Xu Chuniang had been trying very hard to maintain her composure, but upon hearing those words, she couldn’t help but break down, shaking her head in panic. “No, no!”
“Why not?”
There simply wasn’t enough room in the carriage! It was already packed with four people!
Of course, she couldn’t say that. If the Emperor found out there were people in the carriage, it would be disastrous; he would surely send them back to the prison!
“This… this isn’t proper!” Xu Chuniang stammered, “Your carriage is still at the stable; it would be better to let Cheng Xu drive it…”
Li Huaiyu and the others inside the carriage were so frightened that they didn’t dare to breathe, their pale faces huddled together, motionless, afraid that Ziyang Jun would notice something and suddenly come over to lift the curtain.
This was truly nerve-wracking!
Outside, there was no sound. Huaiyu’s body tensed up, her almond-shaped eyes fixed on the curtain, her mind even starting to rehearse what would happen if he lifted it.
However, after a moment, Jiang Xuanjin spoke up, “If it’s inconvenient, then so be it. Cheng Xu, go drive the carriage.”
“Yes!” Cheng Xu responded and ran toward the stable.
The few people in the carriage simultaneously let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit safer.
But what they couldn’t see was that as soon as that breath was released, Jiang Xuanjin’s gaze fell on the taut curtain of the carriage, his eyes swirling with dark thoughts.
Xu Chuniang was already drenched in cold sweat, clutching her handkerchief, unsure of what to do.
The Emperor had noticed… judging by that look, he must know there were people in the carriage!
Yet he stood there with his hands behind his back as if he had no intention of checking the carriage.
“Second Sister-in-law, are you going to meet Second Brother?” he asked softly.
Xu Chuniang trembled as she nodded, “Yes… yes.”
“Perfect,” Jiang Xuanjin said slowly, “I also need to go there. Cheng Xu doesn’t know the way; I would trouble Second Sister-in-law to lead the way with your carriage.”
Xu Chuniang: “…”
She had agreed with Jiang Baishi to let them off the carriage once they were out of the city. If the Emperor was going the same way, how could they get off?!
Inside the carriage, Li Huaiyu frowned at this, nervously rubbing her fingers.
What to do? Qingxian beside her inquired with her eyes.
Huaiyu shook her head. What else could they do? They would have to take it one step at a time; perhaps they would have a chance to escape once they were out of the city.
Xu Chuniang, pale-faced, climbed into the carriage, letting her dowry servant take the reins. Once the wheels began to rattle, she quietly said, “The Emperor is also going to Linjiang Mountain.”
Linjiang Mountain is located fifty miles west of the capital, a place where the Jiang family often went to enjoy the view.
Huaiyu wiped her face. “Lu Jingxing’s people are still waiting for us at the post station. You can find an excuse to stop along the way, and we will find a way to slip away.”
“Okay…” Xu Chuniang replied weakly, “But I can’t shake the feeling that the Emperor has already noticed.”
“Impossible,” Bai Ai shook his head. “If he had noticed, he would have directly surrounded the carriage and taken us back. Since he hasn’t made a move, you don’t need to scare yourself.”
It’s not that she was scaring herself; Ziyang Jun’s gaze saw through the curtain! But she didn’t understand. If he knew something was off, why didn’t he react?
Huaiyu patted her hand, signaling her to relax, and then began to think seriously about how they could escape once they reached their destination.
A great fire broke out in Fulu Palace, spreading rapidly. Many palace servants screamed and ran, carrying buckets of water to extinguish the flames.
Li Huilin heard the news and immediately ordered the capital to be sealed off, with everyone entering or leaving subjected to inspection.
“What happened? Wasn’t the soul already driven away?” Liu Yunlie frowned and asked the monk.
The other monks at the altar were still chanting the rebirth mantra. The monk with the prayer beads walked up to the Emperor, recited a Buddhist chant, and then said, “The soul has indeed left the body, but it seems she possesses a powerful artifact; the soul that was just collected has escaped again.”
As he spoke, he pointed to the deflated burlap bag on the altar.
