Li Zhao stared blankly at the familiar face of the woman, his mind in a daze.
Was it really her?
Was she Yun Niang, the woman he had searched for throughout the Great Sheng Empire for eighteen long years, the one he missed day and night without cease?
Was she truly standing before him, or was this just another dream he had?
Just a moment ago, he could easily call out that most intimate name, but now, it was as if someone had grabbed his throat. He couldn't utter a single sound, nor did he dare to.
He was afraid that if he called out, that face would disappear like dust and smoke before his eyes.
The bamboo umbrella slipped limply from his hand. The rain poured down on his face and body, instantly soaking his hair and clothes.
He trembled as he opened his lips and took steps, slowly making his way towards the courtyard.
Yun Niang, Yun Niang. It really is you. Finally, I've finally found you...
Jiang Zhiqing leaned weakly in Xiao Jingcheng's arms. There were silver needles stuck in many parts of her body by Mo Zhizhang, and he had fed her a black pill.
At this moment, her face was as pale as paper, and her breath was so weak that she could barely lift her eyelids. She looked as if she was about to take her last breath at any moment.
But at this moment, as if she had a premonition, her eyelashes fluttered slightly. She slowly opened her eyes and looked at the staggering figure walking towards her through the rain.
The torrential rain was like the River of Forgetfulness hanging upside down, stretching between them.
And he was charging towards her desperately, wading through the raging river.
The woman still looked dazed and didn't recognize anyone, but her tears reacted faster than her mind. Tears welled up in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She tried to lift her weak hand and reach forward.
Li Zhao quickened his pace and almost knelt in front of her. He tightly held Jiang Zhiqing's hand.
Jiang Zhiqing's fingers were a bit cold, but at this moment, they were truly in his palm. This proved that she was real, not a phantom conjured up by his extreme longing, nor the unreachable figure that appeared in his dreams day after day.
He summoned all his strength and sorrowfully called out the name he had been longing for:
"Yun Niang, don't be afraid. I'm here."
Ye Wanmian stared blankly at the scene in front of her, her mind a complete blank.
The two people holding hands tightly and shedding tears profusely seemed like strangers to her at this moment.
The name Li Zhao had repeated over and over again echoed in her ears. Her fingers hanging on both sides of her body trembled uncontrollably, and her chest felt so stuffy that she could hardly breathe.
So, was her mother the "Yun Niang" that Li Zhao had been looking for for more than a decade?
Was Li Zhao the heartless man who had abandoned their mother and daughter, forcing her mother to return to Dongli Town while pregnant, enduring the contempt and criticism of others?
Was he her biological father?
Xiao Jingcheng, who was kneeling on one knee, gently holding Jiang Zhiqing, had already guessed Li Zhao's identity. He looked up at the other man.
Whether it was the look of extreme joy on Li Zhao's face, the way he kept rubbing Jiang Zhiqing's palm to warm her, or the affectionate calls that escaped from his mouth, all were deeply moving.
However, looking at this scene, what came to his mind was the cold and heartless news of his mother being deposed from the position of queen by his father and imprisoned in the cold palace.
He had never seen such a look on his father's face.
Whether it was the pill Mo Zhizhang had fed her that took effect, or Li Zhao's arrival that awakened Jiang Zhiqing's will to live, her icy palm gradually became warmer. Her once faint pulse became much clearer, and her breathing also became more even.
Surrounded by strangers, in the past, Jiang Zhiqing would have panicked and screamed, looking for a place to hide. But now, she nestled in Xiao Jingcheng's arms, her eyebrows relaxed, and fell into a deep sleep.
Mo Zhizhang let go of her wrist and exhaled, saying, "Fortunately, we were in time. The arsenic had been in her stomach for less than a quarter of an hour. Otherwise, even the gods couldn't have saved her."
Arsenic!
They dared to feed her arsenic!
They wanted her dead!
The surging anger raged in his chest. Li Zhao felt a sharp pain in his chest. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the unconscious man and woman lying at the back wall. He wished he could rush over and cut them into a thousand pieces right away!
A metallic taste filled his throat. He looked at Mo Zhizhang and asked the question that concerned him most: "Will she be okay from now on?"
His voice was hoarse.
Mo Zhizhang replied truthfully, "There is still some residual poison in her body. She needs to rest quietly for some time to let the residual poison gradually dissipate."
"Then I'll have to trouble you from now on." Li Zhao knew that Mo Zhizhang was skilled in the use of poisons. Regardless of his identity, since he had saved Jiang Zhiqing today, he was his benefactor.
And there was also Xiao Jingcheng...
Li Zhao looked at Xiao Jingcheng, who was kneeling on one knee, allowing Jiang Zhiqing to lean on him. His expression was complex.
He walked slowly, but he didn't miss the scene of Xiao Jingcheng breaking open the door and rushing in first. He knew that Xiao Jingcheng had also played a part in this.
"Thank you too."
Xiao Jingcheng subconsciously avoided Li Zhao's gaze and said, "This is not a place to stay for long. She needs a safe and quiet place to rest. We'd better send her away as soon as possible."
Li Zhao had a lame leg and was also poisoned. Mo Zhizhang took the initiative to take on this responsibility: "I'll do it."
With Xiao Jingcheng's help, he steadily carried Jiang Zhiqing on his back. Then he turned to look at the dazed Ye Wanmian and called out, "Apprentice niece? Could you hold an umbrella for us?"
Ye Wanmian suddenly came to her senses and met Li Zhao's red, concerned eyes.
She turned her head away. First, she quickly walked into the house to pack Jiang Zhiqing's personal belongings. When her gaze fell on the pillow wrapped in a cassock on the bed, she picked it up and put it together with Jiang Zhiqing's clothes.
Then she picked up the wet umbrella on the ground, opened it, and walked to Mo Zhizhang and Jiang Zhiqing's side. Trying to appear calm, she said, "Okay, Uncle Mo. Let's go."
Mo Zhizhang carried Jiang Zhiqing out of the door. The rain fell but was blocked by the umbrella Ye Wanmian held.
She carefully protected Jiang Zhiqing on Mo Zhizhang's back. The umbrella was tilted completely towards them, and most of her body was exposed to the rain.
Li Zhao's eyes followed Ye Wanmian all the time. Seeing that she didn't look back at him once, he knew that she might be resentful towards him.
"Uncle Li, you should go back too. I'll handle the aftermath here. I'll definitely interrogate these two people properly and give you an explanation."
"For now, the most important thing for Uncle Li should be Jiang Mian and that lady."
Li Zhao sighed softly and looked deeply at Xiao Jingcheng. He said, "Make sure they stay alive. I want to interrogate these two people myself."
Xiao Jingcheng nodded in agreement. Only then did Li Zhao feel relieved and chase after Ye Wanmian and Mo Zhizhang who were disappearing into the rain.
Hearing the footsteps behind her, Ye Wanmian recognized it was Li Zhao.
Li Zhao opened his umbrella and covered her rain - soaked body.
Apart from that, there was no other sound.
Finally, she couldn't hold it back and turned around. Her gaze fell on Xiao Jingcheng standing by the door.
The man looked at her from afar through the rain curtain.