the green leaves were rolling on the branches, making a rustling sound.

In the carriage under the tree, the blue-gray window curtain was gently lifted by a slender, well-proportioned hand with distinct joints.

The handsome man looked through the square lattice window and his eyes fell directly on Shen Li.

She stood on the steps in front of the gate of Jingzhao Yin. The night wind blew the hem of her aqua blue skirt, and the skirt billowed, rippling like waves under her feet.

Even though it was dark at night, Shen Li could still see Xue Ling's girlish thoughts at a glance.

She was silent for a moment, then asked softly, "He has been arranged to marry by His Majesty, don't you know?"

Xue Ling looked gloomy, lowered his head and said, "I know, and I also know that even if it's not the Fourth Princess, it won't be my turn."

After saying that, the girl raised her head again and looked at Shen Li with eyes filled with worry.

"I just want to show some concern for him. My brother told me that he gets drunk every day in Changqing Tower. If he keeps drinking like this, he might die!"

Xue Ling hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"Sister, since you have a...friendship with him, can you go and persuade him? Don't let him drink like this anymore."

With her fingers slightly curled in her wide sleeves, Shen Li lowered her eyes to hide the complex emotions surging in her eyes.

Is she...suitable to persuade Luo Cheng?

At this point, there is no possibility between the two of them.

Since there is no possibility, she shouldn't keep acting like she wants to break up.

At this time, any kind of care and closeness will repeatedly tug at his heartstrings.

Let him want to stop but can't.

For emotional reasons, she wanted to go.

Logically, she couldn't go.

Seeing her silence, Xue Ling took her hand and begged,

"Sister, I know that what I said is actually a bit annoying. I just feel sad. Second Young Master Luo used to be... a person who was brighter than the sun... but now he..."

She recalled the day in Changqing Tower when she saw the decadent and depressed man lying among the wine jars on the floor.

He is completely different from the young man in red clothes on the polo field.

There seemed to be water flowing in Xue Ling's eyes.

"I followed my brother that day and secretly went to see him. He is in a really bad state now... Sister, can you go and persuade him, okay?"

"Ling'er——"

In the carriage, Madam Xue waved at her, "We should go back."

"Mom, I'll be right there!"

Xue Ling turned around and exerted a little force with her hands, "Sister, please, aren't you friends? You must go, he is in Changqing Building!"

The Xue family’s carriage drove away.

Jingzhao Prefecture is located in the most central location of Jiangdu City.

Shen Li stood at the bottom of the stairs and could vaguely see the red lanterns hanging high in Changqing Building.

Xue Ling said that he was really in a bad condition.

Shen Li felt more and more uncomfortable.

She selfishly thought that even though she and Luo Yan had a budding relationship, they could still continue to be friends in the future.

Even if you are just friends, you still need to have a sense of boundaries.

At the very least, I can't behave inappropriately, or laugh and joke with him like I did before.

But as a friend, trying to persuade him shouldn't be considered crossing the line, right?

"What are you thinking about?"

A cool voice came from behind me, just like the breeze on this summer night.

She turned her head when she heard the voice, and the loneliness in her eyes that had not yet disappeared was completely taken in by him.

"Nothing." She shook her head and then smiled, "Let's go back home."

Shen Li always had a smile on her face, and that smile was like the sunshine in late autumn, faint and warm.

Yet there was also a hint of unspeakable sadness.

Shen Beiqi looked at her quietly, as if he wanted to see through her unfathomable heart through those eyes as clear as spring water.

This fear of losing and being unable to keep the situation under control often makes him feel uneasy.

After a long moment, he lowered his eyes and said, "Let's go."

He seems a little unhappy?

Could it be because of what Madam Yang said just now?

Following him slowly towards the carriage, she called softly, "Brother?"

"Ok?"

"Actually, they don't know you very well."

Therefore, you don’t have to take Aunt Yang’s words just now to heart.

When two armies are at war, being soft on the enemy is being cruel to yourself.

She didn't know why he did that back then, burning down a city in the Northern Yi Kingdom and leaving himself with eternal infamy.

But she believed that he must have his own reasons.

She also believed that he was never the bloodthirsty and cruel person that others said he was.

"How they see me is none of my business."

Shen Beiqi paused and looked at her sideways, "What about you?"

"Me?" Shen Li pointed at herself.

Although she didn't understand Shen Beiqi 100%, she believed that she saw more comprehensively than others.

At least, she could see that beneath his seemingly cold appearance, he had a soft and passionate heart.

He simply shed the boldness and unruliness of his youth, and his calm and reserved appearance concealed his innocent heart that had not changed at all.

"Well," he nodded, "Do you understand me?"

If you don't know him, are you willing to spend some time to get to know him?

Shen Li curled her lips, "I understand."

"Oh?" A faint smile appeared in his eyes, "Tell me about it."

"Hmm...how should I put it?"

Shen Li pursed her lips. "For example, today, you seemed cold and ruthless, as if you wanted to severely punish Yang Lijun, but in fact you showed mercy, right?"

He raised his eyebrows slightly, "How do you know?"

"That white-headed lottery."

She put her hands behind her back, her eyes reflected broken stars and shone with a cunning light like a little fox. "Do you think I can't see it?"

When the county government tried a case, the warrants were divided into four colors.

The green-headed sign is a capture sign, used to arrest people.

The three colors of the order sticks, white, black and red, represent the severity of the punishment respectively.

Lord Li originally wanted to take the black-headed stick, but Shen Beiqi signaled him with a look and changed it to a white-headed stick.

When the bailiffs saw that the official had thrown down a blank piece of paper, they would use less force when carrying out the execution.

Therefore, even without those layers of mats, the injuries would not be too serious after being beaten with twenty boards, and would be healed in a few days.

But if it is a blackhead, I am afraid the skin will be torn and the flesh will be bloody.

Not to mention the red sign, you will probably be beaten to death.

He smiled with his lips curled up, his beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly raised, "I didn't expect that our little A-Li knew these things?"