This serious nonsense was quite persuasive, as both the Emperor and Liu Yunlie knew that Li Huaiyu had a “jade pendant” that could bring her back to life.
“Indeed, it was fake,” Li Huilin murmured.
No matter how many precautions he took, how could he still not guard against his sister’s schemes?
“How could this happen?” Bai Dezong, pale-faced, stood nearby and asked in a low voice, “Does that mean the pearl has fallen into the hands of Princess Chang?”
His expression was confused and worried, perfectly portraying the image of a grieving father who had lost his daughter.
No one present would suspect Bai Dezong of lying. Seeing this, Li Huilin reassured him, “Don’t worry, Bai Aiqing. I have already sent someone to capture her.”
Thus, neither the monk nor the Bai family was implicated in this incident.
The order to seal the city came swiftly. By the time the Jiang family’s carriage reached the western city gate, a long line had already formed, with guards beginning to inspect each carriage.
Li Huaiyu lifted the curtain to look outside and frowned.
With this commotion, it was unlikely that the Jiang family’s carriage would be let through easily.
As she watched the guards approaching, she nervously lowered the curtain, just as Jiang Xuanjin’s voice rang out.
“What is going on?” He got out of the carriage and stepped forward, blocking the approaching guards, asking coldly.
Jiang Qu was on duty at the western city gate. Upon seeing him, he immediately stepped forward to salute, “Reporting to the Emperor, His Majesty has ordered a strict inspection of all who enter and leave the capital, to capture escaped prisoners.”
“Escaped prisoners?” Jiang Xuanjin said, slightly impatient, “There are none in my carriage.”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Jiang Qu hurriedly replied, “My subordinates were blind; they shouldn’t have checked you! Please, you can go ahead; the line is a bit long, you can pass through here first.”
With an expressionless nod, Jiang Xuanjin gestured to the carriage beside him, “Let the Second Madam go first.”
“No problem, no problem!” Jiang Qu bowed and personally cleared the way, scolding the guard who had tried to inspect them, “You dare to check the Emperor’s carriage? Are you tired of living?”
The young guard looked aggrieved, “I didn’t mean to check the Emperor’s carriage; I was just trying to check the one in front…”
“That one is also from the Jiang family; do you have the guts to touch it?”
“Yes…”
The half-open city gate was now fully opened, and the two carriages leisurely passed under the guards’ raised halberds, heading toward the outskirts.
Li Huaiyu pressed down on her wildly beating heart, collapsing against Qingxian’s shoulder. Qingxian caught her and whispered, “Your Highness, take it easy.”
Xu Chuniang was startled by their demeanor, but then she thought, since the “Letter of Release” had been written, she couldn’t be with the Emperor anymore. Having someone else to take care of her was a good thing.
However… she still felt a bit regretful.
“Here, take two of these,” she handed over a bottle of medicine, “You’re still weak, and the carriage is bumpy.”
“What is this?” Qingxian reached out to take it, opening it to pour out two dark brown pills.
Huaiyu raised an eyebrow, “For maintaining the pregnancy?”
Xu Chuniang nodded.
“Maintain… maintain what?” Bai Ai and Chi Jin were both shocked, and Qingxian’s eyes widened as well.
Huaiyu looked at them in confusion, then suddenly realized, “I haven’t had a chance to tell you.”
Pointing to her belly, she said, “There might be a little one in here.”
“…”
The sound of the carriage wheels creaked in the quiet carriage. After they had traveled quite a distance, someone finally stammered, “Ziyang… Ziyang Jun’s?”
Huaiyu nodded, swallowing the medicine and cheerfully saying, “This is a good deal! I’ve accomplished many things I wanted to do and even gained a child in return.”
She could still laugh! Bai Ai’s lips turned white with anger, “You’re carrying his child, and he still locked you in a death prison, saying those hurtful things during the interrogation?!”
Xu Chuniang was taken aback, “What did the Emperor say?”
“Nothing,” Huaiyu scratched her hair, “I didn’t take it to heart.”
