Chapter 33 Spring Warms, Flowers Bloom

le for washing…"Yun Qianyue nodded. It seemed that Third and Fifth Concubines' status in the Cloud Prince Manor was not much different from how Princess Feng fared before being demoted to concubine. O...Chapter 33: Spring Warmth and Blooming Flowers

Yun Qianyue looked at the two pieces of golden leaves in her hand. The handwriting on both pieces was familiar to her. One piece had the same handwriting as that from Yang Ye's letter, while the other had her original handwriting when she wasn't pretending. Since losing her memory, she hadn't used this style of handwriting.

The envelope was old, and judging by the traces on the golden leaves, it indeed appeared to be five years old!

This meant that five years ago, she had promised Yedianyi that after five years, she would like him. Yet, she had lost her memory and forgotten about him!

Yun Qianyue looked at the two golden leaves, unsure of what kind of emotion to feel for a moment. She just felt that fate was playing a not-so-small joke on her, putting her in an impossible situation.

The person before her resembled Xiaoqi, and during this period of amnesia, she had fallen in love with Rong Jing.

Yun Qianyue tightly pursed her lips, gazing at the handwriting on the golden leaves for a long time without speaking.

Yedianyi also remained silent. With his thin lips slightly pressed together and not uttering a word, it was unclear what he was thinking about. The sunlight filtering through an old banyan tree in front of him dotted his pale-blue brocade robe with patches of light. His figure under the patchy sun looked melancholy.

"Why didn't you come back sooner" Yun Qianyue asked softly after a long time, "Even just半個月 earlier!"

"I originally planned to return sooner, but something happened in the northern frontier, quite complicated..." Yedianyi raised his head and looked at Yun Qianyue, saying lightly: "After handling those matters, I rushed back on horseback and arrived that day you went up Cloud Mist Mountain. Unexpectly, you avoided me..."

Yun Qianyue turned her head to look at the old banyan tree. The tree was several hundred years old; its branches were already full of scars, yet it still had lush leaves. Just like the present Heavenly Emperor Dynasty she observed through the gaps in the leaves, sunlight scattered across the sky. Her gaze broke through the clouds and mist with determination as she said softly: "Late is late, no matter what reason, it's still too late!"

Yedianyi's expression changed.

Yun Qianyue withdrew her sight, handing the two pieces of golden leaves to Yedianyi. "I now like Rong Jing. I have forgotten all past affairs and almost don't remember your existence. You are a stranger to me at this moment. Therefore, this agreement can only..."

Before Yun Qianyue finished her words, Yedianyi suddenly reached out to cover her mouth.

Yun Qianyue looked at Yedianyi.

Yedianyi's amber eyes fixed on Yun Qianyue. His voice was slightly hoarse, "Don't say no so quickly to me. You lost your memory and weren't by my side, which is why you started liking him. Do you really think this kind of affection would remain unchanged in the future"

Yun Qianyue opened her mouth but didn't make a sound.

"You're not certain about it either, right" Yedianyi stared into Yun Qianyue's eyes. "Prince Jing is indeed excellent; no one in the entire world says he isn’t good. It’s not strange that you like him since he has the ability to make anyone fall for him. But do you really think you’re suitable to like him"

Yun Qianyue looked at Yedianyi, pursing her lips in silence.

"You can't erase our past just because of your amnesia; don’t forget how important I am to you." Yedianyi let go of his hand and stepped forward to gently embrace Yun Qianyue. He whispered softly: "Without you, perhaps I would have died during the persecution ten years ago when my imperial brother was the crown prince. Without you, after my mother’s crime implicated our entire family five years ago, I might never recover. Without you, I wouldn't struggle every day in the northern frontier to achieve today's accomplishments. And without you, I can’t even imagine what I would do!"

Yun Qianyue felt a chill in her heart.

"So don’t tell me that because you like Prince Jing, you erase our shared history." Yedianyi’s hoarse voice trembled slightly. "How can I bear it if this is your decision"

Yun Qianyue's body quivered.

Yedianyi didn't speak anymore, tightening his grip on Yun Qianyue's body repeatedly.

