Interlaced shadows fell upon the rug by the doorway.
Li Xuanzhen let out a desolate smile. "Qiniang, will you never forgive me in this lifetime?"
Yaoying did not look at him. "You hated my mother, harmed my mother and elder brother, harmed me... Later, you saved my elder brother and saved me... Between us lies the hatred of our parents and elders. After all that has happened, I have nothing to say to you."
Li Xuanzhen closed his eyes briefly. "Then why did you stop Li Zhongqian from killing me? Do you truly feel nothing but hatred for me?"
Yaoying replied tonelessly, "Because you are, after all, the Crown Prince of Wei. Had he killed you, he would have been hunted down by Li De."
The light in Li Xuanzhen's eyes gradually dimmed, his expression turning forlorn.
"I can wait for you to forgive me, even if it takes a lifetime."
Yaoying's face remained impassive.
"Eldest Brother..."
She spoke softly.
Hearing this address, Li Xuanzhen trembled from head to toe.
"I gave Eldest Brother chances. I thought Eldest Brother was merely blinded by hatred temporarily... Time and again, you drove my elder brother into desperate straits, forcing me to learn how to scheme against Wei Ming and navigate the Crown Prince's Palace's provocations. When you and my elder brother led troops together, you, as the Crown Prince, had ample funds and supplies, with reinforcements readily available. For my elder brother to request reinforcements was exceedingly difficult. Anyone could see that he would face your obstruction in the future. He led attacks on the most fortified cities, only to have his achievements divided among others. His subordinates were often denied promotions, so he could only recruit those from all walks of life..."
"Elder Brother lived a hard life. Because he could never escape Li De's grasp, he had no choice but to persevere."
Yaoying looked at Li Xuanzhen. "Whether you still hate us or have let go of the hatred, I want no further involvement with you."
Li Xuanzhen's eyes glistened with moisture.
"You gave me chances before... Then give me one more chance! I can become Changsheng again. I will make up for all my wrongs—give me a chance!"
Yaoying shook her head. "The greatest amends you can make is to no longer disturb my elder brother's and my lives."
Li Xuanzhen fell silent for a moment, an unfathomable shadow flickering in the depths of his eyes.
"Qiniang, I cannot do that."
Yaoying frowned deeply.
Li Xuanzhen smiled self-mockingly. "You see, this is the kind of person I am."
"Before Mother died, I only wanted to live peacefully with her through these troubled times. Later, when Wei Commandery was breached by enemy forces, we mother and son suffered greatly..."
Li Xuanzhen shut his eyes in anguish.
The ordeal his mother endured remained buried deep in his heart. For the sake of her reputation, he had never revealed this to anyone and never would.
"And then... Mother died before my eyes, solely to preserve my position as Crown Prince. What else could I do?"
He was bound to the execution platform, destined to live out the remainder of his life for his mother's dying wish. Otherwise, he did not know what purpose his existence served.
For his mother, he secretly gathered strength, waiting to assassinate Li De and target Li Zhongqian.
To fill the eternal void in his heart, he protected Zhu Lvyun.
For the trust of his subordinates, to quell the chaos of the era and reduce the number of women like his mother in this world, he led troops into battle.
Now, he wanted to return to his true self and atone for his past wrongs. He once had the chance to live like an ordinary person; she had shown him hope, and he chased that single beam of light in the darkness.
Like Kuafu chasing the sun, he must either fulfill his wish or die in the pursuit—there was no other choice.He had died long ago, on the very day his mother passed away.
"Qiniang, I met you, went through so much with you... You're still alive, and so am I..."
He let out a bitter laugh, his gaze dark and frenzied.
"I accept it—this is Li Xuanzhen's fate."
He sighed deeply, the sound tinged with both bitterness and sweetness.
"When I first met you, I thought we could get along well. I never expected you to be my enemy. I felt anger, humiliation... I hated you, and even more, I hated the part of myself that softened toward you. I allowed Wei Ming to eliminate you, only to realize I regretted it afterward..."
"Qiniang, I don't want to regret anymore. Since fate insists on toying with me, I might as well indulge myself! I'm shameless—I know you despise me, hate me. I have no other choice. As long as I have a breath left in me, I won't give up."
Li Xuanzhen sighed softly, the ferocity in his eyes deepening. He abruptly sat up straight, grabbed a dagger, and thrust it into her hand.
"Do you hate me? Is killing me the only way you'll forgive me? Fine—kill me."
