Chapter 39 He Can't Live Without Xue Lanyi
The voice echoed in the dimly lit flower hall.
Wei Zhang looked up in surprise.
Yingqi's face was deathly pale, and she was panting heavily. "As soon as we got close, my aunt screamed and ran around on the roof. It looked like a downpour was about to start, and I was afraid..."
Wei Zhang narrowed his eyes.
Yingqi dared not say anything more.
Wei Zhang rose, curtsied, and left.
"Wei Yunjian!" Shen Jinglan also got up and caught up.
A glimpse of a dark-colored hem just disappeared around the corner of the corridor.
When Wei Zhang strode to the Star Gazing Tower, the area below was already crowded with people.
This observatory is five stories high, with a hip roof on the top floor. The roof is sloping and steep, and it has become even more slippery due to the rain these past two days.
On the ridge of the roof, a thin woman walked along the beam, sometimes gesturing wildly, sometimes turning around on her back, letting the rain pour down on her face.
The roof ridge is only one foot wide; one could easily slip and slide down if one is not careful.
"Your Highness, please forgive me. I only turned around for a moment, and my concubine climbed out of the back window of the bedroom and ran away."
Qingyang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, looking at the woman on the rooftop, his heart pounding in his chest. "I dare not forcibly pull the concubine away; what if she gets frightened..."
At this moment, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and the rain intensified.
At the highest point, the water was shrouded in mist.
The rain washed over the hipped roof, soaking Xue Lanyi to the bone.
She kept staring in the same direction and moved slowly.
My foot slipped, and rubble and stones tumbled down from the eaves.
"Watch out!" the people gathered below cried out in alarm.
Xue Lanyi walked on as if she were unaware, sometimes crying and sometimes laughing.
The madman's voice echoed in the night.
"I have not allowed anyone to approach the concubine. I do not know what has upset her," Qingyang said, bowing.
How could Wei Zhang know what had triggered her?
All he knew was that Xue Lanyi was heading in the direction of the old house and was looking towards it.
Did she climb onto the roof to see Wei Xuan?
She was willing to risk her life just to see Wei Xuan?
Wei Zhang's brow furrowed more and more, and his chest felt tight and heavy.
I wish I could just grant her wish and kill her instead.
"Makes people..."
Wei Zhang took a deep breath. "Bring all the cloth from the storeroom downstairs to catch the concubine. If she falls, no one will survive."
Wei Zhang, however, said something completely different.
He had no time to sort out his thoughts and instinctively scanned the crowd.
"Ah Yin, come with me! No one else is allowed to come near."
Su Yin stood bewildered in the crowd, looking at the people on the rooftop.
Hearing Wei Zhang's calm and steady voice, she pondered for a moment before returning to her seat. She quickly lifted her skirt and ran to catch up with Wei Zhang's pace.
When the two reached the top floor attic, Wei Zhang pointed to the ladder under the skylight on the far right and said, "Climb up there and secretly watch your aunt."
After saying that, Wei Zhang went to the left, took out his belt and wrapped it around the upturned eaves. He then used his light footwork to climb onto the roof ridge.
His tall figure landed ten steps behind Xue Lanyi, quietly approaching her.
Xue Lanyi's eyes were cloudy at this moment. She was grabbing at something randomly in mid-air and looking at it in her palm.
"Stop playing hide-and-seek with Yiyi, Yiyi wants to see you."
"Yiyi likes you the most."
Xue Lanyi muttered to herself, then suddenly laughed and opened her arms, lunging towards the void.
Just as she stepped onto the sloping roof ridge, a strong arm wrapped around her waist from behind.
The pebbles fell from beneath his feet, crashing down and turning to dust, leaving no trace of his remains.
Looking at the densely packed crowd, each the size of a mung bean, beneath the misty clouds, Wei Zhang tightened his grip on Xue Lanyi's arm.
"If you go crazy over him again, I'll shave him tonight!"
A deep voice fell into Xue Lanyi's ears.
Xue Lanyi was unaware of Wei Zhang's rarely revealed anger.
She cupped his tense face in her hands, "Mother? Is Mother angry with Yiyi? Mother, Yiyi misses you..."
Xue Lanyi's eyes showed no clarity, nor could she see Wei Xuan's shadow.
Is she missing her mother?
Wei Zhang looked her up and down with suspicion.
Those eyes were so menacing that Xue Lanyi was terrified and quickly withdrew from his embrace, clutching the little rabbit she had made from leaves, and curled up on the ground, crying out, "Why doesn't Mother want me? Why doesn't she like me?"
"I've become the person Mother likes. I'm the most obedient, the most self-disciplined, and the most loving towards Mother. Why won't Mother even look at me?"
"Did I do something wrong? What am I worse than others? Why doesn't anyone love me? Why doesn't anyone love me?"
...
Xue Lanyi's constant murmurs of "mother" reached Wei Zhang's ears.
Thunder rumbled across the horizon, and blue-white lights flashed intermittently.
Suddenly, Wei Zhang's mind conjured up the image of a young boy who had been forced to kneel all night as punishment, with nowhere to shelter from the rain, huddled in a tree hollow and muttering to himself.
