无翼乌工口里番无色无摭挡

Chapter 286: 286: Do You Really Like Wenren Zong?

“No, it should be me thanking you.”

“Thirteen, you must live well. Madam and your sisters are waiting for you to come back. You don’t have to worry about them, I’ll take care of them.”

Wenren Zong looked deeply at her: “I will definitely come back.”

He turned around and followed the bailiffs away.

After walking far away, he looked back and could still see Jiang Ning sitting in her wheelchair, basking in the sunlight, like a little sun.

The bailiff who had taken the purse came over and took the bundle and box from his hands, handing them to another bailiff to carry. His smile became much warmer: “Young Master Wenren, let me unlock the chains on you. It’s a nice day, you should take a walk and relax.”

Wenren Zong was somewhat surprised.

The bailiff smiled and said, “We both have received favor from the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Seventh Miss Jiang entrusted us to take care of you along the way, and we dared not disobey.”

Wenren Zong’s expression was touched: “It was her…”

“Here, this silver was given by Seventh Miss Jiang. It wasn’t originally assigned to the two of us to transfer Young Master from the Ministry of Justice, but the Prime Minister’s Mansion intervened.” The bailiff smiled, “Young Master, rest assured, we won’t make you suffer on this journey.”

Wenren Zong had handled cases for two years and knew better than anyone else the experience of being exiled as a prisoner.

They had to walk thousands of miles, a journey that was difficult with bailiffs trailing behind them.

Could the bailiffs have a good mood?

Denying them food and drink along the way was considered lenient; they could be beaten and scolded, shackled and, if it were winter, even froze to death.

Among the exiled prisoners, only a minority survived until they reached their destination.

If they encountered cruel bailiffs, they could be tortured to death within days, saving the bailiffs from making the trip in the first place.

After all, they were all convicted criminals, and the fate of an exiled prisoner was of no concern to the Imperial Court.

Wenren Zong never expected that Jiang Ning would go through the effort of arranging for him to be escorted by two favorable bailiffs connected to the Prime Minister’s Mansion through her own means.

These books, snacks, and silver were probably all from Jiang Ning’s own personal savings.

Since the King of Chen’s execution, Wenren Zong, who had always managed to stay calm, and even held back his tears when faced with Ninth Sister’s death, finally couldn’t help but feel a slight sting in his eyes at that moment.

Unfortunately, there was no chance for things to start over.

He had once had the opportunity to win her heart, but he had destroyed it himself.

In the warmth of the sun, her smile would be the brightest glimmer of light in his dark days to come.

“You can’t see them anymore, aren’t you going back?” Li Hongyuan asked softly, leaning against the carriage.

Jiang Ning retracted her gaze: “Let’s go back.”

She turned her wheelchair around.

Seeing her somewhat silent and lost appearance, Li Hongyuan said lightly, “It seems you really like Wenren Zong. You’re so sad now that he’s gone.”

Jiang Ning did feel a bit melancholy.

Losing a friend who shared her interests and with whom she could have intellectual conversations was not a happy thing. Wenren Zong appeared solemn and refined, but he was actually a very romantic person.

Eating fish by the lakeside and admiring the snow were activities anyone would enjoy.

Putting aside their positions and identities, Wenren Zong was a good and suitable marriage partner.

For a brief moment, Jiang Ning had seriously considered marrying him.

She didn’t know if there would ever be a chance to see him again.

Feeling unhappy, she didn’t bother to respond to Li Hongyuan.

Her silence, in Li Hongyuan’s eyes, was an admission of her feelings.

Li Hongyuan first helped her into the carriage and instructed the coachman to head back to the city. Then he looked at Jiang Ning and asked, “Do you really like Wenren Zong?”

“Whether I like him or not, what does it matter? He’s gone..”