Chapter 93 My Identity Has Been Revealed, I Just Like Your Bad Side

These words, like poisoned ice spikes, pierced Fangru's memory with a "whoosh."

Zhou Ling, that high and mighty emperor, once said the same chilling words in the same tone.

But at that moment, Ah Qi's hot breath brushed against her neck, and his cold gaze was fixed on her face. She had no time to ponder this bizarre coincidence, and could only plead in a trembling voice, "Ah Qi, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong..."

"Wrong?" Ah Qi chuckled softly, his laughter carrying a dull, gritty quality that sent chills down one's spine.

His fingers slowly traced her neck, his fingertips pressing on her pulse, clearly feeling the rapid beating, as if he were playing with prey struggling on the verge of death. "That's not what you said when you asked me to risk my life to save Yan De."

Fangru was forced to tilt her head back, her chest heaving faster and faster, and even her breathing became erratic.

"You said you would stay by my side forever and never leave." His lips almost touched her earlobe, his hot breath on her sensitive skin making her tremble. "But how long have I been gone? You couldn't wait to run off with him, and you even put your hand in his palm willingly."

"No..." Fangru's explanation was tinged with sobs, but her body trembled uncontrollably at his touch. "His men forcibly dragged me away. I never intended to leave you..."

"Forced?" Ah Qi's fingers suddenly tightened, pinching her neck until it hurt, forcing her to look him in the eye. "I saw you run after him with my own eyes, and you didn't even turn your head once while you were running."

Fangru felt uneasy under his gaze, and tears fell onto the bedding with a "plop," quickly disappearing into her disheveled hair.

She tried to avoid his gaze, but her neck was gripped tightly, and she couldn't move at all.

"Looks like I'll teach you a lesson, or you'll run away again next time." Ah Qi's voice suddenly softened, as soft as cotton soaked in water, but it was more terrifying than his previous angry rebuke. It was a kind of tenderness hiding madness.

He got up and got out of bed, his footsteps echoing in the quiet room, each step feeling like a blow to Fangru's heart.

She held her breath, listening to the sounds of him rummaging through the room, the creaking of the wooden cabinets opening and closing, the clanging of metal objects—every second felt like torture, so slow it was suffocating.

When he reappeared by the bedside, he was carrying a heavy axe.

The cold iron blade gleamed eerily in the dim light, reflecting the dark emotions churning in his eyes, creating a chilling scene.

"You say you love me?" He knelt on one knee on the edge of the bed, the axe blade lightly brushing against her bare arm, the icy touch instantly sending a chill through her body. "Then stay by my side, won't that be better?"

Fangru shook her head desperately; the rope on her wrists had already left red marks, and if she struggled a few more times, her skin would break: "If I become crippled, I'd rather die..."

"Die?" Ah Qi suddenly bent down, grabbed a rough rope, his movements swift and ruthless, but just as the rope was about to touch her lips, he deliberately slowed his grip, his fingertips even lightly brushing against her lower lip. That twisted tenderness sent chills down her spine. "I won't let you die. If you die, who will remember me? Who will stay with me?"

His body pressed down on her, his burning heat seeping through her thin clothes, making her feel as if she were being scalded.

He casually placed the axe beside his pillow, its cold iron handle pressed against her arm, the chill and warmth intertwining to make her shiver uncontrollably.

"Don't be afraid," he whispered in her ear, "I'll find you the best doctors in the world. Even without limbs, you'll live a good life..."

He remained kneeling on one knee, the weight of the axe causing the bed to sag slightly.

The cold iron blade grazed her arm again, this time even closer, almost touching her skin.

“Cut off your legs, and you won’t be able to escape.” His fingertips slowly slid down the curve of her calves, finally stopping at her ankles, gently caressing them. “Cut off your hands, and you won’t be able to push me away. That way, you can stay by my side forever.”

Fangru struggled frantically, the rope digging deep into her flesh, drawing blood. Her mouth was gagged with cloth, and she could only whimper and plead. Tears blurred her vision, making it impossible to even see his face clearly.

"Don't worry." He leaned down, his eyes filled with an almost obsessive fervor as he stared intently at her terrified expression. "I'll be very careful, starting with the joints. That way, the wound will be smaller, less likely to get infected, and it will heal faster."

His fingers pressed gently on her knee, as if measuring the spot where the axe would strike, his movements as meticulous as if he were performing a delicate task: "I also have some medical knowledge and I have the best wound medicine hidden away. You won't die, I promise."

