Chapter 47 She held in her heart the bond she shared with Wei Xuan…
Shen Jinglan's face stiffened, her eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.
Qingyang maintained his posture of bowing low while in a high position.
a long time.
Shen Jinglan raised his hand. "Release them!"
The prison doors were opened.
Xue Lanyi took one last look at her old friends, whose eyes were filled with worry for her.
Xue Lanyi knew what they were worried about.
Wei Zhang was no benevolent man, but since everyone wanted to survive, she had no choice but to negotiate with him.
She withdrew her gaze and headed towards Qingyang.
Behind me came the sound of a storm of whipping.
Shen Jinglan clearly harbored deep resentment towards Wei Zhang for openly kidnapping people.
He dared not confront Wei Zhang, so he vented all his anger on his three old friends and their families.
The sounds of flesh tearing and the cries of women and children echoed in the prison cell.
Xue Lanyi paused for a moment, but couldn't bear to look back.
The heart-wrenching cries only gradually subsided when the two reached the interrogation room on the ground floor.
Xue Lanyi headed towards the interrogation room, her mind preoccupied. Qingyang stopped her, "The young master means that he has no time to see outsiders. Aunt, have you thought about how you want to see him?"
Wei Zhang's meaning was clear: she must come to see him this time as Xue Lanyi, not Li Zhaoyang.
How could Xue Lanyi not know the answer?
If she wants him to save her, she must first submit to him, and paying a price is inevitable.
Given the current situation, there is no better choice.
“I understand.” Xue Lanyi nodded in acknowledgment.
Qingyang bowed and gestured for her to enter, pointing to the room next to the interrogation room. "In that case, please come this way, Auntie."
Xue Lanyi followed Qingyang to a room next door where people could rest.
The room was simply furnished with everyday furniture such as tables and chairs.
Wei Zhang was nowhere to be seen. All that could be seen was a set of pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) neatly folded on the table, complete with undergarments, inner garments, and outer skirts. These were the clothes Xue Lanyi wore on the day she "married" him.
There was a basin of clean water and a handkerchief in the golden basin on the ground.
Wei Zhang wanted her to erase all traces of her past and return to Xue Lanyi before she could see him again.
These items and this room were clearly prepared for her by Wei Zhang long ago.
No wonder Wei Zhang has been so certain that she would back down these past two days. It seems that Shen Jinglan's discovery of the Red Plum Blossom Painting and the arrest of the former Crown Prince's faction were all within his expectations.
Xue Lanyi even suspected that the red plum blossom painting that appeared out of nowhere was deliberately leaked by Wei Zhang.
He schemed every step of the way, and of course she couldn't escape his control.
He once said that he would punish her by drowning her in a pig cage, making her ride a wooden donkey, and tattooing her.
He also said: "Tonight I will watch her swallow all her disrespectful words."
How could he expect her to swallow it back?
Xue Lanyi felt her hair stand on end just thinking about his eyes that seemed to devour anyone.
I dare not think too deeply about it.
We'll just have to take it one step at a time.
Xue Lanyi took a deep breath, squatted down in front of the basin, and took off her prison clothes.
Beneath the coarse linen clothing, her fair skin was reflected in the water.
Because he hadn't had any physical intimacy with Wei Zhang in recent days, the hickeys on his body had faded, leaving no trace of Wei Zhang.
This body seemed to belong to her perfectly at this very moment.
She ran her fingertips along her neck, collarbone, and shoulders with a handkerchief, seemingly treasuring the scene before her. She wiped the area with the handkerchief again and again until it was spotless.
Then she went to untie the sash of her small garment, and the love knot made of Wei Xuan's and her hair barely peeked out from the collar.
Because her prison uniform was too loose and Wei Zhang had torn the collar, she had no choice but to put the love knot inside her only tight-fitting undergarment.
After two whole days, a knot-like mark appeared on my chest from the pressure.
The marks left by the intertwining and weaving of her and Wei Xuan's hair were clearly imprinted on her skin.
Xue Lanyi's fingertips traced the direction of her hair, gently tracing the mark on her heart.
As you touch it, the marks on your skin gradually fade.
