in2ebook Chapter 259 I'll Wait for You
Chapter 259 I'll Wait for You
Upon learning that Xianglan had been rescued, Pei Yuanling's face immediately darkened, as if ink could drip from it.
He slammed the teacup in his hand hard onto the ground with a loud bang, sending shards of porcelain flying everywhere.
"A bunch of useless trash! You can't even keep an eye on a little maid, what use are you!"
The roar echoed through the Zichen Palace, causing the palace maids and eunuchs to kneel in a dense mass, trembling like a flock of startled quails, crying out, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"
Pei Yuanling paced back and forth in the hall, his steps hurried and heavy, each step seeming to tread on the hearts of everyone present.
He had gone to such lengths to lure Chu Qingyin out, but he never expected that someone would rescue her right under his nose!
Gu Li knelt on the ground, his black outfit still reeking of blood, clearly indicating that he had been injured in the fight last night and hadn't had time to change his clothes.
"Your Majesty, those men in black were clearly prepared. Their movements were extremely cunning, catching me completely off guard."
Gu Li's face remained expressionless. He had failed in his duty this time, but he had not come away empty-handed.
"I left some firefly powder on that maid. As long as there is even the slightest trace of it, I will be able to find her location."
"Hmph, you do have some foresight."
Knowing the result, Pei Yuanling felt much more at ease.
This only proves that Chu Qingyin really did have connections with people outside the palace.
Just then, Empress Dowager Wang arrived.
She entered the hall and looked at the mess and the trembling crowd kneeling on the ground. Her brows furrowed and her face showed displeasure.
"Your Majesty, what kind of behavior is this!"
Empress Dowager Wang rebuked her sternly, "It's one thing to neglect state affairs for the sake of a woman, but now you're constantly throwing tantrums in the palace and taking your anger out on people. Do you have any respect for the dignity of the royal family or for the rules of our ancestors?"
Pei Yuanling heard the Empress Dowager's voice but did not react at all, only giving a perfunctory bow, "Why has Your Majesty come?"
"If I hadn't come, how many more outrageous things would you have done?"
The Empress Dowager coldly snorted, "I think you've been bewitched by that woman! A dignified ruler of a country has lost his senses because of personal feelings for his children."
"Since you ascended the throne, there have been undercurrents from all sides, and the situation in the court has been unstable. Instead of focusing on governing the country, you spend your days entangled in these romantic affairs. How can you expect the people to trust you?"
Empress Dowager Wang took a deep breath, her tone growing increasingly stern, as if she wanted to thoroughly rouse Pei Yuanling from his slumber. "If you change your ways now, the Wang family might still be able to lend you a hand! But if you continue to be stubborn and lose heart among the officials, how long do you think you can hold out?"
In front of all the maids, the Empress Dowager's words left Pei Yuanling with no face whatsoever.
"If I hadn't appointed you back then, do you think you could have truly ascended this throne?"
Because of Pei Yuanling's constant targeting over the past few days, the Empress Dowager finally couldn't bear it any longer and vented all her dissatisfaction.
"What the Empress Dowager says is true. I am able to be where I am today thanks to the support of the Wang family."
Pei Yuanling's face was gloomy. Although he responded respectfully on the surface, his clenched fists betrayed his inner resentment.
Suppressing his anger, he lowered his eyes and said, "Your subject lost his composure for a moment, causing Your Majesty to worry."
The Empress Dowager stared at Pei Yuanling with a scrutinizing look in her eyes: "Since you know that as the monarch, every move you make concerns the face of the royal family, you should act with even greater composure. Qiao Qingyin is just a woman, why do you need to worry about her so much? The officials and government affairs in the court are what you should be focusing on. The Wang family can help you for a while, but they can't cover everything for you."
"Your subject understands."
Seeing his proper attitude, the Empress Dowager's anger finally subsided somewhat.
She dismissed the palace servants and softened her tone: "Although the Empress made mistakes in the past, she has already received the punishment she deserved. Since you do not like her, I will not force you to reconcile with her. I also have a niece, and I will have her enter the palace in the next few days. You two should get along well, which will also serve as a statement to the court officials."
Pei Yuanling sneered inwardly upon hearing this.
