Chapter 297
The man glanced at her slightly flushed face, stroking her head with one hand and soothing her back with the other.
"Go to sleep..."
Suddenly, Tao Tao snapped out of her daze, "I forgot I had something to give you."
A hint of doubt flickered in his eyes. "What is it?"
She got up and got out of bed, but her legs went weak as soon as they touched the ground. Duan Gan, who was behind her, quickly grabbed her waist and prevented her from falling to the ground.
"What do you need to get? I'll go."
She was a little embarrassed by the awkward situation she had just been in, but then she thought, it was because of him, so what was there to be embarrassed about?
She looked up and pointed to the brocade box in front of the bronze mirror as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Take that box."
"Give me the clothes while you're at it."
The two, dressed in white undergarments, sat facing each other on the edge of the bed.
"Open it and take a look."
Tao Tao slightly raised her chin, indicating that he could open it.
He opened it and saw two golden circles inside, which, judging by their size, were meant to be worn on fingers.
Next to it was a white and blue ring-shaped jade pendant with a crouching beast head, on which two round and plump lotus seeds hung.
He recognized the jade pendant; it was the token he had given her before.
“There is a lotus lake in Luzhou. I picked these lotus seeds from the lotus pods myself. I’ve been forgetting to return this jade pendant to you, so I’ve made some improvements to it.”
"This is called a ring, and it's worn on the ring finger. One for each person."
Tao Tao explained to him while observing his expression.
Duan Gan listened to her words, staring blankly at the contents of the brocade box, looking somewhat dazed.
"Lotus seeds are sacred and can ward off evil spirits. You have killed so many people, I'm afraid something bad might disturb your mind. I hope this will be helpful to you."
"Of course, that being said, it may not actually have that effect; just consider it an ordinary accessory."
"Thank you, Xiao Tao'er, for remembering me while you're traveling."
He looked up and gently ruffled her fluffy hair, his gaze tender and indulgent, as if she really was going on a vacation, just as she had said.
The girl smiled and held out her finger, "Help me put it on."
He obediently took out a small gold ring and asked, "Does it have any special meaning?"
Otherwise, she wouldn't have had it specially made. Unlike the gemstone thumb rings worn by royalty and nobility to signify their status, this one is obviously smaller and simpler.
"Only couples who love each other can wear it."
Upon hearing this, his eyes lit up, and then he solemnly put the ring on her ring finger.
Then he stretched out his left hand and waited patiently for her to put it on him.
Tao Tao picked up the gold ring and put it on his ring finger. Under his gaze, she gently placed a kiss on his finger.
Duan Gan's breathing suddenly quickened, his pupils dilated, and as he gazed at her devout kiss, a surge of warmth welled up in his heart, spreading through his limbs and causing his body to tremble slightly.
"As long as you don't change your mind, I will never let you down, and we will be together forever."
She looked up at him, her eyes focused and serious, and cupped his face in her right hand.
He opened his mouth, but a nearly silent sob blocked his throat.
Apart from that mute girl, no one had ever looked at him with such attention and tenderness. His image was reflected only in her amber eyes, leaving no room for anything else.
He lowered his reddened eyes, his long, thick eyelashes trembling, revealing his excited and flustered state of mind because of her.
Duan Gan rubbed his cheek against her palm, looked up at her again, leaned down, and gently covered her lips with his, a muffled sound escaping between their lips.
"We will be together forever, even in death we will never be apart."
"Um."
She agreed without hesitation.
In an instant, the raging wind and rain came headlong at her, quickly engulfing her completely.
She had previously said that Murong Jia Hui's marriage was settled so quickly, but in the blink of an eye, she was five days ahead of her.
Tao Tao married from the Prince's Mansion to the Privy Council again. No one in the capital expected that she would hold a second wedding in less than a month.
The men she married were all men who were unattainable for the ladies of the capital.
Her first husband was the Crown Prince, and her second husband was Duan Gan, the regent, right prime minister, and chief privy councilor.
This wedding was no less grand than the Crown Prince's wedding, and perhaps even more so.
The Ministry of Justice prison.
His white robes were stained with dirt and dust. He sat with his knees bent against the wall, his face pale and thin, his eyes as calm as a pool of stagnant water.
“Then Princess Huaimin must be a great beauty, otherwise why would the Regent marry a woman who has been married before?”
"That must be it. To be honest, I'm also very curious about just how beautiful she is, but unfortunately we didn't get a chance to see her."
"What are you looking at? Isn't wine and meat enough? These were specially brought over by our boss. However, it's only because today is the Regent's wedding that we received these dishes as a reward."
"Yes, yes, thank you, Regent. Come, come, have some."
Three or four jailers were sitting around a table, eating and drinking heartily, when they suddenly heard someone behind them asking a question.
"May I ask who this regent you are referring to is?"
Qi Heng immediately assumed that Tao Tao had been coerced by someone again, and couldn't help but feel anxious.
Seeing their disdainful looks, I felt a pang of self-loathing for the first time at my own incompetence.
The jailer looked at Qi Heng and sneered, his words lewd and vulgar, "Hey, you were the crown prince before, didn't you have many women? Isn't Princess Huaimin prettier than many women?"
"Otherwise, you all have to marry this woman no matter what."
In an instant, he pursed his lips, his face darkened, and his eyes revealed a sinister killing intent as he looked at them.
They had never seen Qi Heng with such an expression since his several imprisonments.
That imposing, dignified aura of the emperor immediately intimidated them.
Seeing that things were getting out of hand, the jailer sitting on the right tried to smooth things over, saying, "Alright, alright, just eat and stop talking."
He was somewhat embarrassed and angry, and spat out a contemptuous "Pah!" but ultimately said nothing more.
This man was expelled three times and convicted of treason, yet everyone else died except him.
It's hard to say whether he'll escape unscathed again this time.
If Qi Heng were to leave from here, he would still be a prince of the Celestial Empire, someone that lowly jailers like them could never afford to offend.
Sure enough, someone came in from outside, went to Qi Heng's cell, and ordered them to open it.
"Prince Yong, you may return to your residence now."
"However... your activities are limited to the Yong Prince's residence."
Qi Heng smiled faintly, understanding that this was yet another case of house arrest, but the difference was that this time there was absolutely no chance of her being released.
As he passed the table where the jailers had been chatting and laughing, he suddenly stopped and turned to look at the four jailers who were now looking uneasy.
With a whoosh, followed by a splatter, the sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh.
With lightning speed, he drew the sword from the waist of the guard beside him and plunged it into the heart of the jailer who had just been spouting vulgarities.
The jailer collapsed to the ground in the blink of an eye, his eyes wide open in death.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com