Chapter 59. In the end, he was left with a feeling of guilt, which was...
Then she looked at herself; she was clean and tidy with no bloodstains, clearly having changed her clothes. It was obvious who had done it.
The golden peach should be right; go and get it immediately.
As she spoke, Bai Xuerou lifted the bed curtains and got out of bed. As soon as she stood up, she felt her legs go weak and she almost sat back down. She swayed all over.
"Be careful." Ling Xun, who had just sat down next to her, immediately reached out to support her.
Bai Xuerou, embarrassed and annoyed, slapped his hand away and forced herself to stand up straight.
She wasn't some naive young lady; naturally, she knew what was going on. Last night… even a few fragments of memory surfaced, and a faint blush rose to her fair skin.
The two were so crazy that they didn't know how many times they did it.
She was now sore in the waist and weak in the legs, her whole body feeling limp and powerless. Even when she was newly married to Ling Zheng, she had never felt like this. Ling Xun didn't know where his energy and strength came from; he figured it was mostly due to his years of martial arts training.
On the other side, Yin Gui and the others were shocked by the wounds on Ling Xun's chest and abdomen. Then they saw their two masters like this, and they all lowered their eyes.
Bai Xuerou told them to put their things aside for now and not to rush to wash up. She only stopped when Jin Tao brought the medicine and personally applied it to Ling Xun.
"Your clothes?" She frowned. "I do have an outer garment that I made for you before. You can wear that for now and change when we get back."
Ling Xun was very easy to talk to, almost obediently agreeing.
Afterwards, the two washed up, and Bai Xuerou went to do her hair. Ling Xun sat to the side, and a maid helped him comb his hair and put on his golden crown. After that, he dismissed the maid, tied his sash, and took the dagger that the maid had found while making the bed and put it away.
"Madam, what about this bedding?" Jin Tao asked.
When the group was tidying up the bed, they discovered the marks on it and vaguely realized that Ling Xun's injury was probably caused by the two of them. But there were other embarrassing marks as well. It had been a long time since Ling Zheng's incident, and the group felt a little uncomfortable and embarrassed.
But things still need to be packed.
"Burn them all," Bai Xuerou said, frowning.
It should be a golden peach.
"Don't frown." Ling Xun walked to Bai Xue Rou's side and reached out to smooth her brow.
Bai Xuerou glared at him and said, "It's all because of someone."
"It's my fault," Ling Xun replied with a smile, showing no annoyance whatsoever. His broad eyes and smiling expression made it clear to anyone that he was in a very good mood.
Bai Xuerou looked away, not wanting to pay attention to him, but urged him again, saying, "Go back quickly, don't disturb anyone."
As she spoke, she felt a headache coming on again, and pressed her temples, saying, "Be careful, don't let outsiders know. I don't want to be known for this."
"Don't worry, sister, I know." Ling Xun tried his best to act cute and stepped forward to place a kiss on Bai Xuerou's cheek.
Bai Xuerou was a little annoyed and casually slapped Ling Xun.
She was already in a complete mess, with a thousand thoughts swirling in her head and no clue what to do. All she wanted was for Ling Xun to leave quickly so she could calm down, because he was going to cause trouble again.
Ling Xun didn't try to dodge, but obediently accepted it, saying, "I'll go now and come back to have a meal with you later."
"Don't come here anymore, get out of here," Bai Xuerou simply said.
Ling Xun just smiled, then climbed out the window and left.
Jin Tao and the others were stunned; they never dreamed they would see Ling Xun climbing through the window.
This is a prince, the Prince of Zhenbei!
But Ling Xun flipped over, and did so with incredible ease.
"Madam, what should we do next, you and the Prince?" Yingui asked softly.
"Keep your mouth shut, keep the people in the courtyard in check, and don't let anyone know," Bai Xuerou said, but she didn't say a word about what happened last night or why the two of them were like this.
Yingui didn't ask any further questions, but simply agreed.
Bai Xuerou woke up late today, and the maids in the courtyard only knew that she was drunk. This had happened before; Bai Xuerou would occasionally drink when she was in a bad mood, so it wasn't unusual. However, the rumors that the prince was unwell and hadn't gotten up made everyone more concerned.
But for the time being, no one thought of the two things together.
By the time Bai Xuerou finished packing, half an hour had passed, and she was already very hungry. The meal was served.
With lunch approaching, she decided to keep things simple. Just as she was about to eat, her maid announced that the prince had arrived.
