Chapter 33: I Hate You, Not Miss You (2) She ran away. …
Meng Xuanli looked out the window and saw that he was wearing a black robe, which looked a bit like the cold ash under the stove, dull and lifeless.
The corners of her lips curled up slightly, forming a faint smile. A few days ago, she heard that Lu Guanque and the Duke had been at odds for a long time, so she had Anxiang use Lu Guanque's name to deliver a letter to the Duke.
The Duke would surely be furious when he saw this letter and would ask Lu Guanque to go to Chang'an. However, she had not expected Lu Guanque to agree so quickly.
"Did anyone see you when you delivered the letter?" Meng Xuanli felt a little uneasy.
Anxiang shook her head and whispered, "That day, I went out with the maids to do some shopping. I spent some money on the way, so I asked a little boy to deliver it. Later, when I saw him coming out of the door, I felt relieved and returned."
"So, we haven't revealed any flaws..."
Meng Xuanli waved his hand, signaling Anxiang to come closer, and asked in a low voice, "Has there been any news from my father?"
"I was just about to reply to this. It's been over a month, and I don't know if it's the weather or something went wrong along the way, but there's still no reply from Xuzhou."
Meng Xuanli rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought. She had originally thought of writing to her father, asking Jiahe to send the child back to Xuzhou. But now there was no news, and she didn't dare to hand the child over to him...
What should I do?
Just as he was startled, An Xiang suddenly said, "If the Crown Prince's Consort is worried, why not let Miss Jiahe stay at the Duke's Mansion for a while? The Crown Prince wouldn't put a swaddled baby in a difficult situation, would he?"
"I can't keep him here... If I stay, I'm afraid he'll use this child to hold me hostage." Meng Xuanli looked into her eyes and sighed deeply, "Forget it, if there's no news from Xuzhou, I'll take Jiahe and leave."
"But, you will inevitably have to endure some hardships of displacement."
Meng Xuanli leaned back and felt that she had been wandering in the garden for a long time. The dreams she had in the past, the death of Meng Xiuyu, the death of Su He... were all like the flower god pointing the way. But she only realized it now, but it was too late.
Is it true that I will be imprisoned by him for the rest of my life?
Meng Xuanli felt his head was about to split. He leaned against the embroidered pillow and closed his eyes. "You go down first. After he leaves, we can discuss it in detail."
Seeing that she was tired, Anxiang lowered her head and quietly left.
As dusk fell, the scroll in Meng Xuanli's hands fell to the ground. The night wind blew in through the window, making the pages rustle.
Not long after, a faint smell of alcohol came over. Meng Xuanli pinched his nose, slowly opened his eyes, and met Lu Guanque's drunken eyes.
She pushed him away, slipped on her slippers, and walked out.
"Princess, I'll take my leave first." Anxiang set the table, glanced at the inner room, closed the door and left.
Meng Xuanli pretended he didn't exist, washed his hands, sat on a chair, and ate alone. After taking a few bites, he heard Lu Guanque call out sharply, "Meng Xuanli, come here..."
He rarely called her by her full name, but now he was like this, he must have been fed up with her. After all, these days, every time she said a few words, he would fly into a rage, as if he wanted to kill her.
Meng Xuanli breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that life like this was truly boring. Never mind, I was leaving anyway, so I just had to endure it for a few more days.
While he was thinking about it, he heard Lu Guanque say, "Meng Xuanli, you are so heartless."
She seemed not to hear and continued to eat. Before she knew it, Lu Guanque had stood behind her, snatched the bowl and chopsticks from her hands, grabbed her wrist, and dragged her into the inner room.
"I'm talking, can't you hear me?" Lu Guanque's voice was very cold, like frozen stone.
Meng Xuanli didn't struggle at all, and said calmly, "I heard it, but I'm having dinner and don't have time to respond, Your Highness."
"Your Highness, are you going to blame me for even such a small matter?"
"You know very well how to make me angry." Lu Guanque took out a handkerchief and wiped the residue from the corner of her lips with great force.
Meng Xuanli felt pain and looked at him angrily.
"Want to scold me?" Lu Guanque narrowed his eyes, "Or do you want to bite me?"
