Chapter 468
Chapter 468
Li Zhiwei's hand paused upon hearing Xu Heming's words.
She hadn't expected Xu Heming to come again.
She still hadn't figured out how to tell Xu Heming about her plans.
Her heart was filled with hesitation.
"Weiwei!"
Xu Heming's heart ached deeply.
Li Zhiwei was avoiding him!
Thinking of Zhu Jingchen's words, Xu Heming felt another pang of pain.
His Weiwei—what had she endured during the time he was away?
"Your Highness." Li Zhiwei knew she could no longer pretend not to see him.
What was meant to come had finally arrived.
"I know everything," Xu Heming said, his face full of guilt.
To Li Zhiwei, Xu Heming's expression meant that this matter had no room for turning back.
Going to the Kingdom of Qinling for marriage was her fate.
Li Zhiwei lowered her head.
She no longer cared that the incense in her hand had long since been crushed out of shape.
"Then why has Your Highness come here?" Li Zhiwei asked, her tone sharp and bitter.
After all, having been toyed with by them, wasn't she allowed to lose her temper?
Even a clay figurine has a temper, let alone a living, breathing person.
"I'm sorry, Weiwei. I didn't expect the Empress to trouble you," Xu Heming said apologetically, thinking it only natural for Li Zhiwei to be angry.
It was all his fault. If only he hadn't gone to Heping County.
If he hadn't gone, he wouldn't have been the one in dire straits.
But he did go, and now Li Zhiwei was the one suffering.
And he was the one in pain.
"How could the Empress trouble me? She merely found me a fine marriage match," Li Zhiwei said with a self-deprecating tone.
"Weiwei, don't worry. I've already resolved this matter. The Empress will never bring it up again!" Xu Heming quickly assured her.
"Resolved?" Li Zhiwei was stunned.
She remembered how Cheng Qingli had fiercely protected her back then.
Could it be that the person chosen for marriage had been replaced by Cheng Qingli?
Thinking of this, Li Zhiwei couldn't help feeling anxious.
"How did you resolve it?" Li Zhiwei grabbed Xu Heming's hand, asking urgently.
"And who has been chosen for marriage instead?" Before Xu Heming could answer, Li Zhiwei asked again.
"Is it Qingli?"
Li Zhiwei asked frantically.
Xu Heming was startled by her anxious demeanor.
"Tell me quickly!" Seeing Xu Heming's prolonged silence, Li Zhiwei grew even more frantic.
"No one. The Emperor never agreed to the marriage in the first place—it was only the Empress and Grand Preceptor Cheng's wishful thinking," Xu Heming said, not hiding the truth as he saw Li Zhiwei's urgency.
"Really?" Li Zhiwei still found it hard to believe.
No marriage?
Thinking of Shangguan Mu's arrogant attitude, Li Zhiwei still couldn't believe the Emperor wasn't afraid of the Kingdom of Qinling attacking the Kingdom of Lanuo.
"Really! My trip to Heping County was actually related to this matter. Rest assured, even if it costs me my life, I won't let you go for marriage," Xu Heming said, gazing steadily at Li Zhiwei as he gave his word.
"What if the Kingdom of Qinling attacks the Kingdom of Lanuo?" Li Zhiwei bit her lip, her heart conflicted. She couldn't selfishly ignore the people of Lanuo.
"Don't worry, the Kingdom of Lanuo is fully capable of fighting back," Xu Heming assured her gently.
"Really?" Li Zhiwei was skeptical.
After all, everyone knew the Kingdom of Qinling was the leader among nations.
The Kingdom of Lanuo was the weakest.
"All of you, leave," Xu Heming first dismissed the attendants before sitting down at a nearby table.
He directly pulled Li Zhiwei into his arms, making her sit on his lap.
"You... what are you doing!" Li Zhiwei was startled.
Her face flushed red, and she tried to get up.
"Let me hold you for a while," Xu Heming said somewhat pitifully.
After all, he had just nearly lost his wife.
"Your Highness, this is inappropriate," Li Zhiwei whispered.
"No one will know. Besides, you are my Princess Consort—how is it inappropriate for me to hold my own Princess Consort?" Xu Heming grumbled, tightening his arms around her.
He thought to himself, why was time moving so slowly?
He could only hold her.
And remembering how he had almost lost her, he held her even tighter, as if afraid she would slip away if he let go.
"We're not married yet," Li Zhiwei muttered in reminder.
"I know what you're worried about. Don't be. Actually, we have your father to thank. Last time, he took Qingshi to Wangxian Mountain and discovered an iron ore deposit there. Our weapons are already being forged, so we have nothing to fear from the Kingdom of Qinling," Xu Heming assured her in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Really?" Li Zhiwei was shocked.
If that were true, it would be a great blessing for the Kingdom of Lanuo.
"Weiwei, only the Emperor and I know about this. Until we are absolutely certain, we cannot reveal this secret. The Empress, unaware of it, feared the Kingdom of Qinling would harm the Kingdom of Lanuo. In her desperation, she recklessly tried to send you for marriage. The Emperor never agreed to it from the start. I'm telling you this now so you can put your heart at ease," Xu Heming explained earnestly.
Hearing this, Li Zhiwei's heart softened.
Her previous indignation instantly dissolved.
In truth, the Empress's concerns were not unreasonable.
Shangguan Mu had taken a liking to her, and the Empress thought offering her up would bring peace to the people of Lanuo.
She couldn't fault that.
But she was the one involved, and she was already betrothed—she couldn't agree.
Yet the Empress had given her no choice.
She had even prepared to go to the Kingdom of Qinling for marriage.
Now, Xu Heming was telling her that it had all been the Empress's wishful thinking.
The Kingdom of Lanuo now had enough strength to stand against the Kingdom of Qinling—they didn't need marriage to secure peace.
The torment Li Zhiwei had endured in recent days vanished in an instant with Xu Heming's words.
Thinking this, her tears fell onto Xu Heming's hand.
Those tears felt scorching hot to Xu Heming.
If he had returned sooner, she wouldn't have suffered this.
"Weiwei, I'm sorry you had to go through this. I swear, this will never happen again," Xu Heming said, gently wiping away her tears as he made his vow.
Li Zhiwei looked at Xu Heming.
She didn't actually blame him.
But seeing him so anxious now, she couldn bring herself to say she didn't blame him.
"Weiwei, if you're unhappy, take it out on me," Xu Heming said, upset to see her staring at him with reddened eyes.
He wondered what he could do to earn her forgiveness.
"The Empress said your leaving the capital at this time meant you had tacitly agreed to me marrying Shangguan Mu," Li Zhiwei sobbed, looking at Xu Heming with a face full of grievance.