A family with three widows, after severing ties with relatives, she became wealthy and married into

Chapter 209 Clarity and Respect

Li Huaiyuan stared at him coldly, noticing his furrowed brows and anxious expression.

It was clear that losing one's voice was a huge deal, yet he was pleading for something else.

Li Huaiyuan's tone was filled with worry, "Heming, why are you so anxious... is it because..."

He hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "About Miss Tian Er..."

Before he could finish his question, a hint of panic flashed in Ling Yao's eyes.

He looked up at Li Huaiyuan, his lips moving slightly.

"You got injured yourself, and without thinking, you just wanted to go find her..." Li Huaiyuan sighed, "Heming..."

"You need to understand your place."

He paused, then said, "No, you can't because of your status..."

That doesn't seem quite right.

Li Huaiyuan rephrased it, "You can't treat Tian Er like that just because she grew high-yield rice, sweet potatoes, potatoes, and other things that benefit the people..."

"You need to figure out if you're grateful to her, or... what."

Ling Yao was slightly taken aback, his brows furrowed, and his eyes held a complex expression.

"Although Miss Tian grew up in the countryside, she has great wisdom. If you are only grateful to her, there is really no need to bind her with affection."

Ling Yao's gaze turned heavy...

A hint of understanding flickered in Li Huaiyuan's eyes.

"If your feelings for Miss Tian are genuine love."

"You are the crown prince of Daqi. Can you guarantee that you will not betray this affection?"

Li Huaiyuan said calmly, "Your father was deeply in love with your mother. She was the only one in the harem, and she only gave birth to one child."

“Now that you have come of age, your father and mother still have to face pressure from the officials.”

"Your mother is the legitimate daughter of my Li family, of noble status, yet she is still criticized by the officials."

"And Miss Tian Er..."

In the eyes of the officials, Miss Tian was a country girl who was not worthy of being presented in public!

"It would be easy for you to bring her into the palace and make her a concubine, but if you care about her, you have to consider her feelings."

"If you are like your father, with only one empress in the harem and no concubines in the six palaces, you will have to withstand the pressure from the officials."

"If you can't handle it, and the harem eventually fills with all sorts of women, then Miss Tian Er..."

"And how should we conduct ourselves?"

Ling Yao remained silent...

Li Huaiyuan looked at him, a hint of sympathy flashing in his eyes.

He could actually see Ling Yao's struggle.

Ling Yao's struggle stemmed from the fact that his feelings for Miss Tian were genuine.

But because of his identity, he had to hesitate and feel apprehensive.

A moment later, Li Huaiyuan patted Ling Yao on the shoulder, "Heming, if you are sincere towards Miss Tian, ​​your cousin will still support you."

"Like your father and mother, as long as the two of them are of one mind, no amount of pressure from the officials will matter."

"The key is... you yourself need to understand your own feelings."

"Then, respect Miss Tian's wishes."

Ling Yao nodded slowly.

*

It was late at night, and all around was quiet.

Ling Yao sat on the bed, his eyes glazed over, Li Huaiyuan's words echoing in his mind.

Li Huaiyuan's words made him very uneasy...

He understood his own feelings and respected Miss Tian's feelings.

Ling Yao closed his eyes. He had almost lost control when he learned during the day that Tian Tian had been kidnapped.

That anxiety and helplessness, that loss of reason, made saving her the only thought on his mind.

Now, sitting alone on his bed, he reflects on these feelings and begins to question himself.

Is this feeling because I'm worried that something might happen to Tian Tian and she won't be able to get the potato vines, or because I'm worried about her?

Ling Yao asked himself, and he was indeed grateful to Tian Tian.

I'm so grateful for her selfless help!!

But will this gratitude prevent him from finding peace?

Would it break his heart and make him afraid of losing it?

The image of Tian Tian kept flashing through Ling Yao's mind; she was a resilient and intelligent woman.

Her eyes were clear, and her smile conveyed kindness.

And every smile she gave left an indelible mark on his heart.

Ling Yao's breathing gradually became rapid, and his heartbeat began to increase involuntarily.

More than just gratitude.

He felt more than just gratitude towards Tian Tian.

Although he and she didn't spend a long time together.

But... he is now certain that the feelings in his heart are an increasingly intense liking for her, a deep love that has spread unconsciously.

Ling Yao's heart pounded harder and harder, and his emotions surged like a tide, engulfing him.

He was shocked, but unable to refuse.

He clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and his eyes hardened.

Now that I understand my own feelings, I will no longer back down!

Thinking of this, Ling Yao threw off the covers, got out of bed, and groped to get dressed.

The wind outside the window still blew gently, the night was as still as water, and the moonlight shone on the bedside, illuminating Ling Yao's face.

The emotions in his eyes became clearer, and those emotions finally received their deepest confirmation in this quiet night.

No matter what lies ahead, he is determined to bravely pursue his dreams.

"Young Master Ling, why are you up?" The constable at the door was extremely surprised.

It's the middle of the night...and it's very cold.

"You should go back and lie down. It's too cold. Don't catch a cold."

It was indeed very cold, and Ling Yao shivered.

But precisely because of this, he was even more worried about Tian Tian.

Tian Tian is currently in prison, and the conditions there...

"..." Ling Yao opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Finally, he waved to the constables and walked out on his own.

He knew the location of the prison.

"Young Master Ling?"

The constables caught up with him, but when they saw the direction he was heading, they stopped and turned around to go in another direction.

Ling Yao came to the most remote corner of the county government office.

The prison gate was a heavy iron gate, covered in rust.

It creaks when opened.

The sound of the door opening startled the jailers in the prison.

"Young Master Ling?"

"Why are you here?"

The jailer stepped aside.

Ling Yao entered the prison. Rows of cells were filled with prisoners who looked haggard, dressed in rags, and huddled in corners.

It's so stifling here, and the air is thick with the smell of decay and rust.

The ground was slippery and full of potholes, and there was moss on the walls.

Ling Yao's every step made him anxious, but thankfully, he found Tian Tian in no time.

Tian Tian's cell was different from the other cells; it had clearly been cleaned.

But Tian Tian lay in bed, not sleeping soundly.

His brows furrowed, his body squirmed, and his hands kept scratching at his body.

Ling Yao's heart tightened suddenly. Ever since he met Tian Tian, ​​she had always been very calm and composed.

I have never felt so anxious and uncomfortable before.

“Hmm…” Ling Yao made a sound.

Upon hearing the sound, Tian Tian shifted her body and opened her eyes.

She looked toward the doorway following the sound, her eyes initially showing a hint of confusion before she gradually realized who it was.

"Ling Yao?"