Previously, Jingrong had come here once!

When Ji Yunshu came to the Ministry of Justice prison to see Bingzheng, he had waited outside.

If the jailer found him familiar, it wasn’t strange.

He remained calm in the face of danger, instead straightening his back to meet the jailer’s gaze, directly telling him, “You’re mistaken.”

“I don’t usually know many people. It’s rare for me to remember someone—how could I be mistaken?” The jailer examined him carefully and also glanced a few times at the small guard behind him.

He just felt familiar.

Jingrong said calmly, “Du Mubai’s case has been going on for so long. I often follow Master Li handling cases. The Master has been to the Ministry of Justice several times, and I’ve always followed along, so that’s why you find me familiar.”

“Oh…” The jailer narrowed his eyes, mulling it over in his mind for a moment, then didn’t think further, “That’s quite possible. I was wondering why you seemed so familiar.”

“Then can we go in now?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Only then did he let them through.

Jing Xuan finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

She followed Jingrong anxiously all the way inside the prison.

Carefully, not daring to speak.

When they were almost at Gong Shilin’s cell, Jingrong stopped and turned to tell her, “You go ahead. I’ll keep watch here in case anyone comes.”

Jing Xuan nodded.

She walked alone toward the place in the distance where light emanated.

At this moment, Gong Shilin sat on the straw mat inside, his gaze vacant as he stared at the ground.

Without any desire to survive!

Suddenly—

He heard a slight sound of footsteps.

He looked up.

He saw a thin figure stop outside the cell door.

The person wore guard’s clothing.

But it didn’t fit properly!

Gong Shilin recognized her at a glance.

Extremely shocked.

Then he pushed himself up and walked toward the wooden posts, while saying in disbelief, “Third Princess Consort?”

When Jing Xuan looked at Gong Shilin standing before her with a haggard expression, she couldn’t hold back for a moment and her eyes reddened.

She just felt her hands and feet going numb.

Unable to say a single word.

Gong Shilin hadn’t recovered from his surprise, but seeing the woman’s scarlet eyes before him, his heart couldn’t help but ache.

“How are you here?”

And dressed… like this?

Jing Xuan’s lips trembled slightly, “I… came to see you.”

Her voice very soft!

Gong Shilin cupped his hands toward her, “The Third Princess Consort is most kind.”

“Now, why must you be so formal with me?”

“I am a criminal. Everyone avoids me. It’s rare that the Princess Consort would still risk coming here to see me. But… you must have come secretly, right? Although I don’t know how you got in, you should leave quickly to avoid being discovered.”

She shook her head, “So what if I’m discovered? Since I came, naturally I’m not afraid.”

“Princess Consort…”

“Did you… really kill that person?” Jing Xuan suddenly asked him.

Gong Shilin was stunned, then honestly said, “I’ve already admitted to killing someone, and all the evidence has proven it.”

“I want to hear the truth!”

“This is the truth, not a single word false.”

Jing Xuan held back her tears and asked in a weak tone, “Why? Why did you do this?”

A trace of bitterness flashed across Gong Shilin’s face, “As for the reason, I won’t say. In any case, the person was indeed killed by me. Since I killed someone, a life for a life is unavoidable.”

He had long been prepared to face death.

Jing Xuan’s beautiful eyes filled with tears, and after hearing these words, she finally couldn’t help but shed tears.

Pain!

Wave after wave of pain in her chest!

She just kept looking at Gong Shilin like this.

Their four eyes met!

Seeing her like this, the feelings Gong Shilin had harbored in his heart gradually surged up.

But his hand hanging in his sleeve involuntarily clenched into a fist.

Reason told him to restrain himself, he must restrain himself!

But—

All reason began to fall apart at this very moment.

He finally couldn’t restrain himself from raising his hand, bit by bit reaching toward Jing Xuan’s tear-stained face.

But when his fingertips just touched her cold cheek, he suddenly stopped.

As if in that instant, he had come to his senses.

He couldn’t do this!

Just as he was about to withdraw his hand, Jing Xuan grasped the back of his hand.

Huh?

Gong Shilin froze, surprise in his eyes.

“…Princess Consort?”

Jing Xuan pressed his palm against her face.

