Chapter 57 Then let's wish Wei Xuan and Li Zhaoyang a happy marriage...
Even though Xiao Cheng was invincible on the border, he was still Wei Zhang's target in Dayong.
Xiao Cheng's giant-like body was also suppressed, and his gaze slowly left Xue Lanyi and went to the food table.
"The Xue family." Wei Zhang's imposing aura pressed down on Xue Lanyi once more.
He turned his head to the side.
From Xue Lanyi's angle, one could just see his well-defined profile, especially his high, straight nose, which was like a blade.
"Ignoring your lord, go and reflect on your actions."
Wei Zhang's words clearly showed his dissatisfaction with Xue Lanyi's behavior of throwing the question to the emperor.
For him, Xue Lanyi had to choose him without reservation, without hesitation, and without looking back in order to be considered right.
It seems that even after the court affairs are settled, Wei Zhang will not let the matter rest.
Xue Lanyi felt a chill run down her spine, curtsied, and left the hall.
Discussions about her future continued in the lobby.
Xue Lanyi was afraid of being punished by Wei Zhang, but she was more concerned about her future, so she unconsciously slowed down her steps as she listened intently to the sounds inside the room.
The vermilion lattice doors kept her out, and in the end, having gained nothing, she could only return to Chong'an Hall absentmindedly.
As I reached the corner of the covered walkway, I happened to see a woman wearing a bright red dress.
With such a fiery color, Xue Lanyi recognized Yin Qiuyue from just a glance at her back.
She then thought of that warm jade that could have killed her.
Why is the warm jade she gave to Yin Qiuyue in Xiao Cheng's hands?
Yin Qiuyue has always been absent-minded. Could it be that she lost Nuanyu, or that Xiao Cheng tricked her into giving it away?
Xue Lanyi was suspicious and couldn't help but step forward to test the waters with words.
I had just walked behind a sturdy soapberry tree.
Ten steps away, Yin Qiuyue was clinging to her father's arm, acting coquettishly: "Didn't Prince Xiao say that if I gave him the warm jade, he would have his own way of marrying Xue Lanyi? Why is it that now, the front hall is still sending word that my daughter should prepare for the wedding?"
"My daughter must not marry a barbarian! She is already engaged!"
As Yin Qiuyue spoke, she pouted and began to cry.
Her general father gently patted the girl's back, his voice barely a whisper, "My dear girl, don't rush, don't cry. The Duke of Wei is known for his domineering nature, but Prince Xiao is not one to give up easily either. As long as you don't get into the bridal sedan chair, this matter is not settled."
General Yin's eyes darted around. "Why don't you go and visit Xue Lanyi? After all, she's the Duke's wife. You could try to find out what she thinks."
"Still visiting?"
Hearing this, Yin Qiuyue's anger only intensified. She glared at her father and said, "You were the ones who forced me to go to the princess's mansion day and night to keep her company, saying that her mother died early and that my close relationship with her would please the emperor."
"I never saw the Emperor once. He collapsed at her residence, and I don't know how much tea and sweet wine she made him drink."
“In the past, we sisters had to beg to be played by her like dogs and keep her company to pass the time! Now she’s nothing but a prostitute, someone everyone can bully. Why should our daughter pretend to be stupid and try to please her?”
"It's not about flattery, it's not about flattery." General Yin gestured for Yin Qiuyue to calm down. "It's about gathering information, just gathering information..."
“My daughter won’t go! If she drags my daughter to sleep in the same bed with her again, and she gets covered in the smell of brothels, how will her future husband’s family view her?”
Yin Qiuyue suddenly shook off her father's arm, "It's my bad luck that I don't have a father who is an imperial tutor, nor a mother who died in the palace!"
Yin Qiuyue rubbed her eyes and left, sobbing.
General Yin followed behind, his steps faltering, afraid that his daughter might fall or get caught in the branches, and he carefully reached out to protect her...
Xue Lanyi stood under the tree, gazing at Yin Qiuyue and her trembling father from afar, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.
