Chapter 239.1: The Past Life’s Cause, Preparing to Enter the Palace

Jing Wan’s complexion was flushed red, her eyes closed. Upon hearing this, her eyelashes slightly trembled as she opened her eyes. Her eyes were hazy and blurred. Then again, it’s not like she was a block of wood. Regardless of how she thought inside, her body reacting was all very normal. Since she already agreed, naturally won’t be like an unwilling corpse, who was this being pretentious for? “For men, isn’t this even better?” Jing Wan softly panted, and when saying these words, she didn’t carry any other emotion, purely just stating a fact.

However, these words strangely angered Li Hong Yuan. He held Jing Wan by the chin. He did mind very much, but what he truly cared about was her relationship with Fu Yun Ting, and not whether Jing Wan was still a virgin or not. He won’t deny, in his heart, he was happy. This meant that she will completely belong to him alone, but he was further furious and heartbroken for her. As legitimately married husband and wife, it long wasn’t just one or two days, being a virgin for a married woman, this wasn’t some happy matter, but rather a great shame and humiliation.

Moreover, he didn’t feel the problem was on Jing Wan. Jing Wan’s character, he knew. She definitely won’t ‘say three in the morning but four in the evening[1]‘, and definitely won’t after marrying someone, still deathly refuse to let her own husband touch her. Moreover, if it really was her that was unwilling, then why would she for the sake of Fu Yun Ting, for the sake of Wu’an Marquis Manor, abandon everything? Didn’t this mean that she loved that man deeply, that even if they didn’t have the intimate moment between husband and wife, she was still gladly willing to endure hardship? Li Hong Yuan’s two eyes reddened out of jealousy, disregarding everything as he exerted all his strength.

It was Jing Wan’s first time, so naturally unable to withstand such torment. Fortunately, he later recovered some of his rationality.

See her this pitiful looking, he heartached endlessly, hurriedly carrying her to go bathe, and apply medicine for her. Even if his body and heart was all unable to obtain complete relief, he still didn’t dare to go a second time.

Li Hong Yuan held Jing Wan, hating that he can’t have her kneaded into his bones. “For him to treat you like that, yet you’re still wholehearted towards him, neither abandoning nor leaving? What should one say about you?” It was both pitying and ‘hating the iron for not becoming steel’.

Jing Wan was uncomfortable, but right now, struggling was also futile, so just quietly let him hold her. Her train of thought was somewhat lax, her reaction sluggish. A moment later, she finally realized what Jin Qinwang was referring to. She didn’t notice his complexion that was dark like ink, “It isn’t like what wangye thinks.”

“Then what is it? What reason is there for a man to not touch his own wife? If not him thoroughly having another woman in his heart, then it was just being unable to function. Regardless of which, it’s all unforgivable.”

Whether or not he was dysfunctional, Jing Wan really didn’t know, but it was true that there wasn’t another woman. And Jing Wan won’t maliciously make conjectures either, “I married in when he was still observing mourning, and in less than a month, he just got robbed of his mourning rights, leading the army out to war.” Jing Wan said without the slightest ripple.

“This prince knows, but the one that died was his uncle, not his father, at most it’s just observing mourning for a year. When you went all out to request army provisions for him from the imperial court, and even personally had the rations transported to the borders, you think this prince doesn’t know how much the border officers and soldiers respected you? At the border town, the two of you have a residence, and main tent, you could also freely go in and out of. No matter how busy he was with the war, could he not spare even a single night for you?”

“He wants me to leave Wu’an Marquis Manor, wants me to leave him. In a man’s eyes, probably by not having any physical involvement, for a woman, there won’t be that deep of an attachment.”

“Said even more pleasantly than sung, nothing more than just a hypocrite. If he really considers for you this much, why didn’t he just directly write a divorce letter? Even if you’re already expelled from the Luo family, that’s still because you didn’t want to implicate the Luo family, tainting your own reputation. If you leave Wu’an Marquis Manor, would the Luo family not readmit you back into the family? In the end, he’s still selfish and self-serving, wanting to chain you. Without you, would he have been able to last until now? Without you, the rest of the Wu’an Marquis Manor, without needing to go to prison, would’ve already all died off.”

“It’s not like this.” Jing Wan lifted her head, and faintly retorted.

———Then what was it like? Li Hong Yuan stared at her, soundlessly asking. Exactly what was it like, tell him, he wanted to know.

Jing Wan lowered her head. It was obvious, she didn’t want to continue lingering on this problem.

Li Hong Yuan was extremely irritable inside, but in reality, he wasn’t in any position to question Jing Wan anything. Moreover, after that period of time together, towards Jing Wan’s temperament, he also understood somewhat. The things she’s decided wasn’t something that can easily be changed.

