C144

Infanta Shiqing was escorted by the guards back to Prince Yanbei's Mansion and it was not hidden from everyone inside the estate. Everyone knew of this, and it could be seen how dissatisfied Xiao Jiu'an was with Infanta Shiqing.

"He ran away? Shiqing did not kill him?" This did not match with Shiqing's personality.

"This subordinate understands." The dark guard knew the importance of this matter and answered with a serious face. When he saw Xiao Jiu'an sitting down, he said, "My Prince, Infanta Shiqing said that she wanted to see you."

"Yes." The dark guard accepted the order and went out. A moment later, Xiao Shiqing came in alone.

"Big Brother." Xiao Shiqing stood in the center of the study and spoke calmly.

"No more acting?" Xiao Jiu'an taunted as he looked at her.

"Big Brother, I had no choice." Xiao Shiqing was startled and immediately lowered her head.

"No choice? Were you forced by the Third Prince of the Southern Wilderness?" A flash of disgust passed through Xiao Jiu'an's eyes. Shiqing was not as good as Ji Yunkai. At least Ji Yunkai dared to take responsibility, but Shiqing did not even dare to bear it.

"Big Brother..." Shiqing opened her mouth but did not say anything.

Xiao Jiu'an stole her words, what was she going to say?

"What else do you want to say?" Xiao Jiu'an had always been an extreme person. He would completely trust a person if he trusted them, if not, he would completely hate them if he hated them, and would not give them any chances to escape.

Unfortunately, he hated Infanta Shiqing now.

"Big Brother, regardless of whether you believe me or not, I didn't do anything to let you down." Shiqing was high-minded, looking straight at Xiao Jiu'an, but...

Xiao Jiu'an's eyes were calm, and he did not spend any effort to look at her.

"Are you saying that you're not the one who instigated the Marquis of Guangping to bribe the generals to poison This King and then set up a trap to kill This King?" Shiqing's skin was thick indeed. After doing so much, she still claimed that she did not let him down.

"Big Brother, I did not know about Uncle's matter, and I am also a victim. As for the poisoning, it was Nan Zeyu's doing and had nothing to do with me. After finding out about this, I was always scared. I was afraid that my Big Brother would hate me and abandon me, so I played dumb. If I could, I would rather live as a fool without ever waking up. That way, I won't know how much you have suffered because of me." Xiao Shiqing spoke righteously, and her words carried weight and tone. As long as someone was slightly shaken by her words, they would be moved, but she was gravely mistaken about one thing.

The person in front of her was Xiao Jiu'an. The cold-hearted Xiao Jiu'an, the Xiao Jiu'an who would completely loathe anyone who he loathed.

Xiao Jiu'an carelessly rubbed the ring on his thumb and asked, "So what if This King does not believe you?"

Since things had already come to this, no matter what Shiqing said, it would be useless.

Shiqing's sharp eyes could tell with one glance that the ring on Xiao Jiu'an's thumb was no longer the same one that she had given him. Her entire person instantly became listless, and she lost his previous unyielding attitude. "Big Brother, I'm your blood sister, can't you have a little trust in me?"

"I promised Imperial Father that I would take good care of you." Xiao Jiu'an's answer was ambivalent, but he had also told Xiao Shiqing that he would not take her life.

"Big Brother, there's only us two siblings left in the Xiao Family, can't you try to trust me?" However, Xiao Shiqing was not reconciled with this. She wanted more than just not losing her life.

Of course, she knew that Xiao Jiu'an would not want her life. She was the only bloodline left in the Xiao Family, and Xiao Jiu'an would still spare her life no matter what. If she did not know this, she would never dare to be so bold.

"This King trusted you before, but unfortunately, you have disappointed This King." He once trusted Shiqing, and if not for his trust in her, Shiqing would not have her current status in the army.

And now, he had to take back this trust.

"Big Brother, your trust in me is not comparable to Xiao Shaorong's. As long as you trust me, I will let this go. Will you trust me?" This was the most aggrieved thing about Xiao Shiqing. She was the Infanta of Prince Yanbei's Mansion, but her authority was not as high as Xiao Shaorong's.

Xiao Jiu'an would rather give some secret matters and power to Xiao Shaorong than let her touch them.

"So, you are blaming This King?" Xiao Jiu'an suddenly wanted to laugh.

Although he was not close with Shiqing, he did his best to fulfill his responsibilities that an elder brother would have, and he even did more than that, yet Shiqing blamed him for not giving her enough?

If Shiqing wanted to complain over this, did Ji Yunkai have the right to complain even more?

He was not a good husband to Ji Yunkai.

"No, I don't dare to blame you. I can only blame myself for not being good enough to meet my Big Brother's expectations." Xiao Shiqing knew that Xiao Jiu'an did not like women who cried, and so, she did not cry and faced him like a man.

"You dare not blame me?" Earlier in the day, he asked Ji Yunkai, "Could it be that you dare to blame This King?" Like Shiqing, she told him that she did not dare to and not that she did not blame him.

In an instant, Xiao Jiu'an lost the desire to continue talking with Xiao Shiqing, "If there's nothing else, you can go back now. You are not young anymore, and This King will give you another chance. Within this year, either marry yourself off or This King will arrange it."

Xiao Shiqing was already twenty-one. Even if her status was not low, it would not be easy for her to marry at that age, but what did that have to do with him?

He had mentioned this five years ago, and it was she who refused to marry. It was she who insisted on going to the military camp, and he had helped her and given her a chance.

"Big Brother, you want to marry me off?" Xiao Shiqing tightly clenched her hands, and only then was she able to suppress the anger within her.

Who did Xiao Jiu'an think he was? He was just a bastard who wanted to marry her off!

If he married her off, wouldn't he be the only one left in Prince Yanbei's Mansion?

She would never agree!

"Big Brother, I'm not marrying." Xiao Shiqing bit her lips until it bled, before saying "Big Brother".

Right now, before she turned against Xiao Jiu'an, she still needed to force Xiao Jiu'an to yield due to their relationship as brother and sister.

"What do you want to do if you don't want to marry? Shiqing, you are already twenty-one, if you still don't marry now, you won't be able to in the future." Xiao Jiu'an was determined to kick this trouble out this time.

"Must I marry?" Xiao Shiqing did not want to call him "Big Brother" anymore, so she could not call him out.

"You have to." Xiao Shiqing should be glad that she was the only one left of Prince Yanbei's Mansion's bloodline; otherwise, she would not have the chance to ever get married.

Knowing that she was powerless to change it, Xiao Shiqing simply replied, "Alright, then I'll marry the Emperor."

"The Emperor? Do you want to be empress? " Xiao Jiu'an looked at Xiao Shiqing playfully.

He did not think that the position would be so attractive to Shiqing, but what if the Phoenix Pendant was added in with that position?

Ji Yunkai's Phoenix Pendant fell into another's hands and its whereabouts were unknown, but Xiao Shiqing, all of a sudden, asked to marry the Emperor?

This little sister of his must not have a brain. He truly looked down on her.