Chapter 34 She appears as the two walk towards each other.

Xu Congjing strode closer. Seeing that things were not going well, Yun Lu grabbed Meng Lingshang by the forearm, lifted her up and pulled her away, then quickly let go.

Meng Lingshang staggered back two steps, then steadied herself a moment later. Her thick, long eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Xu Congjing like a startled bird.

His expression was cold and stern, his eyes filled with malice, as he vehemently rebuked her for touching his beloved possession.

"Get out." He was clearly suppressing his anger.

He was only momentarily stunned when he saw the anger in those deep eyes deepen, and then he shouted sharply.

"roll!"

The harsh shout was like a thunderbolt, startling Meng Lingchang. She finally showed her anger, clutching her sleeves and turning away indignantly. But before she could take two steps, a clear, cold voice came from behind her, calling her "Second Madam Meng."

She thought Xu Congjing had suddenly taken a good deed and wanted to apologize, so she raised her eyebrows and turned slightly to wait for him to speak. But to her surprise, the flames in his eyes burned even brighter, enough to incinerate a person. "Whether this trip was your own choice or at someone else's behest, I advise you to give up on this idea."

He had always served under the Crown Prince, who was the son of the late Empress and had always been at odds with the current Empress. Furthermore, Grand Tutor Meng was the Empress's brother and the Emperor's brother-in-law. His daughter's show of goodwill was nothing more than an attempt to use romantic feelings to control and win over the Crown Prince, thereby undermining his power.

He hadn't intended to expose it, but now, in a fit of anger, he showed no mercy and quickly dismissed the idea to avoid future trouble.

After a barrage of criticism, Meng Lingshang's face turned pale and then red, she was furious. "Minister Xu is being far too ruthless."

Xu Congjing stood with his hands behind his back, ignoring the pale and ashen face, and coldly refused, "It would be best for Second Madam to stay away from someone as ruthless as me."

She said no more, a cold sneer beneath her gentle face, gave a faint laugh, and turned to leave.

Xu Congjing ignored him, his mind preoccupied with the swing in his hands. He had built it after Lou Yanxu's divorce, thinking that one day when he brought her into his household, he would surely win her heart. But before Wanwan had even met him, another woman had already sat on it, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable, so he took it apart.

"From Jing".

A sickly voice sounded in his ear. Xu Congjing guessed that Meng Lingshang had complained about him and that his mother had come to scold him. So, before she could speak, he stopped and said, "Mother, it was my fault."

But the mother and son had long depended on each other for survival. With just one glance, Zhang Shi understood his meaning. How could she not understand his good intentions?

Seeing that her son had finished his work, she patted the back of his hand. "Mother knows you're worried that if you anger Madam Meng, I'll be harassed by the noble ladies. But at most, they'll only make things difficult for me; they won't dare do anything. Besides, your mother isn't stupid. How can I let them bully me?"

Xu Congjing gripped his mother's hand in return, staring blankly at the wrinkled, mottled back of her hand. He did indeed have this worry; he hadn't rejected the Meng family's overtures earlier in the main hall, but now he was pondering whether it was the right or wrong decision.

Seeing his hesitation, Madam Zhang said softly, "Today, it was my fault."

“But our bodies and hair are given to us by our parents. I watched you grow thinner and thinner and ruin your body. It broke my heart! So I thought, maybe if you find someone else, you will get over it.”

"When your father and Rou'er passed away, you were in this half-dead state. Now that Lady Lou has left, you are like this again. Have you ever thought that I would also be heartbroken and have my liver torn apart!"

Her eyes reddened, and when she lifted his thin sleeve, she saw countless knife marks. Old wounds had not healed, and new ones had appeared, showing that he was heartbroken and unable to extricate himself from his grief every day.

Xu Congjing never imagined that his nightly nightmares and "murders" under the moonlight would be known to his mother. He quickly pulled his hand out and hid it behind his back, turning his head away. "Mother, you know..." She knows that his beloved is Lou Niangzi, and she knows that he is secretly harming himself. What else does she not know?

His mind was heavy, and his breathing became more rapid as he thought of Lou Yanxu. "She must still be alive, she can't be dead..."

