Chapter 126 (Revised)

Chapter 126 (Revised)

◎Why does the Young Master's room have shackles and a dressing table?◎

Luo Wanqing felt her cheeks heat up from his straightforwardness and dared not respond further. She feigned composure and said, "Then I'll be going?"

Xie Heng remained silent, only lowering his gaze to look at her.

Luo Wanqing waited for a long time before hearing him respond with a soft, "Mm."

Luo Wanqing nodded in acknowledgment, bowed slightly, and turned towards the window. After taking just two steps, Xie Heng reached out and gently turned her around, saying discontentedly, "Zhuque isn't at the door; let's use the main entrance."

"But—"

Before Luo Wanqing could finish her sentence, Xie Heng had already pushed her towards the door. With a swift motion, he opened the door, and moonlight flooded in. He looked back at her and smiled lightly, "The door is open now, shall we go?"

Luo Wanqing knew instantly that no one was outside but couldn't help glaring at Xie Heng.

Xie Heng smiled at her and spoke gently, "Go back and rest well. Xiniang," he continued, his expression filled with tenderness, "I did wrong in the past. Let's start anew."

Luo Wanqing was taken aback. Xie Heng released her shoulder and leaned against the door frame, smiling, "Go now, or I might just keep you here."

Luo Wanqing nodded and stepped out.

After walking a few paces towards her room, she seemed to remember something and stopped, turning back.

Xie Heng still stood by the door, dressed in a single robe, his eyes fixed on her. Seeing her sudden glance, he tilted his head and smiled, "What, do you want to come back...?"

Before he could finish, Luo Wanqing rushed back, cupped his face, and pulled him down, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

The wind carried cool leaves into the courtyard, and all sounds ceased.

Xie Heng's pupils dilated as he froze, staring blankly at the girl who had closed her eyes and kissed him boldly.

Luo Wanqing held his face, her tongue gently probing, prying open his lips. Xie Heng suddenly reacted, immediately wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close, then leaned down to kiss her deeply.

In the past, he had always been the one in control, but this time it was different. Luo Wanqing was exceptionally proactive, like a sleek snake, playing hide-and-seek with him, occasionally tangling and resisting.

Xie Heng couldn't help but tighten his embrace, his wide sleeves almost enveloping her entire body. The cold night air couldn't penetrate their skin, and the temperature gradually rose. Luo Wanqing placed her hand on his chest, feeling his heart beating faster and faster, listening to his increasingly rapid breaths, a sense of satisfaction blooming in her heart.

Despite being the initiator, she couldn't help slowly losing strength, leaning entirely on him, holding back his wandering hands.

Xie Heng sensed her reluctance to go further and simply held her, kissing her without moving. After a while, Luo Wanqing felt her tongue grow numb and reluctantly pulled away.

Xie Heng didn't dare to insist on keeping her, only looking down at the person in his arms, her lips glossy and her cheeks flushed, his eyes filled with uncontrollable longing.

But Luo Wanqing said nothing, only gave him a teasing smile before turning to leave.

Xie Heng couldn't help reaching out to stop her, nervously asking, "Stay tonight, okay?"

Luo Wanqing didn't answer, only looked up at him, her eyes filled with doubt. Xie Heng couldn't help but chuckle bitterly, softly saying, "I won't do anything; I just want you."

"Your injuries haven't fully healed; it's not good to keep Zhuque away for too long."

Luo Wanqing's voice was slightly sweet. She turned her head, forcing herself to speak calmly to mask the sweetness, feigning composure, "Next time, I'll come see you next time."

"When will next time be?" Xie Heng couldn't help but ask, wanting a specific time.

Luo Wanqing thought for a moment and shook her head, "It depends on the time."

"How about tomorrow night..." Xie Heng felt like an impatient young man, unable to resist moving closer, then changed his mind, "No, tomorrow, okay?"

"You've just woken up; there are many things to do tomorrow." Luo Wanqing continued to refuse, pretending to think, "I'll see how it goes."

"Then..." Xie Heng endured again and again, finally suppressing all urges to keep her, softly saying, "Come when it's convenient for you. If you're coming over, blow the flute to let me know."

"Mm."

"And..." Xie Heng paused, remembering something, and couldn't help wrapping his arm around her waist again, seemingly considerate, "I'll handle the matter with Minister Zhang and investigate your father's case. You don't need to worry too much about Minister Zhang; come see me more often."

Luo Wanqing knew he must have been keeping track of her recent movements. She suppressed a smile and simply said, "We'll see."

