The Muda Assembly finally reached its conclusion. On the final night, Northern Emperor Xiao Chong hosted a banquet for his ministers in the golden tent, bestowing honors upon the warriors selected during the assembly. Thanks to Xiao Yin, as the beloved of the Northern Dynasty Crown Prince, Hua Zhuyu was naturally among the invited.
At dusk, Hua Zhuyu attended the banquet alongside Xiao Yin. She knew tonight was destined to be restless—who knew how much blood would be spilled on this grassland.
Xiao Yin specifically instructed her to wear the bracelets he had given her the previous night. He told her to do nothing except cooperate with his actions—that alone would be of great help to him.
The Emperor’s golden tent was indeed extraordinary, magnificently grand and luxurious. Red carpets covered the interior, with long tables arranged throughout.
Hua Zhuyu was led inside by Xiao Yin to pay respects to the Northern Dynasty Emperor and Consort Ye.
The Northern Emperor sat upright beside a table, his star-like eyes flashing with sharp light as they fell deeply upon Hua Zhuyu. His sword-like brows furrowed as he spoke with profound, dignified authority: “Yin’er, what’s so good about this woman that’s worth such elaborate schemes to pursue her?”
The Northern Emperor was indeed Xiao Yin’s father—this dominance and arrogance were identical to Xiao Yin’s. His gaze toward Hua Zhuyu was so grave and profound. Obviously, he had been displeased with Xiao Yin picking snow lotus for her. Now, with rumors reaching his ears of Xiao Yin getting drunk and injured by assassins, then playing fiddle nightly outside her tent, his displeasure was evident.
“Indeed, though the Southern Dynasty princess who came for marriage was killed by assassins, Your Highness can’t randomly find a Southern Dynasty woman as replacement. Does Your Highness only fancy Southern Dynasty women? Our Northern Dynasty has many outstanding young ladies!” Consort Ye fanned the flames beside the Northern Emperor. She had removed her daytime face veil, revealing an enchanting, alluring countenance.
“Father Emperor, there are matters your son wishes to report tonight. This time, your son’s ability to subdue the three major tribes and unite the grassland was entirely due to Dan Hong’s merit. Originally, your son had suffered great defeat, with the three tribes about to attack the capital. Only through Dan Hong’s excellent strategy could your son turn defeat into victory and return triumphant. However, Dan Hong didn’t want your son to reveal her achievements and seeks no rewards. Father Emperor, your son believes such a woman of great wisdom and virtue, indifferent to fame and profit, would make an excellent consort for your son’s future.” Xiao Yin spoke slowly.
“I thought this woman had merely captivated Yin’er with her heavenly singing voice, but it turns out to be this.” The Northern Emperor nodded repeatedly, his stern features immediately softening considerably.
The Northern Dynasty differed from the Southern Dynasty in not particularly valuing family status. Except for political marriages, one could freely choose their beloved. Moreover, the Northern Emperor greatly valued talent—regardless of gender, anyone with virtue and ability could serve as court officials.
Upon hearing Xiao Yin’s words, Consort Ye’s beautiful face immediately showed displeasure.
However, the Northern Emperor was in excellent spirits, praising Hua Zhuyu repeatedly before having Xiao Yin seat her beside him.
The banquet began. The Northern Emperor first rewarded the warriors selected during the assembly, then entertained important court ministers and Prince Rui Dou Qianjin from Eastern Yan.
Though Northern Dynasty cuisine wasn’t as refined as Southern Dynasty food, it was extremely delicious. The tables were laden with large platters of hand-grabbed meat, milk wine, and roasted golden whole sheep, filling the tent with rich barbecue aromas.
Hua Zhuyu naturally had no appetite for food or drink, her beautiful eyes surveying the surroundings. She saw a four or five-year-old boy sitting properly beside Consort Ye. He appeared very well-behaved, speaking little, quietly cutting mutton with a small knife. This boy should be Consort Ye’s son, Xiao Yin’s half-brother Xiao Lu. True to his name, he was as cute and docile as a little deer.
Dou Qianjin sat opposite Hua Zhuyu, sipping wine while chatting and laughing with Northern Dynasty officials. He seemed to easily find common ground with others.
