Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

In front of the Green Phoenix Hall.

Hearing Ye Ping’s words, Xia Qingmo knew that he didn’t want to elaborate further, so she didn’t ask much.

She knew that Ye Ping’s Eldest Senior Brother, Su Changyu, was a supreme Sword Immortal and hence, his matter must be of great importance.

When she heard Ye Ping ask about her situation, Xia Qingmo’s heart sank a little.

“I’ve been fine lately. Whenever I’m bored, I’ll look at the paintings you gave me.”

Xia Qingmo answered with a faint smile.

She then continued to speak.

“Senior Brother Ye Ping, since you’re here, I’ll take you for a walk in the palace.”

Xia Qingmo did not invite Ye Ping to her bedchamber.

In the palace, she wasn’t favored and often felt lonely too. There was nothing she could use to entertain Ye Ping either.

In addition, she was now about to get married, and if she invited Ye Ping to her bedchamber, the palace maids would certainly report to the Crown Prince. They might even cause unnecessary trouble for Ye Ping.

“Alright.”

Ye Ping nodded and said.

Sitting together for a chat would be too boring, so she thought that they might as well go out for a walk.

Both of them walked side by side.

Xia Qingmo was very familiar with the palace. She took Ye Ping on a tour around the palace and along the way, they admired the beautiful scenery while Xia Qingmo continuously explained to Ye Ping about some interesting things.

The palace of the Great Xia Dynasty was massive and extraordinary.

It was worlds apart from the palace of Jin Nation.

At this moment, someone interrupted, “Princess Qingmo, what are you doing here? Your wedding gown has been prepared, please go try it on and see if it fits and if there’s anything you’re not satisfied with.”

An old palace maid immediately stepped forward and said to Xia Qingmo when she saw her and Ye Ping strolling around the palace.

Xia Qingmo, who was initially smiling, had her face turn sullen as she gritted her teeth.

A moment later, she said calmly, “I still have something to handle, I’ll try it on another day.”

Xia Qingmo said.

“Princess Qingmo, you must decide on your wedding gown today. Please come with me.”

The old palace maid said to Xia Qingmo without much respect in her tone.

Xia Qingmo was the least favored princess in the Great Xia Dynasty.

Although the servants didn’t dare to insult her, they only showed her basic respect and nothing more.

“Wait for me to send my friend back.”

Xia Qingmo said indifferently before looking at Ye Ping.

“Senior Brother Ye Ping, I have some things to do now, I’m afraid I can’t accompany you anymore. Where do you live? I’ll send you back.”

Xia Qingmo said, forcing herself to smile.

Ye Ping nodded. Since Xia Qingmo had something to do, he naturally wouldn’t continue wandering around the palace on his own.

“Wedding gown? Princess Qingmo, are you getting married?”

Ye Ping asked.

He didn’t expect that Princess Qingmo was going to get married after he hadn’t seen her for such a long period of time.

Hearing Ye Ping’s question, Xia Qingmo somehow felt her heart ache a little as an indescribable emotion arose within it.

When she first met Ye Ping, he was like a hero who saved her, the damsel in distress. Hence, Xia Qingmo felt extremely grateful.

Afterwards, she gradually developed some feelings for him in the Qingyun Dao Sect.

When she was about to leave the Qingyun Dao Sect, she learned that Ye Ping was Householder Qing Lian, the poet whom she had always been a fan of. At that time, Xia Qingmo couldn’t help but develop some affection for him.

After returning to the palace, she continued to live her life in boredom as usual, but when she looked at the paintings that Ye Ping gave her, as well as her collection of poems by Householder Qing Lian, her feelings for him grew stronger.

However, Xia Qingmo knew that it was impossible for her and Ye Ping to be together.

Regardless of whether Ye Ping liked her or not, she had a marriage arranged for her, and she didn’t have a choice at all.

Hence, she was over the moon when Ye Ping came to visit her today because she knew that she didn’t have much time left to spend with him. Hence, she treated it as their last meeting.

The reason being, after she married into the Great Ze Dynasty, she would no longer get to have any more interactions with Ye Ping.

However, after Ye Ping knew that she was going to get married and asked her about it, Xia Qingmo stayed silent because she didn’t know how to answer him.

“What’s the matter? Why do you suddenly look so displeased?”

When Ye Ping saw Xia Qingmo’s expression, he couldn’t help but show her some concern. ‘Why did Xia Qingmo immediately look sad at the mention of this matter?’

Ye Ping immediately had a conjecture.

When the marquis of the Great Xia Dynasty came to the Qingyun Dao Sect to bring Xia Qingmo away, everyone felt that Xia Qingmo wasn’t favored in the palace.

At that time, his second Senior Brother, Xu Luochen, also sighed and lamented that the royal family was extremely cruel. An unfavored princess like Xia Qingmo was sent to be in an arranged marriage.

“Senior Brother Ye Ping, I’m fine.”

Xia Qingmo explained while forcing herself to smile.

She continued to say, “In a while, I’ll leave the Great Xia Dynasty to marry the third prince of the Great Xia Dynasty. I can’t bear to leave this place.”

Although Xia Qingmo tried to look as indifferent as she could, she was obviously melancholic.

Ye Ping immediately secretly thought to himself that Xu Luochen had guessed correctly.

“Princess Qingmo, are you not willing to marry the third prince of the Great Ze Dynasty?”

Ye Ping asked.

Xia Qingmo was one of his very few friends, so if he could help her when she was faced with a difficult situation, he would naturally try his best to help.

Seeing how glum and melancholic Xia Qingmo was, he knew that she definitely wasn’t willing to get married.

That was very normal. Anyone who was being forced into a marriage alliance would naturally be displeased.

Besides, she was being made to marry into another nation.

Ye Ping had also heard that the princesses who married princes of another nation would lead lives that were even more miserable than concubines.

Xia Qingmo was silent.

She was naturally unwilling to accept it, but she didn’t have a choice at all.

However, there was nothing she could do even though she was reluctant.

She knew that Ye Ping was concerned about her and hence wanted to help her, but even if she told him about it, there was nothing he could do.

Xia Qingmo still remembered what the Crown Prince said to her after she returned to the palace.

If the Crown Prince found out that Ye Ping wanted to help her, it would definitely lead to greater trouble.

Looking at Xia Qingmo’s behavior, Ye Ping already knew of the outcome even though she refused to say anything.

However, he wondered how he could help Xia Qingmo solve the problem.

After all, it concerned the marriage alliance between the Great Xia Dynasty and the Great Ze Dynasty and there was nothing he could do to help.

He reckoned that only the emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty would be able to change such a matter.

‘Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty?’

Ye Ping’s heart skipped a beat and he wondered if he should seek help from Su Changyu.

Xia Qingmo was not only his friend but also the close friend of everyone in the Qingyun Dao Sect. There was no way Su Changyu would leave Xia Qingmo in the lurch.

Ye Ping thought that Su Changyu should be able to put in a word for her in front of the emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty.

“Princess Qingmo, I will just go back by myself, since you are not willing to get married, I’ll help you.”

Ye Ping said, looking at Xia Qingmo.

Xia Qingmo was stunned. Looking at Ye Ping, her heart suddenly raced and the melancholy on her beautiful face was soon replaced by a heartfelt smile.

“Thank you, Senior Brother Ye Ping.”

Xia Qingmo thanked Ye Ping.

Previously, she didn’t want to let Ye Ping know about it, but now, she did not turn him down.

“We’re friends, and friends should help each other when in need.”

Ye Ping said with a faint smile.

He decided that he would go straight back to tell Su Changyu about it and see if he was willing to help.

If all else failed, he would try and come up with another solution.