Soon, Ah Xuan's traces will disappear from her.
The spot closest to her heartbeat will be blatantly stained with marks she dislikes.
Her and Wei Xuan's bond could only be secretly hidden away.
They were childhood sweethearts, their relationship arranged by their parents, so how did it end up becoming something that couldn't be seen in public?
Xue Lanyi was secretly filled with resentment and unwillingness. She curled the love knot in her palm and wanted to raise her hand to kiss it gently.
Suddenly, a cool hand slowly reached out from behind her shoulder and grasped the love knot.
Xue Lanyi's expression froze.
The love knot was easily taken away by that hand with distinct knuckles.
A dark shadow was reflected in the basin of water in front of her.
Wei... Wei Zhang!
Xue Lanyi was so frightened that she fell to the ground. She immediately tried to snatch the love knot, but then dared not, and retreated to a place far away from him.
Wei Zhang stood beside the square table, admiring the love knot with great interest.
The room was too dark, with only a flickering oil lamp on the table.
The dim light shone down on his face, casting dappled shadows on his sharply defined features.
He had obviously been there for a while, but he stood silently behind Xue Lanyi, watching her wash away the filth.
Xue Lanyi had no idea how many reluctant expressions he had seen on her face, or whether he had noticed her unwillingness to part.
Still shaken, her chest heaving, she stared blankly at Wei Zhang.
Wei Zhang merely stroked her love knot, his expression unchanging.
Every time she appears so emotionless, it's a sign that a storm is brewing.
Xue Lanyi was terrified of his ambiguous, half-smiling expression.
Swallowing hard, she unconsciously changed the subject, "Wei, Wei Zhang, five years ago, five years ago, did you have some misunderstanding about us?"
Prince Qi died six years ago in the winter. At that time, Wei Zhang was willing to risk his life to poison Prince Qi, be chased, jump into a dry well, and even have his lungs pierced in order to protect them.
Why did he suddenly turn against the Crown Prince just five months later, in the spring when the Crown Prince had his incident, and even go so far as to exterminate the former Crown Prince's faction?
Xue Lanyi always believed that he was forced to be adopted by the Prince Qi's family and that he was unhappy there, which is why he hated Wei Xuan and the friends who had encouraged him to go to the Prince Qi's family.
But that's clearly not the case. When Prince Qi died, he had already been in Prince Qi's residence for seven years.
He endured seven years of suffering, but his loyalty to his friends never faded, which is why he was willing to die for them.
His brotherly affection for Wei Xuan remained steadfast, which is why he kept calling out "brother" in the dry well.
So, something even more serious must have happened in those short five months that made him change his mind overnight and completely turn his back on the former princelings.
"Wei Zhang, what exactly happened? Tell me, and maybe, maybe the misunderstanding will be cleared up."
Misunderstand?
Disgust flashed in Wei Zhang's eyes.
His fingers also touched a strand of white hair inside the love knot.
The meaning of this knotted knot—who is of one heart to whom—is self-evident.
She showed absolutely no remorse; she had come to question him.
She is even reminiscing about something at this very moment.
Wei Zhang's face darkened, his fingers loosened, and the love knot suddenly fell to the ground.
"Take your heartfelt knot with you and go."
Wei Zhang didn't have much patience to watch her hesitate and waver.
Since she still doesn't recognize her own identity, Wei Zhang has no intention of saying anything more to her.
He flicked his sleeve and walked away.
The knot of love was trampled under a boot, loosened, and rotted in the mud.
Xue Lanyi instinctively lunged forward to pick it up.
The moment my fingertips touched the strands of hair, I paused.
She came to give herself and three old friends a way out.
The fact that she picked up the love knot means that she still can't forget the past. How could Wei Zhang tolerate her?
I'm afraid they'll persecute them even more severely.
None of them could withstand the devastation.
Xue Lanyi closed her eyes slightly.
The next moment, Wei Zhang's clothes were grabbed.
He paused in his steps.
Xue Lanyi slumped to the ground, her fingertips slowly rolling the hem of his clothes into her palm, more and more.
Finally, he said in a hoarse voice, "Yun Jian, I was wrong."
