Shortly after, the door was opened.
Su Wanwan looked towards the entrance and saw a man being escorted in.
Because he was backlit, the man's face was not clearly visible, but his figure looked somewhat familiar.
"Wanwan."
The torches quickly illuminated the entire room, and Su Wanwan squinted to adjust to the light.
The man walked to the bedside, his face, full of tenderness and concern, so clear to me.
"Wanwan, you've suffered so much."
After saying that, he lifted the quilt and found that her hands and feet were tied, so he went to untie the ropes.
A strange bitterness welled up in Su Wanwan's heart.
It was both unexpected and yet perfectly reasonable.
The people who came to rescue her.
It is Prince Rong, Lu Youting.
Lu Youting helped her sit up, and she finally came to her senses.
She took the initiative to grab his sleeve.
My eyes were misty.
Her voice sounded extremely aggrieved.
"Your Highness, what brings you here?"
Lu Youting's gaze fell on her hand, and he reached out to hold it, his eyes gentle and focused.
He seemed to be the most devoted lover in the world.
"I heard you left the palace, so I went to the Su family to look for you, but I never expected you to have been kidnapped and brought here."
Su Wanwan's throat tightened, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Lu Youting gently touched her pale face with pity:
"Were you terrified?"
"Don't be afraid, with me protecting you, no one will be able to hurt you again."
Su Wanwan looked up at him.
Her beautiful, wet eyes didn't blink.
This handsome face was different from the boyish face she remembered.
Refined and reserved.
She still has the gentleness she had back then.
However, there was none of the sarcasm and cold words he had spoken when he saw her in the Imperial Study the day before yesterday.
How many people raised in the palace can't act?
She pulled her hand away from his:
"Thank you, Your Highness, for saving Wanwan from danger."
Lu Youting narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression somewhat hurt:
"Wanwan, are you still upset that I broke my promise back then?"
"Do you know that I was drunk back then and mistook the princess for you, which is why I did something wrong... I have never forgotten you all these years."
As he spoke, he pulled her into his arms:
"Wait for me to marry you, okay?"
Su Wanwan felt both embarrassed and awkward.
She let him hold her, but she felt it was unbearable.
After a long pause, he spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz:
"Your Highness, I...I need to use the restroom..."
Lu Youting probably didn't expect her to say that, and scoffed:
"It was my oversight. You wait here, I'll have someone come and serve you."
"Need not."
Su Wanwan quickly refused.
Head down.
He said, somewhat embarrassed, "Could you please close the door for me?"
Her appearance, like that of a shy young girl, reminded Lu Youting of the time when they were mutually in love.
He smiled gently. "I'll be right outside the door. Call me if you need anything."
A girl like her is always particular about her appearance, and she would never allow a strange servant to serve her.
Besides, he came in a hurry and did not bring any servants with him.
Such matters involving privacy are even more difficult for men to serve.
Lu Youting was waiting outside the door when he heard a rapid sound of horses' hooves coming towards him.
Several fully armored soldiers rushed in through the simple wooden gate, shouting sternly, "Who is making a fuss here?"
Lu Youting frowned, but his expression remained calm.
His attendant asked, "Who comes here?"
"I am Lu De, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I am here on imperial orders to conduct an inspection. And who are you?"
The eunuch hurriedly rebuked, "His Highness Prince Rong is here! Commander Lu, why haven't you paid your respects yet?"
Lu De asked in surprise, "Why is Your Highness Prince Rong here so late at night?"
As the two sides were exchanging pleasantries, someone pointed in alarm towards the thatched hut: "Why is it on fire?"
Lu Youting's expression changed drastically.
Turning around, he saw that the fire in the thatched hut wasn't too big, and was about to rush into the hut when he was grabbed around the waist by a palace attendant.
In just a few moments, the fire quickly rose up and engulfed the thatched hut.
Flames shot into the sky, illuminating the night.
This attracted nearby patrolling cavalrymen who rushed in this direction.
The light also illuminated the ever-changing, unpredictable expressions on Lu Youting's face.
The thatched hut door was not sturdy.
It was quickly pushed aside.
But the house was already engulfed in flames.
Su Wanwan was nowhere to be seen.
By the time Lu Xingjian arrived, the fire had already been extinguished.
A charred corpse was pulled out of the ruins.
Lu Youting looked at the corpse on the ground with a sorrowful expression.
Lu Xingjian walked slowly into the courtyard.
After scanning the room, his dark eyes locked onto Lu Youting.
With a hint of scrutiny and amusement:
"Uncle Thirteen, what a coincidence."
What a fine prince.
They did not stay in the royal palace in the capital.
Coming to a remote village in Changping Prefecture is itself a very unbelievable thing.
Many thoughts raced through his mind in light of Su Wanwan's disappearance.
Lu Youting met his slightly cold gaze and asked with sorrow:
"Does the Emperor really not tolerate her?!"
Lu Xingjian remained calm and composed.
"Thirteenth Uncle, what makes you say that?"
Lu Youting's pupils narrowed slightly.
He knew.
The young emperor's calmest moments were often his most dangerous.
Why did you burn Wanwan alive?
"Just because of an ominous sign?!"
Lu Youting angrily questioned.
Lu Xingjian paused for a moment.
His face stiffened for a moment.
Only then did he look at the corpses on the ground.
Lu Youting was heartbroken:
“If the palace can’t accommodate her, I can raise her in the Prince’s mansion.”
"Why must we be so ruthless as to exterminate them all?!"
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