Xiao Yin sat beside Hua Zhuyu, his handsome face wearing a faint smile. His deep purple eyes revealed a subtle, cold concentration. He attentively used a silver knife to cut mutton slices for Hua Zhuyu’s plate and filled her wine cup, smiling gently: “Try this roasted meat—you certainly haven’t had this in the Southern Dynasty. It’s extremely delicious.”
Xiao Yin’s gentle consideration drew attention from others in the tent. Hua Zhuyu had no choice but to raise her wine cup with a light smile: “Thank you, Your Highness.” She lifted the cup and drained it in one gulp. Northern Dynasty wine was strong, but having drunk plenty of burning liquor on battlefields, she finished the cup quite boldly.
Everyone watched her unchanging expression with surprise and admiration in their gazes.
Hua Zhuyu smiled faintly and slowly set down her wine cup. The golden bells on her bracelets made clear tinkling sounds with her every movement.
Consort Ye’s gaze suddenly focused, staring fixedly at the bracelets on Hua Zhuyu’s wrists. Her expression changing uncertainly, she said: “Your Highness is truly affectionate, actually giving these bracelets to Miss Dan Hong. Miss Dan Hong must treasure them well!”
Hua Zhuyu didn’t understand why Consort Ye paid such attention to her bracelets. However, since Xiao Yin had specifically instructed her to wear them tonight, they surely held significance.
Xiao Yin smiled faintly and stood: “Speaking of which, I must thank Consort Ye for her generosity in returning my mother’s bracelets to your son. Otherwise, how could I have given them to Dan Hong?”
Upon hearing this, the Northern Emperor’s gaze also fixed on the bracelets, seemingly reminiscing about something.
After three rounds of wine, Hua Zhuyu suddenly felt rebellious qi surging in her chest, accompanied by an unfamiliar sensation quietly rising. First her hands and feet felt weak, then that torrent-like pain slowly rose from her chest.
Hua Zhuyu slowly clenched her fists, trying to calm her mind and suppress this strange feeling with internal energy. However, that sensation was like a spark—with her suppression, her entire body seemed to burn from inside out.
“Dan Hong, what’s wrong with you?” Xiao Yin’s anxious voice sounded by her ear as a warm chest embraced her. “Why is your face so red? Are you drunk? Should I call the imperial physician?”
Hua Zhuyu knew clearly that this small amount of wine couldn’t intoxicate her—she must have been poisoned.
“She’s truly delicate, getting drunk from so little wine! Is calling the imperial physician necessary?” Consort Ye’s charming voice came coldly.
An imperial physician was already present at the banquet and hurried over to check Hua Zhuyu’s pulse. Though her body felt extremely uncomfortable, her mind remained clear. She didn’t know what poison she had been given, but clearly guessed this was the cooperation Xiao Yin had requested.
From giving snow lotus to getting drunk late at night, to playing fiddle outside her tent, to publicly presenting bracelets—she understood everything now.
So it was all a scheme!
Hua Zhuyu suppressed her physical discomfort and looked up at Xiao Yin. He looked down at her, his handsome face full of anxiety and worry. The imperial physician quietly asked: “Miss Dan Hong, could you tell this official about your recent meals?”
“Dan Hong’s meals were all sent by Hui Xue on this Crown Prince’s orders. Hui Xue, tell the imperial physician about Dan Hong’s recent diet.” Xiao Yin frowned and instructed Hui Xue, who was attending nearby.
Hui Xue stepped forward and detailed Hua Zhuyu’s meals to the imperial physician. After listening, the physician pondered briefly and asked: “Besides meals, has Miss Dan Hong consumed anything else?”
Hua Zhuyu frowned slightly. She knew clearly the meals were fine—the poison must be related to the bracelets on her wrists. Otherwise, when coming to the banquet, Xiao Yin wouldn’t have insisted she wear these bracelets tonight. These bracelets would surely implicate Consort Ye, though she couldn’t understand why Consort Ye would poison an unknown woman like herself. Even if Xiao Yin greatly favored her, such a charge wouldn’t be enough to topple the Ye clan!
“No. Can you tell me what poison I’ve been given? Will I die?” Hua Zhuyu deliberately raised her hand to grab the physician’s sleeve anxiously.