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and lifted the axe. The iron blade drew a cold, silver arc in the moonlight as he swung it toward her leg.

Fangru closed her eyes in despair, her blood seemed to freeze, and she was just waiting for the excruciating pain to come.

Just then, a loud bang suddenly erupted in the distance, and the sound of heavy objects collapsing made the window frames vibrate.

Ah Qi's grip on her wrist abruptly stopped, the sticky madness vanished instantly, leaving only a wild beast-like wariness.

He didn't look at Fangru again and walked to the window in a few steps.

Her well-defined fingers carefully lifted a corner of the curtain.

The morning light fell on his face, reflecting the flickering firelight outside the window. It was Yan De leading his soldiers, searching house to house, their footsteps and shouts gradually approaching.

"Your ex-lover has arrived at just the right time." When Ah Qi turned around, the fierce look in his eyes had faded, and he instead gave Fang Ru, who was lying on the bed with disheveled clothes and teary eyes, a dangerous smile.

But his hands moved swiftly and decisively, his fingertips brushing across the ropes with such precision that they were almost invisible, and in the blink of an eye, he had freed Fangru from her restraints.

Fangru hurriedly grabbed the scattered clothes, her fingertips trembling violently with nervousness. Her fingers got tangled together several times while she was tying the belt, making her look incredibly clumsy.

"Can't even fasten your clothes properly?" Ah Qi's deep voice suddenly rang in my ears, carrying a hint of mockery, but without the slightest impatience.

He suddenly bent down, reached out and took the sash from her hand. His slender fingers moved with such elegance, as if he were handling the finest brocade. In just a couple of breaths, he tied the sash into a neat and beautiful knot.

Even though the search noises outside were getting closer and closer, and the situation was extremely critical, he remained calm as if he were not on the run, but rather adjusting her skirt in the courtyard. Every movement exuded an elegance that no one else could imitate.

Fangru stared blankly at his gentle movements. The madman who had just been wielding the axe and the composed man before her seemed to be two completely different people.

This extreme contrast sent chills down her spine, but it also made her even more certain that any resistance would be futile in the face of this man.

After fastening his belt, he turned and walked to the table. His movements of taking paper and grinding ink were fluid and graceful, and the arc of the ink stick being ground in the inkstone was methodical.

Even though the footsteps outside the window were almost upon him, his posture as he held his pen remained upright and proper, and his ink flowed powerfully through the paper, making each character steady and forceful.

After writing it down, he folded the paper into a small square, flicked it with his fingertip, and precisely slipped it into the crevice under his pillow, without missing a single detail.

While hurriedly straightening her clothes, Fangru prayed in her heart that Yan De would find this place soon. However, she couldn't help but glance at Aqi out of the corner of her eye. When he was cleaning up the traces in the room, even the way he brushed the dust off the table was very neat and efficient, without the slightest trace of panic.

Once the last trace was erased, Ah Qi turned around and reached out to grab Fang Ru's wrist.

His palm was slightly cool, and though his grip wasn't strong, she couldn't break free. She could only utter a single word in a low voice: "Go."

"Where...where are you going?" Fangru's voice was still trembling, and she didn't even have the courage to look up at him.

Ah Qi didn't answer, but held her wrist and walked with such light steps that it felt like stepping on clouds, leading her away silently through the back door without even the door hinges making a sound.

Meanwhile, the search is proceeding intensively on the other side.

"Search! Check every room thoroughly, don't miss a single one!" Yan De's voice was particularly cold and stern in the night, carrying an unquestionable authority.

His confidant, who was also Zhou Ling's mole planted by his side, led a group of soldiers to rush into the room where A Qi and Fang Ru had just been.

The soldiers ransacked the place, making a huge commotion, but the mole quietly slipped under the pillow when no one was looking.

His eyes flickered slightly as his fingertips touched the neatly folded strip of paper, and he quickly stuffed it into his sleeve.

"Any findings?" Yan De strode in, his gaze sweeping across the messy room before finally settling on the still-creased bed.

He walked over slowly, reached out and touched the bedding; it was still warm, indicating that the person had just left not long ago.

"General, news has just come from the west that soldiers have spotted Aqi and Miss Fangru." The spy lowered his head, his voice sounding normal. "I suggest we immediately dispatch the main force to the west to intercept them. If we delay, we may not be able to catch up."

Yan De raised his eyes, gave him a deep look, and a faint, cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. He had long sensed that something was wrong with this trusted aide, and now he was just going along with it, turning the tables on him.