Actually, if she doesn't like ice cream, you can just tell her directly.
Why bother...
Xue Lanyi felt a lump in her throat and looked away.
She suddenly wondered if Zhuang Wanyi also disliked Biluochun tea? And if Du Yan disliked lanterns...
The gifts she painstakingly planned to give were not genuinely appreciated by the recipients.
They were only trying to cheer her up because she had no mother.
The more she thought about it, the blurrier her vision became. She looked up at the sky and took a deep breath.
Above us was a canopy of gardenias, which, when viewed from the pavilion, resembled a cluster of auspicious clouds and a riot of vibrant blossoms.
Only now did she realize that, looking up from beneath the dust, the crisscrossing branches resembled the claws of a wild beast, poised to pounce on her and crush her to the ground.
Every blade of grass and every tree before my eyes, shrouded in mist, is nothing more than a mirage.
What in this world is truly real?
This was the first time Xue Lanyi had ever felt such confusion.
Through the dark clouds, she saw that smiling boy in red again.
So sincere and passionate.
Like a ruby, its luster never fades.
He shouted towards the mountains: "I, Wei Xuan, will love Yi Yi more than anyone else in the world, and that will never change!"
"No matter when or where, please don't lose heart. You must believe in me! Wait for me!"
The boy's resolute voice surrounded her.
They stood atop the valley, with a sheer cliff in front of them, yet she felt incredibly grounded…
Xue Lanyi's vision blurred again as she reached out to touch the smiling face on the horizon.
The smiling face turned into a cloud and shattered.
An umbrella was held over her head, shielding her from the rain.
"It's going to rain, Your Highness, please take care of yourself."
The man's gentle voice slowly faded away.
A glimmer of hope arose in Xue Lanyi's heart, and she suddenly turned around.
Behind her, Pei Xiuyuan, dressed in pure white, nodded to her respectfully.
The light in Xue Lanyi's eyes vanished instantly, and she looked at Pei Xiuyuan with some disappointment.
Pei Xiuyuan said, "The princess's three friends came to see me, and I will have them sent out of the capital in the next two days."
The branches overhead swayed slightly.
A beam of sunlight shone on the white-clad figure, dazzling Xue Lanyi's eyes.
Finally, there's some good news.
She lowered her long eyelashes to hide the tears in her eyes, and solemnly curtsied to Pei Xiuyuan, "Thank you, Your Excellency, for your trouble."
He tried his best to control himself, but his voice still trembled.
She felt it was impolite and forced a smile.
Pei Xiuyuan looked embarrassed, and coughed lightly twice with his fist pressed against his lips.
"Lord Pei...do you still have something to say to me?"
Seeing his hesitant expression, Xue Lanyi felt a chill run down her spine: "Is it Ah Xuan...?"
She blurted it out, then looked around warily, lowered her voice, but couldn't suppress her worry: "Has something happened to him? Is there anything I can do for you, my lord? Please tell me."
"No, there's no need to worry about this concubine. She's perfectly fine."
Pei Xiuyuan hesitated for a moment before handing a letter to Xue Lanyi. "This is from my aunt, sent by me to my concubine."
Why would the old lady travel so far to deliver a letter to her?
Xue Lanyi was quite surprised. She took the kraft paper envelope, from which a dazzling red could be faintly seen.
She realized something, her fingertips trembled, and she slowly pulled out the letter.
The bright red characters for "marriage certificate" gradually came into view.
Below, in small regular script, are written: "Though countless calamities befall me, your heart remains as pure as the moon, untouched by the slightest dust; I, like the North Star, will forever protect your clear radiance."
The handwriting was crooked and some words were even piled up together.
However, Xue Lanyi recognized at a glance that it was written by Wei Xuan himself.
Because he cannot see, the characters he writes are not legible.
At the end of the inscription, "Li Zhaoyang" and "Wei Xuan" are written side by side.
