Yuchi Yan walked very quickly, and his grip on her wrist was so forceful that it left a red mark.

But Qin Yining didn’t even furrow her brow, following closely behind his steps into the main hall.

Li Yanyan and Gu Chang both breathed sighs of relief, supported by their personal maids and palace servants. Both women watched the departing figures of Yuchi Yan and Qin Yining with complex expressions.

His Majesty cherished Miss Qin so dearly—if she entered the palace, would the two of them have any place to stand in the future?

Eunuch Lu followed them in and stood in the outer hall.

Nanny Jiao quickly led Xiao Ningzi and Xiao Yangzi to close the palace doors, and the group stood guard far outside the hall.

Li Yanyan and Gu Chang also returned to their side halls with their respective palace servants, not daring to pry into the content of His Majesty’s conversation.

In the main hall, Yuchi Yan pulled her arm as he strode into the inner chamber, then forcefully flung his arm, throwing Qin Yining onto the thousand-crafted bed.

“Why must you treat me this way!”

This woman had someone else in her heart, not him!

He didn’t believe that scoundrel Pang Xiao would so coincidentally propose a ceasefire, nor did he believe the rumors in the city would happen to arise at this very moment.

He knew Qin Yining was an exceptionally intelligent woman.

He also knew her grandmother was the leader of the Azure Sky Alliance.

Although the Azure Sky Alliance had now announced its dissolution, he thought that if she wanted to spread any rumors, Qin Yining could surely find people to help her.

She must have conspired with Pang Zhixi to create this scheme, using public opinion to force him to let go!

On his way here, he had been so angry he wanted to strangle her!

But when he actually saw her being bullied, he couldn’t help but stand up for her first.

Yuchi Yan had begun to feel disgusted with himself for acting this way.

“Why must you treat me like this?” Yuchi Yan no longer referred to himself as “I” but roared furiously, “Can’t you feel even a bit of my sincere heart toward you?”

Qin Yining knew that Pang Xiao had succeeded.

She covered her shoulder that ached from the shock and slowly knelt down properly on the ground.

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger.”

“You’ve done such things, how can you expect me to calm my anger!”

Yuchi Yan’s eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed her left hand and pulled her up, imprisoning her before him. Staring into her eyes, he said through gritted teeth:

“Do you detest me this much? Is that man surnamed Pang so wonderful? Tell me, in what way am I inferior to him? Tell me!”

The two were almost nose to nose, and the unfamiliar man’s breath made Qin Yining extremely uncomfortable. She twisted her body trying to escape his restraint, but Yuchi Yan refused to let go.

“Your Majesty, this subject woman has never deceived your feelings. This subject woman has no romantic feelings toward you whatsoever.”

“So you conspired with the enemy nation’s commander to create this trap for me to fall into!”

“This subject woman did not.”

“You didn’t? Do you believe I could charge your entire Qin family with crimes!”

“If Your Majesty doesn’t believe me, you may freely investigate. This subject woman entered the palace without even bringing personal maids—even if I had the intention, I lack the capability. If Your Majesty wishes to press charges, there should at least be evidence. Does Your Majesty intend to emulate the Great Emperor’s skill of calling a deer a horse?”

“How bold and insolent of you!”

“This subject woman dares not.” Qin Yining lowered her gaze.

Looking at the person in his arms, breathing in the faint fragrance from her body, Yuchi Yan’s eyes were completely red. His arms tightened, wishing he could strangle her to death in his embrace or simply break her slender waist!

But Qin Yining fearlessly said: “Your Majesty, what is the situation outside now? You have just ascended to the throne—you must also consider the stability of the realm.”

This calmly spoken sentence was the final straw that broke the camel’s back.

Yuchi Yan’s emotions suddenly collapsed.

“What kind of emperor am I like this? Controlled by public opinion, threatened by ministers, unable even to obtain the woman I love—what’s the point of being this emperor!”

As he spoke, tears flowed out uncontrollably. He violently pushed Qin Yining away, gripping his own hair and roaring in breakdown: “Better not to be this emperor at all! Better not to be!”