Because of these words, the resolute heart Yun Qianyue had before hesitated. She couldn’t bring herself to say no again. If he were Yedianyi merely, she would have pushed him away without hesitation, but the person before her was so similar to Xiaoqi. That day when Rong Jing asked her if she had experienced the joy of losing something and then finding it back, she hadn't at that time, yet now she did.

To Yun Qianyue, Yedianyi was like regaining what was lost, but this gain pained her heart.

He resembled Xiaoqi but wasn’t him. Yet, facing this person and these words, she couldn't say a single "no."

"Would it be possible to retract your affection for Crown Prince Jing" Night Tianyi asked softly, his voice seeming to penetrate directly into Yun Qianmo's heart from beside her ear. Though his tone was inquisitive and gentle, it carried an unwavering determination.

Yun Qianmo remained silent. She actually wanted to retract it as well. Yet, wanting something and doing it were two different things. Ever since she returned to the Yun王府 from the Rong王府 a few days ago, Crown Prince Jing had become deeply rooted in her heart; whether she was tying her hair up, looking into a mirror, or having meals, he seemed to be part of her very soul. Even today, despite Night Tianyi’s presence, his injury pained her and the words "as long as you marry me, I can afford to take you as my wife" still made her heart flutter.

"Would it be possible for you to retract your affection You once promised your mother that you would treat me well. But now are you abandoning me" Night Tianyi seemed to sense Yun Qianmo's emotional turmoil and spoke again in a low, hoarse voice.

Yun Qianmo pursed her lips, still silent. Her memories of the past were sealed away; she had no recollection of anything prior. Even if she had promised his mother something before, it was long forgotten. How could she be expected to abandon him or not

"Is it really that difficult" After Yun Qianmo didn't respond for a while, Night Tianyi lowered his head and looked at her face.

Yun Qianmo's lips were tightly pursed as she nodded, "It is very hard!"

Night Tianyi tightened his hold on Yun Qianmo, his usually smooth voice becoming a bit hoarse, “Crown Prince Jing is the heir to Rong王府 and will become its ruler in the future. You are the legitimate daughter of Rong王府. Even if the ancestral rules have been abolished now, you still can't escape being betrothed by your father. That person could be anyone, but it will never be Crown Prince Jing.”

The hand Yun Qianmo had in her sleeve suddenly clenched tightly as Queen’s words echoed in her mind.

“Would you consider retracting your affection” Night Tianyi repeated softly.

"What if I can't" Yun Qianmo asked, her voice low and tone unusually cold and helpless.

"If you put your effort into it, there is nothing that cannot be done," Night Tianyi affirmed confidently.

“Hmph... You do know me well!” Yun Qianmo suddenly smiled with a touch of coldness in her expression.

Hearing this tone, Night Tianyi's body trembled slightly. His confident voice turned soft and hoarse, “Only two months have passed. How deep could your feelings for him be Could they really be so strong that you can't retract them But what about us Do you know how long I've liked you If I can't let go of my feelings towards you after only two months, how can you possibly let go of the affection you have for him Can you bear to watch me suffer alone while he is happy with you”

Yun Qianmo's cold smile faded as she fell silent once more.

"Qianmo, be fair," Night Tianyi’s last word dropped heavily, seemingly full of profound pain.

A tightness gripped Yun Qianmo's heart.

No longer speaking, Night Tianyi held her quietly. Her slender figure in his arms felt like a delicate veil that could drift away if he didn't hold on tightly. His grip tightened and relaxed with the rhythm of his emotions.

"If I try to retract it but can’t, then what" Yun Qianmo asked after a moment’s silence in a hoarse voice.

"I don't know," Night Tianyi shook his head.

Yun Qianmo pushed Night Tianyi away; he released her. She gave him one last deep look and turned to leave.

Night Tianyi reached out to stop her, "You—"

"I can't agree with you!" Yun Qianmo dodged his hand and said clearly, “Although I’ve lost my memory, it hasn’t affected my mind. I know what I’m doing! I truly like Rong Jing. When I do something, I always put my heart into it; I don’t hesitate or waver. If I say yes, then it’s yes, if not, it’s no. Right now, I like Rong Jing and that's a fact. Had you returned half a month ago or even earlier, things might have been different, but this is how they are now."

