Chu Yueying sneaked out without telling anyone, not even bringing her maid.
The Crown Prince hesitated for a moment, then lifted the curtain. On that bright and innocent little face was written intense anxiety and worry.
Logically speaking, he couldn't agree to such a request.
Shi Minglang and Chu Yueying were just cousins. For a young girl to leave home late at night to visit her cousin would be considered shameless if word got out.
Emotionally speaking, their relationship was just one word away from being official. Maybe Chu Yueying had long regarded Shi Minglang as her future husband.
For a young girl in the bloom of youth, it would be extremely cruel if her future husband's life was on the line and she couldn't even see him.
Daoist Qiu volunteered to take the responsibility. "Good girl, if you want to go, go. If your elders blame you, just say I took you there."
The Crown Prince didn't say a word. He put down the curtain of the carriage, which was his silent approval.
The young girl was far stronger than anyone had imagined. With tears in her eyes, she remained very quiet on the way. Not a single sob could be heard.
On Chinese New Year's Eve, no doctor could be found. Shi Luohan and Yaoguang brought Shi Minglang back to the government office and simply stopped the bleeding and bandaged his wounds.
Shi Minglang was seriously injured. There were deep knife wounds on his chest, waist, abdomen, and thigh. He lay there like a blood - covered man.
His face was as white as transparency, and his lips were completely bloodless. Only his bright and energetic eyes still glowed with an unquenchable light.
His will was incredibly tenacious. Despite losing so much blood, he managed to hold on without fainting.
As soon as the Crown Prince entered, he gritted his teeth and tried to get up, using up the little strength he had left. "Your Highness, it was the assassins sent by the Princess. As soon as the Wen family in the capital had trouble, they probably sneaked into Yunzhou City. They chose Chinese New Year's Eve, when everyone's guard was at its weakest, to attack. They wanted to force my uncle to compromise by using me..."
"I know all that. Your life is the most important thing now. I won't allow you to die. You have to get better and avenge yourself!"
The Crown Prince pressed his shoulders to make him lie down. Shi Minglang really had no strength left and slumped back onto the couch.
Daoist Qiu quickly stepped forward to check his injuries.
The wounds with the flesh turned out were shocking.
"You're really lucky, kid. They aimed for your vital parts with every strike, but you managed to avoid them every time."
He took out silver needles to seal his acupoints and stop the bleeding.
"Hold this ginseng pill in your mouth. It can help you..."
Daoist Qiu brought the ginseng pill to Shi Minglang's mouth, but found that his teeth were tightly clenched, his pupils were dilated, and his chest was only rising and falling faintly.
Just now, he was a tough and upright man. After holding on to say those few crucial words, it was as if his soul had lost its support and was slowly leaving his body...
"Shi Minglang, Shi Minglang!" The Crown Prince called out his name loudly.
Daoist Qiu stabbed his philtrum with a silver needle three times in a row, but his eyes were already out of focus.
Shi Minglang felt his body was very light, and the severe pain on his body was gradually disappearing. He could see very far. In a shining cloud, a majestic and kind - looking man was looking at him and smiling.
That was his father who had died young.
Was his father coming to pick him up?
Just as he was about to reach out his hand, another voice suddenly broke into his mind.
"Cousin, open your eyes. Look at me. It's Ying'er. You haven't come to my home to propose marriage yet. I won't let you die!"
That voice was gentle, sad, but full of firm strength.
He felt a soft and moist touch on his lips. He felt his breathing became much smoother and couldn't help opening his teeth.
A pill slid into his mouth. The strong medicinal smell rushed straight to his forehead, and his muddled mind instantly cleared.
All the illusions in front of him disappeared, and his pupils began to focus again.
A beautiful and shy face became clearer and clearer in front of him.
There were tears on the beauty's cheeks, her face was blushing, and there was a smile in her eyes.
"Ying'er?" Shi Minglang murmured. His fingertips touched her face. The smooth touch was very real.
So just now wasn't his dying illusion. Ying'er really fed him the medicine with her mouth...
An old man with a white beard suddenly appeared in his sight and said with a smile, "I said you were lucky, kid."
"Not only lucky, but also blessed."
Chu Yueying covered her burning - red little face and stepped aside.
Shi Minglang anxiously reached out his hand to grab the corner of her skirt.
"Cousin, I won't leave. Let Daoist Qiu treat your injuries first."
Shi Minglang drank the anesthetic powder, and Daoist Qiu sewed up his wounds.
Then he gave him a bowl of medicinal soup to strengthen his qi and stop the bleeding.
"The effect of the anesthetic powder will last all night. He can have a good sleep tonight."
The Crown Prince advised everyone to go back and rest. They would talk about everything after Shi Minglang woke up.
But he himself didn't leave Shi Minglang's room all night.
Chu Yueying also refused to go back.
...
On Chinese New Year's Eve, families should gather together to stay up late and look forward to a good year ahead.
But all this was cast a bloody shadow because of Shi Minglang's sudden assassination.
Grandma Chu told everyone to go back to their own yards.
Lanterns were lit inside and outside Mei Ying Xuan. The lantern light illuminated the red plum blossoms. It should have been a beautiful scenery worth appreciating.
Song Wanchu was in no mood for it.
A few maids sat around the charcoal stove with her, chatting aimlessly.
She replied absent - mindedly, but what she was really thinking about was whether Liang Yuzhou would fall on the slippery and snow - covered road.
She remembered the Chinese New Year's Eve of her first year in the Duke's Mansion. Only she, Nanzhi, and Suyue stayed up late in Shui Yun Ju.
Liang Yuzhou didn't say where he was going. He left the New Year's Eve dinner before it was over.
At that time, she had a sincere love for him. The night before Chinese New Year's Eve, she actively invited him to stay up late with her.
Liang Yuzhou agreed, but he didn't show up until the second half of the night.
Nanzhi and Suyue were afraid that she would be sad and disappointed, so they kept telling her interesting childhood stories to cheer her up. Later, when the snow got heavier, they went out to make a snowman.
That night, Song Wanchu didn't wait for Liang Yuzhou.
But when she went out the next day, she saw that the snowman they had made last night was wearing a jade - colored brocade cotton cloak embroidered with auspicious clouds and white cranes, and there was a withered peony flower stuck in its chest.
Liang Yuzhou had been there but didn't enter the house.
For some reason, he left evidence of his visit.
Song Wanchu had wanted to ask, but because of so many misunderstandings, joys, and sorrows between them, this matter became a sealed mystery.
After midnight, everyone couldn't hold on anymore. Song Wanchu gave out red envelopes one by one and told everyone to go and rest.
When the room became quiet, she had just lain down for a while when she heard the familiar "creak" sound of the window.
Different from before, this time she opened the window herself and reached out her hand to pull Liang Yuzhou in.
His clothes were soaked with the cold air. Liang Yuzhou didn't let Wanchu touch him. He took off his thick cloak and cotton - padded clothes. After making sure his body was warm, he tightly hugged Song Wanchu in his arms.
The two stood under the window. There was a paper - cut on the window, depicting a pair of lovebirds flying around auspicious clouds and mountains, lingering and fluttering gracefully.