This voice came like a nightmare. My heart felt as if it were being violently seized, nearly collapsing in exhaustion. Duke Cheng beside me quickly supported me with sharp reflexes, managing not to make any noise, though I could hear my own wildly beating heart.
Everything before my eyes was blurred—whether from lingering smoke or surging tears—until a blue figure, travel-worn and dusty, stepped into the garden. Everything became clear again. That person’s face was extremely handsome, his temples sharp as if carved by a blade. Even at such a moment, his glances were still captivating enough that one couldn’t look away.
He stopped before Butler Liu, and I heard Butler Liu tremblingly fall to his knees with a thud, his face pale as he said: “Prince Consort! The sleeping palace was inexplicably blown apart. The Pri— the Princess…”
“How is the Princess?”
“The Pri— Princess was quietly playing the qin in her room… The incident happened suddenly, she, she,” Butler Liu shook so violently he could barely complete his words, prostrating himself and weeping bitterly: “Unable to escape, still, still trapped inside, hasn’t come out…”
Song Langsheng had been looking toward the direction of thick smoke in the east. Hearing Butler Liu say this, his upward-looking motion froze for that instant—
The next moment, his form suddenly rushed to the front of the tottering ruined building. Butler Liu suddenly understood and shouted: “Prince Consort, you must not—”
The guards who had been splashing water to fight the fire realized what was happening and all hurried forward to restrain Song Langsheng. “Prince Consort, you must not—the building is about to collapse…”
“Get away!” Song Langsheng backhanded several large guards away with such tremendous force that it was irresistible. No one could stop him in time. Just as he was about to rush inside, someone suddenly shouted: “It’s the Princess! It’s the Princess!”
My heart skipped a beat. I thought someone had discovered us, but looking in the direction of the voice, I saw Mengdie pointing toward the study. In the fierce flames and smoke, there was vaguely a green figure. Looking closely, I indeed saw a woman in turquoise robes with breath as thin as gossamer extending her hand, her lower body crushed by beams and pillars. I heard Mengdie crying: “It’s the Princess! The Princess is still alive!”
Duke Cheng and I looked at each other. With the residence blown apart like this, how could that “substitute” still have any reason to live? Thinking deeper, it was probably that girl who became frightened at the moment of death and tried to escape, but was too late. Though not blown to pieces by the explosives, she was struck squarely by tiles, bricks, beams, and pillars.
Rolling flames blocked the path. Those trying to splash water to fight the fire were forced to retreat repeatedly as soon as they approached, driven back by the fire tongues, their eyes unable to open from the smoke.
I watched all this numbly, Nie Ran’s words echoing in my mind: “That is… waiting for the Princess to die.”
Song Langsheng had always been waiting for an opportunity to return to the capital with legitimate reason to disrupt the court.
Was it at this moment, while pretending to desperately rescue the Princess, that his heart was secretly rejoicing, finally waiting for this moment?
Was it that once the “Princess” died, he would weep and wail with everyone else, pretending to be grief-stricken while calculating his next flawless strategy?
My heart kept sinking. In just a moment of distraction, that blue figure had already drifted out of my line of sight. Before I could come to my senses, I saw everyone gasp: “Prince Consort—”
In my great alarm, I could no longer care about anything else. When I pushed open the window, I actually saw Song Langsheng’s back as he charged directly into the ring of fire, like a bolt of lightning, letting the raging flames burn his body!
My heart seemed to suddenly stop beating at that moment—
I saw him grasp the hand of “Princess Xiangyi.” “Ah Tang, don’t be afraid—”
That call was like a sharp sword blade piercing straight into my heart.
Fire clouds suddenly rolled up, and with a “crack,” beams and pillars snapped and crashed to the ground, splashing out more fire clusters. The people around had to scatter. When the last supporting rafter fell from above toward “Princess Xiangyi,” I saw Song Langsheng lunge forward. With a light “crack,” he barely managed to block that heavy blow—
Song Langsheng spat out a mouthful of fresh blood but still didn’t release her hand. He struggled to move the boulder pressing on her body, trying to rescue her.
He would die.
He was about to die!
My mind was in chaos, unable to distinguish truth from falsehood, pain from anger. I only felt that before my eyes was sometimes bleak red, sometimes bewildered white—
“BOOM!”
