Chapter 33 The imperial brush stirred up a desire to devour her whole.
Zhou Ling did not have the Imperial Guards escort them back to the palace in a grand manner, but instead chose a secluded and comfortable royal estate as their temporary residence.
That night, Fangru tossed and turned, wondering if Gu Zhou had been rescued during the two days she and Zhou Ling had been captured.
She finally couldn't hold back any longer, quietly got up, and found the alert and composed deputy commander of the Imperial Guard who had handed her the cloak during the day.
In the secluded corridor, she lowered her voice and asked urgently, "General, if I may ask... do you know what happened to the prisoner named Gu Zhou in the Ministry of Justice's jail after His Majesty disappeared at Zuixianlou that day?"
The deputy commander recognized her, his attitude respectful yet distant, and said in a low voice, "Are you asking about Gu Zhou, the clerk of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices who was convicted of 'treason'?"
Seeing Fangru nod, he continued, "His Majesty's disappearance has shocked the court and the public, and the administration of state affairs has been temporarily taken over by Grand Secretary Lin. Later, Zheng Yu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, presented a letter... which is said to be a letter personally written by His Majesty."
Fangru's heart jumped into her throat.
"The contents of the letter are utterly bizarre," the deputy commander's voice lowered, tinged with barely perceptible confusion. "His Majesty actually ordered in the letter the immediate release of Gu Zhou and more than a dozen other serious criminals awaiting execution on the same day. This matter is extremely strange, but..." He paused, his tone becoming cautious, "The handwriting has been verified by several senior officials and is indeed identical to His Majesty's. Moreover, at this critical juncture, no one dared to risk disobeying His Majesty's will, even if they harbored doubts... In the end, the people were still released."
Fangru listened, her fingers trembling slightly inside her sleeve.
It was a success!
She risked everything at the Xuanji Banquet, using her memories from her past life to imitate Zhou Ling's handwriting to write a letter, which she then cleverly slipped into Zheng Yu's belt, and she actually succeeded!
To avoid making her intentions seem too obvious, she also included the names of more than a dozen other death row inmates in the letter… Gu Zhou, he's free!
Overwhelmed with joy, she couldn't help but smile slightly.
She forced herself to remain calm, thanked the deputy commander, and turned to leave, her steps lighter than ever.
However, when she returned alone to the luxurious yet unfamiliar room arranged for her, the joy slowly settled in the silence, transforming into a more complex and indescribable emotion that lingered in her heart.
She walked to the window, pushed open the lattice window, and looked at the swaying shadows of the trees in the manor and the scattered lights of the pavilions in the distance.
Zhou Ling...
He should have already received news from the Imperial Guards and know what kind of commotion and doubts have arisen in the court because of that "imperial letter." Given his suspicious and violent nature, it's impossible that he wouldn't thoroughly investigate this matter.
He's so smart, he probably already guessed who wrote the letter and what its purpose was.
But why...didn't he mention it at all?
He didn't question her, didn't get angry, and didn't retaliate against her deception and manipulation with the coldest methods he used against Bai Yanghui.
On the contrary, when he was seriously injured, he first had the imperial physician treat her; in the interval between issuing the kill order, he remembered to instruct his men to find that string of Buddhist beads that might not be of any importance to her; he even... when she was annoyed by his narcissistic teasing just now, there was a genuine smile in his eyes.
This silent, almost indulgent attitude made her more flustered than direct, thunderous rage.
She took advantage of him and deceived him, yet he seemed to know everything, but chose a way that she couldn't understand or cope with.
A bittersweet, slightly stinging warmth, mixed with intense unease, spread through her heart.
She should be overjoyed that Gu Zhou is safe, but why is it that what keeps replaying in her mind is Zhou Ling's pale face as he lets the imperial physician see her first, his back straight despite his injuries, and the weak smile on his lips when he teases her?
Fangru closed the window in frustration and buried herself in the quilt. The noise in her mind faded away, but Zhou Ling's image lingered even more.
His back as he shielded her from the blows, his pale face still sarcastic despite his injuries, his ruthlessness when ordering the execution of the traitors, his meticulousness when instructing her to find the Buddhist beads, and even... the silent warmth of him letting her rest her head on his injured leg to sleep.
A clear sense of longing and worry, like vines, quietly entwined around my heart for that violent and complex man.
