They say the feeling of pain is inherently mutual.

Ji Yinshu waited two years for Ji Pei and ached for two years.

Ji Pei lost Ji Yinshu for two years and also ached for two years.

At this moment, both were extremely sorrowful.

Ji Yinshu lay against his thighs, tears flowing down her cheeks, soaking Su Ziluo’s robes.

“You must know that as long as you came back, anything could be put behind us. Why, why did you make me wait for you so long? Even if you had just sent word to me, that would have been good—just letting me know you were still alive would have been enough.”

Her words were scattered by the cold wind, somewhat indistinct.

Su Ziluo didn’t hear very clearly, but he knew what she had said.

He reached out, gently stroking Ji Yinshu’s soft, fine hair.

Extremely tender!

All at once, it was as if they had returned to many years ago!

In the afternoon!

He sat in a chair, and Ji Yinshu lay against his legs just like now. The two would talk about everything from poetry and songs to military philosophy.

Speaking of everything!

They said it all!

Now, it was merely a different time and place.

Of course, both their temperaments seemed to have changed as well.

After a long while, Su Ziluo said, “Back then, I said that one day I would take you to the places you wanted to go, teach you to ride horses, teach you archery. But now, I can no longer do these things.”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter!”

Su Ziluo: “If there’s truly a chance in the future, Shu’er, I will definitely take you away, to the places you want to go, and never return.”

Deep guilt!

Of course Ji Yinshu remembered. She remembered he had once asked her where she wanted to go.

She had said she wanted to ride horses on the great grasslands, wanted to climb snow mountains, and even more wanted to see the fire seed flowers below Wolf Mountain.

They were said to be extremely beautiful!

At that time, the refined and elegant Ji Pei had promised her everything.

She also remembered that Ji Pei’s wish was to gallop across battlefields and become a great general.

But now, he truly could no longer do so.

Ji Yinshu’s nose suddenly stung, her tears flowing faster and more turbulently!

She said, “Ji Pei, I’m sorry!”

Hmm?

Su Ziluo seemed to vaguely sense something.

Ji Yinshu continued lying against his legs and said, “If there’s truly a chance, even if the road ahead is full of hardships and dangers, I will definitely leave with you. But now, I’m sorry.”

After saying this, she lifted her head to look at him.

“You should leave quickly. Don’t come to Dalin anymore.”

“…”

In Su Ziluo’s heart, he had already guessed.

Not far away, bright torches—about thirty or so—flickered as they moved toward this direction.

He heard hurried footsteps, also heard the sound of hoofbeats…

Drawing closer and closer from afar.

Ji Yinshu withdrew her gaze, slowly stood up, and looked at him.

She said, “His Majesty has already promised me that he will let you and your soldiers safely return to Qujiang. You’ll leave tomorrow.”

“…”

Unbelievable!

He had lost.

But he still unwillingly wanted to hear Ji Yinshu’s words.

“In the case report I submitted to His Majesty, I told the complete truth. My elder brother didn’t kill anyone, so I couldn’t falsely accuse him, much less let an innocent life be harmed because of it—that would be a great injustice.”

“So?”

“Actually, I’ve always suspected you were Ji Pei, but I still had to gamble with myself.”

“I’m listening. Continue.”

“In Weichi Lin’s death, you didn’t frame anyone else, only Ji Li. Your purpose was already very obvious—you simply wanted him dead. So I wanted to see if my guess was right or wrong. That’s why I had the Capital Magistrate send a case report to the palace. In that report was actually a deal between me and His Majesty.”

“I assured him I could solve this murder case without returning the cities, but he had to promise me to let you and your soldiers return safely. And the facts proved I truly gambled correctly. Your goal was indeed Ji Li. You really did go to the Ministry of Justice’s prison, and you really did kill him in the cell. From the moment you killed Weichi Lin, everything was solely to achieve your own purpose. If this matter were made public, you know very well what the consequences would be.”

“Even if our two nations truly go to war in the future, as a general who killed two people to achieve his own goals, tell me, how would your soldiers obey you? At that time, the thirty thousand troops at the border would be nothing more than scattered sand.”

Su Ziluo listened!

Ji Yinshu’s eyes were red, yet she fiercely held back her tears.

She tightened her throat.

Taking a breath, she said, “These principles were all taught to me by you. You wouldn’t forget them, would you? You said that between people, between generals and soldiers, the greatest crisis isn’t trust versus distrust, but selfishness!”

These things were all taught to her by him.

She remembered them all!

After hearing all this, Su Ziluo smiled—a kind of relieved smile.

As if a huge stone in his heart had suddenly fallen to the ground.

Extremely relaxed!

“I’ve lost, but I’ve lost with complete conviction.”

“You haven’t lost. It’s just that the obsession in your heart was too heavy. Whether you wanted revenge or wanted to serve the King of Qujiang loyally, in the end, you were simply too obsessed.”

“Perhaps!”

He exhaled gently, meeting Ji Yinshu’s gaze, and revealed the same warm smile he had shown standing under the plum tree years ago.

He said, “Shu’er, what about you? You should also let go of your obsession. In your heart, someone has actually already taken residence.”

Uh!

“It’s just that you yourself haven’t realized it.”

Ji Yinshu lowered her eyes, her heart trembling.

“He and I—it’s impossible!” Her voice was very soft, but Su Ziluo still heard it.

He said, “We can’t go back to the past; we can only keep moving forward. You should also face your own true heart.”

She didn’t answer, didn’t even have time to respond before those dozens of torches had already shone over, surrounding the dilapidated tower.

Footsteps came up in waves.

Appearing before them was Ji Li!

He held his sword, his eyes filled with killing intent, directed straight at Su Ziluo.

But the next moment, Ji Yinshu blocked him.

Warning him, “His Majesty has already promised me he’ll let him leave safely.”

“Step aside!”

Burning with rage!

Ji Yinshu also grew firm. “If you dare touch him, I guarantee that the next person to truly die in prison will definitely be you.”

These words had an effect—Ji Li glared!

Ji Yinshu’s words, he now believed.

“Are you threatening me?” Ji Li questioned.

“Yes, I am threatening you, but if you really want to kill, then kill us both.” She lifted her chin.

Of course that was impossible!

His Majesty’s decree—he couldn’t disobey!

In the end, he put away the sword in his hand.

Looking at Su Ziluo, he said harshly, “Ji Pei, your father couldn’t kill me back then and died beneath my sword. You too are destined to be unable to kill me. It was true then, and it’s true now.”

Su Ziluo’s lips curved up. “I’m just curious—how did you survive? Clearly…”

“Clearly the person in the cell was me, right?”