“Stop!” Chu Li’s eyes instantly turned cold as he reached out suddenly and grabbed one end of the painting. However, Princess Wanfu was pulling with such force that with a ripping sound, the scroll tore in half immediately. Chu Li’s expression became as dark as ice, like the sky before a violent storm.

Princess Wanfu looked at Chu Li’s expression and felt somewhat afraid, but still stubbornly said: “You tore it yourself – it has nothing to do with me. I was just trying to scare you, you can’t blame me.”

“Your Majesty the Chu Emperor,” Bao Quan, being old and wise with much information at his disposal, naturally recognized the true identity of the person painted in the portrait. Thinking of the recent rumors from Bailu Plains, he was immediately alarmed and hurriedly stumbled forward, kneeling before Chu Li and saying urgently: “The Princess is young and doesn’t understand worldly matters. Please don’t blame her, Your Majesty.”

“Bao Quan!” Princess Wanfu said angrily: “How can you be so disgraceful? Didn’t you see that man didn’t kneel to me just now? Get up quickly!”

“Get out!” The low voice suddenly rang out, carrying an otherworldly coldness in the frigid air.

Princess Wanfu was stunned upon hearing this and asked incredulously: “What did you say?”

Chu Li slowly raised his head, his eyes seeming to gather a massive storm with the dark gleam of wild beasts, looking at Princess Wanfu’s eyes with murderous intent as he said word by word: “Get out! Don’t let me see you again!”

“You? You’re cursing at me?” Princess Wanfu pointed at her own nose, tears of grievance falling from her eyes as she accused: “What right do you have to curse at people? It’s just a painting – our family has plenty of good painters. I’ll compensate you, that’s all. What right do you have to curse at people?”

“Wanfu.” A voice as light as water suddenly sounded at the entrance. Qing Xia looked over to see Qin Zhiyan in white robes, ethereal as cloud and smoke, followed by a large crowd of Great Qin princes and officials. Strangely, Prince Yan was also among them.

Qin Zhiyan smiled gently and said: “Wanfu, come here.”

“Third Brother,” Wanfu was extremely aggrieved. Suddenly seeing her relative, her tears flowed even more like water from an opened gate, pattering down as she rushed into Qin Zhiyan’s arms like a young bird returning to its nest, crying: “Third Brother, he cursed at me. What right does he have to curse at me?”

Qin Zhiyan gently patted Wanfu’s trembling back without saying a word. Prince Yan, in a dark green robe, slowly approached the courtyard and picked up half of the scroll from the ground. It was the lower half of the portrait, showing only flying skirt hems and a spirited warhorse, but not the face of the woman on horseback.

“Bao Quan, take the Princess back to the palace.” Qin Zhiyan said in a deep voice. Watching Wanfu’s retreating figure, he then bowed to Chu Li and said: “My younger sister is young and doesn’t understand worldly matters. I hope the Chu Emperor will be magnanimous.”

Chu Li turned around with an indifferent expression that revealed no particular emotion, saying lightly: “No matter. Please trouble Prince Xuan to tell His Majesty the Qin Emperor that I cannot hold my liquor well and will rest early. We shall meet again tomorrow.”

Seeing Chu Li’s indifferent manner, the others couldn’t say much more. Qin Zhiyan nodded and said in a deep voice: “In that case, Your Majesty should rest well.” Then he led everyone out.

The crowd gradually departed, and the heavy palace gates were slowly closed. Qing Xia watched the group walk far away before finally breathing a sigh of relief. With so many people arriving at once, she truly couldn’t determine who was scheming behind the scenes. It seemed only by capturing those guiding palace maids could she expose the mastermind. Fortunately, this group didn’t take more excessive actions. If they had discovered her hiding in Chu Li’s residence, she would truly have been unable to explain herself.

Chu Li stood in place for a long time. Chen Che suddenly stepped forward and knelt on the ground with a clang, saying in a deep voice: “Your Majesty, it was this subordinate’s inadequate protection that allowed Princess Wanfu to break in. This subordinate is guilty.”

After a long while, Chu Li slowly lowered his head to look at Chen Che, nodded, and said: “You are indeed deserving of ten thousand deaths.”

Chen Che knocked his head on the ground and said in a deep voice: “This subject accepts the punishment.”

Chu Li slowly raised his head, looking at the vast galaxy with his eyes, and said slowly: “I remember, you came from the Imperial Guards of the capital, didn’t you?”

Chen Che was surprised that Chu Li suddenly brought this up, but still respectfully answered: “Reporting to Your Majesty, yes.”

Chu Li nodded and remained silent for a long time. Then he suddenly waved his hand and said in a deep voice: “You may go. I’ll record thirty military lashes for now. When we return to Southern Chu, go to the Great Temple Office to receive your punishment yourself.”

Chen Che hadn’t expected to be let off so lightly. Since Chu Li came to power, he had always been strict in military discipline. He was immediately overjoyed and quickly retreated.

