Chapter 38 Wan Yan Ming Zhao Who says winter can't have a good spring...
Wan Yan Ming Zhao
Extra 8
He had only walked a few dozen steps, but each step seemed like a slow-moving scene, allowing him to clearly see her gentle expression.
Since marrying him, she had never looked at him that way.
Looking closer, one could clearly see the barely suppressed worry in Xie Xun's eyes.
What are you worried about?
Wei Mingzhao sneered.
She kept whispering something, as if trying to comfort Xie Xun.
It was a level of patience and tolerance he lacked, but he had seen it before, because she had viewed him that way before.
Wei Mingzhao was heartbroken, as if his heart had been torn apart.
His good girl no longer has feelings for him.
He didn't know how she felt when she saw him on the pleasure boat with others, but now that the roles were reversed, he knew exactly how he felt. She must have felt the same way, right?
Wei Mingzhao felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.
For her back then, and for myself now.
Taking two more steps, the soft rustling of fallen branches startled them both. They turned their heads to look at each other simultaneously.
Xie Xun even stepped forward half a step to shield Xie Wanyan behind him, a protective gesture that nearly made Wei Mingzhao gasp for breath.
But Wei Mingzhao was a man who cared a lot about his image. He maintained a dignified appearance and immediately concealed all his vulnerability and sadness when they looked over.
He nodded and smiled faintly at Xie Xun, then calmly squeezed between the two, standing beside Xie Wanyan, and greeted Xie Xun with a smile, "Lord Xie."
Xie Xun's expression was slightly unnatural. His gaze moved from Xie Wanyan's face to Wei Mingzhao's. After Xie Wanyan nodded slightly, Xie Xun relaxed his tense shoulders and replied with a smile, "Lord Wei."
A moment of silence followed, neither of them uttering a word, their eyes meeting in an eerie silence.
Xie Wanyan glanced at Wei Mingzhao first, then looked at Xie Xun, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Lord Xie."
After saying this, he gave a slight bow and gestured for Wei Mingzhao to leave with him.
Wei Mingzhao remained silent, inwardly mocking.
Why are you protecting him like this? Does he dare to beat him to death?
He dared to think it, but dared not to say it.
The heart that had just risen yesterday has sunk back to the bottom of the water.
He couldn't keep deceiving himself any longer.
Suddenly, she remembered that on their wedding day, she hadn't even drunk the nuptial wine with him.
Xie Wanyan followed behind him, her lips moving slightly as if she was about to say something, when she heard hurried footsteps. Someone was looking for Wei Mingzhao.
After hearing this, Wei Mingzhao remained silent for a long time before turning around, but lowered his eyes and did not look at Xie Wanyan. "I'll go and get busy first."
Xie Wanyan observed his expression and said calmly, "Alright, then I'll go back to my residence first."
After Xie Wanyan left, Wei Mingzhao stared intently in the direction she had gone.
So you're unwilling to be with him?
Wei Mingzhao looked down at the bloodstains left on his palm by the key.
"grown ups?"
His subordinate called softly, and Wei Mingzhao snapped out of his reverie, gripping the key tightly again. "Let's go, to the dark dungeon."
After handling the matter, when I emerged from the dark prison, it was getting dark outside.
He hadn't had a drop of water all day and was extremely thirsty; his lips were cracked and peeling, and there was a faint smell of blood from the cracks. He seemed oblivious to it.
He spurred his horse and quickly returned home.
He hurried back to the main house, his gloomy expression completely vanishing by the time he reached the main gate. He rubbed his face.
Pushing open the door, Xie Wanyan was already preparing for bed.
Wei Mingzhao walked to her side with a normal expression, and Xie Wanyan also looked over when she heard the voice, her eyes seeming to scrutinize her.
Wei Mingzhao took out the key from his pocket and handed it to her. At the same time, he took a step forward, pulled down his waistband to reveal a gold lock, and gestured for her to unlock it.
After returning to the manor, Xie Wanyan had considered many possible reactions from Wei Mingzhao upon seeing her and Xie Xun, given his unpleasant expression at the time.
I never expected it to be like this!
Xie Wanyan hesitated slightly, but when her gaze swept over Wei Mingzhao's dry lips, she finally moved and unlocked the door for him without any expression.
Wei Mingzhao gave a light hum and said, "Thank you, Madam."
Then, clutching her clothes, she went to the bathroom, covering her face.
She never imagined that Wei Mingzhao could be so utterly despicable!