Fragments of my childhood kept piecing together, and the words I heard were forced into my mind.
In the flickering lightning, it was impossible to distinguish between reality and memory.
Wei Zhang's breathing was erratic, and he clenched his brow.
Through the skylight, Su Yin saw Xue Lanyi's words becoming increasingly erratic, and a look of panic appeared on Wei Zhang's usually gloomy face.
If this continues, both of them may fall.
Su Yin quickly stepped forward and helped Xue Lanyi into her arms, stroking her back with one hand to soothe her and reaching for the medicine bottle in her sleeve pocket with the other.
"It's alright, Auntie, I have a Qing..."
"Ah! Who are you?"
Xue Lanyi suddenly screamed, then laughed awkwardly, grabbed Su Yin's hand, and stared intently at her, "Are you my mother?"
“You are not my mother. I miss my mother. I miss my mother…” Xue Lanyi said, then pouted and started to cry again.
Su Yin stared blankly at her hand, which was covered in fingernail marks from Xue Lanyi's hand. Her eyes darted around, and she stammered, "I...I have a longan I picked from the plum garden. Would you like some, Auntie?"
"Green Plum Garden?" Xue Lanyi reacted slowly for a moment, then smiled, "Sweet!"
Su Yin nodded absentmindedly, stuffed the medicine bottle back into her sleeve, and peeled the fruit she had just picked, stuffing it into Xue Lanyi's mouth.
Xue Lanyi held the fruit in her mouth, not knowing how to bite it.
After a brief moment of distraction, Wei Zhang snapped out of it, grabbed Xue Lanyi's chin, and forced her to spit the fruit back.
"Go down first."
He stood up, intending to carry her away.
Xue Lanyi hugged her knees and shook her head repeatedly, "I won't leave, I want to find my mother! I love my mother!"
Wei Zhang tried to forcefully hug her.
She tugged at his clothes, looking up at him pitifully, "Yun Jian, I want my mother!"
Su Yin's expression wavered, and she swallowed hard. "People who are mentally unstable are like children. If we don't satisfy Auntie, I'm afraid she will try to run away again."
But Xue Lanyi's mother had died long ago, so where could Wei Zhang find her a mother?
"Go back first, and don't cause any trouble."
At this moment, the rain was pouring down. What kind of behavior was it for the masters to put on a show for the servants on the roof?
Wei Zhang's tone was slightly somber, "Tonight, the entire Duke's mansion is affected by your matter..."
"My mother is there!" Xue Lanyi suddenly pushed Wei Zhang aside and rushed towards the upturned eaves.
There was nowhere else to step forward, but she stepped out without hesitation.
"Auntie! No!" Chaotic screams erupted in the night.
Wei Zhang's head buzzed, he touched the ground with both feet, moved quickly along the ground, and reached out to grab it.
Xue Lanyi fell off the roof.
The sleeves fluttered in the wind.
In the final moment, Wei Zhang grasped her slender wrist.
In that instant, Wei Zhang felt as if his soul had left his body, his dilated pupils fixed on the person hanging outside the eaves.
It took a while for Wei Zhang to come back to his senses when the warmth from Xue Lanyi's wrist reached his cold fingertips.
Xue Lanyi, however, was completely oblivious, pointing at the stars with her other hand, "Look, my mother, my mother is over there!"
Wei Zhang was angry at her for disobeying him, but at the same time he was overwhelmed by another emotion.
This emotion extinguished the anger, leaving only fear in the end.
His breathing rose and fell as he pulled the person up, held him in his arms, and remained silent for a long time.
"Yun Jian, what's wrong?" Xue Lanyi regained some consciousness and reached out to touch the corners of his slightly red eyes.
Wei Zhang pressed down on her hand, his fingertips rubbing against the base of her thumb and index finger.
The realistic temperature and delicate touch gradually restored Wei Zhang's usual calmness to his eyes.
Wei Zhang carried the person down from the Star Gazing Tower and back to Chong'an Hall before handing her over to Granny Liu, saying, "Give the concubine a bath."
"Here you go!"
Granny Liu reached out to help Xue Lanyi up.
As soon as Xue Lanyi left Wei Zhang's embrace, her gaze became unfocused again, and she clung to Wei Zhang's clothes, refusing to let go.
Wei Zhang looked down at his disheveled clothes, and surprisingly, he wasn't angry. His voice even softened a little, "Be good, go take a bath, and I'll take you to the palace to find your mother in a little while."
"Mother?"
Xue Lanyi's eyes lit up when she heard those two words.
Like a child who has received candy, she suddenly threw herself into Wei Zhang's arms and wrapped her arms around his neck: "Yun Jian is the best! Yun Jian is the best in the world!"
Wei Zhang frowned, his expression tightening.
The maids and servants hurriedly lowered their heads and took a half step back.
Everyone knows that the crown prince is most averse to overstepping his bounds.
Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound.
Unaware of what was happening, Xue Lanyi smiled and gave Wei Zhang a light peck on the cheek.
Wei Zhang's pupils contracted slightly.
Granny Liu was afraid that the young lady would offend the young master, so she quickly helped the young lady to the main room.