Chu Li held the other half of the scroll tightly in his hand. Looking down, he could see the woman’s bright eyebrows and white teeth, a charming light smile at the corner of her mouth with a hint of proud confidence, her eyes seeming ready to drip water. He suddenly smiled bitterly, threw the scroll on the ground, and said to his servants: “Go burn it.”

A soldier responded and picked up the scroll from the ground, then withdrew.

Chu Li lifted his feet and slowly walked forward, his steps heavy as if he had drunk much wine, walking very slowly step by step. Just as he was about to enter the inner hall, he suddenly stopped abruptly, turned around sharply, and looked keenly toward Qing Xia’s hiding place!

In that instant, Qing Xia felt as if she had fallen into an ice abyss, her heart almost stopping its beat. Though she knew he couldn’t possibly see her in such dense foliage, cold sweat still streamed down her entire body. Hundreds of thoughts flashed through her mind, all about how much trouble it would cause Qin Zhiyan if she were discovered. She stared wide-eyed ahead, nervously clenching her fists so tightly that her nails nearly dug into her flesh.

In the imperial palace, there were spies everywhere. Even if he didn’t speak of it, others would spread the news. No matter how clever and wise Qing Xia was, she couldn’t help but freeze in place for a moment.

What seemed like a century passed before Chu Li finally took a deep look in the direction of the great tree, then slowly turned around and said in a deep voice to the other Black Guards: “Guard the north and south courtyards. Don’t allow strangers to enter. Everyone else follow me into the inner courtyard. Not a single person is to remain here.”

The Black Guards were slightly surprised. This was the gateway connecting to the main halls of Qin Palace – leaving it unguarded could lead to mistakes. But since Chu Li had spoken, they could only comply. In a short while, not a single person remained in the courtyard.

Chu Li stood at the corridor of the inner courtyard, facing the large tree in the courtyard, his eyes deep and unreadable.

After an unknown amount of time, he finally closed his eyes slightly and said to the Black Guard attendants: “Close the door.”

The vermillion door gradually closed, from wide open to gradually leaving only a crack, until finally, gradually, gradually, the crack became smaller and smaller until with a bang, it closed completely and was locked, with no more sound.

Qing Xia looked at that door, her throat bitter, biting her lower lip tightly. She knew Chu Li was standing on the other side of the door and hadn’t left. Between them was still only the distance of a door, but why did she feel as though they were separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, thousands of miles apart, never able to reach the end?

The stars in the sky were sparse, and the banquet in the main hall was gradually coming to an end. Qing Xia jumped down from the tree, turned back to take a deep look at that vermillion door, but finally turned around and walked in another direction.

Qing Xia’s steps were heavy. This was already a side hall of the forbidden palace, very remote and desolate, with withered grass and fallen leaves. Occasionally, only low-ranking servants going out on errands would pass by. Even dust had accumulated thickly on the ground, covered with dried leaves left from who knows how long ago, clearly showing it hadn’t been cleaned for a long time.

She really wanted to cry. Emotions accumulated in her heart, her limbs feeling as if they were filled with lead, so heavy. But she knew she couldn’t cry. She couldn’t even show the slightest bit of weakness. She hypnotized herself repeatedly, telling herself that time would wash away everything, that he would eventually forget her, as if nothing had ever happened.

But she knew that some things, whether for her or for him, could never be abandoned. Those past memories lived deeply rooted in their blood, quietly hiding with each heartbeat. She thought this way only to feel less guilt.

The moonlight shone miserably upon her, stretching her shadow so long. A withered yellow leaf was swept up by the wind from some corner and landed on her thin, frail shoulder, carrying the scent and decay of last year. The palace walls on both sides were so high and thick – they were the royal heritage accumulated over hundreds of years. But somehow, this place had become the most desolate area in the entire Qin Palace. As if forgotten by everyone in the imperial city, no one remembered how prosperous this place had been three hundred years ago when the capital was first moved here.

Some things were destined to become the past. Some things were destined to become history. Some things were destined to exist only in memory, then gradually be forgotten.

Just like between them – even though only two steps apart, they still seemed as distant as the ends of the earth, without even the qualification or courage to take a single step forward. Those scenes belonging to memory could finally only be buried deep in the heart, no longer thought about, no longer acknowledged, not even dared to be touched.

He could conquer the entire southern frontier, could conquer the entire world, but alone could not push open that thin wooden door.

The wind rose, cold wind sweeping through the entire long corridor. Qing Xia wore brocade and fine clothes, the vermillion hairpins on her head swaying and making crisp sounds. The dust and fallen leaves on the ground rose with the wind, blowing past her skirt hem toward the distant direction. The moon was a lonely crescent, so solitary that even its light was dim. There were roads everywhere, but in this vast palace, she didn’t know which direction to go. She suddenly felt so tired and weary that her heart could hardly bear it anymore. In front of others, she could pretend to be strong, could be sharp and decisive, could use everything as a weapon without caring to protect those she wanted to protect.