A moment later, Jing Wan’s voice once again sounded, “The entire Fu family, since the first Wu’an Duke, has been wholeheartedly loyal and devoted towards the Li imperial clan, yet the Li imperial clan wants to thoroughly sever the Fu family’s bloodline. Towards the other dukes and marquises, it was nothing more than just letting them decline. The Fu family, generation after generation, defended Qi Yuan’s mountains and rivers, how many men of the Fu family have died on the battlefield, but they can’t hand over the military power, because without power, they will only perish even faster. This time, his Majesty was further willing to sacrifice the three hundred thousand lives of the northwestern army to ‘legitimately’ have the Fu family eliminated at the roots, why? Don’t say it’s just ‘the meritorious deeds overshadowing the master’, that is very laughable.”

Why, this was also the question Li Hong Yuan was puzzled over.

Afterwards, he covertly had her ‘confined’ in the manor, and Jing Wan didn’t give him any trouble either, instead even giving him suggestions on many occasions. Moreover, it was all very useful. Just, she rejected his advancements. But, the state of affairs was still too chaotic after all, and the power he controlled wasn’t enough. Jing Wan’s existence became known, and although for the time being, there still wasn’t anyone that knew of his identity, but someone nevertheless felt they’d caught his weakness, using this to deliberately lay out some things. And his old man, in the moment he started fighting for the throne, already hated that he can’t have him immediately eliminated, clearly telling him, no matter who the throne is given to, it all won’t be to him.

Others wanting to intrude the qinwang manor was impossible, but the Imperial Guards holding an imperial decree was different.

However, they didn’t find anything.

Jing Wan was quick-witted, having already left ahead of them.

Li Hong Yuan was watched too tightly by all sides, so he simply had no way of looking for Jing Wan. After learning that by her side were the last remaining elite soldiers left behind by Fu Yun Ting protecting her, he could only force himself to endure. Just, he became even more vicious and ruthless, only hoping that he can seize the power sooner, and then……………

Yet, when meeting again, it was forever farewell!

Li Hong Yuan suddenly woke up. Under the candlelight, his two eyes were dark like ink. The scene in his dream was very clear, seemingly as if it wasn’t several decades ago, but further like it was just yesterday. Li Hong Yuan wasn’t sure whether or not it was because he’d thoroughly united with Jing Wan, thus would evoke such clear memories of his.

Because he slept holding Jing Wan, this movement naturally affected Jing Wan. However, probably because she was too tired, she didn’t wake up, just cuddling further into Li Hong Yuan arms, seemingly muttering in her sleep, Ah Yuan…………..

Li Hong Yuan’s gaze softened, having Jing Wan tightly held in his arms. Right now, she was still perfectly fine in his arms. They were already legitimately husband and wife. The same mistake, he won’t make a second time. This life, regardless of life or death, he will all have Wan Wan tied at his side from beginning to end.

It’s not like Jing Wan has never gotten hugged by him like a python before. As the saying goes, unfamiliar at first, but well accustomed the second time. At this time, she also just unconsciously patted Li Hong Yuan’s hand, letting him let go a little, before falling deeply asleep again.

Li Hong Yuan stroked Jing Wan’s hair. Although Jing Wan right now has already changed her original fate, but her death in his past life ultimately made him unable to relax. If unable to pass the day of her death, and completely settle down, his heart afraid will forever be unable to thoroughly be at peace. This was completely irrelevant to whether or not he was confident in having her thoroughly protected.

However, thinking of it now, in his past life, Wan Wan from beginning to end, all never separated from Wu’an Marquis Manor. There definitely must be other secrets. In his past life, he didn’t know, but in this life, he was very clear. Based on Wan Wan’s deep relationship with Luo Old Madam, Wan Wan’s matter would definitely cause a deathly blow to her. And in a moment of carelessness, she might even lose her life. If not for having no other choice, for what reason would Wan Wan, for the sake of Wu’an Marquis Manor, disregard the grandmother that raised her for more than ten years?

Also, the marriage arrangement between Jing Wan and Fu Yun Ting. Even if Jing Wan had gotten schemed against, to want to mess it up wasn’t impossible. After all, it wasn’t a marriage bestowed by an imperial decree. Even if Jing Wan won’t be able to marry in the capital, at worse it was just sending her back to Qi’an Fu. But she not only married over when Fu Yun Ting was in mourning, one dive and she was just unable to turn back. Wan Wan has always been a rational person. She didn’t have the intimacy between husband and wife with Fu Yun Ting, and the time they were together was also short, so he didn’t believe it was because of love. The more he thought about it, the more it felt suspicious.

Regarding the former, Li Hong Yuan in his past life, even if he became the Emperor, probably because Fu family perished, all the clues were gone———–Although in reality, there were still two children living under different identities left. This lifetime, he undoubtedly will figure out the reasons within. Right now, he rather wasn’t in a hurry. Wu’an Marquis Manor, under his protection, to want to perish, all won’t be that easy. That’s why, even if it’s something that can only be known by the Emperor, he sooner or later will all know. And as for the latter, perhaps it was related to the former, or perhaps not, but if it is, he naturally can learn the answer, and if not, then this matter will just forever be a mystery.

[1] Idiom meaning ‘to change something that is already settled’, or describing an indecisive person