The bells on her wrists made crisp sounds with her violent movements, particularly clear in the quiet tent. Indeed, the physician’s gaze was immediately drawn to the bells on Hua Zhuyu’s wrists. He frowned and asked: “Miss, did you only start wearing these bracelets recently?”
“This Crown Prince gave these to Dan Hong last night—they’re keepsakes left by my mother for this Crown Prince to give to his beloved woman!” Xiao Yin said in a low voice.
“Your Highness, may this official examine these bracelets?” the physician asked loudly.
“Imperial Physician, these bracelets certainly have no problems. Would my mother harm her future daughter-in-law?” Xiao Yin spoke casually while reaching out to remove the bracelets from Hua Zhuyu’s wrists.
The physician took the bracelets and smelled them, then turned to the Northern Emperor with a grave expression: “Your Majesty, Miss Dan Hong isn’t drunk but has been poisoned with Lovesickness Lure!”
As soon as the physician finished speaking, Hua Zhuyu felt another wave of heat surge through her body, burning until her mind became dazed and her chest began heaving violently.
Xiao Yin, you’re truly ruthless! What kind of poison is this Lovesickness Lure that you actually used on me?
Xiao Yin continued embracing her waist. Seemingly sensing her discomfort, he glanced down at her and held her even tighter.
“Lovesickness Lure? What kind of poison is this?” the Northern Emperor asked with furrowed brows.
“Lovesickness Lure is a type of curse poison specifically targeting women. Women poisoned with this curse initially show no reaction or discomfort, but it activates after two days. The Lovesickness Lure poison affecting Miss Dan Hong was planted in these bracelet bells, penetrating through the skin via gaps in the bells. Your Highness gave Miss Dan Hong these bracelets last night—by rights, it shouldn’t activate tonight. However, Miss Dan Hong consumed large amounts of alcohol tonight, prematurely triggering the curse. When Lovesickness Lure activates, it’s identical to aphrodisiac effects. Whether before or during activation, as long as she spends a night with a man, the curse poison transfers to the man. This curse is harmless to women but fatal to men.” The physician held the bracelets while explaining Lovesickness Lure’s toxicity to the Northern Emperor. The tent fell into terrible silence.
Hearing the physician’s words, Hua Zhuyu understood everything. As she’d thought, harming her wasn’t enough to topple the Ye clan—only plotting against the Crown Prince would suffice.
“So the person who poisoned Miss Dan Hong intended to poison Your Highness?” someone asked loudly.
“Indeed, if Your Highness were mysteriously harmed by this, Miss Dan Hong would certainly bear the blame. The poisoner’s intentions are truly malicious! Your Majesty must thoroughly investigate this matter.” The speaker should be a court minister supporting Xiao Yin.
The Northern Emperor narrowed his eyes, gazing coldly at Consort Ye. “I never thought you ultimately couldn’t tolerate Yin’er.” The Northern Emperor’s steady, powerful voice carried over, accompanied by fierce anger.
“Your Majesty, your concubine didn’t do this. Your Majesty bestowed these bracelets to your concubine less than two months ago, then immediately ordered your concubine to give them to the Crown Prince. These past two years, these bracelets have been in the Crown Prince’s possession—how could your concubine have poisoned them? Can curses survive two years? He must have poisoned them himself to frame your concubine!” Consort Ye knelt before the table, speaking mournfully.
“Don’t think I know nothing. As long as the bells contain nutrients, curses can survive several years! You claim Yin’er did this himself—he treasures this woman so much, willing to climb snow mountains to obtain snow lotus for her. Do you think he would poison the woman he desperately pursued? I’ve long known you couldn’t tolerate Yin’er, but I never imagined you’d be so ruthless. Just as Yin’er achieved great merit, you want to take his life!” The Northern Emperor spoke word by word, his murderous intent slowly permeating the tent with his voice.
Hua Zhuyu could no longer hear the subsequent conversation clearly, as the Lovesickness Lure poison had fully activated. She pinched her wrists hard until they bled, maintaining a thread of clarity. She knew Xiao Yin’s scheme had finally succeeded.
“Imperial Physician, quickly tell me—is there an antidote for this curse?” Xiao Yin grabbed the physician’s sleeve urgently.