He has all the keys, why is he keeping them to himself?
Yet, at that moment, he was not unmoved. There was some perfume powder she had unintentionally left on the golden lock's core, indicating that he truly hadn't touched it.
In the end, they kept their word.
Xie Wanyan looked at the closed bathroom door and heard the servants bringing hot water to serve Wei Mingzhao's bath. Her eyes were filled with complicated emotions.
Since getting married, the first thing Wei Mingzhao does after finishing his shift is to wash up, afraid that bringing back the smell of blood would displease her.
Xie Wanyan was not unaware of what Wei Mingzhao wanted, but she felt that she couldn't give it to him.
Before her and him, her mother and father were both fine at first, but they all ended up with bad results.
If we don't get involved in romance and only talk about reality and interests, it might be better.
Given his past actions of abandoning her for her own good, he should understand this principle.
Wei Mingzhao was unaware that Xie Wanyan was actually thinking of pushing him away.
Wei Mingzhao, on the contrary, managed to appease himself. He thought to himself, no matter what Xie Xun might do, he was still Xie Wanyan's husband, a man who had crossed the bounds of propriety!
But when he came out of the washroom after everything was settled, Xie Wanyan had fallen asleep!
He was left with only a heartless silhouette.
He choked on his breath and strode to the study.
The bedroom door closed, and the tense back of the person on the bed finally relaxed a little.
Wei Mingzhao poured himself a drink, and his whole body seemed to be soaking in a bitter soup.
He wanted to go have a drink with Xie Lang, but that bastard was even worse than him; he'd probably drive him crazy! The debts from before weren't settled yet, so who was going to invite him for drinks?
Wei Mingzhao, alone in his study, picked up a wine jug and drank it down in one gulp after another, thoroughly enjoying himself!
I'm so sad.
In every unbearable day of the past, he only thought that she would get better.
He comforted himself, saying that if he was lucky enough to survive, he would kneel before her and beg for her forgiveness!
But... he never imagined she would have feelings for another dog!
Was she as heartbroken as I was back then?
Wei Mingzhao suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest and fell to the ground, letting the wine soak him. He curled up into a ball like a wronged child.
His eyes were closed, his eyelashes fluttered, and water droplets splashed into the wine on the ground.
Xie Wanyan, inside the room, was unaware of his thoughts.
The next morning, everything beside me was just as it had been the day before.
He didn't come back to sleep.
Xie Wanyan stared blankly, lost in thought.
It's hard to describe the feeling; it's like a knife that's been hanging in the air finally falling.
But this is the best thing for them, isn't it?
Xie Wanyan composed herself, washed up, dressed herself up, and left the mansion alone.
She went to Jialan Residence, pushed open the door, and Xie Xun, hearing her voice, looked over and got up to greet her.
Xie Xun brought her a letter this time.
He had previously promised to marry her, but due to his own actions, he had lied to her, which made Xie Xun feel guilty. Therefore, he wanted to help her as much as he could.
Fearing the reputation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I wonder if she is doing well after her marriage.
However, Xie Xun couldn't pry into such matters between husband and wife. He could only instruct his subordinates to take good care of her.
Upon receiving the letter, Xie Wanyan thanked Xie Xun and prepared to leave. Xie Xun rose to persuade her to stay, but Xie Wanyan suddenly remembered to ask him if the marriage had been settled.
This made Xie Xun blush deeply, and under her teasing gaze, he finally dared not keep her any longer.
Xie Xun only came out after she left.
The person hiding in the shadows saw Xie Xun, his eyes flashed slightly, and he turned and hurried towards the Imperial Guards.
Upon receiving the news, Xie Wanyan hired an ordinary carriage and headed out of the city.
Xie Wanyan asked Xie Xun to help her find a reclusive master to look into the matter. The master said it was very strange, that the woman was not destined to be married.
She knew she was making a haphazard move, but she had no other choice.
But there is no chance of marriage?
Wei Mingzhao clearly said that Lin had been married on the frontier, so what's going on?
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
Xie Wanyan usually had nothing to do, so she decided to go and take a look.
She made some quick adjustments in the car, wrapping a simple homespun cloth around her head.
As the weather gets cooler and dust rises in the suburbs of Beijing, ordinary women dress like this, attracting no attention.
This village has a small population, with only a dozen or so households, and they don't even go out during the winter months.
Xie Wanyan hid in the tree before she could finally look around with peace of mind.
She couldn't help but scoff, "His father really picked a great place for him."
