Because Xiao Yin’s injuries were severe and unsuitable for carriage travel, the group decided to first take the water route for part of the journey.

Hua Zhuyu stood on the deck. The river wind was strong, and she looked back toward the shore, but until the large ship set sail, the person she hoped to see still didn’t appear. She had once promised him she would never return to Northern Dynasty with Xiao Yin. Now she was breaking her word, hoping to see if he would come out to stop her. But he didn’t!

“The wind is strong – be careful not to catch cold!” Tai brought a brocade cloak and draped it over Hua Zhuyu’s shoulders.

“Let’s go inside!” Hua Zhuyu smiled faintly, stood up and entered the cabin.

The river wind was fierce, white waves rolled, and the large ship set sail northward.

On the cliff beside the Blue River, Ji Fengli stood facing the wind. His moon-colored brocade robes fluttered wildly in the wind as he gazed at the large ship growing more distant. Deep in his heart, it felt as if a sharp blade had carved out a hole – that emptiness, that pain, like the surging river water, instantly drowning him.

She had left! She had walked out of his life, even out of his very existence. In this lifetime, he might never see her again.

Her smile, her tenderness, her willfulness, her kisses, her tears – from now on they could only remain in his heart, appear in his dreams. He would never possess them again.

He would carve her deeply into his life, while she, years later, would no longer remember him.

Half a month later, the group finally reached Northern Dynasty. Xiao Yin was now emperor, and Hua Zhuyu also resided with him in Northern Dynasty’s imperial palace.

Xiao Yin’s injuries still hadn’t completely healed, which puzzled Hua Zhuyu. She knew Xiao Yin had been severely wounded, but with his profound internal energy, he should have recovered by now.

“Hui Xue, what do the imperial physicians say about His Majesty’s illness?” Upon reaching Northern Dynasty’s royal court, Hui Xue was still assigned by Xiao Yin to serve her.

Hui Xue sighed lightly, “His Majesty’s illness isn’t just from his injuries, but also from the ailment left by his previous qi deviation.”

“Qi deviation?” Hua Zhuyu asked gravely. Xiao Yin had suffered qi deviation?

Hui Xue said clearly, “There are some things that, thinking about them now, perhaps this servant did wrong. Some things perhaps shouldn’t have been hidden from you back then. You probably still don’t know why His Majesty remembers others but forgot only you.”

Hua Zhuyu nodded. Last time in Northern Dynasty she had asked Hui Xue, but Hui Xue had refused to tell her.

Hui Xue smiled sadly, “His Majesty’s amnesia was caused by practicing a certain internal art. This internal art has been passed down through Northern Dynasty’s royal family for generations. Practicing for forty-nine days would cause one’s power to surge dramatically. But once mastered, one would forget emotions, forget the person they loved most, and never be moved by love again. His Majesty practiced this internal art, and the person he forgot was you.”

Hua Zhuyu’s heart sank suddenly. So this was how it was.

“Before meeting you, His Majesty had always rejected romantic love. He believed men should take hegemony as their duty and shouldn’t be trapped by romantic feelings. So from childhood, he didn’t reject practicing this internal art. When he returned to Northern Dynasty from Southern Dynasty, the Grand Emperor was gravely ill and about to pass away. Before dying, he passed the internal art’s mental techniques to him and forced him to practice it. Because His Majesty had traveled thousands of li pursuing you to Southern Dynasty, the Grand Emperor realized His Majesty had developed unusual feelings for you. At that time, in the Grand Emperor’s mind, you were still Northern Dynasty’s princess, His Majesty’s sister – he wouldn’t allow siblings to fall in love. So he forced His Majesty to practice this internal art. His Majesty was also troubled by liking his own sister at the time. He probably thought his feelings for you might not be love, just a brother’s affection for his sister, so even practicing the emotion-forgetting internal art wouldn’t make him forget you. Who knew that after practicing for seven days, he learned from Lady Bai Ma that you weren’t his sister. He immediately wanted to stop continuing the practice, but soon suffered qi deviation and nearly died. After recovering, he could no longer remember you.”

Hua Zhuyu remained silent. So ultimately, all of this was still related to her. If she hadn’t impersonated his sister, perhaps his father emperor wouldn’t have forced him to practice this martial art. Perhaps some things would have changed. But there are no “perhaps” in this world.

“But how did he remember me again? And why didn’t you tell me the truth back then?” Hua Zhuyu asked somewhat puzzled.

Hui Xue smiled bitterly, “Haven’t you noticed that His Majesty no longer has any internal power?”

Hua Zhuyu was startled, remembering when Xiao Yin blocked Huangfu Wushuang’s sword for her – if his internal power had been strong enough, he could have completely dodged instead of switching positions with her and taking that sword.

“What happened?” Hua Zhuyu asked with furrowed brows.

“Back then in Northern Dynasty, you had asked me why His Majesty lost his memory, and I didn’t tell you. I was worried that if you knew, you would tell His Majesty. But even though none of us told him, he knew he had once loved someone. At that time, there was a portrait of Wen Wan in his study, so he thought it was Wen Wan. We didn’t tell him Wen Wan wasn’t the one he loved because we feared he would go looking for you, feared he would find you and want to remember you. But what we worried about still happened. Ever since His Majesty came to Southern Dynasty and learned you were a woman, though he didn’t remember you, he was certain you were the one he loved because he knew you had been a marriage alliance princess. Later, to remember you, he destroyed his internal power.”

“Destroyed his internal power?” That Xiao Yin had actually destroyed his internal power was unbelievable to Hua Zhuyu. Xiao Yin’s internal power should have been cultivated since childhood, requiring at least twenty years of practice, yet he had simply destroyed it.

“Yes, because only by destroying all internal power was there a possibility of remembering you. This was what we feared back then. We didn’t want him to get close to you, but ultimately we still couldn’t stop it,” Hui Xue said with a sigh.

