The glazed tower had been uninhabited for a long time, and the garden was in disrepair. The old lady had spoken about asking the staff to fill the garden with flowers, but for now, it was still somewhat bleak.
She stood there, watching his slightly desolate figure, and her heart tugged lightly. She wasn’t the kind to easily soften, but for him, she always did.
Mu Houchu stepped forward. With a long sweep of his arm, he held her close, burying his chin in the crook of her neck and murmured, "Xin He, I miss you."
Merely half a day apart, and he already missed her to this extent. He suddenly dared not think - what if he were to lose her? From the moment she left, he felt a void in his heart. Looking around, he found himself alone. He began to feel an intense loneliness he hadn’t felt before.
Lonely.
An incongruous word for him. He never thought he would feel lonely.
This time, Ji Xinhe didn’t push him away. She allowed him to hold her.
At this moment, she finally understood the madness of love.
Even if she was deeply hurt by his wedding with another woman, despite her feeling disturbed and anxious about his secrets, even though she decided never to trust him, nor be foolish again, but at this moment, seeing him standing alone, she could not manage to resist him at slightest.
She already knew that she couldn’t quit him.
She previously did not want to admit it, always thinking that she could keep her past buried deep inside her and there would be peace. Yet, this domineering man could always effortlessly stir the waves within her heart. She knew that certain things could only be hidden away. Forget? How could it be that easy?
Ji Xinhe forced a slightly bitter smile, "You once said that you didn’t know what to do with me. What should I do with you?"
It was clear to her that he was sure she wouldn’t be able to let go. She never could.
Mu Houchu held her even tighter, "Xin He, it was all my fault in the past. I know you’re angry, I know you’re feeling wronged. I will accept whatever punishment you give me. This time, can’t you just stay peacefully by my side?"
From the moment Duan Lan insisted on asking His Majesty about this marriage, his once calm heart began to feel unsettled. It wasn’t so much about how important that marriage contract could be, after all, if he didn’t consent to this marriage, there were numerous ways to break it. Ji Xinhe was not the kind to be easily bound by a marriage contract.
But...what if she were willing?
The moment this thought sprouted from his mind, Mu Houchu felt a wave of unprecedented uneasiness, as if he would lose her forever. This was why he missed her and wanted to see her.
Ji Xinhe asked uncertainly, "What happened to make you so upset?"
She had only gone to the Marquis’ mansion, not into a wolf’s den. Why was he so anxious?
Thinking of Duan Lan, Mu Houchu’s expression chilled a little, "It’s a trivial matter."
Ji Xinhe wanted to ask more, but the maid standing outside the garden called out, "Eldest Miss, your father is looking for you."
Ji Xinhe hurriedly pushed away Mu Houchu, "I have to go."
A trace of a smile appeared on the corner of Mu Houchu’s mouth. He caressed her cheek, "Does that mean you’re not angry anymore?"
Ji Xinhe gave him a glare, "Who told you I’m not angry? Of course I’m still angry!"
With that said, she rushed out.
A hint of a smile played on Houchu’s lips. He knew she couldn’t let go.
He couldn’t be more acquainted with this capricious little woman. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮
——
The Marquis was already waiting in the Glazed Tower. Ji Xinhe quickly returned. After a pause, she finally called out, "Father."
Perhaps because of Ji Dashan, she inexplicably rejected this role of a father. Even with Ji Dashan, she had never truly called him ’dad’ from her heart.
Master Le Yuanhou noted her restraint. Although he felt a little disappointed, he understood that it was within reason. After all, to acknowledge each other so abruptly was hard for anyone to accept.
"Stay here without worries. Your father is not in a hurry for you to accept me. After all, it was my fault that you suffered for so many years," Le Yuanhou said.
Ji Xinhe saw the bitterness on her father’s face. How could she blame him?
"Father, you shouldn’t say that."
"Your father has been thinking about giving you a legitimate identity. I’ve discussed with your mother. With Concubine Ning’s birthday approaching, you can follow your mother to the palace and be formally introduced. Otherwise, your illegitimate status will be uncomfortable for your father," said Le Yuanhou, the discomfort apparent on his face.
Surely his biological daughter shouldn’t be subject to speculation and suspicion?
Ji Xinhe was indifferent to this. She nodded, "Whatever father thinks is best."
"Also, I know that you have a business in the capital. Although it’s not good for a lady to show her face in public, if you insist on continuing, I won’t stop you," he added.
Ji Xinhe said firmly, "Of course, I want to continue with the business." She always disliked relying on others, be it her parents or Mu Houchu in this era. Only when she had something in her hands truly belonging to her could she be fully at ease.
Le Yuanhou nodded, "You have a say in it."
After a pause, he asked, "Xinhe, can you give me that handkerchief?"
Ji Xinhe handed over the handkerchief, "What do you need the handkerchief for, father?"
Le Yuanhou took the handkerchief and sighed, "There are some things I don’t want to tell you about. Never mind, you should rest first. An old matter, albeit troublesome, does not necessarily need to be brought up."
Ji Xinhe subconsciously felt that there seemed to be a secret she didn’t know about tied to this handkerchief. However, she didn’t ask any further and nodded, "Hmm."
——
After taking the handkerchief, Le Yuanhou returned to his study. He took out a small, exquisite medicine bottle from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion and poured the liquid onto the handkerchief.
A white piece of silk began to reveal red marks. The vivid red was striking – it was blood.
"The Leng Family colluded with enemy countries, committed treason, and plotted against the Royal family!"
Suddenly, Le Yuanhou felt cold all over, his face instantly turned pale, and his heart seemed to have stopped beating.
This secret, hidden for over ten years, spanned two generations of the Leng Dynasty, but only now was the bloody truth being unearthed.
Le Yuanhou swayed and fell onto the armchair, murmuring, "I’ve been looking for the truth for so many years, but I never thought it would be the one I least want to face."
He had arranged for hundreds of experts to guard her on her journey back to the capital, but Lady Wu’s final resting place was in Lian’an Town. There was only one possibility - the capital was actually more dangerous than the border, and Lady Wu must have sensed the danger of the capital, hence she escaped in a hurry, unwittingly ending up in Lian’an Town, where she was rescued by the Wang family. However, her time was up, and this blood letter might indeed be her final message.
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