This was a burly man, probably around thirty years old, with a full beard. Looking at Ji Wushang and then at the handsome man in the wheelchair beside her, he recognized him as Nan Xuzong and sighed inwardly, "I've failed! I wonder if my master will send someone to rescue me? But what did that princess consort just say? I just took her poison that would break my heart?"
“Tell me who sent you here, what your purpose is, and who your master is, and I will give you the antidote. Otherwise, I will lock you up and let you die in extreme pain.” A glint flashed in Ji Wushang’s eyes.
Those around them sighed in relief, thankful they hadn't done anything to offend the Crown Princess, or they would have been in serious trouble because of her methods!
"I'd rather die than tell! Don't waste your energy!" The man in black tried to struggle, but he couldn't break free no matter what he did, because he was truly powerless. Was he really going to suffer and die? No! These women of the Great Xia Zhou Dynasty are truly vicious! I must report this to the prince when I get back; I can't let him suffer!
Looking at his death-defying expression, Ji Wushang said calmly, "Since that's the case, men, throw him into the cell. Do whatever you want with him, just don't kill him!"
"yes."
Nan Xuzong watched as Gong Shu and Tie Feng escorted the man away before approaching Ji Wushang. "This man in black is not from the Great Xia Zhou Dynasty. I estimate he is a Japanese pirate."
“Japanese pirates?” Ji Wushang looked at him. “This man in black keeps talking about the Silent Zither and the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace. I think there must be some secret behind this.”
The Silent Harp, the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace? Nan Xuzong's eyes were deep. "Let's go inside first. It's late at night and the wind is strong."
"Mm." Ji Wushang nodded.
Nan Xuzong looked around at the people and said, "There are still too few guards here. I will send you more people."
After the two closed the door, Nan Xuzong stood up from his wheelchair and walked to the place where the mechanism was installed, as if everything that had happened before was still vivid in his mind. Ji Wushang looked at him and then brought him a cup of hot tea, "Have some tea to warm yourself up."
Nan Xuzong turned around and saw her carrying the tray. He immediately came over and took it himself. "Don't trouble yourself. I can do it." He placed the tea on the table, pulled her hand, and sat her down beside him. "You weren't drugged by the men in black?"
"No," Ji Wushang said. "Without you here, I've been uneasy and haven't been sleeping well. Whenever there's a slight rustling outside, I think I should check if it's you coming back, but I didn't expect to see a tall figure. So I knew something must have happened. Luckily, I had told Tiefeng to keep an eye out for things beforehand."
"You've really had a hard time." Nan Xuzong hugged her. "I went out because someone gave me a letter and told me to wait for my master in the suburbs. They said they had something important to tell me, but when I got there, I found that there was no one there. I waited for a while and then came back. Thinking about it now, someone must have used a diversionary tactic. Luckily, you weren't hurt!"
“Hmm.” Ji Wushang nodded, then looked at him, broke free from his embrace, and said, “Cong, Minhao… he’s dead.”
"What?" Nan Xuzong asked immediately. "No way, he's got a lot of life in him, he definitely won't die like this!"
"No, it's true..." Ji Wushang couldn't help but shed tears when he mentioned it. It was so unfair of heaven that such a person died! Ji Wushang recounted what happened in the middle of the night, and Nan Xuzong remained silent for a long time after hearing it.
"Wu Shang, don't worry. He might have been rescued. You see, if he were dead, he should still be where he is. Or he would have been taken to the morgue by the government office for his family to claim. If no one claims him after three days, he will be taken up the mountain and buried. These are the rules. You can't just take a dead person away for no reason."
“What if he gets dragged away by some thugs?” Ji Wushang looked at him. “I’m quite worried about him.”
"I know." Nan Xuzong gently hugged her. "I will send people to investigate. We will definitely find him."
"Mmm." Ji Wushang nodded gently in his arms.
After a long while, Nan Xuzong thought of carrying her to bed, but Ji Wushang pushed him away and said, "Zong, it's inconvenient for you to always be in a wheelchair. How about we just stay like this tomorrow?"
"How is it?" Nan Xuzong looked at the renewed light in her eyes, and his mind gradually cleared.
The night was endless.
