The Ministry of Justice prison was cold, damp, and foul-smelling, even more chilling than the prison in the Inner Punishment Court. Here, whether day or night, it was perpetually dark and gloomy year-round, like a ghostly hell. Setting aside the various punishments, just living in such a dark place for long would drive a person to madness.

Hua Zhuyu sat in a corner of the cell, listening to the ethereal and mournful sound of dripping water from the wall corner, her heart filled with indescribable feelings. Pale blue moonlight filtered through the narrow prison window, falling on her bright red ceremonial robe. This red wedding dress now showed no trace of joy, instead flowing with dim, ghostly light that made one’s heart grow desolate.

From bridal chamber to prison cell – in this world, probably only she, Hua Zhuyu, would encounter such a thing!

She sighed lightly and raised her hand to remove the hairpins one by one from her head, finally taking off the phoenix crown. The pearl and jade tassels on the phoenix crown rustled, sounding particularly crisp in the dark prison.

The cell was extremely cold. She placed the phoenix crown beside her, then drew up her knees and hugged herself tightly.

Emperor Yan had died after her visit, making her the prime suspect. And Ji Fengli was the dignified Prince Regent, perhaps soon to ascend the throne as emperor, with countless eyes watching him. Grand Emperor Yan’s death was no small blow to the entire court and even the Southern Dynasty, as he was the founding emperor after all. If Ji Fengli didn’t send her to prison, it would be favoritism and bending the law. Then the Southern Dynasty’s laws would no longer be able to restrain others, and how could he govern the realm in the future?

Before the matter was clarified, she, as a suspect, should indeed be sent to prison. Only, she wasn’t certain what he truly thought in his heart – whether he believed Emperor Yan was really killed by her.

She remembered when he learned of Grand Emperor Yan’s death, the way he looked at her was so desperate, and suddenly endless coldness surged in her heart.

She knew he hated Emperor Yan, but that was still his birth father. To be assassinated like this would pain him too, and he would surely hate the murderer to the bone.

She leaned against the wall, secretly pondering who the murderer was.

Undoubtedly, Emperor Yan’s death was someone trying to frame her. This way, they could eliminate Emperor Yan, prevent her from marrying Ji Fengli, and take the opportunity to eliminate her as well – truly killing three birds with one stone. She knew too many people didn’t want them to marry, but those who dared strike at Emperor Yan were few in this world. Who exactly was the assassin?

Wen Wan? Could it be her?

Hua Zhuyu sat quietly for a long while, then stood and paced in the cell. Her robes fluttered in the wind, cold and clear, her ankle shackles rustling in the cold night.

She remembered when she was imprisoned in the Yangguan cell, Ji Fengli had brought Tang Yu to rescue her. That scene felt like just yesterday – whenever she thought of it, warmth filled her heart. But tonight, he probably couldn’t come anymore.

The cold night was like ink, all sounds silent, with the fourth watch’s time signal drifting from afar.

Hua Zhuyu leaned against the wall and began circulating her internal energy. These days, though in the palace, she hadn’t dared slack off and often practiced in the peach grove. Though the internal power Huangfu Wushuang had destroyed couldn’t be completely restored immediately, it had increased somewhat.

In the middle of the night, hearing movement at the prison door, Hua Zhuyu immediately became alert and leaped up. The door had already been opened, and a black shadow flashed in like light smoke. By the cell’s dim firelight, Hua Zhuyu vaguely saw the person was dressed in black with a black cloth covering their face, revealing only a pair of sharp black eyes. Seeing Hua Zhuyu clearly, he lowered his voice and said, “Miss Bao, I’ve come to rescue you. Please quickly follow me away from here – there are people outside to respond.”

“Who are you?” Hua Zhuyu asked coldly.

“We’re acting on orders. This isn’t the time to talk – we’ll explain outside,” the black-clothed person said quietly.

“But I can’t leave,” Hua Zhuyu said slowly. If she escaped from prison, it would be equivalent to admitting she had killed Emperor Yan, so she couldn’t go. She believed Ji Fengli would find the real murderer and clear her name. “You should leave quickly. Breaking into the Ministry of Justice prison will have serious consequences if caught!” She didn’t know who had sent these people, but they were quite bold to dare break into the imperial prison.