Fangru was startled by her sudden emotions. She sat up abruptly and shook her head violently, as if trying to drive away these inappropriate thoughts.
"No, Shen Fangru, wake up!" she whispered to herself, trying to force her thoughts back to Gu Zhou, the person she had gone through four lifetimes to save with all her might.
Strangely, when she tried to recall Gu Zhou's gentle and refined manner and their vows of eternal love, her heart remained calm, without even a ripple.
The burning passion that had sustained her through countless reincarnations seemed to evaporate overnight, leaving only a vague, empty shell of obsession.
Fear gripped her instantly.
She must be crazy!
It was only because she had gone through life-and-death situations with Zhou Ling that she developed this absurd fondness and dependence on him.
Yes, that must be it!
In a few days, once I'm away from him, this feeling will disappear without a trace.
She pinched her palm hard, using the pain to keep herself awake.
"Don't forget the suffering of the previous four lives! Don't forget how Gu Zhou was wrongfully imprisoned and died a tragic death! Don't forget who was so stubborn and unable to distinguish between loyalty and treachery that caused all of this!"
She repeated it to herself over and over, trying to extinguish the flame that shouldn't have been ignited in her heart with the pain of the past: "Zhou Ling is the source of all the tragedy!"
However, another thought popped up uncontrollably: now that he's back, given his violent nature, will he imprison Gu Zhou again?
Thinking of this, her heart clenched again, and she began to subconsciously think of a solution to ensure Gu Zhou's safety.
Unbeknownst to her, while she was tossing and turning in bed, a tall and slender figure was also lingering outside the window under the moonlight.
Zhou Ling stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard, the night wind blowing his dark robes.
He had already learned the details of Gu Zhou's release from the Grand Secretary, and naturally knew who had written the "Imperial Letter".
"Your Majesty," the Grand Secretary's deep voice seemed to still echo in my ears, "it has been verified that the letter was forged by Miss Shen Fangru. The handwriting was imitated with such exquisite skill that it was almost indistinguishable from the real thing. We dared not act on it before because Your Majesty's whereabouts were unknown, and we were hesitant to act rashly. Now that Your Majesty has returned safely, Miss Shen has falsely conveyed an imperial edict. According to the law... she should be executed. I beseech Your Majesty to make the final judgment."
How did he respond at the time?
He seemed to simply give a noncommittal "hmm" before steer the conversation elsewhere.
capital punishment?
The mere thought of those two words ignited a nameless fire within him, burning him with unbearable irritability.
I'm angry at her audacity, angry at her deception and manipulation, and even angrier that everything she did was for another man!
That traitor named Gu Zhou is currently recuperating peacefully at the Shen residence.
Ha, she's certainly made thorough arrangements!
He subconsciously looked up and gazed at the window that was shining with warm light not far away.
Did she know? Did she know her lover was safe?
Is he worried about the traitor, or about... his injuries from earlier in the day?
As if guided by some unseen force, he walked toward her room.
He wanted to ask her face to face why she would do such a thing, defying all public opinion.
He wanted to question her: Wasn't she afraid he would really kill her?
I even wanted to ask her if any of her obvious worries during the day were genuine.
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the door, he suddenly stopped.
The room was brightly lit, casting her shadow, suggesting she might not have gone to bed yet.
In what capacity would he enter now? As a tyrant coming to interrogate him? Or...?
He eventually withdrew his hand, standing silently under the eaves, letting complex emotions surge within him.
He approached and then retreated repeatedly, pacing back and forth in front of her door like a trapped beast.
Only when the light inside the window suddenly went out and completely blended into the night did he seem to have all his strength drained away. Or perhaps he didn't want to disturb her peaceful sleep. In the end, he only glanced deeply at the dark window, turned around and quietly left. His tall figure, under the cold moonlight, revealed a hint of indescribable loneliness and struggle.
The night wind blew through the courtyard, leaving only the rustling of leaves.
The next morning, an exquisite breakfast was already laid out on the rosewood round table in the side hall.
Zhou Ling sat upright in the main seat. Although his face was still a little pale, he seemed to be in much better spirits.
He didn't touch his chopsticks, but watched as Fangru was led in by the palace servants. He then personally picked up his silver chopsticks and served her some snacks and dishes that she might like.
"Come here." His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority. His gaze swept over her, revealing a subtle scrutiny and possessiveness.
