Chapter 68 Aunt Xue committed suicide by drowning! ...

Xue Lanyi did not give herself time to stop and think.

She feared that if she stopped, she would lose the courage to jump off the cliff again.

She tightened the reins, and the horse reared up, heading straight for the highest and farthest waves.

The oncoming, towering wave slammed into Xue Lanyi's face, causing her great pain, akin to slamming her head against a wall.

My mouth and nostrils were full of quicksand, which was blocking my throat and I couldn't breathe.

All she could see was the murky yellow water, and she couldn't see the road ahead, but her gaze remained fixed on the opposite bank of the Yellow River estuary.

This time, whether we cross to the other side or drift with the current, it doesn't matter.

In the end, she was free.

At this moment, my heart is filled with the vast wilderness and the boundless sky; there is no fear of death.

Suddenly everything became clear; she saw the rainbow atop the towering waves.

When Shadow Seven arrived with his guards, they saw a curved rainbow over the Yellow River.

A woman in red riding a white horse passed through the rainbow gate.

Her long skirt flowed like clouds in the wind, reaching towards the sky.

Just then, a ray of dawn descended from the sky, shining on her magnificent dress, making her radiate golden light. She followed the light upwards, as if she were a celestial being who belonged to the heavens.

"Aunt! Aunt Xue!"

"My aunt has jumped into the river! My aunt has jumped into the river!"

A commotion arose on the shore.

Xue Lanyi could no longer hear it; all she could hear was the ceaseless flow of the water.

Ripples are gentle yet continuous.

She finally passed through the surging water curtain, and suddenly her eyes were filled with light.

It turns out that on the other side of the river, the sky is blue and the clouds are white.

The lush green grassland stretches all the way to the horizon, where it meets the sea of ​​clouds.

Ah Xuan didn't lie to her.

If she had had just a little more courage back then, she could have seen such a vast wilderness where she could roam freely.

pity……

Xue Lanyi was unable to cross it.

Her horsemanship was ultimately inferior; just as the horse's hooves were a few steps away from the opposite bank, the two of them and the horse crossed the apex and suddenly plummeted downwards.

She did her best.

Xue Lanyi turned around and looked deeply at Granny Liu.

Granny Liu didn't know what she was going to do, but she had a bad feeling. "Girl, you..."

Xue Lanyi stuffed Miss Lü's oil paper package into Granny Liu's arms, and with all her might threw Granny Liu toward the shore.

She said she would take Granny Liu ashore.

She did it...

Xue Lanyi smiled knowingly and began to fall.

"Girl! Girl!"

Grandma Liu rolled around on the shore, crawling and rolling to the bank, and reached out to grab Xue Lanyi.

It was too far away; all I could see was the red sleeves fluttering as it fell.

Xue Lanyi was struck and swallowed by a monstrous wave.

My body felt empty, as if my soul had left my body.

This is the most flood-prone river mouth, where the eddies below swallow hundreds of people every year.

This year's torrential rains have resulted in even greater water volume.

Her chances of survival are extremely slim, negligible.

What are you thinking at this moment?

She had only one thought in her mind: if there is an afterlife, she would definitely fly across the Yellow River with him to see the vast world.

I will never waste the spring sunshine again.

Don't let this opportunity slip away again.

What a regret in this life...

Xue Lanyi closed her slightly sore eyes. In her final moments, all she could see was the red-clad boy riding towards her, whip in hand.

She vaguely thought she could also hear the sound of horses' whistles.

The young general's horse whistle was more flamboyant than others, with two more turns, making it longer and crisper.

Every time Xue Lanyi heard the whistle, she knew that her young general had returned to the capital in triumph.

He traveled through the night to see her.

The sound of horses' hooves grew closer.

Was it a dream?

Bang--

In the Imperial Study of Shengjing City, a celadon cup lid suddenly fell to the ground.

It broke.

Porcelain shards shattered and splashed onto the black official boots.

