Lanting

Capítulo 125

Lu Li frowned slightly, as if in silence, as if deep in thought.

I waved my hand, "Fine, fine, if you don't want to give it to me, then forget it."

"I will inscribe your name on my tombstone," he suddenly said.

I was suddenly stunned. A woman's name was on an imperial stele—what did that mean?! Would I become even more famous than Empress Wenrui, the only one to have a memorial arch erected for her?!

Taking advantage of my pause, he circled around to stand in front of me, put his arms around my shoulders, and stroked my hair with one hand. His voice was warm and deep, "Regarding your question the other day, I can only answer you: everything I've said to you will stand by it. You asked me if I regret it? I can only say that I never dared to have that thought."

His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was full of exhaustion. I couldn't help but ask softly, "How many days has it been since you closed your eyes?"

“These past three years, you’ve done exceptionally well,” he said, looking at me seriously. “You’ve surpassed me in every way! I admire you greatly. But even knowing your extraordinary abilities, I simply cannot gamble with your and the children’s safety in this treacherous place, where every bush and tree seems like a potential enemy. I dare not make a single move. I ask for nothing more than to see you leave this place safely. I will do everything I promised you, if you still believe in me—”

"I'd be a fool to believe you again!" I glared at you angrily. "You know I don't like being abandoned! How long do you want me to wait? Another three years, or ten three-year periods?! Until my hair turns white, until we're both dead? It's always the same word: wait. I've waited too long, I can't wait any longer, you hear me! I won't believe your nonsense anymore! I don't believe a word of your talk about retiring to my hometown. Since you're unwilling to walk this path with me, let's not work together. I'll go home and take care of our son. You can take any woman you like and live your life!"

“You can’t scare me,” he gently squeezed my hand. “I’ll send you away tomorrow, I’ll personally send you off!”

"I'm not able to travel!" I forced a smile, finally managing to come up with the worst possible excuse.

He frowned, but insisted, "Then let's postpone it for two days."

"I'm afraid that's not enough!" I tried my best to lie without batting an eye. "I'm pregnant, and traveling such a long distance is really difficult."

Lu Li was taken aback by what I said, so astonished that he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a sound. Only then did he hear a clear and bright female voice float up from behind him: "Brother Cheng!"

Lu Li and I turned around at the same time to look at the girl who was walking quickly towards us. I couldn't help but glare at the person next to me, "An old cow eating young grass!"

Lu Li, on the contrary, felt awkward after what I said, and greeted the woman with a slightly embarrassed expression, "Qin'er."

The girl who arrived was none other than Princess Xiao Qin, Xiao's younger sister. Her small face, with a hint of shyness in her smile, and her bright, innocent eyes, were gazing bashfully at the so-called "Brother Cheng" beside me. Her cherry-like lips parted slightly, her pure and innocent appearance almost too much for me to bear.

"Who are you trying to impress with your eyes?" I asked, completely lacking in romance, cutting off her attempts to convey affection.

Lu Li was the first to realize my harsh words. He simply coughed lightly, making a fist to his lips, and remained silent. Xiao Qin, probably unfamiliar with my temperament, stared wide-eyed, biting her lip, feigning surprise for a long time.

"Procedure

Who is this woman?

“I’ll do it myself.” I stepped in front of him, met Xiao Qin’s gaze, and said confidently, “Who I am is not important. What’s important is that it’s really wrong of you to flirt with men so casually! Don’t you know that men like to be half shy and half timid?”

"Who are you?!"

"Me?" I looked up at the increasingly gloomy sky. "I'm still Xiao's concubine."

Xiao Qin smiled disdainfully, "A woman who indulges in debauchery."

"Qin'er, those words don't sound nice," Lu Li said with a faint smile, but there was no joy in her eyes.

"Forget it, let's not dwell on it."

I got a little carried away and grabbed Lu Li's hand to leave, leaving Xiao Qin behind, who was completely devastated. I pulled him until we were out of sight, and then I forcefully shook off his hand. "You really are Mr. Peach Blossom!"

