Scharlachroter Regen überflutet die Stadt

Kapitel 69

He is Crown Prince Yanlun's loyal bodyguard, and also He Bo, who is wholeheartedly protecting me.

His greatest wish was to see me secure the throne for my father, but he failed to witness the turmoil in the court, the suffering of the people, and the panic among the officials.

Every change of dynasty requires countless lives sacrificed, which is not something I want to see.

Even though Herbert's death was pointless, I don't want to see more people leave like him.

So, my father is still the same loving and respectful father I have always known; nothing has changed.

I'm just lonely because of Herbert's departure.

I sent He Bo's body back to his hometown, Huainan City.

He Bo's tomb is in the woods below Huainan City. There is no tombstone because I do not know his name.

At that time, I already knew that one day I would marry the woman from Huainan City.

As expected of a prestigious family, I heard about the elegant and charming stories of the daughter of the King of Huainan in just a few days in Huainan City.

I would listen to the descriptions of the three Rong daughters, and I was very curious about what kind of woman the future Princess Ningshuo would be.

The first time I saw Zhaozhi was in the crabapple grove on the outskirts of Huainan. She was indeed a woman like a crabapple tree. She walked slowly out of the grove with light, jade-like steps. Her long skirt fluttered in the wind, like a fairy who had come out of the forest. She was covered with the fragrance of crabapple. Her beauty was poignant and lingering. She was not a stunning beauty, but she was still captivating.

Could this girl, who so gently reveals her smile, one day build a Ning Shuo Prince's Mansion for me?

I noticed the young man who stayed close to her, and just as the restaurant owner had jokingly said, they were truly a perfect couple.

I walked out of Huainan City with a faint smile, no longer looking at the beautiful woman behind me. I knew we would meet again.

I saw her again a year later, but I could no longer see what was in her eyes.

Is it hatred, or utter despair?

Perhaps, in her eyes, I was just the villain who broke up this talented couple.

I don't blame her for thinking that way about me.

I just wanted her to believe in fate like I do; that's the entanglement between us in this life.

If she were more cooperative, perhaps I would defy fate and one day let her leave.

On our wedding night, Yi Ling sent someone to tell me that Lu Zhen was ill. In fact, I knew that was just Yi Ling's excuse.

Perhaps it was because she had been the only female member of the household for so many years that Yiling found it difficult to share a husband, especially one whose rank was far higher than hers as the principal wife. I understood Yiling's feelings and went to Lu Zhen's place as she wished. Everyone in the household said that I favored my concubines more, but that wasn't true. I didn't go to the bridal chamber simply because I didn't want to force her. I understood her reluctance and didn't want to wrong her. As I expected, she didn't seem to mind and made arrangements early. Hearing Xiao Si's report, I felt somewhat relieved. She truly was a carefree woman.

I quietly observed her every move in the mansion. To my surprise, she seemed to be used to it and was so proper that there was no flaw in her demeanor.

Is it forbearance or intelligence? Is it dutifulness or composure? I really can't tell anymore.

She is actually more suited to be the legitimate princess consort than she was a year ago.

That's good too; she doesn't have to work too hard, and I'm spared a lot of chores.

I seem quite used to her position of authority in the household, while she seems to be even more accustomed to it than I am.

We've become accustomed to our own paths, but we've never crossed paths again.

She values the position of heir far more than I do.

At first, I thought it was a good thing, but gradually, I found that I was also getting a little emotional.

I am no longer satisfied with her being merely a polite and respectful guest to me. Now that she has entered my home, I also hope that she can enter my heart.

And she did indeed do it.

Time and again, I would inadvertently look up from my book and glance at her not far away, flipping through an account book. I was surprised that her enthusiasm for the account book surpassed her attention to me.

I never cared whose daughter she was; the only person I cared about was her.

Even though I knew it was her father who ordered the death of my biological father, I still acquiesced to her becoming my wife.

She has many identities, but only one I care about is her status as my wife.

I often think that if she were by my side in this life, I would never be lonely again.

Looking at her, all the conflicts dissipated behind me, and I felt that the noisy world had quieted down. There was no need to fight anymore, nor did I want to fight anymore.

But to survive in this treacherous royal family, she must first survive so that she can grow old with me.

I want her to let go, I want to help her unload her heavy burden. I don't care about the Rong family behind her, I don't care about the power in her eyes, I only care that when she looks at me, there is nothing else in her eyes.

I want to let go of my obsessions with her and laugh together as we face life's ups and downs.

Lan Ruo is right. In this world, only she can stir my every emotion.

I don't like the way Fourth Brother looks at her; it contains too much emotion. He often gets angry and then laughs at himself for actually caring about a woman.

She is indeed an extraordinary woman, and she has her reasons for winning the favor of her brothers. It's just that I don't like this feeling.

Regarding Xiwen's matter, Zhaozhi was indeed being presumptuous, but it also surprised me. I was surprised by her magnanimity—was it indifference or something else? I was pleased that I caught a glimpse of sadness in her eyes; did she really care about me?

Consort Xia's arrogance angered me, but it also made me realize how worried I was about this woman. I was angry at the consort's viciousness, and even more angry at that reckless maid who risked her life just to get the better of herself. I was touched by her willingness to protect me, but it was really not worth it.

Hunting in the hunting grounds brought more anger than anything else. Anger that her fourth brother was so important to her, that she had rushed forward so recklessly, had she ever thought about the large family she had to support, and about me? He drew his bow and shot the arrow that had saved her; blood flowed from his sleeve, and the pain was deep in his heart.

She brought Lanruo into the manor, which was truly unexpected. I was surprised by Lanruo's obsession, but I didn't know how to resolve it. I wanted to tell Zhaozhi about those old trivialities, but I felt that I wouldn't even believe myself with such pale and weak words. All my emotions and feelings were reduced to that even paler "I've heard of it." At that moment, I actually became cowardly.

