Broken Jade - Chapter 128

Chapter 128

“There’s someone inside!”

Outside, the Yulin Guard shouted.

Sheng Zhaoning turned at the sound. Footsteps were already approaching the door in heavy strides.

Almost the instant she looked back, the wooden door was forcefully thrown open.

Her eyes collided without warning with a pair of bloodshot eyes.

It was as though the entire mortal world had frozen in that moment.

Her wrist was still being gripped tightly, and pain continued to shoot through her arm, yet all her senses seemed to shut out everything around her.

She could see only those eyes. They were filled with exhaustion, worry, and fatigue. But the moment he saw her clearly, the dull, lifeless eyes lit up once more.

They brightened in an instant.

Looking at the person she had longed for day and night, Sheng Zhaoning felt her nose sting. She wrenched her arm free and rushed toward him without a second thought. “Wei Heng!”

Wei Heng stopped breathing. He caught the slender figure flying into his arms, wrapped one arm around her back, and held her tightly, as though he wanted to embrace her into his very bones.

“Ningning…” he murmured, his voice trembling.

Held tightly in his arms, the ache in Sheng Zhaoning’s heart was magnified a hundredfold. All her fear and unease dissipated like mist the moment she embraced him.

She used every ounce of her strength to feel the warmth of his embrace, and the blood in her veins gradually grew warm again. She failed to notice the dark, icy gaze behind her, stabbing toward her like a blade.

The Yulin Guard surrounding them all stood frozen, staring at the scene before them.

…What?

Lord Sheng had just called the Crown Prince by name-and even hugged the Crown Prince?

And His Highness had actually hugged her back!

Thinking of how Wei Heng had not closed his eyes for an entire day and night, personally leading the Yulin Guard in a tireless search, crossing who knew how many mountains and searching who knew how many villages, refusing even to eat a single bite, and running two horses to exhaustion, they became even more certain that the relationship between the two was far from ordinary.

Could it be… that all those rumors circulating in the capital were true?

Several men standing at the front exchanged glances, looking at one another in bewilderment. Not one of them dared to make a sound.

“Wei Heng.” With her eyes moist, Sheng Zhaoning nestled against his neck and called his name again, her voice hoarse.

“Mm. I’m here…” He gently patted her back as though soothing her.

Sheng Zhaoning’s heart truly calmed in an instant.

She rubbed her cheek against his neck and swallowed back her tears. Only then did she belatedly realize how embarrassing this was.

She had merely been lost for one night and suffered a minor injury. Surely that was no reason to cry?

Yet from those few words alone, Wei Heng heard the grievance in her voice. It felt as though his heart had been seized and twisted hard.

He lowered his head and asked softly, “Are you hurt anywhere?”

Still clinging to him, Sheng Zhaoning bit her lower lip and looked up. The moisture in her eyes had not yet faded.

“I am.” She tipped her head back slightly and spoke in a pitiful little voice.

Wei Heng’s heart tightened. “Where? Let me see.”

He drew back a little and lowered his head to examine her injuries, but the bloodstains were impossible to make out against his dark robes.

Sheng Zhaoning slowly raised her arm, sniffed, and said weakly, “Here.”

Her gaze fell on the deep wound in her arm.

Wei Heng carefully supported her arm, moving with extreme gentleness. Even so, the moment he saw the frightening injury clearly, his breathing stopped.

It was as though a bloody gash had been carved across his heart, cold wind whistling through it and pain making him tremble.

“How did you get hurt this badly?”

Wei Heng’s eyes reddened. The hand supporting her arm went rigid, afraid to move any farther.

“Bring the Imperial Physician here at once!” he shouted to those behind him.

The Imperial Physician who had been traveling with the search party hurried over with his medicine chest to treat Sheng Zhaoning’s wound.

Only when the fabric around her arm was torn open did Wei Yi, standing some distance away, clearly see the bone-deep wound he had overlooked, the one he had failed to notice all this time.

The hand she had shaken away stopped in midair, empty.

The warmth of her wrist still lingered in his palm.

Wei Yi’s gaze was as heavy as dark ink as he stared at the deep, bloodstained gash on her arm.

She was hurt so badly, yet she had not said a single word to him about the pain.

But the moment Wei Heng appeared, she could turn and throw herself into his arms, her eyes reddened as she weakly and pitifully complained about all she had suffered.

Wei Yi had never felt such heartache as he did at that moment.

How could she truly treat him as a stranger?

No matter how much it hurt or how miserable she felt, she refused to say another word to him.

Wei Yi lowered his eyes and let out a quiet laugh. His gaze seemed to hold an endless, pitch-black emptiness. He placed that hand behind his back and slowly tightened it.

After the medicine was reapplied and her arm was bandaged, everyone prepared to return.

Wei Heng made a point of walking over to thank Wei Yi.

Wei Yi met his eyes directly and curled his lips in a smile. “There’s no need to thank me, Crown Prince.”

Unspoken hostility spread between their locked gazes.

On the journey back, Wei Heng shared a horse with Sheng Zhaoning.

The group spurred their horses on and returned to camp half an hour later.

When the Emperor learned that Wei Yi and Sheng Zhaoning had both returned safely, he offered them considerable comfort and reassurance.

This minor accident did not disrupt the spring hunt.

Sheng Zhaoning was granted special permission to remain at camp to recover and was not required to enter the hunting grounds again.

Wei Heng stayed as well, remaining by her side.

The grand spring hunt lasted half a month. Though there had been a few twists and turns, it still came to a satisfactory conclusion.

By the time they returned to the Capital, it was already July.

During the time they had been away in Yanzhou, a great many matters had piled up at the Court of Judicial Review. Thick stacks of case files awaited their attention.

Sheng Zhaoning’s injuries were healing somewhat slowly. Her wounds had not yet closed, and she was constantly short of energy. Despite Wei Heng’s strict orders forbidding it, she secretly processed most of the official business in batches.

Even Tao Song was moved by her determined insistence on working despite her condition and sent her two ginseng roots from his personal storehouse.

While handling cases for the Court of Judicial Review, Sheng Zhaoning also had to deal with Wei Heng’s unpredictable inspections and spot checks. After juggling both sides for some time, she became quite adept at it.

What she had not expected was for her father to intervene at precisely this moment.

“As for your marriage, your grandmother has recently been making arrangements for you.”

In the Sheng Family’s main hall, Sheng Yuanzhong unhurriedly lifted his teacup and took a small sip.

A mouthful of water caught in Sheng Zhaoning’s throat, and she nearly choked on it.

“Marriage?” She looked up with wide eyes.

Why had this come up again?

Seeing her astonished expression, Sheng Yuanzhong explained from the beginning.

“I told you earlier that ever since I entered the Capital, many people have come to ask about you.”

“Among them were even people from the household of Grand Secretary He, a member of the Cabinet.”

At this, even Sheng Yuanzhong could not help sighing with emotion.

“Ning’er, when did you become acquainted with the legitimate daughter of the He Family? I heard that Miss He has been interested in you for quite some time. Some time ago, she even went to speak with the Grand Secretary herself and made her feelings clear.”

“My guess is that before long, someone from the He residence may come in person to discuss the matter between the two of you.”