Chapter 88

Outside the Imperial Study.

His old companion was not serving him inside the house, but waiting outside the door.

"How is His Majesty?" he asked softly.

Judging from his old friend's expression alone, the situation might not be very good.

"Remembering that he coughed up blood again, His Majesty summoned you here this time to inquire about Du Shaofeng's condition. Is he still alive?"

Nanqi sneered, "Of course, he can never die until His Majesty is at peace with him."

Nan Shi sighed deeply. He knew that His Majesty would not let it go. Not to mention His Majesty, even he, Nan Qi, Du Juan, and Xi Que would not be able to let it go.

Some say that one should not meet someone too amazing when one is young, otherwise one will not be able to spend the rest of one's life in peace.

At first, I thought it was just a joke, but it turns out that His Majesty was like that, General Yang was like that, and so were he, Nanqi, and Dujuan.

The rest of my life will either be spent in madness or perish.

To put it bluntly, he believed that His Majesty was doomed, and Nanqi was showing signs of going mad.

He didn't know when Nanqi had gotten so deeply involved.

Nan Shi looked at Nan Qi with concern and inquiry. Nan Qi composed himself and looked back at his old friend.

His Majesty is now like a soulless puppet, devoid of vitality, indifferent to state affairs, and the entire court is in a state of chaos, with only him and the Southern Attendant struggling to keep it afloat.

They do not seek prosperity in the southern border regions, but only stability.

"You have quite the guts to be willing to accompany His Majesty into the palace as the Grand Eunuch."

"My life belongs to Your Majesty, and I only wish to stay by Your Majesty's side forever."

Nan Qi twitched the corner of his mouth and walked past Nan Shi toward the imperial study. In terms of loyalty, he was far inferior to Nan Shi.

Rong Rong breathed a sigh of relief upon receiving a positive reply.

She was temporarily arranged to stay in a courtyard of Lord Nan's mansion. She did not ask anyone to serve her, and she deliberately wore a veil to ensure everything would go smoothly and to avoid trouble.

Before Rong Rong could make any arrangements, Luo Huixiu took the initiative.

That day was the anniversary of Xie Tianrui's mother's death. Xie Tianrui went to Xiangguo Temple to light an eternal lamp for his mother and smelled a familiar fragrance among the crowd.

He immediately turned back to look for her and found Luo Huixiu.

"Master, is it her?" Qingfeng asked.

The Marquis remained frowning, lost in thought, and the girl he had just found was not what he had imagined.

He was even more convinced that she was a spy with ulterior motives than a peasant girl.

"No." Disappointment crept into Xie Tianrui's eyes, and his expression darkened.

He noticed that the woman's scent was off, and her voice was very different. Even if they were similar, they were still not the same.

When he was in Baijia Village, he was blind, but his sense of smell and hearing became extremely sensitive. He held Rong Rong in his arms every day, and her scent had long been ingrained in his bones.

"Although the person is not right, we can follow the clues. The person behind this must have some connection with Madam. Follow the clues and find Madam!"

Xie Tianrui looked at Luo Huixiu's figure not far away, wondering how much his Rong Rong resembled this person.

They should look very similar, right? Otherwise, why would the person behind the scenes send this person to their side?

But he was certain that his Rong Rong was the most special, the most beautiful, and the most adorable being.

Thinking of the little wildcat snuggling in his arms, Xie Tianrui chuckled softly.

Qingfeng silently watched the Marquis's rare smile and sighed once again at the woman's influence on his master.

If even a stand-in can make me laugh, what would happen if the real person appeared?

Thinking of this, Qingfeng became even more worried, fearing that the Marquis might get hurt.

Xie Tianrui ignored everything else and silently lit incense for Buddha again.

He suffered greatly over the past year, and his lovesickness took its toll.

He was immersed in memories of Rongrong every day and didn't want to wake up.

He used to be celibate and didn't know the pleasures of women, so he could live a quiet and lonely life. But after his time as husband and wife with Rong Rong, he could no longer bear the loneliness of being alone.

He wanted to find his wife quickly, protect her, stop people from suffering, and let them live a happy life where they could have whatever they wanted.