Lu Li wasn't used to this way of addressing me, but he didn't object. He just smiled vaguely, staring intently at my lower abdomen, his brows furrowing tightly. "This... I'm sorry."

"I gave you so many chances to apologize, and you're blaming me for this one apology? It's utterly ridiculous." I turned away, refusing to look at him. "You won't explain yourself? Fine, you think I won't find out just because you don't tell me? You can just shut up for the rest of your life. I'll find out myself."

He looked at me, still silent, only growing more silent, and my hatred grew deeper!

“My husband, Lu Li, was a glorious monarch who sacrificed his life for his country. You are merely a retainer of the Liao people. At dawn, I will go to see the Liao Emperor. I want to ask him in person where my husband’s soul is!!”

I smiled at him; even after he said such cruel words, I was willing to comfort him with my most beautiful smile.

He just stared at me, listening to me, and then a trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his lips, followed by more flowing out, but he seemed oblivious, still staring at me intently.

I stopped, a growing sense of panic rising within me, but I held back from showing it.

He raised his hand, and blood dripped from his lips onto the back of his hand. He shifted his gaze from me to the blood, then back to me, as if oblivious to what had happened. I tossed a handkerchief from my sleeve, gritted my teeth, and turned to walk out of his sight.

The Liao palaces weren't luxurious, but they were filled with layers of traps and hidden passages, giving them a sense of solemnity. Xiao protected me throughout, guiding me through checkpoints. I wasn't surprised by Xiao's extremely enthusiastic introductions. I remained silent the whole way, finally managing to think of something to say: "Is he alright?"

"You still care about him? Don't worry, we hired the best doctor for him; it's just a lingering effect from three years ago."

"A lingering effect?" I chuckled, quickening my pace. "Wasn't it something the Third Prince deliberately left behind?"

He was taken aback by what I said, and actually fell a few steps behind me.

"I don't like being used, and I especially don't like my man being used!" My words were neither too harsh nor too mild, but perfectly appropriate. "You forced him to drink poison for three years, just to keep him trapped in Liao, for your own schemes!"

Xiao quickened his pace, catching up a couple of steps. "I gave him a choice: marry my sister or take the slow-acting poison himself."

"He's important to you, so am I even more important to you?!" This time, I paused, looked up at Xiao, and said calmly, "Lu Li insisted on driving me away, but you deliberately kept me. Surely everything must be related to me. He's been hiding for years, afraid I'd notice, simply because he wanted me as far away from this turmoil as possible. But you're different. You led me here step by step, and even… the Thirteenth Prince poisoning me was at your behest? From the very beginning, it was you two brothers working together, all to lure Lu Li to me! Lu Li had no idea when I arrived in Liao. He only found out when I was poisoned and unconscious! You knew he would save me, and you knew only he could save me. You used your wife to let me discover Lu Li's dependent status. When I was dizzy and about to leave in anger, you kindly advised me that although you and Lu Li were on the same boat, your hearts weren't the same! Lu Li only wanted to protect me, but you only wanted to end it all! Perhaps… this calamity was caused by me, and I can't simply deny it."

“Lu Li definitely doesn’t like overly intelligent women!” Xiao smiled slightly. “Go out from the front and follow that guard; he’s just ahead.”

I watched Xiao Yuan leave, then slowly walked forward. Suddenly, a thin figure fell into the lotus pond. Before I could even see who it was, I rushed over and reached out to catch him… His face was as beautiful as a woman's… When I looked at him, he gave me a ghostly smile…

In my panic, he pulled me into the pond instead. The water was icy cold, the lotus flowers were vibrant, and as we went deeper, we discovered the strange thing at the bottom of the pond... it was an underwater palace built by human hands.

The two stone tomb doors suddenly opened, and he stepped into the dark palace, where a fairy, as if slumbering for a thousand years, lay hidden in the darkness...