He stared intently at the small courtyard.
The mother and son were coming in and out, busy in the yard.
It looks like they're roasting chicken?
They have quite a zest for life.
The mother and son seemed to have a good relationship, but they kept looking towards the gate, as if they were waiting for someone.
Xie Wanyan knew without even guessing who she was waiting for.
I hate them so much!
How dare they humiliate my mother like this!
A gust of cold wind howled and crept into her neck, making her shiver.
In a daze, Xie Wanyan actually thought of Wei Mingzhao, wondering what Wei Mingzhao was doing and whether he was wearing those gold-threaded trousers outside.
Isn't it cold in the middle of winter?
As darkness fell, she prepared to return home.
Just then, a strong man came from the village road with a big black dog and turned into the small courtyard.
The mother and son rushed forward to greet them.
this?
What's going on?
Xie Wanyan's eyes widened, but she couldn't hear anything from that distance.
After much deliberation, she felt this was an opportunity she couldn't miss.
Quietly climbed down the tree and approached the courtyard, standing against the wall on tiptoe, but unexpectedly stepped on a dead branch.
The talking in the courtyard fell silent, then a dog barked.
Xie Wanyan turned and ran into the woods.
That big black dog was very fierce and kept chasing after us.
Xie Wanyan turned around and saw the big black dog glaring menacingly, its throat emitting a trembling warning. She froze, then touched the sleeping powder hidden inside her ankle.
She wasn't stupid; naturally, she wouldn't go on an adventure empty-handed, and she had made preparations beforehand.
But they really didn't consider dogs.
In her anxiety, Xie Wanyan stepped on a stone, twisted her ankle, and fell down the slope.
Unable to move due to the pain, in the pitch-black night, all I could do was look up at the black dog's bright, shining eyes.
Am I going to die here today?
She drew her dagger.
On the other side.
Wei Mingzhao was riding his horse outside the city waiting for Xie Wanyan, but she didn't return. His thick eyebrows furrowed, and he felt uneasy.
Suddenly, he saw a carriage speeding towards him and hurried to meet it, only to see the coachman looking flustered, which made his heart skip a beat.
Wei Mingzhao stopped them, "Where is my wife?"
The old man, seeing the man's extraordinary bearing, guessed that he was from the same family as the girl and hurriedly said, "The girl told me to wait far away, but I've been waiting for her now and still haven't found her."
The old man was very nervous. "I think I saw wolves chasing people! I called for the villagers to come out and rescue people, but no one came. That's when I rushed back to ask for help."
Upon hearing this, Wei Mingzhao's handsome face immediately tightened.
After thanking the old man, his men hurried back to find someone. Wei Mingzhao took the lead, spurring his horse towards the village.
Wei Mingzhao was fast, and so were his subordinates.
By the time Wei Mingzhao arrived at the village, his men had almost caught up with him.
The commotion woke up all the villagers who were still awake.
A small number of able-bodied men stood at the village entrance, hoes and rakes in hand.
Hearing that the Imperial Guards were searching for someone, the villagers quickly hid back home.
Wei Mingzhao looked around but didn't see the Lin mother and son.
Countless torches illuminated almost half of the night sky.
Holding a torch, Wei Mingzhao's eyes, already bloodshot like those of a hawk, carefully shone the light on every spot on the ground, afraid of missing a single detail.
I stayed up most of the night, but there was no trace of them.
The weather is getting colder and colder, with dark clouds covering the sky and the swirling winds carrying snowflakes.
Seeing Wei Mingzhao's gloomy expression, the confidant knew something was wrong. If they didn't find the lady soon, the master might go mad. If this continued any longer, everyone would freeze to death!
No one dared to speak, and they intensified their search for the person.
Wei Mingzhao's dark aura was almost tangible.
Suddenly, he heard someone exclaim in surprise. Wei Mingzhao, disregarding his gentlemanly demeanor, rushed over. He even stumbled on the rocks without paying attention and almost fell.
Finally, I saw paw prints, but I couldn't tell if they belonged to a wolf or a dog.
In an instant, Wei Mingzhao's heart was in his throat.
Further ahead, there was a dirt slope.
He strode forward, but his men quickly stopped him.
"Sir, the dangers down there are unknown. We'll go down and be fine!"
Wei Mingzhao's eyes were bloodshot as he pushed the person aside, saying, "I'll get out."
He had a feeling that she was down below.