He gripped Yaoying's hand tightly, guiding the dagger toward his own chest.
The blade was sharp, quickly slicing open a wound. Beads of blood welled up.
Yaoying was startled and tried to pull her hand away.
Li Xuanzhen held fast, his gaze fixed intently on her, his expression wild as if he felt no pain. The dagger continued to plunge deeper, tearing through flesh until his chest was a bloody mess.
"Qiniang, this is who I am!"
He rasped, his eyes bloodshot.
Yaoying shuddered in horror.
The next moment, Li Xuanzhen released her hand, wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her close. His face, shadowed with dark intensity, drew nearer.
Caught off guard, Yaoying stared at him in stunned silence.
His narrow phoenix eyes churned with gloomy, fervent desire.
Yaoying stared wide-eyed, frozen for a long moment.
"You're insane!"
She suddenly snapped back to reality, shoving Li Xuanzhen away and springing to her feet. A wave of revulsion surged in her chest, goosebumps rising all over her body. Where he had touched her felt as if it were on fire.
Li Xuanzhen collapsed back onto the couch, his face contorting in pain. Fresh blood seeped through the bandages, his expression blank, his phoenix eyes fixed unwaveringly on her.
"I'm not insane."
He stated.
"Li Yaoying, I want you."
It felt like a thunderclap had exploded beside her ear. Yaoying's stomach churned with nausea, and she turned to leave.
He was her brother. She had thought his remorse stemmed from repentance and the bond they once shared. How could she have imagined he harbored such intentions? It was utterly incomprehensible!
Watching Yaoying's resolute retreating figure, Li Xuanzhen smiled bitterly.
"Yaoying, you are not the daughter of Li De and Xie Manyuan."
Yaoying's mind buzzed with chaos, but at his words, she instantly calmed and halted her steps.
Gritting through the excruciating pain of his wound, Li Xuanzhen struggled to sit up. "I had people investigate—verified it repeatedly. Back then, Xie Manyuan was never pregnant. After my mother died, she falsely claimed to be with child, and the Xie family helped cover it up. Li De was often away from home and never suspected... You were an abandoned infant Xie Wuliang found on the battlefield. Lord Pei's letter confirms your identity."
Yaoying stood with her back to him, silent for a long time.
"I'm not lying to you. I am not your brother."
And neither is Li Zhongqian.
That was why, when Li Xuanzhen first found Yaoying, he didn't dare tell her the truth—because he still had to return to Liangzhou to manage affairs and couldn't stay for long.Now he had to tell her the truth. She had secretly come to the Royal Court, surely for the sake of Regent Su Dan Gu.
"And so?"
A calm question broke the silence. Yaoying turned around, looking at Li Xuanzhen with an unchanged expression.
"You're not my brother, so everything between us is just wiped clean?"
Li Xuanzhen froze.
Yaoying curled her lips. "Even if I were a child Uncle picked up, Mother cared for me, Brother raised me—we relied on each other to survive. Whether Brother and I share blood ties or not won't change that. What happened between you and me won't just vanish into thin air. Nothing will change."
She turned to leave.
Li Xuanzhen snapped out of it and called out to her: "What if you still have living relatives?"
Yaoying's back stiffened.
"Yaoying, I know who your biological father is, I know you still have blood relatives alive... You may not care about your origins, but what about Li Zhongqian? How will he feel when he finds out you're not his real sister?"
Yaoying laughed and turned back: "Are you trying to threaten me with my origins?"
Li Xuanzhen shook his head with a bitter smile. "No, I just want to remind you—Li Zhongqian wouldn't want to know about your origins... Trust me, I don't want to hurt you."
He looked into her eyes.
"I just want to start over with you."
Yaoying stared at him. "Who is my biological father?"
Li Xuanzhen spoke a name.
Yaoying's hands clenched inside her sleeves as she turned and walked away.
Her guards were waiting outside. Seeing her pale face, they quickly asked, "Seventh Lady, what's wrong?"
Yaoying remained dazed for a long moment, her face ashen. After walking some distance, she suddenly stopped.
"Take the Crown Prince to the silk shop. Arrange for someone to escort him back to Gaochang. Keep this from the Young Master—don't let him meet with the Crown Prince."
The guards were confused but complied.
Yaoying returned to her room in a trance, dismissed the guards, and said, "I'm not feeling well and need to rest. Report any matters to me after I wake up."
The guards withdrew.
...