Hua Zhuyu stood by the window, completely silent.

Xiao Yin’s condition fluctuated – sometimes better, sometimes worse. Without internal power to protect his body, he healed extremely slowly. The imperial physicians said he needed a blood lotus to safely recover; otherwise, he would still be in mortal danger.

Snow lotus wasn’t rare in Northern Dynasty, but blood lotus was different – extremely difficult to find and bloomed only once every hundred years. For several months, Northern Dynasty’s imperial guards had been searching the mountains for blood lotus. By September, they found a blood lotus on a peak where the snow mountains met Lianyun Mountain, but it wasn’t yet time for blooming.

Just when everyone was despairing, Huangfu Wushang arrived in Northern Dynasty carrying a blood lotus. Huangfu Wushang came to Northern Dynasty for two reasons: to deliver the blood lotus, and to propose marriage to Dan Hong. In July, Dan Hong had given birth to a baby girl. As the father, Huangfu Wushang was determined to marry the child’s mother.

Xiao Yin readily agreed. Since giving birth, Dan Hong’s heart had been completely occupied by the child. She also happily agreed to Huangfu Wushang’s proposal.

Hua Zhuyu was very happy for Dan Hong. Perhaps even Dan Hong herself didn’t know that she had feelings for Huangfu Wushang too!

In early November, the wedding procession arrived in Northern Dynasty. Xiao Yin’s injuries had healed, and Hua Zhuyu requested to return to Southern Dynasty with the wedding party, since she was due to give birth in the twelfth month – she couldn’t very well have the child born in Northern Dynasty. Though Xiao Yin tried desperately to persuade her to stay, Hua Zhuyu refused.

The past between him and her ultimately became the most beautiful flower, dried and preserved forever in their hearts.

This day the weather was clear.

Outside Shangjing City was an endless grassland where one could see very far. Xiao Yin rode in the direction the wedding procession had taken, galloping for a long time. A gyrfalcon circled and glided in the clouds above his head.

The big black horse galloped fast, wind whistling past, his dark cloak flying wildly behind him. One man and one horse rushed across the grassland.

He didn’t know how long he would follow them, but right now, besides seeing them off, he didn’t know what else he could do.

At the foot of Lianyun Mountain, he finally reined in his steed.

His sister had married far away. The woman he loved had departed.

He held his horse on a high slope, with guards not daring to approach, standing solemnly a hundred steps away.

The evening wind was bitter, the setting sun silent. The blood-red dying sun cast his tall shadow on the ground, very long, very long…

Returning to Southern Dynasty, Hua Zhuyu temporarily lived at Qingxin Temple. Old Lady Hua had already devoted herself to Buddhism and was practicing at Qingxin Temple. Qingxin Temple wasn’t far from Yu Capital, but she didn’t go to Yu Capital.

In the early morning, the sky was somewhat overcast and the temperature dropped suddenly. Hua Zhuyu nestled in her quarters, sewing clothes and hats for the baby soon to be born, stitch by stitch, embroidering with great care. These tasks she wouldn’t have done before. These days, for the child’s sake, she had learned quite well.

“Yu’er, stop working and talk with Grandmother,” Old Lady Hua entered wearing simple gray robes.

Hua Zhuyu put down her work, stood up to help Old Lady Hua sit down, poured a cup of tea and placed it on the table, smiling, “Grandmother, no morning prayers today?”

“Yu’er, Grandmother is worried about you. You look so haggard – you have something on your mind, don’t you? I heard from Dan Hong that the child in your womb is His Majesty’s?”

Hua Zhuyu nodded, saying softly, “Yes!”

Old Lady Hua sighed deeply, lovingly stroking her head with pity in her eyes, “You child, you’ve been like this since small – keeping pain in your heart without speaking it. Come, sit down. I have some things to tell you about Mo Kingdom.” Old Lady Hua gripped Hua Zhuyu’s cold hands and smiled, “Grandmother just wants to tell you not to think too much about some things. No matter what identity you once had or what identity you possess now, none of it really matters. Mo Kingdom is already destroyed. It didn’t perish because of Emperor Yan or Southern Dynasty, but like an aged person, it truly reached the time when it should perish. Your father emperor Mu Ye’s death and Mo Kingdom’s destruction can’t be blamed on others. Your father Hua Mu was too obsessed – it was also my oversight that I didn’t know he spent his entire life plotting restoration.”

“Grandmother, do you really think this way?” Hua Zhuyu asked quietly. All along, she had thought Grandmother knew about Father Hua Mu’s plans, never imagining Grandmother would be so open-minded.

Old Lady Hua smiled lovingly, “Yes, Grandmother also once grieved, also once felt angry, also once harbored resentment. I struggled for a very long time before letting go of the past. Now that Grandmother has found affinity with Buddha, I’ve seen through everything even more clearly. Yu’er…” Old Lady Hua paused, then said slowly, “Yu’er might not know that Grandmother was once also a princess of Mo Kingdom.”

“Grandmother, you were once also a princess of Mo Kingdom?” Old Lady Hua’s last sentence stirred waves in Hua Zhuyu’s heart, and she couldn’t help asking again.

Originally, she had felt that Father Hua Mu was definitely not an ordinary minister of Mo Kingdom, but it turned out Grandmother had also once been a princess of Mo Kingdom.

Old Lady Hua nodded lightly, “Yes, I am your father emperor’s aunt, your grandfather’s sister, your great-aunt.” Old Lady Hua’s face bore a gentle and calm smile.

Hua Zhuyu felt many emotions in her heart. When she learned that Hua Mu wasn’t her birth father, she thought there was no longer any blood relationship between her and Grandmother. But it turned out they still shared the same blood. Having personally experienced national destruction and family ruin, the scars in Grandmother’s heart must be deeper than hers.

