At this moment, Ji Yunshu looked at the man before her who had shed his dragon robe for plain clothing. On that face refined by time into extraordinary handsomeness, she could no longer find that sincerity and purity of the past.

How she wished he were still that innocent fool from years ago, whose eyes held youthful naivety and carefree simplicity.

What power struggles?

What deception and scheming?

What life and death partings?

All of it would be nothing more than a dream during an afternoon nap.

But everything before her eyes was clearly telling her that it was not a dream!

Because all the pain was real!

Her hands clasped tightly together beneath her collar. She stood there calmly throughout, her gaze peacefully looking at Wei Yi as she said, “If we can meet again in the future, I hope that by then, we will both have let go of our emotional burdens.”

“Emotional burdens?” Wei Yi furrowed his brows slightly, laughing bitterly, his eyes showing helplessness. “Shu’er, you are the emotional burden of my entire life! How can I let go?”

“Why must you remain so obsessed?”

“Besides being obsessed, what else can I do?”

Ji Yunshu’s chest ached, tears streaming from her eyes: “…”

“Do you know? It’s only by clinging to my obsession with you that I’ve managed to hold on until now. You are my life, the reason I wait to continue living! Without you, I think I would probably already be dead.” Wei Yi’s voice choked with emotion, trembling as he spoke.

He walked toward Ji Yunshu step by step once more, his face full of pain and sorrow, saying, “And do you know how I endured all those countless days and nights? Whenever I close my eyes, my mind is filled with nothing but you. I dream that you’re beside me, holding my hand and smiling at me. I dream of you personally painting that plum blossom lantern for me. I dream of resting my head on your lap while you stroke my head telling me not to be afraid. All the memories of the past flash through my mind in those deep nights, one after another. But whenever I wake up, what I face is the cold night and those towering walls. Yet you are no longer by my side. That sense of loss is a hundred times, a thousand times more painful than having my heart carved out with a knife.”

“Stop talking.”

“I even hope to die in my dreams, because at least… you would still be with me.”

Ji Yunshu’s heart felt as if it were being cut by knives.

Wei Yi grabbed her arms, staring at her evasive gaze, asking excitedly, “Shu’er, my dear Shu’er, what should I do? What must I do to keep you by my side?”

His face was flushed red, veins bulging on his forehead.

In this moment, he set aside his last shred of dignity.

Ji Yunshu could no longer maintain her composure. She shook her head: “Don’t say anymore.”

However—

In the next moment, Wei Yi pulled her into his embrace.

Her body became stiff as a board.

Wei Yi spoke near her ear in an almost pleading tone: “Let me hold you like this one last time, just for a moment.”

“…” She allowed him to hold her.

Unable to extend her hand to push him away even an inch!

Wei Yi closed his eyes tightly, his entire face buried in her hair, inhaling the faint fragrance on her body.

But he was trembling, even trembling more violently than the woman in his arms.

Who knows how long passed—

He gradually calmed down, speaking in an extremely low and hoarse voice: “Shu’er, please remember, no matter how much time passes, I will wait for you in this place. This vow will never change, life after life.”

Shu’er, please remember, no matter how much time passes, I will wait for you in this place. This vow will never change, life after life.

Utterly sincere!

Ji Yunshu bit down hard on her teeth, but tears still fell uncontrollably.

The tears slid down her clean cheeks and landed on Wei Yi’s shoulder.

Soaking through his clothing, cold as ice.

After a long while, Ji Yunshu slowly raised her trembling hand, bit by bit reaching toward Wei Yi’s head.

Gently stroking it.

Just like in the past!

Her gaze drifted as she looked ahead, asking in an extremely calm voice, “Wei Yi, can you promise me one last thing?”

Wei Yi said nothing.

“Please… live well.”

Please… live well.

Wei Yi’s brows furrowed tightly together, the pain making it seem as if he could barely breathe.

Tears also fell from his eyes!

And Ji Yunshu forcefully pushed him away.

The two separated by distance!

At the very moment Wei Yi was pushed backward by her, she had already turned to leave.

Not sparing him another glance.

Wei Yi tried to grab her, but that corner of her sleeve still slipped quickly from his fingertips.

Only cold air lingered around his empty palm.

In this moment, he didn’t even have the courage to take another step forward. His tear-filled eyes held despair as he could only watch that slender figure gradually walk away with her back to him.

And he was powerless!

He knelt down, his knees hitting the ground with a heavy thud, tears blurring his vision as he cried out hoarsely, “Shu’er.”

The voice was desolate and tragic.

Echoing within the Buddhist hall and the cold, empty courtyard.

But Ji Yunshu didn’t look back even once.

Her footsteps felt as if she were treading on knife points, walking step by step toward the main gate.

Outside, wind suddenly arose, stirring the towering tree in the courtyard. Leaves fell in succession, drifting onto Ji Yunshu’s body, the ground, the roof tiles, and into the distant palace halls… growing farther and farther away.

In the air, familiar scenes seemed to emerge along with those falling leaves, one after another.

“Wei Yi, what do you want to do in the future?”

“I just want to be with Shu’er.”

“Why?”

“Because I like Shu’er! From now on, no matter where Shu’er goes, I’ll follow you, for my entire life.”

“What if… I’m no longer here?”

“Then I’ll go find you, search to the ends of the earth for you, until I find you.”

As if it were yesterday.

As if she were still that austere, cold and indifferent yamen artist.

As if he were still that naive fool who was mocked by others yet remained fearless.

As if they were still in Jinjiang, that beautiful little city in Northern Liang of Da Lin.

As if…

Everything was so beautiful!

But these cold red walls and green tiles constantly reminded them that they were now caught in a huge vortex, destined to endure the pain and consequences brought by this storm of blood.

Wei Yi watched as Ji Yunshu disappeared from his blurred vision, his cry of “Shu’er” still echoing in his ears.

Around him, everything was utterly quiet.

Cold wind rolled in from outside, extinguishing several burning candles and assaulting his already trembling body.

He slowly drew something from his sleeve.

Accompanied by several crisp, ethereal sounds.

Lying quietly in his palm was a bell anklet!

It was the one he had given to Ji Yunshu years ago.

All this time, he had kept it with him, never parting from it.

The lacquer on the bell had been worn off somewhat from his constant handling day and night, becoming very smooth.

Wei Yi smiled.

He smiled brilliantly.

His eyes were clear and pure.

In this moment, he seemed to be that Wei Yi from the Wei Manor in Jinjiang.

A Wei Yi whose heart held only Shu’er.

“Shu’er, take care!”