"Do as you say." Yan De said calmly, turning to the soldiers behind him and ordering, "Pass down the order: all guards on the eastern front line are to withdraw to the second line of defense and await orders."

After the hidden agent left with the order, Yan Decai gave his deputy a wink and lowered his voice, saying, "Go to the eastern defense line and triple the manpower in the hidden area. Once you see Aqi and Fangru, surround them immediately. Remember, make sure Fangru is safe and doesn't get hurt in the slightest."

Under the sunlight, Yen Teh stood on the eastern defense line, looking at the seemingly empty passage ahead, his eyes filled with confident assurance.

He knew that Ah Qi was meticulous and would never go to the west where there were more people. The seemingly air-defended eastern side was the route that Ah Qi would definitely choose.

The prey he's waiting for will soon walk right into his trap.

...

Ah Qi led Fang Ru into a more secluded house. Inside, there was only an old wooden table and a few chairs with missing legs. It was so simple that it was almost shabby.

He didn't give Fangru time to react. He pressed his palm lightly against her back and with a little force, he made her sit down in the chair.

The movement was so swift and graceful as his fingertips brushed against the rope around her waist that it was almost a blur. In just two breaths, he had her hands and feet firmly bound to the chair leg. The knots were tight and neat, and they even seemed to have a certain indescribable order to them.

“Look.” Ah Qi turned and walked to the window, his gaze falling on the distant eastern defense line, his tone carrying a hint of nonchalant certainty, “Your General Yan has indeed opened the door ‘just as I wished’.”

Fangru followed his gaze and saw that the sentries on the eastern defense line had been completely removed, leaving only a dark passage that appeared to be unobstructed.

Her heart sank, but a strong will to survive surged within her, and she quickly adopted a softer tone, even softening her gaze:

"Ah Qi...you are really amazing." Her voice trembled, deliberately adding a touch of admiration. "Even Yan De's most trusted confidant listens to you. You are the most capable man I have ever met...I have long been devoted to you and have never thought of leaving you."

As she spoke, she kept her eyes glued to Ah Qi's profile out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that he didn't seem annoyed, she hurriedly added, "Please, take me away from here quickly. I'll do whatever you say from now on."

Ah Qi slowly turned around, his tone calm yet precisely piercing through her pretense: "You lie so smoothly, how many times have you rehearsed it in your mind?"

Fangru's face turned pale instantly. Just as she was about to speak in her defense, she saw that Aqi had already stepped in front of her.

With a gentle tug, his fingertips hooked the knot, and the tight rope loosened. The movement was as swift as untying a delicate ornament, without hurting her in the slightest.

"Take off your clothes." His voice remained calm and even, yet it carried an undeniable sense of command, and the last syllable of his voice carried an inexplicable oppressive quality.

Fangru froze, her cheeks flushed instantly, and even the tips of her ears burned.

She thought that Ah Qi was aroused by lust at this moment. Although she felt ashamed, she still obediently raised her hand to unbutton her clothes in order to save her life.

She deliberately slowed her fingertips' movements, her nails lightly tracing her collarbone, a hint of deliberate flirtation in her eyes. Her outer garment slipped off her shoulder, revealing a thin white undergarment that subtly outlined her curves.

But Ah Qi didn't even lift his eyelids, and instead raised his hand to untie his belt.

The dark outer robe slid down his straight shoulders, revealing his strong upper body. The muscles were smooth and powerful, and there was a faint old scar on his waist and abdomen. Far from looking ferocious, it added a touch of wild tension.

Fangru's face turned even redder, her heart pounded as if it would burst out of her chest, and she even breathed a little softer.

The next second, Ah Qi bent down and took out two sets of coarse cloth clothes from his bag. He threw the drab women's clothes in front of her and said in a cold tone, "Change into these."

Fangru suddenly realized that he wanted her to change her clothes and disguise herself.

Thinking of her misunderstanding and deliberate seduction, she was so ashamed that her fingertips trembled and her neck turned bright red. She hurriedly grabbed her coarse cloth clothes and put them on, almost putting them on backwards in her flustered movements.

Ah Qi had already changed his clothes quickly and efficiently.

That faded, coarse cloth outfit might look sloppy on others, but on him, it couldn't hide his tall and upright figure.

Her broad shoulders and narrow waist still have a clear silhouette, and even the lines of her forearms revealed by rolling up her sleeves exude a dignified air.

He glanced at Fangru, whose face was flushed and whose head was almost buried in her chest, and said with a hint of mockery in his tone, "What do you think I'm going to do? It seems... you're quite looking forward to it?"