Will she die? Will she die? He dared not even think about it; just the thought made his head feel like it was going to explode. Every part of his body was cold, yet his heart felt like it was being roasted by a raging fire, tormented by intense pain.

"But then I thought, I wronged her and hurt her, she must hate me to the bone for the rest of her life." He grabbed Zhang's dress and slid down to kneel in front of her, tears soaking the ground.

Finally, only a calm, deathly voice could be heard: "Mother, I have lost her."

This outpouring of genuine emotion caused Madam Zhang to cover her mouth and weep uncontrollably, biting her lip and patting his head repeatedly.

“Since you know you’re wrong, you should accept the punishment and atone for your sins. Everyone should do the same…” Hatred spread in her eyes, her hands clenched into fists, and her teeth gritted. “Those who harmed your father and sister will also not escape their fate. If human punishment is ineffective, then Heaven will take its revenge!”

But will fate really take it away?

Xu Congjing looked up and thought to himself that he couldn't count on him. He would avenge his own grievances and atone for his own sins.

Half a month later, he accompanied the emperor to Jiaozhou to discuss the pacification of the internal strife in Annam.

This matter was originally to be carried out in secret, but word got out in Annam, and the monarch had already crossed the sea and was about to land, so they had no choice but to strengthen their defenses and continue the operation.

On that day, the autumn wind was blowing and the streets were bustling with noise. People lined both sides of the streets to welcome the arrival of the emperor. Children were carried on their fathers' shoulders to get a better look and absorb some of the good fortune.

Emperor Xiaokang sat on his palanquin, his brows exuding authority, his gaze sharp as a sword. He nodded slightly, surrounded by guards, but Xu Congjing was nowhere to be seen.

Lou Yanxu concealed herself in the crowd, scanning the area. After a moment, she recognized one of the three merchants who had kidnapped her. While the people on both sides were all beaming with joy, he alone had a gloomy expression, looking out of place. With a flick of her wrist, she drew her dagger. The gleaming blade spun, and sunlight pierced Lou Yanxu's eyes, forcing her to shield them.

A group of people rushed forward, and one of the assassins leaped up, his sharp sword slashing down from above to strike the top of the head. A guard stepped forward to block the attack, and two guards escorted Emperor Xiaokang away.

Swords clashed, people screamed and fled in panic, and the scene was chaotic for a time. A head rolled to Lou Yanxu's feet, its eyes wide open and restless. It was the accompanying interpreter, who was there to discuss the translation between the two sides.

Bloodstains were visible on the ground, and the strong smell of blood filled the air. A horrifying face was right in front of her. She felt a wave of nausea and vomiting, but she couldn't care less about the discomfort. Her eyes were fixed on the merchant. Seeing him chasing after Emperor Xiaokang, she hurriedly ran after him.

Sure enough, his eyes gleamed like a hawk's, ready to pounce. He gripped his shield-like blade and pushed through the crowd, rushing forward. Fortunately, Lou Yan was closer to Emperor Xiaokang and lunged forward, arriving just before the blade reached her. "Watch out!"

A sharp pain shot through her abdomen, so intense that tears streamed down her face, her soul seemed to leave her body, and a sense of impending death overwhelmed her.

She had never been stabbed like this before; it hurt much more than the hairpin that pierced her last time!

Fear, panic.

Is she going to die? She's afraid of dying!

This was truly a case of seeking fortune through danger. She wanted to return to Chang'an, but she would never be a fish on a chopping block; she was determined to achieve glory and wealth. There was no more sound in her ears; she vaguely saw many figures before she finally fainted.

In a daze, she heard whispers, which gradually grew louder and then turned into a chorus of curses. Lou Yan was probably awakened by the pain, and it took her a lot of effort to open her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a bright yellow robe. Her mind gradually returned to normal, and at first glance, she saw that it was indeed Emperor Xiaokang.

"You're awake." He was very kind now, his imposing manner had subsided, and if it weren't for his noble yellow robe, he would be no different from an ordinary father.

"This humble woman greets you..." Her face was pale, but she dared not be rude, so she rose to bow, but was stopped by the arm. "You saved me, there is no need for such formalities."

