When Zhao Xiheng was abducted by Wei Li, Zhao Mingxin was overjoyed for a long time. She had also imagined the scene of seeing Zhao Xiheng again. It was possible that Zhao Xiheng's cold corpse would be there; or it was possible that many years later, she would be sitting in the Mingtang Hall, while Zhao Xiheng would be tortured until her hair turned gray and her appearance was no longer the same.
Just thinking about it made her so happy that she could eat an extra bowl of rice.
But now Zhao Xiheng stood gracefully in front of her, not only without being wronged, but also dressed warmly and comfortably. Judging from the fabric of her clothes, they were not cheap, as if she had received preferential treatment.
He himself was huddled in the woodshed, looking disheveled and covered in dirt.
This was completely different from what she had imagined, and Zhao Mingxin felt a strong sense of humiliation.
She felt far more humiliated and resentful than when she faced Zhao Xiheng as a child.
Zhao Ming's eyes were bloodshot with rage, and his resentment grew stronger and stronger.
If we were to name Zhao Mingxin's lifelong nemesis, it would undoubtedly be Zhao Xiheng.
The Zhao imperial family has historically had few offspring, and by their generation there were only two girls. Logically, the two sisters should have been very close.
Zhao Mingxin was spoiled growing up, but Zhao Xiheng was even more spoiled.
Two equally spoiled girls together are a disaster, especially Zhao Mingxin, who is competitive and ambitious.
She always thought she was better than Zhao Xiheng, but she was inferior to Zhao Xiheng in every way, and thus gradually fell into a daze.
Finally, after Zhao Xinglie's death and her father becoming emperor, Zhao Mingxin seized the Linfeng Terrace, Baichun Garden, and Hot Spring Palace that Zhao Xinglie had built for Zhao Xiheng. She watched as Zhao Xiheng was ridiculed as a jinx, her personality failing her early, flamboyant and radiant nature. Later, Zhao Xiheng was arranged for a political marriage, and she was to marry the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei in Pingzhou. Only then did Zhao Mingxin breathe a sigh of relief, as if she had finally overcome her inner demons.
She wanted to ensure that Zhao Xiheng would never be able to rise above her.
Zhao Xiheng hadn't expected to see Zhao Mingxin here. She narrowed her eyes, sensing that something was amiss.
Zhao Mingxin, who had been squatting on the ground, suddenly lunged at her like a madman.
Without thinking, Zhao Xiheng grabbed Zhao Mingxin's hand and was about to twist her and press her against the wall when she suddenly remembered how "weak" she was in front of Wei Li. She quickly released her strength and was pushed back by Zhao Mingxin, causing her to stumble.
"Zhao Xiheng, what are you pretending for? You're a princess, yet you shamelessly climbed up to a man like that. You have no backbone at all! Ugh! It's disgusting!" Zhao Mingxin, not being influenced by her irritable father, had already used the most extreme insults she could muster.
Her eyes blazed with fury as she reached out to scratch Zhao Xiheng's face. "It must have been you who instigated this! You instigated them to send me away for a political marriage! I'll tear that face off of yours and see what you can use to bewitch people then!"
A marriage alliance?
This is a loss. The Goguryeo king even launched a sneak attack on the deer farm in Pingju, which means he has no intention of peaceful coexistence. Zhao Mingxin is a real princess after all. Marrying her anywhere else would be more useful than marrying her to Goguryeo.
However, Zhao Xiheng's own life was still in Wei Li's hands, so she didn't have time to worry about Zhao Mingxin's fate.
"Do you also have something going on with Wang Zhiyao of Qingzhou? Otherwise, why wouldn't he help me!" Zhao Mingxin, in a fit of desperation, acted like a mad dog, grabbing any accusation he could and slapping it on Zhao Xiheng's head.
"Zhao Xiheng, you simply resent me for making you a substitute for the emperor in a marriage alliance. But my father is now the emperor! Do you really expect me to condescend to marry him personally?"
Zhao Xiheng had a strong urge to grab Zhao Mingxin by the hair and slam her head against the wall. Her hands were itching to see if she could actually shake her until she was covered in soot, but with Wei Li around, she could only think about it.
Fortunately, Zhao Mingxin had been frozen for a day and a night and had little strength. She dodged backward and didn't suffer any harm.
Wei Li didn't care how Zhao Mingxin cursed Zhao Xiheng, but her constant use of "this kind of man" and her obvious disdain in her tone made him frown.
When the prefect heard that Wei Li had brought Zhao Xiheng to the woodshed, he hurriedly followed. From a distance, he could hear Zhao Mingxin spouting nonsense. He quickly squeezed in and shoved Zhao Mingxin, making him stumble. "Who do you think you are? Who are you showing off in front of?"
He swallowed hard, hoping Zhao Mingxin would tone down his temper and not actually be beaten to death by Wei Li.
Even if she was sent to a marriage alliance, she would still be a queen, living a life of luxury and having a way to survive.
Although Goguryeo's luxurious food consisted of kimchi of various flavors.
"I originally brought your sister to escort you to your wedding, but now that I see the relationship between you two sisters is so bad, I guess I don't need to anymore." Wei Li knocked the prefect aside with the hilt of his sword. "Get out of my way. Don't try to protect her, or I'll kill you first instead of her."
She stepped forward and kicked Zhao Mingxin again, saying, "I think you probably don't want your dowry anymore."
Wei Li's kick was delivered with absolutely no force; Zhao Mingxin felt a tightness in his chest, as if he were about to vomit blood.