An hour later, several guards burst into Li Xuanzhen's room, forcibly helped him up, and escorted him out.
Just as Li Xuanzhen struggled, a guard pressed his arm and whispered, pulling down his face covering,
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, it's me."
His tone was respectful.
Li Xuanzhen stared in shock, his phoenix eyes wide.
The man quickly covered his face again. "Whatever Your Highness desires, we can accomplish it for you."
Half an hour later, a curtained carriage left the courtyard. The guards, knowing Yaoying intended to send Li Xuanzhen away, inspected the carriage and waved it through.
In the afternoon, Li Zhongqian hurried back to the courtyard and went to check on his sister. He knocked for a long time but heard no response. Frowning, he pushed the door open and lifted the brocade quilt on the bed.
Beneath the quilt lay only a pile of folded clothes.
Li Zhongqian's face darkened. "Where is she?"
Everyone panicked. Guards from all posts were summoned, and a headcount revealed that several people were missing. Yaoying was nowhere to be found.
Li Zhongqian erupted in fury. "Bright Moon Slave never left the premises. How could she just disappear?"
The guards searched frantically. Remembering that only Li Xuanzhen's carriage had departed that day, they broke out in cold sweat.
Just then, a sharp whistle cut through the air—an arrow shot into the courtyard, embedding itself in the earthen wall, its tail still quivering.
Li Zhongqian grimly pulled out the arrow, removed the attached letter, and read it. His hands trembled, his gaze turning fierce."They took Bright Moon Slave and warned us not to leak the news, or they would silence us by killing."
The personal guards turned pale with shock.
...
Wang Temple.
Tanmoroqie sat before the desk in his snow-white kasaya.
The lieutenant general of the imperial guards reported the disturbance in the market district to him, assuring that a thorough investigation would be conducted. The celebratory activities would continue, and such violent incidents in crowded markets would not happen again.
He listened quietly.
"Your Highness!"
Yuanjue rushed into the zen room, gasping for breath.
Bi Suo signaled for the lieutenant general to withdraw.
After the man left, Yuanjue hurriedly said, "The princess is gone!"
The zen room suddenly fell silent.
"Duke Weiguo flew into a rage and left with the princess and his personal guards. I tried to stop them but couldn't."
Bi Suo was dumbfounded.
Tanmoroqie gently stroked his Buddhist beads, remaining silent.
...
Outside the Holy City.
When Yaoying woke up, she found herself in a dimly lit carriage, her hands and feet bound with ropes, and a soft cloth stuffed in her mouth. The jolting of the carriage made her dizzy and nauseous.
She remembered taking a nap on the couch in her room. Who had taken her?
A low voice came from beside her: "You're awake?"
Yaoying came to her senses and met a pair of phoenix eyes bloodshot with red veins.
She tried to sit up but couldn't move. Attempting to bite through the ropes binding her hands proved futile—the leather cords were too tough.
Li Xuanzhen lay beside her, groaning softly as he suppressed his pain. "Don't break your teeth," he whispered. "You can't bite through them."
Yaoying gritted her teeth. "What do you want?"
Li Xuanzhen smiled bitterly. "I didn't do anything..."
"Who kidnapped me?"
Whoever could take her right under the guards' noses must be Han Chinese.
"It's Li De."
Yaoying's mind raced. "Impossible."
Li De had too many ambitions—he wanted to reclaim the Western Regions, win over the people, stabilize the court, and consolidate his power. The restoration of the Western Regions would be a monumental achievement recorded in history. However, the noble families of the Western Regions distrusted the Wei Dynasty. If he provoked these families, he would lose their support entirely. He wouldn't dare disrupt the current balance easily. Issuing the decree to enfeoff Yaoying was meant to appease her and show goodwill to the noble families. At this moment, Li De wouldn't send anyone to capture her.
Li Xuanzhen coughed weakly. "It wasn't Li De's direct order, but the martial assassins he sent. I recognize their leader. They were ordered to capture me and bring me back to Chang'an. I've fallen into their hands before and escaped several times. They infiltrated the envoy group and followed us to the Royal Court. When they saw me risk my life to save you, they guessed you were the reason I came to the Royal Court, so they decided to take you back as well to complete their mission."
"These martial assassins have been trained since childhood. They only care about their mission and won't consider the bigger picture."
Yaoying asked anxiously, "Did they do something to my elder brother?"
Li Xuanzhen looked at her.
Even after learning about her true origins, she still cared so much about Li Zhongqian.
