77 Chapter Seventy-Seven

Ying Yucheng had never regretted anything so much!

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Ying Yucheng went into the city early in the morning, left his horse at the inn, and asked the waiter to feed it good water and food.

He then wandered around the city, asking around among the vendors at the morning market.

He only knew that Xie Lang's sudden arrival in Ying was unusual, and he had the idea to give it a try, but he never expected that Xie Lang would actually succeed!

After Xie Lang discovered the spies he had arranged, he shook them off. If he had nothing to hide, why would he shake them off?

His father often said that he lacked the courage to be a general, that he was too soft-hearted. In the past, he didn't agree, and didn't think that having too much bloodlust was a good thing. At that time, his father would just shake his head at him and say that he would understand in the future.

Now he understands.

Ying Yucheng had never regretted it so much!

Why did he hesitate? This regret keeps him awake at night; he should have kidnapped his cousin without hesitation!

It's better than falling into a raging torrent and not knowing whether you're alive or dead!

He sent men to keep a close eye on Xie Lang, but fortunately, Xie Lang was too powerful, and there were many people watching him; having many debts meant he had nothing to worry about. His men were like a drop of water mixed into the ocean, without alerting the enemy.

After waiting for half a year, finally...

Fortunately, he knew his cousin fairly well, and it was also a stroke of luck that he overheard people discussing the clinic and medicinal herb fields at the wonton stall. Like a thunderbolt striking his head, everything became clear. He didn't care about anything else and hurriedly inquired his way here.

Upon arriving at the clinic, he found it quite popular. A surge of pride rose within him; his cousin was just like that—resilient, growing stronger no matter where she was placed. She possessed the pride of his Ying family!

Upon hearing the voice, Liu Qingqing first exchanged a glance with Xie Lang. After realizing that it was addressed to Miss Liu, she felt a pang of anxiety and hurriedly went to greet her.

Seeing her impatient steps, Xie Lang's eyes were deep, and he followed her closely.

Ying Yucheng stood at the entrance of the clinic. He was initially delighted when he saw his cousin's rosy face. The next moment, he saw Lord Xie's dazzlingly handsome face. Ying Yucheng was stunned for a moment, then scoffed inwardly.

I'm so late in thanking you, sir!

Xie Lang fell behind Liu Qingqing, and after standing still, he smiled at General Ying.

Ying Yucheng gasped, no longer watching him move towards his cousin, but instead tracing every inch of her face with his eyes, only breathing a sigh of relief when he saw no injuries.

Without uttering a single word, it seemed as if a thousand words had already been spoken.

Xie Lang's eyes darkened as his gaze fell on Liu Qingqing's face, slowly moving from the tips of her cute ears to the side of her face.

Without turning her head, Liu Qingqing could feel the heavy weight, like a wolf-hair brush dipped in ink in winter, sticky and cold, brushing against her neck. It made her neck go numb.

General Ying's eyes reddened, Liu Qingqing was slightly surprised, and Xie Lang's expression was unfriendly.

For a moment, the three powers stood in a stalemate, but no one spoke.

Fu Xiuzhu happened to be helping a patient out of the house when he glanced at them and was momentarily surprised. After seeing the patient off, he turned back and, without being asked, stopped right next to them!

"Is this an old friend of Miss Lin's? It's noisy at the entrance, why don't we go inside and talk?"

After saying that, he looked Ying Yucheng and Xie Lang up and down.

"This is my elder brother."

Fu Xiuzhu smiled kindly and looked at Liu Qingqing, "And who is this?"

For a moment, an eerie silence fell over the entrance of the clinic.

Ying Yucheng paused for a moment, glanced at his cousin, then his gaze slid over the unhappy face of the man behind his cousin, and then a difficult sentence made Xie Lang and Fu Xiuzhu fall silent as well.

"I am the cousin who almost got engaged to my cousin."

Liu Qingqing: "..."

Xie Lang: "..."

"Why did you just tell me that my cousin was looking for Miss Liu? Are you mistaken?"

