Chapter 70

In spring, new buds sprout from the branches, and hundreds of flowers bloom.

Yun Ji stayed by Xi Ruoyu's side, never leaving her side.

Even Xi Ruoyu felt somewhat helpless, "Chun Junhua, you don't have to stay by my side every day."

Yun Ji glanced around and, finding no plants that could harm the child, finally relaxed. "Brother Lan, His Majesty instructed me to protect you and the child!"

Upon hearing this, Xi Ruoyu frowned even more deeply. "We are both subjects, how can His Majesty order you to protect me? This is unfair to you."

But Yun Ji smiled innocently, his eyes crinkling, "It was after I begged Your Majesty for a long time that Your Majesty finally agreed."

Xi Ruoyu listened, her expression unchanged, but her hand unconsciously went to protect her abdomen.

Yun Ji pretended not to see it, and his youthful face showed a hint of disappointment at just the right moment. "Your Majesty said that I am too young, so I have not yet... truly served in bed."

His face flushed red, and he paused slightly. "But I really like children, especially Your Majesty's children."

After he finished speaking, he knelt down and said, “Your Majesty, I do not like to keep things to myself, and I know that Your Majesty is tolerant and magnanimous.”

His eyes were sincere. "It was Your Majesty who elevated me, a servant whom everyone could bully, to the status of a master. I am grateful to Your Majesty and would never do anything to harm Your Majesty's offspring. Please trust me this once, and I will never have any disloyal intentions towards you!"

He smiled again, his clear eyes full of love: "Your Majesty loves you, and your servant will do everything in his power to protect you."

Lingwu, who saw this scene from afar but could not hear it, did not go forward.

When Xi Ruoyu, who was pulling Yun Ji up, caught a glimpse of Ling Wu out of the corner of her eye, her heartstrings trembled.

His Majesty has arrived? Was Yun Ji acting this way on purpose?

As the phoenix carriage landed, Lingwu helped Xi Ruoyu, who was bowing, to her feet and asked how the meal had been.

After Xi Ruoyu finished answering with a blush, Yun Ji began to explain:

"Your Majesty, what I was just doing was expressing my loyalty to the Empress... Please don't misunderstand the Empress, otherwise I won't be able to clear my name even if I jump into the lake."

Ling Wu glanced at him indifferently, "Your mouth..."

Yun Ji tilted his head and winked at Ling Wu, "Since Your Majesty has arrived, then this humble servant will not provoke Your Majesty and the Empress any further. This humble servant... shall take his leave now?"

Ling Wu ignored the hint of expectation in Yun Ji's eyes and nodded.

"Your servant takes his leave." Yun Ji blinked lightly, trying hard not to let the tears in his eyes flow freely.

But as soon as she turned around, tears started falling uncontrollably in large drops.

When he grows up, His Majesty will be able to love him, right?

Xi Ruoyu, who remained where she was, felt inexplicably conflicted.

"Your Majesty, why are you so kind to your servant?" He lowered his eyelashes, recalling the Emperor's favoritism towards him over the past year.

It seems that it was from the day she arrived, draped in frost, on a rainy night amidst the thunder.

Ling Wu lowered her head and glanced at his still flat stomach, her tone gentle, "Because from the beginning until now, Ruoyu has never been involved with anything else, only devoted to me."

Seeing that Xi Ruoyu was still confused, Lingwu said again, "Perhaps, it is something I owed Ruoyu in my past life."

"I will make it up to you in this lifetime."

As Lingwu finished speaking, her gaze seemingly casually fell upon a pear tree in full bloom.

The area was overgrown with shrubs, but some pear blossoms had fallen, their stamens a tender, pale yellow.

He led Xi Ruoyu away, leaving only his back view behind.

Under the pear tree

The fingers holding the pear blossom froze, until Jingzhe beside her murmured softly:

"His Majesty and the Empress have already gone far away. Your Highness, please get up quickly, lest your legs go numb from squatting."

Qianqing's fingers unconsciously trampled the flowers, leaving them tattered and damp.