Xie Heng paused as Luo Wanqing slipped out of his embrace, wrapping her cloak around her. "I'm tired, so I'll be going."

With that, she turned and walked towards her room. After a few steps, she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, there's one more thing."

She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with moonlight and a smile.

"I forgot to tell you, what I told Minister Cui was a lie. Since I woke up, I've been checking your pulse every night."

Xie Heng was stunned. Seeing his surprised expression, Luo Wanqing finally laughed, "Someone like the Young Master has never been a compromise for me. I just want to get to know the real Xie Lingshu again."

She bowed gently and said warmly, "Good night, Young Master."

Xie Heng's eyes softened as he listened to her wish him a good night, watched her enter her room, heard the door close, and eventually the sound of her getting into bed. Only then did he slowly react, taking a deep breath and returning to his own bed.

As soon as he lay down, Luo Wanqing's scent filled his senses. He raised his hand to cover his eyes, closing them and seeing the image of Luo Wanqing telling him he was never a compromise, turning back, and kissing him.

That scene transformed into countless memories: in the cave, on Liufeng Island, in the Supervision Division, and even in this very room.

He remembered the night he first gave Luo Wanqing lip balm in Yangzhou. She wore his clothes and walked barefoot into this room, stepping on the dark red carpet, her feet as white as jade, seeming to tread on lotus petals.

How can I sleep well?

What a torment.

He shifted positions, feeling tormented by the memory of tonight's encounter with Luo Wanqing.

However, as he thought about it, he couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Silly girl.

How could he not know she came every night? Today, when he saw the lock on the mechanism was smooth without a single fingerprint, he deliberately waited for her at night.

She actually admitted it herself.

Silly girl.

Xie Heng raised his hand to grasp a wisp of floating light carrying her fragrance, unable to resist closing his eyes with a sigh.

Clearly, they were only separated by a wall, yet his longing bloomed beautifully in his heart, magnified a thousandfold.

He missed her.

So much.

That night felt like an eternity for Xie Heng, while Luo Wanqing slept soundly.

She didn't know why, but after seeing Xie Heng lose his composure, she felt particularly elated.

Although she didn't express this joy outwardly, and even thought that perhaps Xie Heng was intentionally indulging her, she still felt something heavy in her heart dissipate, finding some amusement in it.

Her spirits lifted, she returned to her room and soon fell asleep. When she woke up at dawn, she felt refreshed.

She got up, changed into fresh clothes, washed up, and went to eat. Upon returning, she heard Xie Heng's loud call from next door: "Liu Xiniang."

His voice was cold and indifferent. Luo Wanqing immediately straightened her posture and composed herself, walking to the door and respectfully saying, "Young Master."

Xie Heng sat behind a high desk, wearing his usual black robe with golden patterns. Compared to before, he seemed slightly different today.

Perhaps the material of the robe was more lustrous, or perhaps the gold crown he wore today, adorned with pearls, was more splendid.

Luo Wanqing couldn't pinpoint what had changed, but she felt that the person sitting there seemed more handsome than usual.

But she dared not look too long, casting a quick glance before lowering her eyes.

Xie Heng noticed her gaze, suppressing a smile. With one hand, he reviewed documents, while the other rested on the table, allowing Wei Qianqiu to administer acupuncture.

Bai Li knelt beside him. Xie Heng unfolded a document and said calmly, "Come in and wait."

Luo Wanqing did not dare ask what they were waiting for; she simply stepped into the room and knelt beside Bai Li.

Xie Heng quickly finished reviewing the document, set it aside, and turned to look at Wei Qianqiu, who was removing the needles. Then he instructed Xuan Shan, "Leave the documents here. Later, take them to Qingya. Report everything about Jiangnan to His Majesty accurately, without missing a word."

Xuan Shan respectfully acknowledged and left with the documents.

Xie Heng then looked at Bai Li, "Does Aunt Bai Li have any other matters?"

"I still have White Tiger Department documents to review," Bai Li smiled, adding, "I won't keep you company, Young Master."

"Alright." Xie Heng nodded, then looked at the silver needle in his hand, supporting his head, "If there are too many documents, Aunt Bai Li can delegate some tasks."

Everyone was momentarily stunned, then understood the implication.

Luo Wanqing's actions—whether entering Xueling Valley alone for seven days to map it out and kill six hundred people, or protecting Xie Heng in Ji Rui Palace and defeating Ji Ruifang, advancing to the rank of Grandmaster—had demonstrated her capability for the position of one of the Four Messengers. She now lacked only experience. Xie Heng's confirmation that Bai Li could delegate authority was a sign and hint.