Meng Xuanli found it funny and immediately sneered, "Bite you? Are you worthy?"
Lu Guanque chuckled and pressed her down on the chair in front of the dressing table. Meng Xuanli's back stiffened, and she trembled all over. She asked in fear, "What are you going to do?"
Lu Guanque's eyes were as clear and bright as the lychee juice from Lingnan. He stroked her drooping black hair and stared at her. "What can I do to you?"
"I'm just telling you..." Lu Guanque lifted her chin and forced her to look straight at him. "Don't run around while I'm in Chang'an. If I find out you've escaped..."
"Ali, you know how serious the consequences are."
The voice was as cold as poison, and every word was a threat.
Meng Xuanli calmed himself down and sneered, "People around me have either been forced to death or killed by you. Where can I run to?"
Lu Guanque's face darkened completely, and he said meaningfully, "I've said before that Su He deserved death. He deserved it. I had no choice but to kill him."
Meng Xuanli snorted as if he had just heard a ridiculous joke. "Then tell me, what on earth could have compelled you to say such shameless things?"
Lu Guanque endured the sharp pain in his heart, took a deep breath, and said coldly, "There is no reason."
Meng Xuanli narrowed his eyes. This man could decide someone's life or death with just a few words. Afterwards, he was still so righteous. If you didn't know, you would think he was saving people instead of killing them.
She pushed him away suddenly and insisted on getting up. Lu Guanque noticed it and picked her up and walked to the bathroom: "No running around, do you hear me?"
"I didn't hear you." Meng Xuanli grabbed his collar, knowing what he was going to do next. "I'm not afraid of you."
Lu Guanque sighed deeply, placed her on his lap, and began to undress her. Meng Xuanli frowned and said coldly, "Don't touch me, I'll do it myself."
"Don't act like you're ready to die." Lu Guanque's eyes were deep, but his movements were gentle. "Isn't it okay for me to serve you?"
"Why not?" Meng Xuanli bit her lip and said coldly, "Being served by the prince is something I earned in my previous life..."
Before she could finish her words, Lu Guanque lowered his eyes and kissed her lips hard. Meng Xuanli was forced to lie on her back, sobbing incoherently, enduring his intense anger.
…
After the two of them bathed, Meng Xuanli collapsed into Lu Guanque's arms, her body limp. A full moon hung over the courtyard, adding a touch of brightness to the quiet night.
Lu Guanque placed her in front of the makeup mirror. Meng Xuanli felt a chill down her spine. She suddenly opened her eyes and angrily said, "You! How could you?!"
"Why not?"
Lu Guanque spoke calmly, his eyes both affectionate and unfeeling as he stared at her intently. Perhaps the wind had blown on the way back to the house, but Lu Guanque's wet hair stuck to her wrist. Looking in the mirror, they looked exactly the same person.
The candlelight was still burning, casting a red shadow on his face, flickering on both sides, making it hard to tell whether it was gentle or cruel. Meng Xuanli swallowed, suddenly feeling a little timid: "I'm going to the couch..."
Lu Guanque held her arms, leaned in close, kissed her neck, and took off her outer robe, middle dress, and small dress layer by layer. In a moment, her snow-white skin was reflected in the mirror, reflecting a crystal luster.
Lu Guanque turned her body around and forced her to look directly at herself in the mirror: "Very beautiful." As he said that, he sat on the chair, put his arms around her waist, and made her sit with her back to him.
Meng Xuanli felt hot all over and bit her lip: "Lu Guanque... No, this won't do..."
"No? Then what can I do?" Lu Guanque bent his fingers to explore the mystery, very patient and calm. Meng Xuanli couldn't help but moan: "Hmm..."
Lu Guanque kissed her earlobe and said in a low voice, "Don't close your eyes."
Meng Xuanli slowly opened his eyes, as if bewitched. In a trance, the person in the mirror was stained with lust, a charming blush, completely exposed to his sight.
She grabbed his arm, her voice rising unconsciously as she begged for mercy: "Lu Guanque... I'll listen to you... I won't run around... I'll stay at home..."
"Really?" Instead of stopping, Lu Guanque increased his strength.
