Li Yu glared fiercely at the person next to me, "It's all because of you! Your interference is tantamount to sentencing me to death!"
"That's because you were too eager for quick success." Nangong Ling's eyes gradually changed, becoming dark and sharp as poison. "Jun Guan of the Tianjue Sect, Sect Leader Jun, don't tell me you don't recognize him."
Before Li Yu could react, I was stunned. How did we suddenly jump to the Tianjue Sect?
"You...you mean..."
"It's all your fault for choosing the wrong person; he used the wrong methods. Wanting to annex the Nangong and Feng families and become the city lord—his actions are too ambitious, and his appetite too large. But that alone wouldn't warrant me arresting the people behind him. Yet you all, without any sense of right or wrong, chose to kidnap Rong Lian." He chuckled slowly, his voice soft and gentle like smoke, yet tinged with a chilling, bloodthirsty aura. "Since you know my weaknesses, you should also know what I hate most. You've all seen Rong Zhi's fate."
When did you find out?
"It's earlier than you think."
Li Yu gritted her teeth, "How is that possible!"
"Oh, I have to thank my Eleventh Sister for facilitating this fleeting romance. The courtesan of Xihong Garden and the young marquis are quite close, aren't they?"
A single sentence, however, was like a thunderclap in spring, shattering the peach blossoms and leaving only ashen whiteness and despair.
“Even she lied to me…” he murmured softly, his voice choked with sobs.
"Anyway, you have no will to live, so it doesn't matter whether you are sentenced to death or not."
I told you long ago, Nangong Ling is petty and vengeful. Don't offend him, no matter who you are. Once he sets his sights on you, you'll never get rid of him.
"Ah Yue, escort the young marquis back to the capital."
After saying that, he got up and took the half-piece of osmanthus cake from my hand, saying, "If you eat so much, you won't be able to eat lunch later."
"Tsk, I haven't finished eating yet... You're so annoying, Xiao Lianjue can eat whatever he wants there..."
Halfway through the play, someone suddenly took the snack from my hand. Actually, it's because of my tendency to speak without thinking; I accidentally reveal my true feelings.
"Say it again, I didn't hear you clearly."
He squinted and smiled slightly, and a chill ran down my spine, instantly sobering me up.
"W-what? Did I just say something?" He turned his eyes away, pretending not to notice. "Ah, it's already noon, let's eat."
"Aqing, have lunch here."
"Still... Hello!"
Before I could finish speaking, he had already vanished.
"You're having a good time in the Eastern Palace? Look at how you're reminiscing, it seems I worried about you for nothing."
"I'm just worried your daughter will go hungry. Do you think you can't stand to see me doing well and only want to be tortured and imprisoned to be satisfied?"
"Torture and imprisonment." He repeated, reaching out to smooth the stray hairs from my forehead. "Anyone who dares to do this will know what it means to wish they were dead."
I was stunned; I hadn't expected him to take it seriously.
"So Lian'er, don't give others this opportunity."
My momentary carelessness disrupted his plans. This time, he didn't yell at me at all, probably because he wasn't as anxious as he used to be.
"Yes, I will be good."
Perhaps because he had never heard me say such things before, it took him a long time to realize what I meant.
He laughed, his laughter spreading like a radiant spring breeze. The kiss that landed on my forehead was as light as willow catkins, tender as the gentlest touch, and as devout as the warm glow of a rosy sunset.
Chapter 123
Time slips by silently, and another winter snow falls in the blink of an eye.
In February, the sky was slightly clear with occasional light snow, but fortunately, this year was a mild winter, so it didn't feel particularly cold.
After a while of peaceful days, I started to get restless. I've been staying in the Nine-Story Tower for the past few months and haven't gone out much, so I don't know what's going on outside.
I should have known better than to pretend to be innocent. You really can't just say things carelessly; I've gotten myself into such deep trouble. Asking that dead man Nangong Ling won't get me anything. He just evaded the main point and steered the conversation away in no time. I always like to do things that trap me. No, it's all because Nangong Ling is the best at playing the victim, always hitting the softest spot on my heart.
"Xiaoman, what is that?"
"This..." Xiaoman glanced out the window, "This subordinate doesn't know either."
"If you don't know, why don't you go down and ask around?" I put down my tea and glanced at her sideways.
She knew I'd been in a bad mood lately, or rather, to some extent, I'd reverted to my old temper, so she didn't say much and turned to go downstairs.
I don't expect to find out anything, so I'd better send her away and go down and check it out myself.
The flower-decorated sedan chair is clearly a woman's sedan chair. How can it be brought in so blatantly through the Changsheng Gate? Do they think I'm blind?
It's been six days since that dead man came to the building. Thinking of this, I raised my eyebrows, feeling uneasy.
