Chapter 68 Your Bride Can Only Be Me - I Want to Straighten People
A small, irregular piece of gravel landed in the road, and Lu Wensheng casually kicked it aside. The gravel hit the wall, making a crisp sound that broke the silence.
Shen Hegui's gaze followed the rubble, and he spoke first: "I can help you kill Lu Yunzhi, as long as you ask."
Lu Wensheng stopped, a faint smile playing on her lips, her eyes vacant. "I have my own hands. I can kill myself if I want to. But what good would killing Lu Yunzhi do? My eyes won't heal, and those terrifying memories will remain." Time cannot be reversed.
She took a deep breath and steadied her voice: "I am not a good person. I have killed more than one person in places Your Highness does not know, and I have violated the laws of the country. I am not as good as Your Highness sees me. There are many fools in the world, and Your Highness is already burdened with rumors. We cannot add more stains to your reputation."
The two stopped walking, and the Imperial Guards who had been following them at a distance also stood still.
Shen Hegui chuckled softly, his slender fingers weaving into Lu Wensheng's collar. With a flick of his knuckles, he drew a thin, crimson line, from which hung a dark blue scale.
Stroking the warm scales, her pale pink lips parted slightly; "I don't care about rumors or stains, I only care about you. I'm not afraid you know, I did have thoughts of using you, but the moment I saw you in the sea of fire, I suddenly changed my mind. From this day forward, I want to treat you with sincerity, I want to have you completely, I want us to be buried together after we die, merging and accompanying each other forever."
He raised his hand and slowly traced Lu Wensheng's eyebrows and eyes. "I don't care how many people you have killed in the past, nor do I care how many crimes you have committed. I hold power for two reasons: to survive and to protect those behind me and to shelter my loved ones."
Lu Wensheng strained to look up at the dark sky and let out a long sigh.
This was the first time in her life that someone had said sweet words to her, so sincere and touching that it even moved her heart.
Lu Wensheng: "But I don't like Your Highness, and I can't like Your Highness. I'm a coward. I will definitely get married on March 16th. By then, I will be a married man. The wedding invitations have been sent out. I am destined to have no chance with Your Highness in this life."
Shen Hegui's dark gaze fell on Lu Wensheng's shimmering eyes.
He raised his hand, his rough fingertips gently brushing across the corner of her eye, guiding a hot tear that was about to fall to his fingertip, and then putting it in his mouth.
The salty and astringent taste melts on the tip of the tongue.
Shen Hegui said calmly, "It's alright. If you want to get married, I'll let you. How about we make a bet?"
The presence of tears indicates that Lu Wensheng is not unmoved, but rather facing a dilemma. He also needs time for the love potion to fully integrate into Lu Wensheng's bloodline, and delaying it won't do any harm.
Given Lu Wensheng's personality, he would never keep a copy of the correspondence and gift lists. Therefore, the copy that Lu Yunzhi had must have come from the Governor of Yingtian. And the Governor of Yingtian happened to be Shen Zhao's man, so Lu Yunzhi must still have some dirt on Lu Wensheng.
He needs to find an opportunity to meet Lu Yunzhi.
Shen Hegui raised his hand and covered Lu Wensheng's eyes, letting the tears soak through his palm. "One year is the limit. I bet you will fall in love with me. If you lose, you will stay by my side for the rest of your life. On the other hand, if I lose, I will give you a blank imperial edict after I ascend the throne, pardoning all your past sins and giving you your freedom. How about it?"
The sudden loss of sight actually calmed Lu Wensheng down, and he became bolder: "Your Highness, can you accept a married man sleeping in the same bed with you?"
“Of course not.” Shen Hegui’s eyes were dark. He raised his hand and vigorously wiped Lu Wensheng’s lower lip several times, making it red and congested. “I have a cleanliness obsession, so on March 16th, your bride can only be me! All men in the world want to marry. Why can’t you have what others have? Love is about gaining, not losing.”
Lu Wensheng stared in disbelief, his long eyelashes fluttering several times before he finally found his voice: "What if I don't want to gamble?"
Shen Hegui narrowed his phoenix eyes, his gaze, seemingly possessive, landing on the edge of Lu Wensheng's collar. "Then things become simpler. There is no morning court today. I will hold a meeting in the Wenhua Hall at noon. There are still several hours left, enough for me to make the deed done."
