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墨書 Inktalez
"Are we moving to Chang'an now?"
Yes, we are heading to the capital, and I can't help but feel excited. Chang'an is definitely going to be much more interesting than Yichuan County.
"I've already taken leave. Once our wedding is over, I'll go back to work."
"When we get to Chang'an, make sure to take me along for all the fun!"
My handsome companion pinched my nose playfully.
"You should know that the current Dali Temple is just a shell of its former self. The Chief Justice is unwell and on sick leave, and both Deputy Minister of Justice positions are vacant. So when we get there, all the responsibilities will fall on your husband’s shoulders. I certainly don't intend to treat you as just a supportive spouse; not utilizing your talents in detective work would be a waste."
Such an open-minded statement would usually make me thrilled, but the term "husband" he used was too stimulating, causing my cheeks to flush instantly.
He laughed happily and suddenly asked me with a mysterious tone, "How does your husband address you? Is it also 'husband'?"
I blushed and stammered for a moment before managing to murmur like a mosquito, "He calls me... darling..."
"Darling? Why does that sound so unpleasant? What should I call you then? Could it be... wife?!"
Is it really okay for him to be this clever?
"Wife?!... Did you guess right?" His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh dear, that's quite unrefined! It doesn't sound as nice as 'wife.' But, hmm, wife..."
Come on, we aren't even married yet.
"Wife, once we reach Chang'an, it might be quite tough. The Cold Case Division under Zhongshu Province, which is where Guilin is located, will be transferred to Dali Temple. The main contact point for the Jade Balance Bureau will also move there. We have a lot of work ahead of us." He gently stroked my long hair. "The secret vault from Cuihua Mountain has already been relocated and will be entrusted to me to keep safe. So we'll be very busy. But I won't let you feel lonely; I'll take you along with me."
Everything was gentle, yet suddenly something wrong tightened around my heart, leaving me with a feeling of suffocation. I couldn't even bring myself to care when he called me "wife."
I grasped him tightly.
"Does the Emperor know about the existence of the Shadow of the Night?"
Qiu paused for a moment, staring at me in a daze. Then he pulled me closer in his embrace and sighed, "Zhenzhen, why must you be so clever?"
What I was thinking about was Li Shimin.
Li Shimin appeared to be such a magnanimous and benevolent person, but could one truly sit firmly on the dragon throne with just kindness and generosity?
Who was it that committed fratricide at Xuanwu Gate? Who forced his own father to abdicate for him?
Objectively speaking, this was precisely his admirable quality—the coexistence of benevolence and decisiveness. He could save the common people while bearing the weight of sin; with a single word, he could do anything.
This was a blessing for the Common People, yet it could very well be our nightmare.
Such an emperor, no matter how trusted he might be, could never allow someone by his side to simultaneously hold power over wealth, military authority, and life-and-death decisions.
If such a situation arose, it would surely come at a price—a price that would ensure the emperor could be absolutely certain that this person was under control. Simply trusting in his character? That would be a joke; it could only be the information made public.
Right now, I just wanted to know what price Nie Qiuyuan had paid.
I took a deep breath.
"Qiu," I said as I wrapped my arms around his waist, "I will share life and death with you."
He lowered his head and gently kissed my forehead.
"Zhenzhen, I was summoned after the Ritual Ceremony. I had a long conversation with the Emperor, and then I ingested his poison. The Gu poison."
Gu... poison?
"What do you mean?" I felt extremely tense inside. This was not a good thing; would it lead to death?
"Zhenzhen, it means I have entrusted my life to him. This type of Gu does not have any effect until it activates, but as long as he wishes, even from a thousand miles away, he can take my life at any time."
So if the Emperor wanted him dead, he would have no choice but to die? There would be no escape? No wonder the Emperor felt secure enough to grant him such immense power.
Truly, he deserved the title of a fratricidal killer, having killed his own brother, and now Brother was forced to ingest poison as well. My feelings for Li Shimin plummeted to rock bottom.
