Chapter 64: Li Yulan's Home Court I didn't expect you to look even better in this dress...
The night, as dark as ink, quietly enveloped the capital. The clamor of the city gradually faded, with only the occasional sound of the night watchman's clappers piercing the silent streets.
Inside the inn, the door to the room was silently pushed open, and a dark figure flashed in first. It was Wen Xuechi, his swift and agile figure. He removed his dark, dew-stained outer robe, revealing his easy-to-move nightgown beneath. His eyes were as sharp as ever, without a trace of fatigue.
A moment later, another figure quietly returned from the side door. It was Lou Wanqiao. She shook off the dew on her body and lit the candle on the table.
In a short while, the teapot began to bubble with steam in the night, and a warm mist filled the room. Lou Wanqiao exhaled lightly and poured two cups of tea.
"how?"
Wen Xuechi took the hot tea and whispered, "Through a few friends in the underworld and informants from the Cao Gang, I've verified the several undercover agents provided by Li Yulan. One, a small-time leader in charge of the West City patrol, has been confirmed to be reliable, but his family is under surveillance by the Crown Prince's forces, and he's eager to break free from their control. Of the other two, one was transferred from his original position and his whereabouts are unknown, and the other..." He paused, his voice slightly cold, "Coincidentally, he slipped and fell into the river after drinking last night and drowned."
Lou Wanqiao's eyes narrowed: "Silence?"
"Nine out of ten," Wen Xuechi nodded. "It seems the Crown Prince has noticed something and has begun clearing out the area. However, it's likely just to deal with Li Yulan, and has little to do with our current mission. Their connection is still unknown, but they're definitely quite close. Furthermore, the defenses around the horse farm are incredibly strong, especially on the perimeter. The number of sentries alone is incalculable, a force accumulated over the years."
He pushed a roughly drawn defense map in front of Lou Wanqiao.
She scanned the sketch, jotting down the key points. "Rest early tonight. Starting tomorrow, we must be extremely vigilant and never let our guard down. We're in a foreign country now, where our forces are hard to penetrate. Our situation is even more precarious. One misstep could lead to total failure... No matter what happens, our own safety is paramount."
Wen Xuechi took the last sip of tea and tapped the cup lightly on the table.
"What's wrong?" Lou Wanqiao keenly noticed that something was wrong with his mood and moved closer to check his expression.
There seemed to be an indelible worry lingering between his brows. Wen Xuechi looked at her with his eyes lowered, raised his arm, and gently placed his warm palm on her cheek.
"Aqiao," he said in a low voice, "Although I know that the overall situation is the most important, I still..."
I don't want you to go.
I don't want you to leave me.
I don't want to see you walk towards someone else.
I want you to look at me, only me.
He didn't say anything else, but his eyes hid too many emotions, and Lou Wanqiao couldn't understand them for a moment.
Wen Xuechi stared into her eyes, which were so pure and clean, yet possessed of an extraordinary determination.
...He really didn't want to, and couldn't bear to let those eyes be tainted with darkness because of being hidden away.
His A Qiao should walk on the bright and open road.
Under her gaze, Wen Xuechi exhaled softly: "Forget it..."
"Forget it?" Lou Wanqiao raised his eyebrows. "Then I think I know what you're thinking."
Without waiting for Wen Xuechi to react, she raised her hand and pressed his slightly relaxed palm back to her cheek, then lowered her head and rubbed it affectionately.
Wen Xuechi suddenly opened his eyes wide.
His heart skipped a beat.
Boom, boom, boom.
Then there was an even more violent beating.
Boom boom boom boom.
"Yan Gui, don't worry." Her voice was completely different from her usual gentleness, carrying an inexplicable calming power. "You know me. I will protect myself. If anything happens, I will prioritize escaping. You know my strength. Although this trip is very uncertain, someone has to go... and I am the most suitable person."
She was prepared from the beginning.
From initially seeking revenge for the Liu family to later moving forward for millions of people.
To do this, she must hold power and also shoulder the corresponding responsibilities.
As she walked further, the burden on her shoulders became heavier, but this just meant that she had more and more control.
Wen Xuechi's eyes became clear and firm: "Aqiao, I will accompany you."
"You've told me this several times, and I believe you can do it." Lou Wanqiao's fingertips lifted the hair that fell on his shoulders and lowered his head to kiss him. "Be good, don't think too much. Get some rest. You're still needed outside. Just wait for me to come back."
Wen Xuechi sat stiffly, not moving for a long time.
"...I understand, Aqiao, I will wait for you to come back." He tentatively stretched out his hand and gently held Lou Wanqiao in his arms.
A familiar and pleasant smell, unique, belonging only to Aqiao, and only to him.
Wen Xuechi felt that he was the luckiest person. At least A Qiao had firmly chosen him. As for the rest, it didn't matter.
The candle burns out, and the night ends.
The next morning, an extremely luxurious and exaggerated carriage stopped at the remote back door of the inn, attracting the attention of passers-by.
The carriage is made entirely of precious dark purple wood, its walls inlaid with intricate golden patterns, and exquisite golden bells hang on the four corners, making crisp but not noisy sounds as the horse moves.
The carriage windows were covered with thick velvet curtains embroidered with gold eagle totems, and the four horses pulling the carriage had unusually sleek coats. The entire carriage exuded an air of extravagance and extravagance, a characteristic of the Jin imperial family.
The curtain of the carriage was opened by a pale, slender hand with distinct joints, and Li Yulan leaned out: "Azhao, I'm here to pick you up."
