Chapter 97 For Wei Xuan, he even offered his body…

On the other side, Wei Zhang strode towards Xi Cui Palace.

This place is locked down year-round, and the weeds in the yard are knee-high.

It was pitch black all around, and two old palace lanterns under the eaves swayed silently, emitting a dim yellow light.

The light flickered, shining on the tattered paper windows and revealing the layers of curtains in the room.

The place was so quiet that even the light gauze curtains seemed to swirl around like ghosts, exuding a sense of desolation.

The words "fragrant soul" inexplicably popped into Wei Zhang's mind.

Ten years ago, twenty years ago, every decade marks the passing of Zhao's daughter.

Mu Qinghong's words once again reached Wei Zhang's ears.

He frowned, struggling to suppress his heavy breathing, pushed open the vermilion lattice door, and went into the palace.

The moment I stepped over the threshold, I saw a pool of blood on the ground.

Blood dripped slowly, extending from the entrance into the palace chambers in a crooked and erratic pattern, resembling the tracks of a hysterical person.

Wei Zhang suddenly raised his head.

Inside the hall, pink gauze curtains fluttered, layer upon layer obscuring the view and making it impossible to see what was happening inside. However, it was clear that there were many drops of blood splattered on the gauze curtains.

Then, recalling the impact marks on the vermilion wall, Wei Zhang's eyelids twitched, and he pushed aside the gauze curtain to go into the inner room.

The further you go in, the stronger the stench of blood becomes.

Clearly, the person inside was seriously injured. Wei Zhang could vaguely see a shadow lying on the ground deep inside the gauze curtain, breathing heavily and weakly.

Blood was still flowing down the crack in the ground.

Was she hurt by someone else, or did she hurt herself?

She had already attempted suicide once; last time, after being provoked, she resolutely jumped off a building.

This time, she was out of his sight for a full four hours. What if she…?

Wei Zhang's mind suddenly exploded. He wanted to get to her side as quickly as possible, but the surrounding gauze curtains blocked his way.

His steps grew heavier and heavier; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get close to her.

They were separated by vast distances, and he couldn't catch up. His blood was surging, but a sense of powerlessness welled up in his chest.

"Yiyi! Yiyi!"

He called her.

She shouldn't.

She won't run to him.

He could only wave aside the veil, as if walking through a maze, repeatedly hitting walls and failing to grasp the key points.

Time stretched out for a very long time.

It was so close, yet he couldn't reach it.

He kept circling around her, endlessly.

After wandering around for a while, he finally arrived at an open space in the inner chamber that was not covered by gauze curtains.

The person who came into view was not Xue Lanyi.

It was a black cat on its deathbed, its paws covered in blood and flesh, its body collapsed.

The internal organs were stabbed and torn apart, so the bleeding wouldn't stop.

Wei Zhang stood there stunned for a moment, his chest heaving.

A sense of relief slowly arose in my heart, but it was quickly overwhelmed by a deeper fear.

Is Xue Lanyi, at this very moment, like this cat, curled up in some corner of the palace, bleeding profusely, waiting for death?

But where is she?

The sight of blood made Wei Zhang's heart race even faster. He suddenly flung open the curtains and rushed out as if running.

The moment he turned around, a soft, warm body suddenly bumped into his arms.

A faint scent of sandalwood unexpectedly wafted into my nostrils.

Wei Zhang was somewhat dazed, his eyes slowly drooping downwards.

The girl, who had been missing for half a day, seemed to have fallen from the sky and landed in his arms.

A pair of soft hands encircled his waist, and her cheek pressed against his heart.

The rain-soaked python robe clung to his body, and the girl's warmth easily transferred to his chest, filling it with a continuous stream of warmth.

Her gentleness felt like a dream.

But if it weren't a dream, why would she throw herself into his arms like that?

Wei Zhang was incredulous. His hand stiffly touched her cheek, and he could feel her warmth in his palm.

A ripple appeared in Wei Zhang's icy eyes, and he tentatively cupped her face with his other hand.

Her delicate face, held in his palm, tilted slightly upwards to meet his gaze.

The light gauze fluttered before their eyes, sometimes near, sometimes far.

Her face was sometimes blurry, sometimes clear.

Wei Zhang's mind was in a daze, unable to distinguish between dream and reality, let alone think about why she had thrown herself into his arms.

All he knew was that his mind, which had been in turmoil all day, had calmed down at this moment.

He only wanted to do one thing.

He bent down and kissed her forehead.

A very light, yet extremely devout, peck.

I tasted her sweet fragrance on my lips. Only then did I realize that it really wasn't a dream.

His thoughts returned to reality, and worries arose again.

Did she get hurt all day? Did she ever think about leaving him?

