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墨書 Inktalez
Jinghui felt that he had said too much. Coming back to his senses, he pondered deeply and said to Peach, "Since Mei Shuang has come out of the palace, something significant must have happened there. However, in such a remote place, we are unaware of it. In any case, we need to find her to avoid falling into someone's trap..."
Having overheard the conversation between Kuranami Miyako and Lin Yuxiang that night, Peach naturally understood the situation clearly but saw no need to share it with Jinghui.
Seeing Peach remain silent, Jinghui forced a smile and said, "Peach, the urgent matter now is to locate Miss Mei Shuang. I have a feeling something is amiss. Don't worry; I won't run away..."
After stumbling through the rugged mountains for two hours alongside Kuranami Miyako, Mei Shuang could hardly move any longer.
She sat down, gasping for breath in the cold wind. Her injuries had not fully healed, and every cough brought sharp pain to her chest from the frigid air.
Looking back at the winding path behind her and then at Kuranami Miyako, who seemed to walk effortlessly, she couldn't help but admire her. The difference between someone who frequently traveled and someone raised in seclusion was indeed striking.
Noticing Kuranami Miyako's displeased expression, Mei Shuang decided to complain outright, "I can't go on like this. At this pace, I'll wear myself out sooner or later. Besides, do we really need to be in such a hurry in this desolate mountain?"
Kuranami Miyako was already quite annoyed by delays. Although the mountain path was rough, she had scouted it well and considered it a shortcut. If she were alone, she could reach the bottom in just over an hour. However, with this burden accompanying her, it had taken twice as long and they were still on the mountain.
Nevertheless, she understood that Mei Shuang was genuinely exhausted.
So she stopped insisting. First, she stepped onto a high rock and looked around for any signs of danger before finally feeling relieved. It wouldn't take half an hour to get down; once they reached the bottom, someone would naturally be there to assist them.
Not knowing how long they had rested, Mei Shuang felt cold and hungry and was too lazy to move.
Seeing Mei Shuang's droopy appearance, Kuranami Miyako was so annoyed that she simply crouched down and said, "Get on."
Climbing onto Kuranami Miyako's back, Mei Shuang felt a rush of wind against her ears but found it surprisingly stable. She couldn't help but be astonished—was this woman even human?
After taking a break once along the way, sure enough, half an hour later, they stood at the flat Mountain Base.
Mei Shuang saw a large rock nearby and felt a sense of relief. "Wait here for a moment, I need to take care of something."
She hurriedly lifted her skirt and rushed over.
Kuranami Miyako stood in place, looking somewhat anxious. She took out a delicate whistle and put it to her lips, producing a series of strange bird calls.
These calls could be heard several miles away, and those with good hearing could catch them from even farther distances.
However, she was disappointed; there was no response.
Strange!
Moreover, during this time, there was no sign of Mei Shuang either.
A sense of unease settled in her heart as she cautiously scanned her surroundings.
Before long, a familiar voice came from behind the rock. "I have been waiting for you here for quite some time..."
When Nangong Nuo appeared from behind the rock at the same time, the most awkward one was undoubtedly Mei Shuang.
Just moments ago, she had urgently hidden behind the rock, and as soon as she arrived, someone covered her mouth. She was so startled that she almost lost control. When she realized it was Nangong Nuo, she suddenly felt that the usually sharp-tongued Nangong Nuo was like family at that moment.
Kuranami Miyako had already reacted to the sound, but unfortunately, she no longer had a hostage.
"Quite the teamwork; this saves me from having to take action..." Nangong Nuo said without looking at Kuranami Miyako's unpleasant expression, wrapping an arm around Mei Shuang and smiling.
Last time, she managed to escape from Nangong Nuo solely because she had Mei Shuang under control. Now, facing Nangong Nuo alone, Kuranami Miyako knew that even if she wanted to retreat unscathed, it was impossible. Her expression fluctuated between dark and light, her heart in turmoil.
Especially when the indifferent Nangong Nuo smiled gently at Mei Shuang, his eyes filled with tenderness. Kuranami Miyako felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, fire igniting in her eyes.
To Mei Shuang, the warmth in Nangong Nuo's gaze seemed somewhat public, especially as he wrapped his arm around her waist in front of others, making their relationship appear incredibly intimate. This made Kuranami Miyako feel a moment of displeasure.
Of course, she did not overlook the jealousy in Kuranami Miyako's eyes. At this moment, she did not want to increase Kuranami Miyako's hostility.
If Nangong Nuo were to slip up again and let her fall into Kuranami Miyako's hands, she certainly did not want to suffer additional embarrassment due to the other's jealousy.
She pushed Nangong Nuo away and said expressionlessly, "Sorry, I... need to use the restroom... I'll be right back..."
After speaking, she ignored Nangong Nuo's astonished expression and walked straight up the mountain alone.
At this moment, Nangong Nuo and Kuranami Miyako faced each other.
Looking into Nangong Nuo's cold gaze, Kuranami Miyako felt desolate inside. The sweet words he once whispered in her ear had long since vanished with the wind; in his eyes, there was only that woman from earlier.
Kuranami Miyako glanced in the direction where Mei Shuang had disappeared and sneered coldly, "If she weren't still useful to me, I would have killed her long ago."