Meng Xuanli burst into tears: "Seriously... I won't run around..."
Lu Guanque turned her around, and Meng Xuanli unconsciously hugged him tightly. Lu Guanque was slightly stunned, then held her face, inch by inch, and kissed her lips deeply.
Before this night, Meng Xuanli would never have imagined she would need him so much. Caught between reason and chaos, she chose clarity during the day but despair at night.
"Carry you to the couch."
With every trembling step, Meng Xuanli felt as if she were bathing in hot water again. She clutched the quilt tightly, forcing herself to forget this night. But no matter how hard she pushed, the faint warmth between her legs was a clear sign that she still harbored desire for him.
The moon shone brightly as Meng Xuanli lay on her side on the couch. Lu Guanque wiped her body and felt a sharp pain in his heart when he saw the bruise on her knee.
He glanced at her tired look, his throat rolling, and then he placed a light kiss on the bruise on her knee.
#
A few days later, the morning light was dim and the spring day was sunny.
The peach and apricot blossoms in the courtyard vie for beauty, bringing a lively atmosphere, while the inner room is hushed and silent, as if even time has stood still.
Meng Xuanli blinked her eyelashes slightly and slowly opened her eyes, sensing the warmth on her waist and abdomen. He seemed to wake up as well, hugging her from behind and saying hoarsely, "Don't move, let me hold you for a while."
After that day, Meng Xuanli realized a truth: Lu Guanque was a soft-hearted person and would not tolerate toughness. Going against him would do him no good.
She closed her eyes and let him hold her in his arms.
Seeing her silent, Lu Guanque suddenly turned her over. Meng Xuanli couldn't help but exclaim, staring with wide eyes: "You!"
As soon as the word fell, a refreshing scent mixed with warmth enveloped her. Lu Guanque took her into his arms and whispered, "Ansheng, stay in the mansion. You are not allowed to go out at all. Remember?"
Meng Xuanli glanced at his chin and said in a muffled voice, "I remember."
"Have you learned your lesson today?" Lu Guanque raised his eyebrows and looked at her, his eyes falling on her lips.
Meng Xuanli pursed his lips and said "hmm" softly.
Lu Guanque hugged her to him, as if he wanted to rub her into his bones. Meng Xuanli felt pain and said unhappily, "My Lord, it hurts."
"Where does it hurt?" Lu Guanque insisted on asking.
Meng Xuanli turned his face away and remained silent.
Lu Guanque inserted his fingers into her black hair, ruffling it gently, and whispered, "There aren't many female guards in the mansion. Last night, Uncle De transferred Qiu He back and asked her to protect you for the next few days. When I come back, I'll let her go."
Meng Xuanli narrowed his eyes. This guy was interesting. Although he didn't say anything on the surface, he still felt that he would escape, so he kept Qiu Hean by his side to inform him.
Meng Xuanli couldn't help but sneer in his heart, what a hypocrite.
"Why aren't you talking?" Lu Guanque asked her, "Don't you like Qiu He?"
"like."
Meng Xuanli was too lazy to deal with his question. Her mind was full of how to persuade Qiu He to go out.
"It's getting late. I have to go." Lu Guanque didn't move. After a pause, he asked, "Don't you have any instructions for me before I leave?"
Meng Xuanli really didn't have much to say to him, but she still responded with, "I hope you go and come back soon, and have a safe journey."
"Don't you miss me?"
After hearing such shameless words, Meng Xuanli really wanted to punch him. How could someone be so shameless to keep her under control and make her think about him all the time? It was really a robbery.
"Yes." She didn't want to say another word.
Lu Guanque pursed his lips, as if he didn't believe it: "Really?"
"I hope it's true."
Meng Xuanli closed his eyes and said nothing, his mind full of the details of escape. Just as he was thinking, his eyelashes felt hot, and Lu Guanque lowered his eyes and gave him a light kiss.
Only after he dressed and left did Meng Xuanli dare to open her eyes. She held her chest, propped herself up and sat up, lifted the curtain, listened around, and found that the maids were talking in the corridor.
Meng Xuan Lijing put on her clothes, got out of bed barefoot, walked to the window and listened carefully.
