The concubine's favorite? Break off the engagement and marry another prince, please respect you

Chapter 183

Lu Ziyan explained seriously: "There are no maids on the boat, only men, I..."

"Alright!" Xie Wan Ning didn't want to listen to his excuses at all. Even if there was a maid, he would probably do it himself. He interrupted quickly, "Get out!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the room suddenly became quiet.

Lu Ziyan was silent for a few breaths, then suddenly knelt on one knee on the couch and held her wrist, "I just don't want you to be alone, don't be afraid, okay... I promise to be self-disciplined and polite, and not cross the line even a step."

His voice was very soft, but Xie Wan Ning still heard every word clearly. She lowered her eyes to look at her hand being held, pursed her lips and said, "I am a married woman."

Married woman.

Lu Ziyan raised an icy smile, "Don't tell me you want to go back. That sickly guy is such a loser, full of schemes but can't even protect his own wife. Are you still going to be devoted to him?"

When he released her from the military camp outside Beijing that day, he swore that it would be the last time he allowed her to go to another man.

Now that the person is in his arms, there is no way he can put her back!
But Xie Wan Ning was not thinking about these things.

What she was thinking was that the incident at the hot spring villa that day had caused such a big stir that the person behind the incident would definitely spread the news that she had been abducted by thieves throughout the capital.

A woman who was abducted by bandits and had her reputation ruined, even if Pei Yuqing loved her deeply, did not mind her stain, and was willing to treat her as before, what about the other people in the Pei family?

The Duke of Pei's Mansion has been passed down for hundreds of years, with generations of dukes and a prominent family. How could they accept a clan woman like this?

No matter how kind and gentle Princess Duanyang is, she probably cannot tolerate such a daughter-in-law.

And the Xie family...

If she divorced and returned home, it would also bring disgrace to the Xie family.

Naturally, her father and brother would not despise her, but how could she return home with peace of mind and affect the reputation of the daughter of the Xie family?

As she thought about it, Xie Wan Ning's face turned paler and paler, and her heart sank. She felt that the world was so big, but there was no place for her.

After being abducted, where else can she go?
When the rough fingertips fell on her face, Xie Wan Ning realized that she had shed tears without knowing when.

"Don't cry." Lu Ziyan simply got on the bed, held her shoulders, lowered his head and looked at her, and said seriously: "It's not as serious as you think. Everyone will only know that I missed you so much that I was so bold that I sent people to Beijing to kidnap you and bring you to the northern border overnight."

"As for Jin Wuji, don't worry, I won't let him go back alive," he said softly, coaxing her patiently, "Don't be afraid, you won't be ruined. Everything is because I loved you so much. It's my fault, and you are the victim."

And you will successfully become my Crown Princess, my Queen, my only beloved girl.

The world will only know how much I love you.

As for the humiliation you suffered, it will be completely buried in the ground with Jin Wuji's death.

Lu Ziyan smiled gently, leaned over and kissed her forehead, "Wanwan, leave everything to me. I will hold you high and place you above everyone else. You are innocent, clean, kind, and pure. You only need to sit high on the clouds and look down on the world."

He had started to take measures to deal with the problem as early as when he learned that the girl had been abducted by the Jin people. He understood what she cared about most and was also seriously planning for her and helping her solve the problems she encountered.

At this moment, every word and sentence is completely for her consideration.

Xie Wan Ning stared at him blankly, as if she had never known him before, with a bewildered look in her eyes.

After a long time, as if she finally understood the meaning of his words, her lips moved, but she could not speak.

In her past and present lives, for two whole lives, the man in front of her gave her the only impression of being cold, despotic, tyrannical, and arrogant.

In his previous life, he had never even said a soft word to her. Even when they were most passionately embracing each other on the couch, his kiss was just passionate, and the rest was mostly about eager possession.

She could feel that he enjoyed playing with her body, but as for pity and love, perhaps he hid it too well, or perhaps she was too slow, in any case, she had never felt that he had such things for her.

Not to mention this life, he was a madman, a madman that she couldn't get rid of or escape from.

He said he loved her many times, but she actually sneered at him.

How could such a paranoid lunatic understand love?

But now, she could actually feel his tenderness.

How strange it is that the word 'gentle' can be associated with a madman like Lu Ziyan.

Xie Wanning's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes gradually became clear. "If that's the case, then you are forcibly seizing my wife. You will become the target of public criticism, and history books will not let you off."

