Even the later consummation was pushed forward by him.
He gave that old man aphrodisiac wine, and the other took advantage, deceiving her onto the bed.
From beginning to end, she never loved that old man.
If that’s the case, Lu Ziyuan would feel better.
It’s better than her truly shifting her affections to someone else.
However, when he asked, Xie Wanqing remained silent for a long time.
Of course, she knew what would be most appropriate to say at this moment.
It’s just that the reason they’ve had such a difficult journey is entirely due to those self-righteous deceits, causing them to become estranged despite being childhood sweethearts, loving each other, yet breaking apart and even facing life and death separation.
Since they decided to start anew, Xie Wanqing didn’t want to begin this new Chapter with deception again.
Amidst a strange silence, she whispered: "I don’t want to deceive you, I..."
"Enough!" Lu Ziyuan pinched her neck and pulled her into his embrace, "Let’s not speak of this anymore, never mention it again."
"..."
Xie Wanqing choked back her words, swallowed them hard, thought for a moment, then encircled his waist and softly said: "I do love you, really."
"Good, ... I know," The dull pain in his heart was infused with warmth, Lu Ziyuan gently patted the girl’s back in his arms, "Sleep, Wanwan."
Outside, dawn was breaking.
Xie Wanqing had been too sleepy to keep her eyes open long ago and responded with a low hum before quickly falling asleep.
After five years without seeing each other, being held in his arms again, she felt no awkwardness or discomfort.
Slept very peacefully.
Lu Ziyuan lowered his eyes and gazed at her sleeping face, watching for who knows how long.
Until daylight fully broke, and the almost imperceptible sound of footsteps could be heard outside in the courtyard, did he finally move.
He carefully released the girl in his arms, got up from the bed, got dressed, and went out.
Mingjian was waiting outside and was about to speak when Lu Ziyuan stopped him with a look.
He didn’t pause his steps, until he walked out of the courtyard door, before turning his head sideways to snap out of it, "Where is he?"
"In the front yard," Mingjian said, "Knowing the gravity of his deeds, he seems already determined to die."
Lu Ziyuan’s lips twitched slightly, "Has punishment been administered?"
Mingjian hurriedly bowed, "You haven’t instructed, so I dared not use force, but no grain has been sent in."
Not even a day has passed, nothing could happen yet.
Lu Ziyuan’s eyes glittered coldly, stepping towards the front yard to meet the ’Champion Scholar’ who took five years of her life, when Mingjian added, "The little boy cried all night wanting to see Miss Xie and Lord Ji, he only fell asleep earlier."
Suddenly having a father emerge, who occupied his mother, and then several strange men guarding over him, in a small child’s world, this was indeed a dramatic change.
But Lu Ziyuan showed no parental affection.
Hearing this, his brows furrowed tightly, "Already four years old and still fussing at night for his mother, probably hasn’t been weaned."
Speaking of which, he wondered, he asked again: "How does he address Ji Chengfeng?"
By seniority, Ji Chengfeng is Wanwan’s cousin, if truly aboveboard and without intimate feelings, then Ran’er ought to call him cousin.
"This..." Mingjian hesitated for a moment, whispered: "Seems he calls him Uncle Ji."
...
The air was silent for a moment.
Lu Ziyuan seemed to chuckle lowly, "Indeed, the heart of Sima Zhao."
Mingjian secretly nodded in agreement.
The corner has been pried up to His Majesty’s head.
Everyone under the heavens knows that Miss Xie of Marquis Xuanping Mansion is the beloved of the current Emperor.
Posthumously titled as Empress after death.