When the news reached the Prince's residence, Xin Jiuwei was in the warm pavilion sewing a new cotton robe for Xin Yunzhou. Xin Kui practically rushed in, her face filled with excitement and unbelievable joy: "Miss! Miss! Fantastic news! The Second Prince! The Second Prince has been deposed! Stripped of his title and imprisoned!"
Xin Jiuwei's needle and thread suddenly stopped, the needle piercing her fingertip, a drop of bright red blood instantly gushing out, staining the white cotton cloth. She was completely unaware, abruptly raising her head, her eyes filled with shock: "The Second Prince... is crippled?"
"It's absolutely true! The imperial edict has been issued! It's all over the place! They say... they say he hired someone to frame Your Highness, and the evidence is irrefutable!" Xin Kui was so excited that she couldn't speak coherently.
Xin Jiuwei's heart pounded wildly! Hiring someone to commit murder? Framed His Highness? Could it be... the matter in Yuncheng?! It was Xiao Xun! He did it! He really exposed the mastermind and crushed him completely with overwhelming force!
An indescribable excitement and a heavy sense of satisfaction, a feeling of "revenge," welled up inside her! Although the enemies who seriously injured her father were the ruthless bandits who attacked him, the mastermind behind the hiring of the killer had finally been brought to justice! It was Xiao Xun! He had avenged her and the Xin family from this blood debt!
Just then, the door to the warm pavilion was pushed open. Xiao Xun's tall figure appeared in the doorway. He was dressed in a black and gold-embroidered prince's casual robe, his posture upright, his face still cold and stern, but the heavy killing intent that had lingered between his brows for many days seemed to have dissipated considerably, replaced by an aura of complete control and... a trace of barely perceptible relief.
He walked in, his gaze immediately falling on Xin Jiuwei's bloodstained fingertips, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.
Ignoring the stinging pain in her fingertips, Xin Jiuwei stood up, strode to Xiao Xun, looked up, her eyes gleaming with excitement, gratitude, and an indescribable light: "Your Highness! The Second Prince, he..."
"Yes." Xiao Xun nodded, his voice low and steady. "The dust has settled. The mastermind has been brought to justice, and the accomplices have been caught. The 'Black Hawk' gang's strongholds in and around Yuncheng have also been completely eradicated by You Ye and his men. The ringleader has been executed, and the remaining members have all been captured. Your father's revenge has been avenged." He spoke concisely, yet every word carried immense weight.
The revenge has been taken.
Xin Jiuwei's tears welled up instantly. This time, they were no longer filled with fear or sorrow, but with the relief of revenge and a heavy sense of gratitude! She looked at the man before her, at the decisiveness and strength beneath his cold face that had swept away all the storms for her, and the feelings that had been quietly growing in her heart, like bamboo shoots breaking through the soil, could no longer be suppressed!
“Your Highness…” Her voice choked, thick with emotion, a thousand words stuck in her throat, finally turning into only one sentence, “Wei’er… has no way to repay you.”
Xiao Xun looked into her tearful eyes, into the complete trust and reliance in them, and into the radiance that shone because of him. A strange stirring within him became crystal clear. He slowly raised his hand, this time without hesitation. His broad, calloused palm gently, yet with an undeniable strength, covered her injured fingertip, holding that glaring red mark in his hand. His warm body instantly enveloped her slightly cool fingertip.
“No need for thanks.” His voice was deep, carrying an unprecedented, almost straightforward gentleness, his deep eyes firmly locking onto her gaze. “Protecting you is simply what my heart desires…”
Where the heart leads!
These four words, like a thunderclap, exploded in Xin Jiuwei's ears! They shook her to her core! She looked at Xiao Xun in disbelief, at the undisguised, heavy affection in his eyes! It was no longer the responsibility of being "fellow travelers," no longer a cold contract! It was… the will of his heart!
Overwhelmed by shock and ecstasy, she was instantly engulfed! Her cheeks burned like fire, and her heart nearly leaped out of her chest! She forgot the pain in her fingertips, forgot everything around her, and her eyes were only fixed on the man so close to her, who had revealed his heart to her!
Seeing her cheeks flush instantly and her eyes widen in shock, like those of a startled fawn, Xiao Xun felt the last vestige of ice in his heart crumble. He leaned down, his tall figure enveloping her. His calloused fingertips gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his deep, swirling eyes.
“Xin Jiuwei,” his voice was deep and hoarse, carrying an undeniable declaration that clearly reached her ears and was imprinted on her heart, “From this day forward, your joys and sorrows, your safety, everything about you… all belong to me.”
"Are you willing?"
His gaze was tangible, burning with a heat that almost melted her. Xin Jiuwei looked at him, at the naked, undisguised possessiveness and affection in his eyes, and all her hesitation, confusion, and unease vanished in that instant. The hardships of her past and present lives, the tempering of blood and fire, the entrustment in despair, the silent companionship… all the scenes intertwined, ultimately coalescing into the powerful and ruthless man before her, who showered her only with tenderness and protection.
She nodded slowly and firmly. Tears streamed down her face again, but these were tears of happiness.
"I...do." Her voice was soft, yet it carried an unwavering determination.
In an instant, Xiao Xun's eyes rippled with tenderness, like spring water after the snow melted. He said nothing more, but lowered his head slightly, and with an almost reverent solemnity, gently pressed his warm lips to her smooth forehead.
It was a kiss that carried a promise, a declaration of possession, and was also filled with boundless tenderness.
Inside the warm chamber, the charcoal fire crackled, its orange-red light gently enveloping the two embracing figures. Outside, the cold wind still howled, but within the chamber, a warmth enough to melt ice and snow filled the air. The blood debt of Yuncheng had been repaid, the conspiracy of the capital shattered; two hearts that had drawn together amidst the turmoil of war finally broke through all barriers and constraints, clinging tightly to each other.
A new chapter has begun. The road ahead may still be thorny, but if we hold hands and walk side by side, we will have nothing to fear.
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