Upon hearing this, the confidant had no choice but to find him a rope, but as soon as he turned around, he heard a series of exclamations.
The confidant sensed something was wrong, turned around and saw that the master had lost his mind and had already used his lightness skill to leap down.
Ignoring everything else, Wei Mingzhao gripped the stone wall with his hands, his fingernails cracking and splitting. He descended rapidly, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, and with this reckless abandon, he quickly reached the bottom.
He turned around and was about to shout to his men to throw down torches.
But as soon as he moved, he caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly went over.
Xie Wanyan huddled in the hollow, her face pale with cold, her eyes barely open.
He was still clutching a dagger in his hand.
Wei Mingzhao immediately untied the cloak and tied it on her, while shouting for help.
The people above breathed a sigh of relief when they heard that they had finally found it.
But then a headache struck. Looking around, there were large cliffs. Although this place wasn't as high as a precipice, it wasn't easy to go up or down either.
Going down is easy, but getting people back up is difficult.
It's really not easy to get someone up there in such a short time.
Wei Mingzhao knew this, so he gathered some dry firewood, lit it, and then went over to hold the person in his arms.
Xie Wanyan, now half-asleep but more alert, looked up at his tense jaw and asked, "Wei Mingzhao?"
Suddenly, tears fell onto her face.
Wei Mingzhao stared at Xie Wanyan, almost gritting his teeth, "Do you really have to force me to my death?"
Xie Wanyan was half-asleep and had no idea what he was saying.
In a daze, she felt as if she saw the Wei Mingzhao of the past, the less composed Wei Mingzhao.
The Wei Mingzhao of the past seems no different from the one now. He still acts all respectable in public, but acts childish and strange in front of her.
Xie Wanyan closed her eyes, and then seemed to hear someone angrily crying.
She had fallen into a deep sleep, and after an unknown amount of time, a cool breeze woke Xie Wanyan from the heat. Opening her eyes, she saw a wall of flesh before her. By the moonlight, she realized she was being held tightly in his arms, wrapped in his cloak while he wore only a single robe.
When I looked up, I found his face was unusually red, and when I touched it, it was very hot.
Xie Wanyan was anxious and hurriedly pushed him away, then pulled open her cloak to wrap it around him. But Wei Mingzhao held on tightly, and she couldn't pull it off much even with all her strength.
Wei Mingzhao was disturbed by the little animal's scratching movements and opened her eyes. Seeing her anxious gaze, she leaned closer and touched the tip of her nose, murmuring as if in a dream, "You really scared me to death this time."
Frost clung to his eyelashes as he blinked. "I was thinking, if you were gone, after I avenged you, I would go with you."
Xie Wanyan choked up, "...Where are you going?"
Wei Mingzhao: "I'll stay with you."
He paused slightly before saying, "You were afraid of the dark when you were young, so you should be afraid of the dark in the underworld."
Xie Wanyan was stunned by the unexpected answer. Wei Mingzhao also came to his senses at that moment, looking at her with dark, unfocused eyes.
Seeing this, Xie Wanyan felt unusually guilty, realizing she had almost gotten into trouble by running away this time.
Coming to his senses, he pulled out a medicine bowl and put it in Wei Mingzhao's mouth. The bitter taste spread, and Wei Mingzhao obediently swallowed it without asking what it was.
He thought Wei Mingzhao would blame her, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he changed the subject, "If you need Xie Xun's help, why didn't you ask me?"
Xie Wanyan pursed her lips and nudged him, "Put on your cloak first."
Wei Mingzhao remained unmoved, saying, "If you don't answer, I won't wear it."
Seeing his face growing increasingly red, Xie Wanyan was afraid he would freeze to death, so she had no choice but to lower her head and tell him what was on her mind.
Wei Mingzhao listened with her eyes lowered, and after a long silence, she said in a low voice, "Xie Wanyan, I am your husband."
Xie Wanyan understood perfectly well that he was willing to freeze to death to protect her.
She wasn't entirely heartless; he had his own difficulties back then, so why make things harder for him?
"I know, you are my husband."
While he was in a daze, Xie Wanyan quickly pulled off her cloak and hastily wrapped it around most of his body, glaring at him. "If you don't wrap yourself up now, you might not be my husband anymore after you burn out."
Wei Mingzhao snapped out of his reverie, his face grim but his hands still moving as he wrapped himself in the cloak. This time, the two of them were both inside the cloak, their eyes meeting.
