Chapter 109: If you want to divorce me after being assassinated, wait until I die.
Lu Tingwan couldn't figure out his intentions for a moment. Was he here to silence her? To accuse her? Or to find someone to talk to?
After thinking about it, he asked, "Is Gongsun Xue's child really Jiang Qingsheng's?"
Cheng Xianzhi glanced at her and said, "Yeah."
Lu Tingwan knew Jiang Qingsheng was dead, and could sense that he was not feeling well. She couldn't help but ask, "When did you find out?"
Perhaps it wasn't easy for him right now, so Lu Tingwan changed the question, "Does Gongsun Xue know whether Jiang Qingsheng is dead or alive?"
He clearly saw that Lu Tingwan's eyes were sympathetic to him, and Cheng Xianzhi was inexplicably irritated.
"Is that all you want to ask?"
"You asked me to ask, but you weren't happy about it."
"Only after I missed my appointment with you that day did I learn that Gongsun Xue was pregnant with Jiang Qingsheng's child." Cheng Xianzhi looked down at her and said gently, "I wanted to tell you at the palace banquet."
"You don't have to tell me about this kind of thing," Lu Tingwan whispered. "You're a minister, so it's hard to talk about this kind of thing. You haven't told me all this time. Aren't you just tolerating Gongsun Xue? If you don't care and are willing to accept Gongsun Xue, then no one else has the right to ask."
The wind blew over, ruffling her hair. Cheng Xianzhi raised his hand to straighten it out, but before he could touch her, Lu Tingwan dodged, "You, you don't have to do this."
"I didn't hear anything, and I won't tell anyone. This is a matter between you two." Lu Tingwan took a step back. "Once I recover from my injuries, I will return to Jinhua Palace."
Cheng Xianzhi frowned and approached her. Lu Tingwan was confused and leaned against the wall, swearing, "I promise, I swear, I will never tell anyone."
She misunderstood. Cheng Xianzhi smiled bitterly, took two steps back, and looked at her chest. "Take good care of your injuries."
After he left Yansheng Hall, Lu Tingwan looked at his tall and graceful back and sighed deeply. She had clearly heard everything, including Gongsun Xue's questioning. Cheng Xianzhi and Gongsun Xue had no love between them as husband and wife, and everything was just an illusion. Gongsun Xue held a grudge and had been hanging out with Jiang Qingsheng just to get revenge on Cheng Xianzhi.
Lu Tingwan had a complicated expression. She didn't know how to face Cheng Xianzhi. She held back the words she wanted to confess and ask that night.
The wound in his heart ached from time to time. Lu Tingwan sat down on the rattan chair, and the wind blew away his thoughts.
From then on, Cheng Xianzhi would visit her at Yansheng Hall whenever he had time. As Lu Tingwan's injuries gradually improved, she would discuss recent court events with Cheng Xianzhi, including Duke Jiang's witnessing his son's beheading and forcing the Turks back outside Shanhaiguan.
The Jiang Party has been restrained recently, and Concubine Rong is about to give birth.
Once the dragon fetus is born and the Queen Mother knows it is the prince, there is no telling what kind of counterattack she will take. During the last assassination at the palace banquet, the imperial guards stepped up their patrols, and Xie Zhao was also very busy.
In her free time, Lu Tingwan would read ancient books related to machinery and draw pictures on paper. Feng Xin couldn't understand the lines she drew, as they were marks that only she could understand. They recorded the income and expenditure of Jinhua Palace over the years. The accounts left by Hong Zhang Palace were flawless, so it would be too difficult to find any clues in them.
Lu Tingwan had secretly investigated officials who had close ties with Lu Mingqian over the years, but had found no leads. The Empress Dowager had chosen to stay in Kyoto, and the fact that she was so willing to let him stay must have meant she had made every possible preparation.
Lu Tingwan closed the book and her shoulders drooped. The setting sun fell on the windowsill and hit the desk. The fragrance of flowers in the courtyard wafted in. She looked out the window and saw a flock of geese flying by.
The next day at dawn, Lu Tingwan went to find Cheng Xianzhi. His injuries had healed and it was time for him to return to the palace.
