The Tyrant's Beloved Empress

3

Watching the man leave without looking back, An Chang Qing was both depressed and aggrieved. There was also a tinge of anxiety.

He had poured himself into getting intimate with him and even had the cheek to kiss him but as it turned out, they still followed the same track as his last life – they did not consummate their marriage and Xiao Zhige had still slept in the study.

Following this development, this matter would spread the next day and everyone would come to the conclusion that the Marquis's Third Young Master was just a decoration who was rejected by the Northern Warlord on the night of their wedding. Even the servants of the Wang Manor did not have him in their eyes, blatantly throwing sarcastic words in front of him.

An Chang Qing used to disregard these things, but for some reason, the thought of Xiao Zhige leaving without looking back just made him upset. He wondered if it was just his wishful thinking and that Xiao Zhige might not have liked him at all. As his thought snowballed, he wondered if god was punishing him for failing Xiao Zhige in his last life. Xiao Zhige had indulged him so much and yet he had turned a blind eye. Now that he had opened his eyes, Xiao Zhige no longer liked him.

He was even more afraid that despite his second chance at life, he could not fix their ending; he would still die of poison and Xiao Zhige would turn into a tyrant and die alone in Qiwu Palace, holding on to his jade pendant.

Tossing and turning in bed, An Chang Qing only managed to doze off at midnight. But even in his sleep, he saw the events from his past life play out on a loop. He had returned to the time of his death and felt his insides twisting and stirring, the pain was too horrible that he just wanted to die.

When Anfu came to call him in the early morning, he found that An Chang Qing was drenched in sweat like a fish just out of water. His face was pale and his eyes were red with dark patches underneath them, looking completely haggard.

"Young Master?" Anfu certainly knew what had happened last night. He anxiously said, "Wangye had someone pass on a message, you don't have to go to the Palace today."

An Chang Qing showed him a soothing smile and rubbed his temples, "Have someone fetch some water, I'm taking a bath."

Anfu received his order and immediately went to carry it out. An Chang Qing sat for a while before entering the bathroom. The hot water was ready and two maids were standing by with his clothes. An Chang Qing was not used to being served so he sent them out.

When no one was left, he stripped and entered the water.

Soaking in the warm water, the swelling pain in his head was lifted considerably. An Chang Qing then changed into a new attire and went back to the main room. A maid helped him dry his hair and used a red coral embedded crown to gather his long hair. An Chang Qing gazed at the person in the mirror. Although looking much more lively, there were still traces of weariness.

After straightening up his clothes, he took Anfu to the study to find Xiao Zhige yet there was only the old steward, Wang Fu Gui, in the room. Xiao Zhige was nowhere to be found.

"Wangye is not in?"

Wang Fu Gui bowed respectfully and replied, "Wangye went to the barracks in the outskirts early in the morning."

An Chang Qing was upset. Xiao Zhige definitely did it on purpose! Who would leave for the barracks right after their wedding?

"Did Wangye say when he'll be back?"

Wang Fu Gui: "No."

The housekeeper had a neutral attitude and An Chang Qing could not get any more information out of him. He could only leave in vain.