The ground inexplicably trembled.
With this tremendous sound, everything collapsed with a thunderous crash, even the fierce fire dimmed.
“Rumble—”
At this moment, lightning in the sky seemed to understand the earth’s roar. Dark clouds gathered densely, and in an instant raindrops connected into lines. With a “whoosh,” rain poured down like the sky had collapsed.
The torrential rain rolled like flowing water, extinguishing the great fire and continuously drenching everyone.
The earlier ground tremor and collapse—whether triggered by explosives or an earthquake—fortunately was just a brief shake. Most people were safe and sound, but that “Princess Xiangyi” had completely sunk into the ground, silent and traceless forevermore.
Song Langsheng knelt on the ruins, half his body buried in mud and sand.
The wind and rain made it impossible to open one’s eyes, yet he stared blankly downward as if “Princess Xiangyi” were still before him.
I had never seen Song Langsheng with such a bewildered expression.
Everyone around was crying—crying for “me.” Some wailed loudly, others murmured endlessly, but only he remained unmoved.
Fresh blood continuously flowed from his burned wounds, yet he seemed completely unaware, as if he had never experienced bone-searing pain. His body didn’t even sway.
Very slowly, he raised his head to look at the sky, his eyes completely empty and hollow.
Just when everyone thought the Prince Consort would cry out to heaven in anguish over losing the Princess, he suddenly bent down and began digging through rubble and sandy soil with his hands.
For a moment, everyone was shocked by the Prince Consort’s actions. Butler Liu crawled and stumbled forward, grabbing Song Langsheng’s clothes and crying: “Prince Consort, the Princess, Princess has already gone…”
But Song Langsheng forcefully pushed him away with his backhand, anger gradually rising in his eyes. “The Princess is still alive! The Princess is still waiting for us to save her!”
“Prince Consort…”
“Enough!” Song Langsheng shouted: “Even if… even if we have to dig three feet deep, I will rescue Xiangyi! What are you all standing there for! Come help move these stones!”
The guards dared not disobey his orders. Even knowing the “Princess” had absolutely no hope of survival, they still had to brave the heavy rain and scrape through stones and soil in the charred ashes.
Wind rolled rain, rain enveloped people. I stared blankly at him. At this moment, I seemed to have lost all ability to think and act, only able to stare at him stupidly.
“Ah Tang.”
I heard him call hoarsely.
“Ah Tang.”
His hands were cut and covered with fresh blood, yet he still didn’t stop his movements.
He lowered his lashes, the emotions in his eyes all covered by this torrential rain. That incomparably elegant face was covered with sandy mud and dirty water, showing no expression at all.
But why did I feel that he was crying?
“Ah Tang!”
The mud and stones just moved away were washed back by rainwater the next moment.
“Ah Tang… Xiao Qitang!” His voice carried much more fear. Each time he called my name, his whole body trembled more violently. “Ah Tang!”
A cool breeze hit my face, and I couldn’t help but shiver, only then realizing my whole body had long been soaked by rainwater. My numb heart grew tighter and tighter, aching beyond any possible release, leaving only one thought in my heart—
Song Langsheng, even if this is just an act, I won’t allow you to continue like this—
I turned around wanting to rush out of the pavilion, but Duke Cheng reached out to stop me. “Princess, please reconsider…”
I struggled to control my voice from trembling. “If not for the sudden downpour, he would already be dead!”
Duke Cheng said: “This is the Prince Consort’s self-injury stratagem. Your Highness must not fall into his trap…”
Just as I was about to argue, suddenly the sound of marching footsteps came from all directions. My heart jumped in alarm. Looking back out the window, I was immediately thunderstruck—somehow the residence was now surrounded by layers upon layers of soldiers holding bows and arrows, a whole row blocking the way. Those arrowheads gleamed coldly, pointing directly at Song Langsheng.
I slowly stepped back and ran to the window on the other side of the scenic pavilion. Pushing it open, I saw countless soldiers in neat military formation surrounding most of the residence in layers, cold longbows ready to strike.
Everyone in the residence was stunned by this formation. Even the guards who had been busy digging together stopped, looking at those soldiers at a loss, not knowing whether to crouch or stand.