The black-clothed person’s eyes flashed, clearly not expecting such a reaction from Hua Zhuyu. He said urgently, “Miss Bao, if you don’t leave now, you may never get out of this prison. You may not know yet, but your father Hua Mu and Huangfu Wushuang have already raised a rebellion in Yan Capital. They’re flying the banner of restoring the former Mo Kingdom, and Huangfu Wushuang has changed his name to Mu Feng, claiming to be the Mo Kingdom’s crown prince. Now with Emperor Yan’s assassination, and your entanglement with former dynasty remnants, where would you have another chance to leave prison?”

The black-clothed person’s words shocked Hua Zhuyu so much she staggered back three steps before supporting herself against the prison wall to steady herself.

She had never quite understood what her father Hua Mu had been planning all these years – hiding his time, scheming carefully, manipulating situations, even willing to use his own daughter as a chess piece. She knew it definitely wasn’t as simple as just supporting Huangfu Wushuang’s ascension to the throne. But she had never imagined he was actually from the former Mo Kingdom.

The former Mo Kingdom’s last emperor, Emperor Guang Mu Ye, was said to be a weak person unsuited to be an emperor. Originally, when the Mo Kingdom’s realm passed to his hands, it was already decayed, and how could a weak emperor support a broken realm? So regional princes everywhere rose in rebellion, and finally Emperor Yan’s rebel forces invaded the imperial dynasty and overthrew the Mo Kingdom. It was said that before the rebels entered the palace, Emperor Guang set fire to his sleeping quarters and hanged himself. Going with him was his pregnant empress.

If this was the case, then Hua Mu was from the Mo Kingdom, which meant she too was from the Mo Kingdom.

Hua Zhuyu stood there stunned, then smiled lightly, unable to suppress it.

In this world, there’s always a kind of sorrow called reality, which shatters your beautiful dreams, scattering them everywhere.

She remembered Emperor Yan’s warning words: “There are some things Wuxiang hasn’t told you, so I’m not convenient to tell you either, but this doesn’t mean we don’t know.” So Emperor Yan was referring to this matter. Clearly, Ji Fengli must know. And she, imprisoned in Taoyuan Residence with outside news blocked, was completely unaware.

Why had things turned out this way? An indescribable bitterness accompanied by a sense of helplessness swept over Hua Zhuyu.

Just then, sounds of fighting arose outside, accompanied by shouts of “assassins,” clearly these people had already alerted the Imperial Guards guarding the prison.

The prison door was suddenly burst open, and several black-clothed people rushed in with swords, saying quietly to the black-clothed person in the cell, “If we don’t leave now, it’ll be too late.”

“Please come with us, Miss. Otherwise, we’d rather die here,” several black-clothed people said in unison, cupping their fists to Hua Zhuyu.

“Are you sent by Hua Mu to rescue me?” Hua Zhuyu asked with furrowed brows.

The black-clothed people shook their heads, saying quietly, “No!”

The sounds of fighting outside grew more intense. One person swung his sword to cut the chains on Hua Zhuyu’s feet, and several people surrounded her, about to take her out.

“I won’t go!” Hua Zhuyu said coldly. Even if she left, she wanted to see Ji Fengli first.

The fighting figures of Imperial Guards and black-clothed people filled the entire dark space of the prison. Just then, a faint moon-white robe suddenly came into everyone’s view.

Outside the cell was a corridor with cells on both sides. The white-robed figure slowly proceeded along the corridor.

Hua Zhuyu never expected Ji Fengli would appear here at this time. The prison-breaking black-clothed people obviously hadn’t expected it either. Their decision to break into the prison tonight was probably based on calculating that the palace would be in chaos. When they entered, the prison guards weren’t heavily defended, but now it seemed this might have been deliberately luring them in. After a moment of stunned silence, the black-clothed people rushed out with swords. Before they could reach Ji Fengli, Tong Shou commanded the Imperial Guards to meet them from Ji Fengli’s side, and instantly the prison was filled with the scent of blooming blood.

A black-clothed person raised his sword toward Ji Fengli. Ji Fengli neither dodged nor evaded, calmly using his palm as a blade. His left palm firmly controlled the sword point thrusting toward him, while his right palm moved seemingly gentle and soft, yet in a flash, like a ghost, clamped onto the black-clothed person’s throat. His slender fingers applied slight pressure – crack – without hesitation, he snapped the opponent’s neck.

