latelenovela Chapter 211 Stabbing Wound
Chapter 211 Stabbing Wound
It seemed like we hadn't been sitting there long when dawn broke. From the deepest darkness before dawn to the gradual light in the east, the candlelight in the room dimmed until it was barely noticeable. No matter how bright the artificial light, it couldn't compare to natural light.
When An Liangchen arrived, he saw Nianyao gazing out the window, lost in thought. He stood at the door for a moment, then tentatively called out, "Sister-in-law."
Nianyao turned her head after a while, staring at An Liangchen as if she didn't recognize him. Her gaze was so strange that even An Liangchen felt a little creeped out.
Nianyao asked in a low, somber voice, "Will he die?"
I had considered that Luo An might be in danger, but I never imagined it would be life-threatening. But deep in the desert, how can life and death be determined by human will?
An Liangchen was slightly taken aback, then said, "No."
An Liangchen spoke with certainty, his confidence seemingly emanating from nowhere.
Nianyao stood up and walked up to him: "Really?"
An Liangchen said, "Jingchen stole the defense map, stabbed Batu, and set fire to the hostage residence. Batu led his troops away from Alan City to Tumet..."
Nianyao interrupted him: "You don't need to tell me all this, I don't understand and I don't want to understand. Just tell me directly, where is Luo An? Where can I find him?"
An Liangchen paused for a moment, then said, "I don't know."
Nianyao walked past An Liangchen and went outside. She stood in the corridor and looked up. The sky was gray and the rain was like mist, which made her feel melancholy.
The plum blossoms on the plum tree in front of the house had all fallen, and the newly grown leaves were glistening with raindrops, fresh and bright. Nianyao picked a leaf and placed it in her palm; its damp coolness mirrored her current state of mind.
An Liangchen stood behind her: "I'll go with you on the Winter Solstice."
Winter Solstice? Nianyao frowned slightly: "Didn't he go to the northern desert with Luo An?"
An Liangchen shook his head: "He came back as soon as he got to Fengzhou. Luo An said that the Winter Solstice clashes with the Lesser Heat and Greater Heat, so he wouldn't let him go."
What kind of fallacy is this? Nianyao exclaimed incredulously, "Aren't the Lesser Cold and Greater Cold more incompatible with the Lesser Heat and Greater Heat? How come they can go, but not the Winter Solstice?"
An Liangchen shrugged: "I don't know."
Nianyao thought for a moment and said, "No need, I can go by myself."
An Liangchen said, "You've been in the south all year round and aren't familiar with the desert. What if..."
Nianyao interrupted him, her tone full of sarcasm: "You're not worried about your own younger brother or cousin, but you're worried about me?"
After Nianyao finished speaking, she left, passing by Guyu who was carrying a tray of food.
Gu Yu stopped and called out, "Madam..."
Nianyao didn't even turn her head: "I'm not hungry."
Gu Yu waited until Nian Yao turned the corner and disappeared from sight before walking to An Liangchen's side: "Your Highness."
An Liangchen said, "I'll eat, I'm hungry."
Since everyone believes that he is the one who harmed Jing Chen and Luo An, then he will admit it.
Nianyao traveled north and was personally welcomed by An Qile to the border post as soon as she arrived in Fengzhou.
An Qile spoke gently to Nianyao: "Nianyao, we have already sent people to search everywhere. You can wait here for news; you don't need to go there yourself."
Nianyao asked, "Uncle, why didn't Dongzhi go to the northern desert with Luo An?"
An Qile said, "Luo An wouldn't allow it. He said that he is incompatible with Lesser Heat and Greater Heat."
An Liangchen didn't lie? Nianyao was somewhat surprised: "Crown Prince An said the same thing."
An Qile looked her over and said, "His Highness the Crown Prince is actually a very good person. You don't need to have any complaints about him. He has had a very tough time these past few years."
Nianyao asked, "Uncle, who do you think has it easier? Luo An? Me?"
An Qile advised, "Nianyao, that's different."
