Chapter 65 We request Your Majesty to bestow gifts upon Wei Zhang and Xue Lanyi…
His temples throbbed, and he felt a tightness in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
He got up and opened the door.
The storm that had been building up outside for days suddenly erupted the moment the door was opened.
The wind and rain came head-on, seeping into his sleeves and soaking him in the cold.
"Sir, would you like to burn incense?"
Qingyang, who was on night watch, quickly draped a cloak over Wei Zhang's shoulders.
The elaborate and gorgeous clothes temporarily suppressed the cold.
Wei Zhang adjusted his cloak and breathed a sigh of relief under the eaves.
The wind blew out all the lanterns in the courtyard, including the two large and ugly corridor lamps that Xue Lanyi had made.
It was pitch black all around, and we could hardly see anything.
Seeing that Wei Zhang kept staring at the two corridor lamps, Qingyang ordered his men to move the lamps from the hanging flower gate back to the bedroom door.
He lit a tinderbox, wanting to light a lamp, but he couldn't get it to ignite.
Seeing that the lamp was not lit for a long time, Wei Zhang felt inexplicably irritated. He took the tinderbox and lit it himself.
He carefully protected the wick with his palm and lit it several times.
A flame finally ignited in the lantern, its faint light gradually rising in Wei Zhang's palm.
Qingyang held his breath and watched as the flames rose, casting a dim yellow light on Wei Zhang's face. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Wei Zhang withdrew his hand from the wick.
A gust of wind suddenly blew in.
The fire went out again.
Wei Zhang was plunged into even deeper darkness.
The dark figure blended into the rainy night, with no light emanating from it.
Qingyang quickly bowed and stepped forward, "Let me take over."
Wei Zhang raised his hand to indicate that it was unnecessary.
He stared silently at the lantern in front of him, watching it sway in the wind, its tassels and bells struggling to break free, as if trying to drift westward.
The lantern no longer wants to shine; it wants to drift away on the wind like a kite.
But a lantern is a lantern; it was born to illuminate him, and that was its destiny.
Wei Zhang looked in the direction the wind was blowing.
Raindrops streamed down the corridor, obscuring Wei Zhang's expression, but his voice remained somber as he asked, "Where is she?"
“Sishui Pass,” Qingyang said.
"Sishui Pass?"
Xiao Cheng's pace was faster than Wei Zhang had anticipated.
Perhaps he guessed that something unexpected might happen on the road, so he was in a hurry to move on?
This eldest prince is indeed much smarter and more alert than before.
but……
Accidents often happen unexpectedly.
"Notify Xiao Yi that we will take action tonight."
"Tonight?" Qingyang was quite surprised.
Xiao Cheng has taken away Aunt Xue, and the master will certainly not let it go.
But the Lord is always thorough and steady in his work. Even if something "accident" were to happen to the mission, it shouldn't happen less than a day after the mission left the capital.
The path to a marriage alliance is long and there are many opportunities to plan for it.
The reason why the master acted so swiftly this time, contrary to his usual behavior, is self-evident.
The master has finally taken a liking to Aunt Xue.
The concubine had only been gone for a day, and the master's room had been lit with calming incense countless times. Even today, during the promotion ceremony, he was somewhat distracted.
The concubine is the master's soothing elixir; he can't be without her for even a day.
Qingyang knew very well that his master would never let Aunt Xue go in this lifetime.
Qingyang cupped his hands in greeting and said "Yes," indicating that he was about to go and do his business.
But there are some things I want to say, things I keep hidden in my heart...
He had served the master for many years and had watched how the concubine gradually won his heart.
Actually, it wasn't just in the last two months, but over the past three years, or perhaps even earlier, that the concubine gradually saw through the master's heart.
However, the master himself was unwilling to look at it or think about it, so he always ended up arguing with his concubine on bad terms.
If the master has already decided to keep Aunt Xue by his side for the rest of his life, are the two of them going to keep fighting like this forever?
Qingyang hesitated and opened his mouth.
"What is it?" Wei Zhang could always easily detect anything unusual about others.
Qingyang could only cup his hands and say, "Since you are fond of the concubine, please be gentler with her when she returns."
“Treating women is not the same as treating political enemies in the court. Pushing them too hard will backfire.”
"The saying goes, 'Loving someone is like tending a flower.' If the master treats the concubine well, she will naturally radiate beauty, not..."
Instead of forcing people to bloom as we do now, which only hastens the withering and decay of the flowers.
If it truly withers, there's no way to revive it.
Qingyang pondered whether he should reveal the second half of his sentence.