“Your Highness, there’s no antidote for women because ultimately it causes no harm to them—she need only endure tonight. However, if Your Highness wishes to relieve her suffering, there is medicine. You can take the antidote beforehand, then consummate with her.” The physician spoke gravely.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yin wrapped Hua Zhuyu tightly in his arms, bowed to the Northern Emperor, then turned and left the tent, no longer concerning himself with tent affairs.
Cold wind struck outside the tent. Hua Zhuyu felt momentarily cool, but only for an instant. Moments later, indescribable pain accompanied by heat rampaged throughout her body.
“Your Highness, are you satisfied with Dan Hong’s performance tonight? Have I completely fulfilled my promise?” Hua Zhuyu’s lips curved in a distant smile as she asked breathlessly.
At the Muda Assembly, Xiao Yin had shown her endless favor, making everyone believe she was his beloved woman. Then publicly, before everyone’s eyes, he had given her the bracelets. Yet he had planted curse poison in those very bracelets.
Now these bracelets had finally become the key to successfully toppling Consort Ye. And she, this important chess piece, had been used masterfully by him.
Sometimes cold and ruthless, dignified and domineering; sometimes gentle and considerate, indulgent and loving. In the blink of an eye, changing like clouds and rain—so unfathomably deep. In this lifetime, she hoped never to become this man’s enemy.
He must have planned this scheme for a long time—probably from two years ago when he received the bracelets from Consort Ye. His so-called “cooperation” meant having her poisoned. However, if she hadn’t appeared in the Northern Dynasty, who would have been the chess piece in this scheme? She very much wanted to know whose substitute she had become.
“Why choose me? Because I’m a helpless woman without background? Or because of my promise—because I agreed to help you, you felt free to use me so unscrupulously?” Hua Zhuyu asked gently, her tone containing not a trace of hatred or resentment. Because in these days, she had experienced too much and grown accustomed to others treating her poorly. Conversely, Xiao Yin’s uncharacteristically good treatment the past two days had made her quite uncomfortable.
Xiao Yin continued carrying her quickly while adjusting his arms to make her lie more comfortably. “I’m sorry for making you suffer,” he looked down with a slow, heavy sigh. “I wouldn’t bully you because you’re helpless, nor would I casually use you because of your promise. This time, I truly had no choice. Because only a woman like you would make Father Emperor believe I truly care for you. Otherwise, with any other woman, this scheme wouldn’t have succeeded.”
Hua Zhuyu curved her lips—she really wanted to laugh aloud. Could Xiao Yin’s words be considered praise? “Thank you for thinking so highly of Dan Hong, Your Highness. Being able to contribute to Your Highness’s cause is Dan Hong’s honor. Dan Hong is truly overjoyed.”
Night had deepened. Pale moonlight poured down like clear frost, enveloping Xiao Yin’s handsome facial contours. His deep purple eyes rippled with profound guilt. Hearing Hua Zhuyu’s words, his arms holding her trembled as he embraced her even tighter.
“If there were the slightest possibility, I would absolutely never harm you. But you also know that my unification of the grassland and great achievement this time has already aroused the Ye clan’s jealousy. Brother Lu is still young, Father Emperor’s health is poor—if I don’t act now, Northern Dynasty’s power will fall into their hands. Consort Ye’s family wields enormous influence, Father Emperor favors Consort Ye, and her vulnerabilities are too difficult to find. Therefore, I had no choice but to act rashly.” He whispered by her lips, his breath brushing against her burning hot face.
The unfamiliar emotional tide that Hua Zhuyu had been suppressing could no longer be contained, pouring forth as burning fire surged upward.
This sensation was so foreign, so terrifying. She couldn’t help but moan, and in her confusion, she actually reached out her arms, inexplicably exploring inside Xiao Yin’s robes…
CRASH! The tent door was kicked open.
Hua Zhuyu was startled by the loud noise and instantly became somewhat lucid. Realizing what she was doing, she quickly withdrew her hand from Xiao Yin’s robes and without hesitation bit down hard on her wrist until blood flowed freely. Despite the unbearable pain, she refused to release her bite. She feared that once she let go, she would fall back into confusion.
She squinted and saw clearly that this wasn’t her small tent but a magnificent, luxurious one.
This seemed to be Xiao Yin’s place.
“Put me down, put me down!” Hua Zhuyu said loudly. As soon as the words left her mouth, her voice was indescribably husky and seductive, as if it wasn’t her voice at all.