Lu Ziyan patted her head and coaxed her, "As long as I'm alive, no one will dare to criticize me. As for after death,... I never care about the reputation after death."

Seize my wife by force?

He had planned to do this a long time ago. It was just a little earlier now. So what did it matter?

"Is it worth it?" Xie Wan Ning's heart was full of complicated thoughts, and she forced a smile with difficulty. "You have spent your whole life defending against foreign enemies and building achievements. You shouldn't pay so much attention to love between men and women."

People live a life, enjoy fame, wealth and power, reach the highest position, hold the power of life and death, and no one can check and balance them. If there is anything that they care about, isn’t it the reputation they have after death?
This girl had a very hard heart. It was so rare for her to show any emotion in front of him. Lu Ziyan was delighted and said with a low smile, "Are you moved already? If you are, how about marrying me?"

Xie Wan Ning: “…”

She was speechless and choked. Her complex emotions disappeared without a trace when he interrupted her. Just as she was about to say something, her chin was held and lifted up. He lowered his head and leaned in, kissing her directly.

The moment their lips touched, Xie Wan Ning hurriedly moved away, "No!"

As she dodged, Lu Ziyan's lips landed on her cheek. His breathing stagnated slightly, and he said softly: "Don't be afraid... Don't be afraid..."

"I won't force you to do this, but I can't let you go back either." He stepped back and looked down at her. "Wanwan, please understand me. I'm really scared. I don't want to experience your despair of life and death again."

The collapse of heaven and earth is just like this.

The scene of him falling heavily to his knees echoed in his mind again. Xie Wan pursed his lips tightly, still trying to make a final struggle, "I have been in the hands of the Jin people for so long, I am already a withered flower..."

"Shut up!" Lu Ziyan's expression changed.

"This is the truth." Xie Wan Ning did not back down, but looked up and looked at him. "Remember Liu Manrou, who was personally ordered by you to entertain the troops? ... I went through a similar experience to her."

She stared into his eyes, trying to find even the slightest hint of resentment, disgust, embarrassment, or stiffness in them.

But no, there was nothing in his eyes. Instead, he pinched her chin, leaned close, kissed her fiercely, and said, "That's nothing. It's Jin Wuji who deserves to die. You have always been very good. Don't say these words that belittle yourself in the future."

As he spoke, he curled his lips and smiled again, "My Wanwan is proud and conceited. Doesn't she hate reading those women's books the most? She said that those were written by sour Confucian scholars to suppress women and to bind you with chastity and women's virtues. You are right. I will order them to be banned later."

Xie Wan Ning clenched the quilt in her hands, feeling strange about her change of heart. She could actually feel his true love.

He is the commander-in-chief of the three armies. He must know that with her current state of mind, she cannot withstand the slightest disturbance.

She was sensitive, uneasy, inferior and cowardly. She would no longer be the fearless girl who decisively broke off the engagement and hastily married someone else without looking back after proving that her dream was true.

But he didn't do that.

He did not reach out to her as a savior when she fell into the abyss, saying "No matter what you have been through, I don't despise you", which seemed to be indifferent but actually acquiesced to her miserable words.

I have never seen her encounter a sudden change and become uneasy, and I have never seen her use any psychological tactics to suppress her spirit.

Xie Wan Ning thought about it for a long time. Was she blinded by one thing before, or had the man in front of her changed?

After a long while, she said dryly, "I thought you would mind this."

I can still vividly remember how furious he was when he learned that she had consummated their marriage.

How could he not care about her being touched by other men?
Lu Ziyan also thought of that. He tightened his jaw for a moment, then smiled frankly, "Of course I mind. To be honest, that sickly guy is the person I hate the most in my life."

His smile was very ferocious. Xie Wan Ning pursed her lips and stopped talking.

"Wanwan, come with me," Lu Ziyan stared at her steadily for a while, and then couldn't help leaning over and pecking her forehead, "No matter how heinous my crimes are, you have punished me for so long, and it is time for me to serve my sentence."

Since she did not sentence him to death, she should at least give him a chance to atone for his sins and start a new life.

He has already received the most painful punishment in the world, shouldn't he be given a glimpse of hope?

Xie Wan Ning reached out to touch the forehead he had kissed. She was silent for a while, avoiding his hopeful eyes, and said, "Too many things happened at once. Don't force me to give you an answer so hastily."

This was the first time that she did not reject him harshly, avoid him like the plague, or angrily call him disgusting.

