6 Incident
As she spoke, she walked to the study door and knocked gently: "Sir, it's raining heavily outside. Would you like to use the heater?"
The door opened quickly, and Xiao Cixiao's voice softened a bit: "Come in."
Liu Tingting turned around, glanced at Su Wanting, a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, then she walked into the study and closed the door.
Su Wanting looked at the tightly closed door and the warm yellow light coming through the crack in the door. The last bit of hope in her heart was completely extinguished.
The heater in Liu Tingting's hand was like a knife, piercing her heart with precision. It turned out that it wasn't that he didn't understand tenderness, but his tenderness had never belonged to her.
It's not that he has no compassion, but his compassion will never be extended to the Su family.
That night, Su Wanting knelt outside the study all night. Rainwater mixed with tears flowed into her collar, freezing her to the point of near unconsciousness.
When it was almost dawn, Qingdai forcibly helped her back to the main room. She had a high fever, and her dreams were all about her father suffering in the sky prison and Xiao Cixiao's cold eyes.
After the high fever subsided, she received news that her father had been tortured in the prison and was bedridden. The imperial physician said that he probably wouldn't last much longer.
Su Wanting could no longer sit still.
She put on her most formal dress, put on the jade hairpin left to her by her mother, and went to the study again.
This time, she did not kneel, but just stood at the door, looking at the memorial that Xiao Cixiao was reviewing, her voice as calm as a pool of stagnant water: "Xiao Cixiao, I beg you one last time, save my father.
If you are willing to save me, I will immediately write a letter of divorce and have nothing to do with the Xiao family from now on. If you are not willing..."
She paused, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes: "I will go to the prison to accompany my father. If the Su family falls, I will not live either."
Xiao Cixiao paused holding the pen and looked up at her.
Her face was still pale, but her eyes no longer had the flattery and humility of the past, only a determination to fight to the death.
His heart inexplicably tightened, but when he thought of the humiliation of the Su family forcing him to marry, and her "omnipresent" care over the past five years, that strange feeling was suppressed.
"Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me." He lowered his head and continued to review the memorials. His voice was cold and without a trace of warmth. "I will not interfere in the affairs of the Su family."
Su Wanting looked at him for a long time, so long that her eyes could no longer hold any tears, so long that the remaining love in her heart was completely blown away by the cold wind.
She nodded slightly, turned and walked out of the study without saying another word.
When I walked into the courtyard, the rain had stopped and a hint of paleness appeared in the sky.
Su Wanting raised her head and looked at the gray sky. For the first time, she felt that without the protection of the Su family and the "bond" of Xiao Cixiao, her world was so empty and cold.
Su Wanting was awakened by a rapid knock on the door. She had fallen asleep on the table, the unfinished divorce agreement under her arm, the ink spreading and staining half the paper black.
It was bright outside the window, but the main room was as dark as an endless alley.
"Miss! Miss! It's bad!" The servant's voice, tinged with tears, came from outside the door. "The Marquis... he's coughing up blood in the prison! The imperial physician said the Marquis is dying!"
With a clang, the pen in Su Wanting's hand fell to the ground. She stood up suddenly, staggered to the door, and almost bumped into the door frame when she opened it.
"What did you say? Father..." Her voice trembled. She grabbed the servant's arm, her nails almost digging into his flesh. "Quick, prepare the car. I want to go to the prison!"
"Miss, this won't work!" The servant stamped his feet anxiously. "The Heavenly Prison is a forbidden area. No one can enter without the Emperor's order! And...
Furthermore, news just arrived from the palace that my brother led his troops to the Heavenly Prison to seek an audience, but was imprisoned by His Majesty on the grounds of 'attempting a prison break'!"
Su Wanting's body softened, and she almost fell if Qingdai hadn't supported her in time.
With his brother imprisoned and his father critically ill, the Su family is truly desperate.
Her mind was blank, and the only thought in her mind was Xiao Cixiao. He was the censor and had the power to supervise all officials. Perhaps he could apply to visit his father in the Heavenly Prison, or perhaps he could send some medicine to his father.
She didn't bother to tidy up her appearance and ran to the study in a wrinkled dress.
Xiao Cixiao was having breakfast. Liu Tingting was sitting next to him, gently picking up some food for him. When they saw Su Wanting rushing in, they were both stunned.
"Xiao Cixiao, please," Su Wanting threw herself on the table, breathing rapidly.
"My father is dying. Please go to the prison to see him and bring him some medicine! If you're willing to go, I'll agree to anything. I'll write the divorce papers right now!"
Xiao Cixiao put down his chopsticks, picked up a handkerchief and wiped his mouth, looking at her coldly: "I said, I won't care about the Su family's affairs."
"Why?" Su Wanting's voice suddenly rose, tears welling up in her eyes. "Xiao Cixiao, tell me, why? When your father was in trouble, the Su family did everything they could to help you.
Your career was blocked, and I used my family connections to pave the way for you; you were attacked by an assassin, and I was injured by shielding you from the arrows... How have I, Su Wanting, treated you wrongly? How can you be so heartless! "
Liu Tingting put down her chopsticks and gently advised, "Sister, don't get excited. My Lord is also in trouble. The case of the Marquis is now decided by His Majesty. If you interfere, you might get yourself into trouble..."