Hearing her words, Nan Xuzong gently kissed her cherry lips, "Wu Shang, you are so good."
Ji Wushang smiled and nestled in his arms. He gently picked her up and carried her toward the bed.
Ji Wushang was held in his arms, looking at him, "Are your legs completely healed now? Does it hurt when you carry me?"
"It doesn't hurt. I can finally hold you like this. It feels so good." Nan Xuzong lowered his head and kissed Ji Wushang on the lips. "I love you, Wushang."
"Mmm." Ji Wushang was placed on the bed by him, and he immediately pressed down on her delicate body.
Ji Wushang pressed against his chest, "Aren't you going to take a bath?"
"You're not dirty." Nan Xuzong lowered his head and kissed her delicate hand that was pressed against his chest. "If you don't like it, I'll go right away."
As Nan Xuzong was about to leave, Ji Wushang grabbed him, saying, "Never mind, it's already late, let's go to sleep!"
"Mmm." Nan Xuzong untied the gauze curtain, then rolled over and pressed himself against her again, kissing her lips.
"Cong, can we not do it?" Ji Wushang hugged him, his head buried in her chest, kissing her tenderly. Hearing this, Nan Xuzong stopped abruptly, turned over and lay down next to her, holding her in his arms. "Sleep, we won't do it."
Hearing his soft sighs, Ji Wushang buried her face in his chest and stopped speaking, but she couldn't help but sob softly.
Nan Xuzong held her, just holding her quietly, letting her cry for that man.
"I will only cry once, and I will never cry again." After a long while, Ji Wushang suddenly looked up at Nan Xuzong and said.
Nan Xuzong was taken aback, then hugged her affectionately, "Okay, just once!"
Ji Wushang looked at him. This man in front of her truly loved her deeply, tolerating her willfulness... Ji Wushang wiped away her tears, "Are you done crying?"
"Hmm? So fast?" Nan Xuzong looked at her teasingly, gently wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes, but seeing her red eyes, he still felt a pang of pain in his heart. "Don't cry anymore once you're done crying."
"Yes." Ji Wushang nodded.
She's still just a child! Nan Xuzong sighed inwardly, pulling her into his arms and kissing her lips and forehead. He'd rather she always be smiling than cry for him.
Nan Xuzong, cherish it!
Ji Wushang cried herself to sleep in his arms.
Nan Xuzong covered her with the brocade quilt, then got out of bed, put on his robe, and went into the secret room.
He went straight into a room and took out the silent zither and the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace from the secret chamber.
Of course, I cannot open the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace, nor can I make the silent zither produce sound, but I must unravel its secrets as soon as possible.
Otherwise, Ji Wushang would likely be the one to get hurt! I absolutely cannot allow that to happen!
Nan Xuzong looked at the body of the zither. The ancient patterns on it made him unable to understand what they were. However, the patterns on the mute zither were the same as those on the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace... This must be the secret to unlocking the mystery!
Nan Xuzong put the mute zither and the Nine-Bend Heavenly Palace back into the cabinet, locked it, and turned to leave.
When he reached the end, he saw a figure about his own height with his back to him. Nan Xuzong recognized him as the Monk Buyan.
He strode forward and exclaimed, "Senior brother!" Had they really invited him to that wretched place?
"Your master asked why you weren't there at the time." The silent monk turned around. "Are your legs really healed?"
"yes."
Who treated him?
“Dr. Cui, her, and Minhao, are all peerless,” Nan Xuzong said.
"You still dragged them down with you! You've ruined the Crown Prince and the Second Prince!" The monk, holding his prayer beads, said, "Amitabha."
"I... I didn't mean to. I really didn't expect them to do all this for me... Minho, is he alright?" Nan Xuzong asked.
"Unable to escape life and death." The monk who never spoke sighed softly.
"Is Master healing him?"
"Yes, Amitabha."
"Minho definitely won't die. Tell him not to forget our promise, or I will definitely find him!"
"Junior brother." The monk who didn't speak suddenly called out to him as he was about to leave.
"Hmm?" Nan Xuzong stopped.
"Leave her! You two will not end well."
"No, you should leave!" Nan Xuzong's expression changed, and he immediately turned and walked away.