No one knew what was happening.
Only Song Langsheng continued to focus on digging soil with his head down, completely ignoring everything around him.
In heaven and earth, it seemed only one thing remained, only him alone.
However, a voice rang out loudly: “Make way!”
All the soldiers upon hearing this parted like a tide, making a path with neat movements, clean and efficient.
One person in armor strode through the crowd, walking aggressively toward Song Langsheng’s direction. Then with a flash of cold light, he drew the long blade from his waist, pointing the scabbard directly at Song Langsheng, his voice thick and powerful: “Rebel Song Langsheng, colluding with former dynasty remnants to harm the Princess—surrender immediately!”
Only then did I see clearly that this person was the General Commander of the Imperial Guard Office, He Pingzhao.
Seeing no response, He Pingzhao coldly repeated: “Rebel Song Langsheng, colluding with former dynasty remnants to harm the Princess—surrender imme…”
Before finishing his words, a sharp arrow fiercely shot from the arrow formation toward Song Langsheng. Song Langsheng dodged sideways with a “thud” as it embedded in a fallen wooden pillar.
He Pingzhao turned back angrily: “Who shot that arrow!”
A soldier tremblingly knelt down, explaining that he was too nervous and his hand slipped momentarily.
He Pingzhao didn’t pursue it further. Seeing Song Langsheng continue digging soil after avoiding the arrow, he became furious and brought his blade closer by one step, saying again: “Song Langsheng, Lord Song, if you don’t surrender, don’t blame this general for showing no mercy…”
Song Langsheng slowly turned his head, ignoring the blade pointing at him, and looked at He Pingzhao.
Just that one look actually made He Pingzhao unable to continue speaking. “You…”
For a moment I couldn’t understand what He Pingzhao had seen to lose his composure like this.
Until Song Langsheng asked hoarsely: “Why aren’t you saving the Princess?”
That voice was so mournful it didn’t sound like his own: “General He, the Princess is still waiting for us to save her. Why are you unmoved?”
He Pingzhao’s eyes had already widened, and hearing this they widened even more in shock. “Song Langsheng, it was clearly you who killed the Princess. Stop your pretense…”
“The Princess is not dead!” Song Langsheng drew the long sword from his waist with his backhand. With several clangs, he barely parried He Pingzhao’s blade, his eyes bloodshot with rage: “The Princess won’t die like this! She’s still alive, still alive! With so many of you, why don’t you move these stones and sand to save her!”
He Pingzhao retreated several steps in succession, stunned speechless for a moment, unable to respond. This bedraggled person before him, soaked through and covered in mud and sand—how could he still resemble that peerlessly elegant First Prince Consort of Daqing, Minister of Justice Song Langsheng?
I didn’t even have the courage to continue watching. I turned to look at Duke Cheng and asked: “Why would people from the Imperial Guard Office appear at the Princess residence?”
Duke Cheng was startled and said: “This servant doesn’t know. Perhaps they saw this sudden incident…”
“He Pingzhao saw the residence destroyed like this and without asking a single question about where the Princess was,” I restrained my fingers from trembling and pointed outside the window, “he immediately insisted Song Langsheng was the culprit… Do you take this palace for a fool?”
Duke Cheng opened his mouth but couldn’t answer anything. Instead of anger, I laughed: “Why doesn’t Duke Cheng tell this palace—in all the world, besides the Crown Prince, who else would dare order troops to surround my Princess Xiangyi’s residence!”
Duke Cheng was suddenly shocked and quickly knelt down, saying frantically: “Princess, please calm your anger… Everything the Crown Prince does is for the Princess…”
“For me?” My heart skipped a beat. “Wasn’t today’s plan to eliminate Divine Engine Battalion Commander Wan Yi?”
Duke Cheng immediately lowered his head.