"Shut up!" Su Wanting turned around suddenly and looked at Liu Tingting, her eyes full of bloodshot. "You have no right to speak here!"
Liu Tingting was frightened by her aura and looked at Xiao Cixiao aggrievedly: "Sir..."
Xiao Cixiao's face darkened. He stood up, blocking Liu Tingting and looking at Su Wanting coldly: "Su Wanting, have you had enough of making trouble? Tingting is my aunt, it's not your turn to teach her a lesson!"
He paused, his tone filled with sarcasm, "You think I should be grateful to you for blocking the arrow for me? That's just wishful thinking on your part. If you hadn't stood in front of me, the assassin's knife wouldn't have been able to hurt me."
These words were like a poisoned dagger, piercing Su Wanting's heart precisely.
She looked at Xiao Cixiao, saw him protecting Liu Tingting, saw the undisguised disgust in his eyes, and suddenly felt that her efforts over the past five years were like a huge joke.
She once thought that he was just being stubborn and had some grudges in his heart, and that one day he would see her good side.
But now she understood that it was not that he couldn't see, it was that he simply didn't want to see; it was not that he was ungrateful, it was that he regarded all her efforts as "tricks."
"Okay, what a one-sided wishful thinking trick." Su Wanting laughed, tears streaming down her face, "Xiao Cixiao, the thing I, Su Wanting, regret most in my life is asking my father to help you, which was to marry you!
Let me tell you, if the Su family really fell, do you think you could still hold on to your position as the Imperial Censor? Without the Su family's connections, without the Su family protecting you from those open and secret attacks, you would have been brought down by those corrupt officials long ago!"
Xiao Cixiao's expression changed, clearly having hit upon his inner thoughts. He became enraged and pointed at the door, "Get out of here! From now on, you are not allowed to set foot in the study again!"
Su Wanting didn't leave. She looked at Xiao Cixiao, and the last bit of warmth in her eyes disappeared, leaving only a dead silence.
She slowly took out a piece of paper from her sleeve and placed it on the table. It was the half-written divorce letter.
"Xiao Cixiao, this is a divorce agreement." Her voice was terrifyingly calm. "I, Su Wanting, will no longer have any ties with you. I will never ask you for help with matters concerning the Su family again.
But I also tell you, if you refuse to save the Su family today, you will regret it one day!"
After saying that, she didn't look at Xiao Cixiao again, nor did she look at Liu Tingting's smug face. She turned around and walked out of the study.
When she walked into the courtyard, the sunlight was dazzling, but Su Wanting felt cold all over.
She raised her head and looked at the plaque of the Xiao Mansion. Looking at the house where she had lived for five years, she suddenly felt extremely unfamiliar.
That afternoon, news came from the Tianlao that Yongning Hou Su Cheng'an had died of illness in prison.
When Su Wanting received the news, she was sitting on the floor of the main room, holding the jade ruyi that her father had given her.
When she heard the word "died of illness", she did not cry or make a fuss, but just sat quietly, looking ahead with empty eyes.
It wasn't until Qingdai hugged her and cried that she slowly spoke, her voice as hoarse as sandpaper: "Qingdai, father is gone, and the Su family... is finished."
Three days later, the Su family was raided. Soldiers broke into the mansion, took away all valuables, and sealed it.
My brother was exiled three thousand miles away, and the servants scattered like monkeys when the tree fell. Only a few loyal old servants were left, who followed Su Wanting back to the Xiao Mansion.
Su Wanting stood at the door of the empty marquis' mansion, watching the plaque of "Marquis Yongning's Mansion" being taken down, and her heart felt hollow.
She remembered that when she was a child, her father held her hand and taught her to read and write here; she remembered that her mother sewed her wedding dress here; she remembered that she was here, waiting for Xiao Cixiao's response with anticipation.
Now, nothing is left.
When he returned to the Xiao Mansion, Xiao Cixiao was playing chess with Liu Tingting in the study. Seeing her come back, he didn't even raise his eyelids, as if she was just an insignificant stranger.
Liu Tingting looked up at her, and the pride in her eyes pierced Su Wanting's heart like a needle.
Su Wanting ignored them and went straight back to the main room. She closed the door and blocked out all the noise.
She sat in front of the dressing table, looking at her haggard self in the mirror, and suddenly laughed, laughing so hard that tears streamed down her face and her whole body trembled.
She finally understood that there are some people you can never warm up, and there are some feelings you can never exchange for.
In Xiao Cixiao's eyes, her five years of deep affection and her selfless dedication were nothing but an unnecessary farce.
From that day on, Su Wanting changed.
She no longer prepared breakfast for Xiao Cixiao, no longer mended his clothes, and no longer took the initiative to talk to him.
She just sat in the main room every day, either in a daze or reading, like a soulless puppet.
Xiao Cixiao seemed to be happy with this and never took the initiative to look for her except on necessary occasions.
Liu Tingting was even more proud, often showing off the jewelry Xiao Cixiao gave her in front of her, saying how good Xiao Cixiao was to her. Su Wanting just watched indifferently, without a single ripple in her heart.
Her heart had died with her father on the day he passed away and the Su family fell.
The late autumn wind blew the dead leaves against the vermilion gate of the Xiao Mansion, making a "woohoo" sound, as if crying.
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