As war raged on, with the Emperor of Wu gravely ill, all responsibilities fell upon Ye Yuqing’s shoulders.

The Crown Prince was extremely agitated, having not slept well for half a month straight. His usually gentle eyes had turned bloodshot, taking on a terrifying appearance.

Staring at the newly arrived battle report, Ye Yuqing said in a deep voice, “The three kingdoms have allied. If Qi deploys fewer troops, then our grain supplies must be sufficient. The First Battalion has reached Qi’s borders – how much grain they can requisition depends on their capabilities.”

“Your servant understands,” Minister Meng bowed in acknowledgment.

As one official left, countless others surged forward, chattering about various matters. Ye Yuqing remained composed and calm, giving instructions one by one. By the time he finally had a moment’s rest, the sky outside had darkened.

Only when his stomach ached did he suddenly realize he hadn’t eaten all day?

Instinctively, he glanced to his left where someone used to stand. Now empty, the space echoed when the wind blew through.

Slightly frowning, Ye Yuqing gave a derisive laugh and rose to give orders: “Prepare the evening meal.”

“Your Highness,” Consort Ding, who had been waiting outside, hurriedly approached with a tray. “This humble one has been waiting for Your Highness to finish. Here is some ginseng chicken soup.”

When hungry, who wants soup? He wanted rice with simple home-cooked dishes, the kind that went well with rice – the kind Wangrou used to make.

“You may leave,” Ye Yuqing walked past her toward his chambers. “This prince wishes to rest now.”

Consort Ding froze, disappointment filling her eyes. Seeing his hurried stride, her brows furrowed again.

Was he rushing to rest, or rushing to see someone?

Wangrou had been confined in the Crown Prince’s chambers for a long time, ever since she had seduced Ye Yuqing, drugged him to steal his keys, and released Duanxian. She hadn’t stepped foot outside since then.

She had initially thought she would certainly die since Ye Yuqing despised betrayal most of all. But for some unknown reason – perhaps because he had grown accustomed to being gentle – even after capturing her, he hadn’t harmed her. He simply kept her here, even sleeping beside her every night.

“Your Highness,” hearing the door open, Wangrou immediately stood up and said, “Have you been busy until now again?”

Giving a sound of acknowledgment, Ye Yuqing walked to the table and lit a lamp. The lamplight softened his features, but his eyes remained bottomless black pools. “I’m tired.”

“Then please lie down, let your servant massage you.”

As a prisoner, Wangrou showed no awareness of her captive status. Whenever Ye Yuqing came, she always maintained this caring demeanor.

Sometimes Ye Yuqing wondered if she was better at pretending than him, to the point where he couldn’t detect any flaws and truly believed she cared for him.

But how could someone who truly cared for him betray him?

Silently laughing coldly, Ye Yuqing lay face down on the soft couch. Wangrou came over, applying moderate pressure as she massaged his arms and back while chattering: “You must eat meals regularly. Even when busy, you should have some dried food to fill your stomach, or your health will suffer.”

Listen to that concern, how sincere and touching! Ye Yuqing shook his head, reaching to grasp her hand as he turned to look at her: “What are you thinking?”

He paused, then answered his question as his gaze shifted: “Trying to regain this prince’s trust so you can betray me again?”

Her hand twitched slightly as Wangrou pressed her lips together: “Your servant’s life belongs to Your Highness. I will never betray you again.”

“Oh?” Ye Yuqing sneered. “Haven’t you heard the saying ‘Once unfaithful, forever unreliable’?”

Color draining from her face, Wangrou lowered her eyes: “Your servant has heard it, but aren’t you still keeping me by your side?”

She had served him for so long, surely there were some feelings involved. The Crown Prince treated people gently, and she especially felt this gentleness by his side. Perhaps it was a robe when the wind blew, or his furrowed brows when she was hurt. In his heart, he must have considered her someone close, which was why he hadn’t immediately killed her when the incident occurred.

“Why do you think this prince keeps you by his side?” With a cold laugh, Ye Yuqing looked at her with gentle eyes but spoke with bone-chilling words: “It’s not because I trust you, but because you were so good to Wei’s Empress. She certainly can’t bear to part with you. By keeping you alive, this prince can exchange you for something from her later.”

Her heart suddenly ached sharply as Wangrou took a soft breath, tears immediately welling up: “Your Highness…”

“You once said this prince was the gentlest person under heaven.” Glancing at her expression, Ye Yuqing smiled cruelly: “Do you still think so?”

Her body trembling slightly, Wangrou knelt, taking a long while to recover from that piercing pain before softly gasping: “Your Highness showed your servant kindness, but your servant failed to cherish it properly. The fault lies not with Your Highness.”

She still doesn’t blame him? Ye Yuqing raised an eyebrow, shaking his head slightly. Women are truly foolish – give them a little sweetness and they become more loyal than dogs, devoted unto death.

“I’m glad you think this way,” turning over, Ye Yuqing said: “Come serve me in bed.”