The three characters "Li Zhaoyang" were written very neatly and beautifully.
She once said that he was a rough and uncouth man, so he made a point of practicing writing her name diligently, saying that when he handed over the marriage certificate in the future, he would definitely write the three characters "Li Zhaoyang" beautifully, just like Yiyi.
She finally received his beautiful marriage certificate.
Xue Lanyi was caught between laughter and tears, and a tear unexpectedly fell onto the marriage certificate.
Snap—
Tears blurred the words "Li Zhaoyang," and the marriage certificate trembled slightly from being struck.
She quickly tried to wipe it with her fingertips, but the more she wiped, the more messy the ink became, and finally the three characters "Li Zhaoyang" became blurred.
They could no longer stand shoulder to shoulder with "Wei Xuan".
"you……"
Pei Xiuyuan felt a pang of emotion as he watched her mechanically wipe away the ink stains again and again.
Tomorrow is the wedding day of Wei Xuan and Li Lan'er, and the Western Frontier is bustling with preparations for their grand wedding.
The real Li Zhaoyang, however, stood in the courtyard, grieving over a marriage certificate as the rain subsided.
The old lady sent the marriage certificate back, naturally to tell Xue Lanyi that Wei Xuan had remarried, so that Xue Lanyi would completely give up any thoughts about her son.
Pei Xiuyuan looked at the frail woman swaying precariously before him and finally felt a pang of pity.
A hint of gentleness appeared on his usually aloof and jade-like face. "Does Aunt Xue have any message for me to convey to her?"
Xue Lanyi stood there, stunned, still wiping the marriage certificate.
A moment of relative silence followed.
Pei Xiuyuan had no choice but to hand the umbrella to her, nod, and leave.
The footsteps faded into the distance.
The rain started to fall in a light drizzle.
Birds and beasts scattered in the woods, and all that could be heard was the rustling of leaves in the wind, one wave higher than the next.
Even the ants on the ground swarmed home, crawling over Xue Lanyi's wet embroidered shoes without her noticing.
Until Pei Xiuyuan was about to disappear into the end of the rain curtain.
She snapped out of her reverie, "Lord Pei! Please pass on a message..."
If I don't say a word now, we may be scattered to the four corners of the earth, and there may be no chance again.
But what was she going to say?
In what capacity?
Xue Lanyi pondered for a moment, then... congratulations to Wei Xuan and Li Zhaoyang on their marriage.
"And...live to be a hundred years old."
She raised her hand above her head, making a gesture of raising a glass.
Pei Xiuyuan didn't understand, but nodded in agreement and left.
But she laughed.
Just saying those words and imagining that lively scene makes me happy.
She remembered that when she celebrated her birthday at Zhuxuan, Zhou Yu stood on the stone table and said in a loud voice, "On the day Xuan-ge marries Yi-yi, I will be the welcoming envoy. Lu Qi talks too much, so let him be the head chef. A-Zhang is the most obedient, so let him be the sedan chair guide to welcome his sister-in-law."
"As for our Xuan-ge, he'll wear red, ride a white horse, and welcome his beloved. He'll spread red makeup all over Longhu Street and become the coolest guy in Shengjing City!"
...
The passionate sound echoed through the dense rain.
Xue Lanyi seemed to really hear the joyful sounds of suona and sheng from outside the courtyard.
The crisp sound of warhorses' hooves gradually drew closer.
"Yiyi, believe me! Wait for me!"
The boy's clear and resolute voice pierced the sky.
She suddenly looked up and saw Wei Xuan riding his horse, breaking through the gloom and mist, rushing towards her.
Dressed in fine clothes and riding a spirited horse, they tread through rain and flying blossoms.
He reached out his hand to her.
Without hesitation, she lifted her skirt and pounced on him.
But he fell heavily to the ground, and the boy beside him suddenly turned into smoke and vanished.
She stared intently at her muddy palms.
After a while, I realized that Ah Xuan was getting married.
He won't come looking for her again.