The icy killing aura emanating from Ji Fengli stirred the wind in the corridor to suddenly intensify. Torches swayed continuously, nearly extinguishing, clothes and long hair danced accordingly, yet his lips held a smile as rippling as spring water.

Some Imperial Guards, though having heard Ji Fengli possessed martial arts, had never seen him in action. They hadn’t expected such an elegant and refined person to be so decisive and ruthless when killing.

“Don’t let anyone escape. Leave one alive!” he commanded quietly. On his jade-like gentle face, Hua Zhuyu trembled all over, looking up at him with emotion as he passed through the corridor, walking gracefully toward her.

Hua Zhuyu looked up at him. The night wind blowing through the corridor lifted her bright red wedding dress, fluttering behind her, making Ji Fengli’s mourning white robes seem even more desolately pale. But his expression showed no desolation at all – instead, his lips held a gentle smile.

“It’s cold here. Why are you standing here? Go inside quickly!” He spoke extremely gently while extending his hand to embrace her waist, holding her as they entered the cell.

Hua Zhuyu broke free from his embrace, saying urgently, “They came to rescue me! Why did you have them killed?”

“Just a warning!” he said lightly, looking at her with an expression between smile and non-smile, his lips holding ambiguous light, revealing nothing of his inner feelings.

“Warning about what?” Hua Zhuyu looked at the faint smile at his lips, light as a gentle breeze, and her heart tightened. She thought she understood him, but now she couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“You are now my wife. I won’t allow anyone to covet you!” he said gently, but the killing intent in his tone was obvious.

“Covet? They just came to rescue me,” Hua Zhuyu said coldly.

“Who sent them?” Ji Fengli raised an eyebrow and asked.

“I don’t know!” Hua Zhuyu said quietly.

Ji Fengli smiled silently, but his gaze toward her flickered with unknown depths.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart suddenly sank. The sounds of fighting outside had stopped, and Tong Shou quickly walked over, reporting quietly, “Your Lordship, the survivor committed suicide and refused to reveal his identity. However, their martial arts techniques don’t seem to be Southern Dynasty methods.”

“Bao’er, Xiao Yin is still in the Southern Dynasty and hasn’t left!” Ji Fengli said lightly.

Hua Zhuyu’s eyelashes trembled as she stared at him with wide eyes, seeing him deeply.

“You think he came to rescue me?”

“Not think – I’m certain!” Ji Fengli stood proudly against the wind with his back to the prison door, his white robes billowing like clouds, his gaze like a cold blade splitting the wind, striking directly at her heart.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart stopped. She knew that what Xiao Yin said before leaving the wedding hall wasn’t said casually. So these black-clothed people must have been sent by him. He obviously knew that rescuing someone from the Ministry of Justice prison wouldn’t be easy. But he still sent people. Even if he couldn’t rescue her, it would make Ji Fengli think she was still in contact with her father.

“What else do you think? That I would go with him, right?” Hua Zhuyu suppressed the feeling of loss in her heart and spoke calmly.

Ji Fengli remained silent.

The cell had returned to quiet. The Imperial Guards had long since withdrawn. Before leaving, Tong Shou inserted a torch into the cell, and the large prison room instantly brightened.

“You think Grand Emperor was killed by me, don’t you?” Hua Zhuyu asked painfully, as if being gnawed by ten thousand ants. This heartache was like countless tiny insects crawling over her heart, unbearably painful.

“You think I stayed in the palace all this time with ulterior motives, don’t you?” She couldn’t be unaware of Hua Mu and Huangfu Wushuang’s rebellion. But he had never told her.

“You think I wanted to harm Emperor Yan, to harm you, don’t you?” she asked bitterly. Her heart twisted into a knot, the pain almost making Hua Zhuyu unable to stand. “Let me ask you – that night, you weren’t really having an attack, you did it deliberately, didn’t you?”

Ji Fengli leaned against the prison door, not speaking for a long while. The thin, sparse torchlight illuminated his profile, his eyelashes trembling, casting shadows on his cheeks.

She understood him to some extent. What he wanted, he would never give up easily, but he also never resorted to force. He appeared gentle and calm on the surface, but deep down had thorough pride. Even when his chest surged with terrible anger, he could transform it into a light smile of indifference at the corner of his lips.

These days in the palace, she had twice refused him. If he had forced her, she thought she couldn’t have refused. But he didn’t. He would only use the gentlest methods to approach her step by step unconsciously, bit by bit eroding her defenses. He pampered her, pitied her, did everything he could for her, until she was immersed in happiness. And he used his sharp tenderness to capture her, ultimately devouring her.