I suddenly recalled that night when the Crown Prince received the carrier pigeon message and tucked the silk strip into his sleeve. A bad premonition arose spontaneously, and I spoke of a possibility I didn’t dare believe myself: “The Crown Prince… couldn’t possibly have prophetic knowledge of when Song Langsheng would return to the residence…”
Unless Song Langsheng had told him personally…
Duke Cheng suddenly raised his head, looking at me and stammering: “Pri— Princess…”
I crouched down, grabbing Duke Cheng’s collar and staring at him numbly: “That night’s carrier pigeon messenger was none other than Song Langsheng…”
Hearing this, Duke Cheng was stunned, unable to refute for a moment. He said frantically: “The Crown Prince was worried the Princess would be soft-hearted…”
“Soft-hearted? What exactly did Song Langsheng’s carrier pigeon message say that would make the Crown Prince certain this palace would definitely be soft-hearted?”
Duke Cheng shook his head repeatedly: “No, no, that silk message didn’t detail anything. The Prince Consort only told the Crown Prince he was rushing back to the capital, that Marquis Xia Yang Nie Guang intended rebellion, that someone in the capital planned to harm the Princess, and asked the Crown Prince to be sure to protect the Princess…” Seeing my whole body tremble, Duke Cheng continued: “But, but the Crown Prince believed this must be the Prince Consort’s delaying tactic. If the Princess saw him, she would fall into the Prince Consort’s trap again…”
I bit my lip and choked: “But the one who dug the trap for me to jump into was the Crown Prince!”
After saying this, I rose angrily and was about to step outside, but saw Duke Cheng knock his head to the ground and suddenly say: “Princess, don’t forget that the one who poisoned the Princess back then was the Prince Consort!”
This short sentence reverberated like lightning in the pavilion.
“Princess, even if the Prince Consort has developed true feelings for the Princess, it cannot change his identity as a prince of the former dynasty, much less change the sin of his past harm to the Princess!” Duke Cheng buried his head in the ground. “If the Princess softens momentarily and forgives him, it will be endless trouble for the Crown Prince, for His Majesty, for Daqing, Princess!”
The sound of clashing weapons came from outside the window.
“These words—you couldn’t have said them yourself… The Crown Prince taught you to say this, didn’t he…” I stopped walking, turned around, and quietly looked at Duke Cheng prostrated on the ground: “Just as he seemingly casually mentioned the reason for Father Emperor’s unconsciousness—truly laying traps with every sentence, attacking the heart above all…”
“Princess!”
I took a deep breath. “The Crown Prince truly is my good brother. Ha, and you truly are a loyal good servant.”
Duke Cheng ultimately didn’t dare forcibly stop me.
The moment I learned that the carrier pigeon messenger was Song Langsheng, my heart was in extreme turmoil, wishing I could immediately jump out of the scenic pavilion to see him.
I wanted to personally ask him why he had harmed me back then, whether he regretted it now.
No, more important than these questions was that I wanted to immediately appear before him and let him see that I was still alive.
Song Langsheng and He Pingzhao had already begun fighting.
He Pingzhao was Daqing’s youngest and most accomplished ever-victorious general. His strength and martial prowess ranked among the very best in the entire imperial city and even the entire military. Having received the Crown Prince’s orders, he absolutely couldn’t show Song Langsheng any mercy.
Though Song Langsheng’s martial arts weren’t weak, he was severely injured and had exhausted his energy. How could he be He Pingzhao’s match?
I stumbled out of the scenic pavilion and rushed outside.
This stretch of road was originally short, yet I felt it was too long—so long that I couldn’t wait even a fraction of a moment.
Until I passed through the crowd and heard Song Langsheng shouting in an almost broken voice: “Why are you stopping me from saving the Princess!”
That ordinary long sword incredibly struck away He Pingzhao’s war blade!
The next moment, he rushed before He Pingzhao, about to pierce his throat!
“Stop!”
I instinctively shouted.
The sword blade stopped just as it was about to touch He Pingzhao’s neck pulse.
Seeing Song Langsheng holding the sword motionless, He Pingzhao retreated several steps in succession, picked up his blade again, and pointed it back at him.
Everyone gasped like they had seen a ghost.
And Song Langsheng seemed frozen at that moment, motionless, rigid in place.
Hearing my voice, his facial expression showed panic, fear, but mostly disbelief.
Then he hesitated for a moment and slowly turned his head.
Then I walked closer, step by step.
Until that face that haunted my dreams yet filled me with bone-deep hatred appeared before me.
Song Langsheng’s form swayed, his face showing irrepressible shock. He stared blankly at me. “Ah Tang? Ah Tang? Is it you?”