"Don't you understand yet? You're not happy with her at all! You're hurting her and yourself!" The monk who didn't speak caught up. "Junior brother, don't be so stubborn!"
"Enlightenment?" Nan Xuzong stopped abruptly, turned to look at him, "What have you come to understand all these years? Do you even know what love is?"
"Love, tolerance, letting go, and reluctance. Let's break up! She should go her own way. What's the point of you insisting on changing her destiny?"
"I don't know, but I do know that I love her, whether in this life or the last. I fell in love with her at first sight. The moment she walked past me, my heart was taken away by her. We will never be apart." Nan Xuzong shook his head. "You don't understand what love is. Senior brother, let me ask you again, what is the purpose of your cultivation in this life?"
"To save all sentient beings."
“I have cultivated this life only so that I can be with her. Even if I were to cultivate for several more lifetimes, that would still be my only purpose. If you want me to be separated from her, then what is the point of cultivating this life?” Nan Xuzong said with a smile. “Go ahead and save all living beings. I don’t have your ability. Saving just her is enough for me.”
"evil."
"So what if it's a sin?" Nan Xuzong's lips curled into a wide grin as he walked out laughing wildly.
The monk stood there, gazing at his arrogant yet lonely figure for a long time.
"What a tragedy!"
As the morning breeze blew in, Ji Wushang stirred, but did not touch that warm, tall body. He immediately opened his eyes and saw Nan Xuzong opposite him, seemingly dealing with something important.
Ji Wushang felt a little relieved, then got out of bed. Nan Xuzong looked up at her and said, "Drink the medicine on the table first, it's good for your eyes."
"My eyes?" Ji Wushang looked at him.
Looking at her expression, he put down the wolf-hair brush in his hand, then stepped forward with a doting smile and picked up the bowl on the table. "Your eyes are fine. Drinking this will help them heal faster. They were all red from crying last night. Don't do that again."
"Yes." Ji Wushang lowered his head, picked up the bowl that was handed to him, and then drank it all.
It was warm, at just the right temperature. Not too sweet, not too bitter, the taste was just right. Ji Wushang put down the bowl. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it, we're husband and wife!" Nan Xuzong smiled, placed the bowl on the table, and then helped her put on the gauze dress she had just been wearing. His hands trembled slightly. He was finally able to dress her—what a rare and precious moment! He would cherish it all forever!
Ji Wushang looked at him as his nimble hands helped her put on her clothes and then tied her belt. "So beautiful," he said, looking into her eyes.
Ji Wushang gently tiptoed to reach his chin. He was really tall; she only reached his shoulder when she stood up. She gently pulled him down and kissed him. "Thank you for accepting everything about me."
Nan Xuzong smiled sweetly, his lips curving into a wide grin.
After finishing his meal, Nan Xuzong stayed in the Moxuan Garden.
After dealing with the servants' affairs, Ji Wushang immediately went to Aunt Jin's Jinbi Garden.
Aunt Jin smiled and immediately had someone invite Ji Wushang in. "Is there something you need, Princess Consort?"
"Didn't my aunt mention before that she had some nice fabrics? I'd like to choose a nice one to make a robe for the young master," Ji Wushang said, bowing her head shyly.
Aunt Jin laughed as she listened, "Good, I heard you won first place in the Cultural Revolution embroidery competition last year! The embroidered robe you make now will surely make the young master happy. Come in quickly and let's pick out a good piece of fabric to take back."
"Thank you, Auntie." So kind of you! Let's see what tricks you're up to!
Ji Wushang smiled and followed her inside.
There were already quite a few bolts of cloth in the room. Ji Wushang looked at this and that, and for a moment he was a little dazzled.
At this moment, a young maidservant walked in from outside and bowed to Ji Wushang and Aunt Jin, saying, "Greetings, Princess Consort, and Aunt Jin."
"Get up!" Ji Wushang glanced at her; this maid seemed quite clever.
"Aunt Jin, there's something going on at the cloth shop..." the maidservant said, bowing her head.
"Princess Consort, please take your time choosing. I have some things to take care of at my fabric shop, so I'll go take a look first," said Consort Jin.
Ji Wushang nodded, "Okay."