Did his kiss just now upset her?

Wei Zhang had never been so lost in thought, his thumb unconsciously stroking her cheek again and again.

She had no injuries, her skin was clean and fair, and she lay there obediently on her back, letting him stroke her.

She did not refuse his touch, which aroused even more greed in Wei Zhang.

He swallowed hard, then slowly leaned down and kissed her forehead again.

Throughout, his deep eyes observed her every move.

Seeing that she did not refuse, he kissed her nose bridge and nose tip intermittently.

She actually hugged his waist very tightly.

Wei Zhang felt a tightening in his lower abdomen, and the emotions that had been suppressed in his chest for several days suddenly burst forth.

He cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her lips, but did not go any further, repeatedly kissing her rosy cheeks.

Like feathers gently caressing you, or a long breeze stirring a gauze curtain, it is long and soft.

That imposing man, at this moment, had all his sharp edges concealed, and he bent down as low as possible to kiss her gently, making her feel comfortable and happy.

He dared not open his eyes for fear of startling her, nor dared he close them for fear of failing to notice her emotions in time.

He tentatively probed the waters intermittently.

Finally, the girl opened her lips.

Beneath her moist, full lips, a white lip and a soft tongue are visible.

A fine silver thread curled between his and her lips, mingling with their scent.

Wei Zhang gazed intently at her red lips and pearly teeth, and the long-simmering impulse transformed into an even deeper kiss.

He pried open her lips and teeth, and probed into her mouth.

A soft and sweet taste enveloped me from all directions.

His breath hitched, and he cupped the back of her head with one hand, kissing her deeply into her throat.

She was quite thin, and when he exerted a little force, she couldn't hold on and kept falling backward.

This time, Wei Zhang did not let go of her, chasing after her step by step.

The embracing couple moved back and forth through the pink gauze curtains, weaving through layers of silk veils. She was cornered against the wall, with nowhere left to retreat.

His arm pressed against the wall, trapping her in a corner, until she finally closed her eyes, immersed in this hard-won kiss.

At the same time, Xue Lanyi opened her eyes and looked at the man who was so close to her.

He rode passionately across her territory, his fair face flushed with desire.

Her eyes welled up with tears, a bittersweet feeling spreading through them.

She has been hiding here for a very long time today, but she can't think of a way to get Wei Zhang to release Ah Xuan.

Whether Ah Xuan is alive or dead, he cannot simply vanish into the dust.

She had no choice; her only bargaining chip was her body.

It's pathetic.

But that's reality.

She has to give something in return for something she wants to get something.

She closed her eyes slightly, stood on tiptoe, and looked up to meet him.

The cool, thin lips were gently sucked, and a tingling, numbing sensation immediately spread from them.

Wei Zhang's breath hitched, and his long eyelashes fluttered open.

His eyes fell upon the girl's pale pink cheeks, and she took the initiative to kiss him with her slightly parted lips.

A single, glistening tear slid down her slightly reddened eye, the lingering dampness suggesting she was deeply moved.

Wei Zhang felt as if his blood was exploding, and without thinking about any doubts, he responded to her.

He lured her, led her, and guided her into his territory.

Their lips and tongues intertwined, their breaths mingled.

The night was utterly silent.

All that could be heard was the pattering of rain outside.

The wind blew open the curtains, bringing in a damp smell.

The surrounding temperature gradually rose.

The man's low breathing gradually became clearer, his heavy breaths spraying onto the girl's neck, revealing that he was trying his best to suppress something.

Xue Lanyi readily complied, slipping her hand under her clothes and gently covering him.

An unexpected feeling suddenly swept over the top of my head.

Wei Zhang's head buzzed, and some emotions seemed about to burst forth in an instant.

He had to admit that after more than half a month, he missed her and every part of her.

He pressed her down, took a deep breath, and his hoarse voice, barely able to hold its own, uttered intermittently, "Not here."

This place is in ruins, and it was her mother's former residence.

Wei Zhang did not want any more unpleasant memories to remain between him and her.

He suppressed his emotions and pulled her hand away.

She wrapped herself around him, refusing to move away.

"Right here." She whispered in his ear, her voice soft and seductive from the kiss, "Let Mother know that I... Xue Lanyi is Wei Yunjian's woman."

Xue Lanyi was Wei Yunjian's person.

What beautiful love words.

Wei Zhang thought he would never hear her utter such solemn vows again in his life.

A ripple of emotion stirred within him, spreading outwards in concentric circles, as if a warm current was washing over his entire body.

He should have been lost in this beautiful dream, but somehow he retained a sliver of clarity, and he heard her change of heart just now.

She said it was Xue Lanyi, not "me".

She still only agreed to give Xue Lanyi to him.