Color drained from Night Tianyi’s face.

"No matter what happened before my memory loss or any promises I made to you, it's all in the past. For me, that's a life long gone. This might be unfair but isn't everything in this world inherently unjust" Yun Qianmo looked at Night Tianyi’s suddenly pale face and couldn’t bear for him to look like Xiao Qi. She turned away without looking at him again and continued, "I can't be a woman who treads on two boats or hesitate between choices. To me right now, you are an acquaintance from the past. How could I leave Rong Jing because of your few words and letters This would be unfair to him, but also to myself."

His complexion turned even paler.

"If you truly like me and know me well, then you should understand who I am! I’m someone who never compromises my own happiness. Even if it means disappointing others, I won’t sacrifice myself," Yun Qianmo’s gaze drifted to the distance as her voice was cold yet calm, almost devoid of emotion, “Therefore, if you wish, I can treat you like a family member. But if not, there's no point in forcing anything. From now on until my memories return, we should be strangers.”

Night Tianyi took an abrupt step back.

After Yun Qianyue finished speaking, she no longer looked at Ye Tianyi. She lightly touched the ground with her toes and drifted out of the Bodhidharma Academy, heading downhill.

Ye Tianyi reached out to grab onto something but didn’t manage to catch a single piece of fabric. Looking in the direction where Yun Qianyue’s figure had disappeared, his face turned deathly pale, his brows and eyes darkened, and after a moment, he put away all his emotions, lowered his head to look at the two golden leaves in his hand, and bitterly smiled with a voice as soft as if it were without sound, "Can’t retrieve them But I just want you to retrieve them for me. What should I do"

"Seventh Prince! Don't force things!" An elderly voice came from inside the house.

"Master, isn’t it a waste of being a man if one can obtain something but doesn’t seek it out and instead misses out on obtaining it" Ye Tianyi looked towards the Zen room with a cold and silent voice like midnight, "Ye Tianyi has never forced anything before, but her… I won't let go! Never!"

After he finished speaking, he lightly touched the ground with his toes, and his snow-white figure left the Bodhidharma Hall, heading downhill.

The elderly monk sighed inside the room, full of pity and helplessness, "A hundred years of prosperity, changing winds and clouds. Who knows if it's a blessing or a curse for all beings! Amitabha!"

After the old monk finished speaking, the inner courtyard of the Bodhidharma Hall returned to quietness, with no more voices coming from inside.

Yun Qianyue reached the foot of the mountain in a short while. Tashui was eating grass. Seeing her return, it neighed happily. She patted its head and glanced at Ye Tianyi’s horse before lightly touching the ground with her toes to mount the horse. Pulling on the reins, Tashui lifted all four hooves and left the mountain behind the North Mountain.

Maybe she was being too heartless towards Ye Tianyi, but she couldn’t afford to care about that. She no longer had feelings for him now; if she were to compromise because of his affection and their past entanglements, it would truly harm him as well as herself.

She liked Rong Jing—this was an unchangeable fact.

Rong Jing…

The one thing Ye Tianyi said was correct: there wasn’t anything she couldn’t do if she wanted to. It just depended on whether she wanted it or not. Her affection for Rong Jing went beyond liking, or even deeper than that—deep enough that she didn’t want to let go anymore.

Not wanting to let go…

Some people fear the most being unclear about themselves, but she was clearly watching herself sink step by step.

Yun Qianyue softly sighed as Tashui galloped forward and disappeared into the howling wind.

Tashui seemed to understand Yun Qianyue’s thoughts and ran towards East Mountain.

About twenty miles later, they arrived at a mountain pass where suddenly an intense killing aura came over. Instantly, several cold rays of light appeared, piercing straight towards Yun Qianyue's vital points.

Yun Qianyue’s heart tightened; her eyes turned cold. At the critical moment, she lifted off the ground and flicked her wrist, sending out a shower of needles as fine as cowhairs from under her sleeves in all directions. Numerous stifled groans sounded as the killing aura abruptly vanished and several figures collapsed to the ground.

