Chapter 46: Beauty's Tears: Your pain, your scars, I want them all...
Li Yulan lowered his head. From this angle, Lou Wanqiao could see the small protrusion of bone at the back of his neck. He was truly frail, his body draped in rich fabric, his waist slender and thin, like a willow tree, swaying in the wind.
But his bone structure is very good, or rather his thinness makes his bone structure more prominent, with a straight nose, deep eye sockets, and thin lips of light pink, which makes people feel a sense of pity for him.
Lou Wanqiao was momentarily stunned. She had felt perfectly normal talking to Li Yulan earlier, but now, as he approached, her heartbeat inexplicably quickened, and her earlobes grew hot.
His voice was as calm as a human's, but at this moment he could inexplicably hear a hint of bewitching. Lou Wanqiao didn't know how to describe it. The man in front of him seemed to have turned into a monster in an instant, capable of seducing a person's soul.
"Li, Li Yulan, you, you..." She stuttered and stepped back, forgetting that there was a wall behind her. Her back pressed against the cold wall, forming a sharp contrast with the heat on her face.
What's going on? Why is this Proton Prince different from what was reported in the intelligence?
Lou Wanqiao would not have mistaken the murderous intent that flashed across his eyes just now. She thought that the disguise would be torn off and close combat would begin in the next second. She even felt the blade hidden in his shoe, but she did not expect that the situation would turn out like this.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Azhao? Don't you like this?" He said softly, breathing out from between his lips and teeth until it landed on her earlobe. "I heard that you've never had a lover, nor have you ever been attracted to anyone."
He paused, stretched out his hand, and gently covered her cheek with his palm: "It must have been very hard these years."
Her whole body was frozen, and she subconsciously wanted to escape. Her intuition told her that the man in front of her was very dangerous, but her body had no strength left, as if it had been drained and she could not move.
"Uh, Your Highness, that's not necessary." A chill spread across her forehead, and she turned her head awkwardly to the other side. "Some things still require careful consideration. It would be great if Your Highness could let me go back."
"Go back? Do you still want to go back after all this?" Li Yulan's words were filled with a bit of depression. He lowered his eyes, just enough to hide the sadness in them. "Azhao, I thought you understood me."
Lou Wanqiao didn't understand what he meant, so he stared at the man blankly.
When facing an enemy, she rarely looks so pleasant and calm. Most of the time, she looks at them coldly and draws her sword. But today, for some reason, although she should be alert in the current situation, she doesn't feel alert at all, as if her body is slowly relaxing.
She met his eyes, and there was sadness in her beautiful drooping eyes. His eyes were very beautiful, like crystal clear glass beads, but now they were wet, as if covered with a thin layer of mist.
When a beautiful woman sheds tears, it is most pitiful.
He gently pushed her hair behind her ears and said, "Azhao, you and I both crawled out of that quagmire, and we fought our way out of this dead end on our own... Look,"
His fingers moved down from her earlobe and landed on the back of her hand at her side. Li Yulan hooked her little finger, then gently pressed his fingertips into her palm, slowly tracing along the lines of her palm: "Your hands are calloused. It must have been very hard. You've endured so much alone over the years. You're amazing, Azhao... Your pain, your scars, I want to see and understand them, as if I could keep the old you company through them... Azhao, will you be my companion?"
He and she had unknowingly moved very close, their warm breaths mingling. Lou Wanqiao could even see herself in his eyes. A faint magnolia scent slowly and softly enveloped her, like a warm embrace, slowly calming her mind.
Those tearful eyes were full of longing and so fragile, like the most precious gem in the world. People wanted to hold them in their hands, but were afraid that they would be broken by accident.
"Azhao?..."
His voice was filled with pleading, and his upper body pressed closer to her, almost nestling in her arms: "Don't leave me alone, okay...?"
Lou Wanqiao was speechless, her mind went blank. She opened her mouth to say something but bit her tongue first.
The pain made her consciousness barely clear. Lou Wanqiao raised her cheek and distanced herself from him. She didn't know what to say for a moment, but she realized that if this continued, things might get very bad.
