Chapter 23 Okay, I promise you
The lightning faded, and the momentary tremor of palpitations dissipated. She heard his voice, low and cold: "She doesn't appear to have many external injuries, but her face is pale and her consciousness is drowsy. I'm afraid she's bleeding internally."
His voice and tone were deep, clear, and powerful, making Qiandeng feel more familiar.
Her gaze fell on Madam Meng's chest and abdomen, and she asked, "Who are you? Can you confirm the extent of Madam Meng's injuries?"
"I'm a member of the Northern Court's Imperial Guards. I'm returning late from patrol tonight, and I happen to know Madam Meng. I've seen many wounded like this in the army, so I can't be mistaken." He took out his badge and flashed it to them, then said, "Please go to the Dali Temple and borrow a sedan chair. Carry Madam Meng back safely, otherwise the bleeding will worsen."
Seeing that they were from the Northern Yamen Imperial Guards, Qian Deng felt a little relieved. The situation was urgent, so he quickly ordered his servants to borrow a sedan chair and carry Madam Meng back to Huaizhenfang as gently and steadily as possible.
The man was tall and strong. He held Mrs. Meng in his arms and placed her on the bed.
Qian Deng asked him, "We are not familiar with the area. Since you know Madam Meng, do you know where there is a clinic nearby? We need to invite a doctor over."
The man looked at her silently, wanting to say something, but finally nodded and said, "I'll go look for it."
He walked to the door, turned around to close it, and his eyes fell on the woman on the bed and Qian Deng again.
Since all the attendants brought were male servants, Qian Deng went to get a basin of water, sat down beside the bed, gathered Madam Meng's dirty hair, and gently helped her wipe off the mud on her face, hair and neck.
The night wind howled, making the lanterns spin and fly. The dim light cast a halo of light, deep and shallow, enveloping her. Such a gentle glow made her eyebrows and eyes bright and radiant, and the aura of death that hung in the room also faded.
The oppressive sorrow that hung over his heart seemed to gradually fade away in the face of this peaceful scene, allowing him to regulate his breathing.
He lowered his eyes and closed the door gently.
After washing away the dirt, Qiandeng finally saw Madam Meng's face clearly. Even though it was pale and damaged, even though she was nearly forty years old, she was still as beautiful as ever and could not be looked at directly.
She looked at Madam Meng for a while before she suddenly realized, yes, only a beauty like this could raise a young man as extraordinary as Meng Lanxi.
However, Mrs. Meng's face was as pale as paper, and thin beads of cold sweat kept appearing on her forehead.
Qiandeng wiped the sweat off her face, secretly blaming himself.
If she had gone down to take a look when she heard the sound in the ditch, perhaps Mrs. Meng would have received timely rescue and her condition would not have been so serious.
——Just like after her mother passed away, she blamed herself thousands of times, what if, what if…
At this moment, Madam Meng, one of her subordinates, slowly moved. Her distracted eyes stared at her, and she squeezed out a few words from her dry throat: "Lanxi...Lanxi he..."
Qian Deng leaned over and whispered to her, "Don't worry. I went to investigate the scene with the Dali Temple today and have found evidence that favors Lan Xi. Don't worry, Madam. I will definitely find the truth and clear Lan Xi of the injustice she has suffered."
A glimmer of light appeared in Madam Meng's dim eyes. In her hazy confusion, she forced a bleak smile and looked at her steadily, breathing rapidly in her throat: "County Princess... Lanxi... came back from your farm... farm and said that you were like... like a fairy... He... he... fell in love with you..."
She smiled with difficulty, and the dimples on her cheeks were as charming as Meng Lanxi's, but her disordered breathing reminded Qiandeng of the moment when his mother passed away. It was so piercing and heartbreaking that he could not bear to listen to it anymore.
She held Madam Meng's hand tightly and whispered, "Okay, I understand. Madam, please have a good rest first..."
At this time, the attendant was already outside reporting: "County Lady, there is a group of people outside, they might be the Meng family."
Qian Deng quickly let go of Madam Meng's hand, stood up and said, "Madam, my status is inconvenient, I have to leave first."
Mrs. Meng's hands fell limply on the quilt. She looked at Qiandeng, her lips trembling slightly. She wanted to say something but ultimately was unable to speak.