Fangru stepped forward slowly, her eyes sweeping over the table full of delicacies, but she had no appetite.
She took a deep breath, lowered her eyelashes, and said softly, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. However... I have been away from the residence for many days and I am truly worried about my father's safety. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission to return to the Shen residence to visit my father."
Zhou Ling's hand holding the chopsticks paused in mid-air, then slowly lowered it.
He looked up at her, the warmth in his eyes suddenly vanishing, a cold sneer curling at the corner of his lips: "Missing your father? Shen Fangru, do you think I'm a fool? You just want to go back to see your lover Gu Zhou, who barely escaped danger!"
Fangru's heart sank, knowing he already knew everything. Her fingertips curled slightly as she suppressed her panic and raised her face to try and explain, "Your Majesty, you are wise enough to know, I do indeed miss my father..."
"So much longing that you need to forge my imperial edict and kidnap death row inmates?" Zhou Ling interrupted her, his voice not loud, but every word was like an ice pick, piercing Fang Ru, leaving her nowhere to hide. "Do you know what a heinous crime it is to forge an imperial edict?!"
Fangru's face paled, knowing that a head-on confrontation would be pointless. Looking into Zhou Ling's eyes, which seemed to see through everything and were now brimming with anger, she suddenly bit her lip, as if making a firm decision.
She walked around the corner of the table and slowly approached Zhou Ling. Under his cold and penetrating gaze, she lifted her skirt and slowly knelt down.
Then, to his surprise, he reached out and gently hugged the leg that was not injured, pressing his cheek against the firm, warm muscles of the thigh, and could even feel the strength contained beneath the fabric.
This action carries an almost desperate reliance and a show of weakness, as well as a silent provocation.
Zhou Ling's body stiffened visibly, his breathing seemed to deepen, and he looked down at her kneeling between his legs, his eyes dark and unreadable.
“Your Majesty…” Fangru’s voice softened, with a slight, just-right sob. She looked up at him, her eyes slightly red, her lips pursed with nervousness. “This subject knows she was wrong, she really knows she was wrong. It was incredibly audacious of this subject to falsely convey the imperial decree. Whatever punishment Your Majesty desires… this subject is willing to bear.”
She paused, her tone becoming even more sorrowful and soft, her arms around his legs unconsciously tightening: "But Your Majesty, my father and I depend on each other for survival. This experience of life and death is truly... truly terrifying. I only want to see with my own eyes that my father is safe and sound before I can have peace of mind." She looked up at him, her eyes watery and pleading, "Please, Your Majesty, grant me this small act of filial piety."
She slightly adjusted her kneeling posture, her body unconsciously moving closer to him. Her warm breath, seeping through the fabric, soothed his skin. "Your Majesty, I assure you that after returning to the manor, I will never set foot in the courtyard where Young Master Gu is recuperating, and I will never see him! I am only going to see my father, and after that, I will immediately return to confess my guilt and accept punishment... I will not stay any longer." She spoke the last few words softly and gently, as if hooked.
Zhou Ling lowered his eyes, looking at her kneeling at his feet, her body softly nestled against him, unusually docile yet subtly alluring, her reddened eyes and slightly parted lips as if waiting to be plucked.
Knowing full well that there might not be much sincerity in her words, and that there might be ulterior motives behind her docility, her promise to "never see him again," and her current attitude of complete dependence, even with a hint of seduction, brushed against his restless heart like a feather, igniting a deeper desire to completely control her and devour her.
He remained silent for a moment, and the air in the hall became thick and ambiguous.
After a long while, he reached out, not to push her away, but to gently stroke her chin with his slightly hot fingertips, forcing her to meet his burning gaze more clearly.
“Remember your words,” he said in a low voice, a warning tinged with a barely perceptible hint of compromise, “If I find out you’ve met with someone you shouldn’t have…”
"This humble woman dares not!" Fangru immediately replied, her eyes looking extremely sincere.
Zhou Ling stared at her for a moment, his fingertips even brushing intimately against her lower lip, before finally letting go and saying calmly, "After breakfast, have the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard accompany you back. You must be back here before Shenshi (3-5 PM)."
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Fangru immediately lowered her head, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes, and replied respectfully, but her heart was pounding like a drum, disturbed by the intense aggression he had just revealed.
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