He looked at the Awakening of Insects, his eyes stinging, and his lips trembling.

"Jingzhe, tell me, what should I use to compete with Xi Ruoyu?"

As for appearance, Xi Ruoyu is now favored by the emperor, and even he thinks her face is like that of a celestial being.

In terms of family background, the two are evenly matched.

But Your Majesty, for no apparent reason, mentioned a past life.

If there truly are past lives...

Qianqing's lowered eyes were filled with hesitation. If there really was a past life, did he harm His Majesty for the sake of that position?

Seeing her ever-proud master like this, Jingzhe didn't correct his disrespect towards the Empress, but only comforted him with heartache: "Her Majesty will eventually see your good qualities..."

Qianqing raised her hand to wipe away her tears and clear her mind.

Then she got up and picked another pear blossom, placing it in her handkerchief.

"I wonder if His Majesty will like the taste of pear blossom wine. If we bury it now, it should be ready to drink next June."

Jingzhe quickly replied, "It was brewed by Your Majesty yourself, so His Majesty will surely like it no matter what!"

"Really?" Qianqing asked skeptically.

"It's more real than real gold!"

"I doubt you would dare to lie to me. Once we return, I will reward you with a gold ingot."

Late at night, Lingwu, who had never set foot in the inner palace, dismissed everyone.

She leaned against the table, her eyes closed, but her brows were still furrowed.

The memorials laid out on the table were filled with disdainful mockery of those in power.

When Lu Chengfeng, who had tiptoed in, touched those words, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

If there were any doubts about the strangeness of tonight before, they have now completely disappeared because of them.

It turns out that what she said was true.

Lu Chengfeng stood there, feeling a mix of fear and trepidation at the prospect of returning home, and dared not wake her.

Yet, I slowly became captivated by her eyes and brows.

He had always known that Sang Lingwu was very beautiful.

Arriving in a matriarchal dynasty, under the influence of those in power, her beauty became even more captivating.

As Lu Chengfeng gazed at them, he felt a strange urge to imprint those features deeply into his heart.

"What are you doing here?" A familiar, gentle voice reached Lu Chengfeng's ears.

He looked up and saw her slightly cool gaze and those indifferent yet gentle eyes.

“Lingwu…” Lu Chengfeng lowered his head in a panic.

But Lingwu was no longer as gentle as before. She stood up, her expression cold.

"Take a good look at where you are, and think carefully about what you should call me."

She gave the order calmly and unhurriedly.

But this indifference made Lu Chengfeng feel as if he had been abandoned in a desolate wilderness.

“Lu Chengfeng…” Ling Wu slowly approached, looking down at him, “Do you still remember what you once said to me?”

Lu Chengfeng suddenly looked up, instinctively gripping Ling Wu's sleeve tightly, afraid that she would leave.

But Ling Wu pressed closer, saying, "You say it's all because I'm cunning, because I'm full of schemes, because I willingly debase myself, and that I'm a poisonous woman! Could it be... that you've forgotten things now that you're in such a high position?"

With each word Ling Wu spoke, Lu Chengfeng's face paled a little more.

It wasn't until Ling Wu brushed away his hand that was grabbing her sleeve that Lu Chengfeng staggered back two steps and finally fell to the ground.

His face was pale; a year of hardship and damage to his father's body had left him emaciated.

After realizing what had happened, Lu Chengfeng shook his head hastily, "Ling Wu, I was wrong, I know everything now... Ling Wu..."

He hurriedly tried to explain, but Ling Wu interrupted him, "Is it something you can call me by my name?"

Ling Wu looked down at him with disdain, "I am already tired of your hypocrisy and have seen through your wickedness. You had better put away your schemes and tricks."

Lu Chengfeng's already thin body became even more frail. "Your Majesty, what will it take for you to forgive this servant?"

"Forgiveness? You want my forgiveness? Fine."

The wind was biting cold on a spring night.

Lu Chengfeng, a concubine, died suddenly overnight, but a lowly servant—a lowly slave—arrived at Fengyi Palace.