Everyone lowered their heads and withdrew.
Late at night, Wei Zhang stood alone under the gardenia tree, watching Xue Lanyi's figure disappear into the night.
Once he was all alone, he looked away and touched his cheek.
My fingertips were still warm from her saliva.
The warmth almost dissipated from his fingertips.
He almost lost the ability to feel her warmth again.
Fortunately...
Wei Zhang chuckled softly, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.
Why did you bring her into the palace?
At that moment, a cold voice came from behind.
Shen Jinglan stepped forward and stood beside him.
"As you said, the old lady is likely to make a move in the next couple of days. Wouldn't taking Xue Lanyi away hinder their escape plan?"
The smile in Wei Zhang's eyes vanished instantly. He curled his fingers, still warm from her touch, into his palm and placed them behind his back. "Do you think the Old Madam will take Xue Lanyi away?"
The old lady only had eyes for her beloved eldest son.
Based on Wei Zhang's understanding of the Dowager, she would not want Xue Lanyi, who was suffering from hysteria, to be a burden on her beloved son.
It's highly likely that the matriarch will abandon Xue Lanyi.
"Therefore, wherever I take Xue Lanyi, it will not affect the old lady's escape plan, nor will it affect your pursuit plan."
"Is that so? What if the Old Madam insists on waiting for Xue Lanyi to leave together?"
"Furthermore, there's the eldest brother. He and Xue Lanyi are deeply devoted to each other. How could he possibly abandon Xue Lanyi?"
Shen Jinglan bombarded Wei Zhang with a series of questions, and finally said in a deep voice, "I think what we need to do now is to get Xue Lanyi and the boss together, and let Xue Lanyi's hysteria disrupt their plans."
Instead of you, Lord Wei Zhang, taking Xue Lanyi to find her mother, that will only create unnecessary trouble! Be careful not to dig your own grave!
Wei Zhang glanced at Shen Jinglan, disliked others pointing fingers at him, and was too lazy to say anything more to him, so he turned and left.
"etc!"
Shen Jinglan called out to Wei Zhang.
Seeing that he was determined to do things his own way, Shen Jinglan was no longer willing to beat around the bush. "You just can't bear to see Xue Lanyi leave with the boss, right? You watched them put on a show of deep affection, and ended up getting too caught up in it yourself, didn't you?"
"You... can't live without Xue Lanyi?" Shen Jinglan stepped forward and pointed to his chest.
Wei Zhang's heart skipped a beat, and he looked in the direction the man pointed.
Can't live without it?
Wei Zhang's lips curled into a mocking smile.
Who in this world is indispensable to anyone else?
When Wei Zhang heard him say such ridiculous things, he had to explain to him: "Even if, as you wish, Xue Lanyi goes with them and suffers a hysterical episode on the way, how confident are you that you can track down the former Crown Prince's faction and completely wipe them out?"
"At least it's better than groping around cluelessly on the water."
"What I want is to win in one fell swoop and uproot them completely."
Wei Zhang spoke earnestly, patting Shen Jinglan on the shoulder, "It's almost Dragon Boat Festival, go to Yanxi Mountain to pay your respects to Zheng Zhilan."
"Zheng Zhilan? The concubine of the Marquis of Dingyuan who died young?"
Shen Jinglan was puzzled as to why Wei Zhang suddenly jumped to the topic of a concubine of the Pei family. "Although Marquis Pei and this concubine had a deep affection for each other, she died of illness without cause during the reform period. She has been dead for six or seven years. What does that have to do with our capture of the former crown prince?"
“Go, and you will see the light.” Wei Zhang seemed to have already made up his mind, and nodded to Shen Jinglan.
Shen Jinglan had worked with Wei Zhang for many years and knew that he was not the type to make empty promises.
Since he has identified Concubine Pei as the key to capturing the former Crown Prince, she must be crucial to his capture.
Shen Jinglan's expression relaxed a little. She returned his greeting with clasped hands and hurriedly headed towards the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence.
On the other side, Granny Liu helped Xue Lanyi out of the main room.
Because she had just been told that she was going to the palace, Granny Liu specially helped her wear a pale yellow double-breasted palace dress, with a jade hairpin and gold hairpin in her hair, which shone brightly in the candlelight.
She resembled the radiant Princess Zhaoyang of the past, only now she wore a woman's bun instead of her former attire.
She stood under the eaves, her hands folded in front of her lower abdomen, waiting obediently for Wei Zhang.
Wei Zhang's cold and fierce expression disappeared, and he walked towards her.
As soon as he approached, Xue Lanyi beamed with joy and opened her arms to him.
He really does seem like a child.
Wei Zhang had no choice but to pick her up horizontally and gesture to Qingyang to hold up the umbrella.
In the rain, a man with a figure as slender as a pine tree and as graceful as bamboo carried a girl away, his black cloak fluttering in the wind and rain.
It was nearly 11:00 AM, and it was a cloudy and rainy day.
The streets were deserted, with only the clatter of hooves from the Duke's carriage on the bluestone slabs.
Qingyang rode his horse outside, his heart pounding. "Your Highness, the palace gates will be closed soon. Why not wait until tomorrow..."
