Chapter 170 Not Becoming the Crown Princess, but Elopeing with Him?
Dou Wenyi indifferently opened the envelope. Inside were just a few words, an invitation to meet her at Plum Garden on the outskirts of Beijing.
Having served three dynasties, the Plum Garden is now almost completely dilapidated. Located very close to the royal villa, Qionglin Garden, it is named after a large area of green plum trees and hot springs within its grounds, making it a great place to enjoy the scenery in winter.
In her past life, she had stayed there for a while with her daughter and Xie Guidu, and those few days were unusually pleasant.
At present, the Plum Garden has just changed owners, and the bricklayers are working hard, sweating profusely as they rush to repair it. The sounds of hammers and shouts are mixed together. Outside the broken wall, the plum blossoms are blooming proudly in the snow, their fragrance wafting in the air. They are clustered together, full of vitality yet appearing desolate and decaying.
After the snow cleared, Dou Wenyi, wearing a silver fox fur cloak, walked gracefully alone. The sunlight shone on her fair face, making her radiant and captivating, so much so that it was impossible to look away.
Xie Guidu, dressed in a sky-blue brocade robe, stood under the corridor, having been waiting for a long time.
Seeing her arrive as promised, his heart warmed, and a hint of anticipation rose within him. "Yi'er, are you cold? Shall we go inside and talk?"
Dou Wenyi remained expressionless, glanced around, and did not answer for a moment.
Xie Guidu knew she had some reservations, and said in a gentle, tender voice, "Don't worry, there's no one around here."
“I am truly grateful that you took the risk to come see me... Considering our past relationship, I cannot bear to see you in such a predicament.”
"Xie Guidu, wasn't my predicament a result of your and Prince Rui's joint scheme?" Dou Wenyi stared at him intently, her face devoid of any sorrow.
Has he become so cold-blooded that he is indifferent to the death of his own sister?
"No way! I didn't..."
Xie Guidu's eyes were dark and his heart ached terribly; he didn't want to use this method either.
"Yi'er, you have long been a thorn in Prince Rui's side. He wants you dead. How could I possibly harm you?"
Dou Wenyi tugged at the corners of her lips and chuckled softly, "Is that so?"
A burning pain flashed in Xie Guidu's eyes as he looked at the plum blossoms not far away. He recalled how his family of three had stayed here for a while and played in the snow with his daughter. Could those happy days never be returned?
He was really wrong!
He shouldn't have personally delivered her to the camp of the powerful minister of the Northern Barbarians, thus causing her death.
But why doesn't she give herself a chance to change her ways?
After a long silence, Xie Guidu looked at her with a complicated expression and said affectionately, "Yi'er, you know that in this life, I will never harm you."
"The Eastern Palace is a den of dragons and tigers. Pei Siyan can barely protect himself, how can he protect you? He's just after something new. He can protect you for a while, but not forever. Don't forget, Sheng Xiyue is the woman he cherishes most. Although you are the Crown Princess, the Dou family has no power or influence. What can you use to fight against Sheng Xiyue?"
"Besides, given your personality, you simply cannot share your husband with any woman. Pei Siyan will have countless concubines in the future. Do you want to be trapped in that cage for the rest of your life? Haven't you always longed for freedom?"
“I don’t want you to ruin yourself, Yi’er. Come with me! Let’s leave Tianning City, this place of trouble. The world is so big, let’s find a peaceful place and start over, okay? I’m truly thinking of you, you can understand my good intentions, right?”
Regardless, they have a bond spanning two lifetimes and once had a daughter.
They had been together for over a decade, sharing a deep bond that Pei Siyan could not possibly match in just six months.
The fact that Dou Wenyi came today shows that she actually has feelings for him. As long as she leaves Tianning City with him, he will definitely make her happy.
Dou Wenyi belonged to him!
Am I out of my mind?
Dou Wenyi laughed, "You'd rather be the Crown Princess than elope with me?"
Her smile was bright and unrestrained, so close yet so far, yet it felt like she was a world away to him. That smile was utterly unfamiliar, blinding, like a sharp sword piercing his chest, the pain suffocating him.