A bitter feeling spread and overflowed from my heart. My vision blurred, and I said softly: “It’s me.”
“You’re still alive?” He stepped forward, wanting to approach yet not daring to, as if taking one step would shatter his dream. “You’re not deceiving me?”
I wiped away my tears, looking at Song Langsheng’s bloodshot eyes, and nodded forcefully. “When the explosion happened, I happened not to be in the room… I…”
Before I could finish speaking, my entire body was pulled heavily into a pair of arms, as if using all his strength. His soaked clothes were ice-cold and bone-chilling, yet his body was like a ball of fire, almost ready to burn to ashes with him. I heard every word of his trembling: “Ah Tang, Ah Tang, Ah Tang.”
The rain had stopped, but cool wetness kept sliding down my neck. Only then did I realize with shock—those were his tears.
He actually would shed so many tears for me.
He actually cared about me this much.
Unprecedented joy mixed with intense pain, like surging waves violently crashing against my heart. Looking up at Song Langsheng’s eyes, full of the joy of what was lost and found again, I could barely speak. Just then, He Pingzhao roared angrily at him: “Rebel Song Langsheng, how dare you hold Princess hostage!”
I was about to have He Pingzhao withdraw, but heard him say to me: “Princess need not fear. This place is completely surrounded by the Imperial Guard Office, and the Yulin Army will also guard firmly. Even if Song Langsheng had wings, he couldn’t escape.”
My heart jumped. The Yulin Army had always been under my control. Didn’t He Pingzhao’s words imply that all this was done under my orders?
Hearing this, Song Langsheng’s arms loosened around me slightly. He looked at me in confusion and asked: “Ah Tang, what is… going on with them?”
He Pingzhao interrupted: “Song Langsheng, you former dynasty remnant, attempting to collude with rebels to stage rebellion. If not for the Princess seeing through your scheme, you would have died long ago today! If the Princess hadn’t immediately shown herself, how could you have walked into the trap!”
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone around was greatly shocked. Song Langsheng looked at me: “Ah Tang? What does he mean by this?”
Only then did I finally comprehend my Crown Prince brother’s painstaking efforts.
Not to mention that today’s trap was indeed laid by me to eliminate Wan Yi, precisely because Wan Yi was Song Langsheng’s man.
As long as Song Langsheng thought carefully, noticing that the “dead Princess Xiangyi” and I wore identical clothes, then looking at my unharmed self and the hundreds of soldiers holding longbows around us, he would naturally understand what had happened.
And I didn’t even have grounds to defend myself with a single sentence: No, it was all the Crown Prince’s doing, nothing to do with me.
Because even at this moment, even as my heart involuntarily wanted to approach him, reason couldn’t let me trust him.
The Crown Prince had He Pingzhao declare Song Langsheng’s identity before so many people, not only cutting off any chance for me to explain to Song Langsheng, but also severing any opportunity for Song Langsheng to explain to me.
Because for the Crown Prince—no, for the entire Xiao family dynasty—Song Langsheng being a prince of the former dynasty, this fact alone meant he must be completely eliminated. Whether he intended rebellion or was unwittingly used by others, what difference did it make?
Looking at Song Langsheng who appeared bewildered at this moment, I thought of my own reaction when I first learned he was Prince Rui’s son at Inviting Moon Tower that day—so panicked, so powerless.
Why panic? Why despair?
Why let myself be used by Feng Li to spy on the former dynasty’s Prince Rui’s secret location?
Xiao Qitang, oh Xiao Qitang, wanting to destroy all forces that your Prince Consort might use for rebellion with your own power—wasn’t it that deep in your heart, you had never truly trusted your Prince Consort?
You blame the Crown Prince for calculating against you at every turn, yet refuse to admit he only did what you would have done anyway.
I forcibly suppressed the blood energy about to surge into my chest, broke free from Song Langsheng’s embrace, smiled self-mockingly, and stepped back. Song Langsheng instinctively reached out but didn’t catch me. Seeing me retreat to He Pingzhao’s side, the confusion in his eyes gradually faded, slowly regaining clarity, as if he understood something.
“General He speaks correctly,” I said. “The son of the former dynasty’s Prince Rui—isn’t that referring to you?”