"Because you didn't kill her, that's why you can stand here now," Nangong Nuo said casually while standing with his hands behind his back, looking at Kuranami Miyako with disdain. "What I hate most is those who think they are clever..."
When Mei Shuang returned, she hid behind a rock and peeked at the situation. Only when she saw Kuranami Miyako bound tightly did she feel relieved enough to come down the mountain.
Kuranami Miyako was escorted back to the capital for trial, while Mei Shuang remained unharmed; it could be said that it was all a false alarm.
After experiencing such a harrowing ordeal, the Empress Dowager firmly refused Nangong Nuo's request to continue taking Mei Shuang out.
Listening to the palace messenger read the Empress Dowager's decree, which stated that the world outside was unsafe and ordered Mei Shuang to return to the palace immediately, Nangong Nuo's face darkened like a pot bottom.
Mei Shuang was even more flustered and at a loss.
To be honest, she was a thousand times unwilling to return to the palace.
She knew the outside world was dangerous, but was the palace truly safe? It might be even worse there.
At least outside, there was Nangong Nuo who cared about her and could save her in critical moments.
Seeing Mei Shuang's despondent expression, Nangong Nuo felt somewhat relieved knowing she didn't want to return to the palace.
He approached the stone where Mei Shuang sat, watching her rest her chin on her hand, gazing into the distance with a troubled expression that was quite endearing. His heart softened as he asked, "You really don't want to go back?"
Mei Shuang replied listlessly, "Does the Empress Dowager really like me that much?"
"The Empress Dowager is naturally worried about what would happen if something were to happen to you and how she would explain it to Chancellor Mei..." Nangong Nuo tentatively asked, "Do you really not want to return?"
Mei Shuang met his gaze and shook her head. After a long sigh, she finally said softly, "If I don't want to go back, can you help me?"
When she spoke, the pleading look in Mei Shuang's black-and-white eyes was evident, a request so compelling that it was impossible to refuse, like a lost lamb in need of help.
Clearly, such a gaze was quite powerful. Nangong Nuo felt as if his heart was gently brushed by a feather, leaving him feeling soft and vulnerable.
He cleared his throat lightly. "It's the Empress Dowager's decree; how can I take it back?..."
The implication was that this matter was quite difficult to handle. He had thought that Mei Shuang would continue to plead with him, desperately begging him until he reluctantly came up with an excuse to report back to the Empress Dowager. Then, Mei Shuang would look at him with infinite admiration and owe him a huge favor for taking the risk of defying her order. After that, she would follow him without hesitation, and everything that happened afterward would be a natural progression...
Unexpectedly, Mei Shuang merely sighed after hearing this, her gaze drifting far away as she stared at the rippling surface of the river, remaining silent.
Nangong Nuo felt anxious inside. Why wasn't she continuing to plead with him? I never said it couldn't be done...
After a while, Mei Shuang still gazed blankly at the river surface.
Nangong Nuo was frustrated. This woman usually seemed quite clever; how could she be so foolish now? Did she not even hear his earlier excuse?
He cleared his throat again and reminded her, "Actually, the Empress Dowager is mainly concerned about your safety... Uh, as long as you are safe, I think it doesn't really matter where you are."
This statement was so obvious that if she couldn't grasp the underlying meaning, she would truly be foolish.
Fortunately, after hearing this, Mei Shuang's previously lazy expression brightened up.
She turned her gaze back, her entire small face lighting up, her eyes squinting into crescent shapes as she looked at Nangong Nuo with sheer joy. "Really? So you will report back to the Empress Dowager for me?"
It was the first time Nangong Nuo had seen Mei Shuang display such a mix of surprise and delight. Her little face swept away the earlier gloom and became bright and radiant. Even Nangong Nuo, who was used to women acting coy, found her suddenly dazzling.
Heaven, this is not something the previous young lady Mei Shuang could have done! Such a request is more enjoyable than deliberately acting cute.
It's different, indeed it is different.
I must say, the sudden sense of achievement made Nangong Nuo's heart flutter, instantly filling him with a sense of pride. Just imagine, who could refuse a request from a woman they have longed for?
He nodded and glanced around. If it weren't for the upright guards standing nearby, he would have genuinely wanted to pull Mei Shuang over and give her a passionate kiss on those tempting cherry lips.
Although the armored guards kept their eyes straight ahead, Mei Shuang could still see the wicked charm in Nangong Nuo's burning gaze. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she turned away, pretending not to notice.
Of course, at this moment, she was more afraid that Nangong Nuo would try to bargain with her, like saying, "If I help you with this matter, how will you repay me?"
Fortunately, Nangong Nuo did not take advantage of her but waved his hand, ready to set off.
Mei Shuang remembered something and hesitated for a moment. "By the way, there is someone on the mountain who saved my life. If I leave now, I don't know when I can come back. I want to—go up and thank her..."
Nangong Nuo looked at the sky and recalled the demeanor of the little nun in the temple—calm and composed, definitely not like a village woman, much less someone who had fled here. Especially those eyes; they held no shyness or confusion typical of someone isolated from the world but seemed to anticipate that someone would come up the mountain.
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