Fangru was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground. Her fingers gripped the rough hem of her clothes tightly, and she couldn't utter a single word.

A short while later, Ah Qi put the two people's clothes into the bundle he carried with him and went out again.

"Wait for me here." His voice was deep and pleasant, and he gently patted her shoulder as he finished speaking.

He pushed the door open so lightly it was almost silent. He walked towards the next door in the morning light, and the knocking was slow and steady in the silence, three short and two long knocks, without any sense of urgency, more like an ordinary visitor going to an appointment.

When the door opened, Ah Qi still had a gentle smile on his face, and his eyes were filled with just the right amount of kindness.

Four young people were sitting around the table having breakfast inside, and they greeted him warmly when they saw him.

"Brother, what can I do for you?" The slightly older young man stood up.

A flash of cold light.

The dagger had already pierced the heart of the young man who opened the door with precision. Before the girl next to him could even scream, Ah Qi slit her throat with a backhand.

The remaining two stood frozen in place, their bowls and chopsticks falling to the ground with a "clatter".

Ah Qi calmly wiped the blood off the dagger and took out two sets of clothes from his bosom, the ones he and Fang Ru had just changed out of.

"Please do me a favor." His voice was still gentle, but it carried an undeniable authority. "Change into these clothes and walk out from the eastern defense line."

The young man spoke in a trembling voice, "Why...why..."

“It’s very simple.” Ah Qi’s gaze swept over the still-warm corpse on the ground. “If you do as I say, your family can live out their days in peace. If you don’t…”

He didn't finish speaking, but the coldness in his eyes said it all.

The two young people exchanged a glance, and both saw despair in each other's eyes.

They recognized the owners of the two sets of clothes on the ground as the couple who had just moved in yesterday.

"We...we'll change." The woman took the clothes, her voice trembling.

Ah Qi gracefully turned to the side, gesturing for them to go to the inner room to change. After they came out dressed, he carefully straightened their collars and put their hoods on properly, making sure they covered most of their faces.

“Remember,” he said softly, as if advising a close friend, “once you’re out of the lines, get on that brown horse. Don’t look back, don’t look around.”

The young woman suddenly knelt down: "Please, spare our family..."

Ah Qi bent down and helped her up, his movements so gentle they were chilling: "As long as you do as I say, I guarantee they'll be safe."

He walked to the window, gently pushed it open a crack, and watched the young couple dressed in his and Fangru's clothes walk tremblingly toward the eastern defense line.

On the other side, Yen Te-yin remained hidden in the shadows, his gaze fixed like that of a hawk on the seemingly deserted passage to the east.

Sunlight finally pierced through the clouds, casting its morning glow upon the earth. Two familiar figures appeared at the entrance of the passage on time, wearing the same clothes he had worn when he parted ways with Fangru.

Yan De's lips curled into a confident smile, and he waved his hand decisively: "Action!"

Well-trained soldiers surged out from all sides like a tide, instantly surrounding the two figures. Yan De strode forward and yanked open the hood of one of them, but his expression changed drastically the moment he saw the other's face.

"We've fallen for their trap!"

The moment he finished speaking, a blinding red light suddenly burst forth from under the saddle.

The "Crimson Flame Thunder" exploded with a deafening roar in the dawn, and the scorching airwaves, carrying destructive power, swept out and engulfed the entire team in an instant.

On a high point not far away, Ah Qi stood quietly.

The morning light cast a pale golden halo on his sharply defined profile, and the wind rustled his clothes but did not stir his posture in the slightest.

He had planned every step meticulously, deliberately having his spies advise Yan De to ignore the eastern defense line, forcing the young couple to wear the "bait" clothes; he even precisely calculated the time it took for sunlight to penetrate the clouds, so that the "Crimson Flame Thunder" would detonate near Yan De.

From people's hearts to timing, from planning to the ending, every detail was firmly in his grasp, as if even fate itself was making moves in the game he was in.

Inside the house, Fangru peeked through the window crack and witnessed the horrific scene clearly.

Her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground, tears streaming silently down her face. She didn't even have the strength to cry out loud.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and sunlight streamed in along Ah Qi's figure, gilding him with a golden edge and making his tall and handsome figure appear even more refined.

He walked slowly to her, knelt on one knee, and gently wiped away her tears with his fingertips. His movements were still gentle, but they carried a sense of control that she could not escape.

“Now,” he said, his voice as soft as a sigh, yet heartbreakingly tender, “you’ll only have me to look at.”