“What do you want to do now? Kill me to avenge your father emperor? Or hand me over to the Ministry of Justice for the officials to judge, preferably giving me death by a thousand cuts? Or use me as a hostage to threaten my father Hua Mu and Huangfu Wushuang?” she asked lightly, each sentence sharper than the last.

Ji Fengli glanced at her lightly, his eyes showing undisturbed dimness. He suddenly turned and left without a word.

He left! He didn’t even deign to speak with her anymore.

Hua Zhuyu smiled bitterly. She was cold and tired. She turned to sit by the wall, closed her eyes and rested.

The cell was quiet. After a moment, there were footsteps coming and going. She was too lazy to look. She knew she couldn’t leave the prison currently – Ji Fengli wouldn’t let her go.

She didn’t know how much time passed before the cell finally quieted down. She opened her eyes to see a dazzling expanse of red before her. Thinking she was dreaming, she closed her eyes and opened them again – still a bright red scene.

The entire cell had been surrounded by bright red curtains. In the center was a bed covered with bright red mandarin duck brocade quilts. On the table by the bed head, dragon and phoenix candles burned on a dragon and phoenix candle stand. Unknowingly, the cell had been decorated as a bridal chamber.

Ji Fengli closed the prison door tightly, turned around and smiled at her with curved eyebrows…

Under his smile, Hua Zhuyu shrank backward. His father emperor had just died, and there were so many palace matters waiting for him to handle, yet he stayed here, decorating her cell like this. What did he want to do?

During national mourning, common people weren’t allowed to marry, brothels and music halls couldn’t sing or play music, and every household had to hang white banners at their doors. Yet Ji Fengli had decorated the cell as a bridal chamber.

“Ji Fengli, what are you doing?” Hua Zhuyu asked coldly.

“Bao’er, have you forgotten what night this is?” Ji Fengli said gently, extending his finger to pull. The white mourning clothes on his body fell like clouds, revealing the bright red wedding robe he had never removed underneath.

She naturally wouldn’t forget what night this was, but she still said incredulously, “Ji Fengli, your father emperor just died!”

“So what? He would die sooner or later!” he said coldly. His heart wasn’t without sorrow, but the person was already gone – what use was grief? What use were those conventional rites?

He picked up a cup of tea from the table, methodically blowing around the rim. His flawless jade face was shrouded in rising steam, like a moistened ink painting – bright eyes, red lips, black eyebrows and lashes.

“Don’t you think I’m the murderer?” Hua Zhuyu said quietly.

“You’re also my wife!” His elegant, magnetic voice rang lazily in the cell.

“I’m not. Get out!” Hua Zhuyu said coldly. She had thought he didn’t believe she was the murderer, but hadn’t expected he still thought she was.

“Bao’er, have some tea!” He held the tea cup and slowly walked to her, bringing the tea to her lips.

Hua Zhuyu waved her hand, and the chains on her wrists swung, shattering the tea cup. It fell to the stone floor, splashing on Ji Fengli. He brushed his clothing corner and stood before her, looking at her deeply.

Hua Zhuyu turned her gaze away to avoid his deep, enchanting eyes, staring absent-mindedly at the mottled stone floor. A dark shadow pressed over her eyes. She turned her head, avoiding his kiss. He smiled lightly, extending his hand to pinch her chin and turn her face toward him. “Isn’t it too late to refuse now? You’re already my wife. Tonight is our wedding night.” He brought his thin lips to her ear, speaking softly. Though his tone was light, it deeply buried an imperceptible sharpness.

He unceremoniously leaned down and kissed her fiercely. With chains still on her hands, Hua Zhuyu couldn’t break free from him. She simply stopped struggling and lay on the bed like a dead fish. Since she couldn’t fight him, she could at least ignore him!

Sensing her stiffness, Ji Fengli’s handsome face showed a trace of coldness, but it quickly returned to calm. He said quietly, “Bao’er, I won’t allow anyone to use any method to take you away from me. No matter what your identity is – daughter of a traitor, former dynasty remnant, or whether your love for me is false – I just want to keep you, keep you by my side, have you bear me a child. Then you won’t leave.” His domineering tone brooked no resistance, so imperious as if he were a born king. Word by word, it made her heart ache and confused.

