Chapter 213 Shen Nanzi's Choice

Chapter 213 Shen Nanzi's Choice

Shen Nanzi looked at him. He used to wear simple clothes and always carried a long sword to protect her.

From the age of six, he followed me like a shadow until I left, remaining inseparable for eighteen years.

He was the person closest to her besides her brother.

She had never believed that Lie Feng would betray her before, but when her brother was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, Lie Feng's obstruction made her feel cold.

Looking back now, it seems that he and Xie Yan were both trying to save his brother, and she may have misunderstood him.

"A fierce wind!"

Lie Feng held his sword in one hand, bracing himself on the ground. With a gentle voice, she made him drop his sword and lie face down on the ground with both hands.

With her head bowed, a voice choked with guilt escaped her lips.

"Miss!"

Thinking back on everything that had happened, Shen Nanzi explained, "Liefeng, the reason I asked you to leave back then was because Xie Yan discovered your feelings for me."

"I'm afraid Xie Yan will be a bad thing for you, but at the same time I hope you have a bright future."

"I resorted to extreme measures to force you to leave. I'm sorry!"

“Miss! I know, I know everything.” Lie Feng’s voice was still choked with emotion: “Others may not understand Miss’s character, but how could I not understand it?”

"I knew it, how could Lie Feng betray me?" Shen Nanzi's eyes were red, her throat felt choked, and she bent down to help him up.

Lie Feng shook his head, refusing to get up. "Miss, it's just wishful thinking on my part that I can stand shoulder to shoulder with you one day."

"I only wanted to be seen by you, Miss. In order to get promoted quickly and to protect you, I became a fence-sitter. However, I was used and harmed you, Miss."

Shen Nanzi knew that he was referring to the day of the summer festival when Xue Qingning and Prince Ding had conspired to harm him. "That's all in the past. You said you were used, not that you did it on purpose."

"Liefeng, I'll believe you as long as you explain."

“Miss, Liefeng understands. I have never been loyal to anyone else. I will only be loyal to you in this life.”

“Miss, Lie Feng will put away those inappropriate thoughts from now on. From now on, I will only have respect for you. You will always be Lie Feng’s Miss.”

"I only pray that you will stop ignoring me, Miss. Otherwise, I will be living in agony, feeling as lonely as a walking corpse."

Shen Nanzi looked at him; it was still the same face. He only showed vulnerability in front of those close to him, as if they had never drifted apart.

He was just like when she was a child, quietly standing behind her, always there whenever she needed him.

Shen Nanzi helped him up and gently stroked his armor: "Yes, we are family, family closer than any other family."

Tears welled up in Lie Feng's eyes. "Miss!"

Shen Nanzi took two steps back, looked him up and down, her eyes full of admiration: "Lie Feng looks really dashing in that outfit!"

“Every time I see you, I feel gratified. You were always meant to be this way. This is how Liefeng should be in my heart.”

Lie Feng looked at his young lady, his eyes lit up, his indifferent demeanor softened, and a hint of shyness appeared on his cheeks.

"I'm glad you like it, Miss."

"Is this a biting wind?" A middle-aged voice, slightly surprised, came from the steps.

Both of them turned their heads to the side, and their aunt was coming down the steps one by one.

Lie Feng rushed over and helped his aunt down, saying, "Take it easy, it's still dark."

As they descended the steps, Auntie scolded, "You brat, you've made me shed so many tears. I thought you'd really turned bad."

“I always said, you’re a child I’ve watched grow up, how could you possibly go astray?”

"Aunt, it's all Lie Feng's fault." Lie Feng guiltily took out a bag of silver from his waist. "I've always wanted to give it to you."

Auntie wiped away her tears and accepted the money without hesitation. "Auntie will save it for you and give it to you when you get married."

"I'm so happy to see you two make up."

The three of them, master and servants, continued their old friendship outside the palace, as if everything had returned to the way it was before.

Shen Nanzi's restless heart seemed to be soothed.

As dawn broke, Auntie led Liefeng to see Cheng'er, while Shen Nanzi returned to Xie Yan's palace.

Upon entering, she found Xie Yan standing by the window, looking lonely, bathed in the morning light, with his back to her.

Shen Nanzi stopped in her tracks, her mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

She had considered what her brother said.

If Cheng'er were to truly ascend the throne, the court would be unstable, and powerful ministers and feudal lords from all sides would be eyeing the throne with covetous intent.

If she and Cheng'er make a mistake, the people of the world will once again be plunged into war and displacement.

Looking at the royal family, only Xie Yan, with his heavy military power and the support of many officials, could quickly quell this chaotic situation.

If he ascends the throne, it will be legitimate and his power will be stable. Within half a year, the court and the country will be at peace, and the people will be able to regain a stable livelihood.

But what about her? What about her Cheng'er?

If he becomes the emperor, it will only be a matter of time before he has a harem.

Surrounded by beautiful women, he would have a constant stream of princes and princesses born to him.

They stayed together only because of his guilt.

As time goes by, his heart will grow lonely, and he will unconsciously gravitate towards his gentle and understanding concubine.

By then, she and Cheng'er will be nothing more than insignificant shadows in his harem.

Their position could be replaced by someone else at any time, and even their lives were in the hands of others.

She holds some military power; if she were to harden her heart, she could kill him at all costs.

By supporting Cheng'er's rise to power, he could firmly grasp the fate of Cheng'er and his mother in his own hands.

But if that happens, the court will be in chaos, and war will break out again. Wouldn't she become a sinner who brings disaster to the country and its people?

On one side is the peace and stability of the world, and on the other is her fate and Cheng'er's.

To act for oneself means to betray the people; to act for the people means to betray oneself.

What should she choose in this question?

Thinking of the people of Huaiyang, how miserable they were.

Thinking of the Cangjue's attack, the people there are still experiencing the ravages of war.

Thinking of the covetous intentions of the thirteen surrounding small countries.

Shen Nanzi stood at the door and slowly said, "Now Luoyang City is all Cheng'er's army. If he wants to ascend the throne, he can disregard social norms and become emperor directly."

"Unfortunately, he is only seven years old, too young to shoulder the enormous burden of Yunhan."

“Brother is right, you are the most suitable candidate for Emperor Yunhan.”

The person by the window stiffened slightly, still facing outwards, without turning around.

Shen Nanzi continued, "If you have fully recovered, prepare to ascend the throne today!"

"I'm afraid that if I wait even a day longer, I'll regret it and kill you."

Xie Yan turned around, his eyes empty, like a soulless puppet.

Shen Nanzi looked at him and felt pity. Why was her fate always like this, full of difficulties and obstacles?

“I will not be empress. Give Cheng’er a fiefdom, the fiefdom of the Prince of Huaiyang, plus the one next to Fang Shuo’s. Cheng’er and I will live in the fiefdom.”

"For the rest of our lives... we will never meet again."

"Never to see each other again?" Xie Yan looked at her dejectedly, repeating her words, approaching her step by step, but he hesitated to nod.

"This is already my biggest compromise; you have no choice." Shen Nanzi looked at him, tilting her head slightly to meet his tall figure.

I disagree.

"You disagree?" Shen Nanzi scoffed, truly exasperated by Xie Yan.

He couldn't even part with a single piece of land; this man really infuriated her.

The doctor is right; only by leaving Xie Yan can she live a long life.

He is her nemesis; they are incompatible by birth charts; they are like fire and water; they will quarrel within three sentences.

As if she had returned to those eight years in the Prince Jing's mansion, Shen Nanzi gritted her teeth and said, "Xie Yan, what do you want? If you think my son and I are easy to bully, I, Shen Nanzi, can disregard the common people and fight you to the end."