Chapter 58 – A Woman Wants Too Much Love

At the Su family, when the Old Madam Su heard that Tang Chaoyang had been kidnapped, she was so agitated and worried that she nearly fainted. Nanny Zhou hurriedly ordered someone to summon the physician.

When the Old Master Su heard from the doctor that the old madam was unharmed, he personally went to the Court of Judicial Review.

Such a grave incident had happened, but because the West Courtyard had initially tried to conceal it, Li Shi and the others didn’t learn of it until evening.

With her face cold, Li Shi brought Su Miao and the girls to the West Courtyard in a rush.

She was clearly the matriarch of this household, yet something so serious had been hidden from her.

“Mother, see? I wasn’t wrong,” Su Ling sneered in a low voice. “Tang Chaoyang runs out of the residence every single day. Now look—she’s caused trouble. If she’d just stayed here, it would have been less of a burden. It would be better to make her and her child move out early, so they don’t keep bringing misfortune to the Su family.”

Li Shi frowned slightly. Her dissatisfaction with Tang Chaoyang was already deep.

A divorced woman going out of the residence every day—

If something truly scandalous came of it, it wouldn’t just damage the Su family’s reputation; it could implicate her two daughters as well.

At that thought, she made up her mind. If Tang Chaoyang came back safely this time, she would have her move out of the General’s Manor to prevent any further trouble.

Her two daughters were not yet engaged. If their reputations were tainted because of Tang Chaoyang, by the time she regretted it, it would be too late.

Su Miao quietly listened to her younger sister and mother talking. Once again, she sighed inwardly.

When the three of them arrived at the West Courtyard, they happened to run into Madam Lin, who had also hurried over.

Madam Lin asked worriedly, “Sister-in-law, what on earth happened? Why would Chaoyang be abducted?”

Li Shi shook her head. “I don’t know exactly what happened either.”

They would have to ask Mother-in-law in a moment.

Old Madam Su was leaning against the headboard, waiting for news. When she saw Li Shi and the others come in, she waved her hand. “You all can go back. I’m fine here.”

Li Shi asked cautiously, “Mother, how did Chaoyang end up kidnapped? Did she offend someone?”

Old Madam Su’s gaze sharpened as she looked at Li Shi. “Chaoyang is a good girl. How could she have offended anyone? She was implicated by that person from Fei Yan’s family.”

Thinking of what Liu’er had reported, Old Madam Su felt not the slightest fondness for Dong Xinrui.

Her precious little one could have escaped, but Dong Xinrui had grabbed her hand.

Old Madam Su said coldly, “Dong Xinrui’s heart is truly vicious. She was about to die herself but still wanted to drag someone else down with her.”

Su Ling softly tried to defend Dong Xinrui, “Grandmother, Miss Dong has a very kind heart. Remember when she organized everyone to donate for disaster relief? Someone even wrote a ballad praising her, and even—”

Before she could finish, Su Miao pinched her arm.

Old Madam Su said blandly, “Miao, no need to pinch her. Let her finish her words.”

Everyone could tell the old lady was angry.

Li Shi was about to speak up for her daughter when a senior maid came in to report that the Old Master had sent word back—the Old Madam could rest assured. Tang Chaoyang was safe and would return home later.

“Thank heavens!”

Old Madam Su immediately ordered Li Shi and the others to leave.

＊

At that moment, in the forest, Tang Chaoyang was standing beneath a large tree, a bit stunned by what she saw in front of her.

“If you’re so afraid I’ll leave, then I’ll reluctantly…do this.”

Ling Guyong said this as he took off his red outer robe and hung it over a few branches he’d just gathered, creating a small makeshift screen.

The red robe looked especially conspicuous amid the green woods.

And Ling Guyong himself was standing beside her, his solid, sculpted upper body completely bare.

He clapped his hands lightly, his tone casual and tinged with amusement. “Doctor Tang, please—go inside to apply the medicine. I’ve already set up cover for you. Don’t worry, I won’t peek.”

Tang Chaoyang couldn’t help glancing at the contours of his muscles…and quickly forced her gaze away. Don’t look.

The man’s figure was tall and lean, his exposed torso well-proportioned. She’d seen it plenty of times while performing acupuncture.

Back then, she’d simply thought of him as a patient—her face hadn’t flushed, her heart hadn’t raced.

“Hmm?” Ling Guyong seemed to have discovered something interesting. “Doctor Tang, why are your ears red? Don’t tell me that because I saved you, you’ve suddenly realized how handsome I am—and now you’re having indecent thoughts?”

He was only teasing her to lighten the mood. After all she’d suffered today, he was willing to sacrifice a bit of his dignity to make her smile.

“What indecent thoughts—you really dare to say anything.”

Tang Chaoyang nearly rolled her eyes. She held the bottle of medicine Ling Guyong had given her and stepped into the little space enclosed by the red robe, preparing to treat her injuries.

She carefully undid her clothes.

Some wounds had dried blood that had stuck to the fabric; tugging at them made a dull pain throb.

Tang Chaoyang frowned, inwardly cursing that dog Fei Yan who had used her as bait.

Fortunately, she’d managed to turn her body to the side when she fell. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be her arm that was stabbed—it would have been her face, her chest.

Outside the red robe, Ling Guyong sat with his back to her, staring at the campfire, a faint trace of chill at the corner of his mouth.

Those black-clad men didn’t really seem like Meng family’s doing. Who knew whether Fei Yan had found out anything by now.

“I’m done.”

Tang Chaoyang stepped out from behind the robe. Ling Guyong turned around and quickly looked her over, then retrieved the robe from the branches and put it back on.

He lit a torch and called for Ling Yi.

Ling Yi brought her a water skin and some wild fruit.

Tang Chaoyang was indeed both hungry and thirsty. She thanked them sincerely.

When she’d had some water, Ling Guyong said, “I’ve already sent someone to let Old Master Su know you’re safe.”

Tang Chaoyang realized he was very meticulous in everything he did.

She looked at him seriously and praised, “Your future wife probably won’t have a hard life. I sincerely hope you’ll treat your wife and children well.”

Her tone had an oddly old-fashioned air.

Ling Guyong hadn’t expected her to say that, but thinking of her and Fei Yan, he understood a little.

He smiled faintly, his voice unhurried. “You might be disappointed in me. If she hopes to get a lot of affection from me, she’ll probably end up suffering.”

As an emperor, he would never fall in love with any woman. All he knew, all he had been taught, was the ‘Way of Balance.’

Tang Chaoyang turned her head to look at him in slight surprise. Then she shook her head and gave a rueful little laugh. “I understand what you mean. A man’s thoughts are rarely on love and romance. If a woman wants too much love, she’ll only end up covered in wounds.”

She had experienced it herself—ending up hurt all over.

“A woman has to learn to control her own heart.” She smiled boldly, unrestrained.

Ling Guyong looked at her fearless smile and curved his lips into a smile of his own.

He didn’t know if he would come to regret it one day—regret the honest words he’d spoken tonight.