Hongxiu's expression was solemn, which made Chu Heng even more puzzled. He racked his brains but couldn't remember anything. In the end, he could only believe Hongxiu's words. He probably really had never seen that woman before. After all, just as Hongxiu said, they grew up together. If he recognized her, she had no reason not to!
So he didn't say anything more, lay there, a headache came over him, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Hongxiu then stood up, instructed the palace maids to keep a close eye on Chu Heng, and went to the front hall herself.
Now that Meng Wan has made such a fuss, she probably won't let it go easily. To avoid any unforeseen complications, it would be better to move the wedding forward. Only by getting married sooner can she feel at ease and truly possess him, the one for whom she fabricated an identity, concealed her past, yet has always deeply loved!
V88 [First Update]
Meng Wan was escorted out of the palace by several palace maids. Huangfu Yi and Meng Junheng were waiting outside. Seeing her in such a disheveled state, covered in dirt, they panicked and hurriedly came to greet her: "Wan'er, what happened to you?"
Meng Wan looked somewhat dazed. She finally raised her head when she heard her elder brother's voice, but then lowered it again, biting her lip and remaining silent for a long time.
Seeing this, Meng Junheng became even more worried, gripping Meng Wan's shoulders tightly with both hands and repeating, "What happened? Who bullied you?"
She shook her head, still shaking her head. Huangfu Yi watched from the side. Meng Junheng placed his hand on her shoulder, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly, but he didn't speak. He simply stepped forward, pushing Meng Junheng aside, and stood beside Meng Wan, looking down to meet her gaze. He tentatively asked, "Did you see that person? Was it Seventh Brother? Was it him? Did he make you sad?"
He asked each question cautiously, and Meng Wan listened quietly the whole time. At this moment, she looked up and glanced at him.
Yes, it wasn't just heartbreak; it was a complete emotional blow, damaging her liver, lungs, and all her internal organs. But what could she say? The man didn't even recognize her, so anything she said would be futile.
She bit her lip and said, "I'm tired. Let's find a place to rest!"
Meng Junheng hurriedly cleared the way, being extremely attentive, while Huangfu Yi was not to be outdone, and quickly went to find an inn and ordered food.
Meng Wan, however, had little appetite. After arriving at the inn, she went straight to her room, lay down on the bed, and finally, tears streamed down her face.
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The fact that Princess Hongxiu's wedding date was moved up shocked the entire Western Shu region.
The fact that this son of the prime minister appeared out of nowhere was already puzzling, and on top of that, it was said that Princess Hongxiu was infatuated with him and didn't care about other men at all. So everyone was curious to see what kind of person this future prince consort would be.
You should know that for the past twenty years, no one had ever heard of such a person in the Prime Minister's family. Just a few months ago, it was suddenly said that he had been separated from his family for many years and had now returned to his ancestral home. Not long after that, news of his marriage to Princess Hongxiu spread.
While everyone was curious, they also harbored doubts.
The only son of the King of Western Shu has been missing for many years. The King of Western Shu has been searching for him everywhere. Everyone knows that if the crown prince cannot be found, then the princess's husband will be the future successor to the throne. But can such a future consort who appears out of nowhere really shoulder such a great responsibility?
You know, I heard that Prince Ning also rushed back. He probably heard that the princess was getting married and was worried that the throne would fall into the hands of others, so he came back to keep an eye on things.
For a time, opinions were divided, and amidst such speculation, the wedding day arrived as scheduled.
The King of Western Shu only had this one daughter, so she was to live in the palace after her marriage. Therefore, the day before the wedding, the princess was sent to the Prime Minister's residence. The next day, Chu Heng led the wedding procession to bring her from the Prime Minister's residence to the palace to pay her respects.
Meng Wan had originally heard that the wedding was scheduled for a month later, and she thought that a month would be enough time for her to find a way, whether it was to make him remember her or to snatch him away from Hongxiu. But now the wedding date had been moved up all of a sudden, and she was completely unprepared. She was now in a complete panic.
Huangfu Mi, his Huangfu Mi, is actually going to marry another woman! How can this be allowed!