Today, he was dressed in the finery of a Jin Dynasty royal noble: a dark base with gold trimmings, and flamboyant birds of prey embroidered on the cuffs and lapels. His dark hair was tied back with a jade crown. Although his face remained pale, his peach-shaped eyes shone with excitement and the anticipation of imminent success. His previous frail demeanor was shattered, and he became extremely aggressive.
He looked at Wen Xuechi, his lips curled up in an almost provocative arc: "As for the matters outside, I have to ask you to help me."
Wen Xuechi's face was icy cold, his hand pressed against the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white from the force. His aura nearly froze the air around him, and his gaze fixed on Li Yulan, filled with undisguised warning and murderous intent.
Lou Wanqiao gently pressed Wen Xuechi's arm, signaling him to calm down. She had changed into the outfit Li Yulan had sent her today, a relatively ornate dress, in keeping with the style of a Jin Dynasty noblewoman. A light veil covered her face, obscuring most of her features, revealing only a pair of calm, watery eyes. She nodded slightly at Wen Xuechi and whispered, "According to the plan, wait for my signal."
Wen Xuechi took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the surging anger and worry. He nodded heavily and squeezed out two words from between his teeth: "Be careful."
Lou Wanqiao said no more, took the hand extended by Li Yulan, and boarded the overly luxurious carriage.
The car's interior was extremely spacious, covered in thick, soft carpets. A small, golden nanmu wood table sat in the center, upon which lay fresh fruit and exquisite Jin Dynasty pastries. The car was filled with a rich, unique fragrance, carrying an exotic, mysterious air that blended with the subtle magnolia scent of Li Yulan.
The curtains fell, blocking out the outside world. The carriage slowly started, golden bells jingling, and drove towards the palace.
Inside the car, Li Yulan relaxed his posture almost immediately, leaning lazily on the soft brocade cushion, his eyes falling on Lou Wanqiao without any hesitation, with admiration and a kind of possessive desire.
"How is it, Azhao? Do you like it here?" He asked with a smile, casually picked up a grape and slowly peeled it. "Azhao, although I already knew you were the most beautiful, I didn't expect you to be even more dazzling in this dress. I can't take my eyes off you..."
Lou Wanqiao glanced at the car's interior and said calmly, "You're being too ostentatious, Your Highness. This doesn't sound like a low-key return to the palace; it's more like you're afraid the Crown Prince won't know you're back. Are you living so well in the Jin Kingdom?"
"Haha..." Li Yulan chuckled and passed the peeled grapes to Lou Wanqiao's lips, "I just want him to know. The more I show off, the more he will think I'm fearless, and he will become suspicious and restrained. What's more..."
His tone changed, his eyes becoming darker. "I've been 'taken care of' for so many years. Now that I'm back, I naturally want to... claim it back in a dignified manner."
His voice gradually became softer, and the three words he spoke were spoken lightly, but with a chilling chill.
Lou Wanqiao turned her head away from the grape he offered her, took one herself, and placed it in her mouth through her veil, chewing it carefully before swallowing it. "I don't care about your personal grudges, just remember our goal. Is there anything else I should remember about the Crown Prince?"
Li Yulan didn't force him. He ate the grapes and licked his fingertips. "Him? A suspicious, self-willed loser, a barbaric and vulgar man who only relies on force to solve everything. He is cruel and brutal. The Jin people are all brainless guys. You don't have to worry too much."
"Azhao, I went to some of my old haunts yesterday... There were a lot of interesting messages circulating in the 'rat holes,'" he said, referring to those gray areas where all kinds of people gather and are well-informed. "Border frictions are intensifying. The Jin Kingdom hasn't been able to gain sufficient benefits, and the people in the court haven't come up with any practical ideas. The crown prince's temper has become increasingly violent recently, and he has beaten several ministers to death. Everyone in the palace is in danger, and..."
A sneer played on his lips. "The Crown Prince seems to have recently acquired a new favorite concubine, and he cherishes her very much. He's been staying at her villa lately, and the security there isn't that strict... As to whether this is rare information or a trap, I don't know."
Lou Wanqiao held his forehead, feeling that this guy seemed to have relaxed all of a sudden when he arrived in the Kingdom of Jin. His presence instantly increased a lot, as if he was back at home.
"The Crown Prince's temperament is becoming increasingly unstable. While this presents a crisis, it could also be an opportunity, making it more likely for mistakes to occur. Regarding the concubine's quarters..." She pondered for a moment, "I'll keep a note of this for now. It may be useful in the future, but it's best not to act rashly, as it could be a decoy. If there's anything you need me to do, please let me know."
Lou Wanqiao waved his hand after saying this, closed his eyes, leaned back on the cushion and began to think of a countermeasure in his mind.
Beneath the brief calm lies an increasingly turbulent undercurrent. Obtaining intelligence is only the first step. How to use this intelligence to fight for a glimmer of hope in this dangerous place is the real test.
"Don't worry, Azhao, you just need to follow me, and leave the rest to me." Li Yulan responded softly. Seeing this, he no longer disturbed her, but his eyes still lingered on her greedily, as if he was admiring a rare treasure that was about to be obtained.
The carriage passed through the bustling streets, no one daring to stop it. The sound of golden bells carried the two men, each with their own thoughts, towards the heart of power and crisis.
The palace gate was shrouded in a towering and oppressive shadow, like a beast with its mouth wide open not far away, waiting for its prey to slowly approach.
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