No, wait, how did we get to this point...
Everything had been planned. From the very beginning, she had discovered the existence of Li Yulan's forces, including their actions after arriving in the capital. During the investigation, different forces were secretly surging, and Li Lianhan's people were even tracking them openly.
She didn't expect that Li Jin would be connected with Li Yulan's people, but she quickly thought of a countermeasure.
If they let him "escape" first, the outnumbered Li Jin would definitely immediately seek out Li Yulan and use Li Yulan's men to rescue Li Lianhan. However, they were not fools and would not act rashly unless they were fully prepared.
The next step, then, was to force him to take action before they were ready. How could he do that? Naturally, he would use his good brother.
Li Lianhan was Li Jin's heaven. If his life was in danger, Li Jin would never sit idly by and wait for death. Therefore, after obtaining Li Yulan's help, he would definitely try his best to lurk beside the imprisoned Li Lianhan.
This move is like luring the snake out of its hole, hitting it at its weakest point.
What if Li Jin is not around Li Lianhan?
Then she would know her limits and strangle her to death. Looking at Li Yulan, he returned to the country to seize power in such a chaotic situation. It is thought that he must have planted spies in Dali to know so much. Naturally, he also understood her actions and knew that the power was in her hands.
Based on this, Lou Wanqiao concluded that Li Yulan would definitely look for her. As for what form that would take, whether it would be through coercion or bribery, it would be better to take the initiative into her own hands.
Besides, she also wanted to get rid of this worry as soon as possible. As long as Li Yulan was still alive, Li Su's throne would be unstable. If Li Su's throne was unstable, her next plan would be difficult to implement.
But how did things turn out like this... It seems like all the initiative is in Li Yulan's hands.
Lou Wanqiao just felt a headache. If this continued, things would become very passive. Not to mention whether she could achieve her goal or get rid of Li Yulan, she might fall into Li Yulan's trap first!
I was careless!
The floral fragrance lingering around became stronger and stronger, but when I sniffed it carefully, it seemed ethereal and illusory. My head began to feel dizzy and my eyelids became heavy.
"Azhao..." Li Yulan's voice seemed to be far away in the sky, yet it seemed to be very close to her. "Stay with me, and never separate, okay? For a long, long time, I will never betray you, and will never abandon you...Azhao, just tie yourself to me like this, and no one can untie you..."
Lou Wanqiao's mind raced with alarm. She bit her tongue, a bloody taste spreading through her mouth. The pain cleared her mind a little, and with a powerful willpower, she raised her hand to push the man in front of her. Her fingertips hooked onto his belt, and with a single push, his robe slid down, hanging halfway between Li Yulan's arms.
Then his upper body was half hidden and half visible like the fog in the mountains, and only a pair of deep eyes stared at her quietly. He did not speak again, but those eyes that could speak were making silent accusations in the long silence.
Lou Wanqiao saw more scenes in an instant.
For example, the scabbed scars on his body, and the protruding bones between his torso. His body was extremely thin, and his skin was very fair, which made the scars even more obvious. Looking up, besides those, there was also a deeper mist in his eyes.
That scene seemed as if Lou Wanqiao had done something unforgivable to him.
She felt a sudden dizziness in her head and quickly held her breath to concentrate. Based on her years of experience, there was definitely something wrong with this room or with Li Yulan!
"It's okay, Azhao," his voice was a little hoarse, and the last syllable fell low. He straightened up slightly and let the clothes half hanging on his arm slide down.
Lou Wanqiao then noticed the scar on his waist.
New wounds crisscrossed with old ones, making it hard to imagine how he had managed to survive all these years. An unloved hostage sent to an enemy country, simply surviving had already exhausted all his strength. Yet, he had emerged from the depths of the palace, gained a certain amount of power, and cultivated his own forces, allowing him to once again return to the source of this pain.
Lou Wanqiao understood his desire for revenge.
But if there is a conflict of interest, she will not be soft-hearted.
The way to resolve conflicts is not to give in or compromise, nor is it to willingly become a pawn of your opponent.
Before Li Yulan could take the next step, she grabbed his wrist and said, "Wait a minute!"