Nianyao said, "It's different. An Liangchen is the Crown Prince, and you are a Prince. You two are..."
Nianyao initially wanted to say that they had been loved by their parents since childhood and that their family was harmonious. But then she thought that she was a woman of the martial world and should be more magnanimous.
Nianyao changed the subject: "...He has his responsibilities. As the leader of a gang, I sometimes find it difficult. As the Crown Prince who oversees the country, it must be even more difficult for him. Along my journey, I've heard the people of Dongyang praising His Highness the Crown Prince. I believe he is a good Crown Prince."
"But Uncle, I've always lived in the south, seen rivers, lakes, and seas, but never the vast desert. So I still need to personally travel to the northern desert, just to broaden my horizons."
Having said all that, An Qile could no longer insist: "Then I'll choose from the army..."
“No need,” Nianyao refused. “Uncle, I’m not from a respectable family. I’ve been mischievous since I was little, and neither my uncle nor my father can handle me. Don’t worry, I can manage on my own.”
An Qile, realizing he couldn't persuade her otherwise, got up, grabbed a bow, and handed it to her: "If you encounter enemies in the desert, this is better than a sword. Give it a try."
The bow was a bit heavy, but she tried to pull it and could manage it. She then flicked the string with her hand, producing a crisp sound, and exclaimed, "Good!"
An Qile was somewhat surprised: "You know about these things?"
Nianyao said, "When my father was in good health, he would take me hunting every year. I've hunted wild boars, rabbits, and many other animals."
An Qile replied naturally, "Your father came from the Imperial Guard. If it weren't for his status, he would definitely have become the commander of the Imperial Guard. The late emperor and the current emperor both appreciated him. It's a pity."
An Qile speaks his mind without reservation. He has had a smooth life and cannot understand those who are sentimental and lack ambition.
Nianyao took a while to say, "Uncle, you know about what happened back then? Grandma's story, and my parents' story?"
An Qile stretched out his left hand, which only had four fingers: "I know, my little finger was cut off by your uncle."
Nianyao wanted to ask An Qile about what happened back then, but seeing the situation, she couldn't bring herself to ask: in a way, An Qile was her uncle.
An Qile lowered his hand: "Your uncle still has a lot of affection for your maternal grandmother. Back then, he beat me, hung me upside down, and cut off my little finger, but he didn't hurt your maternal grandmother at all. He spared my life because he was afraid that your maternal grandmother would be sad."
Nianyao asked in confusion, "Doesn't your uncle hate him?"
An Qi chuckled and shook his head, saying, "What's there to hate? Everyone has their own perspective. If I were him, I couldn't be more forgiving than him. After all, I have a mother, while neither he nor your mother has one."
"My mother has no mother, and I have no mother either..." Life truly is a cycle! Nianyao immediately stopped speaking; what was the point of saying all this? She slung her bow and arrows over her shoulder: "Uncle, thank you!"
An Qile gave her a map of the northern desert and personally saw her off at the border, saying, "As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood. Nianyao, please take care and come back safely."
An Qile stood on the city wall, watching the man and horse gradually move away until they became a small black dot and disappeared from sight.
Alan City was in ruins; not only was Jingchen's hostage residence in ruins, but the city's palace was also in complete disrepair. An Liangchen only said that Jingchen burned down the hostage residence? Did he also burn down the palace?
Standing atop the city wall of Alan City, Nianyao gazed around. She could vaguely see what Alan City originally looked like. It couldn't compare to Bianjing, but it was still surprising: she had always thought that there were no cities in the northern deserts where people lived in large tents.
An Jingchen stabbed Batu, and Batu moved the capital? That doesn't make sense. The only explanation is that Batu was severely injured, unable to control Alan City and the northern desert, and was forced to leave.
Even Nan Fei and Yuan Feng found him difficult to deal with, yet he was stabbed by An Jingchen? An Jingchen couldn't possibly have gone to Tumote with Batu, so where would he have gone?