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墨書 Inktalez
Seeing Mei Shuang on the verge of tears, Nangong Nuo finally let go of her hand. "Tonight, I really thought you were sincerely remorseful. It's hard for me to always think of you, but it turns out you were just putting on a show for me..."
If Nangong Nuo's earlier words were an explosion after enduring restraint, this statement made Mei Shuang quite indignant. She took a few deep breaths and argued, "Don't use your petty mindset to speculate about a gentleman's intentions. I genuinely wanted to talk to you, but I heard someone in your room from afar. I was afraid of interrupting your official duties, so I went to the backyard. Can't you be reasonable?"
Nangong Nuo's eyes flickered as he remained calm. "If you don't come in, how do you know I'm busy with official matters?"
"Not official matters?" Mei Shuang raised her head defiantly. "Then I definitely shouldn't go in. If I enter and you're meeting with a woman, that wouldn't be appropriate, would it?"
As she spoke, her cherry lips pouted, and her expression was disdainful, resembling someone who was jealous yet unaware of it.
Nangong Nuo's expression softened. When he looked at Mei Shuang again, the deep meaning in his eyes faded away, and the frostiness disappeared, replaced by a sudden warmth.
He turned Mei Shuang's body towards him so that she met his gaze, a teasing smile forming at the corners of his lips. "What's wrong? Can't stand seeing me with other women?"
"..." Mei Shuang was speechless.
Are all men this narcissistic?
Moreover, his mood changed so quickly; clearly, he had the potential to be a great actor. She couldn't let his surface demeanor deceive her.
Mei Shuang lowered her gaze, feeling a momentary sense of relief inside.
This man had clearly stated that he wasn't like Mei Shuang but didn't pursue the matter further. What did he mean by that?
Vaguely, it felt like there was a large net covering everything; perhaps she was caught in it. But who cast the net? And what did they want?
Suddenly raising her eyes, she met Nangong Nuo's profound gaze. "Do you love me?"
“......”
Nangong Nuo clearly did not expect Mei Shuang to pose such a question. For a moment, he was slightly taken aback, then the corners of his lips curled up, masking the deeper meaning on his face. His tone was calm, making it hard to discern any emotion as he asked, “What do you think?”
The ball was back in her court.
Mei Shuang decisively fell silent, no longer speaking.
In truth, such a topic held no significance between them.
The person Nangong Nuo loved was the previous Mei Shuang, the one with a bad temper who aspired to be an Empress, while she merely shared the same name. Their true identities were well understood between them; could one really say that he loved her?
Yet, why didn’t Nangong Nuo ask where the real Mei Shuang was? Or where she came from?
Well, since he didn’t ask, she might as well continue being Mei Shuang. After all, even if she was a variant of Mei Shuang, she was still Mei Shuang.
Bearing the identity of the young lady from Mei Manor and having a father of some standing should make things somewhat easier for her, although she wasn’t sure how much influence that would have here.
Since Mei Shuang had posed this rather foolish question and Nangong Nuo had given a vague response, the two fell into silence for a while.
Clearly, the slight ambiguous atmosphere they had just shared had been disrupted and needed some time to rekindle. Thus, Mei Shuang took the initiative to break the silence. “It’s getting late; don’t we have to set off tomorrow?”
Suddenly recalling something, Nangong Nuo gazed deeply at Mei Shuang. A faint warmth appeared in his eyes as he said, “Miss Mei Shuang, don’t blame me for not reminding you—excessive sympathy can definitely lead to your downfall.”
Mei Shuang’s heart skipped a beat. What was he hinting at?
Was he suggesting that she shouldn’t let Kuranami Miyako go?
Suggesting that he shouldn't meddle in Chu Xiruo's business? Or is he implying that he should not rashly rescue a monk of unknown origin? ... She let out a sigh, but with a slight sigh, "Zhao Prince, actually, open the skylight and speak frankly. I know that I have disappointed you in many places, but you are so tolerant of me and still... You have saved me many times, how can I not know what is good and what is good? Don’t worry, I will definitely listen to you in the future..." Although it sounded like Shi Zai was making a promise, what Mei Shuang said was more like a disembowelment. With a sigh, Nangong Nuo's eyes suddenly became warmer. Undoubtedly, the current Mei Shuang made him even more happy. It was finally time for this woman to be obedient. ——The identities of Yun Kong and another monk were quickly verified. They were indeed monks from Dazhao Temple, and their statement was exactly the same as that of the abbot of the temple. However, the people sent by Nangong Nuo only saw the sick monk, but never saw Yun Kong. The temple said that after Yun Kong sent his senior brother back, he followed the doctor's advice and went to the mountains to find medicinal materials to ensure that his condition would not recur. The origin of Yun Kong is also very simple. He came to the temple to become a monk a few years ago and claimed to be an orphan. Nangong Nuo really made people go to Yun Kong’s hometown to check it out. In a mountain valley, there are several residents scattered alone. When I mentioned the common name of Yun Kong, I still have an impression, and He shook his head and sighed, saying that his life was miserable. His parents died many years ago, and he was left to wander alone. Listening to the report of the visitor, Nangong Nuo is still a little worried, and always feels that this Yun Kong is a little unusual. In fact, when Mei Shuang was busy with Yun Kong, he saw this scene through the long window on the second floor of the inn.
Mei Shuang's serious demeanor caused Nangong Nuo to frown immediately. He glanced at Yun Kong, then back at Mei Shuang, especially when he saw her smile knowingly at the unfamiliar Yun Kong. He couldn't help but grit his teeth in frustration. How could you be so heartless, Mei Shuang? You treat my affection as if it were nothing, yet you show such concern for a stranger. This was the reason he had lost his temper with Mei Shuang that evening.