“Yu’er, since you love him, go find him,” Old Lady Hua gently stroked Hua Zhuyu’s face, “Someday you’ll forget you’re Mo Kingdom’s princess. Don’t carry too much hatred and resentment. You need only live happily, not bear heavy burdens to restore that hopeless realm. Forget everything and just follow your heart.”

Hua Zhuyu nodded lightly. Actually, she had never harbored much hatred or resentment. The problem between her and Ji Fengli still puzzled her. The man who had once loved her so much, who had so forcefully wanted to keep her by his side, had suddenly let go one day. He said it was because she was a former dynasty remnant, but was Ji Fengli really such a person? Would he care that she was from the former dynasty?

“Madam, Princess Kang has come to visit,” a young nun announced quietly outside. Huangfu Wushang was now re-enfeoffed as Prince Kang, and Princess Kang was Dan Hong.

Old Lady Hua stood up, “Yu’er, spend some time with Dan Hong. Grandmother is going to morning prayers.”

Hua Zhuyu nodded, seeing Old Lady Hua out, then saw Dan Hong approaching quickly wrapped in fox fur.

“It’s really gotten cold – it looks like it might snow,” Dan Hong said as she entered, stamping her feet and hanging her fox fur on the clothes rack.

Hua Zhuyu smiled, “Why did you come out in such cold weather instead of staying home with the child?”

Dan Hong rubbed her hands together, “General, don’t you want to go to the palace to see His Majesty?”

“What would I see him for? He’s probably enjoying matrimonial bliss with his empress. If I went, wouldn’t I spoil the mood?” Hua Zhuyu said lightly.

“What empress? Ji Fengli hasn’t named an empress!” Dan Hong said with furrowed brows.

Hua Zhuyu was somewhat surprised. These days, she had never actively inquired about Ji Fengli’s news. She had thought he had already made Wen Wan empress.

Dan Hong sighed, her beautiful face showing a trace of sadness, “There’s something I don’t know if I should tell you. Yesterday I thought about it all day and discussed it with Wushang for a long time. We still felt we shouldn’t hide it from you.”

“What is it?” Dan Hong’s grave expression made Hua Zhuyu’s heart sink, and a panic instantly gripped her.

“See for yourself,” Dan Hong took out a scroll from her sleeve and handed it to Hua Zhuyu.

“What is this?” Hua Zhuyu asked puzzledly. For some reason, her heart suddenly began beating uncontrollably, vaguely sensing this concerned Ji Fengli. With trembling hands, she unrolled the scroll. It turned out to be a transcribed imperial edict – but it was a deathbed edict.

There were many words on it that Hua Zhuyu didn’t bother reading. She only looked at the end, which wrote: “Lady Hua, this emperor’s princess consort during his regency, possesses noble character and both literary and martial cultivation, and shall certainly be able to undertake the great succession and inherit this emperor’s throne…” It went on to say she could remarry, could change the dynastic name, and that civil and military officials should fully support her.

Hua Zhuyu felt dizzy, staring wide-eyed as she read each character again. There was no mistake – it was ordering her to ascend the throne.

“There’s also this – take a look,” Dan Hong produced another book with three large characters on the cover: “Imperial Records.” Hua Zhuyu knew this recorded the lives of successive emperors.

Dan Hong turned to the last few pages for Hua Zhuyu to read the account there. It was entirely about her using clever strategies to pacify Western Liang and defeat Northern Dynasty.

Ji Fengli had attributed all the military achievements to her. Hua Zhuyu turned another page to find an account of Ji Fengli’s achievements during his reign. Strictly speaking, they weren’t achievements but mistakes. It said that during his reign he accomplished nothing, was incompetent and tyrannical, delighted in killing loyal ministers, was heartless and unrighteous, with unforgivable crimes… Finally, the people could endure no more and overthrew his tyranny, supporting her, Hua Zhuyu, as emperor.

“What… what does this mean?” Hua Zhuyu asked in a trembling voice. Ji Fengli – he wanted her to ascend the throne, and to give this successor a legitimate reason, he didn’t hesitate to slander his own reputation, leaving the image of an incompetent tyrant in the history books.

“After His Majesty rescued Wushang, he showed him the deathbed edict and asked him to fully support you in the future. Wushang had long since lost any desire to be emperor and naturally agreed readily. When I returned to Southern Dynasty this time, Wushang told me about this. I felt that since this concerned you, you should know. So I begged Wushang to copy down this deathbed edict for you to see. His Majesty wants you to be empress, to return this realm to the former dynasty. He doesn’t care at all that you’re from the former dynasty,” Dan Hong said quietly.

“What’s wrong with Ji Fengli?” Hua Zhuyu’s mind raced like lightning, sensing something was wrong with Ji Fengli. Otherwise he wouldn’t write such a deathbed edict. She squinted and looked again at the date on the edict: First Year of Taiping, Fourth Month, Eighteenth Day, midnight.

April 18th?

Hua Zhuyu thought carefully and suddenly realized April 18th was the day Ji Fengli ascended the throne. On the very night of his coronation, he had written this deathbed edict.

Hua Zhuyu slowly stood up, her face already drained of all color, trembling uncontrollably, supporting herself against the nearby table to stand steady. Blood and qi roiled in her chest, her breathing obstructed – she couldn’t even catch her breath.

“Take me to see him!” she said coldly.

Dan Hong was frightened by Hua Zhuyu’s appearance and said with concern, “General, what’s wrong with you?”

Before she could finish speaking, Hua Zhuyu had already rushed out the door. The carriage Dan Hong had arrived in was stopped outside the temple gate. She went directly to the carriage and ordered the driver to head for Yu Capital, not even bothering to inform Ping, An, Kang, and Tai who lived at the foot of the mountain.

Throughout the journey, she didn’t say a word. The carriage curtains blocked the outside scenery, and she had no mood to look at landscapes. Once a person’s heart is concerned with something, nothing can enter their eyes or heart.