This realization jolted Wei Zhang awake from his dream, and he slowly straightened up.

A strand of saliva still clung to their lips, but he saw little emotion in her eyes; her burning gaze was never one of longing for him.

Wei Zhang didn't want to ask what was inside, nor did he care to.

He grasped her hand through her clothes and slowly pulled it away.

Xue Lanyi's hand missed its target.

But this was Xue Lanyi's only chance, and she suddenly threw herself into his arms again, wrapping her arms around his waist, "Yun Jian..."

"I am willing to give myself to you in front of my mother. You are the man I want to be with for the rest of my life."

"From now on, I'll let you do whatever you want. I won't refuse anymore, and I won't run away anymore, okay? Okay, Yun Jian?"

She looked up at him, trying so carefully to please him.

Wei Zhang felt no joy whatsoever; a strange anger overshadowed his delight at having just regained what he had lost.

Clearly, she pretended to disappear today and deliberately created this mess of blood all over the floor and room to make him worry.

She wanted to take advantage of the situation and use the opportunity to warn him about Wei Xuan.

She didn't care how many people were looking for her or how long she had been tormented by worry.

She was devoted to Wei Xuan and would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, even offering herself up.

This love is truly touching.

Unfortunately, Wei Zhang was not a bodhisattva; he had no heart.

He pulled away from her tightly clasped hands and abruptly shook her off.

Xue Lanyi staggered, her slender body unsteady, and she almost fell.

Wei Zhang subconsciously reached out, but as soon as his fingertips slipped out of his sleeve, he withdrew them, took a half step back with his hands behind his back, and gave her a deep look with his bloodshot eyes.

In the past, there was room for negotiation regarding letting Wei Xuan go.

At that moment, all he wanted was to die.

He said nothing more, slowly took two steps back, and then turned and left.

Upon entering, the palace seemed enormous, and I wandered around without finding the exit.

As I was leaving, I realized that the inner room was only ten steps from the door.

How could he not see through such an obvious deception?

This morning she loathed him, loathed him so much that even riding together on a horse felt like sitting on pins and needles, so how could she possibly hug or kiss him?

It was all for another man.

Wei Zhang let out a cold laugh, and his fierce aura returned to him.

He strode swiftly towards the door.

The chill emanating from her stirred the silk curtains, causing those curtains that had hung there for years to fall down.

The pink gauze curtains no longer fluttered in the room; only the cold, decaying palace remained, with dust swirling around it.

"Wei Zhang!"

Without the gauze curtain, Xue Lanyi's voice easily reached Wei Zhang's ears.

Wei Zhang neither stopped nor paid any attention.

"Wei Zhang..." the woman behind her called out again, her voice hoarse and strained, the last syllable of her voice tinged with sobs.

How plaintive and sorrowful it was.

But Wei Zhang knew very well that her crying was not because of him.

The more she acted this way, the angrier he became.

He took a deep breath and said, "I can tell you definitively: Wei Xuan is poisoned and cannot survive. If you mention it again, don't blame me..."

His eyes suddenly turned fierce, and he abruptly turned his head.

At the same time, the girl's pale yellow undershirt undulated and slipped off her body.

Deep within the dazzling dust, lies the woman's pristine white body.

Her curvaceous figure entered Wei Zhang's eyes without any obstruction.

Wei Zhang's words caught in his throat.

Xue Lanyi shrank her shoulders, not used to being exposed like this, and instinctively wanted to cross her arms to cover herself.

In the end, it didn't happen.

With her back pressed against the wall, she forced herself to raise her head, gently biting her lip, her watery eyes gazing at Wei Zhang in the distance.

She clearly wanted to project a seductive image inviting others to admire her, yet she couldn't hide the shameful tears welling up in her eyes. Two lines of clear tears hung suspended, her thin shoulders trembling slightly as she tried to hold back her emotions, her body radiating a captivating allure.

She didn't realize that her shy, hesitant, and coy demeanor was even more alluring.

Wei Zhang was no gentleman.

He really wanted to take her all now.

However, another emotion welled up in my chest, overpowering the heat in my abdomen.

She was a woman of pride who had spent two years working in the brothel and had been intimate with him several times in that dark room.

She never once took the initiative to come here.

She abandoned all dignity and shame for Wei Xuan.

Wei Zhang's calm eyes were fixed on her, two conflicting emotions sparking a flame.

That gaze, filled with hidden anger yet also possessiveness, chilled Xue Lanyi to the bone.

Every inch of her skin trembled as if pricked by needles.

I really want to pick up the clothes at my feet and end this absurdity.

In the end, no.

She stepped towards Wei Zhang, her bare feet treading over his pale yellow dress.