A ruby can shine eternally, but it doesn't necessarily illuminate only her.
The rain poured down harder and harder, relentlessly washing over her.
She sat in the mud, numbly watching a torrential rain wash away all her trusted friends and lovers.
She has nothing left.
A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I collapsed to the ground.
"girl!"
At this moment, a wrinkled hand supported Xue Lanyi's arm.
Granny Liu passed by the corridor and saw a madwoman running, striding, reaching out, and laughing in the rain.
She thought it was the girl Mei who had been frightened back, but upon closer inspection, she realized it was her own daughter.
The girl had been treated coldly in the courtyard for years, and she had always been calm and composed. She had never been so embarrassed before.
Who could have provoked the girl to this extent?
Grandma Liu picked up the umbrella from the mud, opened it, and helped the girl down to the corridor.
Xue Lanyi refused to leave, muttering to herself while her other hand flailing about in mid-air.
This is clearly another episode of hysteria.
There are many important matters to attend to at the Duke's mansion today. If the young lady causes any trouble, I'm afraid the Duke will reprimand her.
The young lady had repeatedly instructed her that if she had a fit of hysteria, she must find a way to make her feel pain and wake her up, and she must not lose her composure in front of the Duke.
Grandma Liu hardened her heart and pinched her arm hard.
She was so thin that her heavy, soaked clothes were piled up on her body, making it impossible to touch her arms.
But if you twist it even slightly, it hurts like your skin and flesh will ache.
Xue Lanyi took a shallow breath of cool air, feeling somewhat dazed and confused.
Clearly, she hadn't yet distinguished between reality and dreams, and didn't know how to cry out in pain; she just stared at the other person stiffly.
Her thin, pale face was devoid of makeup, and her disheveled hair clung to her face, making her look even more sickly.
"Miss, shall we go back to the corridor first?"
Grandma Liu helped her sit down on the porch and then used her sleeve to wipe the rainwater that was streaming down her temples.
The two of them stayed in the rain for a long time. Grandma Liu was soaked through, with only her fingertips still slightly warm.
A slightly cool sensation brushed against my cheek.
Xue Lanyi's expression gradually calmed down, and she stared blankly at her mother-in-law who was squatting beside her wiping her face.
Suddenly her eyes reddened, and she threw herself into Grandma Liu's arms.
Her body was so warm, even warmer and more comfortable than a quilt on a freezing cold day.
Xue Lanyi felt a surge of greed and called out in a hoarse voice, "Mother."
Whether it was tears or rain, Grandma Liu's chest was damp.
Grandma Liu was very flustered and quickly grabbed her shoulder, trying to push her away.
The girl was still half-conscious, her cheeks lightly rubbing against the rough linen clothes, her delicate skin red and tinged with blood, yet she wouldn't let go.
When Grandma Liu's daughter was still around, she would act spoiled like this when she was wronged.
Grandma Liu opened her mouth, but in the end, she couldn't bear to shatter Xue Lanyi's dream.
She stroked her back as if she were stroking her own daughter.
Then she remembered the nursery rhyme her daughter loved when she was little, and gently hummed it in Xue Lanyi's ear.
Xue Lanyi's restless heart seemed to have finally found a place to rest. As she nestled in Granny Liu's arms and listened to her humming a lullaby, a tremor rose from her heart.
That sounds so nice!
So this is what it feels like to be held and comforted in your mother's arms.
However, her mother could not sing nursery rhymes.
Her mother was always sullen when she was alive and never sang nursery rhymes to her.
My father is a learned man, and he can't bring himself to sing in a girl's style.
The nursery rhymes she listened to were all sung to her by Ah Xuan.
Ah Xuan also said he would sing nursery rhymes to her for the rest of his life.
But it's impossible now.
Starting tomorrow, he will hum a tune in other people's ears to lull them to sleep...
Xue Lanyi buried her head in Granny Liu's arms, not daring to think about anything further.
Outside the corridor, the downpour had stopped, but the wind was still damp and sticky.