After traveling for an unknown time, when the carriage stopped and Hua Zhuyu lifted the curtain to get out, the sky was so overcast it was impossible to tell if it was noon or evening.

Snowflakes were falling from the sky.

One piece, another piece, yet another piece…

Each one seemed like a flying blade, stabbing her eyes, stabbing her heart.

The wind was fierce, snow swirled, and trees and ground gradually turned white.

She stopped and saw clearly that this was the peach grove outside Taoyuan Residence.

In spring, this place had tree after tree of rouge fire, blooming as if spending an entire lifetime. Now the flowers had fallen to mud, bare branches covered with white snow, everything white and vast, very beautiful – beautiful enough to make one’s heart feel desolate, beautiful enough to cause worry, as if it might melt away at any moment.

Dan Hong had the carriage bring her here – could it be that Ji Fengli was living at Taoyuan Residence?

Walking through the peach grove step by step very quickly, the forest was very quiet, only the sound of her feet crunching on snow could be heard.

Passing by the lakeside, she suddenly heard ethereal flute music drifting from afar. The melody familiar to her bones sounded indescribably mournful and desolate in the flying snow.

Turning past several peach trees, she saw the lake surface glimmering with snow light.

Goose-feather snowflakes danced and spun like butterflies in the sudden wind.

He stood motionless in the lake’s light and snowy scene. His figure under the white snow was so thin, wide sleeves dancing lightly in the wind, robes fluttering, as if his entire being could be blown away by the wind at any moment.

That silhouette radiated bone-deep desolation and coldness, making her heart instantly ache. Her feet seemed rooted and unable to move.

Snowflakes drifted with the gentle, lingering flute music.

Hua Zhuyu stood silently for a long time, then lifted her feet and slowly walked toward him.

The flute music suddenly stopped. Without turning his head, he said coldly, “Didn’t I say not to disturb me? Didn’t you hear?” That voice etched in her memory carried deep coolness, drifting over leisurely.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart ached, her steps paused, then continued forward.

“How dare you treat my words as wind…” He spun around abruptly, but upon seeing who it was, his figure suddenly swayed, his words stopping abruptly. His phoenix eyes instantly filled with complex emotions – surprise, joy, pain.

Hua Zhuyu stared at him, her heart suddenly overcome with great grief.

Ji Fengli – what had happened to him? She had never imagined that after just a few months apart, his complexion would be so pale, dressed in white robes, appearing so cold and haggard.

Their gazes clung to each other as if experiencing vast changes, unwilling to move even slightly, as if wanting to carve each other’s faces into their hearts, never to fade.

Ji Fengli seemed dazed, walking step by step slowly to her front, tremblingly extending his hand, fingers touching her cheek, gently stroking inch by inch, carefully taking her into his arms.

The two embraced tightly in the wind and snow for a very long time, neither speaking.

Snowflakes danced around them, wind swirled around them. At this moment, in this world besides each other, there was no one else.

“Am I dreaming?” he said hoarsely, extending his finger to brush away the hair from her forehead, his fingers moving to gently stroke her eyebrows and eyes.

“You’re not dreaming. It’s me – I’ve come,” Hua Zhuyu held him tightly around the waist with desperate determination.

Ji Fengli suddenly trembled all over, extending his hand to push her away forcefully, shouting coldly, “Get away! Who told you to come!”

Hua Zhuyu staggered several steps before steadying herself. Looking at him again, she saw him breathing heavily, a trace of blood trickling down from the corner of his lips.

“What’s wrong with you?” Hua Zhuyu grabbed Ji Fengli’s arm, asking anxiously.

Ji Fengli breathed heavily, his face changing from pale to dark, cold sweat continuously trickling down his forehead as if in extreme pain. Fearing Hua Zhuyu would worry, he forced a pale smile at the corner of his lips. “Bao’er, I’m fine. You should go.” He coughed violently several times, pressing his chest and trying to endure, but ultimately couldn’t hold back a mouthful of blood that sprayed out, slowly closing his eyes.

“Someone come! Quickly, someone come!” Hua Zhuyu shouted loudly.

Ji Shui and Ji Yue appeared from somewhere, and seeing Ji Fengli collapse, besides grief, they didn’t seem surprised. The two carried Ji Fengli into the house while A’Gui, hearing the commotion, arrived and pressed several major acupoints on Ji Fengli’s body.

“Physician Gui, what’s wrong with him? What illness is this?” Hua Zhuyu asked urgently.

A’Gui’s expression was complex, his eyes full of grief as he stared intently at Hua Zhuyu, “Do you truly not know why His Majesty is gravely ill?”

Hua Zhuyu shook her head, forcing herself to calm down, though her fingers in her wide sleeves kept trembling without her knowing. “Please tell me, Physician Gui.”

A’Gui suddenly laughed with desolation, saying quietly, “His Lordship has been poisoned by a type of gu. Each time this gu poison flares up, the gu worms not only devour the heart but also gnaw at the eight extraordinary meridians. When it strikes, the person experiences living hell, wishing for death.”

Wishing for death? Hua Zhuyu’s heart felt as if struck by a heavy hammer. That pain started from her heart and spread all the way to her fingertips and hair ends – everywhere hurt.

“How can this gu poison be cured?” Hua Zhuyu grabbed A’Gui, asking desperately.

“If there were a cure, His Majesty wouldn’t have let you leave him. This poison has no antidote!” A’Gui said gravely.

Those last words were like giant waves on the sea – their massive impact was too powerful, instantly shattering Hua Zhuyu’s heart to pieces.

Hua Zhuyu tightly closed her eyes, her entire being seeming to sink into an ice cellar, bone-chillingly cold. In her chest, countless sharp blades seemed to grow, continuously tormenting her heart. She felt as if half of her had died.