"I heard that the prince went to Chang'an this time to meet the Duke." said the older maid.
"Duke? Didn't they say that they have been at odds with each other for a long time?"
"Blood is still connected to tendons. I heard that this time, it seems that the Duke is in poor health and wants to see his own son in his old age."
Meng Xuanli's eyes widened. How could this be different from what he had written? Could it be a lucky coincidence that the Duke had just written to Lu Guanque?
"Sister, what happened back then that caused this father and son to become enemies overnight?"
"This kind of secret is unknown to us, let alone the Crown Prince's wife," said the older maid.
"It's strange, the Crown Prince's Consort hasn't been out lately, and hasn't been chatting or laughing with us servants..."
Before the two maids could finish their words, they were called away by the nanny: "What are you two doing in the corridor instead of working? If you wake the Crown Princess, I will send you to the back garden to pick up branches."
Meng Xuanli sighed deeply. What could the secret they had just mentioned be? She only knew that the eldest princess had been murdered, but she didn't know by whom.
Never mind. These things have nothing to do with her. Her most urgent task now is to find Qiu He and have a good talk with her.
#
A gentle breeze blew, and the warm afternoon sun poured down on the back garden. Meng Xuanli finally stepped out of the room, stood on the porch, and breathed freely.
Qiu He had indeed thought the same thing as her. Seeing her come out, she hurried forward and said earnestly, "Princess, An Xiang is busy in the back garden. Let me help you."
Meng Xuanli looked at her with a forced smile: "We, master and servant, haven't seen each other for a while."
"Don't you think so, Qiu He?"
Qiu He bit her lip, thinking about what happened last time. She had clearly followed the orders of the prince and reported everything in detail. She thought she would get some good news, but who knew that the next day, the prince sent her directly to the farm.
She knew that the Crown Prince did this because of the Crown Princess, but she was still unwilling to accept it, so when she came back this time, she immediately flattered the Crown Princess, just asking her to tolerate her, so that she could have a good future.
"What the Crown Princess said is true." Qiu He lowered her head and helped her to the back garden.
Meng Xuanli looked around and found that the place was quiet and deserted. Thinking that it was Anxiang's work, he found a swing and sat down.
Qiu He was very perceptive. Standing aside, she asked, "Shall I, the servant, push the Crown Prince's Consort?"
Meng Xuanli shook his head and looked at her intently: "Qiuhe, how long have you been in the Duke's Mansion?"
"Four or five years." Qiu He answered truthfully.
"No wonder." Meng Xuanli pursed her lips and smiled, saying calmly, "If that's the case, then the prince treats you differently from other maids."
Qiu He knelt down hurriedly and whispered, "The prince doesn't like to joke around, and he treats us servants the same."
"Really?" Meng Xuanli clutched the swing rope, his gaze fixed on the distant lake. "But why do I feel that the prince likes you very much..."
"Most of the secret guards in the Duke's Mansion are men, but you are special. Also, the prince sent you away and then called you back. Why is that?"
"Your Highness's Concubine, you are really embarrassing me. I would never dare to have such an intention." Qiu He's eyes flashed with surprise, but her tone was still humble.
Meng Xuanli sighed and pretended to be disappointed: "Okay."
"I see that you are good-looking, have a good personality, and are also an elder in the Duke's Mansion. I originally wanted to let you be the Crown Prince's concubine, but now it seems that I have to choose someone new."
Qiu He suddenly raised her eyes and blinked, thinking she had misheard: "The Crown Prince's Consort means... that I should serve the Crown Prince in the future?"
"Yes." Meng Xuanli turned his head to look at her and said solemnly, "Are you willing? If you don't..."
Before she could finish her words, she heard Qiu He kowtow: "This servant is willing. This servant will serve the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess well."
"That's great." Meng Xuanli narrowed his eyes, looked at her clothes, and said, "But don't tell the prince about this yet. When he comes back, I'll tell him in person and give him a surprise. What do you think?"
"I will obey the Crown Prince's wife."
"In a few days, I'll go shopping for some new clothes with you. I guess we'll be there all day, so you can get dressed and put on makeup in advance."