Lu Wensheng's buttocks tightened, her legs went weak, and she almost fell to the ground, but fortunately Shen Hegui caught her in time.
Her gaze pierced through the dark street ahead.
No wonder I felt something was off. Usually at this time, the officials would be rushing to court, but now it was quiet and there wasn't a single colleague in sight.
The gift list in Lu Yunzhi's hand must have come from the governor of Yingtian. He could come up with ten thousand taels of silver, and his new wife's surname was Qian. So his coming to Yanjing was definitely not a spur-of-the-moment decision. She needed time to find out the truth.
Besides, what you can't have is the most desirable. If she puts on a good show in front of Shen Hegui, she might be able to make him straight. She definitely won't lose! A real person can definitely beat a fictional character!
Lu Wensheng gritted his teeth: "Fine, let's gamble!" He could delay as long as possible.
Under the cover of darkness, a fleeting smile of triumph appeared on Shen Hegui's face. He mounted his horse and said, "It's getting late. If we hurry back, we can still get some sleep."
Looking at the hand extended in front of him, Lu Wensheng took it without hesitation: "Let me make it clear beforehand, Your Highness cannot force me to do something I don't want to do!"
"good."
*
She worked during the day, rushed around at night, and had a fight with Shen Hegui. She thought she could fall asleep as soon as she closed her eyes, but she tossed and turned for half an hour without feeling sleepy.
The bed was as soft as ever, and the blankets were as thick as yesterday's.
Lu Wensheng grabbed his collar and shook it back and forth several times.
Why do I feel a bit hot?
He kicked the blankets aside, rolled over and lay face down on the tatami mat, rubbed against the soft pillows a few times, and closed his eyes.
No, it seems a bit cold!
She covered herself with the blanket again, leaving her hands and feet outside. Lu Wensheng closed her eyes once more, trying to fall asleep.
It's both hot and cold! So annoying!
She sat up abruptly and looked at Shen Hegui, who stood calmly beside her.
About four quarters of an hour ago, she finished washing up and planned to go to sleep in the side hall. But thinking of the assassin who had not yet been caught, she timidly came to find Shen Hegui again. Although Shen Hegui was seriously ill, he was really good to her.
First, she rejected him, embarrassing him; then she bit him, injuring his body; when they met again, she not only didn't force him, but even made a bet with him. According to the bet, he would date Shen Hegui for a year.
The wound on her neck had already been treated; it was unclear whether the wound on Shen Hegui's arm had been treated.
Thinking this, Lu Wensheng slowly pulled Shen Hegui's left hand out from under the covers. The light blue sleeve was slowly pulled open, and unexpectedly, there was perfectly intact skin.
How could there not be? Could she have remembered wrong?
Lu Wensheng also took out Shen Hegui's other hand.
Still nothing, that's strange.
Unexpectedly meeting a pair of phoenix eyes that showed no signs of sleepiness, Lu Wensheng was so frightened that she gripped Shen Hegui's forearm tightly.
With a long arm, he pulled Lu Wensheng into his warm bed and said in a deep voice, "Sleep. My constitution is special. For non-fatal injuries, my recovery ability is much faster than that of ordinary people."
Lu Wensheng tried to wriggle out like a maggot, but Shen Hegui swept her long legs and pinned her down.
A cool, distant voice whispered in my ear: "I am not a saint. If you twist and turn a few more times, I cannot guarantee what will happen in the end."
Under pressure from Shen Hegui, she tried to endure it for a while, but the more she endured, the hotter she felt. After brewing half a cup of tea, she tilted her head and glanced at Shen Hegui, whose eyes were closed.
"Your Highness? Your Highness?" Lu Wensheng waved his hand in front of his eyes twice. Seeing that the man did not move and his breathing was even and deep, Lu Wensheng mustered up his courage and kicked Shen Hegui in the calf.
It must have caught a chill when it came back from swimming last night. It'll probably get a high fever soon, so I'll have to go out and find some more medicine. It's not moving at all after all this kicking, so it must be asleep.