"No, they didn't dare cause too much commotion. The Royal Court probably hasn't realized you were kidnapped. Li Zhongqian is fine."
Yaoying sighed in relief, her mind racing as she contemplated escape plans.
If she disappeared, would Tanmoroqie know? If he found out, would he be worried?
He was ill, yet he still had to worry about her...
While thinking of ways to escape and worrying about Tanmoroqie and Li Zhongqian, Yaoying tried to move her head and realized the hairpin was gone. Kicking her legs, she found the dagger hidden in her boot had also been taken."Don't move, don't hurt yourself..." Li Xuanzhen whispered soothingly, "Li Zhongqian must be chasing after us. I'll find a way to delay them while you look for a chance to escape."
Yaoying remained silent.
Li Xuanzhen smiled faintly. "You don't trust me?"
He sighed, gazing at the carriage roof.
"Seventh Lady, I do want to possess you, and I would resort to any means. But I know once Li De gets involved, you'll be in danger... I can't let him discover my feelings for you."
Yaoying didn't respond.
After what felt like an eternity, the carriage suddenly halted. Li Xuanzhen signaled Yaoying to bite on a soft cloth and pretend to be asleep.
Someone lifted the curtain and glanced inside. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, we've arranged several other carriages to divert Li Zhongqian. Rest assured, once we leave the Royal Court, we won't need to hide anymore."
Li Xuanzhen's heart sank.
If Li Zhongqian had been led astray, even if he managed to delay these Martial Assassins, Yaoying wouldn't be able to escape. And in his severely wounded state, he could barely lift a sword.
"How did you infiltrate the Holy City? Who's your inside contact?"
The Martial Assassin chuckled. "No need for Your Highness to concern yourself with that. Money makes the mare go. A year ago, His Majesty ordered us to bring the Crown Prince back to Chang'an. We've been following you for a year, yet you refused to return. Now that we've captured the Princess, don't try to escape again, or we won't be gentle with her."
Li Xuanzhen sneered. "The Princess is now the leader of the Western Army. If you harm her, how will you answer to His Majesty?"
The Martial Assassin grinned viciously. "We don't care who she is! As long as we can bring the Crown Prince back, what happens next is none of our concern!"
As he spoke, he raised his blade toward Yaoying.
Li Xuanzhen's face darkened. "Don't touch her!"
The Martial Assassin smirked, sheathed his knife, and dropped the curtain. "Then behave, Your Highness. Don't force our hand."
...
Yellow sand swept across the main road as swift horses thundered past like dark clouds.
Li Zhongqian and his personal guards galloped dozens of miles before finally spotting carriage tracks. They pursued and surrounded the vehicle.
The trembling driver rolled off the carriage shaft.
"Bright Moon Slave!"
Li Zhongqian yanked open the carriage curtain and scanned the interior. A veiled woman cowered inside, staring at him in terror.
His heart sank, face turning ashen.
"This one's fake too."
The party immediately wheeled their horses around and galloped in another direction.
...
Meanwhile, in another direction.
The carriage raced onward.
After much effort, Yaoying finally gnawed through the ropes binding her hands. She quickly untied her feet, then loosely retied the ropes around her wrists and legs to avoid arousing suspicion.
Anxiety burned within her.
Li Xuanzhen grew paler, vomiting blood several times, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Yaoying's eyes darted thoughtfully. She called out to the Martial Assassins: "The Crown Prince is severely injured! Why haven't you stopped to change his bandages? If anything happens to him, how will you report back to Chang'an?"
The Martial Assassins hesitated, lifting the curtain to check.
Understanding Yaoying's plan, Li Xuanzhen cooperated by trembling violently.
Having followed Li Xuanzhen for a year and witnessed his wounded body taking blows for Yaoying, the Martial Assassins hesitated, fearing he might truly be at death's door. They stopped the carriage to redress his wounds.
After hasty bandaging, they resumed their journey.
Disappointment flashed across Yaoying's face—she had hoped to buy more time.
Darkness fell, howling winds raging outside.To avoid patrols, the Martial Assassins deliberately chose desolate routes. Surrounded by wilderness and unable to travel at night, the carriage finally came to a halt.
The temperature plummeted after dark, the biting wind whipping the carriage curtains into a frantic rustle.
Li Xuanzhen struggled to sit up, lifted the curtain, and scanned the outside. "Later, seize a horse and flee without looking back. Head south. They're cunning—they're not heading east but north."