Bai Xuerou closed her eyes, suppressing the urge to beat Ling Xun, and kept her expression calm as she let him in. Then, she ate a meal that appeared peaceful under the service of a group of maids.
In front of those who didn't know the situation, Ling Xun acted no differently than before, except that he was slightly more eager.
Bai Xuerou, on the other hand, was relatively indifferent.
However, only those close to them could see this; those serving below were unaware.
After the meal, Bai Xuerou wanted to send Ling Xun away, but he pretended not to hear her. She didn't want to be too direct, so she had to suppress her anger and lead him to the flower hall.
"Get out of here, I don't want to see you." She told the servants to wait outside as soon as she went in.
Ling Xun remained silent, only looking at her gently and calmly, and then gently took her hand from an angle where she couldn't see him.
“I didn’t mean to bother you, but this happened so suddenly that no one was prepared. I’m sure you have a lot to think about now, but I also have something to say.”
Bai Xuerou tried to pull her hand away, but Ling Xun held it tightly.
“Let go,” she said.
"Sister." Ling Xun called to her. Bai Xue Rou looked at him reluctantly. Their eyes met, and finally, she slowly calmed down in those calm and gentle eyes that seemed to contain a thousand words, as well as expectation and bright love.
"I just want to say that my feelings, my words, every single thing, every single word, all come from the bottom of my heart. If there is even the slightest falsehood, may I die a horrible death, my soul fall into the deepest hell, and never be released." Ling Xun looked at Bai Xue Rou and said with utmost seriousness.
Bai Xuerou did not stop him. She looked at Ling Xun with a hint of emotion in her eyes, but in the end, she watched him finish speaking.
“I don’t believe in vows,” she said.
“If oaths were effective, Ling Zheng wouldn’t have done such a thing.”
Ling Xun wanted to say that he was different from Ling Zheng, but he didn't say it.
“Sister-in-law, I will become emperor, I will conquer the world,” he said.
Bai Xuerou looked slightly puzzled. To her, this was a matter of course, and she didn't understand why Ling Xun was saying these things now.
“I will give my master a good job and will not take away his military power. I will make you empress and our child crown prince. I will give you an imperial edict that if I pass away, the crown prince will succeed to the throne. Although I do not know what connection you have with my master, he will protect you and your child.”
"I swear, you are the only one in my life, and I will never be with anyone else. If I cannot keep this promise, then kill me. Let our child succeed me."
"Sister, words are sometimes powerless. I can't even think of a single sentence that would make you trust me."
"But I still want to ask you to give me a chance."
"Sister, you said you were lonely and wanted someone to keep you company. Why can't it be me? We understand each other, trust each other, and rely on each other for companionship."
"Since you're willing to try and give others a chance to get close to you, then please, let me try. I'm always better than them, I understand you better, and I'm cleaner."
"I only want you. Sister, please have pity on me and give me a chance."
Ling Xun spoke one sentence after another, always in that earnest, almost vow-like tone. He didn't force Bai Xuerou to give him an answer right now; he left after saying just one sentence:
"Think it over carefully. I... I won't bother you anymore. I'll go now. I really want to marry you."
Bai Xuerou looked up at his back. The usually spirited young man seemed rather dejected, and his words still rang clearly in her ears.
Why can't it be me?
She remembered those words especially clearly because Ling Xun's words revealed obvious pain and sorrow. It wasn't deliberate; it was natural.
It was as if, without her knowledge, Ling Xun had been saddened by this matter many times.
Bai Xuerou could think of many reasons why it couldn't be Ling Xun.
Because he was her brother-in-law, her husband's brother, the Prince of Zhenbei, and the future monarch. They shouldn't, they shouldn't be like this.
But Bai Xuerou always remembered the sadness on Ling Xun's face.
Marry her.
Bai Xuerou sat there, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.
Having finally snapped out of her daze, Bai Xuerou couldn't help but recall the events of the previous night.
Those intertwined breaths, those blissful moments of passion, were still vivid in her mind, making her heart race and her face flush.
She was a woman who had experienced love affairs, and she didn't dwell on them much, but she would occasionally feel the coldness of her bedchamber and feel lonely.
But Ling Xun's enthusiasm was enough to fill all the gaps.
The mere thought of those almost drowning pleasures made Bai Xue Rou weak all over, and several absurd thoughts even crossed her mind—
If things continue like this, it seems like it wouldn't be so bad.
Startled by her own thoughts, Bai Xuerou's heart skipped a beat. She instinctively covered her chest and looked around frantically, as if afraid of being discovered. Her eyes were filled with embarrassment and anxiety.