Rong Rong didn't have to wait long; a few days later, she was taken directly to a grove of trees on the outskirts of the capital.

The other person gestured for her to walk deeper into the area, and after walking for a while, she saw a person lying on the ground ahead.

"Who?" The man looked up warily, his long sword about to strike. Their eyes met, and the other man's sword froze in mid-air.

With a clang, the sword fell to the ground. Xie Tianrui's face was blank, and his eyes were filled with disbelief.

Even though it was their first meeting, how could he not recognize the subtle fragrance emanating from his wife?

Overwhelmed with joy, Xie Tianrui was momentarily speechless with elation.

Rong Rong was also a little confused. She did not expect that Lord Nan's arrangement would be so simple and brutal, directly sending her to Xie Tianrui, who had been attacked, injured, and alone.

Is she trying to replicate the scene where the female lead, Mu Fangfang, and the male lead reunite? Is she impersonating Mu Fangfang to save the male lead?

Why don't you at least give her a first-aid kit to carry with her?

Rong Rong was just venting her frustration; she had no intention of replicating the female lead's storyline.

She just wanted to complete the task.

While Xie Tianrui was in a daze, Rong Rong quickly stepped forward, picked up the sword on the ground, and stabbed Xie Tianrui directly.

Why do I say it's painful? Well, I'm weak, but my chest is hard.

However, the system indicated that Task 2 was completed regardless.

Xie Tianrui coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell straight to the ground. Before hitting the ground, he suddenly raised his hand and tore off Rong Rong's veil.

The air froze instantly. Xie Tianrui struggled to open his eyes and stared intently at Rong Rong. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but only blood oozed out.

"No way? I only lightly stabbed him, how come he's spitting blood and can't speak? If he dies, won't Heaven blame me?" Rong Rong dropped the sword in her hand and retreated repeatedly.

"It's okay, he has the male lead's halo." 666 was also uneasy, but still gritted her teeth and comforted him.

Rong Rong nodded silently, seemingly convinced by 666, but having witnessed Yan Jin's story from the previous world, why would she still believe in the protagonist's halo? The male and female leads could change halfway through the story!

At this moment, Rong Rong regretted not following the storyline. She had completed the mission too quickly. She was just afraid of further changes. She thought that it had been so difficult for her just to get to Xie Tianrui's side.

I looked at it again and again, and I was still worried that Xie Tianrui was really dead.

Rong Rong stepped forward and tore off a few strips of cloth from her clothes to quickly bandage Xie Tianrui's wounds. Since there was no medicine, she tried to minimize the bleeding.

Xie Tianrui's eyes suddenly lit up, and he regained his life. He struggled to stop himself from spitting out blood and managed to utter two words, "Rong Rong."

Rong Rong paused slightly. Well, she didn't regret not following the plot. It turned out that Xie Tianrui knew she wasn't Mu Fangfang at first glance.

Ignoring Xie Tianrui's expectant gaze, Rong Rong quickened her pace, tied a knot, and got up to leave.

However, as soon as I took a step, I felt my clothes being pulled.

She looked down and saw Xie Tianrui tugging at her skirt, his face full of pleading.

Rong Rong reached out to pull him away, but Xie Tianrui held on tightly, and she couldn't break free no matter what she did.

"Let go!" Rong Rong was a little anxious, afraid that if she stayed any longer, other people would come over.

"Don't...go..." came the broken voice.

Xie Tianrui's eyes were filled with anxiety. His injuries were probably too severe, and the light in his eyes was gradually disappearing. He could faint at any moment, but he still stubbornly held onto Rong Rong.

Rong Rong remained silent, but finally picked up the sword from the ground again.

Xie Tianrui bit his tongue hard, the intense pain giving him a brief moment of clarity. He looked at Rong Rong with pain and sorrow, but Rong Rong remained unmoved and slashed down fiercely with her sword.

Amidst screams of "666," the hem of Xie Tianrui's skirt was chopped off.

"The first sword strike is to avenge the killing of me; the second strike severs all ties, making us strangers from now on!"

Rong Rong threw down her sword and decisively turned to leave.

He didn't forget to comfort 666 in his mind, "Look how scared you are, I'm just following the plot."