Not taking it to heart? How could she have cried so much? Bai Ai’s face darkened, and after thinking for a moment, he gritted his teeth and said, “When the child is born, tell him I’m his father, his real father!”
Qingxian rolled her eyes at him, “You think too highly of yourself? With me around, do you think you’ll get a chance?”
Bai Ai shot him a glance, “You can be his godmother.”
“Hey! Are you looking for a fight?!”
“I don’t fight with women.”
“You!”
The bickering gave Xu Chuniang a headache. She pushed Qingxian away in annoyance and turned to the quiet and obedient Chi Jin across from her, “Come sit over here with me, let those two sit together and fight.”
“Your Highness?” Qingxian looked at her with a wronged expression.
Huaiyu waved her hand, “It’s useless!”
Xu Chuniang stared in disbelief as the beautiful Qingxian was thrown next to Bai Ai. Both of them had fiery eyes, and if it weren’t for the cramped space in the carriage, they might have started fighting.
What kind of people were these? They looked quite good, but why were they so attached to Jiang Baishi?
Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Huaiyu explained apologetically, “These kids were all raised by me, so…”
Who would raise a whole bunch of men for no reason? Xu Chuniang was stunned, and a thought became clearer in her mind.
Her father had suddenly become very concerned about Jiang Baishi, asking her to take good care of her. Jiang Baishi was imprisoned, yet she could still get her father out. It was clear that the Emperor’s wife was the one being imprisoned, while the one in the death prison was rumored to be a remnant of Danyang…
“You,” she paused, frowning and asking, “Are you people from Danyang Princess’s faction?”
“No,” Huaiyu shook her head, speaking honestly, “I am Danyang.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Ai and Qingxian looked at Jiang Erfu with some trepidation.
“Your Highness…” Chi Jin tugged at her sleeve disapprovingly.
How could she casually say such a thing? Even if Jiang Erfu intended to save them if she knew she was Danyang Princess… Danyang’s reputation back then was not good.
However, Xu Chuniang seemed to have no special reaction to this. After pondering for a moment, she seemed to realize, “So the three of you were once concubines in the palace?”
Qingxian and Bai Ai: “…”
Chi Jin nodded, “Yes.”
“That’s something,” Xu Chuniang muttered, “The Emperor was the latter one; they were originally serving beside the Princess.”
Li Huaiyu looked at her in astonishment and blinked, “Aren’t you curious why I went from Miss Bai Si to Danyang Princess?”
“With my brain, even if you told me, I wouldn’t understand,” she said with clear eyes. “Just like how you guessed my thoughts with two plates back then; if you explain it, I would just think you’re amazing and wouldn’t be able to figure it out myself.”
“However…” she pursed her lips, “I feel like you wouldn’t lie to me.”
What a silly girl! Huaiyu looked at her, and after a long silence, she suddenly smiled, “Yes, I won’t lie to you.”
The carriage continued to jolt along, and Xu Chuniang felt not only no resistance to the identity of Danyang Princess but also a strong curiosity.
“With so many concubines in the Princess’s palace, do they fight like the concubines of the Second Young Master?”
Huaiyu replied, “Not really; I’m somewhat different from the Second Young Master.”
She didn’t go to other people’s rooms to spend the night.
“Then, does the Princess have a favorite concubine?” Xu Chuniang asked, her eyes sparkling.
Qingxian and Bai Ai both twitched at the corners of their mouths, feeling that this Second Madam didn’t seem to know how to speak. Who would directly ask such a question in front of so many people?
However, Li Huaiyu began to think seriously, stroking her chin, “There’s Wu, mature and steady; he taught me martial arts. Bai Ai is exceptionally talented, and his writing is beautiful. Qingxian is stunning, perhaps even more beautiful than me. Chi Jin is quiet and reserved, but his temperament is rare and gentle… This is hard to choose!”
The always-silent Chi Jin spoke up, “If it’s hard to choose, then pick Manager Lu.”
What? Huaiyu glared at him, “Manager Lu hasn’t entered Feiyun Palace.”