So he knew he was poisoned by gu, which was why he let her go. He knew the gu poison was incurable, so he arranged everything for her.

Did he think that if he wasn’t there, giving her a realm would let her live well?

Did he think she would forget him so easily?

She didn’t know how to describe her current feelings. She was very angry, angry enough to want to scold him, but more than that was heartache and sorrow.

Her lower abdomen suddenly ached with a falling pain. Hua Zhuyu quickly placed her hand on her belly. Child, are you also affected by your mother’s pain? Do you also know your father is ill? She shed tears sadly, her head spinning, darkness sweeping before her eyes.

When Hua Zhuyu woke up, it was already dark. Outside the window, heavy snow continued falling with no sign of stopping.

A fire burned in the room, warm and quiet. As soon as she woke, she wanted to get out of bed to check on Ji Fengli. Upon sitting up, she realized her hand was being held by a pair of large hands.

Beside the bed, Ji Fengli was sleeping with his head down. Lamplight shone through the glass shade, gently illuminating his face. His lowered long lashes cast shadows under his eyes, hiding those rippling black eyes.

Hua Zhuyu held her breath, slowly raising her arm to gently touch his cheek.

She hadn’t known he was poisoned so severely. Thinking of the pain he had been enduring all along, her heart felt torn apart. During his most painful times, she hadn’t been by his side but had instead gone to Northern Dynasty. At that time, his heart must have been extremely sad, yet he could only bear it alone in silence.

Ji Fengli stirred, reaching out to grasp Hua Zhuyu’s wrist, slowly opening his eyes.

“Bao’er!” A faint smile appeared on his pale face, his eyes deep as night instantly rippling with light.

“Li, does it still hurt?” Hua Zhuyu raised her hand, her slender fingers moving to his temples, gently massaging.

“I hurt a little each day – I’m already used to it,” he said quietly, his voice carrying a trace of bitterness. He sat up and gently held her in his arms, placing his hand on her protruding belly, stroking it over and over. The child in her womb seemed to sense his touch and began moving. Ji Fengli was startled, raising his eyebrows and saying, “Bao’er, our baby is moving.”

Hua Zhuyu looked at Ji Fengli’s childlike smiling face, her heart aching, “The baby knows you’re his father. The baby missed you too.”

Ji Fengli smiled and nodded, his phoenix eyes misty with tears as he more gently caressed Hua Zhuyu’s belly.

“Li, when did you know I was pregnant?” Hua Zhuyu asked softly.

Ji Fengli said quietly, “I went to Northern Dynasty to see you several times!”

He wouldn’t forget how, when he saw her swollen figure, he had struggled so hard to suppress the desire to rush up and hold her.

Hua Zhuyu was startled – no wonder she sometimes felt watched when going out in Northern Dynasty. So he had secretly come to Northern Dynasty to see her.

“You’re so hateful, you’re a liar,” Hua Zhuyu tried hard not to think about or mention his gu poisoning, but ultimately couldn’t hold back, tears silently sliding down her cheeks.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why?” she asked sadly.

Ji Fengli was stunned, his expression maintaining its usual composure, but a strange emotion flashed in his eyes, “Bao’er, you really don’t know I’m poisoned by gu?”

“If you don’t tell me, how would I know?” she said resentfully, angry about his long deception.

“Bao’er, don’t cry.” Her tears seemed to drip into his heart, making his whole heart ache and shatter.

“How can I not be angry? Just because you’re ill, you drive me away? Why won’t you let me stay and accompany you? Do you think I’ll be happy if you leave me all of Southern Dynasty? I don’t want anything – I only want you.” Nestled in his arms, she held him tightly, like a drowning person clutching the last piece of driftwood.

“Bao’er, don’t be sad,” he gently patted her back, softly coaxing her. He tried to make his voice sound light, as if he didn’t care about his own life or death. But his heart was so bitter. He had indeed taken life and death lightly, but in the moment of seeing her again, his heartstrings trembled violently with reluctance. Heaven knew how much he couldn’t bear to leave her.

“Bao’er, I’m fine. Even if I leave, you must take good care of yourself,” he said with raised lips, a faint smile slowly spreading across his pale, bloodless face, gentle and elegant.

Hua Zhuyu closed her eyes, feeling something fall from her chest and shatter into pieces.

Ji Fengli’s gu poison attacks became more and more frequent, and he slept more and more. Every time she saw him sleeping on the bed, she was afraid he wouldn’t wake up.

This day, after the snow cleared, Hua Zhuyu moved a soft chair and helped Ji Fengli sit in the peach grove to bask in the sun. Sunlight filtered through snow-laden branches, illuminating Ji Fengli’s pale face in countless reflections. His long lashes curved slightly upward, his eyes holding a faint smile.

“Bao’er, the plum grove in the imperial garden must be very beautiful at this time. Let’s go walk in the plum grove,” Ji Fengli said with a smile.

Hua Zhuyu frowned, “The imperial garden is very far from here. I’ll go – I’ll cut some plum branches to put in a vase in the room.”

“That’s good!” Ji Fengli said with a smile.

Hua Zhuyu nodded, “Then I’ll go. You stay here and bask in the sun obediently.”

Ji Fengli smiled, his long phoenix eyes curving into beautiful crescents. Hua Zhuyu turned and left. Ji Fengli gazed deeply at her retreating figure, his eyes burning with bone-deep tenderness. When her figure disappeared into the peach grove, his gaze gradually dimmed.

“Lan Bing, Tang Yu, come out,” Ji Fengli said lightly.

From the peach grove, Lan Bing and Tang Yu slowly emerged.

“Your Majesty, are you really going to leave?” Lan Bing asked with furrowed brows.

Ji Fengli nodded, a trace of determination sliding through his deep eyes. He couldn’t let her watch him die – that would make her suffer, and he didn’t want her to suffer. Even if he died, his heart would ache for her.