I know that I am no longer the aloof and elegant Seventh Prince who lets her come and go as she pleases; what I fear more is her departure.

She repeatedly clashed with her third brother over Lanruo's matter, and I couldn't bear to watch but couldn't say a word. For the first time, I felt powerless. I told Lanruo not to hurt her, but I knew better than anyone that it wasn't Lanruo who would hurt her, it was me.

She fulfilled Lanruo's long-cherished wish for me and kept my promise from that day.

At the wedding banquet, she smiled brightly, toasting and drinking, displaying the poise of a fourth sister-in-law.

Lao Ba's words jolted me awake, making me realize that the thorn was already deeply embedded in her chest.

The sorrow of her turning away is probably unforgettable for a lifetime. I stood firmly behind her, watching her disappear into the darkness step by step, her words "a thousand pieces of gold tonight" echoing in my ears. She gave me a thousand pieces of gold tonight, but what did I give her in return?

It was another wedding night, and I once again failed Lanruo.

That night, I did not touch Lanruo. My heart was filled with remorse for Zhaozhi, so how could I embrace another?

I used to go to the main room and hold her as she fell asleep, even if we did nothing, I was happy to enjoy that comfort; I used to listen to her teasing remarks, just a few words but they could make me savor them for half a day; I also used to drinking the hangover soup she cooked, that taste, I miss it from time to time.

Her doting affection for Lu Zhen always gave me the illusion that he was our son. So I often thought that if we could have a child, it would seem to bridge the insurmountable gap between us. I wanted a child of our own, but I didn't know how to ask.

Until she spoke up, asking for a child. She wanted a legitimate son, while I didn't care about whether he was legitimate or illegitimate; I simply wanted a child of ours.

Zhi'er came into this world carrying all my beautiful hopes. Because of Zhi'er, I began to learn how to be a father. Zhi'er was my happiness, but she became her pain.

When my father gave Zhi'er to Lanruo, I refused, but it was in vain.

The sorrow in Zhao Zhi's eyes seemed to be a harbinger of everything that would happen later.

Things I never dared to imagine before have actually happened.

Like Herbert, she left my life in that shocking way.

This pain is different from the last one.

This time, I could no longer feel any pain.

I felt as if something inside me had quietly shattered, and I couldn't even find the fragments.

I never dared to believe it before, but it has come true in my own life: the departure of one woman caused the collapse of my entire world.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Extra Chapter - Lu Li (Part Three)

I ordered the gardener to build a forest in the main courtyard, modeled after the crabapple groves of Huainan.

It's not that seeing the object reminds me of her, but rather that I think she must have transformed into a fairy, and I hope that one day she will appear in the forest again.

But she never appeared. For two years, even in my dreams, she was so far away from me.

The prescription before me finally confirmed my long-held suspicions.

Yes, I had my suspicions from the moment that girl named Yan Zheng first appeared in the inner room of the side hall.

Aside from her face, I dared not recognize her, otherwise I was afraid I would not be able to help but call out her name.

That day, I went to visit her when she was sick, under the pretense of delivering a book.

Standing outside the screen, I watched as Physician Liu emerged, trembling with fear. I asked Physician Liu to write a prescription, but his hands shook for a long time, and he couldn't utter a single word.

The imperial physician told me the truth, and he knelt before me in alarm, fearing that someone might want to harm Miss Yan.

I was puzzled, but I learned from the imperial physician that she had poison in her body.

Unlike the imperial physician's fear, I was more excited.

There is still unresolved poison in her body.

I had the imperial physician prescribe two medicines. The other one, for treating a cold, was to be used to report back to the Emperor.

That day, I sat outside her screen for half a day.

I can't wait to verify this fact.

Yuan Xinnuo injured her hand while attempting suicide by cutting her wrist. I deliberately grabbed her hand. I wanted to regain that familiar feel.

She probably sensed it. Holding her hand, my hand was trembling.

I can't acknowledge her, because I know she wouldn't want me to.

She believes Lao Ba, but she refuses to believe me.

I don't want to speculate on the connection between the Mongol rebellion, the marriage to Pang Jian, and the appointment of the Grand General. I suspect that all of this was part of her plan, as was that secret memorial.

The secret report, delivered by Lu Hong's men, stated that three lieutenants had killed their commander Yang Wei on the battlefield and had defected to his command. These few words implied that the 100,000-strong army dispatched by the court was now the enemy. This was also the reason why the emperor hastily moved his capital but dared not announce it to the world.

I know she had her reasons for doing this, and she was scheming. I have no right to blame her.

She saw the chaos in the Mongols, but failed to see the restless ambitions of the Liao Dynasty.

She intended to use Lu Hong, who was far away in the Great Meng, to destroy her father's empire, but she failed to see the Liao Kingdom, which was poised to unleash its power and was watching her like a hungry wolf.

The Emperor was tired and no longer wanted to support his maternal relatives, so he distanced himself from the Pang family. He also could not afford another palace coup, so he preferred to move the palace to a temporary residence.

Three days later, an envoy from the Liao Kingdom will arrive in the capital, not to pay homage, but to provoke.

Taking advantage of the imperial court's dispatch of a large army to the Mongol border, the Liao army pressed on the border. With the current disparity in military strength, the Liao state only lacked a plausible pretext to attack.

This was also the purpose of the Liao envoy's visit to the capital.

The current predicament of the imperial court is that it is beset by wolves in front and tigers behind.

The Emperor took Fifth Brother away. Even though Fifth Brother was determined to live and die with the Dynasty, I told him that if anything happened to me, he would be the only one left to support the Emperor. One of us must survive.