Su Rong, worried about Zhou Gu’s injuries and being held by him, didn’t dare to move, while reminding him to be careful of his wound.
Embracing Su Rong in his arms, Zhou Gu nestled his face against her neck, inhaling her sweet scent, his voice husky, "I missed you so much."
With a quiet laugh, Su Rong responded, "I know. I missed you too."
Zhou Gu gave a soft hum, "You didn’t."
He knew all too well that she had been too worried about saving Xie Yuan to miss him.
"I did." Su Rong said, "While resting on the road, I not only worried about Uncle Xie and how to save him, but also about your injury, if you had a fever again. I was fearful that you wouldn’t take care of your wound and let illness take hold of you."
A smile tugged at Zhou Gu’s lips, pleasure radiating from deep within, he mumbled, "I guess you still have some conscience."
Su Rong poked his waist, "Let go of me, your injury hasn’t fully healed yet, don’t put extra burden on yourself."
Maintaining his hold on her, Zhou Gu retorted, "You’re not a burden. The wounds have healed. Your weight is nothing to me."
Seeing no other choice, Su Rong capitulated, "Then let me look at your hand and check your pulse."
Zhou Gu was uncooperative, "In a bit, just let me hold you for a while longer."
Without a choice, Su Rong let him hold her, and sat quietly without speaking any further.
Gently kissing Su Rong’s neck, Zhou Gu restrained himself due to the presence of countless soldiers from Nanchu, Daliang, and Dawei outside the carriage. After a while, he finally let her go, silently handing her his hand.
After he let go, Su Rong sat next to him, checking his pulse. After a while, she nodded at him, affirming, "Your injury seems to be healing quite well."
Zhou Gu lifted his chin, "Naturally. Zhang Yun is constantly fussing over me, saying if I don’t tend to my injury, I could develop complications in the future that could impede our ability to have children. In which case, I’d be the one at fault."
Su Rong blinked.
Zhou Gu grumbled, "Anyway, you’ll only have me in your life, there won’t be anyone else. I have to take good care of myself."
Su Rong smiled, reaching out to pinch his cheek, "Thank you, Lord Thursday, for taking good care of yourself for my sake."
Seizing her mischievous hand, Zhou Gu seized the opportunity to ask, "Did I get that right? Only me in your life, and no one else?"
"Yes." Su Rong nodded, her smile radiant, "Who else could rank higher in my heart than Lord Thursday? I only have room for you in my heart, I can’t accommodate anyone else."
Zhou Gu burst into laughter, his eyes as radiant as a spring blossom. After a moment, he suppressed his laughter and complained, "Ye Xiang is simply too much. The look he gave me was full of disdain and grumbling, saying I just got there first, but if his son hadn’t arrived late, the candidate for the queen’s consort would’ve never been me. He even mentioned that according to Nanchu’s ancestral laws, the queen could have a consort, but also have secondary husbands and attendants..."
Su Rong coughed, "Is that so?"
Zhou Gu’s face darkened, but he admitted nonetheless, "Yes. The queen in the history of Nanchu had three secondary husbands, and four attendants."
Su Rong sighed, "Doesn’t that sound exhausting?"
Zhou Gu: "..."
Looking at him, Su Rong nodded decisively, "Don’t worry, one of you is more than enough for me. Even though what Ye Xiang said is not wrong, he probably said it on purpose to upset and provoke you. After all, his years of planning all came to naught, and he probably didn’t feel good about it. Venting his frustrations was only logical."
Zhou Gu gave a soft hum, "My father-in-law was present, but didn’t take my side, he didn’t say a single word in my defense."
Su Rong immediately said, "This can’t do. How could he not take your side? A son-in-law is half a son, while Ye Xiang may be his right-hand man, you are still half his son. When I see him, I’ll reprimand him for you."
Zhou Gu’s lips curved up, his mood brightened, "Alright."
Meanwhile, outside the carriage, Ye Guixue and Nangong Zheng were engaged in a stare-down.
After much thought, Nangong Zheng weighed the pros and cons, finding Ye Guixue’s point valid. Was his Nangong family’s rebellion against the king and the princess merely to lead the Nangong family to destruction? Of course not. They wanted Nangong Zheng to fully control Nanchu and make it a kingdom bearing the name of Nangong. But now, with his grandfather dead and the Nangong family devastated, if he pursued a fight with Su Rong regardless, Xie Yuan would be sacrificed, but so would his great-grandmother, grandmother and all the members of the Nangong family.
In that case, he would be the only one left in the Nangong family.
What could one person do? Now that he was about to forsake his family and kin, he couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t regret it in the future.
Finally, closing his eyes and reopening them with a firm resolve, he said to Ye Guixue, "I agree. But I have one condition."
Ye Guixue responded, "Go ahead."
Nangong Zheng said, "I will lead the soldiers of Dawei and all the members of my Nangong family to withdraw from Nanchu. The princess must promise that she will not desecrate the ancestral tomb of the Nangong family."
Ye Guixue nodded, "I can assure you on the princess’s behalf. The dead deserve respect, and with the princess’s character, she won’t stoop so low as to desecrate your Nangong family’s graves."
Nangong Zheng nodded, "That’s good."
Ye Guixue looked at him, "Young Master Zheng, you have such potential, and you have a bright future ahead. Marquis Wan’an misjudged the princess and, driven by his ambition, made one mistake after another. Despite my lack of talent, I would still advise you to repent. The princess is tolerant enough to allow the Nangong family to continue to thrive in Nanchu."
Nangong Zheng shook his head without hesitation, "Thank you, Second Young Master Ye, but I don’t want to betray my grandfather, who was killed by Xie Yuan. Today, I may not be able to avenge this grudge, but I swear by the heavens, I will avenge him in the future."
Ye Guixue sighed, "So, to this day, you still don’t believe that Marquis Wan’an was ambitious, intending to swallow the king’s authority and act as a traitor?"
"History is always written by the winners. My grandfather was just not one of them," Nangong Zheng said, "Right or wrong, it’s useless to say more at this point. The Nangong family cannot stay in Nanchu any longer, and as for me, I cannot submit to the princess. I fear my grandfather will not rest in peace."
"Indeed." Ye Guixue nodded, "If that’s the case, let’s exchange the hostages."
Nangong Zheng nodded. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢
Once the two sides had come to an agreement, the hostage exchange was straightforward. Xie Yuan was pushed out from the rear, looking somewhat gaunt but seemingly unhurt, and the Nangong family’s people were largely in the same condition. After Wanniang and Cheng Yun had tied up the hostages, they made no further effort to harm them.
Using one man to exchange for hundreds of Nangong family members, the two sides unfastened their ropes and each advanced forward.
Once released, Nangong Yun stared with loathing at Xie Yuan. If it were not for him killing Nangong Yin, the Nangong family would not have fallen to such a state. He harbored an extreme hatred towards Xie Yuan, if looks could kill, he would have cut Xie Yuan to pieces.
Xie Yuan was indifferent to the people of the Nangong family and didn’t care for them.
As Nangong Yun and Xie Yuan passed each other, filled with hatred, Nangong Yun suddenly raised his hand.
Nangong Zheng shouted sternly, "Uncle Yuan!"
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