Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Of course it’s worth it! She’s Ah Xu! …

The first thing Li Zhan asked when he saw Madam Hou was, "Is Ah Xu hurt?"

The Marquis's wife sat on a chair beside the bed, looking at the worry in his eyes, and suddenly understood why Nan Xu couldn't let go of Li Zhan.

Put yourself in her shoes. If Princess Jingyi's sword was slashing towards her, and Marquis Yong'an stood in front of her to block the sword for her, she might forget those sad past events and be willing to be willful for this man again.

pity…

The Marquis' wife laughed self-deprecatingly, leaned over and pushed down the corner of the quilt that Li Zhan had lifted. "Mr. Li, have you considered the consequences of this sword strike today?"

When the doctor cut open his clothes just now, the marquis's wife looked up and saw that in addition to the sword wound that ran diagonally through his entire back, there were many bruises of varying sizes on his back and arms.

He was the imperial concubine's captain, and apart from the princess, the marquis' wife really couldn't think of anyone else who could have hurt him.

If it weren't for this sword today, she might still be able to tell herself that Li Zhan abandoned Ah Xu for fame and fortune; but everything she saw before her seemed to tell her that Li Zhan might also have no choice.

There was so much pity in her eyes that Li Zhan turned his face away.

She often saw this kind of expression on the faces of the ladies-in-law and maids in the princess's mansion. At first, she could still remember that when she was in high spirits, she used the title of the Imperial Concubine's Captain to scold and punish them; but after a long time, even he himself began to doubt himself.

I doubt whether the elegant and handsome young man who was once famous in Kyoto really existed.

"I didn't have time to think."

When the Marquis thought he would not answer this question, Li Zhan said weakly.

"Jingyi won't show mercy. I know Duan Wenpei can protect her, but what if? Now that I've seen it, I won't take that gamble."

What an idiot!

The Marquis's wife sighed inwardly.

His voice softened, "Is it worth it? She's just a woman who has nothing to do with me anymore."

After a moment's silence, Li Zhan suddenly laughed. His smile made the corners of his mouth bitter, the corners of his eyes sore, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

He almost roared, "Of course it's worth it! She's Ah Xu!"

She is the woman whom I hold in my hands and in my mouth, whom I care about all the time and worry about every moment; she is the woman whom I decide to marry and take good care of.

How could he feel it wasn't worth it?

The Marquis's wife was shocked, and the pity and sorrow in her eyes were as thick as the inexhaustible darkness of the night.

If I had known this earlier, if I had known this earlier...

She slowly leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes.

What would have happened if I had known this earlier?

After all, we are not destined to be together. No matter how much you say or do, it will be useless.

"I sent someone to tell your mother the whole story. The people from the Li Mansion are waiting outside. If you can still move, go back with them."

Seeing Li Zhan's sharp eyes looking at her, the Marquis's wife remained unmoved and said, "I know you don't want to make your mother worry, but you can hide it for a while, but you can't hide it forever. Instead of making a big fuss, it's better to go back now. Your mother wants to go back to the Li Mansion directly. Judging from the princess's attitude, she won't calm down for a while."

As she spoke, the Marquis' wife gave him another calm look, then stood up and prepared to leave. As she neared the door, she paused and turned back, saying, "Li Zhan, I've watched you grow up. Auntie, I beg you, if you don't curb your affection and love, it will sooner or later harm Ah Xu."

Li Zhan suddenly looked up at the door. Against the light, the figure at the door was like a mountain pressing down on him, making it hard for him to breathe.

"It will hurt you too."

*

When they were almost at the door, Nan Xu said she wanted to see Nan Yun. Duan Wenpei didn't want to interfere in the affairs between the sisters and just said that he was waiting for her in the carriage.

Nan Xu nodded, watched him get on the carriage, and then turned around to look for Yin Wu.

Yin Wu was talking in the room with Nan Yicheng who had just returned. When she heard the maid say that Nan Xu asked her where Nan Yun was imprisoned, she quickly fixed her makeup and came out to see Nan Xu.

Yin Wu naturally knew where Nan Yun was imprisoned, but the Marquis's wife had ordered that no one in the mansion be allowed to see her. Yin Wu was a little unsure whether this "anyone" included Nan Xu.

Nan Xu could guess about 70% of what she was thinking from her hesitant look. "I'll just say a few words. Sister-in-law won't tell anyone, so no one will know that I went to see Nan Yun."

Yin Wu nodded. That was true. After she became the head of the household, many matters of the mansion, big and small, had passed through her hands. If she couldn't even keep such a small matter secret, she would seem too useless.

So he took Nan Xu with him and opened the corner gate on the west side of the yard. After walking around for a while, they came to the deserted yard.

The two men avoided the servants guarding outside the courtyard gate and walked in with their backs hunched.

The yard had not been inhabited for a long time, and there were cobwebs everywhere. Nan Xu felt a little uncomfortable looking at the familiar yard.

Nan Yun was locked up by her mother in the place where Aunt Huan once lived.

Yin Wu noticed that something was wrong with her and was about to ask, but when he remembered the rumors in the mansion before, he stopped talking in disappointment.

It’s better for her not to expose other people’s scars.

When he pushed open the door, a smell of years of decay hit him in the face. Yin Wu blocked it with his sleeves, but was still choked and coughed uncontrollably.

"Sister-in-law, I can go in by myself."

Yin Wu was a little worried, "Third sister has evil intentions after all, Ah Xu, can you go in alone?"

Nan Xu looked at the furnishings in the room and walked straight in. "No matter how crazy she is, she won't do anything stupid on mother's territory. Don't worry, sister-in-law."

Yin Wu knew that he couldn't persuade her, so he simply stepped out, left the door ajar, and put his ear to the window to listen to the noise inside.

