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

Chapitre 142

At that time, his first instinct was correct; she was not Lan'er.

But today, she has replaced Lan'er's position.

During the conversation, the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Prince of Yan's residence. Zhao Dezhao got out of the carriage first, turned around and carried Wanlan down, leading her into the residence.

Wanlan was completely stunned.

Zhao Dezhao's attitude became very strange. He didn't avoid her at all. She believed that all the servants in the Prince of Yan's mansion must have been just as stunned as she was, watching them walk hand in hand into the inner courtyard.

“Zhao Dezhao…”

They entered a room that looked like a study. Wanlan watched as the man, who had remained silent the whole way, closed the door. He turned around and looked at her quietly for a long while before smiling. "Back in Zhuozhou, I promised to give you an answer, didn't I?"

So what's your answer?

Zhao Dezhao smiled but remained silent, pushing her to sit down in a chair while he sat to her right. He then asked her, "Let me ask you a question first. Do you know what would have happened if I hadn't disappeared?"

"Not disappear? What do you mean?"

"Even if I continue to live here, continue to be a subject of the Song Dynasty, and forcibly overturn the historical records you know, do you know what the consequences will be?"

Wanlan frowned; she had never thought about this question before.

Thanks to the "prophet," she seemed to be constantly preoccupied with the historical information she knew, maintaining a calm attitude towards the world. Because she knew the outcome, she calmly awaited its arrival. Even though she had wanted to change some things, it is undeniable that she never thought of changing the known outcome.

What she wanted to change was always just a process.

But now, what Zhao Dezhao wants to change is a result.

"I...I don't know."

She blinked blankly, then looked up at him. "You're very attached to this world, aren't you? If you really don't want to leave, then stay and see what happens."

Anyway, whatever the outcome, it's better than death.

It can't be worse than death, can it?

"I do cherish this world."

He smiled slightly. Wanlan had never seen such a multifaceted smile on this man's face before, with so much tenderness and warmth. He was truly different today.

"I am reluctant to leave this place because there are people here who I cherish."

As he spoke, he reached out and gently stroked her face, his deep eyes filled with longing, as if whispering: "Do you know? I used to love her very, very much. I once swore to cherish and protect her with my whole life, but in the end, I betrayed her without hesitation. I can never repay her for the love she has for me in this lifetime."

Wanlan felt a little flustered. She suddenly reached out and grabbed his large hand that was moving across her face, and asked anxiously, "Zhao Dezhao, what's wrong?"

As if suddenly waking up, Zhao Dezhao slowly withdrew his hand, smiled slightly at her, got up and walked to the bookshelf to take down a book.

"I only brought you here today to help Defang retrieve this book. You can take it back to him."

She took the book blankly, still staring at him.

"Zhao Dezhao, tell me what's wrong?"

He reached out and grasped her shoulders, pushing her toward the study door. "It's just a fleeting thought, nothing much. You should go back now; Defang should be heading home by now."

"Are you really alright?" Why was she so flustered?

"It's really nothing." His smile had never been so warm.

Wanlan slowly turned around and stepped over the threshold, filled with doubt—"Lan'er."

Turning around, she met his approaching face, taking in all the deep longing and affection in his eyes.

She was terrified.

"Be happy."

He said that, and then leaned down and kissed her forehead with utmost tenderness and affection. The next moment, he exerted force with his large hand on her shoulder and pushed her out of the study, and the door closed at the same time.

Inside the room, his hoarse whispers could be heard.

"Let's go back."

Wanlan returned to the Prince's Mansion in a daze.

Zhao Dezhao was acting very strangely today. What exactly did he talk about with the Imperial Uncle? Could he be thinking of doing something drastic again? Otherwise, why was he asking her so many questions?

He said he was attached to this world and wanted to see what would happen if he didn't die.

So he'll be fine.

Right?

On the steps in front of the Qin King's mansion, a man with an innate gentleness and a faint smile waited for her at the bottom of the steps.

"Wanlan".

She stopped, tilted her head slightly to face him from afar, her bright eyes filled with confusion. Suddenly, she felt that the world had become so unreal, as if everything would disappear without a trace if she closed her eyes.

Was it a dream?

How could all of this become so unclear at this moment?

A sudden coolness touched her face, startling her. Her blurry world abruptly cleared, and he, who had been standing on the steps, had somehow come down. His cool fingertips brushed away the water droplets on her face, and he asked her very, very slowly:

"Why... are you crying?"