Chapter 64 Tonight is cold, and there is no one with him anymore...
Upon hearing this, Xue Lanyi felt as if she had been granted a pardon.
Wei Zhang quickly caught her thoughts and glanced at her.
Xue Lanyi's long eyelashes trembled, concealing the expectation in her eyes. She tightly twisted her sleeves, waiting for his reply.
Wei Zhang's hand, resting on his knee, was slightly curled as he fiddled with the thumb ring.
It's getting late; matters of the court cannot be delayed any longer.
As for the name she mentioned...
There will be many more opportunities in the future, which need to be broken down little by little.
Wei Zhang looked away, his gaze lingering on her trembling legs. "Go inside and wash up first."
These words meant that he was relenting and letting her go.
"Your Excellency is preoccupied with important matters, and I dare not trouble you any further. I bid you farewell now, and wish you all the best in the future and a meteoric rise in your career."
Xue Lanyi curtsied, placed her hands on her lower abdomen, and slowly bowed as she withdrew, trying her best to appear calm.
"etc."
Wei Zhang lowered his long eyelashes, watching his shadow recede into the distance on the ground.
Although she tried to appear calm, she was so anxious that she didn't even straighten her clothes, which were in a mess.
It is clear that they are eager to leave.
So eager was she that she didn't even want to take a bath in his room.
"If you don't want to wash it, then just leave it."
Xue Lanyi paused, as she had intended to return to Shuanghuazhai to clean herself up.
But what he meant was that she should take that thing with her when she got into the bridal sedan chair and parade it around in front of everyone.
If so, does she have to bring Xiao Cheng along when she goes to the wedding ceremony?
This man is completely unreasonable.
She suddenly turned her head and met his gaze.
The man sat in front of the couch, his usual calm demeanor restored.
Suddenly sensing a disapproving gaze, he looked up and gave her a deep look, his words matter-of-fact and brooking no argument: "No leaks allowed."
"..."
Xue Lanyi couldn't stand his foul words.
But this was her last time with him, so she didn't bother arguing with him and strolled away.
The vermilion door was opened, then creaked shut again.
A beam of light shone on Wei Zhang, but then mercilessly withdrew.
The red silk curtains were also fluttered by a passing breeze, falling down and blocking Wei Zhang's view.
He was left in the endless darkness.
The curtains swayed gently, the soft fabric like her hand, lightly brushing against the tip of his nose.
The air was filled with the scent of sandalwood emanating from her body, as well as a fragrance reminiscent of orchids and musk.
Just moments ago, this place was filled with rolling red waves and a beautiful atmosphere.
At this moment, all that could be heard was Wei Zhang's breathing.
Outside, however, it was quite lively.
The sounds of suonas and sheng flutes rose again, faintly mixed with the congratulatory voices of the people in the back alleys.
"The bride is out!"
Congratulations to the bride and groom on your marriage!
The children were asking for wedding cakes, making a noisy commotion.
Finally, the noise subsided.
The Duke's mansion has returned to its usual solemn and austere state.
It seems quieter than usual today.
The lantern she made outside the courtyard to light his way had bells that jingled exceptionally clearly.
She once said, "If the night wind blows out the lanterns and the prince can't find his way, he can listen to the sound of the bell to find his direction."
Ultimately, as long as the prince knows, his concubine will always be waiting for him under the bell...
Wei Zhang raised his neck and took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, trying to erase the images from his mind.
The door was suddenly pushed open, a gentle breeze blew in, and the bell rang closer and closer.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
Through the gap in the curtains, Qingyang's figure could be seen: "Master, the wedding envoy has left, and Aunt... Miss Xue also took Granny Liu away."
Wei Zhang remained silent.
Qingyang was in the outer room, looking at a person sitting upright in the semi-transparent curtain, as if waiting for him to say something next.
“My aunt did leave a message for the master,” Qingyang said.
Wei Zhang's eyes narrowed, and Qingyang added, "My aunt said: Thank you, Master, for returning Granny Liu to her."
Wei Zhang remained silent and waited a while longer.
Qingyang didn't know what to say.
When Xue Lanyi left, apart from the joy of seeing Granny Liu after a long separation, she did not look back at anyone or anything in the Duke's mansion.
He didn't have much to say to Wei Zhang either.