Wiping her face, Wangrou choked out: “Your servant is… currently indisposed.”

“Then what use does this prince have for you?” Looking at her with disgust, Ye Yuqing called out: “Feng Chuang, invite Consort Ding over.”

“Yes.”

Face turning pale white, Wangrou retreated awkwardly to kneel in the corner, head lowered as tears fell continuously.

Watching her from the corner of his eye, Ye Yuqing felt no satisfaction, only more discomfort and frustration. Irritated, he stood up, yanked her to her feet, and pushed her out the door: “Keep this person kneeling in the courtyard, out of this prince’s sight. And don’t let her escape!”

“Yes.”

The guards followed orders and truly made her kneel on the ground.

Staring at the blue stone pavement, Wangrou’s mind wandered. She vaguely saw Consort Ding’s embroidered shoes pause before her for a moment and seemed to hear someone’s light laughter.

None of that mattered. She didn’t care. Just being alive was already something to be grateful for, wasn’t it?

Sounds of intimacy arose from the room, seemingly deliberately loud. Wangrou listened, her heart twisting like a knife had stabbed it, yet she laughed.

She was just a palace maid, without any status, who could be traded away as goods at any time – what right did she have to feel heartbroken?

Ye Yuqing felt irritated, looking at the affected woman biting her lip above him. He couldn’t help but snap: “Can you stop putting on airs?”

Consort Ding felt very wronged – she came from a scholarly family, how could she not be embarrassed doing such shameless things? Having self-respect was only natural, wasn’t it?

But since His Highness had spoken thus, she could only moan repeatedly, her face flushed red.

Glancing out the window, Ye Yuqing impatiently pressed the person above him down below.

“Ah—”

This soul-consuming sound made even those outside weak in the knees. Wangrou’s eyes grew lifeless. Finally, she closed them, thinking of nothing.

As the moon set and the sun rose, Ye Yuqing got up to change clothes. Opening the door, he saw Wangrou still forced to kneel on the ground, her face deathly pale.

His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly as he said coldly: “When I told you to guard her, you really took it literally.”

The dutiful guards bowed: “We wouldn’t dare neglect Your Highness’s orders!”

Glancing at the person with a lowered head, Ye Yuqing walked over and asked: “Still alive?”

Raising her head to look at him hazily, Wangrou smiled slightly, tears welling up in her dried eyes: “Your Highness…”

“Your servant… hurts so much…”

His heart jolted as Ye Yuqing pressed his lips together: “Release her, help her inside to lie down.”

“Yes.” The guards acknowledged, lifting her. But upon entering the room, they hesitated, looking at the brocade-covered bed and then at the dirty palace maid in their arms, momentarily uncertain.

“What are you standing there for? Put her on the bed!” Ye Yuqing snapped.

Startled, the guards hurriedly placed her on the bed and respectfully retreated.

Her legs had lost all feeling. Wangrou gave a muffled groan, clutching her chest as her brows knitted tightly together.

“Now you know pain?” Standing by the bed looking at her mockingly, Ye Yuqing said: “This prince felt the same pain when betrayed.”

Her body curled up as Wangrou’s face truly looked terrible, her lips deathly white.

As he watched, Ye Yuqing realized something was wrong. He immediately called out: “Summon the Imperial Physician!”

People outside responded and left. He frowned, reaching to feel Wangrou’s forehead.

She wasn’t feverish, but ice-cold and covered in cold sweat.

Sick? Ye Yuqing frowned. Women were truly troublesome, always falling ill, too weak to withstand anything… If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have acted out of anger last night and just slept. He should have had her confined in the side hall first.

The Imperial Physician arrived quickly but was startled upon taking her pulse, looking at him in some horror.

“What is it?” Ye Yuqing frowned: “Speak freely.”

“Your Highness… this woman is with child, and showing signs of miscarriage.” The Imperial Physician’s expression was complex: “It’s too late to save it. Your Highness should just give her abortion medicine and have a female doctor handle it.”

Like a thunderbolt from clear skies!

Ye Yuqing looked at him in disbelief: “What did you say?”

“This… this woman is about to miscarry…”

“When did she become pregnant?!” His pupils contracted sharply as Ye Yuqing’s heart seized: “It can’t be saved?”

“No.”

Drawing in a sharp breath, he grabbed the semi-conscious Wangrou roughly, shouting at her: “You did this on purpose, didn’t you? Knowing you were pregnant but still kneeling outside all night – you wanted to miscarry to make this prince feel guilty, didn’t you?!”

Brought somewhat to her senses by his shouting, Wangrou said in confusion: “When did your servant become pregnant? I was just having some stomach pain because my monthly cycle was due these days…”

The roar caught in his throat like a stone, which he forcefully swallowed. Ye Yuqing closed his eyes, violently throwing her back onto the bed before turning to leave.

It wasn’t a big deal. A palace maid’s child wouldn’t have received much regard even if born – so what if it was lost?