Tashui leaped out of the encirclement when Yun Qianyue jumped into the air, completely unharmed.

Yun Qianyue floated back onto Tashui’s back and coldly looked at the dozen or so black-clothed men lying on the ground. The fine needles she saw while embroidering a sachet for Rong Jing made her feel that using them as defensive weapons was good, thus putting all kinds of embroidery needles in her bosom. Otherwise, if these dozen or so black-clad men attacked and she had no weapon, it would inevitably turn into a bloody battle. Even without the risk of death, there’d be minor injuries at best or serious ones at worst.

These black-clad men were just like those who attempted to assassinate Rong Jing and her before; leaving any alive was useless.

The person behind all this clearly knew her movements very well. This time, only sending out a dozen dead soldiers indicated that they believed there was no need for more people to deal with her. That person must not know that she had recovered her martial arts skills and reached such a high level already.

She smiled coldly as she heard horse hooves coming from afar; Ye Tianyi clearly had caught up. She pressed her lips together, tightened her legs against the horse’s belly, and Tashui continued galloping forward.

Rong Jing must still be at East Mountain’s Rainy Pavilion by now. Given that person's stubbornness and black hearted nature, he likely hadn't bandaged his arm yet. She couldn’t delay any longer. Leaving these people for Ye Tianyi to deal with would do!

Tashui quickly left this mountain pass; the sudden changes and assassination had only taken a moment, leaving no trace of blood.

Ye Tianyi arrived one step behind but was stunned when he saw the dozen or so black-clothed corpses before him. He looked over all the dead bodies then raised his head to look in the direction of East Mountain, pressed his lips together, and finally stopped here without pursuing further.

Yun Qianyue galloped Tashui to East Mountain where she indeed saw Rong Jing still sitting in the Rainy Pavilion. Amidst green mountains and clear waters, his black hair and white clothes looked as elegant and refined as ever even when seated amidst wilderness. She pulled back on the reins, quietly looking at him.

This person, she genuinely likes!

Likes him so much that she's willing to face confinement for his sake!

Likes him so much that she doesn't care about the entanglements in her lost memories!

Likes him so much that she can ignore the cold, indifferent feeling buried deep within her heart!

But what does she have to protect this affection with

A faint whiff of blood drifted over. She diverted her gaze from Rong Jing and only then noticed a cluster of black-clad assassins on the ground around Yanyu Pavilion, their bodies forming a dark mass. Her heart tightened, and she immediately spurred her horse forward to approach them. In moments, she arrived at the edge of Yanyu Pavilion.

At this moment, Yun Qianmo clearly saw about seventy or eighty black-clad assassins lying around the pavilion in silence. The blood had pooled into streams, turning the grass around Yanyu Pavilion red. It was evident that a brutal battle had taken place earlier. She cast her gaze around and then looked at Rong Jing. He was leaning against one of the pillars with his eyes closed. Apart from an unbandaged arm, there wasn’t a single trace of blood on his snow-white brocade robe. She let out a sigh of relief and dismounted to walk towards him.

It seemed that Rong Jing didn’t know she was here as he remained seated, unmoving. The smell of blood was nauseating but he kept his eyes closed with a calm expression amidst the thick scent of blood.

Yun Qianmo stopped one step in front of Rong Jing and watched him silently for a while. But still, Rong Jing didn’t open his eyes. All of a sudden, she felt angry and turned around abruptly.

The moment she turned, her wrist was tightly grabbed by someone.

Yun Qianmo did not turn back nor say anything; the anger on her face was evident. She couldn’t explain where this anger came from but only knew that it made her heart vexed.

"Fortunately you didn't return too late, or I would have thrown up," Rong Jing's voice sounded hoarse as if he had been enduring something. After saying these words, he stood up and used his strength to turn Yun Qianmo around. He lowered his head to kiss her lips. Before she could stop him with her hand, he said softly, "Don't move or I might puke all over you."

Yun Qianmo's hand paused as her lips were kissed.