Xue Lanyi was struggling to breathe, her breath coming in short, weak gasps, pressed down by the heavy air.
She was freezing cold, but Granny Liu dared not send her back to Chong'an Hall right now.
A short while later, the Duke returned to the back room from the front hall, his face grim.
The gatekeeper and the head maid in the backyard were all killed; some had their eyes gouged out, and others had their hands chopped off.
I heard that it was because these people were drinking and gambling that they accidentally let Prince Xiao into the women's quarters in the backyard.
The Duke was in a rage, and he would be displeased if he saw Xue Lanyi return looking dejected.
Grandma Liu could only use her arm to shield the girl from the wind, waiting for her to calm down before making any plans.
But before long, Ying Qi came rushing over, "Madam, the master requests your presence in the study."
“Lord Yingqi, the young lady is not available right now.” Granny Liu gave Yingqi a look.
Xue Lanyi was curled up in a ball, shivering, looking like a wounded young animal.
"The young lady seems to be having a hysterical episode; she can't move. Could you slow her down a bit?"
"You expect the master to wait for a concubine?"
Yingqi remained unmoved, her voice growing even colder: "Pass on Master's orders: Some things must be made clear, so that Auntie will not try any more tricks."
"The young lady is currently unconscious, it's really..."
"I will only follow orders." Ying Qi gestured for her to go, her voice loud and clear, as if she were deliberately waking Xue Lanyi. "Auntie, you should hurry up and go, lest the master become angry again."
The sharp sounds echoed in layers throughout the corridor.
Xue Lanyi was so startled that her shoulders trembled, and she looked up in a daze.
Shadow Seven's tall figure was projected down.
He was a trusted confidant who had followed Wei Zhang to the battlefield and the court for many years, and he also liked to wear black like his master.
Therefore, he had picked up some of Wei Zhang's habits.
Xue Lanyi could only smell the faint scent of cold pine resin when Wei Zhang's unreadable face suddenly appeared before her eyes in the shadows.
All the sorrow and pain were overshadowed by the impending storm.
Wei Zhang ordered her to return to Chong'an Hall to reflect on her mistakes, but she lingered in the back garden for a long time.
If Wei Zhang were to investigate further and find out who and what caused her distress, he would likely become angry.
At that time, both Wei Xuan, who is far away, and Pei Hou, who sent her the message, may be implicated.
She cannot harm others or herself.
Xue Lanyi's long eyelashes trembled slightly as she swallowed the bitter taste in her throat. "Please inform the Duke that I will change my clothes first and arrive shortly."
Xue Lanyi needs to compose herself first.
After saying goodbye to Yingqi, she quickly wiped herself down in the room and changed into dry clothes.
The room was filled with steam.
Xue Lanyi's heart was as chaotic and disordered as swirling smoke and clouds.
A moment later, the young man in red rode towards her, calling out repeatedly, "Yiyi, wait for me! Wait for me!"
A moment later, the dark clothes gradually obscured the bright spring sunshine like dark clouds, and a pair of melancholy eyes swallowed the boy and her.
Finally, the boy's voice faded away, and Xue Lanyi could no longer see any light of day.
A gust of wind, carrying dampness, blew the door open.
The door creaked, urging her to step out into the wind and rain.
Xue Lanyi asked Granny Liu to apply rouge to her simply.
Her face was frighteningly pale; only a thick layer of rouge could conceal the emotions on her face, but it couldn't hide the turmoil in her heart.
Just now at the banquet, Xiao Cheng openly wore her warm jade and said some ambiguous things.
Wei Zhang was probably now certain that she was colluding with Xiao Cheng.
She didn't know how much Wei Zhang would believe if she gave an explanation without any evidence.
Xue Lanyi stood under the drafty corridor, calming herself for a while before hesitantly walking to the study.
Pushing open the door, the dull, sluggish sound of wood echoed.
The room was even darker due to the rain, and it was almost impossible to see anything around it.
