Chapter 48

The night was quiet.

Li Wan walked to the wooden door of the front hall to prepare for bed when she suddenly felt a tall, thin figure standing behind her. She was startled and about to speak when the person tightly covered her mouth, saying, "Don't move!"

A hoarse, terrifying voice rang in her ears. Li Wan froze, and said in disbelief, "Lin Youke?"

Lin Youke let out a cold laugh, a laugh that seemed to be squeezed out from deep in his throat, "You really are Jiang Feiwan."

His grip loosened slightly, but he still held her chin firmly. "Xie Qi killed Xiao Xian and Consort Xue, causing rivers of blood to flow in the royal family. I managed to escape by chance, but I could only hide here and there, like a rat in a gutter, for three years. Until the day before yesterday, I suddenly saw you."

He glanced at Li Wan from the side, his thin, bony face twitching. "Heh, are you a human or a ghost?" He laughed again. "Whether you're a human or a ghost, as long as you can avenge Xie Qi, that's enough."

"Come with me." Lin Youke growled and dragged Li Wan toward the door.

Li Wan struggled violently and kicked the wooden door hard.

Finally, the commotion outside alerted Lu Liang. He ran out wearing a blue robe, and when he saw the scene in the courtyard, he instantly snapped out of his daze.

"Wanwan!" he whispered, his heart tightening instantly, and he instinctively wanted to rush over to save her.

Just then, several dark figures suddenly darted out from the shadows and blocked his path. The man in the lead, holding a long sword, said to Lu Liang, "Young Master Lu, the Sixth Prince has ordered that this matter is none of your concern. Please do not meddle in other people's business."

Lu Liang stopped in his tracks, his anxious expression freezing instantly. He looked closely and suddenly realized that the person who had kidnapped Awan was none other than the fugitive, Young Master Lin, whom His Majesty had been pursuing for the past few years.

How did Awan get involved with Lin Youke and the Sixth Prince?

Lu Liang glanced at the knife in front of him, then at Li Wan, who was being dragged along by Lin Youke, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes. Regardless of why A Wan had offended Lin Youke and the Sixth Prince, since the Sixth Prince had sent someone, it meant he knew about his relationship with A Wan. If he didn't listen, he would definitely not be able to go to Liangzhou with the Sixth Prince in the future, and there would be no way out.

Lu Liang unconsciously clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, but he hesitated to take another step forward.

Li Wan's gaze fell on Lu Liang, taking in his struggle and hesitation.

She was unusually calm, not disappointed, but rather felt a strange sense of relief.

Li Wan was dragged out of the Lu residence gate, where Lin Youke had already prepared a carriage.

He wanted to bring Li Wan to Xie Qi's side and then kill her with his own hands. More than escaping, he wanted to see Xie Qi suffer, just as he had suffered when he saw Consort Xue's corpse.

Just then, the sound of clashing hooves broke the silence of the night.

Lin Youke showed a hint of panic. He subconsciously pulled Li Wan closer to him, his arm tightly around her neck.

Soon, a group of imperial guards escorted a figure to the courtyard gate. The man at the head was dressed in a bright yellow brocade robe with dragon patterns, tall and handsome. His gaze fell on the red marks on Li Wan's neck left by Lin Youke, and his face darkened.

"Lin Youke, release her, and I'll leave you with a whole corpse." His voice wasn't loud, but it was as sharp as a knife, making people's legs go weak involuntarily.

Lin Youke remained surprisingly calm. A dagger slipped from his sleeve and was held against Li Wan, his eyes filled with malice. "Xie Qi, I no longer care about life or death. I only want to kill her if I have one left." He paused, then said to Xie Qi, word by word, "Or you."

"Alright!" Xie Qi suddenly laughed, opening his arms wide. "I'll be right here. Come and kill me."

Lin Youke suddenly revealed a sinister smile. "Alright." He answered, and made a step toward Xie Qi, but the short knife in his hand suddenly rose and stabbed diagonally toward Li Wan.

Just then, a sudden gust of wind arose, and in an instant, Xie Qi was in front of the two of them. He grabbed Lin Youke's wrist with such force that Lin Youke cried out in pain. Immediately afterward, his other hand shot out with lightning speed and pinched Lin Youke's neck.

The next instant, a soft "crack" was heard, and Lin Youke's body instantly stiffened, his eyes widened, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and then his body slumped down behind Li Wan, no longer breathing.

Li Wan staggered back a step, thinking she would fall, but landed steadily in a firm embrace.

Xie Qi's embrace was warm and strong, finally allowing Li Wan's tense nerves to relax.

“Ah Wan.”

Lu Liang stared wide-eyed at the scene before him in disbelief. When he repeatedly confirmed that the person holding Li Wan was indeed His Majesty, he instinctively knelt down.

Li Wan didn't speak, but leaned against Xie Qi's chest and closed her eyes. Lu Liang's selfishness had been laid bare just now, and her silence was her entire attitude towards him.

Looking at the two seemingly perfect people, Lu Liang suddenly realized that he was the one who truly didn't deserve to stay in the capital, and he had the thought of going home.

Xie Qi smiled, glanced at the imperial guard beside him, picked up Li Wan, mounted his horse, and headed straight for the palace.

The imperial guard, being very perceptive, said to Lu Liang, who was kneeling, "Deputy Commander Lu, Prince Duan assisted Lin Youke in his escape, and his title is now in jeopardy. His Majesty, considering that you are from the same hometown as the young lady, will bestow upon you one hundred taels of silver to send you home. What do you think?"

Lu Liang slumped his back in dejection and resignedly said, "Fine."

...

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Imperial Palace.

After taking a bath, Li Wan put on a soft, comfortable light pink nightgown. As soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, she ran straight into Xie Qi's gaze.

...In the pitch-black bedchamber, the nightgown she had just put on silently slipped off. Li Wan felt a burning heat as the probing fingertips touched her, but no one let her go.

It wasn't until the sharp weapon penetrated her that she heard the man say hoarsely in her ear, "Little Madam, I've finally waited for you."

Suddenly, it was as if she had found her home, erasing all the struggles and anxieties of the past three years...

The next day.

Li Wan woke up with aches all over her body, and the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was Xie Qi's beautiful and gentle eyes.

He held her tightly in his arms, as if she were a precious jewel, and whispered, "Good morning, my queen."

[The main story is complete]