Qian Deng saw that she was not in good condition. Remembering what the man said about her internal bleeding, she felt uneasy. She said softly and comforted her, "I will go to the Dali Temple early tomorrow morning to see if I can allow you and Lanxi to meet. Madam, please rest assured and take good care of yourself."
Mrs. Meng was no longer able to speak. She just looked at her and moved her lips with difficulty, silently indicating that she had heard her.
When Qiandeng went out, he heard footsteps outside the house. It was the man leading the doctor, stepping over the threshold and walking in.
As they passed each other, he turned to look at Qiandeng, wanting to say something, but in the end he just pursed his lips and nodded at her.
Qiandeng nodded silently, passed him with the lantern, and left in a hurry.
The doctor came to Mrs. Meng's bedside, took her pulse, and realized that something was wrong. He hurriedly checked her wide-open eyes and saw that her pupils were dilated. He could only sigh and shook his head at the man.
The man silently raised his hand, motioning him to leave and letting the attendant send him away.
He stood quietly in front of the bed for a long time, without moving.
In her last moments, Mrs. Meng saw his figure standing under the dim light.
The body that emerged from the fight of blood and fire was agile and tall, with flat shoulders and a narrow waist. Its imposing aura seemed to make all the candles in the room suddenly burn brighter, and the light was dazzling.
"You're finally... here..." She murmured, not knowing whether this was real or an illusion before her death.
He walked to the bed, knelt on one knee, held her hand that was hanging limply on the edge of the bed, and whispered, "Yes, I'm late."
He had always sent people to protect her secretly, but he didn't expect that after Meng Lanxi got into trouble, she would suddenly disappear near the Dali Temple.
When the news came, he hurried to search and found that the Princess of Lingling had already found her.
But now the situation is irreversible and her chance of survival is gone. He said no more, but just looked down at her, his throat choked, unable to speak a word.
Madam Meng used up her last bit of strength, raised her hand and stroked his cheek, and squeezed out two words with difficulty: "Lanxi he..."
Without hesitation, he replied, "I will rescue him."
Even though Meng Lanxi was imprisoned for the crime of murder, he responded decisively, and the worry in Mrs. Meng's eyes gradually dissipated, because she knew that what he promised would definitely be fulfilled.
As her greatest worry eased, her expression and vision grew hazy. Unable to bear the excruciating pain, her body began to numb itself, the pain in her chest and abdomen gradually easing, and the final moment of her last breath descended upon her.
She used up her last bit of strength, grabbed his hand, and said in a trance: "County Lady... Lanxi likes... likes the County Lady, please help him... let him... let him be with the County Lady..."
The tall and majestic figure kneeling in front of the bed stiffened for a moment. The girl in plain clothes, gently embraced by the light, seemed to appear again in the darkness before his eyes, causing him to hesitate for the first time in his life and not answer.
Seeing that he didn't respond, she opened her eyes wide and stared at him with her blurred pupils: "You...promise..."
Even though he could influence the world's affairs and decide the lives of millions, at this moment, he pursed his lips, his well-defined jaw tensed, and said with difficulty: "I... don't know how to control a person's heart."
"She will like Lanxi... Lanxi is a good child, and the county lady is also... so good. They... they will be together... get married... and give birth to a lovely baby... just like I gave birth to... gave birth to..."
She gasped rapidly, and her dying breath sprayed on his lowered cheek, with desperate disorder and vague brokenness.
He listened to the vague breaths she tried to squeeze out of her throat, silently holding her hand tightly, his eyes becoming colder and burning in the darkness as he stared at her without blinking.
Her eyes were out of focus and her limbs were twitching uncontrollably.
She could no longer see his face clearly, but his hollow eyes stared at him stubbornly, her hoarse voice unclear: "You...you have everything...but Lanxi has...nothing...I beg you...help him marry...the county lady...I will...rest in peace in my grave!"
Having witnessed life and death many times, he knew that this was her last moment of death. The remaining consciousness that refused to dissipate was just waiting for his promise.
He placed his face against the back of her cold hand, closed his eyes, and finally said slowly, word by word: "Okay, I promise you."
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