As soon as she said those words, her self-esteem was crushed under her feet.
Her eyes stung with tears, and she hated herself for being like this.
But she had no other choice.
She forced back the tears, suppressing her bitterness.
Wei Zhang disliked tears.
If she sheds tears, Wei Zhang will think she is being forced to apologize and that she has no sincerity. In that case, her bowing her head will be worthless in Wei Zhang's eyes.
What Wei Zhang wanted was her genuine repentance.
Xue Lanyi pursed her lips, not daring to hesitate for too long: "I was wrong, could you... please be merciful and let them go?"
Wei Zhang looked down at the girl who was tugging at his clothes.
Her eyelashes drooped slightly, tears welled up but didn't fall, and her long, wet eyelashes trembled gently, revealing a genuine sense of remorse.
"What did you do wrong?" he asked her.
"I am Xue Lanyi."
It's not Li Zhaoyang anymore.
"Li Zhaoyang..." The three words that were on Xue Lanyi's throat were buried deep in a corner of her heart.
She didn't know when it would bloom again, but it certainly wouldn't be now.
“Li Zhaoyang…is already dead.” Her throat tightened.
Wei Zhang watched her delicate, full red lips open and close, and his brows relaxed slightly.
He lifted her chin and rubbed his thumb against her lips.
She tilted her head back and parted her lips slightly, her lips resembling freshly peeled lychees, moist and soft.
You can tell how sweet it is even before you taste it.
Wei Zhang then turned around and said, "Continue."
He will definitely make her swallow back all the reckless things she has done.
Xue Lanyi subtly turned her head away to avoid his caresses.
"I...should not have falsely accused the Prince."
He did not comment.
Xue Lanyi added, "I shouldn't have secretly plotted against the Crown Prince."
"We shouldn't have...thrown the mouse."
Wei Zhang remained silent.
Xue Lanyi raised her eyes slightly, her gaze filled with spring water, to look at him.
Wei Zhang's face remained expressionless, but his deep eyes grew increasingly dark.
He seemed to have stopped listening to what she was saying, and simply placed his index finger between her lips.
As she spoke, her lips lightly brushed against the back of his index finger, seemingly holding half of his finger between her fingers.
He glanced at her meaningfully.
Xue Lanyi seemed to understand, but not quite.
She hesitated for a moment, then opened her lips, biting the half-finger that was between her lips, and stared at him blankly.
Her eyes welled up with tears, looking both clear-headed and bewildered.
Wei Zhang's fingers touched a long-lost warmth.
He didn't probe deeper with his fingers, but instead kept them between her lips, letting her half-hold and half-nibble on them.
A faint itch spread from my index finger to my whole body.
His breathing tightened, and he slowly raised his hand.
Xue Lanyi was about to give in.
"Hold on tight." His hot breath fell on her cheek.
She could only gently bite his finger bone with her pearly teeth.
Wei Zhang's hands were fair and shapely, like a white jade hairpin held between her bright red lips, the red and white complementing each other perfectly.
He looked into her eyes, slowly raised his hand, and she tilted her head back, holding his finger as she slowly stood up.
Like a beautiful mermaid caught on his hook, she fell into his arms.
She was just tall enough to reach Wei Zhang's collarbone, and her soft breaths, coming from her slightly parted lips, were directed at Wei Zhang's Adam's apple.
He swallowed hard and gently lifted her palate with his index finger.
At such close range, he could clearly see the teeth marks left by a row of pearly teeth, and he could also see the saliva produced by the pale pink tongue in the mouth from the biting.
The glistening saliva grew more and more abundantly, almost overflowing from her embroidered mouth, like the honey oozing from a lychee, so plentiful and inexhaustible.
Wei Zhang should have settled accounts with her for the past few days, but given the situation, his first instinct was to lean down and kiss her honey-scented lips.
Xue Lanyi turned her head away, but didn't back down too much. His kiss barely touched the corner of her lips. "Could you... ask Shen Jinglan to stop first?"
Outside the door, the sound of whipping grew louder and louder, like a storm, and the floor shook from the blows.
Xue Lanyi guessed that Shen Jinglan had lost his temper while beating people.