Qingyang didn't dare to make up some sad farewell words to appease Wei Zhang, so he changed the subject and asked Wei Zhang, "Should we send another bowl of the tonic soup for Auntie?"
The two stayed in the bedroom for a full hour, and Qingyang naturally knew exactly what had happened there.
For the past few months, my master has given me contraceptive medicine every time we have sex.
But since Xue Lanyi is getting married today, and everyone is watching, Qingyang can't just go and deliver the contraceptive soup without permission.
He was at a loss for words.
"If you can't send it, then don't." Wei Zhang didn't hesitate. After a moment of silence, he added, "There's no need to send it anymore."
Since he has decided to keep this bond for life, if she is pregnant, then she should also keep it.
I want to stay by his side for the rest of my life.
Does she want to use Xiao Cheng to escape from his clutches?
Absolutely impossible.
Wei Zhang's eyes turned cold, and he lightly lifted the curtain with his long fingers.
"Go and deliver that Golden Tiger Proud Cauldron from the storeroom to Xiao Yi."
Wei Zhang tidied his appearance at the dressing table, straightened his hat and collar, and went outside.
A wisp of cold pine resin swept past Qingyang, crisp and cool.
Qingyang was stunned.
Xiao Yi is the Crown Prince of Western Qi, while Xiao Cheng is unparalleled in battle and is known as the Flying Tiger General by the people of Western Qi.
By gifting Xiao Yi a Golden Tiger Proud Cauldron, isn't the master implying that Xiao Yi is subordinate to Xiao Cheng?
The master has never intended to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. The only reason he is stirring up trouble this time is for Aunt Xue.
Aunt Xue's departure is probably not the end, but the beginning of an even bigger storm.
Qingyang quickly jogged to catch up, "I'll send someone to deliver the gifts right away, but even if we ride at top speed without stopping, it will still take three days to reach Xiqi. By then, Consort Xue's wedding sedan chair will probably already be within the border area. What do you think, Master..."
"You don't need to go to Xiqi, Xiao Yi's people are already in Shengjing."
"Shengjing?"
Qingyang blurted out in surprise.
But thinking about it, it makes sense. The Crown Prince of Western Qi sees Xiao Cheng as a thorn in his side. Now that Xiao Cheng has come from afar to marry, he will definitely have his confidants keep a close eye on him.
Therefore, it shouldn't be difficult to find the Crown Prince of Western Qi in Shengjing City.
"I'll take care of it right away!" Qingyang bowed and withdrew.
On the other side, Xue Lanyi, sitting in the bridal sedan chair, left the Duke's mansion, still feeling uneasy.
She always felt as if an invisible rope was binding her.
She was filled with trepidation, so she half-lifted the sedan curtain and peeked behind her.
In the due north, within the imperial palace, a flock of birds soared proudly into the sky.
The sound of bells and drums resounded throughout the entire city of Shengjing.
The people of the city flocked to the imperial palace, clearly indicating that the ceremony for the succession of the chief minister had begun.
Wei Zhang's career is now soaring, he probably won't hold a grudge against her anymore, right?
Xue Lanyi took a deep breath and repeatedly comforted herself.
“Don’t worry, young lady. When we crossed the willow embankment just now, I saw with my own eyes the Duke’s carriage on the other side of the river, going in the opposite direction from us. What’s that word again…” Granny Liu clapped her hands, “That’s right, going in the opposite direction!”
The route to the palace does not pass through the Willow Embankment, so how could Wei Zhang appear on the other side?
Xue Lanyi's expression hardened slightly, and she nodded, saying, "Thank you for your kind words, Mother-in-law. I hope we can truly part ways."
That's all.
Perhaps Xue Lanyi had been in the high-pressure environment of the Duke's mansion for too long, which is why she became so suspicious.
Everyone has left the manor. As long as they successfully make their way to the western border, everything will be settled.
Western Frontier...
Thinking of those two words, and that person, Xue Lanyi felt another pang of pain in her heart and shook her head.
"What about you, Mother-in-law? Where do you plan to go after leaving the manor?"
“I’ll go with the girl!” Granny Liu said without hesitation.
A few days ago, she was punished according to the Duke's family rules and almost died in the woodshed.
Fortunately, Lord Qingyang was kind-hearted and stopped Yingqi.