“Without this Crown Prince’s orders, even if the sky falls, no one is allowed to disturb us. Liu Feng, you all assign people to guard this place.” Xiao Yin commanded coldly, tightly closing the door and carrying Hua Zhuyu behind a screen in large strides, placing her on the bed.
As soon as Hua Zhuyu left his embrace, she tried to stand and leave this place, but her body no longer seemed to belong to her and wouldn’t obey her commands. The moment she lifted her foot, she fell onto the felt carpet on the floor.
She curled up on the deep red felt carpet, her clothes already torn open by herself during her earlier unconscious state. Her black hair was disheveled, making her red lips charming and her skin fair and smooth. She was like a poppy blooming quietly in the dark night, radiating fatal allure. However, because she was biting her arm, her mind hadn’t been lost. She glared at him almost viciously, speaking each word coldly and slowly: “Xiao Yin, if you dare touch me with one finger, I’ll castrate you tomorrow.”
Xiao Yin trembled. He admitted he indeed harbored improper thoughts about her. Earlier, when holding her, he felt she was pitifully thin, yet that slender, delicate body seemed magical, making him unable to resist wanting to touch her again and again. Now she made him almost lose control. However, her words were like a basin of cold water poured on flames, extinguishing his desire.
He stepped back two paces, sat in a chair, and said with folded arms: “Rest assured, I, Xiao Yin, don’t lack women, so I never force women. But I also never refuse women. If you can’t endure it and crawl over yourself, don’t blame me.”
“Rest assured, I absolutely won’t!” Hua Zhuyu said coldly, releasing her bite and switching to bite another wrist.
Xiao Yin watched her, his sword-like brows slightly furrowing. Seeing the blood continuously flowing from her wrists, he felt something deep in his heart begin to ache, as if she weren’t biting her wrist but his heart.
If possible, he felt he would willingly suffer this torment in her place. But he could do nothing.
Lovesickness Lure wasn’t ordinary aphrodisiac—otherwise, simply soaking her in cold water overnight with internal energy assistance could dispel the drug’s effects. But Lovesickness Lure was a curse poison. Once activated, there were only two solutions: endure it or be intimate with a man.
Hua Zhuyu was tortured by lust until she nearly fainted, but the curse poison’s pain kept her completely lucid, forcing her to consciously endure the dual torment of lust and poison.
She felt pain everywhere but couldn’t escape, only endure. But she truly couldn’t bear it anymore.
Hua Zhuyu suddenly struck her palm toward the bedpost beside her. With a snap, the fine nanmu wood bed crashed to the ground with a clatter. Jade pillows rolled down from the bed, shattering on the floor. The nearby screen, affected by her palm wind, swayed several times before finally falling to the ground.
She struck again. After a series of crackling sounds and a moment’s pause, Xiao Yin’s tent was in complete shambles with not a single intact item remaining. Naturally, if Xiao Yin counted as an item, he was the exception.
Hua Zhuyu looked toward Xiao Yin breathlessly, staring at him expressionlessly. Her eyes, rippling with desire-induced suffering, reflected sharp, keen light. She suddenly curved her lips in a smile that was utterly languid and bone-chillingly cold.
“Your Highness, considering Dan Hong has helped you greatly, please leave!” she said slowly.
Xiao Yin sat in his chair, his deep gaze seeming glued to her body. This version of her made his heart ache and prevented him from looking away.
He rose tall from his chair, looking at Hua Zhuyu with complex expression, gazing at the horrific bite marks and blood on her white wrists.
He truly couldn’t describe his current feelings. He originally hadn’t known Lovesickness Lure’s potency was so severe. Having witnessed her resilience, he thought she could endure it, but she was suffering to such an extent.
Xiao Yin reached into his inner pocket and withdrew a black pill, tilting his head back to swallow it. He knew clearly that once he took the antidote and spent the night with her, relieving her suffering, tonight’s scheme would expose itself. Because not everyone possessed the antidote to Lovesickness Lure—only the poisoner would. But he couldn’t care about that now.
Killing sounds already shook the sky outside the tent. He understood that Consort Ye’s father Ye Di must be leading the Imperial Guards in rebellion. Ye Di had harbored ulterior motives long ago—having framed the Ye family this time, how could he willingly submit to capture?
