Anti-Knochen-Scharlachlied

Kapitel 24

Zhao Defang trembled violently. He abruptly looked up at her and called out sharply, "Royal Sister!"

"What? Am I wrong?" Yongqing sneered. "You told me 'I'm fine now,' then turned and ran into another man's arms, abandoning your own child—"

"Royal Sister!" Zhao Defang suddenly grabbed her shoulder, his thick brows furrowed, his dark eyes narrowed to hide the momentary pain. "Stop talking! Wanlan definitely didn't leave on her own!" Absolutely not!

"Can you be so sure?" Yongqing turned to look at him and sneered, "If she hadn't gone with someone else on her own, who could have forced her? As the wife of the Prince of Qin, Princess Deqing, if she didn't dare to make a few demands, who would dare to disobey her?"

"She was scammed; the other party has my token—"

“Yes! That’s why I’m even more suspicious!” Yongqing straightened her face and stared at him intently. “Have you ever lost your token? Have you ever given it to your elder brother? Or to any servant?” Seeing him frown and remain silent, she sneered and continued, “No, right? And unfortunately, I clearly remember that not long after you got married last year, you gave a token to Wanlan. You didn’t take it back, did you?”

"Royal sister...you mean..." that token was given to Xiao Lu by Wan Lan?

"Don't you think this is the only explanation? How could anyone just take your token?" The more I think about it, the more plausible it seems!

Zhao Defang froze completely. He had no way to refute his elder sister's guess... nor was he able to refute it. Feeling quite embarrassed, he turned his eyes away. He suddenly clenched his fists, trying to suppress the pain and bitterness surging in his heart—if Wanlan left willingly... if she went to follow her elder brother willingly... then... could he let go?

If she is willing...

She looked at him with a worried expression: "Zehua, I may... have forgotten a lot of things."

She looked at him cautiously: "If I said... from today onwards, I want to be your devoted wife, would you agree?"

She squinted blankly: "Zehua, would you... fall in love with your wife?"

She looked at her strangely: "You came to see me so early in the morning, just to stand here in a daze?"

She sighed and reached out her hand to him: "...I'm not good at comforting people, so please don't make things difficult for me."

She stood up from the chair in a panic: "...You are my husband. Shouldn't I ask for your decision before I do anything?"

She smiled shyly: "I want to let go of the past. I want to be your wife, and I want to be Xu'er's mother. Is that okay?"

Her red lips trembled as she looked at him with utter fragility: "Zehua...do you believe me?"

Zehua, do you believe me?

The trembling female voice, carrying an undeniable sense of grievance and vulnerability, rang so clearly in his ears, gripping his hesitant and retreating heart. Zhao Defang couldn't help but shiver violently, feeling ashamed and fearful for the step he had almost taken back.

“I…believe!” He nodded firmly, his bright eyes staring straight ahead, as if he could see the woman’s beautiful face breaking through her tears and smiling. “I believe you, Wanlan.”

"What?" Yongqing, who was standing to the side, was taken aback by his sudden promise and couldn't help but push him. "Defang, what's wrong with you?"

"fine."

He turned to her and smiled gently, his usual warm smile sweeping away the last vestiges of hesitation in his heart. "Sister, thank you. I know what to do."

Turning around, Zhao Defang called over Lan Wen and Xuan'er, who had been waiting by her side, and strode away under Princess Yongqing's surprised gaze.

Chapter 25, The Storm Does Not Believe the Water Chestnut Branch is Weak (1)

She felt as if she were in a dream, unable to concentrate. Her thoughts were not blank, yet she couldn't make sense of them either. Her head felt heavy, and her eyelids felt heavy. She didn't know where she was, but a vague idea was urging her on.

What is it? What is urging her on?

"Your Highness? Your Highness?" A high-pitched female voice, accompanied by a gentle shake of the arm, instantly shattered the illusion that was as ethereal as smoke. Wanlan suddenly opened her eyes, met the worried gaze of the person next to her, and remained stunned for a long while.

"Chrysanthemum?"