“Isn’t it the same?” Chi Jin tilted his head.
…It was the same; after all, she didn’t favor anyone in Feiyun Palace, and she didn’t favor Lu Jingxing either; they were all just mingling together.
After thinking for a moment, she said seriously to Xu Chuniang, “Then I’ll choose Lu Jingxing.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.
The wheels screeched against the gravel, and everyone’s bodies in the carriage lurched forward—
Huaiyu quickly grabbed the soft wood beneath her to steady herself.
“What happened?” Xu Chuniang asked anxiously, looking outside.
The driver quickly replied, “Madam, it seems the Emperor has something to attend to.”
Wasn’t the Emperor in the carriage behind? What could he possibly have to do? Xu Chuniang was puzzled and lifted a corner of the curtain to peek outside, only to be startled.
Jiang Xuanjin was standing next to the carriage shaft, his face looking as if it had been soaked in cold water, extremely cold.
Xu Chuniang immediately got up to get out of the carriage, firmly covering the curtain, “Your Majesty?”
“Change to another carriage.”
Looking back at her carriage in confusion, Xu Chuniang didn’t quite understand, “This… why change carriages for no reason?”
His mood seemed quite poor, and Jiang Xuanjin didn’t say much, turning to walk toward the nearby woods.
Cheng Xu followed him out, coming to Xu Chuniang’s side and cupping his hands, “Your Majesty promised Second Young Master to take good care of Second Madam. This road is all gravel; it’s at least two miles. If Second Madam changes to Your Majesty’s carriage, it will be easier.”
Jiang Xuanjin’s carriage was crafted by skilled artisans, naturally much more comfortable than an ordinary one.
Xu Chuniang felt a bit guilty; she had intended to refuse. But considering Huaiyu’s condition, she thought for a moment and nodded.
Cheng Xu let out a sigh of relief and, for some reason, followed him into the woods.
Xu Chuniang lifted the curtain and gestured to the people inside, “They haven’t noticed this side; hurry up!”
Everyone was tense, and Huaiyu was almost dragged out of the carriage without thinking, leaping into Jiang Xuanjin’s carriage.
“Wait.” As the curtain fell, she finally reacted. “Since Ziyang Jun hasn’t noticed this side, why don’t we just run away?”
Wasn’t this place close to the post station?
With her reminder, Bai Ai and the others regretfully slapped their thighs and hurriedly lifted the curtain to look again.
Ziyang Jun, accompanied by Cheng Xu, had already turned around and was walking toward the carriage.
Xu Chuniang stood outside the carriage, and upon seeing this, quickly pressed the curtain down, then knelt and bowed to Jiang Xuanjin from a distance, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Jiang Xuanjin nodded, expressionless, and got into the front carriage. Cheng Xu came over, still cupping his hands, “Please, Second Madam, go ahead.”
“Okay.”
Ziyang Jun’s carriage was much more spacious than the one they had been in before, with soft cushions, and the wheels made little noise as they moved. Huaiyu sat there, her tense body finally relaxing a bit.
However, there was always a feeling of being unable to get off the tiger.
“We missed our chance,” Qingxian muttered, “What a pity; we could have left.”
Xu Chuniang comforted her, “It’s fine; we haven’t reached the post station yet. I’ll think of a way once we get there.”
Everyone nodded, thinking that as long as Ziyang Jun didn’t become suspicious, it shouldn’t be difficult to find an opportunity to escape.
However, when the carriage arrived at the post station, Jiang Xuanjin got out and stood by the carriage, refusing to move despite the pleas from the people inside the post station.
“Does Second Sister-in-law want to rest?” he asked.
Xu Chuniang swallowed hard and nodded, “I’m a bit tired; it would be nice to go in for some tea.”
Jiang Xuanjin replied, “I will wait here.”
“…What?”
Xu Chuniang and everyone in the carriage were dumbfounded.
The autumn wind was bleak, bringing a chill; this man was choosing to wait outside instead of sitting in the tea room and drinking hot tea.
