After Becoming a Concubine, I Took Down the Princess - Chapter 31

(Liang Xiao) instantly panicked.

The Love-Silk Clasp could be taken off, which meant…

Her Consort Mother’s letter had written that the Love-Silk Clasp could be undone if the two people were mutually in love.

Perhaps because she had stayed up too late the night before, and coupled with kneeling while holding Liang Xiao for an entire afternoon, Yan Heng was sleeping exceptionally soundly at this moment; such a commotion didn’t wake her.

Liang Xiao gently and quietly picked up the Love-Silk Clasp, her heart filled with complex emotions.

Before this, she had never thought that the feeling of wanting to be close to Yan Heng would actually be… a romantic relationship between a man and a woman (or, in this case, between two women).

Could it be true that women fall in love with women in this world?

But if the other person was Yan Heng, then it made sense.

She raised her hand to stroke Yan Heng’s sideburns.

The little fox was sleeping sweetly.

Liang Xiao picked up her left hand and put the Love-Silk Clasp back on.

Right now, Yan Heng didn’t know her own feelings, so it would be better to sound her out before making any further plans.

She braced herself to get out of bed, went out and called Yuehua to come in, and the two of them helped Yan Heng onto the bed.

Yuehua looked at Liang Xiao’s face and cautiously spoke: “Your Highness…”

Liang Xiao closed her eyes and shook her head: “I’m fine.”

Fortunately, she had made enough preparations, so she wasn’t too deeply hurt by her Imperial Father’s callousness.

Yuehua continued: “The Emperor has confined you for three months, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving.”

“In that case, it is a pity that she has to be bored here with me too,” Liang Xiao lowered her eyes and looked at the person by the bed.

Feeling someone swaying in front of her, Yan Heng groggily opened her eyes, then saw Liang Xiao facing her, seemingly about to pick her up.

Yan Heng’s sleepiness instantly vanished completely; she widened her eyes and pointed at Liang Xiao: “Your Highness, you, you…”

Liang Xiao awkwardly retracted her hand: “Don’t misunderstand, I was just afraid the floor was too cold, lest you get sick.”

Yan Heng suddenly realized and nodded: “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

Then she noticed something was amiss.

How come she was sleeping on the bed while Her Highness was by the bed?

Yuehua brought a basin of hot water over at this moment: “Your Highness, Miss, please wash up first.”

Yan Heng had no choice but to get up and get off the bed first.

The Willow Chamber had a small kitchen, and breakfast was already prepared, waiting for the two of them to fill their stomachs.

Yan Heng ate while secretly observing Liang Xiao’s expression.

Aside from her eyes being slightly red and swollen, she looked no different from usual.

It was as if the person who had completely broken down and cried yesterday wasn’t her.

Liang Xiao put down her chopsticks and lightly coughed: “Is there a flower on my face?”

Yan Heng quickly shook her head: “No, it’s just…”

Liang Xiao raised her eyes to meet her gaze, seemingly already knowing what was on her mind, and said faintly: “No need to worry.”

“Before Imperial Father came yesterday, I had already prepared for the worst, but hearing him say those words with my own ears… was still somewhat sad after all.”

Yan Heng silently nodded.

Her thoughts gradually drifted away, recalling Liang Xiao’s appearance yesterday.

A pang of pain arose in her heart, making her feel slightly breathless.

Her Highness was entirely different to her than anyone else.

If one were to call it sisterly affection, it felt somewhat incorrect. She always felt that her feelings for Her Highness seemed to have… surpassed those of an ordinary friend.

She couldn’t describe this feeling, so she just sulked and stared into space.

Liang Xiao saw that she was eating very little and pointed at the food: “Is it not to your taste?”

Yan Heng also put down her chopsticks: “I’m not very hungry.”

Liang Xiao nodded, motioning for Yuezho to clear the meal.

For a moment, only the two of them were left in the room.

“Your Highness, if you are truly feeling down, you can tell me, I—”

Liang Xiao gently pulled on Yan Heng’s sleeve.

Yan Heng blinked, looking at Liang Xiao in confusion.

She pointed at Yan Heng’s left wrist: “Roll up your sleeve.”

Yan Heng did as told.

Liang Xiao reached out and placed her hand on the Love-Silk Clasp, exerting a slight force and taking it off.

Yan Heng instantly widened her eyes, pointing unbelievably at the Love-Silk Clasp in Liang Xiao’s hand: “This, this, Your Highness, what secret technique did you learn?”

Liang Xiao: …Sure enough, she shouldn’t have expected her to figure it out herself.

She coughed unnaturally: “It’s not a secret technique, it’s another reason.”

With that, she found Consort Lian’s letter and put it in Yan Heng’s hand: “Go to the side hall and take a good look, I want to be alone for a while.”

Yan Heng, being forgetful, had long forgotten about the “mutually in love can be undone” part; she accepted the letter with a puzzled expression, and then Liang Xiao ushered her out the door.

Liang Xiao closed the door with a clang, feeling inexplicably angry.

Silly fox, she could forget such a big matter.

Yan Heng looked at the closed door in front of her, completely bewildered, and carrying the letter, she slipped into the side hall to study the mystery within the letter.

Liang Xiao leaned her back against the door, letting out a long sigh.

The room was silent, with only her breathing sound.

Now that she was alone, the sorrow she had forcefully suppressed spread out.

She slowly slid down the door and sat on the floor.

Consort Mother, the Imperial Father you constantly thought of, is the murderer.

No wonder they always say “the emperor’s family is the most heartless,” it is indeed so.

Liang Xiao buried her face in her hands, her heart filled with bitter pain.