Lu Ziyan almost wanted to cry. He nodded repeatedly, "I won't force you. You can think about it slowly. I can wait."

She was already under his wing, and there was nothing he couldn't wait for as long as she was willing to consider accepting him again.

Xie Wan Ning didn't look at him, but lowered her eyes and said, "I'm hungry."

I didn't have any meals last night, had a fever all night, and was injured and bled so much. Now I'm so weak that I can't even get out of bed.

There wasn't even a maid, so Lu Ziyan had to bring the breakfast to the bed himself.

He seemed to be very interested in the maid's job. After serving her tea and water and helping her wash up, he wanted to feed her meals with his own hands, but Xie Wan Ning politely declined.

It was her neck that was injured, not her hand, so why would she ask someone to feed her?

The war in the northern border was urgent, and Lu Ziyan dropped all military duties and ran to Yuezhou to rescue people, leaving only Ming Jian and several deputy generals to maintain the situation. After rescuing Xie Wan Ning, he turned the ship around and rushed back.

For the next two days, they traveled by water. There was no news from the people who were chasing Jin Wuji along the coast, but Lu Ziyan was not in a hurry at all.

Several passes leading back to the Jin Kingdom were controlled by his men. Jin Wuji looked like a foreigner, so he couldn't escape even if he disguised himself. Unless he died at the bottom of Dayang Lake, he would be caught sooner or later.

On the third day, they changed their water route to a land route.

In the carriage, Xie Wan Ning leaned against the wall with a soft pillow around her waist, looking listless.

After a few days of recuperation, she felt better. It was cold in autumn and winter, and the wound on her neck began to heal quickly after using the best medicine. However, the closer she got to the northern border, the more restless she became, and her thoughts became all over the place.

I don’t know what’s going on in the capital. I wonder if the news that she disappeared overnight has spread to mean that she was kidnapped by Lu Ziyan.

Did Pei Yuqing receive the message?

And are her parents and brothers also worried about her day and night?

When Lu Ziyan lifted the curtain and got up, he saw her face full of sorrow and sadness. He coughed lightly and asked with a smile, "What are you thinking about?"

Xie Wan stared at him, then expressed her worries. Finally, she said, "After I died in my previous life, what happened to my father and mother?"

Ever since she learned that he had also awakened his past life memories, this is what she wanted to ask most for so long.

These past few days, the two of them got along fairly well. At her strong request, he no longer climbed onto her bed, nor did he kiss her at will. They could sit face to face and talk calmly, and she was no longer a thorn in the side.

They were like a pair of lovers who had reconciled after a rift; they were familiar with each other, yet vaguely uncomfortable.

They were able to maintain so-called calmness because they all tacitly agreed not to mention the tragic past.

At this moment, she suddenly mentioned it, and Lu Ziyan's back stiffened unconsciously for a moment, not knowing whether he was happy or sad.

All the things that happened in their past lives were now scabbed wounds for both of them.

I dare not touch it, it hurts just thinking about it.

Now, bringing up the past again, does it mean that she is willing to try to let it go, or... is she reminding him that the hurt will always exist.

He didn't say anything for a long time. Xie Wan Ning raised her eyelids slightly and looked over. "Is this question difficult to answer?"

Could it be that he was...

"Don't let your imagination run wild," Lu Ziyan said solemnly, "I have never embarrassed your parents or brother."

Even though he later became addicted to bloodshed and fought wars everywhere, and also killed many officials in the court, he never thought of touching the Xie family.

"At that time, they wanted to take you away, but I didn't allow them... but I didn't hurt them either," he said with difficulty, "After I ascended the throne, your father and brother resigned and returned home, and the title of marquis was given to your second uncle's family."

Just a few simple words, summing up everything her family has done for her.

Xie Wan Ning blinked hard and held back the tears.

When the news of her death came back, her parents and brothers would be so sad and full of resentment towards Lu Ziyan. They would definitely try their best to trip him up and do everything they could to make his life miserable.

But in the end, he still ascended the throne and became emperor. In order to prevent other members of the Xie family from being implicated, his father and brother resigned from their official positions, even giving up their titles, and returned directly to their ancestral hometown.

Her parents lost their daughter in their old age and didn’t even get to see her for the last time, yet they were unable to get justice for her.

Her brother was a famous scholar who had won the imperial examination in the capital, but his ambitions could not be realized because he could not be loyal to an enemy who had betrayed his sister. He could only return to the countryside and become a rich and idle man.