She was lucky to escape with her life, and now she has no other relatives, only the girl treats her well.
“It must be lonely for a young lady to travel alone to a foreign land. I will keep you company.”
Xue Lanyi never imagined that even today, there would still be someone who would stay by her side through thick and thin.
She was somewhat surprised and delighted. Her lips parted, but she didn't know what to say. Before she could finish speaking, she blurted out, "Grandma isn't looking for her daughter anymore?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he realized that what he had said was inappropriate.
Grandma Liu's daughter was reportedly abducted by human traffickers many years ago, and Grandma Liu has been searching for her ever since.
Grandma Liu couldn't help but feel sad when she mentioned this.
Three or four years ago, she suddenly had a nightmare in which her daughter was hanged and burned to ashes.
She felt heart palpitations for a long time, and afterwards, she never dreamed of her daughter again.
It wasn't until she was assigned to take care of Xue Lanyi that she discovered Xue Lanyi was about the same age as her daughter, which inevitably made her feel a sense of closeness.
Now, after three years together, the memory of that rainy day when we snuggled together has given rise to a different kind of affection.
Instead of aimlessly searching for his daughter, he might as well follow the girl; perhaps by some miracle, he would find something.
"I'm an old woman, I can manage to live, but what about you, girl?" Granny Liu asked with concern.
The one who was naturally worried was Xiao Cheng, this god of death.
That day at the Duke's mansion, Xiao Cheng dared to lay hands on Xue Lanyi.
So, on the long road of the marriage alliance, who knows what that pervert might do?
Xue Lanyi's heart sank.
The wedding sedan chair also stopped.
The group had already left the city gate when a burly figure walked towards her, blocking her view.
Xue Lanyi's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered the sedan curtain.
"Your Highness, according to the rules of Dayong, one cannot see others before the wedding ceremony..."
"roll!"
Xiao Cheng pushed aside Granny Liu, who was blocking his way.
Granny Liu rolled to the ground, and Xiao Cheng's loud footsteps landed in front of the sedan chair. A hand with thick hair reached into the curtain.
Xue Lanyi leaned back, and that hand slid across her cheek.
Xiao Cheng touched something warm and soft, a look of pleasure spreading across his face. He let out a deep breath, "If this little face is so soft, how wonderful must her body be?"
"Tsk, no wonder the Duke of Wei is reluctant to let you go." Xiao Cheng suddenly lifted the curtain. "What were you and the Duke of Wei talking about in his room for a whole hour?"
A scarred face suddenly loomed large in the window, startling Xue Lanyi. She leaned back and curled up in the corner of the bridal sedan chair.
Xiao Cheng caught a strange smell from the sedan chair, vaguely realizing something. His smile froze, and his eyes gradually became bloodshot. "You shameless, promiscuous slut! Have you forgotten that you're my woman now? I'll kill you!"
Xiao Cheng's bear-like hand suddenly swung towards Xue Lanyi, creating a hurricane-like attack.
The howling wind alone made Xue Lanyi feel dizzy.
Snap!
A dull thud was heard inside the carriage.
Xue Lanyi subconsciously closed her eyes.
After a long while, the expected dull pain did not come.
Her breathing rose and fell as she opened her eyes.
An arm blocked Xiao Cheng's path. The newcomer, dressed in black and close-fitting clothes, stood in front of the window with a sword in hand. "Your Highness, the Duke has ordered that Your Highness must not see the concubine before the wedding ceremony, and must not approach her intentionally."
This guard even openly referred to Xue Lanyi as "Auntie"!
Xiao Cheng's face turned pale and then flushed.
Just now, Xue Lanyi's complexion clearly showed that she had just received rain and dew.
Now, even the titles are still following the old rules of the Duke's Mansion. What does Wei Zhang want to do?
"Has the Duke of Wei gone too far?" Xiao Cheng asked through gritted teeth.
“Aunt Xue comes from the Duke’s mansion, so the Duke should take full responsibility. Your Highness, there’s no need to be so polite.”
The guard gestured for Xiao Cheng to go aside and negotiate.
At the same time, the sedan curtain was quietly lowered.
Xue Lanyi was once again hidden away in a quiet and peaceful place.
Xue Lanyi, however, did not feel relieved by this.
She knew that this guard must be Wei Zhang's shadow guard.