I've never had anyone to confide in since I was little. Although the eldest son treats me well, the two of us are very different in temperament.
There are many things that the eldest son cannot see, and the master himself does not like to talk about them.
Therefore, for many years, no one ever guided or advised my grandfather.
There are some things that Qingyang doesn't say, and no one else dares to say them.
Qingyang forced a smile and said, "My aunt and I have known each other for over ten years since we were children, and we've shared a bed for the past three years. If you coax my aunt a little, she might still have feelings for you!"
If you keep pressing her, I'm afraid you'll only push her further away. Things are unpredictable. What if my aunt meets that man again...?
"Qingyang!"
Wei Zhang interrupted him, curling up his fingers behind his back and tightly gripping the black jade thumb ring in his hand.
"Go down and receive your punishment." His tone was cold; he disliked others interfering in his affairs.
Qingyang stopped speaking abruptly and bowed as he withdrew.
Silence fell once again.
The unfinished sentence Qingyang left unsaid was automatically completed in Wei Zhang's mind.
Scenes from the past few decades kept replaying in my mind's eye.
He saw the two of them sitting high on a branch, counting stars side by side.
They saw the two riding together on one horse, galloping away.
She waved her arms, her laughter like silver bells, calling out "Ah Xuan, Ah Xuan, Ah Xuan..."
Each image flowed into Wei Zhang's chest like an undercurrent, filling his entire chest cavity until there was no air left.
It feels suffocating.
Wei Zhang gripped the thumb ring tighter and tighter, and suddenly, the already cracked thumb ring shattered.
The dust slipped from his fingertips and fell to the ground in a flurry.
Unable to keep...
Wei Zhang looked at the mess on the ground, his eyes rippled with emotion.
After a short while, it was sealed away again, "Qingyang".
Qingyang, who was about to collect the board, circled back.
A heavy voice fell on his head, “Go and deliver a message to the Emperor, asking him to grant Wei Zhang and Xue Lanyi a marriage. The announcement should be made to the world in three days, and a banquet should be held at the Duke’s mansion in seven days.”
"this……"
"Go and do it." Wei Zhang said, leaving no room for argument.
Xue Lanyi is already his woman; her presence is everywhere.
Whether she blossoms or withers, she must remain in his hands; her life and death belong to the Wei family.
In this life, who does she want to be with?
Neither Wei Xuan nor Xiao Cheng could possibly do it.
Inside the post station, on the bed.
Xue Lanyi sneezed and patted her chest to catch her breath.
"On a day like this, after spending an hour in cold water, the young lady must have caught a chill." Granny Liu piled two thick quilts on Xue Lanyi, making her look like a little snowman.
Xue Lanyi only showed her face outside and shook her head.
It's not that I caught a cold, it's just that I feel very depressed.
She opened her round, almond-shaped eyes and repeatedly asked Granny Liu for confirmation: "I shouldn't be pregnant now, right? If it still doesn't work, why don't we go outside and get some rain..."
As she was about to get up, Granny Liu pressed down on her shoulder, saying, "No, no, don't worry, young lady."
Xue Lanyi was still uneasy.
Since she left the capital, she felt increasingly constrained, almost to the point of suffocation.
She absolutely could not allow anything Wei Zhang did to restrain her anymore.
Therefore, there can be no mistakes in the matter of avoiding having children.
I got up, intending to take a walk and get some rain and fresh air.
As soon as I reached the door and opened it a crack, I saw Xiao Cheng coming from the stairwell carrying a food box.
As soon as he stepped onto the second-floor corridor, two black-clad guards with swords in hand blocked Xiao Cheng's path.
"I noticed that the Princess Consort did not eat tonight, so I specially sent her some fruit and cakes. Does the Duke of Wei intend to interfere in this matter as well?"
"Before the wedding ceremony, the prince must not see his concubine; this is the rule!"
Wei Zhang's guards, like Wei Zhang himself, were taciturn and tyrannical.
After failing to reach an agreement, Xiao Cheng had no choice but to leave dejectedly.
As he turned to go downstairs, he caught a glimpse of Xue Lanyi peeking through the crack in the door.
Xiao Cheng's eyes immediately lit up, and he licked his lips at her.
Xue Lanyi was startled and closed the door, leaning against the doorway, panting heavily.
Granny Liu also saw Xiao Cheng's scarred eyes; it was as if he wanted to tear someone apart and devour them alive.
It was like a girl who hadn't eaten for ten or fifteen days finally seeing a piece of meat.
Even Granny Liu, an outsider, felt her heart pound with fear at the sight of the man's hungry and thirsty appearance.