Lou Wanqiao met his puzzled gaze and said in a hoarse voice, "We can cooperate! But Li Yulan, the scene of cooperation is definitely not like this! Put on your clothes first, and don't use any tricks..."
There's something wrong with his scent!
If Lou Wanqiao hadn't noticed the faint smell at first, then the feeling of something wrong with her body and the increasingly strong smell would have clearly reminded her.
Li Yulan, he's been attacking people's hearts from the very beginning!
"Li Yulan!" She twisted her thigh fiercely with her free hand. "Listen to me, I understand your difficulties. We have a common enemy. I have helped you deal with Li Lianhan, and he has fallen into your hands. You can do whatever you want with him. As for the rest, let's talk it over!"
Her head was getting more and more dizzy, and Lou Wanqiao felt black in front of her eyes. She knew this was a sign of coma.
Now she has two choices.
Make Li Yulan change his mind before he completely loses consciousness, no matter what he wants to do.
Kill Li Yulan.
In just a few seconds, she quickly thought of the second plan in her mind and concluded that the possibility of success was too low.
Not to mention her current poor physical condition and the risk of fainting at any moment, Li Yulan's own strength was unfathomable, and she was truly unsure. If she angered Li Yulan, she didn't know if she would ever be able to open her eyes again after passing out.
In the past, she might not have worried so much, but now many things are just one step away, and she wants to see things concluded smoothly and everything come to fruition.
Can't die yet.
She leaned against the wall, not even bothering to hold her breath. Her breathing became disordered and she could only gasp for air.
"I think your highness's ambitions don't stop here. How can a Dali satisfy your highness's appetite?" She held Li Yulan's arm tightly, leaning against the wall behind her to barely support herself. "I am willing to help your highness obtain Dajin..."
After a pause, he looked up at Li Yulan's slightly surprised gaze and continued with difficulty: "There are also the relics left by Concubine Xiang..."
Having said this, she could no longer hold on and passed out.
…
The air fell into silence again.
Li Yulan looked at the person leaning against the wall with a complicated expression.
I thought she would not be able to withstand such an offensive no matter what, but I didn't expect that she was actually negotiating the terms seriously.
No, rather than conditions, it’s more about showing another side of yourself that is more valuable.
Li Yulan didn't know how to describe this person.
He had seen many people and experienced the darkest and most filthy things in the imperial palace and court. But after experiencing humiliation, Li Yulan no longer cared about anything. As long as he could climb the ladder and gain power, nothing else mattered.
Some are corrupt with him, some are willing to fall, and some are absolutely righteous...
But this was the first time he had met someone like Lou Wanqiao.
They seem to be the same kind of people, but also seem not to be.
He was also shocked by Lou Wanqiao's last words before she fainted. She had just mentioned his mother... His mother had passed away a long time ago, and when his mother passed away, he couldn't even attend the funeral.
Because he was far away in a foreign country at the time, even the news didn't arrive until a long time later. Li Yulan couldn't show any emotion and could only swallow the pain back.
The scars on the body have scabbed over, but the scars in the heart remain forever.
She just mentioned her mother's relics... If it was Lou Wanqiao, she might really know something.
And the conditions she proposed... I have to say, they are indeed very attractive.
The current Dali is not challenging at all. He cannot swallow the humiliation he suffered in the past, but he will make them pay back a hundredfold for the humiliation they suffered in the Jin Kingdom.
Li Yulan glanced at Lou Wanqiao again and retracted his emotion. His eyes were no longer as affectionate as before; a single blink brought tears to his eyes, a stark contrast to his expressionless face.
Tears are just the cheapest weapon.
Tears dripped down Lou Wanqiao's face. He put on his clothes and carried Lou Wanqiao back to bed.
"Azhao," he said softly, "please don't let me down."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yulan walked to the door. As soon as he opened it, he saw his subordinate lowering his head and reporting: "Your Highness, Pingyuan Hou's men have found us!"
"Hmm?" He frowned. "Where is he now?"
"Reporting to His Highness, when we received the intelligence, he, he was already at the entrance of the inn..."
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