Ying Yucheng then looked at the handsome man properly, frowning. His gentle tone was so similar to that of Lord Xie in the past, which only made him feel extremely annoyed.

Ying Yucheng replied calmly, "Then you must have misheard."

Fu Xiuzhu: "..."

How come they got into a fight after just a few words?

Liu Qingqing had no choice but to lead Ying Yucheng to the backyard first. The two walked ahead, passing Xie Lang without glancing at either of them. A dark fire ignited in Xie Lang's eyes. He paused for a moment, then slowly followed.

The three of them entered the study one after the other. Although this cramped little room was called a study, it was worlds apart from the one in Jialan Garden.

After the two tall men entered, neither giving way to the other, they squeezed the room so tightly it looked like it was about to crack.

The room was simply furnished; apart from tables and cabinets, there were only two bamboo rattan chairs for sitting.

One was behind the wooden table, and the other was next to a low table in the corner.

The two men stood side by side in front of her, both looking at her with deep eyes.

Liu Qingqing: "..."

She glanced at the corner and hesitated for a moment. She couldn't afford to offend either of these two. If she had a good relationship with Xie Lang in the past, she would have let her cousin sit down.

But now, in her eyes, the two of them are outsiders.

Suddenly, two birds chirped from the eaves, and Xie Lang's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Liu Qingqing suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and softly called out to him, "My lord."

Unexpectedly, she knew he was his person as soon as she heard it.

Xie Lang felt a warmth rise in his chest; how intelligent his wife was!

The next moment, he saw her frown and look at him.

Although she didn't say it explicitly, Xie Lang knew she was urging him to deal with other matters.

She found him annoying, and Xie Lang's eyes instantly turned cold. His fingers tightened, causing his veins to ache, and his heart felt empty.

But he was unwilling to let General Ying laugh at him, so he forced himself to swallow the bitterness and smiled at her with a slight raised eyebrow as if nothing had happened, "I understand."

He was gradually changing. He watched him leave the study, but turned to look at him as he was about to leave. Xie Lang didn't close the door. Seeing that Liu Qingqing's delicate brows were furrowed again, Xie Lang pursed his lips and closed the door halfway, but not completely.

Ying Yucheng was her cousin, with whom she had almost been engaged, so naturally there had to be a distinction between men and women, unlike him who was her biological brother.

She raised her eyebrows at her through the gap, and Liu Qingqing nodded slightly.

Xie Lang nodded in imitation of her, then looked at Ying Yucheng intently before having to leave when the birdsong resumed.

This scene unfolded before Ying Yucheng's eyes, and their unspoken understanding made him frown. Ying Yucheng opened his lips as if to say something, but closed them again when his cousin looked at him.

After Xie Lang left, Liu Qingqing smiled at Ying Yucheng and gestured for him to sit down in the rattan chair.

There was only one empty chair, which was really awkward. Luckily, Xie Lang left first.

But a thought popped into her mind—Xie Lang was unusually well-behaved today, like the big dog kept by the village chief of Shennv Village.

She suddenly remembered what Granny Li had once told her: living with a man is like training a dog; if he's obedient, you coax him; if he bares his teeth, you whip him.

Granny Li had never been married and lived with a man before, so she thought Granny Li was joking, but...

She shook her head, temporarily dismissing the ridiculous thought.

When she looked up, she saw her cousin staring at her, his gaze filled with indescribable guilt and sadness. Liu Qingqing quickly composed herself and stopped thinking about anything else.

She didn't speak, but waited for her cousin with a smile on her lips.

Her cousin should know that her mother is now a princess...

For a moment, she didn't know how to face her cousin. He was good to her, but he had helped her keep it a secret. She felt strangely conflicted, like sweet potato porridge mixed into sour soup noodles.

Furthermore, could her shallow relationship with her cousin compare to that of the Regent's Palace?

She didn't want to be disappointed again.

Ying Yucheng's brows furrowed with sadness. "It's been so long. How have you been, cousin?"