"Don't worry, Zhenzhen. Entrusting my life to the Emperor is far better than giving it to anyone else. He is more rational than anyone; he won't harm my life based on his own whims and emotions."
Yet my tears still surged forth. Qiu said nothing, only bent down to hold me tightly and gently kissed away my tears.
For all skilled strategists, the greatest sorrow lies in losing control over the game, let alone entrusting one's very life to another. But Qiu was so eager for power; wasn't this reckless behavior all for me?
We embraced in silence for a long time until Qiu finally broke the stalemate.
"Zhenzhen, it's not all for you. I want to protect you, but I also need to survive. As long as the Mirror Gate exists, my life hangs by a thread, just like this situation. Moreover, the great vengeance of my family will eventually come to light; I will have to face it someday."
I sniffled, feeling a sense of helpless despair.
"Silly girl, you have to believe me; I won't die." He looked at me and suddenly smiled again. "There will be a way. You and I will always find a way. We will live together; we will grow old together. With you here, how could I bear to die?"
I wiped away my tears. Yes, feeling helpless and sad here was not my style. After all, Autumn wouldn't die, would she? Perhaps this was a time bomb that would never explode. We would find a way!
Since I still felt sore all over, I soaked in a hot bath for a while before combing my hair and getting dressed. After the hot water, I felt much more relaxed, especially since Autumn had deliberately come over to play and joke around with me for a bit. All my worries and troubles were temporarily set aside.
As it turns out, life is always filled with more troubles than joys. Just as I started to feel a little happy, following Autumn out to bask in the sunlight, I stepped into the corridor and bumped right into Han Meilan.
Her appearance startled me.
Clearly, I had gone through many changes, but she looked so much more haggard than I did, as if she were the one who had been tormented all along.
Han Meilan was dressed neatly, her hair perfectly styled, but her complexion was pale, her eyes dark-circled and swollen, as if she hadn’t slept well for days. In short, she looked very distressed.
She collided with us and froze for a moment, speechless.
I didn’t think her ghastly appearance was due to worrying about me; after all, I was fine. No matter how you looked at it, she wore an expression of heartbreak!
From the first moment I saw Han Meilan, when I discovered she was eyeing my crush, I had been anticipating this moment. I had once maliciously thought that when Nie Qiuyuan became mine, I would flaunt our love in front of her to make it clear that my man was off-limits. That feeling would surely be exhilarating.
But now that this moment had truly arrived, I didn’t feel exhilarated at all; instead, I felt an unimaginable annoyance. I sincerely wished to avoid facing all of this.
Melan stared blankly at us, and gradually the beauty of her large eyes filled with mist.
Autumn and I were both dressed in casual home clothes, our hair damp and casually draped behind us, looking quite relaxed. However, this somewhat ambiguous casualness inevitably led to speculation.
What should I say? What could this lead to for me?
“Liuying… are you feeling better?”
It was Melan who broke the silence. She tried to force a smile, but it didn't work.
"I heard you were taken away, and I was so worried. But it's good that you're back..."
Listening to her voice, I felt a pang of anguish. I wanted to find the right words to respond; I had always been good at dealing with her, hadn't I? Yet now, all I felt was helplessness.
"Melan," instead of my voice, it was the calm and steady voice of Qiu who spoke, "Liuying is fine now, so there's no need to worry."
Melan stared at him intently. I understood that this person was the root cause of her current state of despair.
Nie Qiuyuan stood quietly beside me, looking at Melan. His voice was soft yet firm as he said, "Melan, I plan to marry Liuying on the sixth day of May. You are Liuying's closest person, and there are many preparations to be made. I will need your help."
Han Meilan bit her lip and finally nodded, saying, "Liuying, Brother Nie, congratulations. Melan will do her best."
As she spoke, her tears finally fell uncontrollably. Han Meilan turned and dashed toward her room.
I barely had time to think before I hurried after her, following her into her room.
Once inside, she threw herself onto the bed and began to cry loudly.
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