C136 (1/2)

Qiao Liangjin spread out her hands, still smiling as before, and said: ”Then I'll go alone. Let my guards and maids stay here.”

The captain hesitated for a moment before he nodded and gestured, ”Please.”

Qiao Liangjin put her hands behind her back and walked out of King Ning's Mansion with an indifferent look on her face.

By the time Ning Xi had gotten the news, Qiao Liangjin was already locked up in Star Seizer Pavilion.

Ning Ying didn't even have time to change into his official robe before he went to the imperial study. When Southern Emperor Nanyang saw Ning Ying enter, he put down the memorial in his hand and said with a smile, ”Ying'er is here.”

Ning Ying hurriedly knelt on one knee and saluted, ”Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Nanyang hurriedly went forward to help Ning Ying up and said, ”I wanted to call you into the palace to begin with, but you didn't want to come. I've already ordered people to take Qiao Liangjin away from your mansion.”

Ning Ying didn't think that Nan Yang would actually bring up this matter himself. He hurriedly bowed again, but was firmly stopped by Nan Yang.

Ning Xi was at a loss whether to laugh or cry as she replied, ”Your Majesty, Miss Qiao is a patient of this humble subject's. Her body is not fully recovered yet, and there's no one left to look after her in this palace. This humble subject is very worried …”

Nan Yang seemed to have considered everything as he smiled and said, ”I know that you like this woman, but you should know the situation in the Southern Kingdom better than anyone else. I think that all the hope for saving the Southern Kingdom lies with this woman.”

”But Your Majesty, she is just a weak girl. What can she do? Even if she is the daughter of Prime Minister Qiao, Prime Minister Qiao will definitely abandon her in front of the country's justice. Your Majesty, why do you have to make things difficult for a woman? ”

Nan Yang listened to Ning Ying's words quietly, and his originally smiling face disappeared. Replacing it was a serious expression, which was filled with disbelief as he looked at Ning Ying, ”You're done speaking? Ning Xi, you must know that you are a subject of our Southern Kingdom. ”

Ning Ying hurriedly got down on one knee and apologized, ”Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

”Don't say anything else for now. We've already brought her into the palace, so it's useless for you to say anything more. I didn't say that we wouldn't allow you to meet. You can go see her and treat her.”

When Nan Yang finished speaking, he went straight to the memorial and no longer raised his head to look at him.

Ning Ying kneeled down for a long time. When he realized that Nan Yang would not retreat, he could only bow and slowly withdraw from the imperial study.

Ning Xi followed the steward to Star Seizer Pavilion. The instant the servant girl pushed open the door, he saw a scene that he might never be able to forget in his entire life.

Qiao Liangjin danced under the blooming magnolia tree. The magnolia flower slowly descended from the sky, landing on her hair. It landed on her shoulders, dancing along with her as she did so.

Qiao Liangjin raised her eyes and saw that Ning Ying had arrived. She didn't stop dancing, and just performed a dance as if no one else was present. When she finished, she leaned against the trunk of the Yulan tree and waved towards Ning Ying.

Only then did Ning Xi regain her composure and slowly walked towards Qiao Liangjin. She looked at Qiao Liangjin with concern and said, ”I'm sorry, I didn't know …”

Qiao Liangjin didn't mind at all as she waved her hand at the ladies by the side. She smiled and said, ”Ladies and gentlemen, I'm hungry and would like to eat something.”

The palace maids continuously scanned Ning Xi, their faces flushing red. They didn't hear Qiao Liangjin's words at all.

It wasn't until Qiao Liangjin waved her hand and repeated herself, that the palace maids covered their faces and saluted. Like rabbits, they hurriedly left the courtyard.

Ning Ying's gaze fell only on this woman who was as calm as a lotus. She said that he would be leaving the Southern Kingdom after seven days, and now that she was trapped in this palace, her expression was so indifferent and elegant, as if he didn't care about his own situation.

Qiao Liangjin noticed Ning Xi's worried gaze and greeted his gaze with a shallow smile. ”What happened?”

”Yesterday, you said that you would definitely leave the Southern Kingdom.”

”That's only natural. No one can stop me from doing what I want to do.” She turned around and sat on the swing tied to the magnolia tree, gently swinging it.

Looking at the magnolia orchids drifting in the air, Qiao Liangjin smiled and said, ”Star Seizer Pavilion, I remember I've seen it in a movie before, and now I can live here with no honor. What an honor it is for me to be able to live here.”

Ning Xi stood silently by the side of the swing, knowing that she was once again unable to understand the situation.