Cheng Xianzhi had been frequently going to the training grounds outside the city lately. He had just taken off his armor when Lu Tingwan stood by the doorway, waiting. Cheng Xianzhi emerged from behind the screen, changed into casual clothes, and raised his hand to motion for her to come in and sit down. "What's going on?"
Lu Tingwan didn't move, but stood up straight. "My injuries have healed, and I plan to return to the palace the day after tomorrow to let you know."
Cheng Xianzhi opened the document and fixed his eyes on her. "The day after tomorrow?"
"Um."
He knew he couldn't keep her, so after a moment's silence, he said, "I'll take you there."
Lu Tingwan nodded and left the study. In the afternoon, Cheng Xianzhi left the city for the parade ground. It was midnight when he returned to the city. The woods were filled with the chirping of birds and the galloping of horses. A hidden arrow flew through the woods. The alert Han Zhou flew forward and blocked the arrow with his sword. When the arrow bounced off, it touched the second mechanism, and the broken arrow inside exploded, piercing Cheng Xianzhi's shoulder armor.
"Sir!" Han Zhou's voice broke through the air, horses neighed and raised their hooves, and elegant birds in the forest took flight.
In the Shangshu Mansion, Cheng Xianzhi, covered in blood, was carried into the study. Servants were carrying basins of blood in and out. The noise startled Gongsun Xue, who was pregnant in Yingyue Pavilion. Lu Tingwan had just fallen asleep and the study was close by, so she was woken up by the noise.
Lu Tingwan called out to Feng Xin: "Why is it so noisy outside?"
Feng Xin went out to inquire for a while and came back, "Second Madam, it's the master. He came back from the army and was seriously injured."
"Cheng Xianzhi is injured?" Lu Tingwan lifted the quilt and stood up. Her injuries were not serious. "Is his life in danger?"
"The imperial physician is here, and the eldest lady is here with her pregnant belly."
"I'll go and take a look." Lu Tingwan remained calm. While putting on his clothes, he was thinking about Feng Xin's words. If he was not injured in the army, then if he was injured while returning to the city, he must have been assassinated. His political enemies were nothing more than the Jiang Party, but there was no reason for the Queen Mother Jiang to take risks when she was in the center of the storm.
In front of her was a brightly lit study. No one noticed Lu Tingwan's arrival. She was stuck outside the screen. Cheng Xianzhi was out of danger and his life was not in danger.
Han Zhou saw a figure outside the screen and called out, "Second Madam?"
Gongsun Xue, sitting at the front of the couch, glanced back, her eyes brimming with hidden hostility. She might have overheard the two talking outside Yingyue Pavilion that day, but she feigned indifference. But Cheng Xianzhi had promised Lu Tingwan that he wouldn't tell, and he wouldn't break his promise. And Lu Tingwan had behaved well, so Gongsun Xue felt a little more reassured.
"The Second Madam is here too. She was thinking that you had just recovered from your injuries, so she didn't send a message to you to rest."
"It's okay," Lu Tingwan stepped forward and asked Han Zhou, "How's Cheng Xianzhi?"
"It's nothing serious. The imperial physician said she needs to rest." Han Zhou seemed to have something to say to Lu Tingwan, "The eldest lady is pregnant. Han Zhou will take care of her here. You can go back first."
Gongsun Xue looked at the man on the couch, his face was pale, and only at this moment did he look dull.
"My injuries have healed, and I can take turns caring for him with Han Zhou."
Gongsun Xue didn't stay long. After she left, Lu Tingwan thoughtfully asked Han Zhou, "Do you have something to tell me?"
"But did you encounter an assassin on the way back to the city?"
Han Zhou took out the arrows he had taken from Cheng Xianzhi's body and said, "My Lord and I were returning to the city from the training ground when we were ambushed. The hidden weapon was really sophisticated. I had clearly blocked it, but I never expected it to happen."
Lu Tingwan stared at the tiny arrows, five or six of which he had taken down. "After you blocked them, the force activated the second layer of the mechanism, releasing the arrow inside. That's why you weren't prepared for the second attack from the hidden weapon."