Others might think that attacking a weak woman is dishonorable and beneath him, but who is Wei Li? He doesn't care. As long as he's satisfied, that's all that matters. He wasn't born into a respectable family to begin with, so why should he try to imitate those noble young men who are upright, honorable, and dignified? Nobody taught him that, and he doesn't want to learn it.
Anyone who speaks ill of him, he shall kill them.
He watched Zhao Mingxin wail on the ground for a while, then tilted his head and asked Zhao Xiheng, "Aren't you going to plead for your sister?"
Should she plead for mercy? She's currently portrayed as timid and cowardly. If she really pleads, Wei Li might just kick Zhao Mingxin again.
But Wei Li looked at her with a questioning gaze, and Zhao Xiheng couldn't quite figure out what he meant.
She began to recall whether her acting of faking fainting was as seamless as her acting of faking crying. If she were to pretend to faint now out of fear, would Wei Li be able to see through her act?
After recalling the events, Zhao Xiheng felt that it was probably impossible.
"Will my lord allow me to plead for her? If I plead, will my lord let her go?" Unable to avoid the question, she opened her innocent eyes and looked at Wei Li, asking her in a timid tone.
"Of course not," Wei Li said firmly.
Then what the hell is the point of asking me this?
"Then why do you still ask me, my lord?" She took a step back. "My lord, it's so cold here, I'm so scared, shall we leave?"
On Zhao Xi's small, palm-sized face, glistening tears fell like pearls, her nose slightly red, making her look pitifully delicate.
Wei Li laughed and used the hilt of his knife to lift her chin.
Last night, the prefect asked him where Princess Ming'an should be accommodated when she arrived. Without a second thought, he told the prefect to leave her in the woodshed.
Wei Li really wanted to see how Zhao Xiheng would cry when her cousin was wronged, but her cousin's miserable state was not as heartbreaking as the cold winter.
Instead of witnessing a touching sisterly bond, he learned some other things. For example, Princess Ming'an was originally supposed to be the one sent for the marriage alliance, but she didn't want to marry, so Zhao Xiheng was chosen to go in her place.
Considering all this, it's not surprising that the two don't get along. However, Wei Li is still a little disappointed that he didn't get to see Zhao Xiheng's heartbreaking tears. She's crying her eyes out now, and she looks quite beautiful.
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward.
Zhao Mingxin shed large tears and angrily pounded the ground.
She was humiliated, and Zhao Xiheng was still flirting with other men at this time!
Um……
In Zhao Mingxin's eyes, the two were flirting, and it was quite amusing.
Little did he know that Zhao Xiheng had already deeply wounded Wei Li in her heart.
Zhao Mingxin's biggest flaw is that he can't see the situation clearly and doesn't know what to say to whom, so his treatment has been reduced again and again.
Wei Li was ruthless and kept his word. He didn't give Zhao Mingxin any dowry, but instead put her imperial seal and the emperor's edict, which symbolized her status, into her bosom before sending her to Goguryeo.
There had been minor skirmishes along the border in the past, but Wei Li was the first to personally lead his men into the Goguryeo border, like a mad dog.
The King of Goguryeo was furious, but he was not confident that he could defeat the Pingju army. In the blink of an eye, Wei Li sent the emperor's daughter to him as his queen as promised, which instantly relieved his anger.
The tactic of giving a slap followed by a sweet treat works well. The King of Goguryeo now believes that Wei Li is genuinely trying to cultivate a friendly and harmonious relationship with him, but their sneak attack on the deer farm has really angered him.
He joyfully welcomed his new queen. Wei Li's envoy made a point of attending the wedding in Goguryeo before returning home, and before leaving, he specifically instructed the Goguryeo king, "Our princess has been spoiled since childhood and is still young. Please, Goguryeo, guide her well."
Zhao Mingxin's pretty face was deceptive. The King of Goguryeo had acquired a beautiful wife late in life, and when things were getting warmer, he naturally promised to treat her well.
Little did he know that Wei Li was not sending him a young, beautiful, and gentle wife, but rather bringing him disaster.
These days passed in a daze. Sometimes when Zhao Xiheng was bored, she would recall the scene from ten days ago, which felt like a past life.
She, who was to be married off to a foreign ruler, fell into the hands of Wei Li. Zhao Mingxin, who was to marry the heir of the Prince of Zhenbei, was sent to Goguryeo for a political marriage.
Wei Li, feeling magnanimous, allowed Zhao Xiheng three days to recuperate.
In these three days of countdown, the entire prefectural governor's mansion was gripped by a strange anxiety, a restless impatience that desperately wanted Wei Li to pack his things and leave.
Finally, the third day arrived. The troops were already waiting outside the prefect's mansion, and the prefect and his wife were unusually radiant.
The prefect's wife sighed as soon as she saw Zhao Xiheng. Before leaving, she took her hand and secretly slipped a bag of gold into her palm. "Money can take you anywhere. Take it with you, in case you ever need it."
Zhao Xiheng didn't stand on ceremony; after thanking her, she hid the gold.
Xiao Tao leaned nervously against Zhao Xiheng, her voice trembling with tears, and asked, "Your Highness, are we really going to Buxian City? If we go there, won't everyone there be Wei Li's people? Won't it be even more inconvenient for us to escape?"
Zhao Xiheng nodded, then touched the hidden gold with a slightly heavy heart. "So we can only look for opportunities along the way."
The gold given to her by the prefect's wife gave her the confidence to escape.
She really couldn't stay by Wei Li's side any longer; she might die any day now.
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