Through the night’s entanglement, he repeatedly brought her to heights of ecstasy until she was exhausted and fell into boundless darkness. She vaguely heard him say gently in her ear, “Hua Zhuyu, remember, you are my Ji Fengli’s wife. Even if you have someone else in your heart, I will make you forget him. You can only have me in your heart. Whether ascending to heaven or descending to earth, we must be together. Wherever you are, I’ll follow, but while I’m here, you absolutely cannot leave.” The tender voice carried certainty, like a demon’s spell repeating over and over in her ear, as if to be carved into her mind, never to be forgotten.

This was the first time he called her by the name Hua Zhuyu, yet it was such a sharp declaration.

The next day when she woke, he had already left. The shackles on her hands had been removed at some point. Her cheeks seemed to still retain the warmth of his kisses, which dissipated into the cell’s cold air the moment she rose.

He wouldn’t let her go, but he didn’t know that she actually couldn’t bear to leave him. His love was poison, and she was already poisoned to the bone.

Hua Zhuyu didn’t suffer much in prison and was never subjected to harsh interrogation. The Ministry of Justice investigation was ultimately just going through the motions. Finally, the murderer of Emperor Yan was found to be a eunuch who served Emperor Yan. This eunuch confessed that the person who ordered him promised a large sum of silver and would let him leave the palace. As for who gave the orders, he said he couldn’t see their appearance clearly.

Hua Zhuyu didn’t know whether this eunuch had really killed Emperor Yan or if Ji Fengli had found him to clear her name. In any case, after a few days, she was released from the Ministry of Justice prison. Returning to the imperial palace again, the peach blossoms outside Taoyuan Residence had begun to fall – petals flying everywhere, scattered red covering the ground.

“Princess Consort, let this servant dress your hair. His Lordship will surely come shortly,” Nongyu said with a smile, bringing over hairpins and clothes.

Just after finishing her makeup, a young palace maid announced outside the door, “Prince Regent has instructed that he’s waiting for the Princess Consort at Drunken Immortal Workshop.”

Puzzled, Hua Zhuyu still instructed Nongyu to prepare a carriage.

During the national mourning period, Drunken Immortal Workshop had lost its former prosperity and bustle. The purple gauze curtains that originally hung on the first floor had all been replaced with ethereal white gauze.

Hua Zhuyu brought Nongyu to the appointed private room. Pushing open the door, one person stood with his back to the window. Even with his back turned, his natural imposing aura was unmistakable. Hearing footsteps, he slowly turned around, his purple eyes bright with focused light settling on Hua Zhuyu’s face.

“Big Brother, why are you here?” Hua Zhuyu said in surprise.

Xiao Yin didn’t speak, staring at her as she slowly approached. Purple light rippled, his gaze deep, looking into her eyes. “Girl, I’ve come to take you! Come with me, stay by my side, all right? Now, only I have the ability to protect you.” Word by word, sincerely from his heart, he stared intently at her, waiting for her answer.

Hua Zhuyu sighed lightly, saying quietly, “I’m already his wife. I’m sorry.”

The room suddenly fell silent.

“Big Brother, can you tell me why you forgot me?” Regarding this matter, Hua Zhuyu had always wanted to know.

Xiao Yin smiled, “These things aren’t important anymore.”

“Ji Fengli said he was waiting for me at Drunken Immortal Workshop. Why isn’t he here?”

Xiao Yin frowned, “I don’t know about that. Someone told me you had arranged to meet me here!”

Hua Zhuyu’s heart sank. Why would Ji Fengli do this? Why would he arrange for her to meet Xiao Yin, knowing full well that if Xiao Yin saw her, he would surely want to take her away?

“Big Brother, in my heart, you are my big brother,” she said clearly.

“Don’t call me big brother. I’m not your big brother!” Xiao Yin’s brow furrowed deeply as he strode to her, extending his hand to grasp hers. His deep purple eyes showed tragic determination. “Girl, you deceived me for so long using the identity of a sister. Even now, do you still want to be my sister? I already have Zhuo Ya – I don’t want any more sisters!”

Hua Zhuyu’s heart stopped. She looked up at Xiao Yin and smiled sadly, “Big Brother, you deserve a better woman. Don’t wait for me anymore!”

She pushed past Xiao Yin and quickly left.

She didn’t know why he had forgotten her, nor why he now remembered. Now she only wished he had never remembered her. That might have been better for both of them, but he had to remember.

