Chapter 269: Sure Enough, She Shouldn't Have Been So Nice to This Sweet and Naive Girl

To this day, Wang Wanqing still found it hard to believe that her parents would treat her like this.

“They said a woman’s proper role is to marry and have children. They told me to focus on being a good wife and mother from now on and forbade me from ever returning to the Capital City.”

“Your Majesty, you have no idea what I’ve been through these past ten days.”

“They locked me up, took turns berating me, starved me, and even tried to force me to learn about… consummating the marriage and bearing children. WAHHH…”

Wang Wanqing started crying again at the thought. All the grievances she had suffered in her life were because of this business of marriage.

‘Why do I have to get married? I still need to prepare for the imperial examinations and become an official. I don’t want to get married at all.’

Through blurry, tear-filled eyes, she looked at Xiao Li, her voice thick with grievance. “I thought I’d never see Your Majesty again.”

Over the past ten days, the closer the wedding drew, the more desperate she had become.

She was determined to escape, but this place was too far from the Capital City. She knew she probably wouldn’t be able to get away.

After she bolted from the bridal sedan, her only thought was to run. If she couldn’t escape, she would jump into the river. It might have been extreme, but at that moment, the only thought in her head was, ‘I’d rather die than get married.’

And just when she was at her most desperate and terrified, Your Majesty descended like a deity, just like last time, and saved her once more.

The shock and excitement of that moment made her feel that all her suffering had been worth it.

She was truly… She didn’t even know how to describe her feelings right now.

‘In any case, I’m just so happy.’

‘In this life, no one is more important to me than Your Majesty. No one!’

Hong Yue looked at Wang Wanqing with complete sympathy. ‘This is the second time now,’ she thought. ‘Is the Wang family determined to torment this daughter to death before they’re satisfied?’

The bride from the Governor Mansion had run away, causing an uproar throughout the city.

People were searching everywhere outside for the missing bride, but Wang Wanqing was hiding in the inn, feeling completely at ease.

Even though the city was under lockdown, making it difficult to leave, and she might eventually be found, as long as she was with Your Majesty, she had nothing to fear.

The city guards came to the inn several times, but they found nothing and eventually left.

No matter how chaotic it was outside, their party went about their business, washing up and getting some rest.

Xiao Li had just gotten into bed when the door was pushed open. Wang Wanqing came in, clutching a pillow and looking at her pitifully.

“Your Majesty… c-can I sleep with you?”

Seeming to know her request was a bit much, she was so nervous she was wrinkling the pillow she clutched.

“No.”

Xiao Li refused without a second thought. She didn’t like sleeping with other people.

Even Lou Yan, who had succeeded in climbing into her bed, would just be kicked aside.

Having been rejected, Wang Wanqing didn’t cry or plead. Instead, she obediently turned to leave, but her feet felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds, and she could barely take a single step.

Xiao Li: “…”

Xiao Li watched her dawdle, feeling a wave of disdain. ‘Why is she being so clingy?’

The disdain was real, but in the end, she still lifted the covers.

She didn’t say a word, but it was enough to make Wang Wanqing light up with joy. She quickly scrambled into bed and lay down.

She obediently curled up at the very edge of the bed, not daring to move an inch, her breathing rapid with excitement.

She blinked at Xiao Li, her smile so wide it turned her eyes into slits, like a cat that had gotten the cream. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“You’re the best, Your Majesty.”

Xiao Li was speechless. “Don’t try to sweet-talk me. This is a one-time thing.”

‘I, Xiao Li, have been cold and detached for half my life. How could I let some sweet, silly girl get a hold on me?’

‘Besides, she’s a girl. That’s the wrong gender. I’m not into that.’

‘But judging by Wang Wanqing’s star-struck eyes… heh, this kid’s a goner.’

Xiao Li had no desire to chat. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Wang Wanqing lay stiffly beside her, not daring to move. After a long while, she heard Xiao Li’s steady breathing and figured she must be truly asleep.

Holding her breath, she carefully began to inch her way toward Xiao Li, like a little caterpillar.

It took her ages to cover the two-palm-width distance between them, but she finally pressed up against Xiao Li’s arm, so excited she could barely contain herself.

She lay there with her eyes wide open, thrilled for a long time, only falling asleep when she was utterly exhausted.

The not-at-all-asleep Xiao Li: ‘…She’s finally settled down!’

Xiao Li finally got some peace and fell asleep, but less than half an hour later, she was jolted awake by someone hugging her.

Wang Wanqing was a restless sleeper. Once she was out, she clung to Xiao Li like an octopus.

Xiao Li, eyes wide open: “…”

‘Sure enough, you can’t be too easygoing, or people will take a mile when you give them an inch!’

‘Speechless, disgusted, and on the verge of losing my temper. Right, I shouldn’t have been so nice to this sweet, silly girl. She needs to learn a harsh lesson about the real world.’

In the end, Xiao Li carefully extricated herself, got up, and opened the door to leave.

Rong Qing was on watch that night. Hearing the noise, he turned. “Your Majesty.”

Xiao Li nodded. “Have the innkeeper warm a pot of wine for me.”

After Rong Qing left, she knocked on another door and called Ziyue out.

The governor’s son had lost his bride. But it wasn’t just the bride who was lost; the Governor Mansion had also lost face.

Since the Governor Mansion couldn’t find her, they would naturally hold the Wang family responsible.

The Wang family felt wronged, too. They had sent the girl out in good order, only for her to disappear en route.

The city was being turned upside down, and the Wang family was in utter chaos. A whole crowd of them joined the search, too anxious to sleep.

As the night wore on, Wang Changwen couldn’t take it anymore and decided to head back to rest for a bit.

However, no sooner had he closed his door than he was snatched and carried away.

He was whisked away in a flash, head down, and his vision immediately went black. He nearly passed out.

He opened his mouth to cry for help but only got a mouthful of wind.

He didn’t know how long he was carried, but it was long enough that Wang Changwen started seeing his wife who had passed away two years ago. Finally, he was put down.

He sat on the ground, taking a long moment to recover his senses.

He was on a covered walkway. Not far off, there was a pavilion lit by lanterns, where it seemed someone was sitting.

‘Where am I?’

He struggled to his feet, and once the dizziness subsided, he slowly made his way toward the pavilion.

“Excuse me, where is this…”

As the last syllable left his lips, Wang Changwen got a clear look at the person sitting inside.

He suspected he was dreaming.

‘Did I just see the Empress!?!’

“Your Majesty?”

Xiao Li swirled the wine in her cup, her gaze landing lightly on him. “Mr. Wang, it’s been a while.”

That voice, that demeanor…

Wang Changwen’s heart skipped a beat. He dropped to his knees, trembling. “This humble servant greets Your Majesty!”

He glanced up uncertainly, then pinched himself. It hurt. ‘So this is real.’

“Thanks to Your Majesty’s immense fortune, these old bones of mine are still holding up. I was overjoyed to hear of Your Majesty’s recovery, but I never imagined I would have the honor of seeing you here. What are Your Majesty’s instructions?”

Xiao Li watched him with a detached air and let out a cold laugh. “I was just passing through. I heard there was a celebration in the city and thought I’d check it out. I didn’t expect it to be the Wang family marrying off a daughter. Congratulations.”

‘That’s not a congratulation. That’s the sound of a knife being drawn.’

Wang Changwen’s heart sank. He knew at once that he was in trouble.

“Has Your Majesty seen Wanqing?”

Xiao Li simply took a sip of her wine, saying nothing. She just gave him a look, letting him figure it out for himself.