Chapter 144 (Full Stop)
A beam of crystal-clear light slanted into the window.
Li Qu was using ink on the couch inside the window.
'clumsy:
The defenses within the compound appear relaxed on the outside, but are actually quite strict underneath.
I pretended that I had already gone south, while Third Master was still there.
You two should personally supervise and ensure that everything is done meticulously.
What is especially important is to increase the number of guards and patrols at the residence of my two elder sisters; we must not be negligent in the slightest.
This is my instruction.
Li Qu put down his pen, blew on the ink to dry it, and sealed the letter in an envelope.
"Deliver this letter to Ping Gong and Fan Zhuo, the commander of the personal guards."
Li Qu handed the letter to Granny Xu.
Granny Xu accepted it with both hands: "This old servant will go personally."
After Granny Xu left, Li Qu asked her maid to put away the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and to fetch needles and thread.
When Granny Xu returned, she brought back a reply from Gong Pin.
Li Qu put down her needlework and took the letter.
Madam's Respect:
To protect his wife, the Third Master used Xianzhou in southern Hejian as bait to lure the ruler of the north to shift his attention.
I humbly request that Your Majesty take good care of yourself and rest for three more days, and Xianzhou will surely be safe.
However, if we delay and Xianzhou falls, the southern gateway will be wide open, and disaster will be imminent.
I earnestly hope that you, Madam, will understand and not be troubled by my frail health.
Li Qu left the house clutching the letter.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Jin, fearing that Xiao Cong would harass her, used the offer of Xianzhou as bait.
She tossed the letter into the incense burner, took two deep breaths, paced around the room, and looked up at the roof beams.
"If Dad finds out, he'll definitely slap you across the face."
As she spoke, she stepped forward to look at Li Rong.
We must not put pressure on my second sister; we need to find a way to help her relax and ensure her safe pregnancy.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
As expected, chaos broke out in Xianzhou, while Li Qu's side remained safe and sound.
After the doctor confirmed that Li Rong was fit to travel, Li Qu ordered arrangements to be made for her to travel south back to Hezhou.
There are still seven days until the winter solstice.
Li Qu chose to travel by boat because it was less bumpy and faster.
Before leaving, she wrote to Zhou Jin to inform him that she had set off.
The words were simple and ordinary, but the purse was something she had embroidered just three days ago.
The pattern was of a continuous string of gourds and melons, and he could understand her meaning at a glance.
It was dusk.
Li Qu and his companions boarded a boat on an inland river and traveled eastward into the Grand Canal.
On the riverbank, the Zhao family members, as well as Li Fu and Li Rong, had all boarded the boat.
Before Li Qu boarded the ship, he beckoned Gong Pin forward.
On the deck, Fan Zhuo's eyes scanned the area within sight, wary of any danger.
Li Qu handed the purse to Gong Pin: "Be sure to send it to Third Master as soon as possible."
When Gong Pin was thirty, he grew a beard and began to appear mature and experienced.
He respectfully accepted the purse with both hands, lowering his eyes and not daring to look directly at Li Qu: "Yes."
"A government-employed family living in Hezhou?"
"His family members are all in Hezhou."
"Hard."
"It is my honor to be engaged to relieve your worries, Madam."
Li Qu stared at the river.
Seeing this out of the corner of his eye, Gong Pin spoke up.
"As Madam instructed, we have prepared three routes to head south."
"Moreover, we will take a detour via the inland river to avoid Xianzhou, and we will be escorted by transport soldiers along the way."
"Once we enter the canal, we will travel swiftly for two days and reach the heart of the southern region, where we will be safe."
Li Qu put on the hood of his cloak: "Thank you for your arrangements along the way, sir."
"May your journey be smooth and worry-free, and may you have a safe and peaceful trip," said the betrothal official, bowing.
Li Qu stepped onto the boat.
The ship sets sail.
*
The sun sets in the west, and the cold moon hangs high in the sky.
Li Qu returned to her room from Li Rong's place.
If my second sister can adapt to water transport, that's good. If she can't, we'll have to make other plans.
A sense of unease crept into her heart. Xiao Cong should be in Hejian now, but would that scoundrel Lin Xiaocong easily let her second sister go south?
She turned to Fan Zhuo and instructed him, "Make sure to protect Second Sister."
Fan Zhuo cupped his hands in greeting: "With twenty guards, if any thieves come, they will have no chance to escape."
"Thank you for your hard work these past two days."
"It's my duty."
Li Qu returned to her room, washed up, did needlework, and blew out the lamp to go to sleep at the beginning of Hai hour.
I slept for a long time, my thoughts drifting.
A familiar yet distant voice seemed to be coming from my ears.
"Wow~"
Li Qu frowned subconsciously.
Cool fingertips caressed her brow, lingered on her eyelids, glided across her long eyelashes, brushed against her nose, and lingered on her face.
"Come back with me."
The sound echoed clearly in my ears.
Li Qu suddenly lifted Qian Jinzhong's eyelids.
The window had been opened at some point, and he carried a faint, pleasant scent mixed with musk.
Li Qu opened her mouth to call for help, but then covered her mouth with her hand.