The scent of snow and lotus instantly enveloped her even amidst the thick smell of blood. Despite this, his body was a little cold and so were his lips.

Yun Qianmo stared at Rong Jing; she didn't think that doing such things in such a place would bring any pleasant feelings.

Rong Jing didn’t deepen the kiss but only briefly circled Yun Qianmo's mouth before releasing her. He whispered close to her lips, his voice dark and low, "Yun Qianmo, you still have some conscience; you know to come find me!"

She pushed him away with ill humor, saying, "I came back just to see if you're dead or not!"

Rong Jing chuckled. Although his body was pushed away, he kept a tight grip on her wrist. He looked at Yun Qianmo; the coolness in his eyes had faded and there was warmth like spring, "I knew you would come back to find me so how could I possibly be dead If anyone dies, it will be someone else."

"Yes, you are a millennium curse! You won't die!" Yun Qianmo glared at him; he even had the mood to laugh!

"They say curses last for a thousand years. I have to accompany you all along." Rong Jing curved his lips into a smile that spread outwards, "I was wondering if this woman who always lacks conscience towards me would ever show some Now Heaven has not let me down and given me the chance."

Yun Qianmo rolled her eyes; what had heaven got to do with it

"Let's go, I want to eat grilled fish. You cook for me!" Rong Jing pulled Yun Qianmo along.

"There are so many dead bodies here, how can you still eat grilled fish" Yun Qianmo cast a glance at the corpses lying in various directions and then glanced towards the nearby waterfall lake deliberately trying to disgust him.

"We won’t eat here. We’ll go to Fragrant Spring Mountain for grilled fish," Rong Jing didn’t even look at those dead bodies once, emphasizing further, "You cook for me. I haven't had any appetite these days because of you; you need to make it up."

"I don’t know how to cook!" Yun Qianmo thought that she had just returned from Lingtai Temple; wasn’t this tormenting people She shook her head in disagreement, "No way! You deserve not having an appetite for meals, why do I have to compensate you"

"You have a photographic memory. How did Ye Qingran grill fish for you before Just follow that method." Rong Jing looked at Yun Qianmo and with an unusually gloomy tone said, "This morning when you agreed to go horse racing and celebrate the Begging Festival together with Ye Qingran, it was deliberately making me feel bad."

"Cunning! Deliberately playing tricks behind my back to make me unable to race horses with Ye Qingran. Only someone as heartless as you could do such a thing," Yun Qianmo coldly snorted. Just thinking about the expression on Ye Qingran's face today made her feel disgusted by this person.

"If someone is overly nice to you when there's nothing going on, they definitely have ulterior motives!" Rong Jing muttered.

"Only you think you're being nice to me! Sir Rong, your heart must be really dark if it's that black." Yun Qianyue stretched out her voice in a sarcastic manner. Rong Jing chuckled lightly as spring arrived and flowers bloomed; suddenly he stopped walking, reached out his hand to embrace Yun Qianyue, but just when he was about to say something, he frowned and pushed her away, pulling her towards a small lake by the waterfall.

Yun Qianyue was taken aback. "What are you doing Did you change your mind and want to roast fish here"

Rong Jing didn't answer and pulled her along at quite a fast pace.

Frowning, Yun Qianyue looked at him without saying anything.

Upon reaching the lake shore, Rong Jing suddenly used great strength to fling Yun Qianyue into the lake.

Yun Qianyue had no time to react and went straight in. Rong Jing's hand was quick and forceful, leaving her no chance to use any light-footed techniques. She splashed into the water with a "splash", instantly enveloped by the currents, drenched from head to toe. Furious, she took control of herself and surfaced out of the water, yelling in anger: "What's gotten into you"

"Let me wash you! Get all that smell off your body!" Rong Jing stood at the lakeside looking at Yun Qianyue.

"And why aren't you washing yourself" Yun Qianyue was indignant. What kind of person was this Had she been too good to him

"I don’t have any smell! You do!" Rong Jing turned his head away from Yun Qianyue, urging her: "Don’t talk, wash quickly, and we’ll go roast the fish after."