She had never seen this palace maid so clearly before. Her small face and delicate features, and her tiny eyes filled with surprise after she opened them, exclaimed, "Your Highness, you're finally awake!"

This time she was fully awake. Her senses gradually returned, and Wanlan subconsciously moved her fingers, her fingertips touching the soft blanket beneath her. Her long eyelashes fluttered, and with Qiuju's help, she sat up, glancing around at her surroundings. The room seemed quite large, but perhaps because there weren't many things in it, the only things in the room were the bed she was on, the dressing table opposite the bed, and a washstand a little further on. Besides that, there was only a round table in the center of the room covered with a plain tablecloth, on which sat a tea set.

Where is this?

Qiuju helped her out of bed and replied, "Your Highness, we are in Jiangling now. As for where this is, I don't know either. They won't let me go out."

Wanlan, supporting her head which still felt as heavy as if a boulder was pressing down on it, was stunned upon hearing this. "Jiangling? What day is it today?" She had only taken a nap, how could she have woken up in Jiangling? How far is Jiangling from Tokyo?

"Your Highness, today is Yimao, and you have been unconscious for more than half a month." Qiuju supported her weak body, her voice suddenly choked up, "They have gone too far. They only feed you rice porridge every day to keep you healthy, but they have never let you wake up. That's why you are so weak now."

Wanlan stared at her, dumbfounded. Half a month? Then it must be mid-April now! What day is Yimao? She remembered getting into the carriage and watching it gradually leave the capital. How did she fall asleep? And sleep for half a month?

"Where are the other two?" Why does Qiuju give me a strange feeling? Isn't she an accomplice of Xiahe and Xiaoluzi?

“Xia He and Xiao Lu Zi are with the Prince,” Qiu Ju replied, her eyes lowered.

Wanlan was visibly startled: Why was Qiuju still talking about the Prince? Although she didn't explicitly say so, she already knew perfectly well that this trip was definitely not Zehua's doing, so why was Qiuju—

Wanlan suddenly opened her eyes. She knew! It was hateful that she had been wrong from the beginning. Xiao Luzi wasn't entirely lying to her. It was just that the "Prince" they were talking about was someone else, not Zehua, as she had thought!

Emperor Taizu of Song had four sons in his lifetime, two of whom died young. The only ones who could be called "Prince" were, apart from Zehua, Prince Yan Zhao Dezhao!

I see... I see...

It's only fitting that only that cold yet passionate man would treat her this way. In a way, she was the culprit who ruined the love of his life.

However, if the three people who tricked her out of the palace were Zhao Dezhao's men, how could they be working in Qinlan Palace?

Wanlan smiled faintly. Why not? Regardless of whether the two palace maids knew about the affair between Jiao Wanlan and Zhao Dezhao, Xia He and Qiu Ju, who served her, should know something about Jiao Wanlan's feelings for Zhao Dezhao. So why is it impossible for her to be taken in by Zhao Dezhao?

Regardless of why Qiuju had changed her attitude, and not having the time or inclination to care, she simply asked, "Then this must be the Prince of Yan's territory. I wonder if he considered the consequences of bringing me here?" Xiao Luzi had practically taken her away from the palace in full view of everyone; Zhao Dezhao was incredibly audacious!

Qiuju knelt down with a thud, choking out, "Your Highness, I deserve to die. I listened to their words and caused Your Highness to be in this predicament. I deserve to die a thousand deaths to atone for my sins. Please punish me, Your Highness!"

Wanlan leaned against the dressing table and slowly sat down, feeling utterly powerless. She looked at the palace maid with her head bowed and said softly, "If you want to atone for your sins, tell me the whole story. What exactly does the Prince of Yan want to do?"

"Your Highness, at first, Xiao Lu Zi told me and Xia He that you and Prince Yan were deeply in love and had made a promise before you married Prince Qin. He even brought Prince Qin's token, indicating that Prince Qin intended to help you and Prince Yan get together. I thought that you knew the purpose of this trip when you got on the carriage that morning. I never expected that Xiao Lu Zi would drug you after you got on the carriage, causing you to be unconscious the whole way. Only then did I realize that he had been lying to me from the beginning."