But I dared not think about it again.
When she doesn't know what to do about something, Bai Xuerou often leaves it to time.
In modern terms, it's like burying your head in the sand.
Ling Xun, as always, did not urge him and waited silently.
The two maintained a facade of peace, interacting as before, but when no one was around, even a glance between them seemed to contain countless ambiguous feelings.
Bai Xuerou thought she had kept everything well hidden, but when she attended the banquet, Princess Yucheng teased her, saying that she looked radiant and wondered if she had some good news recently.
There was nothing wrong with those words, but unfortunately, they made her feel guilty, and she couldn't help but panic, thus revealing her true intentions.
Princess Yucheng's expression shifted at that moment, and her gaze towards her was meaningful.
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, it was clear that something had been discerned.
Aside from Ling Zheng's affair, Bai Xuerou has never done anything bad in her life and has always been honest and upright.
While Ling Zheng's matter could be resolved, Ling Xun's situation was troubling her, leaving her in a dilemma, tossing and turning at night, unsure of what to do.
In the end, he was left with a guilty conscience, which everyone could see through.
When Bai Xuerou returned from the banquet, Ling Xun was discussing matters with others. He had been very busy and had been recuperating for the past two years, but things were not really stable around him.
Not to mention the Wu region, there was also the Chen state to the west, which had declared itself an empire, not to mention the vast territory south of the Miao people.
All these things combined would have given Ling Ji'an a headache back then, and Ling Zheng was also somewhat troubled and even came up with the idea of a marriage alliance. But with Ling Xun, he could handle everything perfectly.
It may not be the best method, but it is the most stable.
Yes, it's stable.
This is actually quite unbelievable. Ling Xun became famous at a young age, and no matter how you look at it, he should be full of vigor and ambition. It would be acceptable if he were a little impulsive and arrogant.
Indeed, both of these traits can be seen in him, but when it comes to important matters, this still young overlord possesses a composure far exceeding that of most people.
Therefore, after two years, everyone in and around the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion was completely convinced of his superiority.
The old butler had retired in the last two years, and the current butler was Ling Xun's confidant. He had always been well aware of Ling Xun's high regard for Bai Xuerou. Therefore, when he saw that Bai Xuerou seemed to be in a bad mood after returning from the banquet, he hesitated only slightly before reporting it to Ling Xun immediately.
A group of officials from the Prince's Palace—
During his two-year reign, Ling Xun had already managed the Prince's Mansion as a small court. Everyone had their own duties, and there was no distinction between strategists and advisors. Even the retainers, if they were talented, could also hold a position.
Everyone in Chang'an, both inside and outside the capital, knows that there are two courts in Chang'an: one is the court of the Great Qi imperial family, and the other is the small court within the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion.
In terms of influence on the world, we must look at this small imperial court.
Seeing the steward's demeanor, they assumed he had something important to report, so they all fell silent. However, one or two close associates knew that the steward's report might not necessarily be important, but could also concern Madam Bai, and they couldn't help but wonder what the reason might be this time.
Thinking this, after the steward left, Ling Xun urged the meeting to proceed quickly, and the group realized that something must have happened to Madam Bai.
Aside from matters concerning Madam Bai, Ling Xun was always unhurried and rarely let them interfere with important matters.
Speaking of Bai Xuerou, everyone had some reservations. When Ling Xun first ascended to the throne and was still young, he was very caring and considerate towards Bai Xuerou, which everyone could take as respect. But now, perhaps because they had heard too many rumors, whenever they encountered anything related to the two of them, everyone couldn't help but feel something else.
Ling Xun quickly assigned tasks that could be resolved, and for those that couldn't be resolved, he asked everyone to come up with alternative solutions. Then he dismissed everyone and got up to go to the backyard.
Bai Xue Rou hasn't been paying much attention to him lately, but she doesn't want people to think they're at odds, so she maintains her previous demeanor in front of the servants. Ling Xun then shamelessly tries to get close to her.
"Your Highness." Upon seeing Ling Xun arrive, everyone greeted him. A maidservant said, "Madam is washing up. This servant will go and inform her immediately."
The maids of Zhiwei Courtyard were all familiar with Ling Xun. This Prince of Zhenbei had a great reputation outside, but he rarely showed it in Zhiwei Courtyard. He was always gentle and smiling, so no one was afraid of him.
"Just tell my sister-in-law, I'll wait over there," Ling Xun said.
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