After speaking, he turned around and sat down in the chair, his back straight, his fingertips lightly tapping on the armrest. His posture was as elegant as a king holding court, and even though he was dressed in coarse cloth, he could not hide his imposing aura.

Fangru stared at him blankly, her legs going weak with the relief of surviving the ordeal.

Seeing that he seemed to have temporarily abandoned the terrible idea of ​​turning her into a human pig, her survival instinct compelled her to seize this opportunity.

She bit her lip, suppressing the fear in her heart, and slowly got up, dragging her weak steps to him.

She hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and straddled his lap, her hands trembling as she wrapped them around his neck, and carefully brought her tear-stained lips to his.

"Stop." Ah Qi raised his hand and gently grasped her wrist. The warmth of his palm seeped through the fabric, and his gaze was as deep as the sea, capable of drawing a person completely in. "Tell me, who are you looking at right now?"

“It’s you.” Fangru looked up, a hint of infatuation in her eyes. “You are the most powerful man I have ever met.”

Ah Qi's lips slowly curved upwards, the curve so captivating it made one's heart race.

Encouraged, Fangru continued softly, "I used to have a fiancé named Gu Zhou. He... he wasn't even one ten-thousandth as good as you."

"And Yan De?" Ah Qi's fingers gently combed through her long hair, the fingertips tracing the strands slowly and lightly, his voice deep and melodious, "In your heart, how do I compare to him?"

A struggle flashed in Fangru's eyes, but looking into Aqi's deep gaze, she quickly softened her tone: "Yan De treats me very well, but he is ultimately too weak. In this chaotic world, only a strong person like you can protect me."

Ah Qi suddenly chuckled softly, his magnetic and deep laughter echoing in the small room, sending chills down one's spine.

He raised his hand and cupped Fangru's face, his fingertips gently stroking her chin. His gaze went straight into her sparkling eyes, and his voice was soft yet clear: "Do you know? Yan De probably said the same thing about me before he died."

Fangru's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to remain calm and nestled in his arms.

Sunlight cast swaying shadows on the wall, merging the two figures into one.

"I heard you used to be a royal concubine of the Xia Kingdom?" Ah Qi's voice was very soft, as if he were asking an unimportant question.

The name "Zhou Ling" stung Fangru like a needle, causing her body to stiffen slightly and her fingertips to curl up.

A sense of vigilance flashed through his mind. Why would Ah Qi suddenly bring up Zhou Ling?

But the thought only flashed through her mind for a moment before she switched to a softer tone, even deliberately snuggling closer to him: "That tyrant Zhou Ling only knows how to play power games and kills people at the drop of a hat. I've long since grown to loathe him. He's cruel and selfish, how can he compare to you in the slightest?"

Ah Qi chuckled softly, gently lifting her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look directly into his eyes: "He's a tyrant, and I'm a scoundrel. Since we're both evil, why would you be attracted to me alone?"

"No, I mean it!" Fangru cried out anxiously. Before he could say anything more, she leaned in and kissed his lips, a kiss both urgent and light. "You're different from him. Your wickedness is a way of surviving in the martial world, while his wickedness... is cruelty ingrained in his bones. I like your wickedness, I like how you scare me, yet I can't leave you... I like how you tease me like this..."

Before he could finish speaking, she leaned forward again and kissed his lips.

Her lips trembled slightly, but she deliberately made them appear soft.

She could feel Ah Qi's body tense up for a moment, and the next second, his arms tightened, completely encircling her in his embrace, and even his breath became hot.

Just when Fangru thought she had made the right move, Aqi suddenly let go of her.

He stood up, walked to the table, and picked up the pot of wine that had gone cold.

Fangru remained seated, watching him raise the wine jug and let the clear wine pour down from above his head.

Water droplets rolled down his sharply defined jawline, washing away the pretense in his eyes and eyebrows to reveal a deeper, more defined silhouette. The water glistened on his straight nose, sliding down his sensual Adam's apple and into his clothes.

"You..." Fang subconsciously took a half step back, her heart suddenly racing.

Ah Qi, however, didn't care at all. He calmly reached into his clothes and took out the cotton pad that was stuffed in his waist and abdomen.

With just a simple movement, her originally slightly bulky figure instantly became tall and slender, with a strikingly clear outline of broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and even her posture exuded an innate nobility.

When he turned around, his face, though still damp with water, was a face Fangru knew all too well: sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and slightly pursed thin lips. He possessed the unparalleled charm of Zhou Ling, the emperor of the summer, and under the dazzling sunlight, he exuded an even more captivating aura than usual.