Song Langsheng violently shook, as if suddenly understanding. He looked at me in disbelief: “So you deliberately feigned death. So when I was like that for you, like that—” He gasped twice. “You, you saw it all…”
Thinking of his decisive manner when saving me earlier, my heart ached. I turned my head away. Song Langsheng’s tone was light, but every word was bloody and full of anger: “Were you still wondering whether my feelings were real or fake as you watched me like that for you?”
“Real feelings?” I countered. “Song Langsheng, if you had even a trace of real feeling for me, how could you force me to take Soul-Forgetting Pills two years ago?!”
Song Langsheng’s whole body trembled. “You, you remembered?”
I nodded and looked directly into his eyes again. “Yes, I remembered. I remembered everything! I remembered you telling Feng Li ‘she will still fall in love with me’—so confident, so nonchalant!”
Clouds rolled layer upon layer in the sky, bringing dark colors that stained his face.
Song Langsheng didn’t avoid my gaze, looking back at me with indistinguishable sorrow and joy, asking: “The letter I had Butler Liu give you before I left last month—did you read it?”
“That letter had only a few words and didn’t say anything…”
“That letter said ‘I hope that no matter what you remember, you can trust me as before’!” Song Langsheng interrupted my words with a trembling voice. “I told you to trust me, I hoped you would believe me and wait for my return! You didn’t need to do anything—just wait for me to return and everything would be fine!”
I remembered that night when, after learning I was poisoned with deadly toxin, I held his letter and cried during that unbearable night. I couldn’t help pointing at him: “Wait for your return? I lost my memory for two whole years! In those two years I experienced so much, crawled out from death’s door so many times, but what was the result!” I pointed at myself. “The result was that every time I was in mortal danger, where were you? You disappeared without a trace! How can you tell me to trust you? How can you ask me to trust you!”
“Since you don’t trust me and are determined to kill me, what more is there to say?” Song Langsheng spread his arms and closed his eyes. “Do it.”
I knew Song Langsheng was being petulant. Whenever he threw tantrums, he was like this—no explanations, no defenses, instead making me so angry my head would smoke.
What I didn’t expect was that He Pingzhao was even angrier than me. He had probably been frustrated after battling Song Langsheng with great momentum for so long without success, already harboring resentment. Without waiting for me to say another word, He Pingzhao moved like a lone swan skimming shadows. In an instant, his blade was already slashing toward Song Langsheng.
I instinctively wanted to throw myself forward to block it. In that instant, cold light flashed, the blade rose and fell, spraying a shower of blood!
However, the one bleeding was not Song Langsheng.
Nor was it me.
In that lightning-fast moment, someone stepped forward and used their back to take that blade for Song Langsheng!
That person groaned and slowly slid down from Song Langsheng’s shoulder.
Cai Mi.
That person I had completely forgotten was like this—appearing suddenly and saving Song Langsheng.
Seeing his blade had wounded a woman, He Pingzhao was greatly alarmed and didn’t strike a second time.
Song Langsheng slowly opened his eyes. Suddenly seeing the delicate and weak Cai Mi collapsed on the ground, he crouched down to support her, saying in disbelief: “Cai Mi, why…”
Cai Mi lay softly in his arms, tears flowing, speaking urgently in a voice thin as silk: “Big Brother, run quickly, don’t worry about me…”
“You, how could you…”
“Big Brother, it’s Cai Mi’s fault. Very long ago, Cai Mi already knew the Princess wanted to frame you…” Cai Mi’s tears fell like rain as she struggled to pull out a bright yellow letter from her bosom. “Seven years ago at Jade Dragon Manor, I accidentally discovered this letter. It was written by His Majesty to the Princess…”
I was completely stunned.
That letter was precisely the secret imperial missive I had lost at the tavern.