Just five steps away, behind a plain white screen, a dim lamp, barely bright enough to emit a halo of light, illuminates the space within.
Wei Zhang sat calmly on the other side of the screen.
Xue Lanyi could not see his face, but only saw his shadow on the screen, holding a pen with his wrist suspended, as if he were reviewing official documents.
His movements as he turned the pages were extremely steady and slow, as composed as when he was handling official business, showing no signs of anything amiss.
The dim candlelight flickered on the screen, and the shadows also flickered, making them impossible to see or understand.
The screen did not block the oppressive aura; instead, it instilled even more fear of the unknown.
Xue Lanyi had no idea what the person behind the screen was thinking or what their expression was. She tried her best to suppress her emotions and made her tone sound ordinary: "Greetings, Duke."
Perhaps the sound was too soft, for the shadow on the screen did not look up, but continued to write at the desk.
He didn't speak, so Xue Lanyi could only remain in a bent-knee position.
Xue Lanyi's knees were still stinging from hitting the ground, and she couldn't maintain the deeply bent-knee position for long before her legs began to tremble and her body became unsteady.
And because he was trying his best to keep his composure, tiny beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
She had no intention of wiping it; her eyes were glued to the screen, afraid of missing any of his movements.
After a long while, Wei Zhang finally finished reading a memorial, raised his wide sleeve, and placed the memorial beside his elbow.
"You're quite busy these days, you don't have time to come closer," Wei Zhang said casually, but his words carried a deeper meaning.
He was displeased, perhaps because Xue Lanyi had lingered outside for half an hour, making him wait.
It was still a veiled criticism that Xue Lanyi was too busy colluding with Xiao Cheng to serve him.
"I know I was wrong, I hope the Duke will forgive me." Xue Lanyi said listlessly.
She was exhausted both physically and mentally today and had no desire to argue with him; she just wanted to end this long and agonizing ordeal as soon as possible.
Behind the screen, Wei Zhang paused slightly as he picked up the memorial.
A light, teasing laugh quickly escaped his lips.
He was as perceptive as could be; how could he not tell how insincere Xue Lanyi's "I know I'm wrong" was?
She first brushed him off about Xiao Cheng, and now she's even being perfunctory when talking to him.
She lies endlessly; does she show even a trace of remorse?
"Come here and light the lamp." Wei Zhang's tone was unreadable.
Xue Lanyi could not maintain the bent-knee posture, so she quickly got up, folded her hands over her abdomen, and respectfully went behind the screen.
When Xue Lanyi reached the desk, she realized that Wei Zhang had not lit candles today, but a palm-sized gilded incense burner.
A thick stack of papers lay beside it; one by one, they were thrown into the stove, and only then did a faint flame appear.
The paper looked like an old relic, and it smelled rather pungent when burned.
Xue Lanyi was puzzled. She picked up the paper and was about to throw it into the stove when she was shocked to see the six large characters written on it: "Conferring the title of Princess Zhaoyang".
This is the imperial edict from the late emperor that conferred her title.
Below that are Princess Zhaoyang's imperial genealogy pages, household registers, and ceremonial regulations...
All the evidence regarding Princess Zhaoyang's existence is in her possession.
Logically speaking, even if Princess Zhaoyang had passed away, the documents and records concerning her should have been archived in the Imperial Clan Court and the Ministry of Revenue, but Wei Zhang went to the trouble of collecting them all.
Wei Zhang is punishing her.
He wanted her to personally burn away the evidence that she had ever existed as Princess Zhaoyang.
He wanted Princess Zhaoyang to leave no trace.
He was warning Xue Lanyi that if she attempted to escape his control as Princess Zhaoyang, he would destroy both Li Zhaoyang and Xue Lanyi.
From then on, she had neither the path she came from nor a guiding light for her future; she was merely his appendage, nameless and without a surname.
Xue Lanyi clutched the evidence of her existence, her fingertips trembling, and remained motionless for a long time.
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