A shadow that follows you like a shadow.
When Wei Zhang was assassinated, Xue Lanyi had seen the group of shadow guards who appeared and disappeared without a trace around him.
They were all elite soldiers who followed Wei Zhang in retreating from the western border; they were highly skilled and composed in the face of adversity.
Wei Zhang actually sent his trusted shadow guards to escort the bride, which meant that he still kept his eyes on Xue Lanyi.
So how did she escape?
Xue Lanyi's heart sank to another abyss.
The bridal sedan chair was lifted again and headed west.
On the way, Xiao Cheng did not cause any more trouble, and he walked with extraordinary speed, traveling through the night as if he were on a military campaign.
When they reached Sishui Pass, the group stopped because they could see that a torrential rain was about to hit the other side of the Yellow River estuary.
The group rested at the Sishui Pass post station.
Xue Lanyi sat in the sedan chair, bouncing up and down all day, and her lower abdomen began to ache again.
He then feigned illness, skipped dinner, and went back to his room to rest.
This post station was located in a desolate place, surrounded by towering mountains and deserted.
Xue Lanyi leaned on the second-floor windowsill and could clearly see the distant mountain ranges and the birds and beasts in flight.
The rain outside was getting heavier.
The cry of an eagle came from overhead.
Where does the mighty eagle of the western border come from in the heart of Dayong?
Xue Lanyi looked up and saw a dark shadow flash by in the inky night, disappearing into the rain and mist without a trace.
"The eagle is flying so low; a torrential downpour is probably imminent."
"So the young lady can read the heavens?" Granny Liu draped a cloak over Xue Lanyi from behind, and then noticed the map Xue Lanyi had drawn on the windowsill with charred twigs.
Although there was no Xuan paper or brush, the map was rather hastily drawn.
But today, almost all the mountains, rivers and lakes along the route from Shengjing to Sishui Pass have been painted by Xue Lanyi.
It should be noted that Xue Lanyi, who was in the bridal sedan chair today and did not peek out to observe her surroundings, remembered them more clearly than Granny Liu, who had walked all the way here.
"The young lady can even locate places by sound and draw topographical maps!" Granny Liu couldn't help but look at her with admiration.
Xue Lanyi shook her head awkwardly, "I can't really say I know it, I've only learned the basics, it's..."
It was Wei Xuan.
Wei Xuan was obsessed with military strategy since childhood, and she, influenced by him, also learned some of it.
Xue Lanyi didn't want to think about that name anymore. She peeked around to make sure no one was there, then closed the window.
She lightly tapped the spot on the windowsill that she had circled, giving Granny Liu a meaningful look.
She couldn't hide her plan to escape from Granny Liu.
Today, while sitting in the bridal sedan chair, she pondered the best opportunity to escape near Sishui Pass.
Sishui Pass had escaped Wei Zhang's control but had not yet entered Xiao Cheng's territory, so it was caught in a precarious situation.
Moreover, the terrain here is complex, and given just a short time, she could easily hide in the mountains and valleys.
At that time, a rainstorm struck, and the wedding procession consisted of fewer than 100 people, making it not so easy to find her.
The biggest problem now is that Xue Lanyi is being watched by both Xiao Cheng and Wei Zhang's factions. How can she escape everyone's gaze?
Xiao Cheng is rushing to Xiqi in such a hurry that he will probably continue his journey as soon as the rain subsides, leaving her with at most two days.
The more she thought about it, the more her head ached. Xue Lanyi rubbed her temples.
"Why don't you take a hot bath first, young lady? It'll help you relax, and maybe things will resolve themselves?"
Granny Liu noticed the purple bruises on Xue Lanyi's neck and wrists.
She was very familiar with this kind of injury.
The girl has suffered again today.
There was never a time when I emerged from the Duke's room looking clean and refreshed.
Granny Liu sighed inwardly and helped Xue Lanyi toward the bathtub.
Xue Lanyi had only taken two steps when she swayed and nearly fell.
Granny Liu quickly helped the girl sit down on a round stool to rest. Seeing that her face was pale and her temples were sweating, she wiped her face with a handkerchief. "Young lady, are you... injured again?"
Xue Lanyi shook her head.
I wasn't injured this time, but perhaps the bumpy ride and the humid air made the pain from this morning linger.
