The Beauties of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 88

Hearing her panting heavily, Zhao Dezhao slowed his pace, turned back and looked at her with a puzzled expression, seemingly confused by her pale face due to her difficulty breathing. However, he then smiled and said, "This alley leads directly to the Bian River. I have a gift for you over there. Go and see if you like it!"

What gift should I give her? By the river?

Could it be a ship?

Wanlan chuckled and quickly followed his pace to avoid being pulled and falling.

Beyond the alley lay a wasteland overgrown with weeds, where a narrow path stretched down. Zhao Dezhao pulled her along the path, but Wanlan's gaze did not fall on the difficult path; instead, it was fixed on a three-story bamboo house at the end of it.

The bamboo house was supported by several thick wooden beams, with an openwork bottom and a bamboo ladder leading to the second floor.

This house... is so similar to the little bamboo house where Zehua took her when he was a child and recuperating!

No...more than...

When Zhao Dezhao first abducted her to Jiangling, there was a bamboo building built on the water in the large house where she was imprisoned. It seemed to be called "Xiyun Pavilion". Zehua said that Zhao Dezhao built it for Princess Deqing at that time.

So what's in front of us...?

Before they knew it, they were standing in front of the bamboo house.

The bamboo house in front of us is not built on water, nor is it hidden deep in the woods like in the suburbs of the capital, so it stands out. Moreover, there are no pillars nearby. Where did the bamboo used to build this house come from?

"How is it? Is this okay? Although it's not as big as Defang's, everything else is exactly the same!"

The man beside her sounded cheerful, but Wanlan was a little confused. "What does this have to do with... that bamboo house?"

"Have you forgotten?" The man beside me stared wide-eyed in surprise. "Once, I took you to the bamboo house to see Defang. You really liked that house and begged me to build one for you too."

Wanlan suddenly realized.

I never expected there to be such a connection here.

Previously in Jiangling, he hadn't let her stay at Xiyun Pavilion because he vaguely sensed that she wasn't his Lan'er, so naturally he wouldn't give her the gift he had given to his Lan'er. But today was different; he believed that the woman before him was the Lan'er he had always longed for...

Sigh... things are getting more and more of a headache.

"I'll take you upstairs to have a look."

As she climbed the steps, the untouched bamboo ladder was extremely slippery. After nearly slipping off one step, Wanlan quickly grabbed the arm of the man beside her. The next moment, an arm that didn't belong to her was wrapped around her waist.

She tilted her head back and met the man's smiling eyes, speechless.

The two arrived at the second floor together. Wanlan stepped into the house with undisguised surprise. The layout inside was exactly the same as the bamboo house on the outskirts of the capital! There was a bed, a desk, bookshelves, books, bamboo furniture and pen holders, etc.

"Would you like to go up to the third floor and take a look?"

Wanlan shook her head and sat down on the bamboo armchair. "No need." She figured the third floor was pretty much the same as the third floor in that bamboo house.

"What do you think about us moving here?"

Wanlan was taken aback, and immediately refused in a cold voice, "No!"

She was a married woman, and it was already difficult enough for her to live in the same courtyard house as him. Fortunately, there were Xuan'er and the others in that courtyard house. If they moved to this bamboo house, it was obvious that there was no room for so many people. Moreover, in such a unique house without any partitions, she was expected to live with Zhao Dezhao? What a joke!

"Why?"

Because they were a single man and a single woman, the man was already married and the woman was already married!

Wanlan snorted coldly; this man was going too far.

"I won't object if you move in, but don't even think about moving in with you!" If Zehua knew this, wouldn't she be in a situation where she couldn't clear her name no matter what?

Ah... Speaking of which, the Bian River is connected to the Yellow River. If any gossip about her and this man gets out... she won't really be pushed into the Yellow River to "wash herself," will she?

Wanlan, lost in random, incoherent thoughts, rudely slumped onto the main table, closed her eyes, and sighed deeply.

Zehua, when are you coming to pick me up? Are you really that comfortable letting me be alone with this man?

She wants to go back! If Zehua wants to help his older brother, he must go with her and not leave her here alone!

Volume 5, Chapter 87: Early Summer Already Stained with Longing (2)

When she returned to the courtyard house, she wanted to discuss the possibility of returning to Xingyang with Xuan'er, but found that the girl was not there.

"When did she leave? What was she going to do?"

"I've been out for a while now, about half an hour. I was planning to go buy groceries to cook, but Xuan'er said she would go today, so she went out with her shopping basket," Su Li replied.

Going to buy groceries?

Wanlan frowned, unsuspecting, blinked her sleepy eyes, and headed towards the east wing.

"I want to sleep for a while. Don't bother me unless it's a prince."

It turns out that pregnancy really does make you sleepy that much...

But she doesn't have any morning sickness symptoms at all? Or is it because the baby is too young? Only about a month old... Is there a fixed time frame for morning sickness symptoms?

"Lan'er!"

Wanlan's forehead twitched suddenly, and she quickly turned around and closed the door. Hearing the soft thud of the person outside almost hitting the door, she sighed helplessly, "Rixin, I'm so tired. Can you let me sleep for a while?"

The area outside the door fell silent instantly. Wanlan had no time to worry about whether he had left. She locked the door, turned around, went into the inner room, lay down on the bed, buried her face in the pillow, and wiped away the hot tears that suddenly welled up in her eyes.

She wanted to go back to Zehua's side. She shouldn't have acted on impulse. She should have stopped him the moment he turned to leave. Regardless of whether he was coming to Xingze County or not, she should have stood by him through thick and thin.

When Xuan'er returns, she will discuss with her the possibility of returning to Xingyang as soon as possible. As for Zhao Dezhao's problem, she doesn't want to beat around the bush with him anymore. As long as she brings Zehua along, Zhao Dezhao will have to face the fact that she is no longer Princess Deqing. Even if he insists on treating her as Princess Deqing, he must understand that she is already Zehua's wife and it is impossible for her to continue like this with him.