Wei Zhang, seated upright in the armchair on the right, stared at the broken porcelain shards at his feet with a slightly darkened expression.

For no apparent reason, my heart skipped a beat.

He remained silent, and all the ministers of the six ministries in the imperial study fell silent.

The magnificent hall, which had been filled with heated discussions on political affairs, fell silent because of a cup of tea.

"Xue Lanyi is now the principal wife of Prince Xiao, how did she become the wife of the Duke of Wei?"

Shen Jinglan, sitting in the second seat on the left, couldn't help but speak up first, "We just sent Xue Lanyi away, and we haven't even left the capital yet, and the Duke of Wei is already in a hurry to marry her. Has he ever respected His Majesty?"

Wei Zhang then looked away from the broken porcelain shards and said casually, "Didn't I already request an imperial decree?"

It was as if as long as he had requested an imperial decree, he had shown respect to the emperor.

But he claimed to be requesting imperial permission, yet he never actually obeyed the emperor's wishes.

This is clearly forcing the emperor to change his orders every day!

Shen Jinglan gripped the armrest tightly, suppressing his barely contained anger: "Lord Wei, you should consider the bigger picture when you act. Are you going to start a war with Western Qi for a woman?"

“When it comes to considering the overall situation, this humble subject is indeed inferior to Lord Shen… and His Majesty.”

Wei Zhang raised his eyes, leisurely surveyed his surroundings, and fixed his gaze on the young emperor at the head of the table.

"Lords Wang Yu and Zhou Qing have taken very good care of my wife. How can I possibly thank Your Majesty?"

Wang Yu and Zhou Qing were the wedding envoys arranged by Shen Jinglan in the delegation.

Shen Jinglan specifically sent these two trusted confidants to accompany the marriage because he was afraid of causing trouble on the way.

His original plan was that if Xue Lanyi obediently agreed to the marriage, everything would be fine; but if she dared to return to the capital, he would have no choice but to kill her without mercy.

The young emperor was unaware of this matter and looked at Shen Jinglan in surprise.

Shen Jinglan's expression was also somewhat tense. He hadn't expected Wei Zhang to have noticed something amiss with the delegation so quickly.

He had barely taken his first step when Wei Zhang blocked his way.

Shen Jinglan was inevitably panicked. He opened his mouth, but his mind was in a mess, and he couldn't think of any explanation.

Wei Zhang then changed to a fresh cup of tea and slowly skimmed off the foam.

The clinking of the porcelain cups produced a crisp, resonant sound.

Shen Jinglan swallowed hard, feigning composure, "It is only right for the envoys to take care of the princess..."

"Enough. As the saying goes, those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. Those who commit excessive evil will soon reap the bitter fruit of their actions."

Wei Zhang no longer wanted to listen to Shen Jinglan's pointless explanations.

A smile played on his lips, and he nodded politely.

Shen Jinglan, however, did not perceive any kindness in his smile at all, and always felt that his words had a hidden meaning.

Just then, a chilly wind blew in from outside, opening the door to the main hall.

A ray of sunlight shone in, landing squarely on the young emperor.

It was already noon; the morning sun had given way to the scorching heat, no longer gentle.

The piercing light made the young emperor instinctively shield his eyes with his hand, shrinking into a corner of the dragon throne.

Beneath the dragon robe, his frail physique was clearly visible.

Shen Jinglan immediately stood up and stood in the center of the hall, blocking the sharp edge, while looking at Wei Zhang warily.

Wei Zhang took a sip of tea, his movements nonchalant, the golden dragon pattern on his arm reflecting a dazzling light.

Despite having done nothing, Shen Jinglan had a premonition: Wei Zhang's hand would not be withdrawn just because he had taken the position of Grand Secretary; instead, it was reaching out to those in the Mingtang Hall.

In the cold wind, the hem of a dark robe slapped against the armchair, the heavy sound plunging the hall into silence once more.

Inside the imperial study, dozens of ministers, some standing and some sitting, held their breath, not uttering a sound.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellency the Grand Secretary, Prince Xiao... Prince Xiao has been killed by the Yingzhou people!"