Ignoring Huangfu Yi and Meng Junheng's attempts to stop him, he grabbed his cloak and rushed outside, his mind filled with only one thought: to stop them, to stop them at all costs!
They stumbled and rushed out, having heard that the wedding procession was coming from the Prime Minister's residence, so they went straight there.
It was also a princess's wedding, and the streets were filled with joy and decorations everywhere. It was an indescribable spectacle, but Meng Wan had no time to appreciate it and ran as fast as she could.
The wedding procession was already waiting there. Because it was Princess Hongxiu's wedding, the entire capital was in an uproar. Everyone wanted to take a closer look at what this man who had won the princess's heart would look like.
Two rows of people marched in neat formation, their faces beaming with smiles under the watchful eyes of the crowd, creating a joyous atmosphere. Chu Heng rode in the center, his fiery red ceremonial robe spotless, the setting sun highlighting his elegant and dashing figure.
His long, ink-black hair cascaded over his shoulders, held back only by a brocade ribbon. His sharply sculpted features exuded a cold aura. The early sun bathed him in a golden glow. He tilted his head slightly, his expression serene and peaceful, his thin lips forming a beautiful, enigmatic smile. His deep, unfathomable eyes narrowed slightly in the sunlight, a glint of sharp wit that commanded respect.
A murmur of admiration rippled through the crowd. Everyone marveled at how such a magnificent and unparalleled man could have captured the heart of their princess. They feared that any woman would have been captivated at first glance.
As they were thinking this, they all focused their attention on Chu Heng, and none of them noticed that a mad horse had suddenly run out from one end of the long street.
It happened so suddenly that no one saw it. When it blew past them like the wind, everyone was shocked and shouted. The mad horse was charging straight towards the wedding procession.
Chu Heng naturally noticed it, but he was clearly terrified and had no time to dodge. He could only watch helplessly as the horse approached, unable to even move.
At this moment, a woman's exclamation rang out from the crowd. As the horse approached Chu Heng, someone suddenly appeared out of nowhere and rushed towards the horse, then raised their hand and grabbed the reins.
Judging from the horse's frenzied state, it was clearly somewhat insane. Suddenly being pulled back and its movements restricted, it couldn't help but raise its front leg and roar a few times, trying to struggle but to no avail. Now, annoyed, it kicked fiercely behind it.
The hoof struck Meng Wan squarely in the abdomen with all its might. Meng Wan winced in pain, bending over like a shrimp, but her hands still wouldn't let go, gripping the reins tightly. Her eyes, however, looked up at Chu Heng, who was frozen on the horse's back, and she shouted with all her might, "Don't just stand there, move!"
Chu Heng finally came to his senses and saw that her face was flushed red from the pain, but she refused to let go. He was puzzled. Why would she help him stop the horse?
He had seen what happened just now clearly. If she hadn't rushed out, he would have been kicked far away by that mad horse by now!
What's the deal with this woman? Why did she do this? And that day, in the palace, she kept calling him Huangfu Mi. Who is Huangfu Mi? Who exactly is he?
Her mind was buzzing, but she still managed to jump off the horse. At this moment, Meng Wan was too weak to move and collapsed there. Seeing this, the mad horse charged towards the horse that Chu Heng had been riding.
The screams rose and fell, frightening the onlookers who quickly retreated to the back. Chu Heng stepped forward, however, and asked, "Miss, are you alright?"
Meng Wan was in so much pain that she was sweating profusely. She thought that hearing Huangfu Mi's voice was just a hallucination until she looked up and saw his face so close to hers. Only then did she realize that it wasn't an illusion.
Even though he didn't call her by name, and even though she was still a stranger to him, it was enough to warm her cold heart a little.
She forced a smile and said, "I'm fine."
However, the furrowed brows caused by the pain betrayed the true situation. Seeing this, Chu Heng no longer gave her a chance to argue. He bent down and picked her up in his arms.
Meng Wan was clearly taken aback, startled by his action. Her wrists unconsciously wrapped around his neck. Looking at his face so close to hers, her heart pounded wildly.
Huangfu Mi, her Huangfu Mi!
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