"Go roast your head off then!" Yun Qianyue finally understood why she was pushed into the water. Night Tianyi had held her before, but even she hadn't noticed any smell on herself, so how did he have such a sensitive nose

"Good girl! I’m starving and you aren’t" Rong Jing's tone suddenly softened as if spring flowers were blooming on his face; he stretched out the injured arm to Yun Qianyue. "Let’s leave this place first so that you can wrap up my arm for me. If this arm is truly crippled, then I won’t be able to carry you."

"Better if it's crippled!" Yun Qianyue was full of resentment.

"This arm has a fracture and torn tendons; if not properly treated in such hot weather, it might rot. Then there would truly be no way to save it! Even with miraculous medicine, it’s likely to leave scars." Rong Jing's expression turned wistful: "If you don't mind, then let me cripple myself."

"Get away from me!" Yun Qianyue was suffocating in her resentment. She wondered what bad karma she had encountered this man in her previous life. Was it possible that she even liked him It was as if she were fighting herself!

"Alright." Rong Jing smiled and took two steps back.

"Move further away!" Yun Qianyue looked at him.

"Sure." Rong Jing retreated another step.

"Further away!" Yun Qianyue said again.

Rong Jing stepped back two more steps, but seeing that Yun Qianyue’s expression was still dark and gloomy, he sighed helplessly and said rather stifled: "Can’t move anymore; there are dead people behind."

Yun Qianyue suddenly burst into laughter from anger. She turned her back to him, not looking at him again, burying her head in the water. The hot weather made the river water warm too. With all the bad feelings gone, she thought of how Rong Jing was such a person who could pamper others but wouldn't give an inch for her. How could there be such a person in this world

At times, she felt they were similar people — neither would compromise themselves.

But between them, even if they suffered, it was sweet to accept.

"You can come out now!" After some time, Rong Jing said gently.

Yun Qianyue surfaced and floated back onto the shore lightly. Although she felt refreshed but her clothes were completely soaked and sticking to her body. She asked Rong Jing angrily: "What do we do now Are you going to let me stay wet while roasting fish"

Looking at Yun Qianyue’s curvaceous figure, Rong Jing's gentle gaze slightly tightened but he didn't immediately respond.

"I asked you a question! Be careful not to get needle eyes!" Yun Qianyue took out the handkerchief in her sleeve and threw it onto Rong Jing's face.

Rong Jing chuckled softly and slowly removed the handkerchief. "Aren’t you supposed to have recovered Use your energy to dry your clothes!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Qianyue immediately started channeling her true qi. As she willed it, her true qi flowed through her meridians and, as expected, steamed the moisture out of her clothes in a single circuit. She then looked at Rong Jing and took a step forward to take the handkerchief from his hands, rolled up his sleeves, wiped off the blood stains around his elbow with it, gently covered his swollen elbow with her hand, tried pressing it twice, and finally channeled her true qi to his elbow area, repeatedly rubbing it in the same way as when she had healed his heart meridian at the underground temple of Lingtai Temple.

Rong Jing watched her tenderly without moving a muscle.

Having been injured twice in exactly the same spot, Yun Qianyue discovered that the injury was more serious than she initially thought. Indeed, as he had said, if it were not treated promptly, an internal abscess could form; even though his arm might be saved, a scar would remain. That was still the better outcome; later on, even if his strength recovered, he would lose some of the mobility in his elbow.

Yun Qianyue thought that this person really was self-torturing – another way to put it is that he had gone mad! Why bother arguing with a madman She didn’t feel like talking anymore. The warmth and gentleness of her true qi quickly dissipated the swelling in Rong Jing’s wrist, and the liquid medicine applied earlier dried up, turning transparent. She picked up the handkerchief to wrap his wound, tied it into a bow, then helped him lower his sleeve. Reaching out for him, she pulled him along and asked, "What about all these dead people"

"String Song, burn them!" Rong Jing ordered.

“Yes, Your Highness!” String Song emerged from the shadows.

“Today I encountered more than ten men in black,” Yun Qianyue said as she glanced at String Song. He had a bloodstain on his chest; it was clear that he had been injured.