In this life, she was destined to disappoint him!

Hua Zhuyu rode the carriage back to the palace, meeting Tong Shou head-on. She stopped Tong Shou and asked intently, “Where is Ji Fengli?”

Tong Shou scratched his head, his gaze flickering as he said, “His Lordship is at Qifeng Palace!”

Hua Zhuyu’s heart sank. Qifeng Palace? When Huangfu Wushuang was emperor, Wen Wan had lived in Qifeng Palace. After Ji Fengli became Prince Regent, Wen Wan had moved back to the Wen residence. Now Qifeng Palace was vacant.

Hua Zhuyu followed the palace corridors all the way to the front of Qifeng Palace. Just as she reached the palace garden entrance, she was mercilessly stopped by an executive eunuch. “Prince Regent is inside. Idle persons are strictly forbidden from disturbing him!”

Hua Zhuyu paused, faintly hearing a woman’s delicate laughter from within the courtyard. She glanced at the executive eunuch, smiled coldly, pushed past him and rushed inside.

In the courtyard by the pond, Ji Fengli stood by the water in pearl-white robes fluttering in the wind. Beside him stood a woman in light blue silk dress. As the wind rose, their garments intertwined, leaning against each other – truly a heaven-made pair.

Hua Zhuyu remembered that when boating on Blue Lake at night, she had seen Ji Fengli and Wen Wan standing at the bow – white shirt and blue dress, perfectly matched.

This scene before her was too piercing. Hua Zhuyu froze as if stabbed through the heart by a sharp blade. She staggered back a step, supporting herself against a flowering tree to steady herself. Her chest felt as if pierced by needles, her feet as heavy as lead, too heavy to take another step. After a long while, she slowly walked forward until she stood not far behind the two figures.

The executive eunuch she had knocked down had already run over, bowing behind Ji Fengli to report, “Your Lordship, this servant really couldn’t stop her and let her in.”

Ji Fengli seemed to just notice someone had come. He slowly turned around, raising his refined eyebrows slightly, glanced at Hua Zhuyu, and said with a smile, “You’ve come!” He opened his hand, scattering the fish food in the water. Under the rippling light, red koi in the lake rushed over eagerly.

He embraced Wen Wan’s waist and walked slowly to a blooming azalea tree where a table was set. He slowly sat down, pointed to the seat beside him, and smiled at Hua Zhuyu, “Come sit.”

“Tell them all to leave,” Hua Zhuyu said lightly.

Ji Fengli’s thin lips curved slightly with some laziness. A gentle breeze swept over his handsome features, stirring hearts. He lightly kissed Wen Wan’s cheek and said with a smile, “Say whatever you want to say. Wan’er isn’t an outsider.”

“I told you to make them leave!” Hua Zhuyu said coldly with narrowed eyes.

Sunlight filtered through tree branches, casting a faint halo on Ji Fengli. He looked toward Hua Zhuyu, his lips slightly curved, his faint smile carrying a trace of wickedness. “Bao’er, with such a temperament, what am I to say about you? Women should be gentler, like Wan’er.”

Wen Wan nestled in Ji Fengli’s arms, turning to smile lightly at Hua Zhuyu. In that gentle, graceful smile was clearly a trace of provocation and triumph.

Hua Zhuyu’s gaze swept over Wen Wan’s face like floating clouds, then focused on Ji Fengli’s face. “Why did you have me go with Xiao Yin?”

“Xiao Yin likes you, and you like him too. Wouldn’t going with him be what you want?” he said with a smile, his voice scattered and heartless.

“Ji Fengli, I’ll say it one more time – this is the last time I’ll say it. I like you, not Xiao Yin, not Dou Qianjin, not Huangfu Wushuang, only you.”

Hearing Hua Zhuyu’s confession, Ji Fengli froze for a moment, something like emotion flashing in his eyes before disappearing instantly.

After Hua Zhuyu finished speaking word by word, without waiting for Ji Fengli to respond, she bent down and without any warning, swung her fist toward Ji Fengli’s face.

She didn’t use too much force – though not an iron fist, it was much harder than an ordinary woman’s fist. She struck mercilessly at Ji Fengli’s devastatingly handsome face. Ji Fengli’s face turned slightly, and blood immediately seeped from the corner of his lips.