A carriage silently passed through the peach grove and stopped in front of Taoyuan Residence. Just as Ji Fengli was about to board the carriage, An and Tai quickly emerged from the forest. They had learned from Old Lady Hua that Hua Zhuyu had come to the palace and had arrived two days earlier.

An stepped forward and said gravely, “Your Majesty, you’re leaving just like this? Don’t you think this will make her even sadder?”

Ji Fengli said lightly, “I’m afraid of her being sad. I don’t want her to see my final state – this way she can quickly forget me.”

Hearing this, An suddenly laughed, “Do you think she’ll ever forget you in this lifetime? Don’t you know that last time, when you staged your fake death, she nearly followed you? She bribed many officials at the execution ground, wanting to fake your death to save you, not knowing you had already arranged the fake death yourself. When she thought you were truly killed by her, when Tang Yu brought people to kill her, she didn’t even dodge. Falling into the water, she didn’t even struggle once. When I rescued her, she was unconscious, constantly calling your name.”

Tai said gravely, “That day she held a determination to die. If I hadn’t rescued her in time, she probably wouldn’t be in this world anymore. Later, if not for clearing your name, I think she wouldn’t have lived. During Huangfu Wushuang’s wedding, do you know why Xiao Yin pointed out that Dan Hong was Northern Dynasty’s princess? It was to clear your name of treason. She begged him to do so.”

Hearing this, Tang Yu hurriedly knelt before Ji Fengli, “Your Majesty, this subject deserves ten thousand deaths.” Driven by revenge that day, thinking about it now, she indeed hadn’t dodged.

“Could it really be so? That time, this subject also noticed our departure from the execution ground was smoother than we expected,” Lan Bing said quietly.

But Ji Fengli seemed not to hear. He closed his eyes, and deep in his heart, a pain exploded – more painful than the gu poison’s torment. He had always thought she hated him, always believed she stayed in the palace for Hua Mu. Especially after learning she was a former dynasty princess, he was even more convinced she stayed with ulterior motives.

She had said she loved him, said it more than once. But he had never believed her. He always thought she loved someone else. He always thought she was using him, and he was willing to be used by her. No matter why she stayed, as long as she stayed. But he still felt panic constantly because he feared she would leave, so he imprisoned her and hurt her. Because of this, when he learned he was deeply poisoned by gu, he didn’t hesitate to drive her away.

All along, he felt he was forcing things, determined to grasp happiness that didn’t belong to him.

He never knew that the love he dreamed of, the deep affection he thought he would never receive in this lifetime, had already come to him long ago.

He covered his chest and coughed violently several times, feeling his heart beating more and more fiercely, like flames burning.

“I want to see her!” he said slowly, word by word, his dark phoenix eyes flashing with strange light, deep and compelling.

Hua Zhuyu stood in the plum grove. Before her, hundreds of plum trees bloomed in competition. A gentle breeze swept by, carrying the subtle fragrance of sparse plum blossoms everywhere.

A’Gui had said, Tai had said, all the imperial physicians in the palace had said – the gu poison was deep, probably wouldn’t survive this winter. He probably wouldn’t even see their child.

Why was it like this?

You said you’d take my hand and grow old together. You said you’d accompany me through life after life. You said you live when I live, you die when I die. But now you’re going to abandon me and our child.

She sat on an ancient, crude mountain stone, gazing up at the plum blossoms filling the forest in a daze, seemingly having something warm flow from her eyes, streaming freely down her cheeks.

Light footsteps sounded ahead. Hua Zhuyu wiped away her tears and looked up hazily. Under the plum trees ahead, Jin Se stood calmly – someone she hadn’t seen for a long time. Her figure was thin, her dress fluttering in the wind like a fallen flower.

Hua Zhuyu hadn’t expected to see Jin Se here. But was this still the Jin Se of before? Pale and haggard, with an indifferent, emotionless expression – completely different from the past.

Hua Zhuyu took out a handkerchief and quietly wiped the tears from her face.

“Jin Se, where have you been all this time?” she looked at Jin Se, unable to describe her feelings. After all, Jin Se was just one of Hua Mu’s chess pieces.

“Where? Naturally I’ve been imprisoned by him all along,” Jin Se said with a bitter smile. Her gaze swept from Hua Zhuyu’s abdomen to her face, suddenly smiling, but the sorrow in that smile still pierced Hua Zhuyu’s eyes.

Hua Zhuyu never expected that Jin Se had been imprisoned by Ji Fengli all along. She suddenly remembered a question – who was the princess originally exchanged with Huangfu Wushuang, the princess taken away by Hua Mu?

“Jin Se, are you in the imperial palace now?” Hua Zhuyu asked slowly.

“Yes, I’m in the palace, living in the palace’s Buddhist hall. There’s a person there who just told me she’s my mother,” Jin Se curved her lips in a mocking smile.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart chilled – the one living in the palace’s Buddhist hall was Empress Nie.

“Jin Se…” Looking at Jin Se, who was as calm as a ghost, Hua Zhuyu suddenly had no words. At this moment, whatever she said would be pale and powerless.

“Actually, from the beginning, the Prime Minister never truly trusted me. However, when he learned of the entire plan, he didn’t kill me but had me imprisoned. At that time, he thought I was pregnant with his child. But he never imagined that the person who cured his aphrodisiac wasn’t me, but you!” Jin Se said sadly. Her gaze swept over Hua Zhuyu’s face and finally rested on her protruding belly.

“So Miss is carrying his child. This means the gu poison was administered by Miss. I thought Miss truly loved him, but it turns out you were just trying to harm him!” Jin Se laughed with her face upturned, tears sliding from her eyes, “How pitiful that he loves you so much!”

Hua Zhuyu’s heart chilled. She stepped forward and grabbed Jin Se’s hand, asking urgently, “Jin Se, what are you saying?”