"Who exactly are you?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Didn't you want to see me?" He chuckled softly. "I am Xiao Chang."

"You're the emperor of the Liao Dynasty?" I couldn't help but laugh. "No wonder people say you have a feminine appearance, your yin and yang are reversed."

He didn't seem to mind and casually sat down at the stone table. "You sit down too."

"Do you really like men?" I pressed on with my curiosity.

"If I didn't like men, I'd probably be dead by now," he shook his head. "This place is quite secluded...no one will know."

Do you know why I've come to see you?

He shook his head. "Third Brother said you might want to see me... perhaps you are my benefactor."

"Whether you're a benefactor or not, I don't know. I've come to ask you for someone."

Xiao Chang frowned slightly. "So what do you want?"

"who?"

Lu Li

"Hasn't he been dead for a long time?" Xiao Chang chuckled softly. "Your Majesty the Empress..."

"You actually know who I am?" I smiled.

He waved his hand, "In this world, besides you, I really can't think of anyone else who would call him by his given name. You shouldn't be here. If the Empress Dowager finds out your identity, she will definitely kill you. She seems more eager to kill you than anyone else!"

I laughed, "That's why I came to you. Let's work together."

How can you be sure I'll cooperate with you?

"If you want to live like a human being, you have to cooperate with me..."

He coughed softly. "I'm fine."

“It’s good that you’ll die in less than two years,” I stared at him intently. “You’ve been taking a slow-acting poison…”

His eyes were slightly unfocused. "That was... a good medicine given to me by the Empress Dowager..."

"You knew perfectly well that you still wanted to drink it?"

"Who in this world can rival the Empress Dowager? Because she is a woman filled with hatred, no one is unafraid of her."

"So you're willing to be tortured by her and become her male concubine? Willing to be a weak and incompetent puppet emperor..."

He smiled slightly, "I can't help you..."

"Why?"

I cannot disobey her.

"Why?"

“I…” He shook his head. “You should go. I can arrange for someone to escort you safely out of the Liao Dynasty. As for whether your man is willing to go with you, that’s beyond my control.”

"But your brother doesn't seem to want us to leave."

"Third Brother?" Xiao Chang narrowed his eyes slightly. "Third Brother has always wanted to help me fight her, but he's been living a life of leisure for too long."

I smiled and said, "You need something from me too, don't you?"

He smiled too, "Yes... After I die, please use your power to protect one person..."

"Your beloved"

He didn't speak, but merely slightly tugged at the corners of his lips and smiled faintly.

I suddenly understood and quickly said, "The Empress Dowager used that woman to threaten you? That's why you dare not act rashly."

Since he didn't say anything, I took it as a tacit agreement.

She exhaled slightly and asked, "Who is she?"

"She is my queen."

"Isn't she already dead?"

Xiao Chang shook his head, "She became a nun..."

"Why?"

On our wedding day, I left her alone in the bridal chamber.

"So what?" Lu Li was the same way back then, and I didn't shout about leaving the mortal world.

Xiao Chang raised his head resentfully, "And I... am right next door... summoning my male concubine..."

"You..." I was surprised at first, but finally, seeing the trace of loneliness in Xiao Chang's eyes, I said softly, "You did this to protect her?"

He nodded. "If she were to sleep with me and become pregnant, it would only lead the Empress Dowager to harm her further..."

"Even if you die, the Empress Dowager will still force you to be buried alive with her, so you must live and protect the one you love."

Xiao Chang looked up in confusion, "Does your man think the same way?"

"He seems to prefer escaping and hiding," I laughed.

"Was it all worth it?" Xiao Chang shook his head. "Or perhaps feelings don't care about these things, and you just can't bear to see him erased from your life forever."

I turned around, trying to hide my panic. "Anyway... do you choose to give up, or do you want to choose your own destiny?"

A glint of light flashed in Xiao Chang's eyes, "How...how confident are you in resisting the Empress Dowager?"

I said "half a percent" without hesitation.