Upon realizing this, Bai Li immediately smiled and said, "That would be perfect."

With that, she rose, just like Xuan Shan, and said gently, "I'll take my leave."

As Bai Li and Xuan Shan withdrew, Xie Heng waited for Wei Qianqiu to remove all the needles, drank his medicine, and gestured for Wei Qianqiu to leave.

The room was now empty except for Luo Wanqing and Xie Heng. The door was wide open, and Zhuque was outside, but for some reason, Luo Wanqing suddenly remembered her bold actions last night and felt nervous.

She controlled her emotions, trying to appear calm. Xie Heng showed no unusual behavior, as usual, reviewed documents, closed them, and stood up, saying, "Follow me."

Luo Wanqing followed Xie Heng, noticing his movement towards the inner room and hesitated slightly.

Xie Heng noticed her hesitation and turned to look at her, seemingly puzzled, "Why hesitate?"

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing realized she was overthinking and quickly followed Xie Heng.

They entered the inner room, and as soon as they did, Xie Heng pulled down a curtain, plunging the room into darkness. Luo Wanqing felt tense.

She stood still, not daring to ask questions. She watched as Xie Heng walked to a bookshelf, pulled out a few books, and the shelf slid aside, revealing a hidden door.

Xie Heng pushed the door open and instructed, "Follow me."

Luo Wanqing saw the secret chamber ahead and asked instinctively, "Only me?"

"I need to show you something important," Xie Heng explained patiently, "No need for unnecessary questions."

Hearing "important," Luo Wanqing understood she was overthinking and hurriedly followed Xie Heng, saying solemnly, "I will follow your instructions."

Xie Heng gave her a meaningful look but did not expose her thoughts, merely gesturing for her to follow, "Come with me."

Luo Wanqing followed him inside.

As they entered the secret chamber, the door closed behind them, followed by the sound of the bookshelf sliding back into place.

Luo Wanqing did not turn around, instead looking ahead at the steps leading into the darkness, their end unknown.

Xie Heng led the way, his black robe trailing down the steps, with Luo Wanqing following closely behind.

As they walked, he explained to Luo Wanqing, "Yesterday, when I woke up, I met Xiangsi Zi and Xing Ling. Xiangsi Zi told me that years ago, he received a message from my uncle at the border, instructing him to rescue your father from Fengyu Pavilion and bring him to Jiangnan. He was also tasked with receiving the iron box. He was responsible for safeguarding the box, while your father was responsible for the key. They had no contact with each other."

As they reached the end of the steps, they arrived at a room.

This room is not large, with a stone bed, a desk, and cabinets lining the walls. Not far away is a hot spring, beside which is a washroom, fulfilling the basic needs for long-term living.

Luo Wanqing carefully examined the room. Soft cushions and bedding covered the floor, seemingly just replaced. The bedsheet was plain in color, indicating it was used by a man. However, strangely, there was also a dressing table adorned with an array of dazzling jewelry, catching her eye.

If the dressing table was odd, even more peculiar were the iron shackles on the bed.

Luo Wanqing's gaze fell on the shackles, and she couldn't help but ask, "Young Master, where is this?"

"I have a secret chamber in each of my rooms. I stay here when necessary."

Xie Heng spoke calmly, walking to a cabinet nearby and retrieving an iron box.

The moment the iron box came into Luo Wanqing's view, her attention was drawn to it.

The iron box looked exactly as it did when she first saw it, with three rotating gears above a lock hole. It was entirely black but polished to a shine. Xie Heng placed it on the desk, set a lamp beside it, and beckoned Luo Wanqing over. "Come here."

This time, unlike before, there was a wooden box atop the iron one. Judging by its size, it should contain a hairpin.

"This is the Xuantian Box brought from Liufeng Island. The wooden box on top contains the Phoenix Feather Hairpin found in Ji Rui Palace."

Xie Heng pointed at the three gears on the box. "Each gear has twenty-two teeth, labeled with the ten Heavenly Stems and twelve Earthly Branches. Inputting the correct characters will unlock the Xuantian Box."

Hearing this, Luo Wanqing understood. "The three characters you asked me to think about yesterday—are they the key to this box?"

"Exactly."

Xie Heng nodded, and Luo Wanqing furrowed her brow. "Why did you ask me?"

"Because Cui Zisi said you are the most likely person to know the answer," Xie Heng stood behind Luo Wanqing, looking over her shoulder at the iron box. "Do you have any clues?"

Luo Wanqing remained silent, pondering the information Xie Heng had just given her.

