Chapter 239 Li Rong, did you rob a bank?!
Li Rong emerged from the darkness.
The moment Xuan Ting saw him, a flicker of panic crossed his eyes: "Master, I...I...didn't mean to hide it. Please don't be angry."
Li Rong approached, but only sighed, "Do you think you can keep it a secret? When they came looking for you, they made quite a scene. I'm probably not the only one in this family who knows."
"Master," Xuan Ting pursed his lips tightly, "then... are you angry with me?"
Li Rong patted him on the shoulder: "I also think that it might be time for Your Highness to go back."
Xuan Ting's face paled even more: "Master, but I... I haven't finished reading the lessons you gave me yet, and besides, no one but Aunt Nuan can save An Dehai, I can't leave."
“Your Highness is intelligent. You will do your homework well even if you take it back with you.” Li Rong squatted down. “If you really want to ask your Aunt Nuan for help, it shouldn’t take too long. You still have the time.”
Xuan Ting: "But...but..."
Li Rong frowned slightly: "Xuan Ting, are you afraid of something?"
Xuan Ting's face paled even more, and his eyes reddened: "Master, I... I just don't know where to go."
He clenched his fists tightly, and after a long while he said, "Now I realize that even my father can't protect me. It seems that my ancestor doesn't care about me that much either. Even without me, she can have other great-grandchildren."
“Aunt Nuan asked me a couple of days ago what I wanted to put in my room. I was actually thinking that it would be nice to stay here for the rest of my life.” He bit his lower lip until it was bloodless, then suddenly looked up at Li Rong: “Master, the world is so big, but apart from here, it seems there is no other place that would welcome me.”
“Even if I went back now, what could I do? The Regent is too powerful. So powerful that even my father doesn’t dare to confront him. You know, I feel fear from the bottom of my heart whenever I see him.”
"I don't even dare to look him in the eye. What can I do if I go back? Can I really defeat him?"
Li Rong looked at Xuan Ting, whose figure had become somewhat thinner. In recent days, some of the baby fat on his face had faded, and he seemed even more frail.
"If you're really scared, you can stay."
Xuan Ting was stunned upon hearing this.
Li Rong stared intently at him with sharp eyes and said firmly, "I'll give you two choices. One is to stay, completely forget your former noble days, and live as an ordinary person. But you must also be prepared to spend your whole life on the run. After all, you may forget, but someone will always remember. We won't be there to protect you every moment."
"Second, go back, take back what is rightfully yours, and purge the traitors. In the future, there may never be such leisurely days again. Perhaps you will be living on the edge of a knife every day, or facing death at the last minute, but as long as you win, the future is up to you."
Upon hearing these words, Xuan Ting clenched his fists tightly and remained silent for a long time, his lips pressed together.
"Xuan Ting, don't rush to give me an answer. I'll be going out for a while. I hope you can think things through carefully during this time. There's no turning back once the arrow is released."
"Master, are you going to the border?" Xuan Ting stared intently at Li Rong, his eyes reddening further. "Can't we not go?"
“No.” Li Rong said firmly, “Your Highness’s mind is unsettled. If I return from the border, I will be Your Highness’s source of confidence. Only then will it be time for Your Highness to make a formal choice.”
Xuan Ting's voice was already trembling with tears: "Master, but your injuries haven't fully healed yet. I'm worried something might happen to you."
Li Rong stood up: "Don't worry, I'll be fine, and I won't let myself get into trouble."
Glancing at his home behind him, Li Rong's eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion: "Besides, I had no choice."
In fact, neither Li Rong nor Xuan Ting had a choice.
Jiang Nuan slept soundly through the night, but when she went out the next morning, she was startled to see a neatly dressed Li Rong.
Looking Li Rong up and down, she noticed he was dressed in all black, the same outfit as Jiang Nuanzhi, sewn by Ping'er. He usually wouldn't wear it, but today he was wearing it. His long hair was also tied up high, giving him a youthful air. He was sitting upright on the bench by her door, clearly having been waiting for quite some time.
Are you going out?
Li Rong looked at Jiang Nuanzhi and nodded, saying, "Yes, Nuanzhi, sit down. I have something important to tell you."
As he said this, he stuffed a package directly into Jiang Nuanzhi's arms.
Jiang Nuanzhi first closed the door; the children were still asleep. Then she sat down beside Li Rong and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
"I'm going on a long trip and I'm leaving today. I don't know when I'll be back, so please take care."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuanzhi couldn't help but frown: "Going out? You're going... My God, Li Rong, are you going to rob a bank?!"
As she spoke, she opened Li Rong's package and was immediately dazzled by the pile of golden jewelry.
"What is a bank?" Li Rong asked, frowning.
Jiang Nuanzhi's eyes lit up: "Forget about banks, where did you get this?"
“These are from a few years ago, and they're not in the current style, so please don't mind. Keep them for now, and I'll replace them with better ones for you later.”
"Not at all, not at all, I'm very happy!" Jiang Nuanzhi picked up an exquisitely crafted earring with great affection, examining it closely as she said, "You just thanked me yesterday, and today you bring me a thank-you gift. It's so valuable, how can I accept it?"