She tried to help Xue Lanyi walk back, saying, "Miss, it's best not to run around. This Prince Xiao is not one to give up easily. Now that he's been stopped by the Duke's men, who knows what kind of trick he'll come up with to see you in secret? It's too dangerous!"
Xue Lanyi nodded, still shaken, then suddenly stopped and looked at Granny Liu, "What did Granny just say?"
Grandma Liu, confused, repeated, "Is it dangerous downstairs?"
no.
Xue Lanyi shook her head and muttered to herself, "Yes... to avoid being seen."
Xue Lanyi herself couldn't avoid the many eyes and ears around her, but Xiao Cheng was, after all, a prince.
If he wanted to, and if he was willing, he could definitely avoid being seen.
Only when Xiao Cheng's eyes are fixed on her will she have a chance to escape.
Xue Lanyi stopped and turned back to the door.
I took a deep breath and pushed open the door.
The guards immediately stepped forward alertly, stopping Xue Lanyi from crossing the threshold. "Madam, the Duke has ordered that you are not allowed to see any men outside the palace."
"..."
Who exactly is the unrelated man?
Xue Lanyi inwardly grumbled, but dared not say it aloud. She smiled and said, "It's too stuffy in the room. I'll just take a walk in the second-floor corridor. If you're worried, you can come with me."
"this……"
The guards looked at each other in bewilderment.
News just came from the capital that in seven days, the Duke will promote Consort Xue to be his wife.
Time is too short; I've heard that your household is already decorating and preparing invitations.
Since it was the Grand Secretary getting married, the news was bound to spread like wildfire.
It is foreseeable that once he finishes his business and returns to the capital, the entire city will know that the Duke will be getting married on the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The woman before him was not Princess Xiao, but the Duchess of the State.
The guards, not wanting to offend her, could only bow and gesture for her to come out.
The second-floor corridor offers a panoramic view of the lobby.
At this time, the wind and rain were fierce, and the doors of the main hall were being blown open and closed repeatedly. Most of the envoys went back to their rooms to rest.
Inside the hall, only one table of people were scattered around.
"That damned Wei Zhang, he's protecting my woman! When I was having my way with that woman, he was still playing in the mud!"
Xiao Cheng, sitting in the main seat, spat and angrily pinched the shoulder of the concubine in his arms.
The concubine was even thinner than Xue Lanyi, and she huddled in Xiao Cheng's arms as if she couldn't support his bear-like arms and her waist was about to break.
Her fearful gaze darted left and right, finally landing on Xue Lanyi at the top of the stairs on the second floor, and she instinctively cast a pleading look at her.
A bear paw suddenly pressed down on the back of the concubine's neck, slamming her head against the table twice. "You fickle woman, which wild man are you looking at now?"
"I...I..." The concubine mumbled incoherently, probably afraid of implicating Xue Lanyi, and immediately looked away.
Seeing her remain silent, Xiao Cheng's suspicions deepened. He slammed her face onto the table and ground it into his hands. "There's a saying in Dayong: You can run from the first day of the month, but you can't run from the fifteenth. Go ahead and seduce all those wild men out there. When we get back to Xiqi, I'll tear you to shreds and show those wild men what it means to be helpless when you're so far away!"
Xiao Cheng's saliva and wine flew everywhere.
It's clearly a veiled attack.
If Xue Lanyi went to Xiqi with Xiao Cheng, her fate would be exactly as he predicted.
Granny Liu was terrified just listening to it. She grasped Xue Lanyi's hand and said, "Miss, you should go back, go back."
Xue Lanyi was naturally unafraid and held Grandma Liu's hand in return to comfort her, but in reality, her own fingertips were also cold.
However, Xiao Cheng was filled with rage because he had been humiliated by Wei Zhang several times that day, and the anger in his chest was like a surging volcano with nowhere to erupt.
He grabbed the concubine and threw her to the ground. "Get over here and serve me!"
The concubine's back slammed against the table leg, like a lump of mud, but she didn't dare to delay and crawled into Xiao Cheng's arms.
This scene made the people upstairs uncomfortable.
The guard gestured for her to leave, saying, "Madam, you should go back now."
"well."
Xue Lanyi's throat tightened, and she slowly withdrew her gaze from her peripheral vision.
She never expected that Xiao Cheng would be so despicable as to humiliate a weak woman in public like this.
This was even more perverse than Xue Lanyi had imagined.
Xue Lanyi listened to the man's deliberately amplified heavy breathing, her heart pounding, her fingers gripping her sleeves sometimes curling up and sometimes loosening.
After a long while, she finally made up her mind and, with the guards leading the way, pulled out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve.