As a result, he looked at Yun Kong again, and this only fueled his anger further.
Yun Kong had a handsome appearance, perhaps due to being a martial monk; every move he made exuded the aura of a martial artist, though ordinary people couldn't perceive it. Moreover, Nangong Nuo noticed that Yun Kong occasionally cast a glance at Mei Shuang, and there was a subtle depth in his eyes that was hard to define.
Recalling this scene, Nangong Nuo waved his hand irritably and scolded one of his subordinates, Tiger General, regardless of Mei Shuang's presence. "What kind of martial monk is this? He looks like nothing but a lecherous monk!"
Mei Shuang was taken aback by this title.
The Tiger General, who was right beside Nangong Nuo, had observed the situation outside and understood why Nangong Nuo said that. He couldn't help but glance at Mei Shuang and saw that she was completely oblivious. He could only nod in agreement.
While Nangong Nuo scolded his subordinate, his eyes were still fixed on the clueless Mei Shuang. He felt angry but hadn't had the chance to express it when he heard Mei Shuang absentmindedly say while gazing out at the snowy scenery from the carriage, "I've heard of martial monks, but do they really have ranks? Is there such a thing as gold and silver monks?"
The room fell silent in shock.
Mei Shuang's words instantly stunned everyone.
The Tiger General struggled to suppress his laughter and hurriedly excused himself. Meanwhile, a wave of jealousy surged within Nangong Nuo; he found it both infuriating and amusing.
Was this woman named Mei Shuang trying to drive him crazy?
Of course, he didn't bother explaining that this "lecherous monk" was not the same as a "silver monk." As for Mei Shuang, she felt slightly relieved knowing that Yun Kong's departure wasn't Nangong Nuo's idea. She looked up and gave Nangong Nuo an approving glance. "I knew you weren't such a petty person. So if I save him, do you have any objections?"
Nangong Nuo could hardly tolerate Mei Shuang's expression that seemed to flirt without actually flirting. Her big innocent eyes looked up at him with a hint of pride, as if she had him wrapped around her finger. It was truly maddening; after seeing all kinds of women act coyly, it was this kind of expression—one that wasn't exactly coy but felt even more enticing—that captivated him the most. Whenever Mei Shuang displayed such an expression, his heart would soften completely, leaving him utterly entranced.
Now, with Mei Shuang acting foolishly and giving him another affirmation, Nangong Nuo felt more comfortable than with any other woman's deliberate flattery.
However, overall, Mei Shuang seemed to have no topics to discuss with Yun Kong, which relieved Nangong Nuo.
Little did Mei Shuang know that just moments ago, Nangong Nuo was consumed with jealousy. Seeing his grim expression soften, she recalled her promise from that night. As she gazed at the increasingly close capital city, she naturally began to dwell on Nangong Nuo's words from the past.
Indeed, although Nangong Nuo had said little during their journey, she had let the assassin go. The disappearance of the assassin was tied to the reputation of the Mei Family and Chancellor Mei. Adding to her troubles were a difficult Empress Dowager and the previously life-threatening Queen Meiru...
Most of Nangong Nuo's analyses were quite unfavorable for her situation.
At one point, she even thought about how Queen Meiru had failed in her attempts to harm her before. Would this time be an opportunity for the queen to finally succeed?
...
A multitude of worries and uncertainties surged in her heart as she looked at the approaching city gates. In a daze, she felt as if she were returning to the past.
It was as if she were sitting in a carriage heading to the palace for her coronation as Empress. Those days in the palace marked a tumultuous period in her fate, filled with helplessness, confusion, and fear...
Sigh, why did it all circle back around?
Could it be true what Nangong Nuo said—that an overflow of compassion had led to her own downfall?
If it weren't for her excessive compassion in letting Kuranami Miyako go, would things have turned out this way?
Outside the carriage, the cold wind blew fiercely. Compared to outside the city, the snow in the capital was light—just a thin layer. By the time the carriage entered the city, most of the snow on the ground had already melted away.
After a snowfall, under clear skies, the sunlight was surprisingly bright. Mei Shuang found herself recalling a fitting saying: winter would soon pass; how far could spring be?
However, until she saw Emperor Xiao Luo again—whom she thought she would never see—everything felt like mere self-comforting words.
Her every move, Mei Shuang's, held special significance for the entire Mei Family. At least for now, she did not want to implicate the innocent—especially that supposedly noble Chancellor Mei.
---
To give Mei Shuang ample time to prepare, Nangong Nuo deliberately took leave from the palace early, claiming that Mei Shuang had caught a chill and, for the sake of the Dragon Body's health, could not meet the emperor at this time.
However, this time, with so many eyes in the capital, Nangong Nuo did not bring Mei Shuang into his residence. Instead, he chose to rest at an inn outside the palace, waiting to enter the palace to meet the emperor early the next morning.
Tonight, he needed to discuss some sensitive questions with Mei Shuang, and she was more than willing to listen attentively.
After dinner, Nangong Nuo and Mei Shuang both washed away the dust of their journey. Unexpectedly, Nangong Nuo received a decree from the palace summoning him to meet with the Empress Dowager immediately.
Nangong Nuo understood why the Empress Dowager was so eager to see him. He promptly instructed Mei Shuang not to go out on her own until he returned, lest she attract something unclean.
Mei Shuang found it amusing; such alarmist talk—did he really think there were ghosts in this inn?
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