If it were normal, no one would stop him from waiting; as long as the Emperor was happy, that would be fine. But right now… he was standing here, how could the people in the carriage leave?
“Second Sister-in-law?” Seeing her unmoving, Jiang Xuanjin called out.
Coming back to her senses, Xu Chuniang said, “Your Majesty, why don’t you go in and rest too? You’re out here…”
“No need,” he said indifferently.
Xu Chuniang had nothing more to say. If he wasn’t going in, why should she? If he suddenly felt like lifting the curtain, wouldn’t that be disastrous?
Embarrassed, she lowered her head and said, “Then… let’s continue on our way?”
Huaiyu was anxious in the carriage; if they continued on this route and went further west, she wouldn’t know the way anymore. Even if they had a chance to escape, who knew where they should go?
But right now, there was no other choice. Xu Chuniang wouldn’t dare to play tricks against Jiang Xuanjin; facing his cold expression, she had no chance of winning.
How did it come to this?
Xu Chuniang sat back in the carriage in silence, clearly not understanding: “Your Majesty originally didn’t need to go to the high ground today.”
He had said that the case was not resolved and that they couldn’t leave the capital, but what was going on now? They had already left the capital far behind, and he showed no signs of turning back.
“Where is Linjiang Mountain?” Li Huaiyu asked softly.
Xu Chuniang replied, “Fifty miles west of the capital.”
Huaiyu thought for a moment and suddenly raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t that just fifty miles away from Ziyang’s fief?”
Xu Chuniang nodded. Further west from Linjiang Mountain were several famous fiefs of Northern Wei, and Ziyang Jun’s fief was over there. Although they had never been there, they had heard it was a very prosperous place.
Gently clasping her hands together, Huaiyu let out a sigh of relief, “Then we don’t need to worry.”
Wanted to meet someone at the post station because she hadn’t been out of the capital much and didn’t know the way to the place she wanted to go. But knowing where Ziyang was made it easier to find the direction.
Ziyang’s territory was vast, with seven large cities and countless counties, making it the richest fief in Northern Wei. Passing through Ziyang and heading south was Danyang.
Danyang Princess’s Danyang was not just a casual title; it was the same name as Ziyang Jun’s fief. Emperor Xiaodi was born in Danyang, and he designated the counties within a radius of five thousand miles south of Ziyang as Danyang, placing it under the name of the Princess.
Li Huaiyu dared to let Xu Xian and the others escape precisely because as long as they stepped into Danyang, even if the Emperor issued more arrest warrants, he wouldn’t be able to catch them.
That was the protective talisman her father had left for her.
Seeing her relax, Qingxian and the others understood there was a way out, and their expressions softened. Xu Chuniang was still confused, “Aren’t you escaping anymore?”
“We can’t escape; we might as well take a free ride,” Huaiyu said with a smile, patting the soft cushion beneath her, “It’s quite comfortable anyway.”
She had been worried that if they rushed too much, the little one in her belly wouldn’t be able to handle it. Now, it was good; with such a steady carriage and no one daring to check along the way, she could temporarily set her mind at ease.
However, there was still a strange feeling lingering in her heart.
This feeling reached its peak when the carriage arrived at Linjiang Mountain.
“Your Majesty, you go up the mountain first,” Xu Chuniang said as she got out of the carriage, “The people from the residence should be resting at the temple halfway up the mountain.”
Jiang Xuanjin said calmly, “Second Sister-in-law should go first; I have matters to attend to.”
In this remote wilderness, what could he possibly have to do? Li Huaiyu couldn’t hold back any longer and kicked the carriage wall.
With a loud “thud,” Xu Chuniang outside was startled, looking at Jiang Xuanjin in panic.
There had only been her inside the carriage; how could there be any movement inside?
Everyone should have sensed something was off; the people inside the carriage, including Qingxian, were in a state of panic, looking at their master in confusion.
However, Jiang Xuanjin glanced at the carriage as if nothing had happened and calmly said, “If Second Sister-in-law finds the mountain road difficult, let Cheng Xu and the driver go ahead to clear the way.”