"It's not surprising! This person wanted both of us to die, but unfortunately for him, he underestimated you," Rong Jing commented.

Yun Qianyue narrowed her eyes. There were very few people who wished for their deaths; Night Tianqiong seemed unlikely to want her dead, and even though she was emotionally obtuse, she could see the struggle in his eyes. Qin Yuning had been infatuated with Rong Jing for many years, so it was also unlikely that she would wish him dead.

Ying Qingran, Nan Lingrui, Ye Qian, Night Tianyu, and Night Tianyi; the Old Marquis of Yun, the Marquis of Yun, the Old Prince of De, the Prince of De, the Old Prince Dowager of Xiao, the Prince of Xiao, and finally the Old Duke of Rong and the old emperor. Looking across all of the empire, only a few people had the power to mobilize such assassins; they could be counted on one hand!

Ying Qingran hadn’t been in the capital for seven years, Nan Lingrui was the crown prince of Nan Liang, and even though there may have been some covert agents in Tiansheng, he couldn’t carry out such a large-scale operation with so many eyes on him. The same went for Ye Qian; Night Tianyu could pull off small tricks but not this kind of grand scheme. He wouldn't kill her, the Old Marquis and Marquis of Yun certainly wouldn't either. Prince De was said to be upright and just, a rare clean figure in politics, with great wisdom and strategy – he would never use such dark methods. The old prince dowager and prince of Xiao, if they had someone like this at their disposal, would have used them long ago instead of waiting until today. As for the Old Duke of Rong, he wouldn’t harm his grandson, the only heir to the Rong王府.

So there was one person left: the old emperor!

A hundred years ago, when South Frontier’s turmoil began, the Tiansheng royal family unified the empire. If there were people in South Frontier who hadn’t been bought off by the Tiansheng royals, she would be willing to stake her life on it. That day, after they left the palace, a hundred assassins attacked them broad daylight. On the surface, this was a challenge to imperial authority, but things are never black and white. Who would think that the emperor was behind it

Even she didn’t think of that!

Thinking about this made her spine shiver coldly; she mocked him with a cold laugh: "What a clever move to hide your hand! Is he too impatient Underestimating me is one thing, but only using these seventy or eighty people and underestimating you as well"

"He’s been in poor health recently, so he’s been using the longevity pills produced by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau," Rong Jing said with a shake of his head. "He definitely underestimated you. Or rather, he wanted to use you to intimidate someone. The emperors of Tiansheng never let emotions get in the way; he didn’t underestimate me – he didn’t want my life, just for me to be bedridden again. As long as he doesn't obtain Rong王府’s treasury, he won’t truly make a move against me."

To intimidate someone She was with Night Tianyi today; it looked like the old emperor had chosen him as his successor! So urgent, then, must mean that he is nearing the end of his days!

Yun Qianyue gave a cold snort. "He’s got a good plan alright, but reality rarely goes according to one's wishes."

Rong Jing smiled lightly and said no more.

As they spoke, the two of them arrived at Tashui. Tashui warily looked at Rong Jing; Yun Qianyue patted its head and mocked him with a smirk: "Even your horse doesn’t like you!"

"After we go to Xiangquan Mountain, I’ll roast it and eat it! It’s been so long since I’ve had horse meat, especially the one Night Qingran gave me – it was delicious," Rong Jing said slowly as he looked at Tashui.

Tashui suddenly reared back in alarm, casting a reluctant look at Yun Qianyue before turning and galloping off into the distance.

Yun Qianyue’s eyes widened; she saw that Tashui was gone in an instant. She glared at Rong Jing and said, "You frightened it away! What will we ride to Xiangquan Mountain"

Rong Jing looked seriously at Yun Qianyue and said gently: “It wasn’t out of fright; I really want to eat it.”

Faintly calling upon the ladies who have accumulated my votes –o（∩_∩）o~topped beside the Sendejun Pavilion. Yun Qianyue looked up at Rong Jing and saw that he was still asleep. She moved her body slightly and found him holding tightly. So she whispered softly: "Keep slee...