Chapter 19 Assistance
The sun was high in the sky, and the wind in Kucha was getting hotter and hotter, blowing up all the leaves and grass tips on the wasteland. A dazzling white light swept from far to near to the horizon, lasting for a long time.
"Why? Why would he do that?"
Ling Tianshui murmured in disbelief.
He couldn't believe that the brother he had given everything for would actually work with others to set up such a vicious trap and sever the relationship between him and Qiandeng.
Qiandeng did not answer.
In reality, they both knew the answer. He just didn't want to believe that the person he was so determined to protect would make such a sinister and crazy decision out of jealousy.
Perhaps he, like Madam Meng, believed that Ling Tianshui had everything, while he himself had nothing. So even though he knew Ling Tianshui had given so much for him and spared no effort to help him, jealousy still destroyed his due gratitude, and he would not let him get it even if he himself could not.
He exploited Lan Xiurong's hatred. After witnessing Feng Yi being murdered by Ling Tianshui, Lan Xiurong realized she was unable to kill Ling Tianshui to avenge her lover. So, she conspired with Meng Lanxi and, at the cost of her own life, destroyed Ling Tianshui's chances of becoming the county lord's husband, causing him to break up with Qian Deng and nearly leading to his arrest and condemnation, leaving him beyond redemption.
After a long moment, Qian Deng finally spoke, whispering, "I've buried Meng Lanxi's body properly, right next to Madam Meng. They'll be together in the afterlife, so they won't be lonely either."
"Thank you so much..." Li Yingshang said this, his throat choking slightly. "In this life, I have always owed them. I didn't keep my promise to my mother, and I didn't protect Meng Lanxi..."
"The one who should be indebted is Meng Lanxi, not you." Qiandeng gently grasped his hand, slowly pried open his clenched fist, and interlocked his fingers. "If your mother knew, how could she blame you? You tried your best, but Meng Lanxi chose that path on his own, and no one could have saved him. And your promise to your mother... did you mean to help Meng Lanxi become my husband?"
His jaw was set tight, his lips pursed, and he remained silent.
"Your mother has drifted through life, having no other choice. I believe she must understand that a woman's heart cannot be swayed by external forces, let alone forced or begged. Not to mention that Meng Lanxi has so many sinister thoughts in her heart. Even if he were of noble status and in your shoes, I would not choose him, ever. I decide who I want to choose, and no one can influence me."
Her tone was firm and merciless. "I chose Ling Tianshui because he is as resolute, courageous, calm and smart as my father and grandfather. Even though he is only a deputy commander in the army, in my mind, he is upright and the most reliable person in the world. It's a pity that your mother never had the chance to reunite with you, and she didn't know what Meng Lanxi had done. Now that her spirit is in heaven and knows the truth, she will definitely not defend Meng Lanxi anymore. She will know who is the child she is truly proud of, and why I made this choice. She would definitely rather you not fulfill that promise than blame yourself for it."
Li Yingshang listened to her words, thinking of the night his mother passed away, and said to him, Lanxi is a poor child...
Unfortunately, she will never know what this poor child has done behind her back, and how sinister and terrifying his mind is. Even if he tries his best, even at the cost of getting himself dragged into the quagmire, he cannot save him.
A feeling of loss and weakness surged in his heart, and he followed his instincts, raised his hands and hugged Qian Deng in front of him tightly.
Allowing himself to release the deepest weakness in his heart in front of her, he buried his face deeply in her slender shoulders, like a lost ship looking for a safe haven, snuggling in her arms to get through the pain and sorrow that he could not tell anyone.
Qiandeng put her arms around him and gently stroked his strong back.
The two people's breathing gradually immersed in each other. They said nothing, but they had already told each other everything.
It wasn't until his breathing gradually stabilized and the two slowly separated that Qian Deng said, "Now that our misunderstanding has been resolved, I can go back to doing what I should do. Whether it's convenient for you to help me or not, I have to go. I hope you won't stop me."
"Have you thought it through? This case is so bizarre and strange that uncovering the truth will be no easy task. Are you sure you want to face all these difficulties and give up the carefree life I promised you?"