He turned to look at Yaoying.
She was tense, wholly focused on observing the movements outside.
Though anxious after being captured, she hadn’t panicked. During her time stranded in the Western Regions, she must have grown accustomed to such hardships.
His heart churned with complex emotions.
They waited patiently until midnight. Under a starless, moonless sky, the wilderness was pitch black. Li Xuanzhen struggled out of the carriage, claiming he needed to relieve himself to avoid soiling the interior. The Martial Assassin laughed heartily and helped him walk away.
In the darkness, Li Xuanzhen’s vision blurred, his limbs trembling. After waiting for what felt like half a cup of tea’s time, he bit his tongue hard, spun around abruptly, snatched the dagger from the Martial Assassin who had come to hurry him, and stabbed the man in the throat.
In the other carriage, hearing the commotion, Yaoying scrambled down, took a deep breath, and broke into a sprint. She mounted a horse, tugged the reins, and charged into the vast darkness.
The Martial Assassins wouldn’t kill Li Xuanzhen—he was in no mortal danger. She had to escape as quickly as possible. Even if she failed and was recaptured, it would buy time or leave traces behind.
Yaoying’s heart pounded like a drum as she gripped the reins, galloping through the night.
Soon, the dense thunder of hooves and the furious curses of the Martial Assassins echoed behind her.
Gritting her teeth, Yaoying urged her horse faster.
The Martial Assassins closed in—so close she could see the glint of their long blades and hear their shouts ringing in her ears. One of them reached out to grab her arm.
A sharp whistle cut through the heavy night.
An iron arrow, infused with formidable inner strength, shot out from the darkness and pierced straight through the Martial Assassin’s arm.
The man screamed and tumbled from his horse.
Arrows followed in rapid succession, one after another, like a rainbow piercing the sun. Cries of agony erupted as several Martial Assassins fell to the ground.
Panting heavily, Yaoying lifted her head.
Shadows stirred in the darkness ahead.
A rider burst forth from the gloom—a man in blue robes, a white cloak draped over his shoulders, his posture upright. He held a longbow, an arrow quiver at his waist, calmly drawing and releasing arrows with fierce precision, yet carrying an air of compassion.
More Martial Assassins fell from their steeds.
Dark clouds roiled, the night thick and heavy. The cold gleam of the iron arrows reflected on the man’s face, revealing a pair of cold, jade-green eyes beneath his mask.
Yaoying’s lips parted, her eyes suddenly burning with tears.
In all the world, there was only the sound of his horse’s hooves charging toward her.
Amid the deafening cries of pursuit, the black horse reached her in an instant. The man, bow in one hand, wrapped his other arm around her waist and, with a deft motion, lifted her into his embrace. She reached out, clinging tightly to his neck, feeling herself securely settled on the saddle.
Yaoying trembled all over.
Tanmoroqie spread his white cloak, enveloping her within it, and looked down at her.
Tears welled in Yaoying’s eyes as she whispered, her voice shaking, "You’re insane."
The same three words she had once used to describe Li Xuanzhen, yet now spoken with an entirely different emotion.The steed galloped wildly, jolting along the way. Tanmoroqie remained silent, his hand pressing against her neck, holding her tightly against his chest.
Yaoying could hear his heartbeat—still slow and composed.
Monk, have you gone mad?
Yaoying smiled, tears shimmering in her eyes. Shock, bitterness, sweetness, joy, heartache, worry... a myriad of emotions surged and churned within her, yet her heart gradually settled into calm.
...
Not far away, the thunder of hoofbeats approached as more shadowy figures drew near. The leading man, his phoenix eyes brimming with ferocity, spurred his horse forward and raised his blade. He froze for a moment upon seeing Tanmoroqie and Yaoying embracing on horseback.
"Young Master! We’ve found Seventh Lady!"
His personal guards shouted to him.
Li Zhongqian’s face darkened as he shot a fierce glare at Tanmoroqie before charging ahead to engage in battle.
Fine. This Su Dan Gu is clever—he knew Yaoying and I wouldn’t leave the Holy City without reason, so he must have realized something was wrong. He came looking for me and helped track the Martial Assassins. Thanks to his familiarity with the terrain, we managed to catch up. He’s earned his share of credit and hardship... I’ll settle the score with him tomorrow!
The Martial Assassin hadn’t expected to be overtaken so quickly. He swiftly turned his horse around, retreated to the campfire, ordered his men to divert Li Zhongqian, seized Li Xuanzhen, and fled.