"Very well, how is it, cousin?" Liu Qingqing replied politely.

Unbeknownst to Liu Qingqing, he left the backyard, turned around, and leaped onto the roof. He quietly lifted the tiles.

He prided himself on his integrity and had always disdained doing this kind of thing, or would have Xie Wu do it. But now... he was unwilling to entrust it to someone else.

He had to see her for himself; he wished he could hold her in his mouth and swallow her whole, keeping her under his watchful eye at all times!

Ying Yucheng's gaze was as gentle as water, while Xie Lang's neck veins bulged, and she really wanted to gouge out Ying Yucheng's eyes!

But she refused, and he was afraid she would hurt herself, so he could only endure it!

Even though he was in excruciating pain and extremely agitated inside, Xie Lang clenched his fist, and the careful bandaging of the stinging spot by her made him feel much better.

Suddenly, birds started chirping incessantly in the tree, and Xie Liu urged him from the tree, indicating that something urgent had happened. Even Xie Lang, who was usually engrossed in politics, seemed reluctant to leave.

He has recently experienced many emotions he had never felt before.

One last look at the rooftop where she was; even the most ordinary rooftop seemed more pleasing to the eye because of her. Swallowing his reluctance, Xie Lang vanished in a flash.

Xie Lang sneaked back to his bedroom in the detached courtyard and changed into his blood-stained nightgown.

"My lord, your face needs to be paler."

The gentleman had just returned from the lady's place, his face was rosy, and he didn't look like he was seriously injured.

The messenger was waiting outside the hall. Xie Lang, leaning against the soft pillow, looked like he was barely getting up. Hearing the sound, he thought for a moment, then tore open the knife wound on his wrist again. Instantly, the cut broke open and blood flowed freely. The pain made his face turn pale and transparent, cold sweat appeared on his forehead, a few strands of hair stuck to his face, and his nightgown stuck to his body.

Xie Wu's face also turned pale. He reached out but couldn't stop them, and hesitated to speak.

Xie Lang glanced at him and said, "Let him in."

Xie Wu swallowed his words and went out to let someone in.

The messenger was a confidant of the local prefect, and the letter was truly unexpected.

"My lord, our spies in the Northern Qiang have reported that the Second Prince of the Northern Qiang has not shown his face for six months. Our men suspect that the Second Prince of the Northern Qiang is in Yingcheng!"

Xie Lang lifted his eyelids: "Why do you make this deduction?"

"The second prince of the Northern Qiang was born from a marriage alliance with the eldest princess of the Northern Rong, but the Great Khan does not favor him. It is said that the eldest prince has a violent temper and, relying on his mother's close childhood relationship with the Great Khan, he has always looked down on others. He has already declared that if he ascends to the top, he will drive away everyone else. It is self-evident who this 'everyone else' is."

"The Second Prince has the support of the Northern Rong, so he must be looking to turn the tide. Last time, the late Emperor and the Marquis led the army to defeat the Northern Rong Khan. If the Second Prince can avenge this defeat, the Khan will naturally think more highly of him."

Xie Lang nodded: "Understood. Do you have a portrait of the Second Prince?"

The man shook his head: "The second prince lives a secluded life. He says he has a scar on his face and often wears a mask when he is out. He doesn't like having his portrait painted. Others know that the second prince is sensitive about this, so they don't go to see him."

"Alright, I understand. You may leave now."

After everyone had left, Xie Lang fell into deep thought. The waters of Ying City were deeper than he had imagined.

It seems unlikely that things will end well anytime soon; there's a lingering sense of impending doom.

But then Xie Lang thought of something else: if anything happened to Yingcheng, he would definitely protect her. But would she listen to him?

The real test is to capture a few people alive to probe the situation.

"Give the order to have the soldiers hidden in the shadows in Yingcheng disperse and go into hiding. Especially near the military supplies depot, follow any unfamiliar faces secretly first, and only act upon further orders if anything unusual happens."