"This weapon is incredibly powerful. Is there anyone in Kyoto who can forge it?"
"The Second Madam is very thoughtful. I have been solving cases with you for many years and have never seen such a hidden weapon."
"If it's not in Kyoto, then it must have come from somewhere else," Lu Tingwan thought. She had read a lot of ancient mechanical books during her recovery. She carefully examined the structure above and found it very familiar. "This hidden weapon certainly doesn't look like something from Kyoto. Who did Cheng Xianzhi offend recently and who wants to kill him? Is it Jiang Qingsheng? Or is it Duke Jiang?"
Seeing her shake her head again, "Han Zhou, I'll take care of this place. Go back to where we ambushed tonight and look for any other clues."
Han Zhou nodded, but felt strange as to why he should obey her orders.
It was late in the morning and the room was quiet. Lu Tingwan's sleepy figure moved from the table to the couch. Cheng Xianzhi was still asleep, so she could no longer hold on and fell asleep on the edge of the couch.
At dawn, there was a movement from the couch. Cheng Xianzhi stirred slightly, his blurry vision gradually clearing. Turning his head, he could see Lu Tingwan, sleeping soundly in front of the couch, her arms resting on her head. Her eyelashes were trembling slightly, and perhaps from lying on the couch for too long, marks were left on her cheeks. Her hair fell down, covering her brow. Cheng Xianzhi's lips curled up slightly, and he raised his hand to straighten her hair. The wound on her body was tearing, and his brows were furrowed.
He paused for a moment, endured the pain and touched her warmth, which dispelled the pain.
The corners of her lips were raised, Lu Tingwan moved slightly, hummed softly and continued to sleep. Cheng Xianzhi stared at this face unscrupulously. The flesh on her cheeks was pressed by her and looked very cute, and her red lips were slightly open.
Cheng Xianzhi's head was hot, and he moved his finger to her lips. Lu Tingwan woke up at this moment, opened her sleepy eyes, rubbed them, and asked hoarsely, "Are you awake?"
After a pause, she seemed to remember something and said in a louder voice, "You're awake!"
"I'll go call the imperial physician." Lu Tingwan stood up. Cheng Xianyi grabbed her wrist and pulled the wound with hissing motion.
Lu Tingwan was brought back by his strength, and suddenly plunged into the couch, supporting herself with her arms. A cold outline with a hint of fatigue came into view, and her breath was hot.
After reacting, she quickly stood up, took a few steps away from the bed, and said softly, "What, what happened?"
"No need to call the imperial physician. Where is Han Zhou?" Cheng Xianzhi coughed lightly and looked away.
"You were assassinated on your way back to the city. There's something fishy about it. The imperial physician said your life is not in danger, so I sent him to the assassination site to look for any traces. Maybe he can find something."
She reacted quickly and returned to the crime scene as soon as the assassin succeeded. If she was too late, the assassin would have realized what was happening and destroyed any traces left behind.
"Did this kind of thing happen often in the past?" Lu Tingwan looked at the calmness on Cheng Xianzhi's face. For someone of his status, it must be common for him to be assassinated.
"What about you? Why are you here?" Cheng Xianzhi glanced at her.
"Someone has to keep watch in the mansion. Gongsun Xue is pregnant and can't keep watch. Han Zhou is not here, so I'm the only one left."
Cheng Xianzhi chuckled, "There are over a hundred people in my Shangshu Mansion."
Lu Tingwan frowned and stretched lazily, the movement of her waist becoming more and more obvious. Cheng Xianzhi accidentally glanced at her figure and his cheeks flushed slightly.
"Then let your number one come to guard the bed. I'm going back."
Cheng Xianzhi was so angry that he was speechless, and the only smell in the room was the smell of medicine.
She didn't sleep well last night. After returning to Yansheng Hall, she fell asleep as soon as she touched her pillow. During this time, Cheng Xianzhi met Han Zhou and only found some footprints with heavy marks from boots. There were also traces of weapons fighting at the scene. Apart from that, there was nothing else to find.
