Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 460 - 457: A Peaceful and Good End_1

Chapter 460: Chapter 457: A Peaceful and Good End_1

Dong Changsheng had been waiting for his three younger sisters to return, wanting to take them together. Who knew Dong Tingzhen would say she wasn’t going today as soon as she came back?

Dong Changsheng thought she was embarrassed due to discussing marriage with Chen Zhaolu and was afraid of running into him, so he didn’t press her.

Dong Changyuan looked down at the chessboard in front of him but felt there was nothing to celebrate. He believed his aunt would rather his cousin not have this princess title than have her risking her life on the battlefield.

Dong Tingzhen sat before her dressing table, clutching the jade bracelet given to her by King Liang, and smiled foolishly.

"Miss! Miss... Cousin is here!" Dong Tingzhen’s maid Haitang ran in, bowing as she said, "Cousin has entered the courtyard!"

"Cousin?" Dong Tingzhen hurriedly put the jade bracelet into a redwood box and got up to greet her. She saw Bai Qingyan, dressed in casual clothes and looking sharp, enter the courtyard.

"Cousin?!" Dong Tingzhen, radiant with joy, went to meet Bai Qingyan, hooking her arm. "We just met, why have you come?"

"Dismiss the servants. I have something to say to you!" Bai Qingyan said softly, looking at Dong Tingzhen.

Seeing Bai Qingyan’s serious expression, Dong Tingzhen nodded and instructed Haitang to dismiss the servants and close the doors and windows. She and Bai Qingyan then sat on the luohan bed near the window.

"Cousin, what’s the matter?" Dong Tingzhen asked gently.

"The one you love... is it King Liang?"

The secret Dong Tingzhen had been keeping in her heart was suddenly exposed. She retracted her hand from the small table and clenched it tightly in front of her abdomen. "Cousin, since you know, I won’t hide it from you. King Liang and I do have mutual feelings. Before, King Liang mistook you for me when we were children and wanted to marry you. I thought... if I accepted King Liang, would it embarrass you? But I..."

"Tingzhen, I didn’t come today because I felt embarrassed by the idea of you and King Liang being together, nor to stop you. I came to lay things out and discuss them with you. With your intelligence, I trust you can judge how to handle this relationship. I won’t interfere, all right?" Bai Qingyan said slowly.

Dong Tingzhen had always been the gentlest and most intelligent among her sisters and the least worrisome.

Besides, although Bai Qingyan and Dong Tingzhen were cousins, they hadn’t grown up together. She couldn’t address King Liang as she would her own sister.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan was not being forceful and was only reasoning with her, Dong Tingzhen nodded as she clutched her handkerchief. "Cousin, please speak."

"In your eyes, King Liang is perhaps a pitiable person who has been bullied. You have always been kind-hearted, initially just pitying King Liang, but King Liang views you as his everything. Your compassion has turned into affection. You want to protect this pitiable King Liang and prevent anyone else from bullying him. Am I right?" Bai Qingyan asked.

"Cousin, King Liang is truly pitiable! He..." Dong Tingzhen thought of King Liang’s difficult days, and her eyes reddened.

Bai Qingyan nodded. "I know. Any kind-hearted girl would inevitably feel compassion upon hearing of King Liang’s experiences. But I must tell you what happened after King Liang deceived my maid Chun Yan to place that letter in my grandfather’s study."

Dong Tingzhen tightly clutched her handkerchief, biting her lip in silence.

"King Liang said he was bewitched and wanted to save King Xin. He then falsely accused my grandfather of treason, a crime that would lead to the extermination of our family. Wouldn’t King Liang know this? Could someone who can forge another’s handwriting be a fool? Furthermore, King Liang’s guard Gao Sheng... Gao Sheng was overseeing Liu Huanzhang in Dadu City and was captured by my wet nurse’s brother. To prevent Liu Huanzhang from turning on him, Gao Sheng killed Liu Huanzhang! You surely remember my wet nurse’s brother bringing Liu Huanzhang’s body and Gao Sheng to knock on the drum at the city gate!"

"Gao Sheng’s martial skills are extraordinary. Even my wet nurse’s brother and the elite of Bai Mansion suffered losses to capture Gao Sheng. Could a person of such skill be willing to serve a fool?"

Dong Tingzhen remained silent, her palms sweating.

"In the grand hall, my wet nurse’s brother presented a letter written by King Liang himself. The words were decisive, stating... If Liu Huanzhang did not comply or attempted to threaten King Liang with exposing their cooperation, King Liang would ensure Liu’s family joined Liu Huanzhang in the Netherworld! Furthermore, the message from King Liang’s residence indicated that from the moment the letter was written to its delivery, only half an incense stick’s time had passed! When questioned by my grandmother, the Eldest Princess, in the grand hall, King Liang couldn’t clearly explain whether the letter was dictated by someone else for him to write, or if he wrote it himself!"

"Qin Dezhao conspired to tamper with the supplies in the southern borders, causing our army to be stranded without food. Though there is no solid proof, the words in King Liang’s handwritten letter suggested his involvement!"

Bai Qingyan watched Dong Tingzhen’s face grow pale and said in a low voice, "The bonds between people are most precious, especially the affection of women. It shouldn’t become a sacrifice to conspiracy! Nor should the entire Dong family become a pawn in King Liang’s struggle for the throne! Marriage is said to be a personal matter, but it concerns the whole family, especially when linked to the throne. If he succeeds, one becomes a king, but followers don’t always end well. If he fails, all become prisoners. How many followers will meet a peaceful end?"

Dong Tingzhen lowered her eyes and didn’t lift her head. That thought—why Bai Qingyan followed the Crown Prince if she thought so—was swallowed back.

"I understand your concerns, cousin. But King Liang may not have the intention to fight for the throne!" Dong Tingzhen looked at Bai Qingyan. "Besides, cousin, once the heart is moved, there’s no turning back! I already gave my personal safety charm to King Liang. He entered the palace to ask for a betrothal decree from His Majesty!"

As she spoke, Dong Tingzhen’s tears began to fall.

Bai Qingyan clenched her fist. How could Dong Tingzhen be so foolish, giving her personal item to an outsider?!

Bai Qingyan closed her eyes briefly to calm herself before saying, "If you can understand, I will handle the rest!"

Dong Tingzhen shook her head. "Cousin, I know you mean well! You have always been straightforward and upright. I know you are advising me because you fear I’ll end up with the wrong person, not because King Liang once admired you! But... King Liang is my choice. Women have few choices in this world; this time, I am deciding for myself, and I am happy!"

Bai Qingyan tightly pursed her lips.

"I have always envied you, cousin!" Dong Tingzhen’s eyes were sincere. "Born into the Bai family, taught personally by the Eldest Princess and King of Zhen, you can do what you want, practice martial arts, ride horses, compete with men, train your own guards..."