How did you get out?
Looking in the direction of the sound, I saw He Mengyan carrying a bowl of bird's nest soup, about to go upstairs. But she had a pair of thieving eyes and somehow spotted me.
"Your dad also said that taking more walks is good for you."
"That's true, but who would go for a walk behind a screen?"
That brat, always meddling.
Who's outside?
"Huh?" He looked puzzled.
I had forgotten that he was either hiding in the medicinal cuisine hall or planting herbs in the garden, and that he was just as clueless as I was.
"It's nothing, you can leave now that the bird's nest is here."
"I'm going to take your pulse today, so let's put off any shady plans for now."
"Don't speak so recklessly. Put your things down and come with me. I'll take you to see some beauties."
"What's so interesting? What trouble are you trying to cause now?"
Do I really have a face that looks like I'm going to cause trouble? Fine, I won't go then, who cares!
"Hey! Don't be alone... Xiaoman, where's Xiaoman?"
Ignoring He Mengyan's cold expression and loud shouts from behind, I left without a second thought, saying, "Follow me or not, I'm on my way."
As soon as I stepped outside, a blast of cold wind hit me in the face. I shivered and my eyelids started to twitch. Suddenly, I hesitated, and an ominous premonition began to grow in my heart.
But I'm the kind of person who knowingly ventures into dangerous places; once my curiosity takes hold, everything else becomes just a passing cloud.
I wasn't wrong, she was indeed a beauty, but she looked so familiar that I couldn't quite place her.
"What else do you want?" The man's voice came from afar, sounding somewhat weary.
"She wants you to fight for the world for her. I only ask that you treat me as well as you treat her, and I will be content."
There was a long silence on the other side. The silence was the most irritating thing. I took a slow breath and felt my throat was dry.
"Okay," he replied softly, and my heart sank. Unfortunately, I could only hear his voice but couldn't see his expression.
"Really? Really?" The woman's voice trembled, whether from joy or excitement, it was hard to tell.
"If you would die for me."
Another silence fell. Dark clouds drifted in from afar, and cold snow swirled down, landing on my face but refusing to melt.
After a long time, there was still no movement inside. Gradually, I couldn't stand the cold any longer, so I pushed open the door and went straight in.
"Did I disturb you?"
The man seemed surprised to see me, but I didn't pay him much attention. I turned to look at the beautiful woman sitting to the side with a look of surprise and uncertainty, and finally remembered who she was. It turned out to be the most beautiful courtesan in Xihong Garden.
She was quite famous in Xiling Kingdom. It's quite interesting, really. Because she was an orphan, Aunt Qing took her in at Xihong Garden when she was little. She didn't even know her name, but seeing her beautiful appearance, she simply raised her to be the most beautiful courtesan. Everyone else, seeing Aunt Qing constantly calling her "the most beautiful courtesan," started calling her that too, and they still do now. Back then, when I learned the reason for this, I even laughed at Aunt Qing for a while. At that time, my third brother was this courtesan's biggest patron.
"Without you, Aunt Qing of Xihong Garden would be devastated. How could you abandon your mother, who fed you and raised you to adulthood, to come and seek refuge with this completely unreliable man?"
"Unreliable..." she repeated several times before letting out a cold laugh, completely unlike her previous pitiful and weak demeanor. "Without City Lord Nangong, would you have your current status? Or would you even be alive to stand before me?"
"This is what he owes me. I think you only see the thief eating meat but not the thief getting beaten. Don't just keep your eyes on other people's glory."
She didn't understand, and of course she couldn't possibly understand. I once said that Yue Linghe's affection wasn't to the point of being willing to risk one's life for her. She asked me a question back then, but I didn't give her a direct answer. There's no need to talk about many things everywhere.
I shut her up with one sentence and she didn't say anything for a long time. When she raised her head, there was still resentment in her eyes.
At this moment, Nangong Ling moved and came over to take my hand.
"Stop talking."
"Why do you care so much about me?"
I glanced at him sideways, and he paused, gripping my hand tightly before forcing a bitter smile.
"This kind of person has done anything to gain his father's approval. You only know that he's good to me, but do you know that I almost died at his hands six years ago!"
Nangong Ling's face turned pale instantly, her lips tightened into a thin white line, and her dark eyes trembled violently.
Chapter 124
Six years ago.
An atmosphere of bleakness permeated the area outside Junzi Tower in Luoyang City. The clouds and mist hung low, the sky was gloomy, and the west wind blew up, scattering fallen leaves all over the street.
At that time, my eldest brother was often away from home, my second brother had to help my father manage the household affairs, and my third brother couldn't control me, so I followed Feng Moru all over the country. He painted his portraits of beauties, and I took Yan Guhong, who was still clinging to me at the time, to join in the fun.