Qiandeng said with determination: "In this lifetime, I, Bai Qiandeng, will never live in disgrace and live in disgrace. No matter how difficult it is, I will clear my name and uncover the real culprit behind this!"
Looking at her stubborn and determined expression, Li Yingshang knew that he could never take her away.
He finally gave up his stubbornness and just asked, "So, what are your plans next?"
"I'll take this opportunity to return to the city. I need to find Ji Linyou and gather the veterans under my father and grandfather. At least I can't be left unarmed and powerless like this again."
In Chang'an, she had her own guards, but because she had always been safe, she did not value the few troops she had. After this crisis, she deeply understood the importance of mastering power and was unwilling to be controlled by others.
Li Yingshang no longer objected, and took her out of the forest on horseback, galloping towards the soldiers he brought with him, and whistled.
The soldiers who were resting on the spot immediately lined up, each standing straight, showing their toughness and bloodiness. They were indeed well-trained elite troops.
"Just know you're in danger." He glanced at her calmly, raised his hand and pointed at a group of people, saying, "Although you can take over the veterans of your father's grandfather's army, I'm afraid it will be difficult in such a hurry. The people who came with me are all those I'm used to. They are well-trained and have good skills. I will lend them to you first. From now on, they will obey your orders and will absolutely guarantee your safety. Once you are confident in the control of your father's grandfather's army, return them to me."
Qian Deng looked at the brave soldiers in front of him and asked in a low voice, "If I lend them to them temporarily, will they listen to me?"
"Not necessarily." He slowly gestured for her to change clothes and mount her horse. "So, why don't I just help them to the end, personally command them, and protect you for a while."
With his help, the subsequent actions went smoothly as if by divine intervention.
Qiandeng changed into the standard uniforms of the Shuofang Army, and together with Li Yingshang, made some minor modifications, they entered the city with the deputy commander, Zhaowu Captain Xiong Yue.
A group of people rode into the city on horseback, holding a letter from Beiting. The guards of Kucha only dared to count the number of people hastily according to the documents, and then let them go immediately.
Their documents were naturally written and stamped by Li Yingshang before entering the city.
Qian Deng watched him write as usual anytime and anywhere, and suddenly recalled an incident in his memory: "Before, I asked someone in the palace to send a gift to Shuofang. You were in Chang'an at the time, posing as Ling Tianshui. But the reply letter that the guards brought back from the barracks and handed to me was undoubtedly written by you."
He thought for a moment and said, "It is true."
"You were clearly in the Northern Yamen Forbidden Army at the time, but no one in the capital knew about it. I imagine that the letters you sealed and sent using your double in the barracks were simply originals stuffed into Shuofang Army envelopes," Qian Deng speculated. "And after you recaptured Chang'an, your men controlled all the post stations leading into the capital, making it easy for them to obtain letters related to you. After reading the originals at the Chang'an post station, you wrote your reply, then used the same Shuofang Army envelope and sealed it with the same wax seal. This confirmed that the letter was your reply. So, when I received your reply, I concluded that it was impossible for the same person to be in both Shuofang and Chang'an. I dispelled my doubts about Ling Tianshui's identity and laughed at the absurdity of my own vague suspicions."
"Don't talk about you. Actually, I never thought that I would stay by your side for so long."
A person who has never experienced a stable life since childhood has only wars and battles in his life and never understands what warmth is.
Even because he witnessed what happened to his mother when he was young, he had a subconscious aversion to matters between men and women, and was even unwilling to force himself to get close to any woman.
Until I met her.
In the Yilan Pavilion, she was drugged and treated him as a family member and was very close to him. Only then did he realize that his body was out of control and his reason was overwhelmed by lust.
When he threw her overboard, he was actually masking his anger.
He couldn't believe that he was just an ordinary man; he didn't want to reveal that he was almost out of control because of his confused emotions; he didn't want to admit that he succumbed to her charm like everyone else.
But he chose to bury all of this deep in his heart. He never spoke of it before, and he didn't plan to mention it to anyone in the future.
This will remain a secret forever.
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