These earrings are so exquisitely made, and the red beads set in them are unlike anything Jiang Nuanzhi has ever seen before.
"Ah Nuan!"
Li Rong frowned deeply: "This isn't a thank-you gift, it's something I picked out for you!"
Jiang Nuanzhi stared at the hairpin closely and said, "Aren't they all the same?"
Li Rong pursed her lips, suddenly stood up, and walked straight outside.
"Hey? Why are you leaving?" Jiang Nuanzhi scratched her head, wondering why he suddenly got so angry. She immediately chased after him, asking, "Where are you going? How long are you going to be gone? Did you bring everything?"
Hearing this, Li Rong's expression softened somewhat. He stood still and said in a deep voice, "I'm going to Canglin for a few days. Afterwards, I want to go out into the Great Wilderness to retrieve some things. A'Nuan, I don't know how long I'll be gone. At least two months, at most I'll be back, but I can't say for sure. If I..."
As he finished speaking, he pursed his lips and said, "If I don't come back, take the jade pendant I gave you before and go to this place to find a blacksmith named Old Wu. I left something there, enough for you and the children to live out the rest of your lives in peace."
As he spoke, he stuffed another piece of brown paper into her hand, hesitated for a moment, and then put the hairpin from his bosom on Jiang Nuanzhi's head.
"Thank you for your hard work at home."
Jiang Nuanzhi touched the top of her head, then belatedly frowned: "Was it very dangerous for you to go out this time?"
Li Rong met her worried eyes and suddenly smiled, "No, don't worry, I've only prepared for the worst. I might be back soon."
"There shouldn't be any rush, right? You can wait a bit."
As Jiang Nuanzhi spoke, she immediately turned around and went inside, quickly packing two huge packages for him.
"Aren't you going to Canglin? You can bring some things back for my friend."
Li Rong: "What?"
Li Rong thought she was hallucinating. She was about to go out, and all she was thinking about was her friend?
He stared at Jiang Nuanzhi in disbelief.
Jiang Nuanzhi looked at Li Rong and suddenly slapped her thigh: "That's right, there's also the prescription. I'll go write it down right now."
After saying that, she hurriedly went back and returned shortly afterward: "I just wrote the letter and his address inside. You can open it when you arrive. There are some valuables here, so don't leave them behind."
Li Rong: "That's it? What's next?"
"And then what?"
Li Rong pursed her lips, her expression gradually turning melancholy.
Jiang Nuanzhi rarely saw him like this, and couldn't help but laugh: "Of course it's for you. This biggest package is yours. Let me tell you, there are several bottles of wound ointment and medicinal powder in here. There are also the medicines I usually prepare. I wrote down the list and instructions for use, and put them all in for you. You can take a closer look on the way. I hope you won't need them."
Also, I packed some instant noodles, dried meat, and two packets of jam for you. Luckily, the kids wanted instant noodles a few days ago, and I had some left over after making them, otherwise I really wouldn't have had time to make more. Take them with you to eat on the road.”
Li Rong took the package and went to check on Jiang Nuanzhi, who was counting the items. He couldn't help but smile and say, "Nuanzhi, thank you."
"Let's not talk about that. I'll stay home with the kids and wait for you to come back," Jiang Nuanzhi said with a smile. "Maybe by the time you get back, our new house will already be finished."
Li Rong nodded: "Yes."
"Wait a minute, I'll have the children help you see it off."
"Anuan." Li Rong grabbed her hand. "Don't wake them. Let the children sleep. I already told Ping'er this morning. Just tell the two younger ones that I went hunting."
Jiang Nuanzhi frowned: "Li Rong, no matter what, we just want you to come back safely. Nothing is more important than life."
Yes, I will.
Li Rong mounted his horse and couldn't help but look back at Jiang Nuanzhi, who had come to see him off.
“Anuan, if you really can’t wait for me, Xie Liangchen might be someone you can rely on.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuanzhi immediately put her hands on her hips and spat several times: "Pah, pah, pah, pah!"
"Do I really need a man to rely on me? I'm more reliable than a man myself! If you can talk, then talk; if you can't, then hurry up and leave."
Li Rong was scolded like that, but he couldn't suppress his smile even more: "It's my fault, Ah Nuan, don't see me off anymore, I'll be back as soon as possible."
Jiang Nuanzhi rolled her eyes, too lazy to pay him any attention.
"Hey, hurry up and finish drawing! Didn't you already see the person?"
Chi Heng scratched his head in frustration, the tea on the table was almost gone, and he angrily snatched the pastries from Lu Zhong's hand: "Do you even know how to draw?!"
"No," Lu Zhong replied honestly. "I already said I wouldn't, but I insisted on having someone else draw it."
Chi Heng: "You!"
"If you don't know how, can't you just learn it now?"
Lu Zhong immediately gave up and refused to continue, throwing down his pen and saying, "My Lord Duke, if you want to see what your sister-in-law looks like, why don't you just sneak a peek yourself? Why make things difficult for me here?"
(End of this chapter)
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