Xiao Cong sat on the edge of the bed watching her reaction, his eyes darkening.
She suddenly sat up, pulled the covers over herself, and backed away until her back was pressed against the bed railing before stopping.
"Afraid he'll find out I was in your bed?"
There were no candles in the room, and the cold moonlight shone through the window.
It was enough for her to see his outline clearly.
He always exuded an air of superiority and intimidation.
Even sitting on the edge of the bed, one can't help but feel a little afraid.
She slowly lowered her hand from her mouth, her heart gradually calming down: "How did Your Highness get on the ship?"
“He came up behind your second brother-in-law.”
"Lin Xiaocong!"
"Yes, he didn't know what kind of powder he mixed, but just a pinch of it was enough to knock your guard down."
How many people did you bring?
"He didn't bring any people, but I... brought a lot."
Li Qu swallowed hard.
"impossible."
"The ship has stopped, can't you feel it, little one?"
He answered himself: "If you are in a large ship, lying down with the windows closed, you will not feel the ship moving. You should not feel anything."
"Your Highness is lying."
Which sentence?
"Since Your Highness brought so many people, why did you sneak onto the ship?"
Xiao Cong's gaze was fixed on her.
She had a faint, gentle fragrance emanating from her skin, which was constantly moisturized by balm.
It was the flavor he originally chose.
She wore no makeup, her black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and the way she clutched the blankets to cover herself made her look soft and vulnerable.
It was a beauty he had never offended.
His voice was pleasant, and his tone became increasingly condescending and aloof: "You should at least consider your reputation."
He reached out his hand to her: "Sweetie~"
She leaned over and pulled the dagger from under her pillow, swinging it without hesitation.
The sight of her robe swaying as she moved was breathtaking.
"Your Highness, respect yourself!"
He dodged the rejection without getting angry, and calmly withdrew his hand.
She held a dagger in one hand and used the other to grab the blankets to cover her chest.
His voice lowered slightly: "You want to keep your virginity for him?"
"I am his wife!" she snapped. "How dare you!"
Li Qu's tone caused Xiao Cong to fall silent.
She quickly analyzed the current situation and took a deep breath.
"Xiao Cong, why are you here?"
She changed how she addressed him.
Xiao Cong's heart sank little by little.
She didn't have this confidence before.
After a long silence, he finally spoke: "I've come to pick you up."
What about Xianzhou?
"Xianzhou can be taken again, but if you return to the heart of the south, I will never see you again."
"Your heart is with the Xiao family's empire; you can't possibly stop for me."
He remained silent.
She spoke with such certainty and accuracy.
There will never be another woman in this world who is so smart, beautiful and understands him.
Even though she came from a humble background, with his current position, he can pamper her without worry.
He said, "What he can give you, I can give you too."
“Goodness, we’ve spent more time together than you’ve spent with him.”
It was because she spent a long time by his side that she came to know what kind of person he was.
Li Qu thought about the documents that had been handed to her in the past few days.
"News came from Hejian yesterday that Duke Yao Zeng, the Protector of the State, has mobilized troops to Xianzhou."
"Lord Yao is taking Xianzhou on your behalf!"
“Now that you’ve appeared here…” Li Qu began gravely, “your intentions lie within the entire territory of Qizhou!”
He admired her greatly: "Aqu is very perceptive."
"And you hadn't made a sound before!"
"Furthermore, if you cross south, you will not be able to live in peace in Linyan City."
"unless……"
The procession that was to welcome him from the capital arrived.
His overwhelming and absolute control over the overall situation made him irresistible.
Thus, with that identity, he could indeed enter the southern lands at this time as if he were in an empty place.
Even if you bring a lot of people, it's perfectly acceptable.
But her ship was full of Zhou's personal guards, and if he boarded the ship, he would definitely report to her.
So, he came secretly.
She tentatively and cautiously moved outwards.
His gaze followed her movements: "Come back to the capital with me."
"When you give birth to a son, I will personally raise him and pass on the Xiao family's empire."
Li Qu was so flustered when she got out of bed that she almost fell off the bed while pressing down on the wrong spot.
He reached out to help her, but she shook him off before he could react.
She got out of bed without even putting on her shoes, pretending to walk towards the candlestick, but instead rushed straight towards the door.
He got up and strode after her.
As she reached for the door latch, he grabbed her arms, pinned her hands behind her back, and braced her against the door.
He turned her around and looked down at her.
He was very close, his gaze sweeping over the indistinct mountains.
His voice was a little deep: "Honey, I don't mind that he touched you."
The darkness of night perfectly concealed the possessiveness on his face.
The banished immortal bowed his head, looking after her.
"Come with me."
She slowly concealed her panicked thoughts: "If he forcibly takes your wife, he can immediately raise his banner and demand your return!"
"He and I were sworn enemies."
"Then I'd rather you be the one who dies."
Her jaw was suddenly pinched.
"What did you say?"
"If one of you is destined to die, I choose him to live."
He unconsciously tightened his grip on her fingers.
“You’ve only been with him for two years, while we’ve had three two-year periods, four two-year periods.”
"It's not about time, it's about sincerity."
"So... you've fallen for him!"
