Song Xingzhi a vécu sous le règne de l'empereur Huizong

Chapitre 25

I see.

Wanlan lowered her eyes, easily accepting the reason. She didn't know whether the palace maid before her was genuinely regretting her actions or if it was just another tactic of the Prince of Yan, but what the maid said seemed to be true. She had been too careless. Hearing Xiao Luzi call out "Your Highness," she instinctively assumed it was Zehua, thus mistakenly boarding the thief's carriage. Now, so far from the capital, even if the Prince of Yan released her now, she certainly wouldn't be able to find her way back to the capital on her own.

Here, she was truly an outsider, and everything was so unfamiliar that she couldn't help but feel flustered and at a loss.

Zehua, Zehua, will you come looking for me?

"Get up. There's no point in saying more. Everything has already happened. Can you send some food over? I'm starving." She had to make sure she survived.

Qiuju looked up in surprise and quickly stood up, saying, "Okay, there are always people guarding the door. I'll go and have them bring some food over right away. Please wait a moment."

A moment later, Wanlan looked at the dishes on the table and chuckled. She thought that her treatment as a prisoner was not bad. The guards outside the door were quite terrified of her words. She wondered how the Prince of Yan had introduced her to these people. Picking up her chopsticks, Wanlan ate heartily without any politeness. She had only eaten porridge for half a month, and her stomach was probably empty. She was lucky that she hadn't starved to death.

When she could no longer eat anything, Wanlan slowly put down her chopsticks. Looking at the mess on the table, she stuck out her tongue in a rather unladylike manner. Just as she was about to raise her head to call someone to clear the table, her gaze met a pair of unfathomable dark eyes, which startled her!

Zhao Dezhao!

You've finally shown up!

Wanlan slowly turned her gaze away and said to Qiuju nonchalantly, "Call someone to tidy up this place." Then she went to the soft couch to the side, sat down leisurely, picked up her tea and drank it, completely ignoring the man who stepped in and walked to her side.

You seem quite content with this kind of life.

Wanlan chuckled, "Is that so?" She tilted her head and glanced at him sideways, "Forgive my ignorance, but I didn't know that such a life of imprisonment could be fulfilling. Perhaps I misspoke, which is why Your Highness Yan misunderstood?"

Zhao Dezhao sat down opposite her, his face expressionless, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. "Father and the others should have returned to Tokyo by now. What kind of situation do you think will result from your disappearance?"

"What situation Tokyo is in right now is none of my business," Wanlan said, gently putting down her teacup and casually smoothing her sleeves with a faint smile. "Your Highness, please feel free to ask me anything, and I will answer you."

Zhao Dezhao nodded indifferently, turning his cold gaze away from her. "Then I'll be frank. Who exactly are you?"

Wanlan paused, looking at his sharply defined profile with surprise. She was somewhat astonished that this man was so perceptive. They had already clashed once, a confrontation that had brought out both his tenderness and resentment, yet he still didn't believe she was Jiao Wanlan. Perhaps she truly was far removed from the Wanlan of the past, so even using "amnesia" as a cover couldn't escape this man's gaze. However—she would never admit it.

"Is Your Highness the Prince of Yan confused? You were the one who sent someone to 'invite' me here, so why are you asking such questions?"

"No, you must not be Lan'er." He turned his head, his dark eyes fixed on her perfect, flawless smile, his tone forceful as if he wanted to etch the words into her mind, or into his own.

“Even if Lan’er has lost her memory, her temperament could not have changed so much. Besides, Su Li told me that Lan’er sent her away before giving birth so that she could find an opportunity to leave the manor and find me. So, Lan’er must have something to ask me. How could she forget everything so easily? I don’t believe it!”

Great, another clue.

Wanlan lowered her eyes and went through the whole story: Zhao Dezhao suddenly got married, and Jiao Wanlan was heartbroken and married him, but she was unwilling to give up. So she made a promise to Zhao Dezhao, but unexpectedly became pregnant with Xu'er. She probably couldn't find an opportunity to leave the manor, so she found an opportunity to transfer Su Li to the kitchen and ordered her to look for Zhao Dezhao in her spare time. So why did she run to the rain when she was about to give birth? Could it be that she wanted to... give up on Xu'er? So even when she was about to give birth, she still couldn't wait for Zhao Dezhao, so she gave up on herself too, right?