Cheng Xianzhi gave Han Zhou some more instructions before he left. Bored in his room, he went to Cang Shu to ask about the people at Yansheng Hall, "What's Lu Tingwan doing?"
"The Second Madam is admiring the flowers in the courtyard."
"Appreciating flowers? She does have the leisure time for that." Cheng Xianzhi sneered.
"The Second Madam said that since the Master is not going to die, she has nothing to do and must return to the palace tomorrow."
Cang Zhu's words made Cheng Xianzhi, who had just caught his breath, hold his breath again. He clenched his hands under the quilt and closed his eyes to suppress his anger. "Go to Yansheng Hall and tell them that I'm sick and dying."
"Ah ah?" Cangshu stood there in a daze.
"go!"
The flowers in Yansheng Hall were in full bloom. She was lying in a rocking chair with a piece of dessert in her hand. Feng Xin had just brought a pot of osmanthus wine from the house to go with the dessert when she saw Cangzhu rushing in.
"Second Madam, sir, something is wrong."
The rocking chair swayed gently, and Lu Tingwan was leisurely, "What's wrong? Aren't we all awake?"
"My Lord has suddenly fainted. The Imperial Physician has examined him. If he doesn't wake up tomorrow morning, I'm afraid, I'm afraid..."
The cake in Lu Tingwan's mouth got stuck in his throat. He wanted to speak but couldn't. He slammed the bamboo table. Feng Xin hurriedly handed him some wine. Only then did he swallow it. He suppressed his throat and said with difficulty: "Isn't it fine this morning? What's wrong?"
"The eldest lady has already seen it, but she is not in good health and cannot stay by the bed all the time. The second lady is now the backbone of the mansion, so you should go and see it."
"He's going to die? He can't die!" Lu Tingwan thought for a moment and stood up, about to walk out. He took two steps and then stepped back. "Cang Shu, you go first, I'll be right there."
Feng Xin saw her enter the inner room and heard the sound of rummaging through the cabinets. She came out soon after.
There was no one else in the study except Cangshu. Nothing seemed as Cangshu had described, but she couldn't see what was wrong. Cheng Xianzhi lay on the couch with his eyes closed, the strong smell of medicine. Lu Tingwan looked at him several times. His complexion was clearly better than during the day, so how could he have suddenly become ill?
In the quiet study, the sound of wind could be heard. For a long time, she muttered to herself, "How can this be serious? If Cheng Xianzhi dies, then the divorce agreement he promised me will be gone. If I want to escape from the Cheng Mansion, won't I have to ask Gongsun Xue for help?"
"Cheng Xianzhi," Lu Tingwan looked at the person on the couch and called out several times, "Cheng Xianzhi?"
No one responded in front of the bed, and the breathing was steady.
She took out the divorce letter from her arms, held it in her arms and sat down in front of the couch, beginning to worry, "You can't die."
"But if I ask you to put your handprint on it now, it will still be considered as a divorce, right?" She pondered, walked towards the desk and flipped through it again, looking for the handprint. "You won't blame me, right?"
"No, let's wait until he wakes up before signing." She felt guilty and sat back in front of the couch, leaning on the edge of the couch bored, and placed the divorce papers on the quilt covering Cheng Xianzhi.
"If you had given me the divorce papers in the beginning, I might have already opened my own flower garden in my hometown of Jiangling and become extremely wealthy."
"If you don't die, when will you sign the divorce papers for me after you wake up?"
“…”
The man with his eyes closed frowned and spoke slowly, his clear and cold voice a little hoarse, "You want a divorce? Wait until I die."
Lu Tingwan suddenly stood up, "You, you're awake?"
Cheng Xianzhi glared at her, and she felt a chill on her back. He took the divorce papers from her and asked, "Are you afraid I'll die? Or are you hoping I'll die soon?"
"you……"
"It was Cangshu who said you suddenly became seriously ill and wouldn't survive the night..."
"What if I can't make it through tonight?"
"If you really want to die, you must fulfill your promise and give me the divorce papers before you die."
"You want a divorce? Wait until I die."
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