Jin Se smiled, “What am I saying? Don’t you know?”

Hua Zhuyu shook her head.

“You really don’t know?” Jin Se raised her eyebrows incredulously, then smiled sadly, “Stop pretending. Besides you, who else could place such gu poison on him? You remember the aphrodisiac he was given in the military camp that day? That wasn’t ordinary aphrodisiac – it was called Green Silk Bind, a drug that only takes effect after continuous inhalation for forty-nine days. Because the dose was small, hidden in candle flames, it was completely undetectable. But once affected by Green Silk Bind, it must be cured by a woman.”

“That day when I escorted grain to the camp wasn’t coincidence – I originally planned to cure the Prime Minister’s poison. Unfortunately, I arrived too late, and you cured the poison instead. I felt both heartbroken and relieved. Because Hua Mu had placed a gu poison on me called Charm Kill. Once I lay with a man, this gu poison would transfer to the man. From the name you can tell how powerful this gu poison is, right?”

“Hua Mu already knew he was Huangfu Wuxiang and was determined to eliminate him. But during the war between Southern and Northern Dynasties, he didn’t want the Prime Minister to die immediately, so he used Charm Kill, because this gu doesn’t kill instantly. But the gu poison on me was never used and remained in my body because he never touched me. But I don’t know – you also had Charm Kill gu poison on you. However, counting the days, the Charm Kill poison in the Prime Minister wasn’t from that night in the camp. It seems the gu poison on you was placed later. He loved you so much, yet you could still bear to harm him!”

Hua Zhuyu felt dizzy, her heart pierced by a sharp blade, too painful to breathe.

Charm Kill!

So the gu poison on him came from her? No wonder when she asked him, asked A’Gui, asked Lan Bing how he was poisoned, not one person would tell her.

So she had been poisoned with gu first, then transmitted it to him.

She could imagine how painful it must have been for him when he learned she was Mo Kingdom’s princess and had poisoned him with gu. Perhaps he always thought she stayed in the palace, even married him, to harm him!

But who had placed Charm Kill gu poison on her? Since he wasn’t infected that night in the camp, the gu poison on her was placed later. Who was it? Wushuang? Hua Mu? But they were both no longer in this world.

Hua Zhuyu grabbed Jin Se’s arm and pressed her pulse point, saying coldly, “Since you know about Charm Kill gu poison, tell me – is there an antidote?”

Tears slid from Jin Se’s eyes as she said sadly, “There’s no cure!”

No cure!

Everyone said there was no cure!

Sunlight filtered through sparse plum branches, shining on her face, which was pale to the point of transparency. Wind drilled into her body, bone-chillingly cold. So she was the one who harmed him!

Even if he thought she harmed him, he only bore it silently, never blaming her. Even knowing this gu poison was incurable, he still felt no resentment toward her and wanted to give her the realm. Her heart was filled with mixed feelings she couldn’t identify.

So she was the one who harmed him!

She had made him endure such long suffering. Thinking of his appearance when the gu poison attacked – wishing for death – her heart felt waves of coldness. She leaned against a plum tree, her entire being as if her soul had been extracted.

Sunlight shone through the branches onto her cheek, onto her eyes that had cried dry and could shed no more tears.

Jin Se suddenly gave a soft “ah,” her face deathly pale, straightening her spine.

Hua Zhuyu turned to look, and in an instant, felt thunderstruck.

Ji Fengli stood under a plum tree not far away, his pale face hidden in shadow, only his eyes flashing with strange brightness, fixed on her face.

Such a gaze carried bone-piercing, heart-stabbing pain. Such a gaze also carried earth-shattering deep affection, just looking at her directly like that.

When had he arrived, and how long had he been standing there?

He walked quietly toward her, each step faster than the last, finally stopping before her. Dark phoenix eyes rolled with emotional waves like the sea, finally transforming into invisible, colorless pain that went deep into his bones.

The blurred memories of that night cut into his mind like blades. He remembered how cold and heartless he had been that night.

How had he treated her then? The next day he sent her, gravely ill, to Tiger Roar Camp, married someone else, and made her take Tiger Roar Camp to the dangerous battlefield.

That night – so it was her! It was his Bao’er!

“Bao’er…” he called quietly, with infinite tenderness.

He reached out and pulled her into his arms with all his strength.

“Why, why didn’t you tell me that night was you?” He closed his eyes, moist liquid slowly trickling from the corners.

Hua Zhuyu pressed tightly against his chest, wanting this moment to last forever. But sudden sharp pain struck her lower abdomen, like steel needles violently stirring inside. She convulsed with pain, her vision darkening, cold sweat drenching her heavy clothes.

“Bao’er, what’s wrong?” Ji Fengli’s face went deathly pale with fright as he held her in alarm.

Hua Zhuyu grabbed his chest clothing, gasping, “Li, I… I think I’m going into labor!”

Ji Fengli was stunned for a moment, seemingly just understanding what she meant.

“Someone come! Prepare a sedan chair. Have the midwives ready to wait at Taoyuan Residence,” he commanded quietly, obvious panic in his voice.

Hua Zhuyu had always been slender, and these days of worry had made her extremely weak. So he was very concerned about her delivery and had already issued an imperial edict for the palace midwives to be on standby.

When Hua Zhuyu was carried back to Taoyuan Residence, the midwives were already there. Several young palace maids helped her into the room and shut the door tightly.

Ji Fengli, who had followed, was blocked outside. Guards brought a chair, but he couldn’t sit still no matter what. He paced back and forth under the corridor. A’Gui said worriedly, “Your Majesty, please rest. Don’t let the gu poison flare up.”

But how could Ji Fengli rest? When the first basin of bloody water was carried out from the room, his heart felt suddenly gripped, and nameless fear arose from his heart. Then basin after basin of bloody water was carried out, and Ji Fengli felt he was about to suffocate.