After crying heartily while being held by Yan Heng yesterday, she was feeling better now.

Thinking of Yan Heng’s gentle soothing words in her ear, the pain in her heart gradually receded.

If not for Yan Heng, she would probably have been depressed for a long time.

The Love-Silk Clasp clearly laid the fact of Liang Xiao’s love for Yan Heng out in the open, not allowing her to deny it.

She had fallen in love with a woman.

And a demon at that.

In this regard, she was indeed following the footsteps of her Imperial Father.

Liang Xiao didn’t really care about Yan Heng being a demoness; she was simply following her heart.

Thinking of her, Liang Xiao’s lips, which had been pressed into a line, unconsciously curled up.

She touched the cool jade bracelet on her wrist, got up and walked to the desk, and opened a painting.

The painting was of Consort Lian.

Liang Xiao hung up the painting; she lightly stroked the person in the painting, and murmured: “Consort Mother, your daughter has found the mastermind, you can rest in peace.”

“You probably didn’t think that Imperial Father could be so cruel.”

“Consort Mother… It turns out Imperial Father indulged me so much all these years, just to make up for you.”

“If there is an afterlife, I hope you find a man who will truly love you, and no longer seek that unfaithful man.”

Every word and every sentence spoke of her nine years of unwavering longing for her Consort Mother.

She stood in front of the painting, pondered for a moment, and then whispered: “A-Heng is also a demon like you. Consort Mother, please rest assured, I will definitely protect her. I… I really like her.”

Perhaps it was Yan Heng’s leap during the hunting event without regard for her own safety.

Perhaps it was her half a month of running back and forth just to help her find clues.

Perhaps it was her risking a trip to Xiuji Temple, only to be wounded by Yuande’s crossbow bolt.

Too many indescribable feelings were mixed together.

In short, she had fallen.

Yan Heng lay on the bed, holding the book, her face bewildered.

After being rushed out of the main hall, she had sat at the desk and meticulously reread the section about the Love-Silk Clasp in Consort Lian’s letter.

The phrase “mutually in love” mentioned in the book at this moment was too impactful; she slumped onto the bed.

How could she have forgotten this part? She had been so confident back then, saying how could she possibly fall in love with Her Highness…

She raised her left wrist, wanting to take off the Love-Silk Clasp.

But that thing remained absolutely still.

It seemed only Her Highness could take it off.

Yan Heng’s hand drooped down, her mind in chaos.

So, all those unusual feelings were because she was fond of Liang Xiao?

Was this feeling called ‘liking’?

Although Yan Heng was an old fox who had lived for over a hundred years, she had truly never tasted the flavor of love.

She only knew that demons who fell in love with humans never came to a good end.

For example, her aunt who fell in love with a general ended up killing herself, and for another example, Consort Lian was… by the person she loved.

Furthermore, she was a woman, and yet she liked another woman.

However, Her Highness was indeed very heart-stirring to a fox.

“Ah—” Yan Heng flipped over and buried herself in the pillow.

How could she face Her Highness now?

Suddenly, Yan Heng seemed to understand something.

The letter said it required mutual love.

Therefore… Her Highness also had feelings for her.

Yan Heng abruptly raised her head, grabbed the book, flipped to that page, and pointed at the words, reading them seriously again.

Mutually in love, written clearly in black and white, cannot be faked.

She got up and sat down, feeling both sweet and anxious.

If her parents and brother knew she was in love with a human woman, would they wave brooms and chase her out of Flowing Cloud Mountain?

She couldn’t worry about that anymore; Yan Heng jumped off the bed and was about to go out.

Not long after, she returned.

She stood in front of the mirror and meticulously checked herself: her hair wasn’t messy, her clothes were neat, and the jasmine hairpin was in her hair.

Everything was just right; it was time to find Liang Xiao and make things clear.

The study door was open, but Liang Xiao wasn’t inside.

Yan Heng walked around the palace and finally found her in the small garden.

Not long ago, Liang Shu had ordered people to build a swing set for her behind the small garden, and Liang Xiao was now holding a book and swinging intermittently.

The light in front of her was suddenly blocked by someone; Liang Xiao looked up and saw Yan Heng.

Her lips were tightly pursed, and her expression was very serious.

Liang Xiao closed the book in her hand and, without standing up, looked up at her like that.

The two stared at each other for a long time before Yan Heng finally spoke: “Your Highness, I have finished reading the letter.”

Liang Xiao’s heart suddenly sped up; she composed herself and softly uttered an “En.”

Then, she moved slightly to the left on the swing.

She made space, just enough for Yan Heng to sit down.

Yan Heng didn’t act shyly, she held onto the swing and sat down.

After a moment, she turned to look at Liang Xiao: “Does Your Highness have nothing to say?”

Liang Xiao chuckled lightly: “What do you want to hear me say?”

Yan Heng was stumped; she looked away, staring down at the cobblestones on the ground, and whispered: “Has Your Highness figured it out?”

Liang Xiao naturally knew what she meant; she reached out, pinched Yan Heng’s chin, and forced her to look up: “I have figured it out.”

After speaking, she looked at the hairpin in Yan Heng’s hair.

She said warmly: “Mutually in love with you, please do not leave.”

The surroundings were silent, with only the slight “creaking” sound of the swing set as it moved.

Liang Xiao’s hand, which was pinching her chin, changed to cupping her face, and then slowly leaned closer.

“Close your eyes.”

Then came a gentle kiss, just like Liang Xiao’s attitude towards her all along, lingering and tender.

Yan Heng’s hands unconsciously gripped the swing rope tightly; the hemp rope left a shallow red abrasion on her palm.

None of that mattered anymore.

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