novelraw Chapter 443 - 326: After Meeting Her
Chapter 443 - 326: After Meeting Her
"Nan Shiqi said the imperial guard has surrounded the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion. Lanlan cannot leave for now; she asked me to tell you something."
Rong Heng heard Wei Chengyuan’s words, and his mind went blank, his heart sinking to the bottom. The reasoning he had just convinced himself with instantly shattered to dust.
"What did she say?"
He instinctively tightened his grip on the Jade Pendant, striving to maintain an outward calm, yet feeling as though he had fallen into a freezing pit, his voice as cold as an ice seal when he spoke.
The imperial guard, surrounding the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion?
Countless possibilities arose in Rong Heng’s mind.
Why did Rong Jing choose this moment to target the Marquis Mansion?
Gu Chengzhao is still in the Northern Territory, and the Dingyuan Army is still intact. Gu Lan won’t come to harm, and Rong Jing wouldn’t dare to do anything to her...
Rong Heng knew these things clearly in his heart, but even so, his hand began to tremble, the hard edge of the Jade Pendant pressing into his palm, causing his fingertips to blanch.
He loved her far more than he imagined, to the point where he couldn’t endure any mishap related to her.
Wei Chengyuan looked at Rong Heng without understanding, finally catching his breath before saying:
"Lanlan asked me to tell you exactly, she said: ’Trust me. I suspect Rong Jing is not the former Emperor’s Prince, but the child of Empress Dowager Su and Xie Xu. Don’t be too surprised; after all, anyone I pick up casually could be the Great General’s brother.’
After he finished speaking, he rubbed his tired and sore eyes and said: "This wasn’t so urgent. I was afraid something happened to you. I exhausted four horses on the road and haven’t slept for two days."
Wei Chengyuan hurried so much because he truly believed something might happen to Rong Heng, or that Gu Lan’s words were extremely important to him.
Yet, each word from Gu Lan, he understood individually. When put together, it seemed not critical at all, which puzzled him.
Within the military tent, Rong Heng could only hear the fierce thumping of his own and Wei Chengyuan’s hearts.
"Thank you... I will trust her."
After a while, Rong Heng found his voice again, his eyes deep and avoiding Wei Chengyuan’s bright gaze as he tucked the Jade Pendant into his sleeve.
Gu Lan’s two sentences meant this: one is to assure him she won’t come to harm, and the other is to protect Wei Chengyuan’s safety.
She had Nan Shiqi take Wei Chengyuan away in advance and let him come to the Southern Border to deliver the message because she knew that no matter what happened, Yuan would go to save her at all costs—
If the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion were besieged, Wei Chengyuan would fight to the death to break through a path of blood;
If Gu Lan were taken to the palace, Wei Chengyuan would fight desperately to stop it.
Even though he is highly skilled in martial arts, how could he possibly contend with the imperial palace? When the palace is unguarded, sneaking in at night using Qinggong is easy. Hei in Xiefang Palace even has its own room. But really rescuing someone from the palace means facing Yan Capital’s 20,000 imperial guards and countless Inner Supervision experts, requiring meticulous planning and execution—this is something Gu Lan cannot explain to Yuan.
Ultimately, Yuan would die.
Gu Lan sent him to the Southern Border to protect him.
Rong Heng lowered his eyes, fully understanding that Rong Jing’s actions weren’t as simple as just surrounding the Marquis Mansion. The greatest likelihood was that Gu Lan had already entered the palace.
——He had a premonition that when Gu Lan suspected the relationship between Xie Xu and Rong Jing, she would inevitably make such a choice.
Because she wanted to help him investigate everything from back then.
But it’s unnecessary, Lanlan...
He no longer cared whether Rong Jing was his brother. The things that man did to him and Rong Luo, he would never forgive, and ever since he learned the former Emperor had written an edict to depose the Crown Prince, he knew the Xiao family incident was orchestrated by Rong Jing, and the former Emperor’s sudden death was also linked to Rong Jing.
He understood better than anyone what kind of person Rong Jing was; he just never wanted to admit that he had blamed the former Emperor incorrectly.
Rong Heng wasn’t shocked to know about the true parentage of Xie Xu and Rong Jing. Compared to the truth back then, he was more concerned with Gu Lan’s safety.
The young man’s eyes reddened, the corners tinted with a faint red, and his breathing seemed to freeze.
At this moment, a report sounded from outside the tent.
"Come in," Rong Heng spoke instinctively.
"Your humble servant greets the Prince," a messenger entered, apparently sensing the strange atmosphere in the military tent. He hesitated a moment before speaking.
"Prince, earlier you instructed us to closely monitor the Qing River situation within Dayan’s borders. A report just arrived that a scout near Cang Wind Port spotted the Wei navy appearing on the Qing River. However, they did not cross into our Dayan waters but were lingering on the Qing River within Qi Country’s borders."