Is it to give the court officials a statement, or to give the royal family an explanation?
After a moment's hesitation, he said indifferently, "I will leave everything to the Empress Dowager's arrangements."
Before the Empress Dowager could rejoice, he said, "However, the affairs of the court are complicated, and I am truly unable to attend to them all. My cousin from the Wang family has entered the palace, and I hope that Your Majesty will take good care of her."
Seeing that he didn't seem to care much, but also didn't object, the Empress Dowager decided to stop while she was ahead.
"That's natural."
She nodded slightly and said, "You should focus on handling state affairs and not be distracted by matters of the heart. Let's put aside the matter of Consort Liang for now and make a decision after the court is stable."
With the resurgence of Zhang Xian's old faction, even Pei Yuanling has to take it seriously and deal with the immediate situation first.
But Chu Qingyin seems to have an inescapable connection with them.
After the Empress Dowager left, Pei Yuanling sat alone in the hall, his face terribly gloomy.
Thinking of the Wang family's plans to stuff more women into the harem, he suddenly kicked over the chair beside him and sneered, "The Wang family, the Wang family! They interfere with my decisions at every turn. I am the emperor, yet I am constantly hampered by you. They deserve to die!"
After venting his anger, Pei Yuanling gradually calmed down, and a hint of gloom appeared between his handsome brows.
Yinyin, you wait.
Whether it's the royal family or anyone else, no one can stop me from having you.
You can only belong to me.
***
On the other side, Chu Qingyin was guarding Xianglan in the room.
Seeing that Xianglan's breathing gradually stabilized and her wounds were healing, her worries lessened somewhat.
Lu Zhiheng walked in and draped a coat over her shoulders: "Qingyin, her condition is stable now, so don't overwork yourself. Take a rest first."
Since the last incident, the relationship between Chu Qingyin and him has actually improved quite a bit.
She nodded. These past few days, she had been constantly thinking about the suffering she had endured in her past life, and she had been having nightmares every night, waking up in a cold sweat every time.
"I've been feeling uneasy lately, Ah Heng, are you about to make your move?" Chu Qingyin asked tentatively.
This is a confidential matter, and the other party cannot give a proper answer.
Chu Qingyin had obviously thought of this as well, and regretted it as soon as she said it.
Unexpectedly, the other party replied without any warning, "Yes, the capital has been in turmoil lately, it's about time."
Chu Qingyin was stunned.
The next moment, she heard him say, "Qingyin, if I don't return one day, Xueqing will take you and Xianglan away through the secret passage. At that time, don't linger, go as far away as possible, understand?"
The man looked serious, not like he was faking it.
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingyin's eyes were filled with surprise.
Although she knew that Lu Zhiheng and the others' plans were fraught with danger, she never expected that Lu Zhiheng had already arranged an escape route for her.
In that instant, Chu Qingyin's heartstrings trembled.
She looked at Lu Zhiheng, many words welling up on her lips, but she couldn't utter a single word for a moment.
Suddenly, as if she had mustered up a great deal of courage, she walked up to Lu Zhiheng and stood on tiptoe.
A sweet, fragrant breeze wafted by, and a soft touch landed on my lips.
Lu Zhiheng's eyes widened instantly.
In an instant, the shock was replaced by joy.
His hands instinctively wrapped around Chu Qingyin's waist, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he deepened the kiss.
After a long while, the two slowly separated, but did not completely part ways.
Foreheads touched, their breaths mingling.
“Aheng, I…”
Just as Chu Qingyin was about to speak, Lu Zhiheng gently pressed his finger against her lips.
"I understand without you saying anything."
The man's gaze softened as he looked into her eyes, his voice low and deep, "As long as you're safe, anything I do is worthwhile."
Chu Qingyin pursed her lips, her voice slightly nasal, "You must come back safely too. I'll be waiting for you."
"it is good."
Lu Zhiheng raised his hand and gently wiped away the moisture from Chu Qingyin's eyes, coaxing her softly, "I'll be back soon."
He cannot stay here for long; he has already taken risks by traveling back and forth these past few days.
From now on, I can't be so willful anymore, lest word get out.
So when Shen Ran urged him from outside the door, Lu Zhiheng didn't linger. He quickly kissed her forehead and turned to leave.