Xue Lanyi pointed somewhat embarrassedly to a spot slightly above her abdomen, "This area is swollen and painful, with persistent cramping."
Granny Liu touched Xue Lanyi's protruding belly, her expression suddenly tightening, "Did the young lady... have any vaginal discharge today?"
It's a question we simply have to ask.
Xue Lanyi's cheeks suddenly flushed red, and she frowned and shook her head.
No.
She was worried that something might leak out on the street and it would be embarrassing, but it seemed that, just as Wei Zhang had said, it all stayed inside her body.
Grandma Liu hesitated for a moment, then gave her a meaningful look: "Ordinary couples deliberately leave the fetus inside the womb to make it easier to conceive."
Conception?
Xue Lanyi hadn't thought about it that way.
Firstly, when she first became Wei Zhang's concubine, no instructing maidservant had told her about conceiving.
Secondly, why would Wei Zhang want her to get pregnant?
When she had amnesia, she kept asking him several times if he wanted to have a child with her.
When he got tired of asking, he simply brushed it off with, "The wife hasn't even entered the household yet, and the concubine is already pregnant. What rules and propriety are we talking about?"
He's being so ruthless now, and he's deliberately targeting the palace. What's wrong with him?
Xue Lanyi didn't understand and was too lazy to investigate. She held Granny Liu's hand and said, "Change the hot spring bath to well water, the cooler the better."
"How can this be done?"
"Go."
Xue Lanyi persisted.
There was absolutely no way she could conceive his child, and since there was no way to prepare a contraceptive soup, she could only take a cold bath.
Granny Liu couldn't let Xue Lanyi leave with such a burden, so she had no choice but to do as she was told.
It was pouring rain outside, and the water at the bottom of the well was bone-chillingly cold.
One basin after another was poured into the bathtub, the water surface as if frozen, radiating cold air.
Xue Lanyi took off her outer garment and stepped into the bathtub. As soon as her feet touched the water, she shivered.
Grandma Liu supported her arm, and she steadied herself, forcing herself to sit in the icy water.
Her slender body trembled violently in the water, her already fair skin becoming even more bloodless, with only her dark purple lips struggling against her teeth.
Grandma Liu felt sorry for the girl and put her arm around the girl's thin shoulders by the bathtub.
"I feel sorry for you, young lady." Granny Liu stroked her protruding spine.
This pitiful girl suffered in turn for the sake of those two brothers.
Grandma Liu felt uneasy.
Now that they have left Kyoto, they no longer need to be so reserved in their speech. They couldn't help but sneer, "Those two brothers are no good, they don't deserve such treatment from you, young lady! Forget about them and live a good life from now on."
Isn't Ah Xuan a good person too?
This question immediately popped into Xue Lanyi's mind.
But upon further reflection, whether he was a good person or not was no longer her concern.
That's all.
Love and hate should be completely severed after she leaves.
She hugged Grandma Liu and said, "Okay, forget about it."
The extremely soft sound drifted through the quiet canyon, reaching far, far away.
Two hearts, from opposite ends of the earth, were simultaneously and in perfect unison.
To the west, a man in red robes riding a white horse clutched his chest, his heart pounding.
He dared not rest, and urged his horse onward, shouting, "Faster! Faster!"
The horses' hooves clattered as they galloped toward the mountains where the full moon rose.
The bright moonlight shone down on the silver-saddled white horse.
It's raining tonight, but the moonlight is bright, as if guiding him in the right direction.
The distance between him and the moon is gradually decreasing.
The bright moon shines on him, and his heart is always with the moon; it has never wavered...
The far side of the moon was completely dark.
Inside Chong'an Hall, Wei Zhang suddenly awoke, clutching his chest and gasping for breath.
Inside the four-sided curtained tent, it was pitch black and empty.
He instinctively reached out and touched the left side of the bed; it was ice-cold.
"Yun Jian, are you cold? Do you want me to warm you up?"
"Have you ever heard of hugging for warmth? Turn around, I'll teach you."
"The woman has her arms wrapped around the man's waist, and the man has his arms around the woman's shoulders. Doesn't it feel warm?"
Her wet eyes blinked in his arms.
...
Wei Zhang subconsciously reached out to touch it, and the shadow vanished.
It's cold tonight, and there's no one to keep him warm.
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