Li Huaiyu narrowed her eyes and directly lifted the curtain.
“Your Highness!” Qingxian called out softly, “What are you doing?”
They had finally managed to disguise themselves; how could they jump out and let Ziyang Jun discover them?
With a cold laugh, Li Huaiyu looked at the person standing not far ahead and said in a deep voice, “Do you think he knows nothing?”
Changing carriages and refusing to enter the post station; now that she had kicked the carriage, he showed no reaction. This man knew there was something wrong with Xu Chuniang’s carriage, but he neither asked nor looked, just playing with them like fools, allowing them to pretend all the way!
The azure sleeves were embroidered with fresh lotus patterns, Jiang Xuanjin slightly pulled them up and raised his eyes to look back.
Li Huaiyu’s face was still pale, her brows faintly dark, and her almond-shaped eyes stared at him with unfriendly intent.
Beside her, Xu Chuniang was so frightened that she didn’t dare to speak, fearing that the Emperor would impulsively order Cheng Xu to capture them.
But… stealing a glance at him, Xu Chuniang was surprised to find that the Emperor didn’t seem surprised at all; there was no anger on his face, just a cool gaze as if it had been soaked in the autumn wind.
“Your Highness is quite bold,” he said.
Jumping down from the carriage shaft, Li Huaiyu stepped forward to stand in front of him, pulling the prayer beads from her wrist and holding them up in front of him, “Your Majesty is also quite bold, colluding with monks to deceive the Emperor and let the current criminals go free. Do you know what crime this is?”
Looking down at her, Jiang Xuanjin said, “Does Your Highness intend to report this to the Emperor?”
Narrowing her eyes, Huaiyu’s expression was complex, “Your Majesty seems to be quite confident.”
How could she risk her life to report him?
Qingxian and the others also got out of the carriage, following her closely. They looked at Jiang Xuanjin warily, their eyes filled with confusion.
“What is going on?” Bai Ai asked softly.
Holding the prayer beads, Huaiyu rubbed the engraved characters and said, “This should be asked of our all-powerful Emperor, who can deceive the heavens and the sea, allowing his people to enter the palace to perform rituals for me.”
Each of Jiang Xuanjin’s ten prayer beads was engraved with characters, each surrounded by a circle. She didn’t know the special meaning behind them, but she knew that the prayer beads with the same engravings must have come from the same source.
The high monk at the altar helped him, and it was inextricably linked to Jiang Xuanjin.
Everyone was stunned to hear this. Xu Chuniang’s eyes brightened, and she joyfully asked, “Your Majesty, are you reluctant to part with your sister-in-law?”
Jiang Xuanjin coldly replied, “No.”
The two cold words made everyone’s hearts sink. Bai Ai and Qingxian behind her looked at him displeased, stepping in front of Li Huaiyu.
However, Huaiyu seemed to have not heard his words at all, placing her hands on her hips and laughing, “If you weren’t reluctant, why would you go to such lengths? What do you want to do?”
“I don’t need to explain myself to Your Highness.”
“Other matters don’t need explaining,” Huaiyu looked up at him, “But regarding me, shouldn’t Your Majesty explain a few words?”
Not looking at her, Jiang Xuanjin said, “There’s no need.”
For someone who had been deceiving herself and had no idea how many people she had in her heart, there was no need to explain so much.
The more he explained, the more ridiculous it became.
This time, even Cheng Xu didn’t quite understand what his master was thinking. If he were heartless, he would have stubbornly saved her and sent her out of the capital. But if he were to say he had feelings? His face right now had no warmth at all.
Huaiyu quietly looked at him for a while before suddenly nodding.
“Then let’s say I owe Your Majesty a favor,” she said, “Your Majesty is always clear about gratitude and resentment; if you give someone a favor, you must take it back. This favor, when the day comes that Your Majesty remembers, you can come find me to collect it.”
Cheng Xu was alarmed upon hearing this, “Where is Madam going?”
“You still call her Madam?” Bai Ai frowned, “Isn’t the marriage between the Emperor and my family’s princess already a done deal?”