Nan Xu was right. Nan Yun would not do anything to her. She even showed an expression of disbelief because of her sudden appearance.

"Second sister, why are you so noble as to visit such a lowly person?" She was squatting in a corner of the closet. Seeing Nan Xu coming, she hurriedly touched her messy hair and smoothed her wrinkled clothes, trying her best not to appear inferior in front of Nan Xu.

Nan Xu stood five steps away from her, looking at her half-sister.

In fact, Nan Yun is 50% similar to her. What's more, because of Aunt Zhou's beauty, Nan Yun has a bit more lovable charm than her.

If she had been more obedient, she might have been able to marry a good man.

Nan Xu retracted her gaze and said calmly, "Aunt Huan once lived here. This is not a cheap place."

Nan Yun searched her mind for a long time before realizing who Aunt Huan was. She wanted to laugh and actually laughed out loud, "Second sister, please don't tell me that you came to see me just to tell me that this is where the bitch who was killed by my aunt lives..."

“Bang!”

A crisp slap shattered Nan Yun's sarcasm.

Nan Xu shook her hands and corrected seriously, "It's not a bitch, it's Aunt Huan."

Nan Yun came back to her senses and looked at Nan Xu in disbelief, "You dare to hit me?" She was about to fight back, but she was too excited and tripped over the scattered debris at her feet. She tripped hard and couldn't get up for a long time.

Nan Xu squatted down and looked at her, saying word by word, "Look, Aunt Huan is not happy with the way you address her."

Nan Yun felt uneasy when she saw her looking at her. She picked up some unknown object and was about to throw it at her, but Nan Xu grabbed her wrist and said, "You can throw it after I finish asking you questions, but from now on, you must answer every question I ask truthfully."

"Why?" Nan Yun roared.

Nan Xu raised an eyebrow, "You are still the murderer who killed my maid."

The word "murderer" was too strong a word. Nan Yun's eyes flickered and she slowly put down what she was holding.

"I didn't kill her." She looked at Nan Xu seriously, her eyes becoming more determined. "Yes, I just hit her with a stone. I didn't kill her. I definitely didn't kill her!"

"Who knows whether what you said is true or false?"

Nan Yun raised her head arrogantly and looked at her strangely, "If you want to kill me, I'll kill you. What's the big deal about killing a girl?"

*

There was a loud noise of something being thrown in the Chongzheng Hall. Guo Huai stood outside the hall door with his shoulders hunched, as if he didn't hear it.

Xie Huan had nothing to do at the moment and was chatting with his godfather. He glanced at the palace gate and asked Guo Huai, "Godfather, are we going to start a fight?"

Guo Huai looked at him speechlessly and hit him on the knee with his whisk, "Go away, do you think His Majesty and the Princess are like you, fighting with the eunuchs at the slightest disagreement?"

Xie Huan took a moderate blow, but he didn't dodge. He leaned closer and said, "That was Godfather, didn't you see it? The way the princess chopped off her husband's sword, tsk tsk tsk, that move was as ruthless as those butchers' wives outside the long street."

Guo Huai's mind moved slightly, "You mean, the princess killed her husband in Yong'an Marquis's mansion?"

Xie Huan nodded.

"Who else was there?"

Xie Huan thought for a moment, "It seems that Wei Yangbo and his wife are here too."

Guo Huai glared at him and blurted out the words "little bastard", "Why didn't you tell me such an important thing earlier!"

Xie Huan couldn't dodge in time and was slapped twice on the head. He felt a little aggrieved, "What's the big deal about this?" Isn't the important thing that the princess went crazy in the marquis's mansion and killed the prince consort?

Guo Huai was too lazy to explain and hurriedly ordered two cups of heat-removing tea to be served. He personally carried them in. Before leaving, he grabbed Xie Huan by the collar and said, "Little bastard, don't think I don't know that you've received a reward from the Concubine Dowager. I'm reminding you, don't make any mistakes, otherwise even I can't save you!"

With that, he snorted coldly, picked up the tea tray, flicked his whisk and walked into the Chongzheng Hall.

Xie Huan cursed inwardly, "Old thing!", straightened his hat that had been knocked askew, and went to the harem in a flash.

Before Guo Huai's tea was served to the two masters, it was knocked to the ground by a flying inkstone.

Guo Huai knelt down hurriedly, "Your Majesty, Princess, please calm down."

Jingyi was angry and shouted "Get out" without even looking at him.

Emperor Xuanwu scolded coldly, "How outrageous!"

"You dare to tell my people to get out now, will you dare to tell me to get out next time?"

Emperor Xuanwu was angry, his voice was as cold as an ice cellar. Long Wei should not be underestimated. Jingyi was in a dilemma whether to express her anger or not.

With a ferocious expression, she picked up the tea bowl on the table and threw it at Guo Huai. "Yes, I was presumptuous. It's all my fault. I, a princess from the cold palace, don't know what's good for me. I actually dared to chop people with a sword and hit His Majesty's eunuch."

She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, unbuttoning her clothes without hesitation to reveal her shoulders. "It's all my fault! I'm not a prince like my brother, and I'm useless, so I ended up living in the cold palace. Your Majesty, please beat me or kill me if you want. Anyway, this body of yours is already filthy, so please take it!"

The tea bowl hit Guo Huai's forehead, and the tea mixed with blood dripped onto the gold bricks.

Emperor Xuanwu looked at the motionless Guo Huai and reluctantly asked him to go down and treat his wound first. He then stood up and walked to Jingyi, pulling her clothes up with heartache.

"The person has been smashed, the anger should have subsided."

As Guo Huai stepped out of the palace, Emperor Xuanwu's softened voice floated into his ears.