"Take my waist token and go through the Vermilion Bird Gate."
Because the Emperor favored Wei Zhang and Shen Jinglan greatly, both of them had the privilege of freely entering and leaving the Imperial City.
But Qingyang didn't understand that Xue Lanyi's mother had been dead for more than ten years, so where could they find her tonight?
He didn't dare ask any more questions, and simply kept silent as he rode away quickly.
The hustle and bustle of the night was left behind.
The carriage was quiet, with only the rising and falling breathing of Wei Zhang and Xue Lanyi.
Xue Lanyi hadn't slept well for two nights in a row, but now she finally calmed down and drifted off to sleep.
Wei Zhang laid her down on the soft stool to his right, while he sat in the middle of the carriage.
He usually closes his eyes and calms himself to clear his mind when traveling by car.
Everything was the same tonight. He gathered his sleeves, burned some cold pine incense, and closed his eyes to rest.
The moment I closed my eyes, the image of Xue Lanyi jumping off the attic immediately flashed into my mind.
He suddenly looked up at the girl lying quietly on his right, and his breathing gradually slowed down.
The rosin in the car had intensified several times over, but I still couldn't calm my mind.
He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, driven by an inexplicable impulse, he pulled Xue Lanyi back into his arms.
With her warm, soft body in his arms, and the scent of sandalwood emanating from her body filling his breath, Wei Zhang's heart gradually felt full.
He gazed intently at the peacefully sleeping woman in his arms, his fingertips stroking her cheek again and again.
Xue Lanyi was being tickled in her sleep, and she would sometimes frown and sometimes puff out her cheeks.
Very lively.
It brought a vibrant life to this cold, hard ebony carriage.
Her every move was the only color in this undecorated carriage.
Wei Zhang's eyes lit up at this sight, and he gently brushed his chin against the black hair on her head.
"Don't die." A hoarse voice squeezed out from his throat.
Echoing in the silent night...
After a short while, the carriage entered the imperial city through the Zhuque Gate and traveled all the way to the highest point in the capital—the Zhaixing Tower.
Wei Zhang carried Xue Lanyi up to the nine-story building.
After a bumpy ride, Xue Lanyi finally woke up, rubbing her eyes. "Where am I?"
A starry sky appeared in the blurry vision.
The view from the highest point is unobstructed and vast, stretching as far as the continuous mountain range outside the capital.
Just then, the rain stopped, and the stars twinkled in the cleansed night sky, a myriad of glittering stars.
Wei Zhang carried her to the southeast corner of the city wall, where few people came, before putting her down on the ground.
"Didn't you say you were going to find your mother? You lied to me!" Xue Lanyi pouted, her voice soft and sticky from just waking up.
That's your mother.
Wei Zhang bent down slightly and pointed to a particularly bright star on the horizon.
Xue Lanyi turned her head in surprise.
Wei Zhang's chin rested on her shoulder, and their noses barely touched.
Wei Zhang didn't avoid it; instead, he deliberately rubbed his high, straight nose against hers. "I'm not lying to you."
As he spoke, he flicked his sleeve to wipe away the accumulated dust on the battlements.
As the dust settled, Xue Lanyi saw that the bluestone bricks were covered with a dense array of constellations.
Some of the patterns have turned into sand, and the degree of sandification varies.
It's as if someone used to draw stars here a long time ago.
Day after day, I drew many pictures, which eventually connected to form the myriad stars before my eyes.
Wei Zhang led her finger and pointed to a star painted in cinnabar on one of the star charts. "This star rose on the eighth day of the fifth month of the year Ji Hai, and it has never disappeared since."
The eighth day of the fifth month of the year Ji Hai was the day Xue Lanyi's mother fell from the building.
"Those old scholars in the Imperial Observatory often say, 'Each person has their own destiny, and the stars move at different times.' Do you know what that means?"
This is also a common saying circulating among the people of Dayong.
This means that everyone has a guardian star in their natal chart.
No matter how down or out you are, this star will always protect you and never abandon you.
It's just that some people's destiny star appears earlier, while others' appears later.
The star Wei Zhang pointed to appeared on the day Xue Lanyi's mother died, so it was naturally Xue Lanyi's mother and also the guardian star in Xue Lanyi's destiny palace.
Wei Zhang wrapped his arms around her from behind, his low, steady voice whispering in her ear, "Your mother has been silently watching over you for 7,450 days. If you miss your mother, look at that star."
Xue Lanyi looked up at the stars, a sense of doubt creeping into her heart.
She herself only vaguely knew that her mother had been dead for thirteen years, but she had not counted the exact dates.
How did Wei Zhang know this so clearly?
Xue Lanyi looked back at the person behind her with a surprised gaze.
Just then, a gust of wind came from behind, stirring up the sand and gravel on the blue bricks of the city wall.
More star charts, long forgotten, are now visible on the brick surface, stretching from left to right across the entire city wall.
It looks like each brick is painted with a night's constellations, at least a thousand of them, representing a whole thousand nights.
For thousands of nights, Wei Zhang drew stars here.