In that moment, Gong Shilin could clearly feel the reality of that touch.

And the coldness of the woman’s cheek also wandered freely in his warm palm.

Everything around them seemed to freeze.

Gradually becoming blurred and unclear.

Only the two of them remained, gazing at each other.

Long silence!

The feelings Gong Shilin had hidden in his heart for a year all surged up at this moment.

He gently wiped away the tears for the woman before him.

After a long while—

Jing Xuan asked him seriously, “If… if before I married into the Prince’s residence, we had already known each other, would you take me away?”

Would you take me away?

Gong Shilin answered almost without hesitation, “Yes! I would take you away.”

So resolute.

A smile gradually emerged at the corners of Jing Xuan’s tear-filled mouth.

She had finally… finally found in that peach blossom forest in her heart the person who could make her throw caution to the wind.

“Having these words from you is enough!”

Completely satisfied.

Gong Shilin no longer concealed his feelings, “To this day, I still cannot forget the first time I saw you. You wore bright red wedding attire passing before me. Just that one glance, and I was bewitched. You must not know that this past year, every time I went to the Third Prince’s residence, what I looked forward to most was hoping to see you, even if just a distant glimpse. I told myself countless times that you are the Third Princess Consort, that we are impossible. Do you know the pain of hiding feelings in your heart? Fortunately…” He smiled. “Fortunately now, I can finally boldly tell you these feelings. Even if I die, I’ll have no regrets.”

After hearing these words, Jing Xuan had already cried herself into tears.

He should have understood earlier!

Should have understood!

After Gong Shilin wiped away her tears, he took out a jade pendant from his sleeve.

He placed it in her hand.

“I’ve worn this since childhood. I hope you can keep it, as… a memento.”

Jing Xuan looked at the translucent jade pendant in her palm, her heart aching unbearably.

She said trembling, “I will keep it.”

Gong Shilin’s steps began to retreat backward.

Finally hiding himself in the darkness of the cell.

His only regret in this life had been fulfilled.

He smiled.

A beautiful smile.

“If there’s a next life…”

Jing Xuan looked at him but could no longer clearly see that face hidden in the darkness.

She said, “If there’s a next life, I’m willing to go with you!”

…

After leaving the Ministry of Justice prison, Jingrong led Jing Xuan onto a carriage.

Heading in the direction of the Third Prince’s residence.

Throughout this journey, Jing Xuan held that jade pendant, looking down at it.

Not saying a word.

Not crying either!

Jingrong had heard all of Jing Xuan and Gong Shilin’s conversation earlier.

He asked nothing.

Silently accompanying her.

When the carriage stopped not far from the back gate of the Third Prince’s residence.

Only then did Jingrong grasp her cold hand and say, “Don’t think about it anymore.”

Jing Xuan withdrew her thoughts, looked up at him, and asked, “Imperial Brother, are some things in this world… truly unable to have perfect endings?”

“Perhaps.”

She took a deep breath, “I understand.”

“Be careful yourself.”

“Mm.”

Jing Xuan got off the carriage and walked toward the Prince’s residence’s back gate.

Only after Jingrong saw her enter did he leave with peace of mind.

But what Jing Xuan never expected was that just as she quietly entered the residence through the back gate, she was unexpectedly seen by a young maid.

The young maid pondered for a long time, then ran to report to Natuo.

Because of Marquis Pingyang’s words today, Natuo had been weighing the stakes all day.

Now hearing this news, he flew into a rage!

He immediately headed toward Jing Xuan’s courtyard.

Jing Xuan climbed through the window back into the room, changed her clothes, and erased all traces of having gone out.

But a maid outside called out, “Your Highness?”

Hm?

Jing Xuan froze.

Why did he come?

She quickly lay down on the bed. The blanket had just been pulled up when Natuo entered.

He yanked open the bed curtains with one pull, then grabbed the blanket on her and threw it off forcefully.

Jing Xuan was so frightened she sat up from the bed, hugging her arms and shrinking to one side.

“What are you doing?”

Natuo saw her wearing inner garments, her hair loose, and everything in the room normal, completely unlike having gone out.

But when the maid came to report, she couldn’t have been wrong!