He has been feigning death in his private quarters recently, and sure enough, some forces in the shadows have already begun to act.

He sent people to keep an eye on him. He wasn't afraid of anything else, but he was afraid that the person might become a traitor and cause a pincer movement from both inside and outside.

After settling things on this side, Xie Lang submitted a memorial to the Regent.

Recently, calls for a grand wedding and the establishment of an empress have been growing in the court, causing the young emperor to become increasingly stubborn and distracted from state affairs. Although the regent has been in charge of the government, if the young emperor were to abdicate, many civil and military officials would certainly disagree.

Whether to retreat or not is not always the young emperor's decision alone; those behind him each have their own agendas. In the past, when they disagreed on political views, the regent was quite assertive, and the young emperor's presence helped, though they feared that the regent would seize power and then purge them.

Secondly...

The princess has been in a coma for six months.

When the news of Liu Qingqing's "sudden death" reached the Prince's Mansion and then the Princess Consort's ears, she personally led a search party. By then, Liu Qingqing had already fled to the outskirts of the capital, so they found nothing.

In her panic, the princess frantically tried to retrieve the soul-summoning lamp, but the flame flickered and burned weakly before suddenly going out just as she breathed a sigh of relief. Her blood rushed to her head, and the extreme agitation triggered a severe injury in her brain, causing her to faint. She never woke up again.

Li Ying's insistence on accompanying Wei Mingzhao this time might be related to this. Back when Wei Mingzhao was still in the capital, Li Ying frequently visited, pressing him for information about his sister's whereabouts. If he knew, he could send his sister to see their mother, who would be most worried about her. If his sister came, their mother would surely wake up!

well.

Xie Lang sighed softly, feeling that everything inside and out was in complete chaos.

Xie Wu watched from the side, utterly astonished.

From the time the master got married until his wife disappeared... the master became more and more human.

If Xie Wanyan saw this, she would definitely clap her hands and laugh at Xie Lang for finally acting like a human being.

After finishing everything here, as darkness fell outside, Xie Lang could no longer stay any longer.

Having not seen her for several hours, Xie Lang felt empty and anxious. He had managed to come this far because he had important business to attend to!

After changing into a moon-white robe, Xie Lang left the villa through the underground passage.

As they reached the small courtyard at the other end of the tunnel and were about to push open the iron gate, Xie Lang stopped and gave Xie Wu a look, signaling Xie Wu to step back behind him.

The courtyard was quiet, with only the faint sound of the wind.

The visitor was unaware that Xie Lang had excellent hearing, and a steady breathing sound was hidden in the wind.

Xie Lang reached behind him, and Xie Wu immediately handed him the long sword.

Xie Lang gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, pushed open the door, and leaped out, only to find that the person who came was an acquaintance—Ying Yucheng!

General Ying, holding a long sword, followed the sound and strode forward to meet the attacker.

Just as Ying Yucheng raised his knife, Xie Lang, who had already taken the lead, leaped up with his sword, turned in mid-air, and slashed down. They started fighting without even exchanging glances.

Swords clashed, sparks flew.

A clear, ringing sound echoed in the quiet courtyard.

Although they were in the suburbs, the noise startled the dogs of a neighbor in the distance, who barked incessantly, so the two reluctantly gave up.

Ying Yucheng had no other thoughts; he only regretted not taking his cousin with him back then!

Xie Lang sneered as he saw the angry glare from him. "Young General Ying actually has the nerve to challenge me?"

"I haven't asked you yet, did you give Madam that medicine? General Ying, do you know how harmful that medicine is?"

Xie Lang asked in a cold, low voice.

Upon hearing this, Ying Yucheng was furious. "That medicine is meant to save my cousin's life; it should only be used in life-or-death situations. How dare you, Lord Xie, humiliate my cousin by forcing her to use this medicine and then flee the Marquis's mansion to die!"

Both were unconvinced, exchanged a glance, and then rose up and used their lightness skills to fly out of the market.