Xue Lanyi knew before that Wei Zhang liked to come to the Star-Picking Tower alone.
Especially after being adopted into the Qi Prince's mansion, he became increasingly estranged from the other five, and would always secretly hide in the Zhaixing Tower.
Wei Xuan noticed by chance that his younger brother was in a bad mood and would come here to find him.
Wei Zhang just squatted in the corner and said timidly, "I miss my father and mother."
Xue Lanyi knew that his unresolved issue lay with the old matriarch.
Therefore, after Xue Lanyi suddenly suffered a hysterical episode last night, she took advantage of her slight lucidity to deliberately say that she also missed her mother, in order to evoke Wei Zhang's memory and make him take her to the palace.
However, Xue Lanyi had no idea that he had drawn so many stars alone at the Star-Picking Tower.
One person, one constellation.
Perhaps Wei Zhang was lost and confused as a child, always searching for the star that would protect him.
She never imagined that after losing her mother that year, all her relatives and friends would gather around her to comfort her.
Meanwhile, the rarely seen young Wei Zhang was helping her find her mother on the Star-Picking Tower.
He silently recorded what his mother looked like for 7,450 days.
Xue Lanyi felt a dryness in her throat.
"What's wrong?" Wei Zhang easily noticed her unusual expression, his deep eyes on her shoulder like a lurking wolf.
Xue Lanyi knew he was very perceptive and difficult to deceive, which was why she had refused the calming pills that Su Yin had given her earlier.
Only if the hysteria actually manifests, and the half-truth is half-fake, can it fool Wei Zhang's eyes.
She has already entered the palace and is very close to the Emperor; she cannot be exposed at this time.
Xue Lanyi maintained her surprised expression and asked him knowingly, "Yunjian, why did you draw so many star charts?"
Wei Zhang's eyes flickered, he remained noncommittal, and slowly straightened up.
His ever-present presence faded from her sight, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, gazing at him with clear, innocent eyes, "Is Yun Jian looking for his constellation?"
"no!"
“It has appeared now,” Xue Lanyi said.
Wei Zhang subconsciously looked up at the stars. Xue Lanyi tiptoed and gently kissed his cheek, her breath sweet as orchids. "It's me."
Wei Zhang frowned slightly and suddenly turned around.
The stars reflected in her eyes were brighter than any star Wei Zhang had ever seen.
"I am Yun Jian's destined star."
The star of destiny never leaves, always by your side, through life and death.
She smiled faintly, her lips parting slightly.
Wei Zhang's expression froze as he stared suspiciously at her cherry-red lips.
He knew that what hysterical patients said was all nonsense.
He also knew that even if she were sober and said such things, they might just be sweet nothings.
But he still subconsciously leaned down and gently touched her lips, which were so soft and sweet, with a faint fragrance.
He then gently licked his full lips with the tip of his tongue, licking them lightly again and again, as if savoring a hawthorn candy.
Her lips seemed to be soaked in honey; one could never get enough of them, never tire of them.
He lifted her up and sat her on the battlements, instinctively closing his eyes and gently kissing her.
Xue Lanyi wrapped her arms around his neck and whimpered softly.
The girl's soft voice made his breathing quicken, and the kiss deepened.
Xue Lanyi quietly opened her eyes and watched him lose himself in it, her eyes filled with hatred.
Some say that the natal star never leaves or abandons you, while others say that the natal star never gives up until death.
She didn't lie to him; she was his destiny, but the latter kind.
The man before her was the reason she would never see the one she loved again.
He forced the boy who was best in her heart to kneel down and suffer humiliation.
This made her a person who was abandoned by everyone.
Just because he helped her find her "mother," does that mean she should forgive him?
Xue Lanyi was incapable of showing compassion; she only wanted him dead!
She's already in the palace, he's about to die... Completely overturning the table. She's good; she fooled him.
Thinking of this, Xue Lanyi's wide eyes flashed with pleasure. She tilted her head back and took his tongue into her mouth, biting it hard until it broke.
The smell of blood spread through their mouths.
The man let out a muffled groan of pleasure, cradling the back of her head and kissing her even more forcefully and deeply.
The kiss was too intense; Xue Lanyi's throat was pressed against it, making it hard to breathe. She had to lean back, her back hanging outside the city wall.
Wei Zhang was tightly wrapped around the neck by her, half of his body leaning out of the city wall, barely managing to steady himself by bracing one hand against the battlement.
If they are not careful, the two of them will fall together from the towering nine-story building.
Xue Lanyi gazed at the bottomless abyss below her.
For a moment, she thought it would be nice to fall down together.
At least she no longer had to pretend to be affectionate with him; she'd had enough, it was utterly disgusting.
She wanted to end this absurdity immediately.
“Yun Jian”.
She didn't want to kiss him anymore, and called his name in a muffled voice.
"Hold on tight and you won't fall." Wei Zhang opened his eyes and followed her gaze to the bottom of the building. "Or do you want to fall down with me?"
Xue Lanyi felt a chill run down her spine.
I don't know if he was joking or deliberately giving her a hint.
She dared not think about it, and mumbled, "Kongming lantern."
At that moment, a Kongming lantern rose up in the passageway downstairs, just an arm's length away from the two of them.