At that moment, downstairs, Xiao Cheng was pressing down on his concubine's head while leaning back in his chair, closing his eyes and breathing heavily.
A pink silk handkerchief fluttered down and covered Xiao Cheng's face.
A faint scent of sandalwood unexpectedly wafted into his nostrils, and Xiao Cheng let out a pleasant "Mmm!" in his throat.
The naked voice was nauseating.
Xue Lanyi couldn't help but quicken her pace, but then forced herself to slow down.
As Xiao Cheng tore off the silk handkerchief, he saw the woman in red with a slender waist that swayed like a water snake, her lotus-like steps graceful.
Even just a slender, curvaceous back view is so alluring.
As she entered the room, the woman glanced back, her profile striking, a slight smile playing on her lips, like a vixen.
She's even more appealing than she was six years ago.
Xiao Cheng felt an even greater surge of emotions within him, and he pulled a handful of pills from his waist and stuffed them into his mouth.
However, that surge of emotion had been suppressed within her body for a long time, and neither one concubine nor ten concubines could release it.
Seeing the prince's restrained demeanor, the confidant sitting on the right flattered him, saying, "Princess Zhaoyang is already the prince's woman. If the prince really wants her, we can certainly get rid of those guards, can't we?"
Xiao Cheng's expression hardened.
The confidant on the left waved his hand and lowered his voice, "This involves more than just the Duke of Wei; it also involves the eldest son of the Wei family!"
Just ten days ago, the Western Qi court was embroiled in a heated debate over whether or not to negotiate peace.
An eagle flew into the Golden Palace.
It was Wei Xuan, the eldest son of the Wei family, who sent the letter, asking Xi Qi to bring Xue Lanyi back to the Western Territory.
In exchange, he would have to serve the Western Qi dynasty from then on.
This was the invincible general who crossed the Liao River. If he were to submit to Western Qi, it would be like adding wings to a tiger for Western Qi.
Although Xiao Cheng was fond of women, he remained clear-headed when faced with matters of national interest and right and wrong.
Therefore, he didn't touch Xue Lanyi not only because it was inconvenient since she was still within Wei Zhang's sphere of influence, but also because he had promised Wei Xuan that he would never harm this woman and that he would take care of her.
Xiao Cheng provided her with food and drink, and even arranged her clothing, food, and lodging according to Wei Xuan's instructions. He was so considerate that Wei Xuan couldn't get close to him.
Xiao Cheng was unwilling to accept this.
The confidant, seeing through the prince's thoughts, fawned and whispered in Xiao Cheng's ear, "Your Highness has been thinking about Princess Zhaoyang for six years. How can you just hand her over and return her to her rightful owner?"
"No matter how powerful Wei Xuan is, isn't he just a fugitive from Dayong now? Even if the prince takes his woman, won't he still have to rely on Xiqi for refuge?"
Furthermore, I've heard that Young Master Wei is deeply in love with Princess Zhaoyang. Even if the Prince has already taken her, and then returns her to him, how could he possibly refuse?
If he doesn't want it anymore, wouldn't that just suit the prince's wishes?
These words made Xiao Cheng suddenly open his eyes.
That makes sense.
He already helped Wei Xuan rescue the person, so what can Wei Xuan do if he uses it once?
Xiao Cheng's eyes gleamed brighter and brighter. He suddenly pushed the concubine aside and stood up.
Meanwhile, Xue Lanyi was escorted back to her room by the guards.
"Auntie should have already seen the dangers outside, so she shouldn't go out again."
The guard gestured for her to proceed, then thought for a moment and added, "There are many bandits here. If you hear any noise, please remember not to go out. If anything happens, call me."
Thank you.
Xue Lanyi didn't really ponder these words; she entered the room and sat in front of her dressing table, lost in thought.
Xiao Cheng's exhilarating growl just now was like that of a bluish-green beast; it was terrifying.
Xue Lanyi was still in shock, her face pale. She tried to take out rouge to cover it up, but her hands were trembling violently.
She had just applied makeup when the bright red rouge started to fall off again, revealing her almost bloodless face.
Granny Liu looked at the young woman's thin and frail figure, filled with worry. "Young lady, are you really going to deal with Xiao Cheng? What about Xiao Cheng...?"
"Young lady may not know, but Consort Xiao was also a woman that Prince Xiao took away from the border of Dayong a few months ago. At that time, Prince Xiao said that he fell in love with Consort Xiao at first sight. When he brought her away, he made a grand show of it. Even Consort Xiao's brothers and parents received a lot of benefits. It was quite a glorious occasion. Look at her now... tsk!"