The shouting and killing sounds soon reached outside the tent. Though danger was imminent, he remained seated motionless in his chair without even frowning, his deep purple eyes fixed solely on Hua Zhuyu.
He was waiting.
When the antidote he had just taken began to take effect, he rose tall, removed his outer robe, and slowly walked toward Hua Zhuyu.
The man’s presence approached Hua Zhuyu bit by bit. Until he was mere inches away, he covered his left chest with his hand and spoke to her with extremely serious expression in a language Hua Zhuyu couldn’t understand. Amid the thunderous killing sounds, this voice sounded so gentle—gentle enough to be irresistible.
Like a promise, like an oath.
“Xiao Yin… if you come over, I’ll… castrate you!” Hua Zhuyu said hoarsely. She didn’t know that even speaking such hurtful words, her voice was husky, seductive, and soft—even the world’s most precious instrument couldn’t produce such alluring tones.
“As you wish. However, you can wait until tomorrow to castrate me!” Saying this, he had already bent down, his slender fingers caressing her fair cheek…
His masculine scent and his teasing were undoubtedly the most aphrodisiac medicine, like adding dry kindling to fierce flames. With a roar, almost all consciousness left Hua Zhuyu’s body.
She was inexperienced and didn’t know how to relieve her body’s desire and pain, but her inexperience held a different kind of fatal attraction.
This version of her ignited fire throughout Xiao Yin’s body, as if he too had been drugged.
He turned over, pressing her down on the collapsed bed on the ground, kissing her forcefully.
Something hard pressed against Hua Zhuyu’s back, giving her a moment of clarity as she realized someone was on top of her.
Shame and fury instantly emerged from every pore of her body—this feeling temporarily overwhelmed the curse poison’s rampage.
“Get off! Xiao Yin, you beast, get off!” she screamed hoarsely, reaching up to pull a hairpin from her chignon and stabbing it hard toward Xiao Yin’s back. Xiao Yin didn’t dodge, taking the hit directly as blood flowed from the hairpin.
Xiao Yin seemed to feel no pain at all, narrowing his purple eyes and laughing hoarsely: “What? After arousing your husband’s desire, you must take responsibility to the end!”
“When did you become my husband?” Hua Zhuyu laughed coldly.
“Just now, I’ve decided to marry you. Now we’re about to be husband and wife!” Xiao Yin said in a low, slow voice.
“Ridiculous. Just because you decide to marry means I must marry?” Hua Zhuyu sneered. “Get up quickly, or this hairpin will sever the tendons in your neck.”
Xiao Yin curved his lips, smiling leisurely: “Just like that night dealing with Da Qi, right?”
So he ultimately knew it was she who had dealt with Da Qi.
“Since you know, why don’t you back away?” Hua Zhuyu didn’t intend to waste words, raising the hairpin in her hand.
But Xiao Yin suddenly seemed startled, his gaze fixed on Hua Zhuyu’s chest, his face showing strange expression—part shock, part confusion.
“Is this yours?”
Hua Zhuyu’s mind was somewhat confused from the curse poison’s torment, her soul seeming to float away from her body. She unconsciously answered: “Yes.”
“Yours?” Xiao Yin slowly climbed down from her body.
Hua Zhuyu sensed Xiao Yin’s strangeness and opened her eyes wide, only then seeing clearly that he held the pendant she always wore at her chest.
This was the only memento Jin Se had left—a white pendant, neither gold nor silver nor jade, carved from unknown material in an irregular shape. It seemed to bear two characters and a strange pattern, now worn very smooth and appearing quite blurred.
She still remembered how Jin Se had placed this pendant around her neck that night. Jin Se told her this was something she had worn since childhood, a token for reuniting with family. She said her greatest wish in life was to reunite with her family, and she entrusted this task to her.
Jin Se had already known that substituting for her meant death—she was making her final testament.
“This is actually yours!” Xiao Yin repeated. His handsome face showed complex expressions in the flickering candlelight.
Having known Xiao Yin so long, this was the first time Hua Zhuyu saw such rich expression on his face. Shocked yet disbelieving, joyful yet melancholy, happy yet sad… Many contradictory emotions intertwined and shifted on his usually cold, indifferent handsome face—truly spectacular.