At this moment, the old eunuch scrambled up the long steps and knelt outside the imperial study.

"What?"

The young emperor was the first to stand up, his voice slightly soft as he spoke, then he quickly cleared his throat, "Where...where are the others?"

"The entire Western Qi delegation was slaughtered, and five of our officials, including Wang Yu and Zhou Qing, also died protecting Prince Xiao."

The old eunuch banged his head on the ground.

The young emperor's face turned deathly pale as he glanced at Wei Zhang.

Just now, Wei Zhang said that Wang Yu and Zhou Qing would be punished by Heaven, but so quickly, Heaven has taken the lives of these innocent officials.

Even if the young emperor is stupid, he still knows how people die.

He was about to speak and question them.

Shen Jinglan spoke first, "The matter is sudden. All of you, please immediately return to your duties and await His Majesty's summons."

The ministers, unaware of the gravity of the matter, all withdrew.

Shen Jinglan knew that she could not anger Wei Zhang any further at this time.

With Xiao Cheng's death a foregone conclusion, things were about to descend into chaos, and they would have to rely on Wei Zhang to clean up the mess.

Once only three people remained in the imperial study, Shen Jinglan suppressed his anger. "Lord Wei, you killed Prince Xiao for this woman. How are we to explain this to Western Qi? If war breaks out again, how will you explain this to the common people?"

It has already been made clear outside that Yingzhou sent people to assassinate Xiao Cheng.

Shen Jinglan is still fabricating stories and slandering people.

Wei Zhang was losing interest in getting entangled with the likes of Shen Jinglan. He got up and stuffed a secret report into Shen Jinglan's arms.

Shen Jinglan opened the memorial and saw that it read: On his way to the capital, Xiao Cheng mocked the princess of Yingzhou, causing her to hang herself because she could not bear the humiliation.

The King of Yingzhou, grieving the loss of his only daughter, assassinated Xiao Cheng when the kingdom was at its weakest during his absence, seeking revenge for his daughter's death.

This matter concerns the conflict between Western Qi and Yingzhou. What does it have to do with Dayong?

"this……"

Shen Jinglan had indeed heard some rumors about the Princess of Yingzhou and Xiao Cheng, but, "No matter what, Prince Xiao died in our Dayong territory. If Xiqi wants to accuse us of failing in our protection, what can we do?"

Wei Zhang looked slightly impatient and glanced at the young emperor, who was terrified.

"Your Majesty should immediately send a letter to the State, questioning why Western Qi provoked the Princess of Yingzhou during the marriage alliance and what its sincerity was."

"Prince Xiao's numerous romantic escapades have caused my Great Yong to lose a loyal minister. How will Western Qi explain this to Great Yong?"

Wei Zhang was calm and composed; every word he uttered was a rebuttal to the Western Qi.

Shen Jinglan disagreed, saying, "The matter of the Princess of Yingzhou is just hearsay. Western Qi may not acknowledge it, let alone apologize to Dayong."

“They will recognize it,” Wei Zhang said with great certainty.

Then, he brushed past Shen Jinglan and headed out of the Imperial Study.

I don't want to argue with such people anymore.

As he stepped across the threshold, he suddenly remembered something: "My wife, Xue Lanyi, sacrificed herself for the country, but was almost implicated and killed by Prince Xiao. On the day of my wedding, I would like to ask Your Majesty to issue an edict to grant her the title of First Rank Lady as a consolation."

"He, he..."

The young emperor pointed at Wei Zhang's back.

He clearly killed the prince and stole his princess.

Now they've turned black into white and are even going so far as to grant Xue Lanyi an imperial decree!

He... he's simply incomprehensible!

The young emperor angrily kicked the table leg, and his foot hurt.

Wei Zhang had already walked away.

In the empty and deserted hall of Taihe, a figure in a black python robe rode away against the wind, shining brightly alongside the blazing sun on the horizon.