“Something’s wrong – difficult birth!” came the midwife’s voice from inside, carrying uncontrollable panic.

“The empress has fainted from pain.”

Ji Fengli’s heart tightened. Unable to endure any longer, he strode toward the door. Several young palace maids saw this and hurriedly blocked him, “Your Majesty, you can’t go in! The birthing room is an unclean place – it’s unlucky!”

“Get away!” Ji Fengli shouted coldly, his phoenix eyes full of murderous intent.

The young palace maids scattered in fright. Ji Fengli rushed into the room regardless of everything. A strong bloody smell hit his nostrils, everything was blood red, stabbing his eyes painfully, his breathing stopped, his mind instantly blank and unable to think.

How had she bled so much? It soaked her dress, soaked the bedding, flowing toward the floor.

“Bao’er…” He strode to the bedside, calling her quietly.

Hua Zhuyu’s face was white as paper, her forehead hair completely soaked with cold sweat and clinging to her forehead. Seeing her like this nearly scared him to death. With trembling hands he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead. He sat on the bed, gripping her hand tightly, whispering softly in her ear.

Hua Zhuyu endured a wave of labor pains and gradually woke from unconsciousness. Seeing him sitting on the bed, she smiled weakly, “How did you come in? Go out quickly.”

“No, I want to stay with you,” he gripped her hand tightly, bent to kiss her face, and smiled gently at her, “Bao’er, would you like to hear music?” He tried to make his voice calmer but couldn’t suppress the slight trembling.

Hua Zhuyu smiled slowly, “I want to hear ‘Weak Water.'” As soon as she finished speaking, new labor pains struck again.

Accompanying the labor pains came his flute music – melodious and lingering, flowing like water through the room. The labor pains seemed to lighten under the flute’s comfort.

Her consciousness grew increasingly hazy, only the flute music ringing in her ears. When the pain reached its peak, she held her breath and pushed. Something was squeezed out from her body.

“Push harder, push harder, there’s another one…” she heard the midwives say in unison.

She pushed desperately. After another bout of severe pain passed, she collapsed weakly. She felt herself being held, opening her eyes to see his pale, handsome face.

She felt his body trembling violently, his breathing becoming rapid. She vaguely sensed something was wrong.

“Li, what’s wrong with you?” Hua Zhuyu called anxiously.

“I’m fine,” Ji Fengli smiled gently at her, bending to kiss her with infinite tenderness.

“Bao’er, rest well and take good care of the babies,” he stood and slowly walked out. Hua Zhuyu could tell he was trying hard to suppress the pain in his body. He didn’t want her to know his gu poison was flaring up, so she pretended not to know.

She smiled as she watched him leave. As soon as he stepped outside, he collapsed.

Hua Zhuyu remembered A’Gui saying that day that if the poison flared again, it would be difficult to save him. In this moment, she felt the physical pain seemed to transfer to her heart, making her unable to breathe from pain.

Exhausted, she fell into darkness. This time, she didn’t want to wake up again, only wanting to sleep forever, together with him, in life and death, never to be separated. This time, no one could separate them.

She floated in darkness, thinking she might be dead. She felt Ji Fengli seemed to be not far away, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t reach him.

Didn’t they say that two people dying together could meet on the road to the underworld? Why couldn’t she see him? After an unknown time, she vaguely heard someone chattering by her ear.

“Bao’er… don’t sleep anymore… wake up quickly!”

“Bao’er, I’m here, right here!”

“Bao’er, if you dare die, even to the underworld I’ll chase you back.”

“Bao’er, please, wake up!”

Whose voice was this, so sad and mournful, pleading by her ear again and again?

Whose embrace was this, warm and strong, bringing her peace and security?

She slowly opened her eyes. Before her appeared Ji Fengli’s handsome, pale face.

She stared at him blankly, almost unable to breathe. She had finally found him. Looking at his rippling, radiant eyes, her lips curved slightly, blooming with a brilliant smile like spring flowers, charming and moving.

She extended her finger, slowly touching his face, saying dreamlike, “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. Li, these are your words – do you remember? But I remember, so don’t think of abandoning me. Now I’ve come – on the road to the underworld, we’ll go together.”

He bent down and pulled her tightly into his arms, “Bao’er, I’m not dead, and neither are you!” His voice said softly by her ear.

Hua Zhuyu opened her eyes wide, reaching out along his arm to touch his cheek, pinching hard. He really wasn’t dead! She rested her head on his broad chest, feeling his strong, steady heartbeat. He really wasn’t dead!

“Bao’er, my gu poison is cured!” he said quietly in her ear, reaching out to grip her hand tightly, their ten fingers interlocked, never to separate again, “Someone found Lan Bing and told him the gu poison could be cured with our children’s umbilical cord blood. A’Gui tried it, and unexpectedly, it was true!”

The gu poison had transferred from her to Ji Fengli, but unexpectedly their children’s umbilical cord blood was the antidote.

“Who was that person?” Hua Zhuyu asked quietly. Only the real gu caster would probably know how to break the gu.

“They said it was a monk in monk’s robes and straw sandals!” Ji Fengli said softly.

“Is that so? Perhaps it was an enlightened monk,” Hua Zhuyu said quietly.

Who that person was, both knew in their hearts, but neither spoke.

Ji Fengli held Hua Zhuyu tighter, as if wanting to embed her in his embrace. Intoxicating warmth emanated from his arms, making her drowsy.

Just then, a baby’s cry rang throughout the room.

Hua Zhuyu started in alarm, pushing away Ji Fengli and saying urgently, “The baby! Our baby is crying!”

Ji Fengli held her waist tightly, whispering, “It’s fine – when babies cry, they’re talking.”

“Wah!” Another baby’s cry, as if protesting their parents’ neglect.