He tremblingly wrapped Hua Zhuyu tightly in the brocade quilt from the bed, then silently turned and left. His foot caught on something, causing him to stumble and nearly fall. His departing figure was hurried, even somewhat panicked, as if fleeing in defeat.
Shortly after Xiao Yin left, Hui Xue hurried in and attended to Hua Zhuyu until dawn.
She finally endured this unbearable night. At dawn, she lay prone on the bed and sank into darkness.
This sleep was truly deep. She drifted in endless darkness, her body becoming light and soft, with many familiar figures floating past—her relatives and friends, making her reluctant to leave.
In her dream, she was very happy and joyful. She wanted to remain intoxicated in the dream forever. But someone seemed unwilling to let her be so happy. Someone was speaking beside her, and there seemed to be the sound of cups falling to the ground, crisp and loud.
“Imperial Physician, you said that as long as she endured one night, she would be fine. Why hasn’t she awakened yet? Tell me, when exactly will she wake up? If you can’t save her, I’ll have you buried with her!” A domineering, tyrannical voice roared continuously.
“Your Highness, please rest assured. Her curse poison has activated once and been dispelled. Now she’s just extremely exhausted, which is why she sleeps so deeply. When she’s slept enough, she’ll naturally awaken.”
“But she’s been sleeping for a day and night—why hasn’t she awakened yet?!”
The roaring continued, preventing her from sleeping peacefully. After a long time, it finally stopped. She thought she could finally sleep well. But someone was gripping her hand tightly—so painfully tight.
“That year, I was only seven years old. I carved your name—Zhuo Ya—on the pendant Father Emperor gave me.”
“I personally placed it around your neck. You were so small then, so soft, chubby, held in wet nurse’s arms. You seemed to know this was a gift from your brother, waving your little hands at me, smiling and smiling. Your black grape-like eyes curved like crescents when you smiled—so beautiful, so adorable.”
Someone was speaking softly beside her, voice very light like sleep-talking, yet she heard every word clearly. The scene he described was so blissful, but his voice was so sorrowful.
Hua Zhuyu’s eyelashes trembled as she slowly opened her eyes.
Beside the bed sat a person. He held her hand, his face buried in the bedding, revealing only a head of jet-black hair.
“You’re so noisy!” Hua Zhuyu said in a hoarse voice. This was too much bullying—using her was bad enough, but now preventing her from sleeping too.
Hearing her voice, Xiao Yin suddenly raised his head.
Hua Zhuyu was startled. His sculpted handsome face was extremely haggard, his purple eyes bloodshot, almost turned red. He stared directly at her without blinking, his purple-red eyes filled with wild joy.
“You… awakened!” He cupped her hands, asking carefully.
Hua Zhuyu felt a wave of pain, only then discovering both her wrists were wrapped in gauze. The night’s events immediately surged through her mind—the curse poison’s torment, his forceful kiss, him pressing her down on the bed, and finally his contemplative look at the pendant around her neck…
Xiao Yin’s entire body shook. Obviously, he too was thinking of last night’s events, his face immediately showing painful, regretful expression mixed with indescribable melancholy.
“What were you saying just now? Who is Zhuo Ya?” Hua Zhuyu asked hoarsely.
“Zhuo Ya is my sister. Years ago, when Father Emperor was conquering the grassland, he suffered a defeat. In that battle, Mother Empress was injured. The wet nurse went to find medicine, and I cared for my sister, but I lost her. My sister was called Zhuo Ya. Around her neck, she wore this very pendant.” Xiao Yin spoke softly, his voice incomparably gentle.
Hua Zhuyu was shocked. Zhuo Ya… the pendant… his sister! She never could have imagined that Jin Se was actually Xiao Yin’s sister!
She believed Xiao Yin’s words. Otherwise, how could he have instantly calmed down that night when already lost in desire?
Jin Se’s final wish was to find her relatives. The relatives were found, but she was gone.
Hua Zhuyu’s heart ached terribly, tears already welling in her clear eyes and slowly flowing down.
Xiao Yin wiped the tears from her face with mixed sorrow and joy. “Sister, brother is indeed a beast. These years have made you suffer.” He gathered her into his embrace, holding her tightly, patting her shoulder and speaking tenderly.