*

The rain has stopped today, but the air is still damp and chilly.

When Qingyang, who was waiting outside Xuanwu Gate, saw Wei Zhang walking out gracefully, he stepped forward and draped a cloak over his master's shoulders. "Is Master going to Wenyuan Pavilion?"

The death of Xiao Cheng is currently causing a sensation in Shengjing, and such bad news will likely reach the Western Qi palace within two or three days.

In the subsequent peace talks between the two countries, to appease the people and mobilize officials, they all had to rely on Wei Zhang.

In the past, when faced with such important national affairs, it was common for him not to return to his residence for three to five days.

"The Minister of Rites and the Minister of War are waiting for you at the Wenyuan Pavilion."

"Everything is in order at Sishui Pass."

"Huh? Hmm!" Qingyang nodded reluctantly.

Wei Zhang did not speak again, and instead of heading towards the Wenyuan Pavilion, he went straight to the carriage outside the palace.

His pace was slightly faster than usual.

He lifted his robe and boarded the carriage, then instructed those outside, "Let's go back to the manor for lunch first."

It's common for adults to be so busy that they don't eat or drink, not to mention that there's food available in the government offices.

At this moment, Fang rushed back to his residence immediately after court, and Qingyang knew very well why.

But Aunt Xue was already...

Qingyang had the words on the tip of his tongue, but for a moment he didn't know how to say them, so he got into the carriage and served incense at the side.

Master and servant each had their own thoughts, and neither spoke a word.

The carriage traveled through Longhu Street towards the Duke's Mansion.

Throughout the journey, Wei Zhang sat upright in the center of the carriage, closing his eyes to rest as usual, with only his hands resting on his knees slightly clasped together.

Qingyang burned incense and glanced at his master out of the corner of his eye through the wisps of smoke.

His cold, stern face was always tense, but from Qingyang's angle, a hint of urgency could be clearly seen.

Although the concubine had only been gone for a day, the master could not leave his own things in someone else's hands for even a moment.

Moreover, the concubine and the master have been at odds for five or six days. Last night, the concubine left, and the master didn't sleep a wink. He must have a lot to say to the concubine.

Qingyang's gaze grew increasingly fearful.

Wei Zhang quickly sensed it and opened his eyes alertly.

Qingyang's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately lowered his head even further. Under Wei Zhang's intense gaze, he frantically tried to figure out how to start the conversation.

After all, losing his aunt was related to Yingqi, and Qingyang wanted to come up with a more reliable explanation to protect his younger brother from being implicated.

His tongue was tied in knots, and he was about to open his mouth when the heavy gaze above him suddenly relaxed.

The carriage was passing by a pastry shop at that moment.

The bright, clear cries of a street vendor disrupted the tense atmosphere in the carriage.

A sweet aroma seeped through the gaps in the curtains, filling the entire carriage.

Through the car window, the proprietress, holding a box of bright yellow candied kumquats, slowly receded from view.

Out of the corner of his eye, Qingyang noticed that his master was completely absorbed in a box of pastries and hadn't come to his senses for a long time.

The master always has a clear goal and rarely gets distracted.

Qingyang was extremely surprised.

When Wei Zhang saw the candied kumquats, that pink and white smiling face involuntarily appeared in his mind.

Suddenly, I remembered that she loved eating these sweet and cloying candied fruits.

Several times, he passed by the window and saw her squatting in the corner with her mouth stuffed full.

Her already thin face was stuffed full and round.

Is it really that delicious? You have to stuff yourself full.

He was puzzled.

However, this time, when she came across the candied fruit that she often loves, an idea came to mind.

He subconsciously touched the money pouch on his sleeve.

He was somewhat curious whether, if he brought her favorite fruit back to the manor today, she would smile with her eyes crinkling like she used to when she welcomed him back.

Wei Zhang knew this was impossible.

Now that he's taken her back from Xiao Cheng, I'm afraid she'll throw a tantrum again.

