Chapter 43 Extra 3
Walking down the street, Gu Qingyu was still chattering: "That must be Princess Yongjia, right? I heard she and Cousin Xie Zhuo are getting married soon."
Sigh, if only my brother could be so perceptive. I don't know what he was thinking when the family was pressuring him to get married, he actually turned it all down.
He's already twenty-six, at that age, and my mother is so worried she doesn't know what to do, but he himself doesn't seem to care at all. My father is even regretting not arranging a marriage for him sooner, and even my grandmother..."
Ling Wei couldn't hear a single word; she only felt a buzzing in her ears and the dull pain in her heart growing clearer.
"Weiwei? Weiwei!" Gu Qingyu called out several times before Ling Wei suddenly came to her senses.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Are you alright? You look so pale."
Ling Wei stopped, remained silent for a moment, and shook her head: "It's nothing. I suddenly remembered some important matters that require me to go to the palace immediately."
Inside the Imperial Study:
"...That princess is also a very nice girl."
Xie Zhuo is also quite good.
Both of them are doing well.
We can't keep taking advantage of him all the time...
Ling Wei tugged at her sleeve awkwardly and said "it's pretty good" several times in a row.
The Empress: "..." She held the teacup but didn't drink from it for a long time.
All her usual eloquent and eloquent pronouncements about court affairs were gone. The first female scholar of this dynasty, her beloved Minister Ling—was unusually speechless!
Xiao Yue saw through it but didn't say anything.
Forgive her quirky sense of humor, but this person is clearly so sour she's about to cry, yet she stubbornly insists that "it's fine"...
It's really interesting.
She recalled the news about the Xie family that her informants had sent her, and smiled meaningfully, "Since you have made up your mind, I will say no more."
She paused for a moment, then said, "I will assign you a squad of Dragon Guards, all of them elite and skilled warriors, known for their steadfastness. They will protect you on your journey to the border and serve you at your beck and call."
The predecessor of the Longxiang Guard was the Phoenix Feather Guard, which was previously stationed in the Princess's residence. The leader of that team was an old acquaintance, the one who had secretly protected Ling Wei before.
As evening fell, Ling Wei emerged from the palace, the setting sun casting a long shadow over her.
The system continued its reluctant nagging: "(;′д｀) Weiwei, don't give up! I think that guy still has feelings for you!"
Show the spirit you have when you blast fishponds!
Ling Wei gazed at the blood-red setting sun on the horizon and gently shook her head: "No need."
System: "Huh?! You're just going to let it go like that?"
Ling Wei smiled. "It just suddenly occurred to me that he's suffered enough because of me. In the struggle for the throne, he lost the family's support and was punished according to family rules. Now, it seems like he's finally getting a new start..."
I don't want to drag him into the mess at the border.
Her voice was very soft, as if she were talking to herself: "He lived a peaceful and smooth life in the capital, which was good."
System: (д)
It seems that each world's Vivi has a different attitude towards relationships. Although they all have the help of the powerful Ling Wei, they are still influenced by their original personalities.
I wonder what Vivi will be like in the next world...
The following day at court, the Empress finally announced the decision to appoint Ling Wei as the Inspector of the Four Border Cities (a third-rank official), in charge of trade and border affairs.
Gu Qingyan turned around abruptly to look at Ling Wei, her eyes filled with shock and disapproval.
Ling Wei simply smiled at him, indicating that it was alright.
The Empress set a date for departure one month later.
During this period, Lin and Shen Qinglan worked together to prepare things for her to take to the border, and Gu Qingyan also came to help in silence.
The day before her departure, Lin, Gu Qingyu, Qin Wan and others had prepared wine and food to bid her farewell, but all they received was a letter from her.
To prevent any ambush along the way, she had already informed the Empress and was to set off secretly ahead of schedule.
Holding the letter, Madam Lin's hand trembled slightly. In the end, she could only murmur with reddened eyes, "This child... is always like this, bearing everything on his own..."
After reading it carefully, Gu Qingyu sighed softly. Although there was worry in her eyes, there was more understanding and admiration.
She carefully put the letter away and whispered, "She's always ahead of us."
It's still Ling Wei, the one who wants to pave the way for them.
Qin Wan's eyes reddened: "There are actually dangers on the road..." She hadn't thought of these things and naively wanted to get drunk with Ling Wei.
She silently resolved that if she didn't grow up quickly, she wouldn't be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Weiwei.
Shen Qinglan remained silent, only gripping the sword at her waist tightly, her gaze fixed on the border.
And Gu Qingyan...
He stood alone under the eaves, gazing in the direction of the official road outside the city, and remained silent for a long time.
In the end, he simply clutched the warm jade he had originally intended to give her tightly in his palm, his expression desolate, but he never uttered a word.
As night deepened, the carefully prepared food and wine on the table gradually cooled down, leaving only the letter lying quietly on the table, telling of its owner's resolute decision to embark on a solitary journey.
As the carriage drove out of the capital, the sky darkened and a heavy rain began to fall.
Inside the carriage, Xiaoyao and Li's mother looked worried.
Ling Wei, by the flickering lamplight, picked up a pen and began to write something.
The group traveled for three days, and the rain continued. When they stopped to rest at an inn in the evening, an unexpected incident occurred.
The inn door was kicked open, and a group of burly men carrying knives and with fierce faces barged in.
"Ah—!" The shopkeeper screamed in fright and shrank behind the counter.
"Bandits! It's bandits!" A few scattered travelers were also terrified and turned pale.
The scarred man at the head grinned, his gaze falling on Ling Wei, who was being shielded behind the Dragon Guards. He licked his chapped lips and said in a rough voice, "Brothers, you're in luck! Who would have thought we'd run into such a beautiful and charming young lady from an official family in this godforsaken place! Kidnapping her up and making her the boss's wife would definitely fetch a high price!"
"presumptuous!"
Although Xiao Yao's voice trembled with fear, she still mustered her courage and stood in front of Ling Wei with Li's mother, sternly rebuking, "Open your dog eyes and see clearly! This is an official of the imperial court! If you dare to touch a hair on my master's head, the imperial court will never let you off!"
Upon hearing this, the bandits were not afraid at all; instead, they burst into laughter, as if they had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"Oh ho? An official, huh? Tsk tsk, even more exciting!" Scarface grinned lewdly as he approached. "The imperial court? Here, I am the law!"
Ling Wei's face was cold and she pulled the still trembling Xiao Yao and Li's mother behind her. Her voice was not loud, but it clearly cut through the laughter: "There's no need to waste words with them. They are not bandits at all, just some shady henchmen who are ordered to take my life."
Scarface's smile froze, a flash of shock and anger at being exposed crossing his eyes: "You bitch, what nonsense are you spouting! I'll chop you up!"
"Protect the lady!" The guards sent by the Empress reacted quickly, drawing their swords instantly and shielding Ling Wei and Xiao Yao in the center, with the blades pointing outwards.
The two sides clashed, their voices mingling with the sounds of swords clashing, roars, and tables and chairs shattering.
Ling Wei's expression was cold as she glanced at the seemingly chaotic but actually well-organized attack formation. Although the Longxiang Guard was elite, this group of "bandits" was clearly no rabble either.
In the chaos, two figures wearing heavy raincoats and wide straw hats suddenly appeared at the doorway, water droplets dripping from their raincoats and spreading dark water stains on the ground.
The leader was tall and imposing, seemingly oblivious to the bloody battle before him, and strode straight toward Ling Wei.
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