"...Jiao Wanlan!"

A thunderous shout rang in her ears. Wanlan paused for a moment, then raised her eyes to him and curled her lips into a mocking smile. "Zhao Dezhao, didn't you say I'm not Lan'er? The name 'Jiao Wanlan' shouldn't belong to me, should it?"

Zhao Dezhao lost all patience, slammed his fist on the table, and demanded, "Who exactly are you? Where have you hidden Lan'er?"

Wanlan rubbed her forehead, the smile on her lips growing fainter. She no longer knew how to face this man. She didn't understand the relationship between him and Jiao Wanlan, nor did she understand the reason for his persistence.

“Zhao Dezhao, I hope you understand what you are doing. I told you a month ago that I am no longer Princess Jiao Wanlan of Deqing. I am just Zehua’s wife and Weixu’s mother. I don’t know what your persistent purpose is, but I really don’t want to have anything to do with you now. The Jiao Wanlan of the past… is dead.”

Zhao Dezhao suddenly turned his head and glared at her. Wanlan's heart tightened, but she still raised her eyes and quietly met his shocked and pained gaze. This man's emotions were more intense than Zehua's, and could easily penetrate her heart. Perhaps it was only because the woman she possessed had once deeply loved him, but even so, she still insisted on her own love.

She has only one heart, which can only love one person; she has only one pair of hands, which can only soothe the heart of one man.

The room fell silent and suffocating; neither of them spoke for a moment.

“…Very well, so I don’t need to feel guilty at all.” The deep male voice said this without a trace of emotion, then he flicked his wide sleeves and walked away.

Wanlan was so shocked by his words that her eyelids twitched uncontrollably. She abruptly stood up and shouted, "What do you mean?!"

Zhao Dezhao paused slightly, but did not turn around or give her any explanation. He then left her room, leaving Wanlan, who was becoming increasingly flustered, staring at his back, helpless.

There's no need to feel guilty...

What does this mean? What exactly is Zhao Dezhao trying to do? He dared to blatantly kidnap her; it can't be just for Jiao Wanlan, right? So what is his purpose? Isn't he worried about his own situation if things are exposed?

The more Wanlan thought about it, the more she felt something was amiss. She rushed to the door, calling out urgently, "Qiuju!"

"princess?"

Qiuju, who hadn't gone far, was guarding the door. Startled by her call, she rushed up, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

"Go and find Xia He and Xiao Luzi for me! At the very least, find me any servant of the Prince of Yan!" She had to find out the whole story today! What kind of scheme was the Prince of Yan up to?

Chapter 26, The Storm Does Not Believe the Water Chestnut Branch is Weak (2)

Trying her best to suppress her growing panic, Wanlan sat calmly on the soft couch, her clear eyes fixed on Xia He kneeling before her. She couldn't allow herself to show the slightest sign of distress.

"Xia He, I won't ask why you helped the Prince of Yan deceive me. I just want to know, what is the purpose of bringing me from the capital to Jiangling?"

Xia He kept her head down and remained silent.

Wanlan lowered her brows and smiled faintly, "If you don't want to talk, I can't force you. I can't be considered your master now. You may leave." She waved her hand and turned to Qiuju beside her, adding, "Find me someone else."

Qiuju responded and was about to turn and leave when someone stepped in through the doorway, raising their voice:

"Your Highness need not look for anyone more."

The newcomer wore a light green long dress with a dark green jacket over it. Her black hair was styled in a high bun and adorned with a delicate flower hairpin. She had long eyebrows and slender eyes and was very beautiful. It was Su Li.

The former mistress and servant met again, but although not long had passed, everything had changed. Wanlan was stunned for a while before suddenly opening her eyes wide, her gaze falling on Su Li's tied-up black hair. Just a month ago, she had loose hair like a young girl, but now she was dressed like a married woman!

Su Li got married?

When Xia He saw Su Li appear, she finally raised her panicked face and looked at her, stammering, "Sister Su Li..."