Chapter 149 Let her go?

Wen Ning broke free from his embrace, staggered back half a step, and questioned in a trembling voice, "Why... why couldn't you tell me in advance? The Marquis didn't let me do anything, but plunged headfirst into the swordplay! Even... even if you just gave me a little hint."

Seeing that she was very emotional, Xie Jinglan subconsciously took a step forward, carefully stretched out his arm, and loosely put it around her side.

"Good Ning'er, the more people who know about this, the more flaws there will be, and the more danger there will be. I can't afford to gamble, I can't afford to risk putting you in this dangerous situation."

What he didn't say was that he had no chance of winning the battle of Cangwu and it was almost impossible to return. How could he dare let her know this in advance?

Wen Ning's eyes were filled with tears as she choked with sobs, "Aren't you afraid...aren't you afraid that the old lady and I will hear about your disappearance? What if we can't bear it...and become unable to let it go?"

These words were like a cold sharp blade, mercilessly piercing Xie Jinglan's heart.

Severe pain instantly swept through his limbs and bones like a tide. He closed his eyes tightly and said hoarsely, "With Xibao here, you will watch him grow up. I'm sure you'll be able to hold on..."

Before he could finish his words, Wen Ning's fist had already hit his chest fiercely, "Xie Jinglan! You are so cruel! So cruel... How could you do this... You bastard! You bastard..."

The man was caught off guard and was pushed back a step by her. His back hit the uneven rockery hard and he groaned.

Wen Ning suddenly realized something, and her movements froze. She asked hurriedly, "You...you are injured?"

Xie Jinglan looked at her anxious expression, and his heart softened. Suddenly, he felt a little distressed and nodded obediently, "Hmm..."

Wen Ning immediately reached out to pull at the collar of his black court robe, wanting to check his injuries.

Xie Jinglan took advantage of the situation and held her wrist, imitating Xu Song's serious tone and lowering his voice:

"Your Highness, in broad daylight, you are taking off my clothes... This is truly inappropriate."

But the collar of his clothes that she had just torn open in a hurry was already slightly open, revealing a piece of dazzling snow-white bandage inside. The faint smell of wound medicine mixed with the fresh breath of his body permeated the space between the two of them.

Wen Ning raised her peach blossom eyes which still had traces of tears in them, and a bit of shame and anger was added to them.

She bit her lip, pushed him hard in the chest again, and ran away without looking back.

The wound was damaged again, and Xie Jinglan took a breath.

Looking at her fleeing back, the man laughed softly after recovering from the sharp pain.

He raised his hand slowly and fastened the two buttons that she had just pulled loose.

If it weren't for the infected wound on his back and the high fever, and the fear of passing the disease on to her, he would have kissed her properly when she was so warm and soft in his arms. How could he let her escape so easily?

…

On the carriage back to the mansion, Xie Jinglan closed his eyes and rested, thinking of Yunxiu, whom he had brought with him today. He knew that she must have told Wen Ning in detail about Xibao's longing for her mother and her uncontrollable crying.

As soon as he left the palace, the old lady also set off for the young master's full moon banquet.

At the banquet, when Emperor Chengxuan was enjoying the joy of playing with his grandchildren, the old lady wiped the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief at the right time.

Emperor Chengxuan suddenly saw the widow of this old minister, a first-rank imperial official, crying in front of him because of family matters, and compared it with the family happiness in front of him, he couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable and embarrassed.

He blocked the Xie family's marriage. Against this backdrop, it seemed that the emperor was a little harsh and unkind to his meritorious officials.

Thinking of this, Xie Jinglan's lips curled slightly.

He uses roundabout tactics and wins the hearts of the people. He is willing to do anything to win Ning'er back.

…

That night.

Xie Jinglan took off his shirt and lay down on the couch, feeling a burning sensation on his forehead and a searing pain on his back.

Now that everything has been settled and the aftermath of the palace coup has gradually subsided, he can finally speak to Ning'er today.

The taut string in his heart suddenly loosened, and the high fever that had accumulated for several days took advantage of the opportunity to invade, making him feel dizzy and even struggling to lift his hands.

Qing Feng had been getting the medicine for a while. He frowned and was about to raise his voice to ask when he heard the sound of the door being pushed open.

As footsteps approached the bed, he gathered his strength, not even bothering to lift his eyelids, "Why are you so slow today? Hurry, apply the medicine..."

After saying that, he felt a cool touch on his back, and gently probed along the edge of the bandage.

The force was too light and too gentle, definitely not the method used by that rough man Qingfeng.

He frowned, thinking that some ignorant maid had come in without permission. He gathered all his strength and shouted without even raising his head, "Get out! Let Qingfeng in!"

The movement on his back trembled suddenly and stopped, but the slightly cool and soft hand did not leave immediately as he ordered.

"Get out!" He became increasingly impatient and forced himself to raise his head to scold, but his voice lost its former authority due to weakness.

The moment he raised his head, a few drops of warm liquid unexpectedly dripped onto his burning back, causing his skin to shrink slightly.

Then, there was the woman's low, soft sobbing.

Xie Jinglan turned his head suddenly.

He saw the face that he had thought about day and night and had engraved itself in his bones, now lying right in front of his bed.

The flickering candlelight illuminated the person lying in front of the couch.

Her black hair was loosely tied up, with a few strands of black hair hanging down, making her slender neck look white and fragile.

Her peach blossom eyes were filled with tears at this moment, and tears kept rolling down her smooth cheeks.

She looked at his back covered in scars and blood, her eyes filled with indescribable heartache and pain.

She bit her bloodless lower lip with her pearly teeth, trying to suppress her crying, but it made the tiny sobs seem even more broken and helpless.

Xie Jinglan was stunned. He thought he was confused by the high fever and had such a realistic hallucination.

He rubbed his eyebrows subconsciously.

It wasn't until another scalding teardrop fell heavily, and the real touch and the familiar faint fragrance of her body hit him, that he suddenly realized -

Not a dream.

It really is his Ning'er.

He sat up suddenly, grabbed the pajamas beside the couch and put them on hastily.

However, his clothes were disheveled during the movement, and several hideous new wounds were revealed on his strong chest.

Xie Jinglan suppressed the pain from his wound as he stood up, his voice growing hoarse from the high fever. "When did you come back?"

Wen Ning raised her tearful eyes, her voice still choked with sobs, "Empress Huifei...just allow me to return to the palace before tomorrow night..."

The old lady has already sacrificed her dignity and spoken in front of Emperor Chengxuan today. Even if Your Majesty is unwilling to grant the marriage, you should at least grant it for the sake of the family reunion that allows mother and son to reunite.

Emperor Chengxuan knew in his heart that if he flatly rejected even such a humane request, it would make him seem too mean and ungrateful.

It was because she guessed that the emperor's intention had softened that Concubine Hui dared to take the initiative and granted Wen Ning the grace to leave the palace.

When Xie Jinglan heard this, the surprise in his eyes almost overflowed.

He avoided her eyes that were filled with heartache and tears, and whispered, "Xibao has been thinking about you for a long time today. Ning'er, go see him first. I have Qingfeng here to serve you."

He didn't want her to see him so fragile, and he didn't want the hideous scar to offend her.