"I am fortunate to have a man who is willing to give up his state for me."
"Just because of this?"
"Yes, Your Highness, can you do it?"
Xiao Cong remained silent for a long time.
Her eyes shone like stars in the night: "Your Highness, did you consider whether you could escape unscathed after boarding the ship alone?"
"What, you want to lure someone to die with me?"
"It's not impossible."
"You're going to kill me for him?"
"Help! Help! There are thorns... ugh."
He changed the hand that was holding her chin to covering her lips.
He stared at her silently.
For a very long time, so long that outside the door, torches stood in rows and arrows were pointed directly at him.
The firelight shone through the doors and windows, illuminating his eyes.
There was no resentment.
Those eyes held only deep reluctance.
He said, "Aqu, I'd like to hear your congratulations."
Only then did she notice that the gold patterns on his robes were no longer the Qilin stepping on clouds, but dragon patterns.
The imperial edict from the capital indeed arrived.
Given his personality, his personal journey south was definitely not solely for Qizhou.
He slowly released his hand from her mouth.
She was breathing unevenly.
"You really don't want to come with me?"
Her reply was straightforward: "No."
"You really want me to stay?"
Li Qu did not reply.
Putting aside love, she was able to establish herself in Yan step by step, thanks to him.
Moreover, he is meticulous in his actions; it's not something she can keep just because she wants to.
He slowly released her.
She replied softly, "No."
She was forcibly abducted, which alerted others, who then personally blocked the abduction.
He came to pick her up in person, but she still refused to go with him.
He didn't say anything more about taking her away.
He knew he was ultimately too late.
If she hadn't been taken back to the capital by Zhou, would the outcome have been different?
A thousand words turned into acidic water churning in my heart.
He remained calm and took a step back.
The heartbreak that seeped into his very bones almost overwhelmed him.
His Adam's apple bobbed, and he couldn't control his voice to be as calm as before.
He gave up his insistence on asking her for another congratulation.
He struggled to look away from her face.
He turned around, took the cloak from the hanger, put it on her, and tied the sash around her neck.
'Your Highness's swastika knot looks beautiful even without the jade clasp; I like it.'
'As long as Aqu is happy.'
At the time, it seemed like nothing special.
But there was never another chance.
He fastened the straps, slowly lowered his hands, then opened the door and stepped outside.
The world seemed to have automatically slowed down for him.
He lowered his brows, raised his eyes, took a step, and every breath he took seemed to carry a deep sense of regret.
A cold wind blew into the house.
The arrows flashed coldly and changed direction as he moved.
No one dared to fire an arrow at the young emperor who had been granted the throne.
Unless Li Qu issues the order in the name of the Third Madam of the Zhou family.
Granny Xu had been startled awake. Seeing Xiao Cong leave, she hurried to Li Qu's side.
Li Qu stepped out of the room and saw that the large ship had been stopped at some point.
On the opposite ship, torches were lit everywhere. Chen Gao, the commander of the Northern Imperial Guards, held a long crossbow and aimed it at Li Qu, warning, "Madam Zhou, do not act rashly."
His footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
A gangway was placed between the two boats.
Xiao Zuo hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.
As he stepped onto the diving board, Li Qu took two steps forward and spoke loudly.
"May Your Highness prioritize the people in your actions, for the suffering of the people cannot last long."
Regardless of her identity, she was simply Li Qu, and she did not want to see war.
He paused for a moment, then heard her speak again:
"Congratulations, Your Highness, your wish has been fulfilled!"
She put a period to the past.
"When we meet again, we will be husband and wife in harmony, loving when we are at peace, and fighting to the death."
There is absolutely no possibility between them.
"Huaichuan, start the crossbow."
Huai Chuan was regretting his dereliction of duty, which allowed the Lord of the North to sneak into his wife's room. Upon hearing this, he immediately drew his crossbow and aimed it at Xiao Cong's back.
Xiao Cong didn't linger any longer, his steps hurried.
Li Qu ordered a state of alert.
Those who commit this offense will be executed without mercy.
They retreated back inside.
He also instructed Gong Pin to immediately send a message to Zhou Jin, saying that Xiao Cong had invaded the south immediately after receiving the imperial edict and had not returned to the capital to hold the enthronement ceremony.
They then instructed Gong Ping's successor to devise a countermeasure.
She ordered Granny Xu to go see Li Rong herself.
A wise person doesn't stand under a crumbling wall. She couldn't go out to get Lin Xiaocong right away, which was really annoying!
Lin Xiaocong, who had just put on his clothes, was also annoyed.
He thought Li Rong would be so preoccupied with him that she couldn't eat or sleep, but he never expected that his pitifully small position would be replaced by the child in her womb in just a few days.
He was insanely jealous.
It's not comfortable to have it yet.
Using both soft and hard tactics, but only scratching the surface.
In the end, I solved it myself.
I'm so angry.
He sat on the edge of the bed, drooping his ears as he looked at Li Rong, who had her back to him.
"Rongrong, once I take Xiao Cong's life and wreak havoc in the North, I'll give your third brother-in-law an opportunity to launch a northern expedition, and then we won't have to be separated anymore."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