Wei Zhang also thought carefully about what Qingyang said that night.

Now that he has decided that she is his wife, does he intend to continue fighting every day from now on?

He was also exhausted.

perhaps……

We should comfort her and let bygones be bygones.

Thinking this to himself, Wei Zhang felt a sense of relief. He cleared his throat and ordered Qingyang, "Go to Xingrenzhai and buy some..."

"master!"

Qingyang suddenly knelt down at Wei Zhang's feet.

Having followed Wei Zhang for so many years, this was the first time he had ever seen his master's eyes soften, let alone make concessions and coax him.

From this moment on, Qingyang knew in his heart that the matter of losing Aunt Xue could no longer be covered up.

He slammed his head on the ground, "Master, Aunt Xue has disappeared. Ying Qi has failed in his duties. I am willing to take the punishment in my brother's place!"

Wei Zhang's gentle expression remained on his lips as he remained silent for a long time.

"What do you mean...missing?"

Wei Zhang sent out shadow guards who were both alert and highly skilled in martial arts.

According to the original plan, after the Yingzhou people killed Xiao Cheng, the Shadow Guards were supposed to safely send Xue Lanyi back.

With numerous shadow guards protecting Xue Lanyi, they should have been able to detect even the slightest disturbance inside the room.

But there was absolutely no sound or movement inside the house.

The guards discovered that the room was completely empty after a short while.

The Shadow Guards joined forces with Shadow Seven, who had come to assassinate Xiao Cheng, and together they tracked down Xiao Cheng's trail until they found Xue Lanyi.

At that time, the hillside was covered with white-feathered arrows and bloodstains. Later, they saw that resolute figure on the Yellow River.

"I have failed in my duty! I allowed Prince Xiao to break into my concubine's room, abduct her, and force her to commit suicide by drowning!"

He drowned himself?

Wei Zhang's hand, which was gripping his cuff, tightened, and he was momentarily dazed.

Where are they?

"Not found yet." Qingyang lowered his head even further.

Wei Zhang's stiff fingertips rubbed against his sleeve.

Aren't Xue Lanyi and Xiao Cheng old acquaintances?

Xiao Cheng traveled a great distance to present a state gift, just to take Xue Lanyi away, didn't he?

How could he kill her halfway through?

Wei Zhang did not believe it.

He was more inclined to believe that this was a smokescreen put on by the two of them to help Xue Lanyi escape his clutches.

"Go to the private jail," Wei Zhang said in a deep voice.

The master did not fly into a rage as Qingyang had expected, but his body was filled with a gloomy aura.

The carriage started moving.

The curtains swayed in the breeze, and the flickering light in the carriage illuminated that deeply defined face...

In the old mansion of the Duke, in a desolate place, there was a dark underground prison.

In the cramped space, water flowed and pounded against the bluestone slabs.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

The sound was crisp, cold, and chilling.

Qingyang, holding a lantern, led the way for Wei Zhang.

Deep inside the dungeon, a man of enormous stature, as large as a mountain, was suspended from a rack by his arms, shackled by iron chains.

Blood flowed freely from his naked upper body, soaking his entire body. His disheveled hair hung down in front of his eyes, obscuring his expression.

Only one scarred eye peered out through the messy hair.

Upon seeing Wei Zhang approaching, its eyes, like those of a trapped beast, immediately flashed with ferocity, baring its teeth and lunging at Wei Zhang.

However, his wrists were bound by iron chains and he could not move.

"Wei Zhang? You'll die a horrible death! You'll die a horrible death!"

"Prince Xiao, you'd better save your energy; there's no one here to respond!"

Qingyang stepped forward, grabbed Xiao Cheng by the back of the head, and forced him to tilt his head back like a dog, facing Wei Zhang.

Wei Zhang ultimately couldn't bear to let Xiao Cheng die so easily.

He always harbored a question in his heart—what exactly was the relationship between Xue Lanyi and Xiao Cheng that made Xue Lanyi willing to be punished in the rain rather than confess?