Qiu He was so happy that she agreed to whatever Meng Xuanli said. After going back and forth, she only remembered the sentence "Don't tell the prince yet."
Seeing her like this, Meng Xuanli felt relieved and said with a gentle smile, "Come and push me."
"yes."
#
On this day, the morning sun was blazing, and Meng Xuanli felt her cheeks burning before she even left the house. She looked in the mirror and at Anxiang: "Has Jiahe arrived in Xuzhou?"
"It's here. When I went to the delivery shop this morning, I received a reply from Lord Meng. It said that it arrived yesterday." Anxiang carefully put the earrings on her.
"Thank you for your hard work. You have been busy with Jiahe's affairs these days."
"Compared to what the Crown Princess does, this little bit of work isn't that busy." An Xiang saw the heart knot on the table and asked, "Crown Princess, are you still wearing this?"
"No." Meng Xuanli's eyes were calm, his expression expressionless. "I've sewn the banknotes into your clothes and the soles of your shoes. Inside the jewelry box is your indenture. Go change them and take them. We'll be leaving soon."
"This servant... This servant doesn't need that much."
"Of course I can. You've helped me so much, so I should help you." Meng Xuanli suddenly thought of something, "Where is Qiu He now?"
Anxiang approached and whispered, "She got up early this morning and is still dressing up."
Meng Xuanli smiled slightly: "That's great, go quickly."
#
When the three of them arrived at Xiu Luofang, there weren't many people there. Meng Xuanli smiled and said to Qiu He, "You go ahead."
"I dare not." Qiu He lowered her head, looking very respectful.
"What slave girl?" Meng Xuanli patted her deliberately. "The money has already been paid. Follow the shopkeeper. If you see something you like, go and try it out. Anxiang and I will play chess in the private room for a while. You can take your time to choose."
Qiu He bowed and said, "Yes."
Watching her gradually disappearing figure, Meng Xuanli quickly rushed to the private room, closed the door, and changed into men's clothes.
When she came out, Anxiang didn't recognize her: "Princess, someone will come and put on your clothes and play chess in the private room later."
Meng Xuanli nodded: "Fortunately Qiu He agreed quickly, otherwise we wouldn't be able to go out, let alone find outsiders to help."
Meng Xuanli pretended to be a dashing young man, took Anxiang's hand, and whispered, "If anyone asks, just say you are my wife-to-be. Do you understand?"
An Xiang nodded: "Master... Young Master, let's go to the dock quickly. The ship heading south will leave soon."
The two of them acted like an ordinary "couple". After paying the money, they boarded the boat solemnly.
#
That evening, Qiu He tried on many clothes. When she arrived at the private room, she found that Meng Xuanli and Anxiang were gone. She was still in shock and hurried back to the Duke's Mansion, holding her clothes.
Lying on the bed, she was shocked and scared. If she lost the Crown Prince's wife, the Crown Prince would definitely scold her when he came back. By then, let alone being a concubine, she would not even be able to be a maid.
Her thoughts were in a mess, and she couldn't find the best solution. Suddenly, she looked at the clothes on the bed, squinted her eyes and smiled. If she were to become the Crown Prince's Consort now, not only would she be able to marry the Crown Prince, but she could also conceal the news of his disappearance.
But what should she do?
Qiu He sat up and, in a trance, thought of the opera troupe in Shunhe Building. Aren’t those actors the best at changing their faces in acting?
etc……
If the prince found out about this, would she die a more miserable death? Qiu He's brows widened and then furrowed, and she thought about it for five or six days before she reluctantly handed Lu Guanque a letter.
After receiving the letter, Lu Guanque rode his horse from Chang'an to the Eastern Capital without even finishing reading it. When he returned, he found the Duke's Mansion deserted and completely devoid of activity.
He found Qiu He and kicked her hard: "Tell me, tell me the whole story, how did she escape?"
Qiu He felt pain, curled up on the ground and cried, "The Crown Prince's Concubine said she wanted to take me to try on some clothes... When I went downstairs, she was gone. I searched for her for a long time, but there was no sign of her. Even at the dock, there was no sign of her."
She had indeed lied to him.