The pale yellow of that little coat was just right, and the lily embroidery on it was all hand-embroidered by her, stitch by stitch.

It was originally intended to be used to replace Ah Xuan after their wedding night.

She liked it very much.

Now, it was no longer of any use. She trampled it under her feet, and then, stepping over the tattered curtains, walked step by step toward Wei Zhang.

Wei Zhang was standing by the window, in the brightest spot in the room.

With each step she took closer, her figure became more clearly revealed to the world.

Her legs felt like lead, but she didn't stop and walked up to him.

After a moment's hesitation, she took his hand.

Wei Zhang's icy fingertips touched something warm and soft, and he suddenly came to his senses, just in time to see that she was leading his hand to touch that most secret place.

She lowered her eyes, her hands trembling as she grasped his wrist, mimicking his past actions.

"Didn't you say it was your favorite? I..."

“I have never let him touch me. Whether in the past or in the future, he has always been yours, Wei Yunjian.”

"Only Wei Yunjian can touch it, is that okay? Is that okay?"

With each word she spoke, large tears fell in drops onto Wei Zhang's hand.

The soft touch in his palm gradually faded, and he felt the heat on the back of his hand burning intensely.

She is the moon, how could she utter such filthy words?

Why do these filthy words sound so familiar?

Wei Zhang suddenly remembered that before he took her as a concubine, she had always asked him repeatedly if he liked her and what he liked about her.

He said he didn't like it.

She persisted relentlessly, asking questions with unwavering determination.

On that passionate night, in the heat of passion, she hooked her arms around his neck and asked him tenderly what he liked about her.

He whispered in her ear that he liked her voluptuousness and that from now on, she could only be touched and tasted by him.

After that, she fell silent and never asked the question again.

With the passage of time, Wei Zhang no longer understood why he had said those words back then.

The moment she loved him most, he could have easily said that he loved Xue Lanyi as a person.

He didn't.

Therefore, in her memory and in her heart, there are only the crude jokes she made when she was in love.

At this moment, she repeated his words verbatim and imitated his actions to torment herself, and Wei Zhang felt an indescribable sense of suffocation.

He withdrew his hand.

She opened her mouth, but Wei Zhang didn't give her another chance to speak.

He couldn't stand it anymore and strode away.

He left resolutely, leaving Xue Lanyi with only his dark silhouette.

So cold, so inhumane.

A feeling of utter despair welled up in Xue Lanyi's heart.

She had already gone all in, trampling her own dignity underfoot, but still couldn't win back his heart.

Are we just supposed to watch Wei Xuan disappear from this world?

She felt as if she had stepped into empty air, and suddenly all her strength left her, causing her to fall to the ground.

She had made a promise with Wei Xuan that if they were captured by Wei Zhang, they would rather die than surrender.

However, when faced with the possibility that Wei Xuan might die from the poison, she found herself unable to accept it.

Perhaps Wei Zhang is right; Ah Xuan is her sun, and she tries to be the moon to shine alongside him.

But my uncle from the Imperial Observatory said that the moon shines brightly only because it borrows the sun's light.

If the sun were gone.

Then the moon disappeared.

Her most cherished sixteen years of memories have thus faded into obscurity.

The sun may not be beside her, but it must hang high in the sky, shining on the path she came from.

But how can she lift up the sun?

What else could she do?

She wrapped her arms around her knees, curled up in the darkness, disoriented.

Suppressed sobs echoed softly and lingered in the room.

Outside, the faint moonlight was shrouded in dark clouds.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, so there was no sunshine and no moonlight either.

Wei Zhang stood under the corridor all night.

Rain fell like a beaded curtain from the eaves, obscuring his face.

The next day, Qingyang could no longer hold back the assembled officials, so he approached Wei Zhang with an umbrella, saying, "My lord..."

"When the palace gates are opened, the whole country mourns."

The voice sounded tired, as if someone hadn't slept all night.

But Qingyang knew as soon as he heard those six words that Xue Lanyi had been found and was indeed in Xi Cui Palace.

However, there was no joy on his master's face, so Qingyang couldn't help but glance out the window.

Wei Zhang pulled his robes tighter, the wide collar blocking Qingyang's view.

Wei Zhang glanced back at the crack in the window.

The tiny girl huddled on the ground, remaining motionless in that position all night.

Wei Zhang sighed silently.

The matter of the palace being locked without cause last night still needs to be dealt with, so I had to walk away first, looking absent-minded.

Even though we were far from the palace, when we reached the fence outside the courtyard, we could still hear the girl sobbing.

Wei Zhang stood still for a moment, then instructed Qingyang, "Send Physician Wu to see me at Zhaixing Tower in one hour."

Having said that, the man in black disappeared into the vast rain.