Yes, it was she who saved the reigning emperor. If the person before him knew that she had meticulously orchestrated this whole affair, he probably wouldn't have enough heads to lose. He used to be ambitious and fearless, daring to scheme against even the emperor, but now, having narrowly escaped death, he's filled with trepidation and dread.

Just as he was lost in thought, Emperor Xiaokang spoke up, "You should take good care of your injuries. If you want any reward, just say so."

Upon hearing this, she tried to move, but the movement aggravated her wound, causing it to twist and ache terribly! She had always been afraid of pain, and at that moment she couldn't understand why she was so willing to risk her life for her future.

She shook her head. "I don't want any reward. I'm just thanking the Emperor for restoring my freedom." That was her excuse. Otherwise, the Emperor, being suspicious, would inevitably suspect her of having ulterior motives.

Emperor Xiaokang was taken aback by these words. He looked at her closely for a moment, and since she had a good memory, she remembered it immediately.

"You are... the wife of the heir apparent of the Marquis of Chenghua?"

Lou Yanxu nodded, her forehead throbbing. "It is thanks to the Emperor's generosity in granting me a divorce certificate that I have survived to this day. I have no way to repay him but my life."

"In that case, you should stay here and rest until you are fully recovered."

Lou Yanxu understood what this meant. Since she had received the Emperor's grace, there was no need to worry about it. She could stay here to recover from her injuries before leaving. However, she thought about it and refused, saying, "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. I was seriously injured in Annam before and survived by sleeping for seven days and seven nights. This is just a minor injury."

Intentionally or unintentionally, she revealed that she had traveled to Annam. The Director of the Court of State Ceremonial Affairs, who had accompanied her as an interpreter, had been assassinated. They urgently needed to find someone, and instead of searching aimlessly, they might as well bring her along as a ready-made solution.

The situation is a mess right now, and Emperor Xiaokang hasn't had time to deal with it yet. She wants to leave and make him come looking for her.

Emperor Xiaokang narrowed his eyes. "You want to leave?"

“The household business cannot be left unattended, so I, your daughter, need to rush back.”

She persisted, and Emperor Xiaokang stopped arguing, ordering people to prepare some gold and silver jewelry, just like how Prince Cheng had dealt with Sheng Ling.

There's no need to refuse.

Lou Yanxu got up and got out of bed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

She went out with her face pale and her wound covered. Emperor Xiaokang stared at her back with a deep look in his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

Xu Congjing hurriedly dismounted at the gate, his brows furrowed in a cold expression, and asked, "Has the Emperor been injured in the assassination attempt?"

He was ordered to go to the border with General Yunhui to protect the monarch of Annam. He had just returned to the city when he heard the news of the emperor's assassination and rushed back without stopping.

The guards who came to greet them caught up and said, "No, a merchant's daughter took the blow."

Xu Congjing didn't think much of it and quickened his pace. Then he heard someone say, "However... with Liu Shuling dying in the street, our negotiations with Annam will probably have to be postponed."

He stopped and frowned. He had originally planned to bring two more interpreters on this trip, but he was too busy with other matters to spare. He thought one would be enough, which was his oversight. Now he needed to find someone who could speak Annam. If he recruited widely, there was no guarantee that someone with ulterior motives wouldn't interfere. If he searched secretly, he didn't know how much time he would waste. It was really going to be tough.

Upon reaching the screen wall, he took off his cloak and handed it to a guard, indicating that he should go in. He strode into the hanging flower gate and saw the covered corridors on either side. He intended to turn left, but upon entering, he bumped into Meng Lingshang who was greeting him, so he turned right instead.

However, on the left side of the corridor, Lou Yanxu was in excruciating pain from her abdominal wound and had to lean against a pillar to rest for a while before getting up and walking.

Thus, the two walked towards each other, one on the left and one on the right, separated by three halls. If either of them turned their head, they would be able to see the other.

However, nothing happened; one person exited through the hanging flower gate, and another entered the east-west passageway.

And so we missed it.

Author's note: See you tomorrow! [Sprinkling flowers]