The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 234: Xianxian’s Past Experience (Part 1)

Chapter 234: Chapter 234: Xianxian’s Past Experience (Part 1)

Yelu Yan hugged Li Xianyun tightly, feeling it was the only way to truly sense that he was truly in possession of her.

Li Xianyun had thought about leaving him before.

When he opened his heart to Li Xianyun, asking for a chance from her, she told him that her purpose in coming to the Khitan to marry was not simple; it was to hide from someone.

At that time, in order not to bring disaster upon him, she planned to leave.

Back then, Yelu Yan was heartbroken. Later, when Li Xianyun agreed to stay and give him a chance, his joy knew no bounds; finally, he needn’t worry about her leaving him.

But today, that fear once again wrapped around his heart like coarse vines, tight and constricting, leaving him unable to breathe or relieve it.

Yelu Yan wanted to know what she had gone through, wanted to ask why she was so afraid of Murong Ce, why she was so terrified of intimate relations.

Yet he dared not ask; he did not want to reopen her wounds, causing the woman he loved to grieve, to be engulfed by unpleasant memories once more.

Yelu Yan’s lips moved, "Xianxian, you..."

But in the end, he held back. Let the past be past; he would protect her from now on, not allowing anyone to lay a finger on his woman—not even a touch.

Sooner or later, he would make Murong Ce wish he were dead.

In Yelu Yan’s eyes was a dense killing intent and ferocity.

Li Xianyun, nestled in Yelu Yan’s embrace, spoke with sorrow, "Husband, do you want to know what I experienced before?"

Yelu Yan paused, then said deeply, "If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to force yourself."

He had roughly found out from the Hidden Guard that Li Xianyun had been bullied for a long time.

Those who had bullied her had been slaughtered to the last.

Although there was no direct evidence that Murong Ce had ordered the killing, Yelu Yan had guessed it was his doing.

Yelu Yan generally knew Murong Ce orchestrated the bullying against Li Xianyun, and the reason he decimated their entire houses was likely because he realized he had fallen for Li Xianyun and wanted to earn her forgiveness.

The reason why Li Xianyun contrived to come to the Khitan was probably because she learned that Murong Ce liked her, prompting her to flee from Houtang.

Li Xianyun, as if making a great resolution, finally said to Yelu Yan, "The story begins when I was thirteen years old. Before I was thirteen, I lived with my family in a small village by Dongting Lake, leading a poor but carefree life. That year, an eunuch from the palace recognized my father and reported it to the Emperor, and our family was brought to Chang’an. When we all thought we were finally free from poverty, that we could live a full and satisfied life, little did we know it was the beginning of our family’s nightmare."

She paused, the memories she had deliberately avoided thinking about surging over her like a tidal wave, engulfing her, a weight on her heart making it impossible to breathe.

Bringing up those bygone events was like opening an ancient book covered with dust.

Yelu Yan embraced her, listening with his ear inclined towards her, too tense to move.

Li Xianyun continued, "At that time, the former Emperor was already bedridden, the throne undecided, and upon my father’s return to Chang’an, he became a thorn in the side of the princes, a truly difficult situation. Adult worries can easily affect children, and my siblings and I also became the targets of scorn by the young nobles of the capital. Our father and mother told us to keep a low profile, thinking as long as we didn’t provoke them, they wouldn’t bother us too much."

"But you can avoid misfortune, and it will still come knocking. My brother and I were often bullied at school, but fortunately, it was just minor skirmishes, nothing life-threatening until... until Youlan and I were targeted by a group of nobles when we were out in the streets."

"What they wanted to do, I knew all too well. I knew some medicine, always carried poison with me, and each time I could turn a disaster into a lucky escape, until... "

Yelu Yan’s heart unwittingly hooked.

"Until Murong Ce interfered in the matter. He had his men kidnap my younger brother, luring me into a trap, and causing me to fall into icy water in the dead of winter, injuring my vitality."

Li Xianyun felt as though she had returned to the year she was thirteen.

After her brother fell into the water, the bone-chilling icy water enveloped her; she struggled towards the shore, and just as her hand touched the edge, it was ruthlessly crushed by a black boot.

Li Xianyun raised her head and saw the corpulent Li Mu, who coveted her and was also the first to have his household annihilated.

Behind Li Mu was a group of frivolous young nobles, both men and women, crowding around one person.

That person was full of noble aura, extraordinary in bearing, with an exceptionally handsome face that was unforgettable at a glance, especially those beautiful phoenix eyes that had ensnared countless young ladies.

But in his eyes, Li Xianyun saw a heart full of wild ambition and dark malice.

After seeing him on the street, Li Xianyun had investigated him.

His name was Murong Ce, the Crown Prince of Houliang sent as a hostage to Houtang, arrogant and despotic, treating human lives as grass, a tyrant whom even the Emperor of Tang had to give way to somewhat.

Li Xianyun coldly watched Murong Ce as the piercing cold devoured her, her lips turning purple with cold, her teeth chattering from the chill.

Li Xianyun tried to keep her composure, "If you have... have any business, take it up with me, let my brother go."

She knew this group would follow his every command, and all it would take was his agreement.

Murong Ce did not speak but stared at her detachedly, with a gentle smile on his lips that was the most malicious existence in the world.

Li Mu looked at Li Xianyun mockingly, "We already gave you a chance, but you were audacious, daring to oppose us. Didn’t you want to know where your brother is?"

As Li Mu spoke, his gaze fell on the hanging burlap sack, and then back to Li Xianyun’s beautiful face, which would no longer display that sweet, enticing smile.

The thought filled him with glee.

A radiant smile spread across Li Mu’s face, "Your brother was knocked out and stuffed into a sack. You and your brother are reunited, just in the Underworld."

He said, laughing arrogantly, hissing like a venomous snake.

Li Xianyun, furious, grasped his ankle with her other hand, mustering all her strength to pull Li Mu down. The riverbank was icy and slippery; he was dragged onto the ice and knocked out cold.

The group of frivolous nobles laughed so hard they doubled over, but Murong Ce raised an eyebrow, glancing at them, and they instantly fell silent.

Murong Ce signaled two of the nobles with a look, and they ran over to carry Li Mu away.

One of them glanced at the water and let out a lewd laugh, "Look, she’s having her ’monthly water.’"

Men and women alike, ghastly like demons and monsters, crowded around, and indeed saw faint bloodstains behind Li Xianyun. The group laughed even more brilliantly, more wickedly, more wildly.

The ugliness of the human heart was displayed in full measure before Li Xianyun.

Seeing Li Xianyun suddenly fall silent, Yelu Yan looked down and saw her eyes filled with bone-chilling cold, her jaws tightly clenched, sinking into endless agony.