Cang Lan Dao - Chapter 36.2

Chapter 36.2 

Let Go

Fortunately, Li Guiyu didn’t intend to force him. He didn’t want to speak, so Li Guiyu accompanied him to play chess and occasionally said a few words, making others feel very comfortable, like a spring breeze. When it was time for Li Guiyu to lay a chess piece, he propped his forehead, thinking he heard a woman outside shout for help. The voice was vaguely familiar but too sharp, so it wasn’t clear. When the voice appeared, Li Guiyu paused before calming down again. These days, he would remember her voice in an instant. They had been together for too long. He had always thought being separated from her was not a big deal. In the beginning, it was indeed the case. They separated and didn’t see each other, he thought that she went far away to Lingnan and ended well with him, which was also a kind of ending. Although he occasionally would miss her, he thought this ending was already good. However, for unknown reasons, she died. Her death should be a happy thing. When she died, he felt that all the dust had settled and there was no need to pursue her, so he suddenly began to miss her. Initially, when he was carving a tablet for her, he carved her name one by one, and with every stroke, every drawing, he would think of her. It would remind him that afternoon after experiencing the blood bath of life and death, he stood in the courtyard at Yangzhou, watching the young girl stand in front of him and introduce herself with a red face, “I haven’t been able to tell you my name yet, my name is Luo Wanqing, and what’s yours?”

He would recall the moment she walked in front of him, tenderly tilting her head, taking down a lantern, turning her head, and asking, “Shaoyan, do you want it?”

He would recall the night she sat in her room, seriously writing prescriptions, saying she wanted to be a good doctor, to save more people. 

He would recall the time she went behind his back and secretly embroidered a purse, stitch by stitch. 

After he finished carving her tablet, he felt that he had used a lot of strength and the carving knife cut his palm, and the blood spilled over her name. He couldn’t speak like there was a hole in his heart. Obviously, it was something he wished for, but it hurt like the wind had cut him. After that, every day, every night, and every moment, he sometimes woke in the night, wondering where she was and if she would be afraid of the dark when she was buried in the earth. She had to sleep with a light on since she was young, and she had only slowly gotten used to extinguishing the light after he came and promised to keep watch at her window.  Because every time she called, he answered her. When he thought so, it was as if he heard Luo Wanqing’s voice, which sounded like a cat with uneasiness, calling him, “Shaoyan?” He then couldn’t help but answer because he feared she was scared. But soon, he realized that it wasn’t right. Only he could hear her when she called him; if he always answered like this, people would notice his abnormality. So he discussed with her that when she called him, he would touch the scented pouch she gave him as an answer to her. Luo Wanqing didn’t say whether she agreed, so he took it as her agreement. While listening to the sound of help, he subconsciously touched the scented bag and then heard Zhang Yiran frown, looking solemn while asking: “Your Highness has not heard any sound?” 

Li Guiyu paused, and the two realized the sound had become clearer. The woman seemed caught up and said sharply, “Let go of me! You guys let go of me!” 

Zhang Yiran immediately got up, and Li Guiyu hurriedly said, “Lord Zhang!” 

Zhang Yiran turned back. Li Guiyu listened to the woman’s words for a moment and spoke thoughtfully, “A woman suddenly appeared on the road late at night asking for help. We need to be careful.” 

“This ……” Zhang Yiran thought momentarily, then said, “But we can’t ignore it. I’ll go take a look.” 

“Lord Zhang,” Li Guiyu lowered his eyes and looked at the chessboard, lengthening his voice as he reminded, “Anyone who can kidnap someone in Dongdu has more or less a doorway behind them. Is Lord Zhang certain to mess with this matter?” 

Zhang Yiran’s complexion chilled, and he said, “Your Highness can ignore it, but I can’t.” 

Zhang Yiran called for a halt to the carriage, lifted the curtains, and bellowed, “Stop!“ 

The traffickers had already caught up with Luo Wanqing. She was being dragged back, and when she heard this “stop,” she looked up sharply and looked at Zhang Yiran: “Lord save me!“ 

When Luo Wanqing raised her head, Zhang Yiran froze, and he didn’t dare look at her anymore. He moved his gaze away and jumped down from the carriage, walked to the traffickers, and said coldly: “Why are you kidnapping people?“ 

“Is it your turn to mind if we kidnap our own woman?“ The traffickers looked Zhang Yiran up and down and shouted angrily, “Get lost!“ 

They dragged Luo Wanqing to leave. Zhang Yiran grabbed Luo Wanqing and snapped, “Even if she committed adultery, you should report it to the officials. How can you beat her? Moreover, on what basis do you say she is your wife?“ 

“My lord, I don’t know him.“ Luo Wanqing immediately pulled Zhang Yiran. With a pair of eyes full of begging, she urgently said, “Lord, I’m the daughter of a nearby hunter. I’m getting medicine for my mother in Dongdu. My mother is still waiting for me at home ……“ 

“Bullshit ……“ 

“Let go!“ Zhang Yiran kicked on a strong man and violently pulled Luo Wanqing over. He pulled too hard, and Luo Wanqing almost fell, so Zhang Yiran hurriedly held her. Luo Wanqing smoothly leaned on Zhang Yiran, her whole body trembling, seemingly scared. 

Zhang Yiran’s body stiffened, and he could not help but step back to draw a distance from Luo Wanqing. He then stared at a group of traffickers and said: “This is Dongdu. You can’t afford to be reckless! If she is your wife, go with this official to the government office to check and verify, and this official will send you back. If she is not your wife, you are kidnapping women in broad daylight. Is there any king’s law in your eyes?“ 

Luo Wanqing quietly looked up at Zhang Yiran. Last time, he had scolded her similarly, so it seemed he was still fair in treating bandits and thieves. However, the other party didn’t buy his words, and with a cold smile, he only said, “Then, let’s do this the hard way! Attack!“ 

They all pounced towards Zhang Yiran, who protected Luo Wanqing and shouted, “You dare!“ 

The other parties didn’t care about his words and surrounded the two with their knives and slashed them. The light of the knife swung down against Zhang Yiran.

Zhang Yiran’s eyes widened. He completely forgot to hide, only subconsciously raising his hand to protect Luo Wanqing. Luo Wanqing’s complexion was slightly cold, took hold of Zhang Yiran to take a small step back. At this time, a cold arrow flew straight out of the carriage, hitting the bandit in the center of the eyebrow. Everyone instantly froze and then heard the sound of the carriage rolling curtains. Everyone looked together at the youth clad in blue brocade and crown jade alighted from the carriage while holding the rail. He calmly raised his head and looked at the crowd. He glanced at the woman protected in Zhang Yiran’s arms. That face had been with her for many years, and he had thought about day and night back in another person’s arms as if she completely didn’t recognize him and was looking at him in panic. His heart and bones pierced in an instant, and his pupils shrunk. Fiercely gripping the carriage rail, he subconsciously coldly shouted out, “Let go!”