On the desolate mountainside of the Regent's residence, guards stood watch on the perimeter, and no one dared to approach. The moment the two landed, swords flashed and shadows danced.

"That medicine was given by my cousin's mother! How could the Princess Consort harm her own daughter?"

Ying Yucheng actually brought this matter, which he already knew all along, to the forefront, which shows his dissatisfaction with Xie Lang's discontent!

"You think my mother-in-law is a princess just because you say so?"

Xie Lang refused to acknowledge it!

"If I say my father is Li Jing, the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King, then wouldn't I be Nezha?"

Lord Xie was so reckless that Ying Yucheng stared in astonishment!

Their eyes met, their gazes blazing like thunder.

Both men wielded swords and were unwilling to submit to each other!

General Ying's eyes burned like fire, dazzling in the darkness. Xie Lang's eyes, however, were icy cold.

General Ying gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands, quickly raised it, and slashed down with all his might!

Xie Lang instinctively dodged, but barely managed to catch the attack with the blade of his sword. Xie Lang staggered back several steps, his footsteps echoing through the grass and kicking up mounds of earth before he finally came to a stop.

Xie Lang suddenly turned to the side and vomited a mouthful of blood. The blood flowed from the corner of his lips, and on his pale face, at first glance, he looked like a mountain demon.

He looked at Ying Yucheng with a chilling gaze, wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, and then chuckled calmly, "Trying to snatch someone from me? Young General Ying, don't even dream about it. That's my wife."

Xie Lang immediately sneered, "Young General Ying, I'm not dead yet."

Having said that, he took advantage of Ying Yucheng's stunned moment and flew away into the vast night.

Ying Yucheng blinked, and the person who had been pouring out his anger ran away, leaving him suddenly empty-handed.

He looked at Xie Wu, who was still standing to the side and hadn't left with them, and asked in confusion, "Your master?"

Why did they run away even though they could have won the fight?

Xie Wu shook his head, then bowed to Ying Yucheng before leaving.

Left alone, Ying Yucheng stood there, speechless with a sense of bewilderment, as if he had drawn his sword and looked around.

Under the cover of night, Xie Langqian returned to the backyard of the clinic.

After hesitating for a long time, his fingers curled up, but he still pushed open her door.

He couldn't rest easy without seeing her.

Liu Qingqing was sleeping soundly, but suddenly dreamed of a thick python in the forest, which was sitting up and staring at her.

Those bloodshot eyes and their cold, menacing gaze jolted her awake.

She opened her eyes and immediately sensed something was wrong; there was someone in the room.

She glanced to the side and saw a figure standing by the bed.

She knows it all too well!

How many times had she been frightened like this when she was still in the Marquis's mansion!

Liu Qingqing became angry and got up.

He coughed twice, and when Liu Qingqing looked up again, she saw blood at the corner of his lips. She quickly looked around and, even though there was no candlelight in the room, she could still see the blood on his body by the dim moonlight.

How did you get injured again?

Before Liu Qingqing could ask, she saw him open his hand to her; the bright red blood had already congealed into scabs. But as he opened his palm, the wound reopened and bled again.

I wanted to scold him for coming whenever he wanted, but when I saw his blood, I sighed softly.

He stood by the bed without speaking, his deep, dark gaze hooked onto her like a hook. When she looked at him, he took a step forward as if standing under a moonlit river, and brought his hand closer to her eyes, as if wanting her to see him more clearly.

It looked like a big dog that had come back from a fight and was injured, seeking comfort; its eyes were so pitiful.

Liu Qingqing could see more clearly now that the wound she had bandaged that morning had reopened. Just as she was about to move, someone suddenly knocked lightly on the door.

"cousin?"

Ying Yucheng called softly from outside the room, and Xie Lang instantly turned around and stared at the door, his imposing aura spreading out.

[Author's Note]

Next chapter preview:

"Sir, please return through the back window."

From the back window? Let him go back?

Why should we let him go back?!

He and she were a married couple arranged by their parents!