Anti-Knochen-Scharlachlied

Kapitel 144

Who is this person? A doctor?

Where are the imperial physicians in the palace?

Wanlan glanced at Zhao Defang with a puzzled look, only to see that he also looked confused.

"Royal Uncle".

The two of them took a few steps closer to Zhao Jiong. "How is the Empress Dowager?"

"Deqing! You've come at the perfect time!"

As soon as Zhao Jiong saw Wanlan, he grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the inner palace, his face contorted with rage. "What did you say to her yesterday? Why did she become so distraught? Perhaps I was wrong from the start! I thought you were the only one who would genuinely bless me and Ning'er! But you're just like 'her,' repeatedly trying to sow discord between me and Ning'er! Jiao Wanlan, what exactly do you want?"

Wanlan looked past him at the woman on the bed and quietly asked, "How is she?"

"Don't bother with me! You're not allowed to see her again!"

"Royal Uncle!"

Zhao Defang, who followed her out, pulled Wanlan back to his side and frowned. "Let's wait until Mother wakes up to discuss how this happened. Calm down."

Wanlan patted his hand that was tightly holding hers, and calmly looked directly at the angry man in front of her. "Uncle, don't worry, if you don't allow it, I will never see her again. I came to see you today just to see that she is safe and sound. Also, I want to ask you what Zhao Dezhao said yesterday that made him take his own life today?"

Zhao Jiong paused for a moment, then sneered.

"Jiao Wanlan, there's no need for you to know what I said to Zhao Dezhao. What does his foolish behavior today have to do with me?"

If you're truly interested, why don't you find the reasons yourself?

He turned away with a flick of his sleeve and said coldly, "Ning'er is fine, you can leave in peace. I don't care where you want to take Defang in the future!"

So, can they finally leave?

After everything and everyone has changed?

Wanlan and Zhao Defang exchanged a glance, both wearing bitter smiles.

"Uncle, since that's the case, Wanlan and I will take our leave."

Zhao Defang quietly looked at Zhao Jiong, who stood ramrod straight, held Wanlan's hand tightly, and turned to leave without looking back.

When they arrived at the Prince of Yan's residence, they found it filled with the sounds of crying and wailing.

The appearance of Wanlan stunned the wives and concubines who were crying and making a fuss in the mourning hall for a moment, and the entire mourning hall became quiet as if no one was there.

Who in the Prince of Yan's mansion doesn't know him? Yesterday, the Prince of Yan entered the mansion holding this woman's hand. Not long after she left, he locked himself in his study until this morning when the servants discovered that he had passed away.

Therefore, Wanlan's appearance only attracted more resentful stares. If Zhao Defang hadn't been there with her, she probably would have been kicked out of the room by everyone.

Wanlan was completely unaware of the strangeness caused by her appearance. She simply walked blankly toward the coffin in the center of the mourning hall, staring at the man lying quietly in the coffin.

His pale face held an unusual calm, and there seemed to be a faint smile on his lips. If she could really feel his presence, she would have thought he was just sleeping.

"Why……"

She murmured to herself, still unable to believe his death, and unable to understand why he had taken this path to his death. "What was it all for? Yesterday he was holding her hand and telling her so affectionately that he had loved her very, very much. He also said that there were people in this world he cherished. Why did he give up so easily?"

Who is the person you cherish?

Zehua? Why did he leave without hesitation?

Was it because of him? Because he knew that Zehua and he would be alright, so he left without worry?

"I love her so much..."

Wanlan murmured the words he had once spoken, his eyes suddenly widening. Could it be... for her? To pursue that woman who had disappeared somewhere?

Zhao Defang slowly walked to her side and embraced her, keeping her company as she looked at the man who was forever asleep.

"Is it for her?"

She closed her eyes, turned her face to bury it in his chest, and asked in a choked voice, "He loves her so much... I'm the one who ruined him, right?"

Zehua...why did he do this...why did he do this...?

Zhao Defang remained silent.

He gazed intently at the man in the coffin, his eyes filled with a hidden pain and bewilderment... On the day Zhao Defang left the capital with his wife, heavy snow fell.

The entire city of Kaifeng was covered in a blinding silvery white, and all beauty and ugliness, familiarity and strangeness, joy and pain, persistence and resentment, love and hatred became indistinct under the fluttering snowflakes.

The only one who came to see them off was Xue Weiji, the young master who had gradually returned to his former dashing self after Su Xin's death, and who was filled with deep confusion as Wanlan and the others left the capital.

He said, "What exactly are we searching for?"

Wanlan smiled faintly at him and said, "What we pursue is not important; what matters is what we possess."

She took one last look at Kaifeng City, then, with Zehua's help, boarded the carriage. She picked up Xiao Weixian, who was playing happily by himself inside, and subconsciously turned her gaze towards the direction of the palace.

Ultimately, Wei Xu was unable to leave with them.

When Song Huining woke up and learned that they were leaving, she dragged her still-unwell body to the Prince of Qin's mansion to ask them to stay. After learning that they could not change their minds, she insisted on keeping Weixu.

Xiao Weixu also decided to stay by his grandmother's side.

The Empress Dowager remained silent about the entanglement with the Imperial Uncle, and Wanlan no longer cared. Regardless of their fate, she neither wanted to nor could she care.

Xuan'er and the Lan brothers were also dismissed and sent away from the capital by Zehua.