He suddenly lowered his head and bit her lips. Xie Wanyan tried to dodge, but Wei Mingzhao wouldn't let her. He pried open her lips and forced his way in.
All the pent-up jealousy and fear I've been holding in lately have finally come out today.
Even Xie Wanyan couldn't deceive herself about his feelings.
After a long while, Xie Wanyan pushed him away.
"I can't breathe... I can't catch my breath..."
Wei Mingzhao reluctantly stopped.
Xie Wanyan stared at his bloodshot eyes and quickly said, "Let's talk."
Wei Mingzhao, panting heavily, asked, "What did you say?"
Xie Wanyan asked him for the first time, "Where did you go after you left Beijing two years ago?"
Wei Mingzhao thought about it and realized that he had almost lost her because of his concealment. Now that he had learned his lesson, he told her everything about leaving the capital and going to the frontier.
This was the first time the two of them had opened up to each other so much since they got married.
Xie Wanyan listened, sometimes surprised, sometimes worried.
So adorable! Wei Mingzhao's heart melted at the sight of her, and he couldn't help but kiss her.
I was still half asleep and didn't really taste anything...
When his trusted confidant found the way and led the men with torches, Wei Mingzhao looked back at the spot before leaving, imprinting everything in his heart.
The trusted aide dared not turn around, fearing that the master would discover that he had seen the master chasing after the lady and pestering her...
The confidant coughed, thinking to himself that he should be even more considerate of his wife in the future!
The two got into the carriage and both fell into a deep sleep.
When Xie Wanyan woke up again, she was already on her bed in the bedroom, and it was broad daylight outside.
It was a sunny day, the clear sunlight streaming through the windowpanes.
Wei Mingzhao was talking to someone outside the door, and Xie Wanyan was listening quietly.
After listening for a while, I finally understood what they were talking about, and my feelings were complicated.
Wei Mingzhao obtained a pair of twin Gu worms, which can sympathize with each other. The offspring Gu can take the fall for the mother Gu and even save her life in critical moments.
Wei Mingzhao asked the divine physician to check if there was any error. If there was no error, he would take the child Gu and Xie Wanyan would take the mother Gu.
She overheard the doctor saying that the Gu worm was ruthless and should not be taken.
Wei Mingzhao, however, was very stubborn and insisted on submitting.
This really scared him. He thought to himself, "She's frail. If something happens to her, I'm tough and won't be a problem."
The divine physician hesitated: "But...but this Gu worm..."
What if I really shielded someone from death?
This is the commander of the Imperial Guard! How can he act so recklessly?
Wei Mingzhao, however, took it in stride: "I have no grand ambitions. After taking my revenge, all I want to do is stay by her side and protect her."
Xie Wanyan felt incredibly bitter as she listened, and pulled up the covers to secretly wipe her eyes.
That night.
As if sensing something, Wei Mingzhao somehow noticed her softening attitude, and that very night, he cried out that he was cold and crawled into her bed. He coiled around her like a damp, cold python.
With the Gu worms, he could sense her tension and confusion.
Wei Mingzhao buried his face in the crook of her neck. He was determined to behave well and make her forgive him as soon as possible.
At the same time, Xie Wanyan inevitably felt his overwhelming love, which poured down on her wave after wave. She felt many, many complex and heavy emotions.
There was too much, so much that it broke her heart, made her want to cry for him, and softened her heart.
She closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling, and sighed softly.
Oh well, this guy's been stubborn his whole life, why bother arguing with him?
Xie Wanyan rolled over in his arms, hugged his neck, and gently kissed his prominent Adam's apple.
She never told him that she thought he was extremely handsome in that area.
Every time she saw it rolling back and forth, she felt a burning sensation in her lower abdomen.
Wei Mingzhao sensed this, froze for a moment, then pulled the quilt over the two of them.
The quilt swayed like ocean waves.
Who says winter can't have beautiful spring sunshine?
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Author's Note: Four months later, this story is finally finished! This was my first historical romance novel, and I had a lot of fun writing it. I was able to persevere thanks to everyone's encouragement! Whether you're a familiar old reader or a new one, every comment warmed my heart. Seeing comments from readers who have been with me for years was a real surprise, and it brought tears to my eyes too! This quiet companionship and support is probably the joy of writing!
Thank you again for your continued support. (bows deeply)
I'll take a break after this, then save the manuscript and try to start writing it before the end of the year! Hope to see you all again then!
Finally, I wish all the lovely babies happiness and joy every day! May they be healthy and wealthy!
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