Wen Wan quickly took out a handkerchief from her sleeve to wipe the blood from Ji Fengli’s lips, asking gently, “Li, are you all right?”

The scattered smile at Ji Fengli’s lips remained unchanged, not diminished by the attack, but his eyes became much more profound. He embraced Wen Wan’s waist and said in a voice so gentle it could drip water, “Wan’er, please go.”

Wen Wan stood up. As she passed Hua Zhuyu, she smiled slightly, then walked slowly around the pond and out.

Ji Fengli’s gaze followed Wen Wan reluctantly until he could no longer see her figure. Only then did he suddenly turn to look at Hua Zhuyu, his lips slightly curved, a deep smile spreading from the corner of his lips, settling in his eyes and becoming barely perceptible coldness. “Bao’er, so what if you like me? I can’t possibly live with a former dynasty remnant. Who knows if what you’re saying is true? Who knows if you hate me to the bone and might give me a knife while I’m sleeping…”

Before Ji Fengli could finish, Hua Zhuyu swung another punch.

This time he didn’t dodge either, taking her punch directly, the smile still frozen on his face like a perfect mask.

“Ji Fengli, do you really want to separate from me because I’m from the former dynasty?” Hua Zhuyu asked intently.

“Not just because of that. Also, I’m already tired of you,” he said with curved lips, smiling coldly.

Tired of her!

In an instant, Hua Zhuyu felt as if pierced by ten thousand arrows, the pain cutting to the bone. She nodded repeatedly, “Tired of me. Good, very good. I suppose Miss Wen has already moved to live in Qifeng Palace?”

Ji Fengli raised his eyebrows, “Qifeng Palace is where she should have lived all along!”

Qifeng Palace – the palace where empresses of all dynasties had resided. He was finally going to marry Wen Wan as empress.

“You’re the one who wanted me to go with Xiao Yin, aren’t you?” Though knowing it was him, Hua Zhuyu still asked unwillingly.

“Bao’er, I have no right to decide who you go with. I heard Dou Qianjin also wants to take you away. You’ve really accumulated quite a few romantic debts. You can choose for yourself,” Ji Fengli said with a smile, sitting behind the table playing with the folding fan in his hands.

“Good, very good! Let me ask you one last question – do you love me?” That night, the words he whispered in her ear about staying together through life and death, never to part – were those her hallucination?

Ji Fengli’s lips curved upward as he said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, “Bao’er, though you’ve put on a dress, what emanates from your whole being is still a man’s aura. I think you should understand what I mean by saying this.”

Hua Zhuyu drew in a sharp breath, looking down at the dress she wore. The spring breeze blew gently, lifting her trailing long dress in a light dance.

The light red brocade long dress had a wide skirt that spread like smoke and mist across the ground. The gentle breeze lifted it, making the dress flutter and fly. With wide sleeves and a slender waist that could barely be grasped, only a pearl-white hairpin adorned her hair bun while the rest cascaded like ink over her shoulders. A jade pendant hung at her waist, and bright moon earrings graced her ears.

To meet him, Nongyu had specially dressed her for a long time. But he said she resembled a man.

Hearing his merciless words and seeing the indifferent, distant smile at the corner of his lips, Hua Zhuyu felt as if the heartstrings that had been taut with anticipation for his answer all snapped at once in this instant.

Hua Zhuyu suddenly turned and left without looking at Ji Fengli again.

These days, she had grown accustomed to wearing skirts, but today she carelessly stepped on the hem and nearly stumbled to the ground. Behind her came Ji Fengli’s unrestrained laughter.

In this moment, Hua Zhuyu suddenly realized she actually didn’t understand him – she didn’t understand what kind of man she had fallen in love with. She didn’t know to what extent he could be affectionate, nor to what extent he could be heartless. She didn’t understand what all their tender care and love these days had meant – was it all just to make her leave so wretchedly one day? To let her taste what it was like to be pampered to the clouds by him only to fall into the mud? If that was the case, then he had won.

The afternoon sunlight suddenly became very cold, shining on her body like ice and snow, making even her heart turn cold.

She walked all the way out of the palace on foot. Along the way, spring scenery was alluring, flowers bloomed everywhere – it was the most beautiful season of the year in Yu Capital. All the scenery seemed taken from a painting, colorful and beautiful beyond measure.

But no matter how beautiful the scenery, at this moment it couldn’t enter Hua Zhuyu’s eyes.