He really indulged her too much.
Lu Guanque closed his eyes, veins bulging on his forehead. Suddenly, he thought of something and asked hurriedly, "Where's Jiahe? Did she carry Jiahe with her?"
Qiu He blinked with tears in her eyes and asked doubtfully, "Miss Jiahe...you haven't been out for the past few days. I was so busy with the Crown Prince's Consort's affairs that I didn't even notice..."
Lu Guanque seemed to have grabbed a life-saving straw. He quickly kicked the door open and found that Jiahe's room was also empty.
He punched the door frame, shaking off a lot of ashes. Then, suppressing his anger, he said calmly, "Go, go to Xuzhou and bring that child back to me. If she gets into an accident again, I'll kill you."
"yes."
#
It was dawn on May 20th. Meng Xuanli was lying in the cabin, listening to Anxiang's steady breathing, and his mind couldn't help but think of what had happened in the past half month.
They hid their names, disguised themselves as a merchant couple, and sailed south. Fortunately, they had plenty of silver with them, so their conversation and actions went smoothly.
Now they are in Shaozhou, Lingnan. At dawn, they will board a boat in Nanxiongzhou and go down the Beijiang River all the way to the core of Lingnan - Guangzhou.
She had clearly left him, but her heart was filled with a sour and swollen pain, an indescribable feeling. While she was still in a daze, Meng Xuanli suddenly heard noisy footsteps coming from outside the cabin.
"Wake up, wake up, the bandits are coming, get up quickly!"
Meng Xuanli patted Anxiang awake and hurriedly tied the man's robe. When he pushed the door open and walked out, the sunlight outside reflected on the sea, making his eyes hurt.
After a moment, she bent down, held Anxiang's hand, and whispered, "Don't panic, follow the crowd to the shore."
"Young Master, do you look like you have encountered bandits?" Anxiang saw that she was not panicked at all.
Meng Xuanli smiled. "When I was little, I often played in the water with my friends in the countryside. I encountered bandits there, but they were just trying to steal some money. Don't panic..."
Before he could finish his words, a shrill scream suddenly erupted from behind him. Meng Xuanli looked up and saw blood splattering and a black shadow coming towards him with a knife.
She felt a lump in her throat and asked in a trembling voice, "Anxiang, are all the bandits from Lingnan so vicious?"
"Young Master, be careful!" An Xiang hurriedly pulled her away and hid behind the deck. She saw a spare boat nearby and pointed, "There's a lifeboat over there!"
Meng Xuanli bit his lip and quickly stuffed all the banknotes he had on him into her sleeve. "Take the boat to the shore. It's only a short distance away. I can swim over."
"How can this be done? Young Master... No, Princess, you are unfamiliar with this place, how can this be done?"
Meng Xuanli touched her face and said with a smile, "I remember you talking about the drowning incident, but don't forget that I saved someone from the waves."
After saying that, she pushed hard, and just at that moment the bandits cut the ropes, causing the boat to topple over, covering up Anxiang's sobs.
Seeing that Anxiang wanted to scream, Meng Xuanli waved her hand. The next moment, she jumped into the water, her body blooming like a magnolia in spring, stretched and soft.
Her body was wrapped in water, her back felt prickly and cold to the bone. Soon, the huge current pushed her, and she was like a leaf in the wind, completely lost.
She tried to open her mouth, but the seawater suddenly rushed into her mouth, spicy and pungent, rushing straight to the top of her head, making it impossible for her to breathe or think.
But fortunately, the sky gradually brightened, and the sun broke free from the clouds, pointing the way for her. She had never been afraid of water, just as she had never been afraid of darkness. She had already successfully left him, so what did this little thing matter?
By the time he struggled to the rocks on the shore, his palms were already bleeding. Meng Xuanli collapsed and vomited several mouthfuls of salt water.
While she was catching her breath, she suddenly saw a pair of black brocade boots coming towards her. Meng Xuanli raised her eyes and met those bottomless phoenix eyes.
The visitor chuckled lightly, as cold as ice: "When did Ah Li learn to swim so well?"
-----------------------
The author has something to say: It’s even later, sorry [covering face and laughing and crying]
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