Just as she was about to push Shen Hegui away by pressing her hand on his shoulder, her waist tightened suddenly, and in the dizzying moment, she met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
The cool pink hue, with an irresistible force, sealed off all her unspoken words.
It progresses from shallow to deep, full of aggression yet not without gentleness.
Her thoughts were scattered, and the heat was gradually replaced by dizziness. The hand that was originally going to push Chen Hegui turned into gripping his front.
The curtains fluttered in the morning breeze, and a fine spring rain began to fall outside the palace.
In a daze, the whole world seemed to consist only of the sound of water, breathing, and my own heart pounding like a drum.
The fabric climbed up, and a sudden chill ran down her waist. The roughness lingered on the smoothness, and Lu Wensheng was startled, snapping back to reality. "No!"
She gripped Shen Hegui's wrist tightly and emphasized again, "No."
After a moment of silent confrontation, Shen Hegui lifted Lu Wensheng's chin, wiped away the remaining water stains, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you going to sleep obediently or continue doing something else?"
“…Sleep.” Lu Wensheng’s lips moved slightly as he dodged the menacing blade and explained, “I feel a bit hot and want to find some medicine for a cold.”
Shen Hegui's meaningful gaze fell on Lu Wensheng's red ear tips, and a sense of pleasure gradually filled his heart. He used his thumb to prick his index finger and probed into her lips and teeth.
Before she could resist, Shen Hegui spoke in a deep voice: "Swallow it, it's better than any medicine."
What a fool! His own father is coming on strong; it would be better to help Lu Wensheng suppress him to avoid making things worse and damaging their relationship.
After being taken advantage of for more than ten breaths, Lu Wensheng finally managed to lie back in his own bed.
She pursed her slightly numb lips: "I want to go home this afternoon."
Shen Hegui closed his eyes and said, "I will send the Imperial Guards to escort you back."
"good."
When Lu Wensheng woke up, the ground where the spring rain had lingered had already dried.
The clothes were presented respectfully by Feng Gou and his men as usual.
She dismissed everyone around her, her eyes darting around, and said with a smile, "Master, you've served His Highness the Crown Prince for so long, do you know what he hates most?"
Since the intention is to act like a righteous swan returning home, one must naturally step on landmines. A person in a position of power with a strong inner strength will not be able to achieve much with a "little drama queen" persona; one must switch to a "big drama queen" persona.
Meeting Lu Wensheng's sincere yet curious eyes, Feng Gou couldn't help but rack his brains to recall: "His Highness dislikes stupidity, doesn't like being disturbed after falling asleep, and has a cleanliness obsession."
After a pause, he added, "By the way, he particularly dislikes clutter on his bed, and no matter how ill he is, he won't accept taking medicine on his bed. Apart from that, I think that's all. Why does Lord Lu ask about these things?"
"Oh, just asking around," Lu Wensheng replied casually.
She also dislikes stupidity, and he would be very happy if she disturbed Shen Hegui. It seems that she can only start with his obsession with cleanliness and his bed.
After enjoying a good meal, Lu Wensheng hurriedly returned home, taking the opportunity to think about his future plans along the way.
The Imperial Guards acted swiftly, replacing the door before dawn.
Song Zhiyun was not surprised to see Lu Wensheng return home.
A strong smell of medicine filled the air, and Lu Wensheng frowned as he asked, "Who's sick?"
Song Zhiyun: "It's still that simpleton Sang. Last night he went to scout ahead and accidentally fell into the water, catching a cold. You and the doctor were caught in the middle of it."
Lu Wensheng nodded: "Is Lu Yunzhi in the woodshed?"
"Here." Glancing at the charcoal fire under the stove, Song Zhiyun pulled Lu Wensheng to a secluded corner. "Shengsheng, why don't we leave Yanjing? It's been four years, and we haven't found a suitable opportunity to speak up. As long as the Lu family is still around, you'll be living with your head on the line every day!"
Lu Wensheng carefully looked around: "Mother, His Majesty is selfish and greedy. As long as he is on the throne, I cannot discuss peace talks with the court. That's why it has been dragging on for four years without any progress. I have never been confident about Prince Su, Shen Zhao. But if His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne, I will be more confident."
Actually, she was a little unsure herself, but she couldn't tell Song Zhiyun that she had come home to persuade her to leave Yanjing.
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