"Mother-in-law, please stop talking." Xue Lanyi dared not listen any further.
Now that we've decided to escape from Xiao Cheng, we must continue down this path no matter what happens.
"Mother-in-law, please remember, no matter what happens, do not shout or alert Wei Zhang's people." Xue Lanyi took a deep breath.
After a long pause, when her fingertips had stopped trembling so much, she continued to apply a thick layer of makeup to her face to make her complexion appear more composed.
"You vixen, all dressed up so late at night, which wild man are you trying to seduce? My rightful wife..."
Suddenly, a strong smell of alcohol sprayed onto Xue Lanyi's face.
On the dressing table, the candle flickered for a moment.
A scarred face was reflected in the bronze mirror.
Xiao Cheng sniffed Xue Lanyi's shoulder, his mouth full of the smell of wine and meat, and then bit her earlobe.
Xue Lanyi instinctively dodged, but a thick palm gripped the back of her head, and the other hand immediately covered Xue Lanyi's mouth and nose with a silk handkerchief.
"Ah..." Granny Liu, who was waiting on the side, almost cried out in surprise, but when she saw Xue Lanyi, she secretly shook her head.
No matter what happens, it must not be heard by the outside world.
Grandma Liu covered her mouth, her chest heaving with fear, and she could barely suppress her instinctive cries.
Xue Lanyi was the same.
She smelled a strange fragrance on the handkerchief, and her body began to feel weak and her thoughts became blurred.
His body was filled with a wildness that seemed to want to devour people alive, as well as resentment that had been buried deep in his bones for many years.
Her heart was pounding, and she instinctively wanted to scream.
As soon as she cries out, people outside will rush in to save her.
The words lingered in his throat, and his nails dug into his palms as he forced himself to remain rational.
It's okay.
As long as Xiao Cheng can get her away from the guards' sight, what does it matter if she suffers humiliation once?
It's better to suffer this humiliation than to stay by Wei Zhang's side day and night, enduring endless humiliation.
She finally swallowed her pleas for help, her voice stiff, her eyes gradually losing focus, and she collapsed into Xiao Cheng's arms.
She vaguely felt Xiao Cheng pick her up and leap into the air towards the skylight.
She breathed in the free and unrestrained air on the rooftop.
It's been so long since I've stood in such an open and unrestrained place; my heart is pounding with emotion.
Her limbs gradually weakened, and she lay sprawled in Xiao Cheng's arms, her hands and feet drooping, letting the wind and rain soak her.
In her last moments of consciousness, she felt Xiao Cheng taking her away.
The sounds of fighting could be faintly heard from the post station. Amidst the chaos, someone was calling out, "Aunt Xue!"
Further away, the clatter of horses' hooves drew closer, and it sounded as if someone was calling out, "Yiyi, wait for me, Yiyi, wait for me!"
The rain was too heavy, and the road was too far; Xue Lanyi couldn't tell who they were.
Dark clouds rolled in from the direction of Shengjing and the west towards Sishui Pass at the same time, with mountain rain swirling and shaking the earth.
Xue Lanyi woke up peacefully in a tranquil atmosphere.
Her blurry vision gradually cleared, and water dripped from the stalactites above her head, dripping onto her forehead.
It was cold and damp.
A soft, delicate hand wiped her clean.
Xue Lanyi turned around and saw Xiao Cheng's concubine squatting by the stone bed.
The two looked at each other, and before they could speak, a bear's paw grabbed the concubine's shoulder and threw her away. "I told you to wake her up, who told you to serve her? You spoiled brat, get out and guard her!"
The concubine bumped into a pile of stones, her head bleeding profusely. Before she could even wipe it away, she kowtowed repeatedly as she left.
Xue Lanyi then realized she was in a cave, and the surroundings... seemed somewhat familiar.
"Does this look familiar? You refused six years ago, but today we'll rekindle our romance in this cave, just like before. What do you say?"
Xiao Cheng slowly approached while unbuckling his belt.
The footsteps were particularly clear inside the cave.
Xue Lanyi suddenly remembered that six years ago, Xiao Cheng was also in this cave, intending to force himself on her!
The shadows of her childhood invaded her mind, and she immediately sat up and curled up in the haystack.
But the body was soft and slightly warm.
How could Xiao Cheng allow her to have the strength to stab him again and escape once more, just like last time?
Today, he gave her the best love potion in Xiqi, guaranteeing that she would be unable to leave a man once she met him.
A fierce glint flashed in Xiao Cheng's eyes as he suddenly lunged at Xue Lanyi.
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