Jiang Xuanjin’s body stiffened slightly as he looked up at him.
Bai Ai met his gaze, unflinching, “In the interrogation room, what you said is still fresh in my mind. Are you going to be married to the princess now?”
She was not Bai Zhujing but Li Huaiyu, Princess Li Huaiyu, and Ziyang Jun Jiang Xuanjin; how could they still be married?
Everyone present fell silent. Xu Chuniang looked on, her brow furrowing as she focused on Huaiyu’s belly, wanting to say: There’s still a child!
However, Huaiyu seemed to know what she was about to say and quickly interjected, “By the way, there’s something I forgot to give to Your Majesty.”
Reaching into her sleeve pocket, she pulled out an envelope and held it out to him with both hands, “Here you go.”
It was the “Letter of Release.”
The one that Yufeng didn’t dare to give. She brought it herself.
Staring at the three characters on the envelope for a long time, Jiang Xuanjin remained silent, his eyes filled with a hint of hostility.
She no longer comforted him.
Originally, when he frowned, she would cling to his arm and act cute. Now, seeing him so unhappy, with his eyes and face filled with displeasure, she didn’t say a word to comfort him.
He even wrote something like this.
It felt as if a stone that had been pressing against her heart was suddenly pulled away, causing her heart to drop, a hollow feeling rushing up to her throat. Jiang Xuanjin’s throat tightened slightly, and his hand slowly closed.
“There is no such thing,” he said coldly, “This matter is useless for you to write; it should be me who writes it.”
“I don’t care about that!” She shoved the envelope into his hand, saying stubbornly, “That’s how it is.”
He was the one she had chased after desperately; now, she was the one throwing a tantrum and wanting to let go.
How could there be such a person?
He didn’t reach out to take it, and the thin envelope floated down to the ground. Huaiyu glanced at it and said to Cheng Xu behind her, “Keep it safe; otherwise, the Emperor will use it as an excuse to find trouble with the Jiang family, and you will be implicated by me!”
It sounded nice, but she didn’t want to see him again, right?
Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes darkened as he reached out and grabbed her wrist.
“Hmm?” Startled, Huaiyu turned to look at him, her fair neck tilted, revealing a scar that had scabbed over.
It was a sword wound. Very shallow, only injuring the flesh, but it looked somewhat hideous.
He had caused it.
At that time, she had been worried and had brought people to save him, but the one who opened the door was his sword. Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with shock and confusion, followed by endless darkness.
He thought she was acting, but no, she had truly been hurt at that time.
Gently reaching out to touch the scar, Jiang Xuanjin frowned, his expression complex, as if he wanted to say something.
However, before he could speak, the person in front of him gently removed his hand.
That’s right, she removed it gently, unlike him, who always pushed people away angrily.
“Does Your Majesty feel guilty?” Looking at his expression, Huaiyu chuckled, “What is there to feel guilty about? Didn’t you almost die on the way to Bailong Temple? I treated you poorly, and you treated me poorly; it’s quite fair between us.”
“You sent me poisoned wine, and I used you for revenge. I wanted you dead, and you locked me and all my people in prison.”
Reciting this, she loosened one of her fingers that was holding onto him, glancing at the last remaining thumb, and grinned, “You saved me today, so I still owe you one, so if anyone should feel guilty, it should be me.”
One by one, as if settling accounts, it was clear; the accounts were settled, and the remaining debts were noted down as if the two of them had nothing to do with each other anymore.
His palm was cold, only her fingertips had warmth, and as the warmth began to dissipate, he instinctively turned his hand to grasp her thumb.
“You…”
He wanted to say, besides feeling guilty, what else? Was there nothing left?
But Qingxian and the others were still nearby, and both Second Sister-in-law and Cheng Xu were looking at him in shock. He must have looked terrible, clearly deceived, yet still holding onto the deceiver, unwilling to let go.
It was truly both laughable and pitiful.
Turning his head stiffly, Jiang Xuanjin changed his tone and coldly asked, “You don’t want Qingsi anymore?”