Li Zhaoting stood outside the tent.

He knew he shouldn’t come, but he couldn’t help himself.

After the evening banquet, he had gone to Wei Wulei’s tent to keep her company for a while. Because she was pregnant, he didn’t stay overnight, and later went to Miaoyin’s place.

After Miaoyin fell asleep, he came out and returned to the Emperor’s large tent that the imperial guards had erected later, where he drank alone.

He was angry with her, true, but not letting her attend the banquet was more because he didn’t want her to see Wei Wulei’s happy expression. This child came at a coincidental and sudden time—it might be real or fake. If the latter, it was simply to prevent his trip, but if it was real, he feared an even greater rift would appear between them.

Someone must have gone to the villa and discovered she wasn’t there, leading to today’s events.

So these imperial guards were also to protect her safety.

But what did it matter that he thought of all this? At this moment, seeing him, her eyes clearly didn’t show happiness.

“Is it because of Lian Yu or because of my other consorts? Tell me the truth!”

Finally, this thought that had surged through his mind countless times while drinking was roared out by him in a low voice.

“Both. Lian Yu treated me very well. He had no other women around him—you do. I told you long ago, I’m tired and don’t want to compete with anyone. Leaving would be best.” Seeing his eyes burning with fierce fire as he pressed his lips together and approached, Suzhen’s heart wasn’t without fear. How much she wanted to let him know how much she hated him, how much she wanted to shout at him: I’m only for Lian Yu—what are you to me! We ended long ago! Rather than continuing to respond according to his wishes.

Not entirely because of Lian Yu. The tightly wound anger in Li Zhaoting’s heart eased slightly.

He strode to her side and bent down. She leaned back to avoid him, but he braced his hands on either side of her shoulders, his breath also touching her face.

“How could Lian Yu possibly have no other women around him? What was Murong Jin? What was Wei Wuyan? What was Gu Xiluo? What were those harem consorts?” He pressed her word by word.

“After he became intimate with me, he stopped being intimate with others.” Suzhen suppressed her alarm and argued back.

He laughed coldly, “That was him deceiving you. He was an emperor—of three thousand weak waters, taking only one ladle—how could that be possible? Yet I, in the entire harem, now treat you the best. Isn’t that acceptable? Yes, he died for you, but that was just a momentary impulse. Does that really outweigh long years? We’ve known each other since childhood, nearly twenty years of affection. I dare say that even if he eventually grew tired of you, he could never be like me—I would never abandon you!”

Suzhen’s heart flared with anger. She wanted to tell him to get lost and not to judge Lian Yu’s heart by his own! But she still couldn’t make a sound. She still didn’t dare completely anger him. She had never been just one person alone.

Though Li Zhaoting didn’t know what she was thinking, they were too close, and her emotions were agitated at this moment, so much so that he could see the faint disdain in her eyes.

Surging fury immediately overwhelmed him. He bent down and pressed her beneath him, holding both her hands above her head with one hand while the other tore at her collar and clothing.

“Li Zhaoting, Li Zhaoting, all these years, have you ever considered my feelings even once? You come when you want to come, leave when you want to leave, decide how things should be between us as you please. And me? When have I ever been able to make my own decisions about anything!” Suzhen shouted angrily, viciously biting his hand.

She struggled frantically with him. His hand was nearly bitten through, and seeing her stare at him with pure hatred, Li Zhaoting finally slowly got off her.

Did he only now glimpse a trace of her true thoughts?

He suddenly laughed and got off the bed to leave.

Walking to the entrance, he suddenly turned around again.

“Fine, I won’t force you against your will. I’ll consider your feelings. But the sixteenth is what we agreed upon. I’ll celebrate my birthday here. If you don’t willingly let me into your tent that day, fine—I won’t do anything to you. But your brother, your people in the palace—I won’t spare a single one! Think about that desolate mass grave in the palace!”

The determined and cruel killing intent in his eyes made Suzhen shiver all over.

Looking at that tall, thin figure storming out of the tent, Suzhen’s blood rushed upward, her hands trembling with fury, wanting only to perish together with him.

He had so many women—why did he have to be so obsessed with her now!

The sixteenth, the sixteenth… There were still three days until the sixteenth!

But even if she agreed to him, she was no longer a virgin. When he found out, would he refrain from killing her, her brother, Little Zhou, and the others?

She sat at the head of the bed watching the lamplight extinguish and dawn break outside the tent.

She didn’t sleep all night.

The tent suddenly moved slightly. When she looked up in alarm, several people had already entered.

“Huaisu!” Someone rushed to her side with an anxious voice, “Are you alright?”

It was Little Zhou!

She shook her head, but Little Zhou’s eyes suddenly changed color. Ah Qing in the distance quickly turned away, and Wuqing’s face turned iron-blue as he quickly came over and draped his outer robe over her.

Without looking closely, Suzhen knew what had happened to her—her clothes had probably been torn by Li Zhaoting.

“You don’t need to worry. He didn’t really do anything to me. Otherwise, what you’d be seeing now would probably be my corpse. But at this point, there’s something I can no longer hide from you.” She softly told them about the matter of the sixteenth.

Ah Qing’s face reddened and he went outside the tent. Wuqing and Little Zhou looked at each other, not speaking for a long while, both their faces ashen.