Xue Lanyi's eyes were filled with excitement, "A shooting star!"
She loved shooting stars since she was a child, but shooting stars are rare, so when she was young, Wei Xuan often asked Wei Zhang, Zhou Yu and others to help her light Kongming lanterns.
Sky lanterns rose all over the city, shining like shooting stars.
Wei Zhang guessed that she wanted to light a Kongming lantern again.
"No, lighting lamps in the palace can easily cause a fire." Wei Zhang grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to safety.
"I want to show it to my mother." Xue Lanyi pouted.
Seeing that he remained unmoved, she pointed to Wei Zhang's chest and said, "I want to release them together."
Wei Zhang frowned slightly as he gazed at the pale fingers on the black robe.
She pointed at him and wouldn't let go, "Want to do it together? Show it to your mother."
Her soft, sweet voice reached right to the heart.
She should have informed her mother that she had married him.
Releasing sky lanterns is a harmless little thing; it's good if it helps her get better quickly and stop causing trouble.
Wei Zhang raised his hand, gesturing to Qingyang who was waiting in the pavilion.
A moment later, several Kongming lanterns downstairs were lit, and the lights rose around the Star-Picking Tower, making it look like a sky full of stars.
The sky had just cleared, and the air was still misty, with Kongming lanterns swirling around them. Each lantern reflected a gentle halo of light, and the dim yellow light fell on Xue Lanyi's face.
She jumped up and down excitedly, tugging at Wei Zhang's sleeve, too overjoyed to utter a word.
Wei Zhang had seen her watching shooting stars.
This time, however, he no longer observed from afar.
He stood side by side with her, looking closely at the smile in the girl's eyes and brows, watching her hair being blown by the wind and lightly brushing against her fair cheeks.
He tucked her stray hairs behind her ears and then pulled her in front of him.
A dark cloak hung down, enveloping the two people in the same small but warm space.
The two people's breaths mingled and merged into one in that cramped space.
Only Xue Lanyi's head was visible, her eyes clear and bright.
It looks just like a constellation!
The destined constellation.
Wei Zhang's hand, hidden in his cloak, tightened its embrace around her, as if trying to embed her slender figure into his body.
Under the same starry sky.
In the Shuying Hall, the old lady saw Kongming lanterns rising from the palace in the corridor.
"At least she still has some conscience."
Xue Lanyi and the old lady had made an agreement.
If Xue Lanyi agrees to report Wei Zhang to the Emperor, a Kongming lantern will be lit.
Now, hundreds of Kongming lanterns have risen from the palace, indicating that Xue Lanyi has succeeded and will go to the emperor to file a complaint tonight or tomorrow.
"This woman is truly cunning; even a heartless, cold-blooded viper like the second son could be fooled by her."
The old lady's words were grating to Su Yin, who had come to deliver the medicine.
It wasn't that Xue Lanyi was particularly clever, nor that Wei Zhang was easily deceived.
Xue Lanyi was indeed induced to have severe hysteria on that rainy night, a fact that can be proven by both the imperial physician and Su Yin's medical records.
Her behavior was indeed truly insane.
Su Yin guessed that Xue Lanyi only regained some consciousness when she heard that the eldest young master had broken his back and knelt on the ground.
It was only because of her deep love for the eldest son that she managed to hold on to Wei Zhang, even though her spirit was about to break.
How could it be considered scheming? It all stemmed from love.
It's a pity that she has already entered the palace, and I'm afraid she will never have the chance to come out again.
She and Wei Xuan were truly going to be separated forever.
Su Yin handed the medicine to the old lady, "If the eldest young master can't find Aunt Xue during the escape, what if..."
"Won't!"
The old lady glared at Su Yin.
She knew that this girl had been increasingly siding with Xue Lanyi lately, and this was an attempt to persuade her to find a way to let Xuan'er and Xue Lanyi see each other one last time.
The old lady didn't want any unnecessary trouble.
The two of them should have broken up a long time ago.
"Xuan'er knelt before this woman yesterday and has already fallen unconscious. What are you still going to do about it?"
The old lady turned and left, giving her trusted nanny a wink, "Tell Marquis Pei to be ready to send Xuan'er away at any time tomorrow."
Su Yin watched the old lady's retreating figure, her words of advice stuck in her throat, and she could only sigh as she gazed at the night.
In the sky, the dazzling Kongming lanterns were only for a moment before disappearing into the dark clouds.
The world returned to complete darkness.
Xue Lanyi gazed longingly at the firelight that had departed from her.
A lamp swirled and hovered in the air for a long time, but was eventually blown away by the wind and disappeared from sight.
Xue Lanyi subconsciously reached out to grab it, but all she grasped was pitch blackness.
"Be good, and I'll bring you here to release them again next time." Wei Zhang's deep voice rang in my ears.
Xue Lanyi felt a strong urge to rub her eyes, but could only rub them, not daring to reveal anything, and said, "I'm sleepy."
"Let's go back."
The hour of Yin (3-5 AM) is approaching, and it's almost time to go to court; there's no time to delay any longer.
The two descended from the Star-Picking Tower and returned along the same route.