She feared that before she could persuade Wei Zhang to release them, her three friends would be beaten to death by Shen Jinglan.
“Lu Lin has lost his tongue, Xie Qingyun has tuberculosis, and Zhou Yu has lost his fingers. I’m afraid they won’t be able to withstand any more beatings.”
“Their three households are already dwindling in number. If something were to happen to them, they wouldn’t even have anyone to take care of them. Can you please release them?”
Xue Lanyi grabbed Wei Zhang's collar, trying her best to tell him how miserable her old friend was now, hoping to find a trace of past affection in his eyes.
After all, Wei Zhang had been their friend for fifteen years, and he had even risked his life for them.
No matter how earnestly she spoke, she could no longer see a trace of emotion in Wei Zhang's eyes.
Those feelings truly vanished completely during those unknown five months.
It's impossible to awaken his conscience.
Xue Lanyi was anxious, and her eyes reddened.
Wei Zhang remained bent over, and of course saw the deep concern in her eyes.
He was all too familiar with that look in his eyes.
During the three years she suffered from amnesia, she often looked at him like that.
It turns out that she doesn't just look at him like that; she also looks at Wei Xuan, Zhou Yu, Xie Qingyun, and Lu Lin with the same gaze...
She loved all living beings and cared for everyone.
He is truly a living Bodhisattva.
Wei Zhang felt a tightness in his chest, unsure whether it was because of the unfulfilled kiss or something else.
He grabbed her wrist, trying to pull her hand away from his chest.
Xue Lanyi held onto his clothes tightly.
He was their only lifeline, and she couldn't let him go.
She clutched her dark clothes tightly, so anxiously that her hand pressed firmly against his ribs.
Wei Zhang frowned and gasped almost imperceptibly.
Xue Lanyi had clearly forgotten the wound she had inflicted on his chest; all she could see were her old friends.
Perhaps the pressure was too deep, for Wei Zhang felt a dull pain in his chest, and the scabbed wound started bleeding again, threatening to soak through his inner garment.
Wei Zhang immediately pulled her hand away and flung her off.
Xue Lanyi was thrown so hard that she stumbled and took two steps back.
Wei Zhang calmly adjusted the folds of his robe at his chest, slightly pulling up his outer garment so it didn't cling to his inner garment.
Once he confirmed that his outer garment was dry and undamaged, he lifted his eyes, his gaze icy cold: "Where do you get the confidence to think that a kiss from you is worth a fortune?"
Xue Lanyi choked.
She never thought that her kiss could carry any weight, especially since it was him...
Xue Lanyi thought to herself, but she also knew that she was not worth a fortune.
Three days ago, she came to appeal to the emperor with the determination to perish together with Wei Zhang.
She had once been determined to kill Wei Zhang, but Wei Zhang was vengeful and would not let her off easily.
Xue Lanyi took a deep breath, "Young Master... what will it take for you to let them go?"
Her back was already stiff with tension as she said this.
No miracle occurred, according to Wei Zhang.
He looked at her with such indifference, as if he were looking at any other person in the world.
“As I said: According to the Dayong Law, an unfaithful woman shall be punished by being drowned in a pig cage, riding a wooden donkey, or being branded with tattoos. You can choose.”
Ultimately, Xue Lanyi still had to face these unbearable tortures.
She felt a little dizzy, and her vision blurred as she looked at the iron chains, pipa hooks, and whips on the white wall behind Wei Zhang...
This place is actually a prison, and the walls are covered with cold, blood-stained instruments of torture.
She stared intently, unaware that she might fall on the blade of that torture instrument, her chest heaving uncontrollably.
Looking down from Wei Zhang's angle, one could just see the spring scenery floating beneath the ill-fitting undergarment.
The marks on his fair skin were extremely glaring.
Wei Zhang frowned and glanced at the square table behind her. "Take off your clothes and lie down on it."
"I……"
Wei Zhang did not give Xue Lanyi a chance to refuse, and turned to walk towards the wall of torture instruments.
Since she didn't choose, he naturally didn't have the patience to keep giving her chances.
He will choose carefully for her.