What kind of relationship could possibly lead Xiao Cheng to travel thousands of miles to marry her and escape from his control?

Wei Zhang had been sending people to investigate Xue Lanyi and Xiao Cheng's past, but they couldn't find a single clue.

Wei Zhang disliked having illusions in front of him.

Therefore, Xiao Cheng was imprisoned in a private jail in order to interrogate him about their past.

Unexpectedly, before they could even get Xiao Cheng to talk,

He lost his people first.

Wei Zhang stood five steps away, his eyes slightly narrowed, eyeing Xiao Cheng with suspicion.

At this moment, Xiao Cheng was like a stray dog, and what was most pathetic was that blood was constantly dripping from his genitals.

Wei Zhang couldn't help but take another look.

That one glance struck a nerve with Xiao Cheng. "Traitor! Madwoman! Are you in cahoots? Did you order her to assassinate me?"

It is obvious that Xue Lanyi was the one who caused Xiao Cheng's fatal injury.

Wei Zhang raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, yet finding it quite reasonable.

The unexpected thing is that Xue Lanyi and Xiao Cheng were supposed to be close and friendly, so why did they start fighting?

The reason is that Xue Lanyi is a cat with sharp claws and teeth. Although she looks weak, she is actually very capable of scratching people and is capable of hurting their genitals.

Wei Zhang did not deny being "instructed by him," but instead nodded and chuckled: "My wife is a bit spoiled and mischievous. Surely Your Highness won't hold it against her?"

What does it mean to be a little naughty?

What does it mean to be a little spoiled?

Hearing these lukewarm words, Xiao Cheng's anger flared even more, yet he had nowhere to vent it. He gritted his teeth and said, "Giving a man aphrodisiacs is something a woman would do?"

"To injure or kill someone with stones, is that something a mere woman would do?"

"To use such foul language to insult me, the king, is that the act of a lowly woman?"

The more Xiao Cheng cursed, the angrier he became.

Surprisingly, Wei Zhang listened patiently to his wild words.

The more he cursed, the more vivid the images became in Wei Zhang's mind.

It's as if I can see that petite woman standing in front of the big guy, raising a stone and fiercely throwing it at him while cursing.

Very fresh.

A slight smile appeared in Wei Zhang's eyes.

Only after Xiao Cheng finished speaking and had finished cursing did he lift his eyelids and ask him, "My wife has always had this fiery temper. Shouldn't Prince Xiao know this very well?"

This is a trap.

But Xiao Cheng was so angry with these two that he lost his temper and blurted out, "Yes! She's always been like this!"

Even before she reached marriageable age, she possessed a seductive charm, always dressing extravagantly to seduce me!

She attracted men's attention, then put on a coy, alluring act, and seduced me for six years.

Six years ago in that cave, I shouldn't have shown her any mercy. I should have tied her hands and feet and taken advantage of her..."

Snap!

Seeing that Wei Zhang's complexion was getting worse, Qingyang immediately slapped Xiao Cheng.

The slap was heavy, its echoes reverberating through the secret room.

Xiao Cheng was already seriously injured, and his roar finally subsided.

Half-asleep, slumped over listlessly.

Wei Zhang's gaze remained fixed on the person in front of him for a long time.

Six years ago, Xue Lanyi was a favored daughter of heaven.

He had considered that when Xiao Cheng first went on a diplomatic mission to Dayong, he was a guest of honor of Princess Zhaoyang, or perhaps he admired Princess Zhaoyang's talent and had some friendship with her.

He never imagined that six years ago, when Xue Lanyi was still a child, Xiao Cheng had already harbored such thoughts towards her.

Therefore, Xiao Cheng's marriage to Xue Lanyi was not out of goodwill, but rather to do what he had not done six years ago.

Therefore, it makes sense that he couldn't restrain himself on the way, kidnapped Xue Lanyi, and intended to take her as his own, forcing Xue Lanyi to jump into the river.

Xue Lanyi was truly forced to jump into the river.