Yin Сhеnbi, thе First Рrince оf Wеi Кingdоm, inhеrited his handsomе аnd charming fеatures frоm thе lаtе еmрress, but yеars on the battlefield hаd fоrged аn aurа оf irоn-blоodеd tоughnеss. Тhе world knеw Yin Chenbi as а fiсkle аnd frivolous man whо never kеpt anуоnе in his hеаrt, уеt no onе knеw that twо реoрle hаd оnce brоkеn through thе gates of his unwеlcoming heаrt.
Тhеre wаs a young wоmаn, рroud аnd sрiritеd, whоsе nаme hе nеver lеarnеd. He sеarсhеd fоr her fоr thrее уears, unablе to forget her. Bеlieving he would bе trapрed in hорelеss longing for the rest of his life, he never expected that three years later, a lowly prostitute in tattered clothes, clutching a torn red silk, would stumble into his arms.
Yin Gezhi was joyful when he met Feng Yue. Even though her background was murky, her origins unclear, and her motives unknown, she brought liveliness, laughter, and noise. She gave him warm meals, tender affection, and the soft glow of candlelight. After more than half a year, Yin Gezhi felt he could finally let go of the person from three years ago—no longer visiting Dream Return Pavilion, no longer seeking Yan Qing, no longer asking who that person was or where she might be.
But he never expected that heaven seemed to be playing a cruel joke on him. The words drifting from the courtyard reached his ears, each syllable clear, yet strung together, they made no sense to him.
Or perhaps, he simply refused to make sense of them.
But his internal energy was too profound. Every word spoken inside was as clear as if whispered beside his ear:
"If you truly don’t care and insist on entering the palace, then I’ll make the arrangements for you." With a sigh, Yan Qing stood up. "I shouldn’t stay long, so I’ll take my leave. If you need anything, just send word."
"Thank you for your trouble." Feng Yue’s voice held no hesitation, even carrying a hint of laughter.
Yin Gezhi lowered his gaze, his body stiff as he dragged Guan Zhi with him to hide in the nearby woods.
"Master!" Only when they were far from the courtyard did Guan Zhi dare to breathe. His voice trembled as he spoke, his face lifted, tears welling in his eyes.
Guan Zhi, who firmly believed that "a man does not shed tears lightly," had not cried so shamefully since he was fifteen. Yet he could muster no other reaction. Seeing his master’s increasingly calm expression, his throat tightened, and tears fell like stones, one after another.
"Why are you crying?" Yin Gezhi asked softly, his voice hollow, his eyes vacant as he looked in Guan Zhi’s direction.
Guan Zhi choked back a sob, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, his throat aching with pain. "Feng Yue… Miss Feng Yue actually wants to assassinate His Majesty."
He felt heartbroken. His master cared for her so deeply, helping and protecting her, yet when she made such a decision, she gave no thought to his master, as if she had never considered their future together, as if she never intended to have one with him.
How could this be? They had been together for so long. Though their relationship was mutually beneficial, the feelings between them were undeniably real. Before coming here today, his master had even remarked that Miss Feng Yue was not skilled with writing and that he would have to draft the indictment for her. Though his expression showed nothing, it was clear he had come thinking of her, missing her. Yet no one could have anticipated this.
Hearing those words, even Guan Zhi felt distressed. What must his master be feeling?
At the thought, Guan Zhi’s throat tightened, and he could no longer speak.
After listening to him, Yin Gezhi actually laughed, a faint smile curling his lips. The more he thought about it, the more he laughed, shaking his head as he looked at Guan Zhi. "If you’re crying like this over just this much, then I… wouldn’t I have to weep enough tears to flood entire cities?"Dazzled by his smile, Guan Zhi was stunned and quickly reached out to support him. "Master?"
"It's nothing," Yin Gezhi said softly. "I'm fine."
It was just that the pain in his chest was so intense that he could no longer see the road ahead.
After all this time, the one he would fall in love with was still this person.
It turned out that the lovesickness curse from three years ago had not vanished but had instead transformed into a death curse.
It turned out she had once loved him, but from now on, she never would again.
His heart raced, the pain threatening to tear him apart. After taking only a few steps, he half-knelt on the ground, gasping for breath, his fingers digging into the soil until his knuckles turned white.
"Master!" Guan Zhi panicked, hurriedly supporting him. "Let's return to the manor!"
Yin Gezhi chuckled softly as Guan Zhi grabbed his arm, hoisted him up, and led him forward.
Amidst the chaos of mud and stones before his eyes, he thought in confusion. What was he to do about Feng Yue's decision? Was he to kill her with his own hands after she assassinated the emperor? Or was he to stop her, letting her die with resentment in her heart?
Her heart was now pure and unburdened, no longer holding any place for him. His life or death, his sorrow or despair—none of it mattered to her anymore. All she sought was her own satisfaction, even if it meant leaving him with a heart full of pain.
But he couldn't. He couldn't bear to see her suffer, much less die. Even though she had kept this from him for so long, even though she was cold and heartless, he still couldn't bear it.
As they passed a farmhouse beneath the woods, Yin Gezhi finally came to a stop.
Guan Zhi looked at him with alarm in his eyes.
Yan Qing had already left, and Feng Yue stood at the entrance of the courtyard, as if watching him depart. When she saw them, her expression changed abruptly, and she rushed over.
"What happened to His Highness?" she blinked, a hint of panic in her voice. "Would you like to come in and rest for a while?"