The sky was already slightly bright, and through the cracks in the window, one could see ministers arriving in twos and threes to attend court.
Upon seeing the carriage of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, everyone made way and nodded respectfully.
Xue Lanyi had not entered the palace for five years, and only now did she have a concrete understanding of Wei Zhang's current status.
The emperor trusted him.
Even the two veterans who had just passed by treated him with great respect.
Can she bring down Wei Zhang in one fell swoop?
As the final moment approached, Xue Lanyi couldn't help but feel a sense of fear, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Wei Zhang, who was dozing with his head tilted back.
Wei Zhang kept his eyes closed, but seemed to sense Xue Lanyi's short, frightened breaths. "If you don't do anything bad, I won't do anything to you. What are you afraid of?"
He spoke slowly.
It is precisely this statement that makes people even more apprehensive.
Unable to contain her panic, Xue Lanyi blurted out in a trembling voice, "I'm scared!"
Wei Zhang opened his eyes and saw her with her head lowered and eyes closed, her fingertips carefully pointing out through the crack in the window.
Just then, a group of Imperial Guards carrying embroidered spring knives passed by outside the window.
That's what I was afraid of.
Wei Zhang's stern expression eased slightly, and he stretched out his right arm toward her.
Xue Lanyi jumped and snuggled into Wei Zhang's arms, pressing her face against his chest, and smiled with relief.
Wei Zhang looked down at her, who was leaning against him like a little bird, and a smile appeared in his eyes. He put his arm around her shoulder.
He had not rested for two nights and was about to attend court, so he needed to rest for a while and closed his eyes again.
A moment later, the hand resting on the left knee touched something soft.
My palms are itchy.
Wei Zhang was slightly annoyed and had no choice but to lift his eyes again.
But then he saw a delicate little hand slip into his palm, its slender white fingers nestled between his fingers, pressing against his palm, their ten fingers intertwined.
A strange electric current passed through his palm and seeped into his blood vessels.
As the saying goes, "the ten fingers are connected to the heart," and that burning sensation instantly reached the heart.
Wei Zhang had never held hands with anyone like this before, and his heart skipped a beat.
Xue Lanyi, still unwilling to give up, gently nuzzled his chest, her clear, watery eyes looking up at him, "I like it this way."
Wei Zhang's fingertips trembled, and his breath caught in his throat. "Don't seduce me."
Xue Lanyi blinked her eyes in confusion.
Wei Zhang shook his head helplessly, stroking her hair with his chin. "Do you know how many days I've had?"
He was overwhelmed with emotion, and his heart was pounding uncontrollably.
He didn't know what caused this reaction; perhaps it was because he hadn't been intimate with her for a long time and was finding it difficult to control himself?
He didn't want to do anything to a little fool, but if she kept teasing him like this, it might not be so bad.
“Stop making a scene,” he warned her.
Then, tilting his head back and taking a deep breath, he instructed Qingyang, "Go around Donghua Gate."
He needs some time to catch his breath and change into his court robes.
The carriage turned around and drove a short distance into the palace.
Xue Lanyi leaned against Wei Zhang's chest and, seeing his Adam's apple bobbing, quietly withdrew her hand.
Her gaze remained fixed on the view outside the window.
I heard that His Majesty is paying homage to Prince Qi at the Fengxian Hall.
Based on the timing of the court session, His Majesty should have passed through Donghua Gate at this time.
That's why Xue Lanyi deliberately provoked Wei Zhang, causing him to change his route to Donghua Gate.
Xue Lanyi nervously observed everything around her.
Upon reaching the Donghua Gate, a golden canopy suddenly appeared, stretching across the sky.
Xue Lanyi's pupils contracted, and she suddenly rushed out of the window.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Wei Zhang suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed Xue Lanyi, who was about to jump off the carriage.
Xue Lanyi had already leaped half her body out of the car window, just as determined as when she jumped off the building last night. Without hesitation, she bit Wei Zhang's hand hard, forcing him to let go.
This commotion drew the attention of all the officials coming and going.
Xue Lanyi jumped out of the car window, her forehead hitting the cobblestone ground, reopening her unhealed wound and splattering blood everywhere.
She felt no pain at all, swallowed the calming pill that Su Yin had secretly given her whole, and went to Huagai without looking back.
"Oh no!" Qingyang was so frightened that his face turned pale.
Princess Zhaoyang, a dead woman, ran out of the prince's carriage in full view of everyone.
This will inevitably shock the government and the public.
What is Aunt Xue trying to do?
Unable to figure it out, Qingyang jumped off the carriage and chased after them.
"No."
Wei Zhang's calm voice came from inside the carriage.
Xue Lanyi has already started making a scene, so what's the point of stopping her now?
Through the gap in the curtains, Wei Zhang slowly wiped the bloodstains from the back of his hand with his thumb, his face hidden in the shadows, making his expression unreadable.
A gust of wind stirred, and a ray of morning light shone into the carriage, revealing a knowing smile on his lips.
It seems that Xue Lanyi doesn't have any hysteria at all.
From beginning to end, she was deliberately feigning madness in order to enter the palace and file a complaint with the emperor.