Thud.
A dagger plunged deep into flesh.
A sharp pain shot through him. The Martial Assassin looked down at Li Xuanzhen in disbelief.
"Crown Prince, Li Zhongqian is here. If you kill me, aren’t you afraid he’ll kill you? We’re grasshoppers tied to the same rope now!"
Li Xuanzhen’s gaze was icy. He raised the dagger and stabbed relentlessly, again and again, into the Martial Assassin’s chest.
The Martial Assassin screamed in agony, and both men tumbled from the horse.
Li Xuanzhen rolled several times on the ground. Seeing the Martial Assassin clutching his wound and struggling to stand, he lunged forward, grabbed the man’s legs, and sent him stumbling to the ground. Clambering atop him, Li Xuanzhen slit the Martial Assassin’s throat.
The Martial Assassin stared at him, eyes wide with unblinking fury even in death.
Li Xuanzhen tossed the dagger aside.
"None who dare harm her... shall be spared..."
These men had secret ways of transmitting messages, able to communicate undetected. Not a single one could be left alive.
He must never let Li De discover his true intentions.
Li Xuanzhen collapsed to the ground and closed his eyes.
...
Li Zhongqian and his guards finished off the remaining Martial Assassins, then turned their horses around.
"Bright Moon Slave!"
He shouted from a distance.
"Are you all right?"
Yaoying snapped out of her daze and leaned out of Tanmoroqie’s embrace. "Elder Brother, I’m fine. What about you? Are you hurt?"
"I’m unharmed."
Li Zhongqian shook his head, his entire body bristling with discomfort as he watched Tanmoroqie’s arms still wrapped around Yaoying.
The guards brought over the unconscious Li Xuanzhen. "Young Master, how should we deal with him?"
Li Zhongqian raised his long blade.
After a moment’s thought, Yaoying said, "Elder Brother, he’s not with those people."
Li Zhongqian snorted coldly and sheathed his blade. "Carry him back. Guard him personally. There are spies among the Gaochang envoy—remember, don’t trust any unfamiliar faces."
The men acknowledged the order.
Li Zhongqian had a guard bring a horse for Yaoying.
She slipped out of Tanmoroqie’s embrace. Without a word, he removed his white robe and draped it over her, watching as she dismounted.
She climbed onto the other horse, tightened her grip on the reins, and whispered to Li Zhongqian, "Elder Brother, General Su is injured. I’m worried about him, so I’ll follow him for now. Once we return, I’ll explain everything that happened today."
Li Zhongqian was deeply displeased, but seeing Yaoying’s anxious expression and her red-rimmed eyes, he couldn’t bear to make things difficult for her. He grunted softly and said, "Very well."
He felt a pang of guilt—his subordinates had driven away the Royal Court guards, allowing the Martial Assassins to seize the opportunity.
Yaoying parted from him and urged her horse forward, catching up to Tanmoroqie, who was walking alone to the side.The long wind howled. She tightened her white robe, moved closer to him, and tried to speak, but before she could open her mouth, her eyes reddened first.
With a thud, Tanmoroqie suddenly fell from his horse. The steed took a few steps forward, sensed the commotion, turned its head, and circled around him.
"Luojia!"
Yaoying tugged the reins, dismounted, and rushed to his side, turning him over.
His face veil slipped off, and his emerald eyes gazed up at her.
"Are you leaving?"
He asked softly, his consciousness hazy.
Yaoying felt as if she had been brutally stabbed, her heart aching intensely.
Weren’t you angry, ignoring me for days, forcing me to leave?
Didn’t you say I could leave whenever I wanted?
You consider everything carefully, afraid of burdening me, unwilling to disrespect me. You know all love is as fleeting as dew, you understand everything so clearly—why are you still clinging to me?
Tears streamed down Yaoying’s face, yet the corners of her lips lifted slightly. She cupped Tanmoroqie’s cheeks with both hands, leaned down, and pressed her forehead against his.
"I’m here, monk."
Tanmoroqie looked at her face so close to his, their breaths mingling.
He murmured dazedly, "I am the Buddha Prince of the Royal Court... my illness cannot be cured."
Yaoying smiled through her tears: "It doesn’t matter. We’ll take our time treating it. I told you, I don’t care that you’re a monk. You don’t need to renounce your vows or break your precepts."
No matter how long it takes, no matter what the outcome is.
Let’s try—there is always hope.
OpenNovel