He was dressed in black with his back to her, his tall figure obscuring her view.
Xue Lanyi couldn't see what he was doing, but she knew he was picking carefully. He would rub each instrument of torture between his fingertips, and once he found one that suited him, he would put it into the tray one by one.
The ear-piercing metallic clanging sound rang out six times in total, and he placed the six utensils into the tray.
Xue Lanyi stared intently at the wall covered with various torture instruments, countless cold glints turning into chilling air that seeped into her pores.
The unknown fear made her stand still.
When Wei Zhang returned with the tray, Xue Lanyi's eyes remained wide open, and she made no move.
“Wei, Wei Zhang…”
Xue Lanyi really didn't want to be humiliated by him in a crowded place.
She was scared. She swallowed hard. "I'll accept whatever punishment you give me, but could you please ask the people outside to be quiet? Aren't you the one who hates noise the most..."
"Take it off completely."
Wei Zhang disliked the noise outside.
How can she learn her lesson if she doesn't hear those countless dying cries?
He doesn't allow for dissent, but he doesn't resort to harsh measures either.
He simply walked up to her side, just a short distance away, and leisurely spread a silk handkerchief on the square table, arranging the razor, brush, needles, and other items side by side.
With each item placed down, the sleeves brushed against Xue Lanyi's arms, stirring up subtle undercurrents.
He was so calm and unhurried, but Xue Lanyi couldn't afford to delay.
Every moment she hesitated was undoubtedly a death knell for Zhou Yu and the others.
What right does she have to negotiate with him?
She can't escape.
Thinking it over, Xue Lanyi closed her eyes in despair, a few tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.
She forced herself to open her eyes, faced him, and raised her arm to untie the ties of her undergarment.
The pale yellow fabric gradually peeled off from the undulating mountains, fluttering and swaying, brushing past Wei Zhang's clothes and falling onto his official boots.
A faint, ethereal fragrance was released and entered Wei Zhang's nostrils.
Wei Zhang, who was originally facing the square table, turned his head and saw a body that was so white it seemed to glow.
The surrounding darkness only accentuated her fair and smooth figure.
With her graceful figure, slender waist, and alluring curves, any man in the world who glanced at her would want to devour her whole.
Unfortunately, Wei Zhang had no interest in Qing Guqian at that moment.
His deep, dark eyes were fixed on her chest.
Xue Lanyi looked down and realized that the mark of the love knot on her chest had not completely disappeared, and there was even a half-white hair unintentionally entangled in the tip of her heart.
Her head buzzed, and she quickly pulled out her hair.
It's too late.
Wei Zhang suddenly took a step forward.
They were already standing very close, and with this step, Xue Lanyi's chest was almost touching his chest cavity.
She was completely naked, so she could clearly feel the coldness of his clothes and the rising temperature in his chest.
Startled, Xue Lanyi took a half step back, her heel hitting the table leg, and she suddenly fell backward onto the table.
Wei Zhang reacted quickly, supporting the back of her head, and then leaned down with her, gently placing her on the table.
Xue Lanyi's head was protected by him, and she did not feel any bumps or knocks.
But she knew that Wei Zhang's caution was merely to protect his exquisite possessions and prevent anyone or anything from damaging them.
He wouldn't even allow the table to bump or knock, so how could he tolerate the man's hair getting tangled there?
He pinched the end of the hair and slowly pulled it upwards.
The tangled hair was then untangled, one loop at a time.
With each loosening of the loop, strands of hair cut across that extremely sensitive skin.
Wei Zhang's breathing became even heavier.
Xue Lanyi ignored the pain, feeling as if he was suffocating from the pressure of his breathing.
After her hair was completely loosened, she quickly clasped her hands together in front of her chest, opened her mouth but couldn't explain anything.
Wei Zhang then realized that her meticulous washing of her body was not because she had repented.
Instead, she was admiring the marks left on her body by other men.
She even wrapped the man's belongings around her chest.
She didn't know how many days had passed before such a deep mark appeared; even after talking to him for almost half an hour, the mark hadn't faded.
Wei Zhang stared intently at the mark, "Bring it to me yourself."
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