With three characters from the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, there were countless possibilities.

"You only have three chances to try," Xie Heng reached out from behind her to touch the iron box. His presence enveloped her, making her tense up instinctively as he softly reminded her, "It contains gunpowder within its layers. If you exceed three incorrect attempts, the box will self-destruct."

This made Luo Wanqing's heart tighten. She completely ignored the intimate proximity of Xie Heng standing behind her and thought aloud, "Are there any rules or taboos? For example, can the same character not be repeated?"

"No."

Xie Heng glanced at her, explaining, "It can be any combination."

Any combination, which expanded the possibilities even further.

Luo Wanqing frowned at the box, and seeing her troubled expression, Xie Heng softened his tone. "You won't remember right away. Take your time. Think about anything special your father might have said or done..."

Xie Heng added, "If he left a clue for you, he wouldn't make it completely undetectable."

Luo Wanqing nodded in agreement and respectfully replied, "Yes."

"Your task for the coming days is this. You may take another careful look at this box and hairpin."

Luo Wanqing listened to the words and stepped forward, carefully observing the iron box and hairpin for a while, almost memorizing all its patterns before saying, "Young Master, I have almost memorized it all."

"Hmm."

Xie Heng nodded and then said, "I have already explained to His Majesty that we will leave Jiangnan in seven days. I will enter seclusion in two days. It would be best if you could find the correct key to open this box in the near future. If you need any help, you can come to me or Xuan Shan."

"Yes."

"Are there any further questions?"

Xie Heng inquired with care, and after a moment of contemplation, Luo Wanqing couldn't help but ask, "Young Master said, have you seen the Star Spirit?"

Upon hearing the words, Xie Heng raised his eyes and simply said, "Yes, so what?"

Luo Wanqing deliberated and said, "I wonder how the Star Spirit is faring at present, and how does the Young Master plan to deal with it?"

Xie Heng didn't speak for a moment, and after a while, he said, "Come back and ask later."

Upon hearing this, Luo Wanqing immediately understood that her question was a private matter for Xie Heng, and he did not wish to discuss it with her at this moment.

Luo Wanqing did not ask further, simply saying, "I understand, sir."

"Are there any other questions?"

Xie Heng continued to inquire, and Luo Wanqing paused for a moment, pondering before finally turning to look at the dressing table beside her, curiously asking, "Why would a young master's room have a dressing table and iron shackles?"

The author has something to say:

"Little Theatre · 1"

Luo Wanqing: "Ha, you've deceived me for so long. I've turned dark, I want to become a heartbreaker, I want to reel him in."

Xie Heng: "Wow, my wife's skills are truly exceptional. I leap up in a 360-degree spiral somersault and bite the hook! But darling, when fishing, one must be focused. You can fish for me, but not for others, alright?"

Luo Wanqing: "It depends on the situation."

Xie Heng: "Hm???"

Luo Wanqing: "Understand your position; you're the one being hooked, not the one using the bait to catch me! Reel in your habits and be a good catch!"

Xie Heng: "Oh... alright... as long as you're happy. But remember not to go out for dinner tonight!"

"Little Theater · 2"

Xie Heng: "Xiniang, don't go out to chat idly with all sorts of people. I will look into the matter concerning your uncle (crossed out, father-in-law)."

Luo Wanqing: "… Young Master, don't call out too soon."

Qingya/Zhuque/Xuanshan/Cui Heng: "Tsk tsk, look at his pitiful appearance."

Bai Li: "How wonderful, I can see Lingshu with someone before I retire."

"Mini-Play · 3"

Luo Wanqing: "Tonight, I grasped the essence of being a heartbreaker, Xingling, let me teach you, it's so simple."

Xingling: "Hmm?"

Luo Wanqing: "Just turn all the answers to problems into, 'it depends.' "

Xingling: "I'll give it a try."

Cui Heng: "Xingling, going out to play?"

Xingling: "It depends."

Cui Heng: "Alright, I'll go prepare."

Xingling: "??"

Cui Heng: "Xingling, dating anyone?"

Xingling: "It depends."

Cui Heng: "Your situation is me, darling."

Xingling: "Get lost!"

Cui Heng: "Xingling, getting married?"

Xingling: "No way!"

Cui Heng: "Alright, I'll send out the invitations."

Xingling: "Xiniang, I think this method doesn't work."

Luo Wanqing: "Indeed, it doesn't work on the deaf."

Xie Heng instantly perked up his ears.

Later that night—

Xie Heng: "Xiniang, tonight, I'm deaf."