Chapter 38 Where did he wrong her?

Dou Wenyi remembered that Bihe had secretly given two bottles of Xiangsha Yangwei Dan to Xie Guidu without telling her.

Even if she tells the truth now, he will think that she is guilty and deliberately distorting the facts, shifting all the blame onto a maid. Wouldn't that further confirm his claim of playing hard to get?

There's no way to defend myself!

Seeing her remain silent, Xie Guidu raised the corners of his lips and said softly, "Is sashimi really that delicious? Next time, you can eat whatever you want, and I'll go with you. But you're not allowed to go with people you don't want to go with."

Dou Wenyi's brows furrowed with disgust. "Who I go with is none of your business!"

"None of my business? Dou Wenyi, don't forget you're my fiancée, we're getting married soon!"

Xie Guidu's eyes were unfathomable, a fierce possessiveness churning within him, roaring like a raging fire. His mind was filled with images of her smiling sweetly at Pei Siyan, enjoying a meal with Zhang Chengxian...

A complex and unfamiliar emotion overwhelmed his reason, a mixture of jealousy, resentment, bitterness, anger, frustration, and confusion, with a hint of guilt mixed in.

The smiles that rightfully belonged to him were given to others, leaving him with an inexplicable sense of unease, as if a treasure had been stolen from him.

If there truly is a past life, then she must have been his wife; otherwise, why would he dream of their past lives from time to time?

His once clear, autumn-water-like eyes suddenly turned sharp and terrifying. "I am destined to be your husband, not a dog you can summon and dismiss at will! Yi'er, please stop making a scene, okay?"

Xie Guidu was always self-disciplined and respectful of propriety, so why would he be so persistent and clingy?

Dou Wenyi was thoroughly annoyed. "You are not my husband, you never will be. Even if I marry Zhang Chengxian, I will never marry you!"

Xie Guidu stared at her lips, which were small, thin, and moist, and a surge of emotion welled up inside him.

He longed to lean down and seal her lips with his, to pin her beneath him and ravage her. And she should be like the jade maiden of his dreams, clinging to his neck, fully embracing his love.

He longed to hear her call him "husband" again, her voice sweet and timid, to feel her suppressed yet joyful passion, to see her plead for mercy with a tearful voice when she was moved...

His handsome, familiar face was so close, his warm breath brushed against her cheek, and his cool fingertips traced her chin.

As if guided by some unseen force, the man's lips drew ever closer to hers...

"Smack—"

Dou Wenyi's breath hitched, her eyes were bloodshot, and she slapped him across the face with all her might.

The crisp sound rang out in the quiet night, sounding quite abrupt, and both Dou Wenyi and Xie Guidu were stunned.

Xie Guidu's eyes were filled with overwhelming hatred, cold and solemn.

In that instant, Dou Wenyi seemed to see the cold and ruthless prime minister from her past life again!

Her fingers curled slightly, and a chill ran down her spine. Xie Guidu was never a kind person; in front of her, he had only deliberately concealed the ruthlessness and despicable nature in his bones.

Dou Wenyi's anger was about to burst forth. "Even if you've offered a betrothal gift, you shouldn't have treated me so disrespectfully! If Prince Xie is short of women, there are plenty of women in Tianning City offering themselves to him. Why come here to humiliate me?"

Reason began to return, and Xie Guidu stared at her trembling body, a dense pain filling his chest, causing even his body to tremble.

When he looked at her again, his gaze was more complex, filled with disappointment, tenderness, and longing, containing emotions she couldn't understand.

"You actually hit your fiancé for a playboy?"

Dou Wenyi made no attempt to hide her disgust, "You're not, get out!"

"Yi'er, I lost my composure, I—" Xie Guidu's fair face bore a red handprint. He stiffened, opened his mouth, but seeing the tears and anger welling up in her eyes, he ultimately stopped speaking.

His hands, hidden beneath his wide sleeves, trembled slightly; he longed to take out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears...

He clearly wanted to ease the tension between them, and he didn't mean to be sarcastic or make things difficult for her, so why did things escalate to this point?

If the misunderstanding was caused by that piano, he really wanted to explain it properly...

Xie Guidu had never seen her so heartless. His heart ached with bitterness. "Dou Wenyi, what do you take me for? What have I, Xie Guidu, done to wrong you?"

Am I sorry?

Those who don't love you will pretend to be innocent. They won't understand the reason for your pain; they will only think you are being unreasonable.

Dou Wenyi watched the white-robed figure leave in silence. In his past life, he had always done things to hurt her, wasn't it because he took advantage of her soft heart?

He doesn't understand her silence, so how could he understand her sorrow?

——

Autumn hunting was an important event for emperors of all dynasties to demonstrate the power of the country. Emperor Muzong valued literature and disliked killing. He also went hunting and training troops many times to deter the barbarians. As he grew older, the Crown Prince took over the task of "border hunting".

However, this time, an assassination attempt by Northern Di spies occurred in the palace. In order to deter the Northern Di, Emperor Muzong decided to hold an unprecedented autumn hunt and specially invited foreign envoys to watch the hunt.

Those accompanying the emperor were all high-ranking officials and nobles, and Dou Mingyan, being of special status, was naturally among them.

Dou Wenyi couldn't understand why she was on the list of invitees, even though Dou Bochang wasn't invited.

She was still somewhat dazed even after she got into the carriage.

Dou Wenyi lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, revealing banners obscuring the sun and flashing blades. The grand procession stretched to the foot of a distant mountain, the thunderous sound of horses' hooves echoing through the mountains, startling wild cranes and birds into a hasty retreat.

Upon arriving at the Yuqing Palace, a detached palace on Mount Li, the imperial guards set up camp nearby, while the high-ranking officials and nobles were accommodated inside the palace.

The following day, upon hearing that Crown Prince Pei Siyan had led the Imperial Guards in a hunting and formation drill with "every arrow hitting its mark," greatly enhancing the nation's prestige and astonishing the foreign envoys present, the Emperor was overjoyed and held a bonfire banquet that very night to reward everyone.

With nothing to do, Dou Wenyi leisurely enjoyed admiring the flowers in the garden.

Then they heard the patrolling guards laughing and talking: "...Your Highness shot three arrows with one swift stroke. Not only did he hit two eagles, but the third arrow also turned in mid-air and flew past the envoy's neck, scaring the Northern Di man so much that his legs went weak."

"Isn't that right? His Highness didn't even use his full strength today. I heard that the year the Mohe people of Liaodong presented a bear, he strangled that beast with his bare hands..."

"A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star; Your Highness's elegance is unmatched!"

Dou Wenyi was shocked. Pei Siyan was capricious and cruel, yet so many people genuinely admired him.

In his previous life, he was able to turn the tide when the country was on the verge of collapse, which shows his ability. But he acted so bravely and invincibly, wasn't he afraid that the emperor would be wary of him?

At this moment, Chen, the head maid who was Consort Zhang's confidante, came over and said, "Fourth Miss Dou, Consort Zhang is waiting for you in the Xiefang Palace. Please come with me."