At those words, Chu Wenzong's heart, which had been in his throat, slowly settled back into place.
If she could fall asleep, she must have more or less accepted it.
Then he remembered what the Empress had told him last night.
When the Empress had said there seemed to be something going on between the State Preceptor and that girl Yu'er, he had immediately denied it.
But now, looking at it again, a man as upright and unbending as the State Preceptor had actually made a bet with that little girl?
Could there really be something between them?
The State Preceptor had recovered from his illness now, and he was a fine man. If he ended up with that sister Chu Wenzong had acquired out of nowhere, that seemed pretty good too!!!
Chu Wenzong's thoughts wandered rather far afield.
Qing Qianxue studied the expressions of those present, then continued:
"Barring any surprises, the Elder Princess's inner voice will gradually fade over the next few days. She may seem carefree, but she is sensitive at heart. When the time comes... I hope everyone can act just as they always have."
"When I saw her today, I realized she cared deeply about whether everyone treated her well because she made things easier for them, or because they truly liked her.
"She feels insecure about this. If any of you are involved with her purely for your own benefit, then... please stay away from her from now on. Otherwise..."
Qing Qianxue left the rest unsaid.
But everyone heard the warning in his voice.
He was warning everyone present, including the Emperor and Empress, whom he ordinarily treated with respect.
"That won't happen. I failed her by not noticing any of this sooner."
Jiang He's heart clenched painfully once again.
Endless self-reproach surged up,