Xie Guidu felt a pang of bitterness in his heart and patiently coaxed, "Yi'er, Prince Rui will not let you off the hook. The more you help the Crown Prince, the more it will harm you. Don't be angry with me anymore. It's time to plan for your future."
"Xie Guidu, what exactly do you want from me?" Dou Wenyi's brows furrowed with impatience.
“The owner of Plum Garden is a friend of mine. It’s dry and windy in winter, and it’s common for old houses to catch fire… I’ve already arranged for a boat to go out to sea. Once you’re on board, we can do it without anyone noticing. In less than a month, we can settle down in Jiangnan.”
"I'll arrange for a charred corpse here; they'll all think you're dead. For the rest of my life, I'll treat you well, Yi'er. Please, trust me one more time!"
A charred corpse?
Dou Wenyi silently pondered these two words, and a bold guess suddenly arose in her mind.
At that moment, she realized the key to this situation!
Dou Wenyi lifted her eyelids, her smile icy cold. "So, you want to kidnap the Crown Princess, arrange for my fake death, and then frame me for murder, forcing me to live under an assumed name?"
"Yi'er, life is a long journey, and we must always make choices! I was really wrong in my past life, and I will never let you down again."
"I'm a little cold." Dou Wenyi casually glanced around, unaware of how many people Xie Guidu had brought.
Xie Guidu watched as her eyelashes trembled slightly, her eyes sparkled, and she looked graceful and charming. Under the sunlight, her cheeks were rosy and fair, which softened his heart. He wished he could immediately pull her into his arms and cherish her.
"It was my oversight. Let's go inside; there's a charcoal fire burning inside." Xie Guidu was delighted to see that she had finally agreed. He quickly took a few steps and thoughtfully opened the door.
After the two entered the house, Dou Wenyi did not sit down, but walked around the room casually.
After Xie Guidu sat down, he picked up the teapot and personally poured her a cup of hot tea. "Yi'er, drink some hot tea to warm yourself up."
Dou Wenyi's gaze swept across the roof beam, her lips curving into an almost imperceptible smile.
She sat down opposite him, grasped the teacup, and gave him a half-smile. "Xie Guidu, you are too arrogant. I never thought you would collude with Prince Rui. You want to run away, but Prince Rui may not let you off easily."
Hearing this, Xie Guidu couldn't help but feel touched; after all, she was still worried about him.
“A true man knows what to do and what not to do. Yi’er, you can rest assured. I’m not that foolish. There are many things I haven’t told him. As long as we leave Tianning, this place of trouble, he won’t make things difficult for us.”
Dou Wenyi understood; he had indeed made a deal with Prince Rui.
Her lips curled up, her expression seemingly mocking, "Xie Guidu, do you really think that I would rather give up the position of Crown Princess, elope, fake my death, bear the crime of murder, abandon my family, reputation, and wealth, live in anonymity, and hide away, just to pursue that so-called freedom with you?"
"Will I depend on you for the rest of my life?"
"Yi'er, I know you feel wronged, but once your crime is confirmed, you will be secretly executed. You won't even have time to leave then," Xie Guidu said helplessly.
He didn't want things to turn out this way, but this was the only way to force her to leave. After their daughter was born, he and his wife would definitely reconcile and he would clear her name!
Dou Wenyi murmured, "It's so cold, didn't the charcoal burn?"
"I'll go take a look."
Xie Guidu walked to the bronze stove to check the fire. "It's burning very brightly."
"Where did you hide Xie Mengyao?"
Xie Guidu's pupils suddenly contracted. How did she know?
He turned his head in disbelief, a slight, sharp pain shooting through his neck, like a mosquito bite. But the tingling sensation instantly spread throughout his body, forcefully taking control. What was happening to him?
Xie Guidu subconsciously raised his hand to touch his neck, his vision blurred, and there was only a tiny bit of blood on his fingers.
Why can't I even stand up straight?
He tilted to one side and fell straight down.
Just then, a dark figure jumped down from the roof beam...
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