The atmosphere in the room was dismal.

After a while, Little Zhou suddenly looked up and said, “I have a solution.”

“Tell us,” Wuqing looked over, but Little Zhou said, “I’m still considering it. I’ll tell you when I’ve thought it through properly.”

Suzhen also sensed something unusual and was about to ask more when Little Zhou softly comforted her, “There are still three days. You’ve already done enough. Let us figure out the rest for you.”

“Oh, someone came—you’ll definitely be happy to see them. Come, let’s go meet them.”

Suzhen suspected Little Zhou’s plan was unusual, but given her personality, if she was unwilling to speak, no amount of questioning would get it out of her. She could only secretly try to understand later.

At this moment, she absolutely couldn’t panic or go mad.

Hearing about meeting someone, she was slightly surprised, then smiled bitterly, “Li Zhaoting won’t let me leave.”

“Don’t worry. Since we could come in today, you can go out. Li Zhaoting agreed to let us in. Though he captured us yesterday, he didn’t restrict our movements. We can still move freely—we just couldn’t come see you. You can’t leave, and we certainly won’t leave either. He’s very clear about this. Now, with soldiers everywhere, even if you left the tent, where could you go?” Little Zhou said hatefully.

Suzhen suddenly understood why they had appeared here. Li Zhaoting wanted her to see them clearly!

On the other side, Little Zhou was already smiling as she pulled her out, with Wuqing following. Indeed, this time the imperial guards outside the tent didn’t stop her.

Wuqing’s tent was not far away. They brought her inside.

Though she had already guessed somewhat, when she saw the two people in the tent—especially one of the young women—Suzhen couldn’t help but redden her eyes slightly.

“Susu!” The other person’s eyes lit up upon seeing her, and she quickly ran over to embrace her tightly, nearly knocking her down.

“How did you get here?” After the initial joy, Suzhen held the person, not without worry.

Lian Xin glanced at Wuqing.

It turned out that when they received word yesterday that the Prince of Jin’s consort and Wei Chenghui had arrived, and Li Zhaoting went to find Suzhen, Wuqing knew that once Suzhen was discovered missing, something would definitely happen. But from the looks of it, Li Zhaoting shouldn’t be too harsh for now, so he took the opportunity to go out and find Iron Hand and Lian Xin. If Lian Xin encountered Wei Chenghui head-on, that would certainly mean death.

If Lian Xin died, Suzhen—who appeared strong but could no longer bear any more blows—would completely collapse!

When he brought the person back, the Prince of Jin’s consort’s group was advancing inward. If they had continued forward, they would inevitably have met. With no other option, in the most dangerous place being the safest, he simply brought the person back to his own tent.

Fortunately, as a precaution, both Lian Xin and Iron Hand were disguised as constables waiting outside. The soldiers in the camp didn’t know what the former dynasty’s princess looked like, and since he was bringing them, when they saw them, they didn’t ask many questions, assuming they were from the Six Doors Bureau, and even respectfully invited them into the tent.

“Brother, with Li Zhaoting here and the Wei family having already entered, you must send Lian Xin out as quickly as possible. Otherwise, if they encounter each other here, it would also be a dead end,” Suzhen said.

Wuqing frowned slightly, “I’m afraid that’s not possible now. Our movements seem unrestricted, but only within the camp. If I rashly take someone away, the imperial guards will certainly investigate, and I’m afraid it will draw Si Lanfeng’s attention. Though he’s not as vicious as Wei Chenghui or as calculating as Li Zhaoting, he’s loyal to Li Zhaoting…”

He didn’t continue, but Suzhen understood. Currently, with Lian Xin in Wuqing’s tent and no one coming to check, it was actually the safest place.

“Don’t worry,” seeing her pale face, Wuqing immediately said, “Li Zhaoting will eventually return to the palace. When it’s time to break camp, we’ll walk at the back and be careful—there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Suzhen was still worried, but currently, there was no better solution.

“Where are Leng Xue and Wuming?” After a moment of silence, she asked again.

Wuqing said, “With Wei Chenghui here, it’s inappropriate for Leng Xue to show himself. He and Wuming probably hid in the forest. With their martial arts skills, ordinary wild beasts can’t hurt them. They’ll be fine.”

Seeing Suzhen still frowning, Iron Hand smiled to lighten the atmosphere, “If Leng Xue heard you asking about him, he’d be so happy.”

Suzhen remained silent. As old brothers, how could she not worry about Leng Xue? She just didn’t want to say much. But seeing Iron Hand made her involuntarily think of Zhui Ming. These days, besides Lian Yu, she also dared not think much about Zhui Ming, Ming Yanchu, and Huo Chang’an. Whenever she thought of them, she seemed to sink into a quagmire, unable to regain clarity.

But soon, she wouldn’t even be able to protect these people in the tent!

She laughed bitterly, and suddenly felt a numbness at the back of her neck, then collapsed. Lian Xin was alarmed and quickly supported her, angrily saying, “Vermillion Bird, what are you doing!”

“Some things can’t be said in front of her. She would never agree even if it meant death,” Little Zhou slowly withdrew her hand from behind Suzhen and said calmly, “My solution is very simple—when the time comes, I’ll find a way to take her place.”

1.17 update. No updates on weekends, see you next time.