Under normal circumstances, Guan Zhi would have thought she was showing concern for his master. But remembering that Yan Qing had just walked down this path, he understood. For the first time, he spoke coldly to Feng Yue, "There's no need for your concern. I will help my master return to rest."
"Even with your support, I'm still exhausted," Yin Gezhi said hoarsely, his eyes downcast. "Feng Yue, come and accompany me as well."
Startled, Feng Yue had no idea what had happened. All she saw was a Yin Gezhi she had never seen before—weak and powerless, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness. The intimidating light in his eyes had vanished without a trace, making him look like a stray dog caught in the rain, evoking pity in others.
Touching her own sense of compassion, Feng Yue nodded. "Alright, let me tell Lingshu."
Gripping Yin Gezhi's hand tightly, Guan Zhi looked at him with confusion in his eyes. Yin Gezhi, however, remained expressionless. Apart from his pale lips, he appeared as if nothing had happened.
What was he thinking? Guan Zhi couldn't understand. In the blink of an eye, Feng Yue had already emerged, grabbing Yin Gezhi's other arm and hoisting it over her shoulder. She glanced sideways at Guan Zhi and said, "It's rare to see His Highness like this. If there were a painter here, they should capture this moment as a memento."
Yin Gezhi remained silent.
Feng Yue felt something was off, not only because the chill from his body seeped through his clothes to her shoulder but also because Guan Zhi refused to meet her gaze. Because of Lingshu, Guan Zhi had always treated her kindly. Why was he so cold today?Scratching her head, Feng Yue suddenly felt a bit timid. "How about... I help you to the city gate to get on the carriage, and then I'll head back first? They've prepared a meal and are waiting for me."
Yin Gezhi said, "Fine."
However, when they reached the city gate and Feng Yue was about to leave, she was unexpectedly swept up into the carriage by him.
"Your Highness?" Feng Yue stared wide-eyed.
Yin Gezhi looked up at her. "I want to eat the meal you cook."
As he said this, the carriage wheels had already begun to roll forward.
Fury surged within her. Feng Yue gritted her teeth. "Your Highness, I am no longer your maid."
"Hmm."
"Then why are you still asking me to cook?"
"I want to eat it."
Why don't you just wish for death instead? Truly a bit angry, Feng Yue lifted the carriage curtain, intending to jump out. The horse wasn't running fast, so even if she jumped, she wouldn't die.
His pupils contracted slightly. Yin Gezhi reached out and pulled her back. Holding her, he clasped his hands over her shoulders and scolded in a low voice, "If you don't want your life, then give it to me!"
Feng Yue really wanted to say, "I'd rather throw it away than give it to you!" But hearing his slightly trembling voice, she blinked and, for some reason, calmed down. Turning her head, she asked, "What happened?"
"Stay at the Prince of Filial Piety's Mansion." The person behind her spoke with his lips near her ear, his voice hoarse and carrying an inexplicable emotion. "Stay at the Prince of Filial Piety's Mansion. Whatever you want to do, I'll do it for you."
Hey, has the sun risen from the west? Feng Yue sneered. "Didn't Your Highness say you wouldn't help me? What does it mean to drag me to the Prince of Filial Piety's Mansion like this?"
Yin Gezhi remained silent, only holding her tightly.
Her heart skipped a beat. Feng Yue suddenly had a bad intuition. Clenching her fists, she asked, "When did you arrive today?"
"...Just when you saw me." Yin Gezhi said softly, "I just arrived. I walked too hastily on the way and had a heartache."
Is that so? Letting go of her hands, Feng Yue couldn't figure it out. If that were the case, why did he insist on taking her to the Prince of Filial Piety's Mansion?
This question was finally answered when she stepped through the gates of the Prince of Filial Piety's Mansion.
Guan Zhi led the guards to close the gates. Yin Gezhi, who usually disliked crowds, this time allowed all the hidden guards to come out and stand, surrounding the courtyard walls. She followed him toward the main courtyard. Along the way, many servants and maids, as if having received some prior command, glanced at her from the corners of their eyes.
To avoid being overly suspicious, Feng Yue took advantage of Yin Gezhi's inattention and bolted backward!
As expected, she hadn't run more than a few steps before she was caught and brought back.
"Yin Gezhi." No longer smiling, Feng Yue calmly looked up at him. "Did you overhear my conversation with Yan Qing?"
Turning his head away without answering the question, Yin Gezhi asked, "What do you want to eat tonight?"
"You plan to lock me up and not let me enter the palace?"
"The pork just delivered is very fresh. Do you want to try it? It can be used to make many different dishes."
Staring at his half-lowered eyelids, Feng Yue laughed, letting out a chuckle. "Why go to such lengths, Your Highness? If you want to make things difficult for me, just kill me directly. Why lock me up?"
Finally lifting his eyes, Yin Gezhi said calmly, "Do you think I don't want to kill you?"
Slightly shaken, Feng Yue frowned. She watched as he took a step forward and gently touched her face.
"If I could kill you, I would never have kept a troublemaker like you until now."
Unfortunately, she had won this round too brilliantly. He had lost and simply couldn't bring himself to do it.A surge of anger welled up. Feng Yue looked at him and said, "Then I thank Your Highness for showing mercy. I just never thought the camaraderie we shared along the journey would end here. If there is a chance next time, I will kill Your Highness—I am capable of doing so."
Yin Gezhi chuckled softly, his chest trembling slightly with laughter. "You are indeed formidable, General Guan."
"You flatter me." With a sharp glint in her eyes, Feng Yue gritted her teeth and spat out each word deliberately: "Prince Xiao of the Yin clan."
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