Song Langsheng took the letter, pulled it out, and opened it. Cai Mi coughed up blood intermittently: “To investigate your identity, His Majesty had the Princess disguise herself as Cai Mi to meet you. Initially Cai Mi didn’t know about this… Later, when I discovered it, I wanted to tell Big Brother immediately, but the Princess ordered people to hunt us down… I, I…”
He clutched the letter, his eyes seeming to fall into boundless darkness. Then, with difficulty, he raised his gaze to look at me. Seeing him like this, Cai Mi continued: “Big Brother, Cai Mi searched for you for so many years, but never imagined that when we reunited, you and the Princess had already become husband and wife… Cai Mi wanted to tell you the truth countless times, but thought perhaps the Princess had truly fallen in love with you. Cai Mi shouldn’t destroy the bond between you and the Princess… Big Brother, will you blame me? If I had spoken earlier, today wouldn’t be…”
Intermittent, forcibly suppressed sobbing. Looking at Cai Mi crying like pear blossoms in rain, I thought I was seeing demons and monsters.
Song Langsheng looked at me with those bloodshot eyes.
I stepped back helplessly.
His eyes, full of hatred, ignited raging fire. He gritted his teeth and demanded: “What she said—is it true…”
I instinctively shook my head. “She’s lying…”
But Song Langsheng forcefully threw the letter at me. “Then explain this—what is this letter? Is it forged?”
“This letter… is indeed from Father Emperor to me. Seven years ago at Jade Dragon Manor, I did meet you under Cai Mi’s name… but…”
“So from the very beginning you deliberately approached me with ulterior motives, all to eliminate me and my family?” Song Langsheng slowly stood up, as if hearing the world’s greatest joke. “So years later when you discovered I wasn’t dead yet, you married me to use me to root out more former dynasty ‘rebels’?”
Being misunderstood by the person you love most deeply turns out to be such heart-tearing pain.
I stood there blankly, feeling that in an instant, there was no one left beside me.
That youthful first love, those years of bitter waiting, and the sweet and bitter attachment upon reunion—all became emptiness because of his phrase “ulterior motives.”
Song Langsheng spoke, each word seeming soaked in fresh blood: “Aren’t you always sharp-tongued? If your conscience is clear, what can’t you explain?!”
“Yes!” I could no longer contain the grief and hatred filling my chest. “I did deliberately approach you from seven years ago, investigate you, then send thousands of troops to force your father, mother, and your Cai Mi to death! Later marrying you, all my kindness to you was also false affection! All to use you to dig out the former dynasty’s secret treasury your father hid! Now that you know everything, so what!”
Song Langsheng’s voice immediately drowned out mine: “I never imagined you had such a venomous heart!”
The dull pain in my heart spread to all four limbs and bones, so painful I wished I could just die like this.
Perhaps my end was truly near.
That blood energy I had forcibly suppressed surged up again. I swallowed the blood in my mouth back into my abdomen and said word by word: “Rebellious subjects and traitorous sons—everyone has the right to punish them.”
Song Langsheng suddenly laughed: “Xiao Qitang, I can honestly say I never did anything to wrong you. Even after learning my true identity, for your sake, I put down my hatred. All along, it was you who didn’t believe me.”
“Put down hatred? Forcing me to take Soul-Forgetting Pills was your way of putting down hatred?”
Song Langsheng said quietly: “You say I poisoned you, but have you considered that what you took that day dissolved instantly upon contact, and what components make up Soul-Forgetting Pills?”
This cool statement made me tremble violently.
He gasped breath by breath, several times wanting to speak but unable to say anything.
“At this point, I don’t know who or what I’ve done so much for all this time… Even knowing you treat me this way, I…” Song Langsheng looked at me with difficulty, his eyes full of tears. “I still can’t turn everything to hatred in an instant…”
Everyone present looked at him, looked at me—no one dared make any sound.
“But even if it’s an evil fate, our marital bond has reached its end.” Song Langsheng took a deep breath, tears slowly sliding from his eyes. “Ah Tang, this is the last time I’ll call you this… From now on, you and I… break all bonds of gratitude and righteousness…”
“…If we meet again in the future,” his voice was very, very hoarse, but those final words were spoken with resounding force, “we will be irreconcilable enemies.”
——End of Chapter——
Author’s Note: Second update~~~
I posted this Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter immediately after writing it, so the wording is quite rough. I’ll revise it extensively and update again tomorrow!
Alright~~~~ I want to see your comments!!!
Listening to the lonely qin, what should be forgotten can’t be forgotten, the mortal world traps my youth~~~~ —cough, let me ask you a question: if Senior Brother Chen and others played the Prince Consort, would you like it?