She was very clever; she fooled him...
Wei Zhang twisted his neck, his hoarse voice echoing in the carriage.
He lifted his robe and stepped down from the carriage.
On the other side, Xue Lanyi's legs went weak with every step, as if she were walking on cotton, and she finally staggered to the Emperor's carriage.
"Your Majesty, I, Li Zhaoyang, have something important to report!"
On the palanquin, the young emperor, barely twenty years old, was as pale as paper, with deep bruises under his eyes, and leaned weakly on the throne.
Upon seeing Xue Lanyi, his pupils dilated instantly. "A ghost! A ghost!"
The young emperor convulsed and stumbled, falling off his palanquin.
The personal eunuch rushed forward to help him up, but the young emperor grabbed a tree branch haphazardly and waved it around at the people around him.
"Ghost! Ghost! My brother the Crown Prince has come to find me! My brother the Crown Prince has come to find me..."
The young emperor Mu Qingyun was born from the late emperor's drunken encounter with a maid.
After giving birth to the young emperor, the maid was executed for the crime of flattering the emperor. After that, Mu Qingyun was exiled to the Summer Palace and lived a life of hardship.
The former crown prince was born to the emperor and empress, the legitimate eldest son, and came from a prominent family, making him worlds apart from Mu Qingyun.
If the late emperor had not had so few children, and if the former crown prince had not been punished for his role in the reforms, Mu Qingyun would never have been able to inherit the throne.
Therefore, even though he is now in a high position, he cannot help but panic when he hears about the late Crown Prince. Seeing Xue Lanyi, the late Crown Prince's close cousin, he naturally loses control even more.
He kept throwing dry branches and stones at Xue Lanyi while muttering, "Lord Shen, Lord Wei, Uncle, Uncle..."
His gaze became increasingly unfocused, and suddenly he spotted Wei Zhang walking with measured steps and an air of composure behind Xue Lanyi.
"Minister Wei!"
The young emperor, as if finding a lifeline, stumbled and staggered toward Wei Zhang.
The dragon-patterned satin boots stepped on Xue Lanyi's hand and passed by in a flash.
Xue Lanyi gasped, then turned around to see the young emperor hiding behind Wei Zhang, only his fearful eyes peeking out.
Wei Zhang stood under the morning sun, as upright as a pine or bamboo, towering between heaven and earth, blending seamlessly with the magnificent palace with its golden bricks and green tiles behind him.
His gaze pressed down on Xue Lanyi inch by inch, and his thin lips slowly parted, "Say it again, who are you?"
Although the words were spoken lightly, Xue Lanyi felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and her arms supporting her on the ground were sore and she was about to collapse.
Soon, a number of ministers who had come to attend court gathered around, discussing the matter in small groups.
"Li Zhaoyang? Didn't she die three years ago? How could she be in the palace?"
"Faking one's death is a crime of deceiving the emperor, and disturbing the emperor is an even more serious crime."
"No, judging from her figure, she seems to be a concubine of Lord Wei. How dare a lowly concubine disturb His Majesty's presence?"
...
Every word they said was dragging Xue Lanyi toward the guillotine.
Xue Lanyi's breathing was uneven, almost all of it going in and out.
Wei Zhang, standing five steps away, showed no reaction, only his deep eyes fixed on her, carrying a warning meaning.
His meaning was clear: she was Xue Lanyi, and there was still hope for her.
She is Li Zhaoyang, and she will die without a proper burial.
But she'd had enough!
She knelt forward, facing only the young emperor, "I am Li Zhaoyang! I want to denounce Wei Zhang!"
"To accuse him of harboring a criminal woman as a concubine is to disrespect the law."
"The second accusation against him for imprisoning his elder brother and abusing his power is unjust."
"Sue him three times..."
"Take her away! Take this madwoman away!" The young emperor tugged at Wei Zhang's sleeve, his eyes filled with panic and pleading.
He didn't care at all about what Xue Lanyi had told him.
Or rather, the young emperor knew about every unjust and immoral thing Wei Zhang had done.
The young emperor has indulged him to such an extent!
Wei Zhang showed no fear, but merely raised an eyebrow with interest, signaling Xue Lanyi to continue.
He wanted to know how much resentment she had been holding in these past few days, and what her trump cards were.
Since the fish in captivity have become uncontrollable, let them run wild to their heart's content; it's quite interesting.
"What about the third one?"
"Minister Wei..." The young emperor had no desire to have any dealings with the former crown prince's faction. Seeing that Wei Zhang did not move, he had no choice but to signal to his personal eunuch, "Help me back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
The young emperor clearly intended to leave Xue Lanyi to Wei Zhang to deal with.
Xue Lanyi's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately raised her voice, "This commoner also wants to accuse Wei Zhang of cruelly poisoning eighteen people in the Qi Prince's mansion, which is an act of inhumanity!"
The young emperor paused, then turned around abruptly. "What did you say?"
"The commoner says: Wei Zhang murdered Prince Qi, and the evidence is irrefutable!"
Xue Lanyi mustered her courage and faced Wei Zhang directly, her voice ringing with conviction.
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