"Now," Zhou Ling's voice was a few decibels deeper than before, the gentleness of "A-Qi" gone, replaced by an air of imperial authority, "do you still like it?"

Fangru's mind was in a whirl.

The look in Ah Qi's eyes when he saved her, the way Zhou Ling used to look at her—all those similarities she had deliberately ignored—now came flooding back clearly.

Shock, anger, and the humiliation of being mocked overwhelmed her like a tide, but the next second, the instinct for survival overwhelmed all her emotions. She knew Zhou Ling's temper all too well, and at this moment, only by calming him down could she have a chance to survive.

"It's you..." Her voice trembled slightly, a fleeting look of surprise mixed with a hint of hurt flashed in her eyes, her expression so tender it was heartbreaking. "It was you..."

She immediately stood up, walked gracefully to him, took Zhou Ling's hand and placed it on her heart.

Her heart was pounding rapidly beneath her palm, half genuine fear, half feigned excitement. "Since Ah Qi is His Majesty, then the one I've always loved is His Majesty."

As she spoke, she gently guided his hand to her lips, her fingertips lightly tracing his knuckles, kissing him lightly and tenderly, her eyelashes even trembling deliberately, as if she were truly moved: "Can't Your Majesty feel it? This heart, from beginning to end, has only beaten for Your Majesty."

Zhou Ling's eyes flickered slightly, and his Adam's apple bobbed gently, as if he was truly moved.

His long, slender fingers traced her cheek, the pads of his fingers slightly cool from the alcohol: "Actually, we..."

Fangru nestled into his arms, her fingertips seemingly unintentionally tracing paths across his chest.

During their intimate moment, she had keenly noticed the outline of a hard object hidden inside his clothes, and now she was taking the opportunity to explore it.

While gently rubbing her soft body against his arm to create an intimate gesture, she silently unfastened the hidden clasp of his inner shirt, her movements as light as a butterfly's flutter, almost imperceptible.

"What did Your Majesty say?" She looked up at him, a bewildered smile in her eyes, but her fingers had already deftly slipped inside his clothes and touched the cold dagger.

Zhou Ling seemed to sense something, his brows furrowing slightly. Just as he was about to look down, Fang Ru stepped forward and kissed his lips.

This kiss was even more lingering than before. She gently teased his lips with the tip of her tongue, deliberately distracting him. In the moment he was distracted, she deftly drew her dagger and quickly hid it in her sleeve.

After the kiss, she took his hand and pressed it against her heart, using this action to cover up her earlier little gesture. Her voice was as soft as cotton: "What was Your Majesty trying to say just now? Did you also feel that we should have done this a long time ago?"

Zhou Ling's eyes still held a hint of bewilderment as he gently traced her lips with his fingertips, his tone softer than before: "Actually, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, a cold light suddenly flashed.

Fangru's dagger had already sunk deep into his abdomen.

She quickly took a step back, watching as blood instantly stained his robes.

"Why..." She gripped the blood-stained dagger tightly, her voice trembling with suppressed sobs, yet revealing an undeniable resolve, "Why do you have to torment me like this! I've already fled to the Northern Barbarians, and you still won't let me go! Can't you just be a good emperor? Why do you have to pretend to be Ah Qi, watching me fawn over you like a fool, watching me pour my heart out to you!"

Zhou Ling staggered and grabbed the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white from the force, but her fingertips still instinctively protected the wound on her abdomen, as if afraid that blood would splatter on her.

Even though he was seriously injured, he still maintained his imperial demeanor, his back remained straight, though his face gradually turned pale.

He raised his deep eyes, looking at her with a complicated expression. His voice was a little hoarse than before, but still clear: "Tell me... these days, have you ever had even a shred of sincerity towards Ah Qi?"

"No!" Fangru almost shouted, "Not a single bit! I wish you would disappear forever, I wish I had never seen you!"

After she finished speaking, she turned around and pushed the door open forcefully.

But where are the streets and alleys of the Northern Di outside the gate?

Before your eyes is the magnificent main hall of the prefectural government, and overhead are palace lanterns adorned with bright pearls, while the sounds of string and wind instruments flow into your ears continuously.

She stood prominently in the center of the Xuanji Banquet, surrounded by guests dressed in gorgeous clothes, raising their wine glasses and chatting and laughing. Their eyes held a hint of curiosity as they looked at her, as if the life-or-death struggle and heart-wrenching scene just moments before had been nothing more than a dream.

She actually returned to the Xuanji Banquet once again.