Inside the Su residence, a sense of tension lurked beneath the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.

Ever since Su Yingxue overheard from her personal maid that the manor had suddenly gained many more guards, an ominous premonition had been brewing in her heart.

However, the exceptionally intelligent girl did not show any sign of distress, and continued to pretend as if nothing had happened as she prepared to go out to visit Mingxuan.

But when she reached the gate of the mansion, she was unexpectedly stopped by several guards.

Faced with this sudden obstruction, Su Yingxue's heart sank, but she still maintained a calm and composed expression.

Soon, she was invited to Master Su's study.

Master Su looked at Su Yingxue with a serious expression and slowly said, "Zhaozhao, the situation in the capital is complicated right now. I have to strengthen my supervision of Mingxuan. So, during this period, you should try to have less contact with him."

After saying this, Master Su sighed softly, seemingly somewhat helpless.

Su Yingxue nodded slightly, indicating that she understood her father's actions, and replied softly, "I understand, Father is thinking of the bigger picture. However, if the Emperor lifts Ah Xuan's confinement, you must inform me immediately!"

As soon as she finished speaking, her beautiful eyes were fixed on Mr. Su, as if trying to see through his expression to his true thoughts.

Master Su awkwardly avoided his gaze.

Seeing his daughter so sensible and understanding, Mr. Su couldn't help but show his joy, nodding repeatedly and replying, "Of course, Father will definitely tell you this good news as soon as possible!"

At this moment, Master Su was overjoyed and did not notice that as Su Yingxue spoke, her hands, hidden under her sleeves, had unconsciously clenched into fists, and her knuckles had turned white from the force.

Su Yingxue stood up, bowed, and took her leave. The moment she stepped out of the study, her tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

Back in her own yard, she collapsed into a chair like a deflated balloon.

Seeing this, the maidservant beside her mistakenly thought that her young mistress was unwell and hurriedly stepped forward to inquire with concern.

"Miss, are you feeling unwell? Should I go and fetch a doctor to take a look?"

"I'm fine. I probably just didn't sleep well last night, and my head feels a little uncomfortable right now."

Su Yingxue frowned slightly, rubbed her temples, and looked listless.

"Miss, shall I go and make your bed so you can rest?"

Su Yingxue nodded slightly in agreement.

Then she instructed, "After you leave, tell all the maids working in the courtyard to go back to their rooms and rest. It's too noisy and disruptive outside, making it impossible for me to get any rest."

The maidservant quickly replied, "Yes, Miss, don't worry, I'll take care of it right away."

After saying that, she turned and left the room, gently closing the door behind her.

At this moment, Su Yingxue had other plans in mind.

Su Yingxue had only ever seen Mingxuan climb trees before.

He was very agile; he could often leap up a tree in one bound and then land steadily on the other side of the wall with a graceful leap.

But now it was Su Yingxue's turn. She looked at the tall sycamore tree, gritted her teeth, and climbed up the tree.

Lacking experience and skill, her movements were clumsy and laborious.

In no time, her originally fair and delicate face was scratched with bloody marks by the upright branches.

At this moment, Su Yingxue no longer cared about the pain and injuries; she only wanted to climb to a higher place as soon as possible.

When Mingxuan heard a series of urgent knocks on the door, his heart tightened.

He strode to the door and opened it.

Su Yingxue stood there panting, one of her shoes missing, and her once snow-white stockings were now covered in mud, making her look extremely disheveled.

"Why are you here?"

"I was worried about you, so I came to see you..." Su Yingxue replied with a silly smile, panting heavily.

Although that smile was a little silly, it was like a ray of warm sunshine that shone straight into Mingxuan's heart.

At that very moment, the reluctance that Mingxuan had been holding back burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam.

Reason could no longer stop him; he rushed forward and pulled Su Yingxue into a tight embrace.

"You silly girl!"

Mingxuan seemed to be blaming Su Yingxue, but it was more like he was scolding himself.

Mingxuan slowly released Su Yingxue and pulled her into the house.

Bring a basin of clean water and let Su Yingxue wash herself.

Su Yingxue nodded obediently, walked to the basin, squatted down, and began to wash.

At this moment, Mingxuan sat quietly behind the screen, staring blankly ahead, his mind a jumble of thoughts, as chaotic as a tangled mess.

He deeply regretted his impulsive actions and hated himself for being so weak and unable to control his emotions.

He should push this silly girl away without hesitation.

It would be best to give her a severe scolding, until she bursts into tears and sobs uncontrollably.

In that case, she would surely turn and run away in a fit of rage, completely forgetting him forever...

However, this absurd thought only lingered in his mind for a brief moment.

Su Yingxue, shuffling in her shoes, came running from the other side of the screen, like a joyful little deer, and crashed straight into his arms.

In an instant, all the resolve in Mingxuan's heart vanished.

He couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself, realizing how useless he was, unable even to push Zhao Zhao away.

"Brother Xuan, it's so cold! So cold!"

Su Yingxue seemed completely oblivious to Mingxuan's absent-mindedness, still smiling broadly, and like a child, she shoved her icy feet into his arms.

Mingxuan shook his head helplessly, picked up her light body, gently placed her on the bed, and then quickly pulled up a thick quilt to wrap her up tightly from head to toe.

"I'll go out and find you a sedan chair right away," Mingxuan paused slightly, gritted his teeth, and continued, "to take you back to your residence."

At this moment, Su Yingxue was completely different from her previous feigned innocence.

She suddenly knelt up and tightly hugged Mingxuan's lean waist.

"Mingxuan, are you going to abandon me?" Su Yingxue held Mingxuan tightly, tears streaming down her face like a burst dam, soaking the side of his clothes.

The coolness seemed to seep into Mingxuan's heart through the fabric.

Mingxuan's body instantly stiffened, and he stood there blankly for a long time without uttering a single word.

He knew that his Zhaozhao was always incredibly intelligent, so how could he possibly hide such an obvious intention from her?

Time passed second by second, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

Finally, after a very long time, Mingxuan sighed deeply, as if he had used up all his strength, and then slowly turned around, looking at Su Yingxue, who was standing in front of him with a complicated expression.

"Zhaozhao, I have to go back."

Su Yingxue shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her fair cheeks like broken pearls.

Mingxuan subconsciously reached out to catch the tears, but when his fingertips touched the scalding liquid, his heart clenched, and an indescribable pain instantly spread throughout his body, scorching his soul.

"No...no..." Su Yingxue sobbed uncontrollably, her choked voice heartbreaking.

Mingxuan clenched his fists tightly and slowly brought them back to his sides. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to harden his heart.

“Zhaozhao, I have to go back. That’s my home. Although my father and brothers have died on the battlefield, there are still millions of people there who need me to protect them.”

Su Yingxue knew everything Mingxuan said.

Su Yingxue knew how much he liked Lizhou.

Every time he talks about Lizhou, the overflowing affection he feels is undeniable.

Countless times they had stood side by side under that ancient sycamore tree, dreaming together about the future.

He imagined himself holding her hand as they rode horses across the vast, boundless wilderness of Lizhou.

But at that moment, she just didn't want to listen or be sensible.

She wanted to make a scene, to act shamelessly, and to do everything she could to keep Mingxuan by her side.

She wanted him to live.

Then, she cried out in a hoarse voice, "What about me? What am I supposed to do? Are you just going to leave me all alone like this!"

Faced with Su Yingxue's questioning, Mingxuan seemed somewhat at a loss. "Zhaozhao, let's postpone our marriage for now. If I can return safely this time, I will definitely return to Yunzhou immediately to marry you."

Upon hearing this, Su Yingxue's emotions instantly became agitated. She stared directly at Mingxuan with wide eyes, "So you still want to break off our engagement, right!"

At this moment, her eyes flashed with a light that was a mixture of anger and despair. This gaze was like a sharp sword piercing straight into Mingxuan's heart, making him feel flustered and confused.

"Zhaozhao...I...I'm not what you think..."

"You're still trying to lie to me! I saw our engagement tokens in Father's study! You want to break off the engagement, don't you?!"

Mingxuan tried to explain, but found his words to be so pale and powerless at this moment.

"Mingxuan, we swear to stay together for life! Even if we have to go back to Lizhou, will you take me with you? Let me stay with you!"

Su Yingxue looked anxious, her delicate hands gripping his sleeves tightly, as if she wanted to make Mingxuan feel her inner longing and prayers.

However, to her utter surprise, these words were like a wake-up call, truly awakening Mingxuan's rationality.

"Impossible! Zhao Zhao, listen to me carefully. The battlefield is not a place to play around. It's filled with bloodshed and slaughter, far from the easy thing you can imagine. You mustn't be so reckless!"

“Zhao Zhao, this battle concerns the very foundation of the Great Xi Dynasty, it is no child’s play! If you go to the battlefield, I will definitely be distracted!” Ming Xuan’s voice was deep and firm, containing an unprecedented and unquestionable authority.

To outsiders, Zhaozhao might be seen as an extremely dignified, well-mannered, and law-abiding young lady from a prominent family.

However, only he knew that Zhao Zhao was actually the most audacious and reckless.

If we cannot completely dispel her idea, she might really cause a disaster.

Upon hearing these words, Su Yingxue burst into tears.

"Then let's not break off the engagement, okay? I'll go find Father right now and get the engagement token back. We won't break off the engagement!"

As Su Yingxue struggled to get out of bed, Mingxuan quickly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room was heavy, with only Su Yingxue's low sobs echoing throughout the room.