Qin Yining was pushed back stumbling, tripped by the footstool in front of the thousand-crafted bed, and crashed into the low cabinet behind her. The white porcelain gold-traced spittoon on top fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Her hand happened to press against the broken porcelain, immediately causing her to frown in pain.

She sighed, looking at Yuchi Yan with some pity and some guilt.

But she could not help being cruel to this person. Otherwise, it would be unfaithful to love.

“Your Majesty, who in this world is not bound by constraints? How many people can live freely and at ease? Common citizens are like this, and the Son of Heaven is also like this.

“Everyone is born into their own position, like the actors on a theater stage—each performing their role. Even if unwilling, they must still follow the script and sing their own parts step by step. Otherwise everything would fall into chaos, the play couldn’t continue, and life couldn’t go on. Your Majesty was born into the imperial family, so this destiny was predetermined.”

Yuchi Yan’s hair had been disheveled by his own hands, tears still hanging on his face. After staring blankly for a moment, he suddenly laughed mockingly.

“Yes, everyone has their own position.”

“I am the emperor, you are a subject woman. I must be bound, and so must you.”

“Fine, I shall comply with public opinion.”

“Since you are the saintly woman who can protect the nation’s fortune, and marriage would cause you to lose the ability to protect the nation’s fortune, then I shall fulfill your purpose. I name you Daoist Master Xuan Su, grant you the imperial villa to be rebuilt as ‘Xuan Su Temple,’ bestow upon you one hundred Daoist nuns as your disciples. From this day forward, you shall go fulfill the people’s will and pray for the nation’s blessings!”

Qin Yining was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then calmly knelt properly.

“Xuan Su thanks Your Majesty for this bestowal.”

“Ha, haha!” Yuchi Yan laughed maniacally in his breakdown. “If I cannot have you, I absolutely will not let anyone else have you either! Xiao Luzi! Escort Daoist Master Xuan Su to the villa for her cultivation!”

Eunuch Lu had been in the outer hall and heard the argument between the emperor and Qin Yining clearly. He was already scared to the point of sweating profusely and trembling like a sieve. Upon hearing His Majesty’s summons, he immediately wiped his sweat and bowed as he entered, performing his respects with extreme caution.

“This slave obeys the decree. Daoist Master Xuan Su, please.”

Qin Yining curtsied, then stood and followed Eunuch Lu as they walked out.

Yuchi Yan watched Qin Yining’s departing figure. Before they left the hall, he couldn’t help but say: “First summon the imperial physician to bandage Xuan Su’s wounds. Her hand is injured.”

Qin Yining’s steps paused, her heart trembling. She closed her eyes but did not turn back.

Eunuch Lu’s heart ached as he quickly said: “Yes, this slave will go immediately.”

Where did His Majesty dislike Miss Qin? He clearly cherished her to the bone! It was only because of worldly circumstances that he had no choice but to make her take monastic vows while keeping her hair!

Eunuch Lu’s nose stung, and tears flowed down as he wiped them away while leading Qin Yining away from the main hall, leaving Nanny Jiao, Xing Yu, and Fu Xue outside frightened and alarmed.

Watching her departing figure, Yuchi Yan’s eyes filled with tears again. He tilted his head back, trying to force the tears back, but they flowed down his cheeks anyway, streaming from the corners of his eyes into his temples—both itchy and cold, just like his feelings for her.

“What! You’re saying Yining has been forced to become a nun!” The Old Dowager shot to her feet, and the teacup in her hands fell to the ground.

Madam Sun stared with wide, shocked eyes: “How could this happen!”

Qin Huaiyuan’s face was dark as water, saying not a word.

The Second Master hung his head dejectedly: “His Majesty wanted to marry Yining as empress, but with those rumors spreading outside, His Majesty couldn’t go against public opinion. Unable to obtain the woman he wanted for himself, and unwilling to let anyone else have her, he named Yining as Daoist Master Xuan Su, had the imperial villa rebuilt as ‘Xuan Su Temple,’ and bestowed her with one hundred Daoist nuns, commanding Yining to take monastic vows while keeping her hair and go pray for the nation’s blessings.”