Do your utmost

"Congratulations, General, for winning the beauty!" said an attendant of the Shi family army.

Shi Qiuyan smiled and said, "Why don't you retreat quickly?"

"yes!"

The attendants happily withdrew and closed the door. Shi Qiuyan looked at the person on the bed and began to undress. When he was left with only pajamas, he pulled down the curtains and slipped in.

After a while, Shi Qiuyan poked his head out dejectedly, frowned, and muttered, "Humph, what bad luck."

Early in the morning, Leng Yue opened her eyes and found herself lying on the bed, wearing only a white pajamas.

"You..." Leng Yue's eyes widened with anger.

"Hey, I didn't do anything." Shi Qiuyan said, "Have some hot porridge. I added red dates."

"No." Leng Yue said.

"Are you afraid I'll poison you? No, I really didn't. If you don't believe me, I'll drink it and show you." Shi Qiuyan took a sip of the porridge. "Look, it's not poisonous, right?"

Leng Yue sat up and said coldly: "It's not that I'm afraid of you poisoning me, but you and I have broken up, so don't be so hypocritical to me."

"In my heart, I've never been apart from you," Shi Qiuyan said, "You're still blaming me, aren't you?"

Leng Yue remained silent.

"I know I was very ignorant before and didn't take good care of you. Now I know I was wrong. I treat you well with all my heart, not as hypocritical as you said. Can you give me another chance?" Shi Qiuyan pleaded.

"You want a chance?" Leng Yue sneered.

"I want to!" said Shi Qiuyan.

"How much do you want it?" Leng Yue asked.

"I really want it!" said Shi Qiuyan.

"Why? Why should I give it to you if you want it?" Leng Yue was so angry that her face turned pale. "It's always you who thinks, you want, you like. Shi Qiuyan, you're already in your twenties and you're not a child anymore! Not everyone in this world has to go your way! You've never considered my feelings, never asked me what I want, what I like, how I want to do it. You only have yourself in your heart! Why? Ask yourself why?!"

"Then what do you want?" Shi Qiuyan asked weakly.

"I want to leave." Leng Yue tried her best to keep her tone calm.

"Can't you really give me another chance? I will definitely treat you well, really!" Shi Qiuyan said.

"I don't want it." Leng Yue said.

"What if I help you kill Ban Tianyue?"

"I don't need it."

"What if I leave Sifang City?"

"Then leave now."

"What if...what if I help you and Ouyang Mingri be together?" Shi Qiuyan was unwilling to leave like this.

"If we are destined to be together, we will naturally be together; if we are not destined to be together, there is no point in forcing it. Ouyang and I don't need your help tomorrow." Leng Yue said lightly.

"What if... I bring my men to join you?" Shi Qiuyan decided to give in.

Leng Yue glanced at him coldly and snorted, "I don't trust you."

Shi Qiuyan completely collapsed, and said dejectedly, "Then go."

"My clothes." Leng Yue said.

Shi Qiuyan threw the clothes to Leng Yue and said sadly: "I did all this for you."

"You don't do this for me," Leng Yue said.

"Then tell me, what exactly have I been doing for so long?" Shi Qiuyan asked.

"Ask your heart, your heart knows." Leng Yue said.

Chunfengdeyi Palace, in the living room.

"It's still two hours before noon. Are we going to wait like this?" Nong Yue asked while fanning herself.

"Let's wait a little longer." Mingri said.

"I agree with my brother. What if we act rashly and hurt Leng Yue? The most important thing is that no one is hurt." said Chou Doufu.

"But waiting like this is not a solution." Nong Yue said.

Shangguan Yan suddenly said, "Leng Yue?" Everyone's eyes immediately focused on her. They saw Leng Yue slowly walking towards the living room.

Mingri stood up and walked quickly towards Lengyue. Lengyue smiled slightly: "I'm back."

"Yue'er, are you okay?" Mingri asked with concern.

Leng Yue smiled and shook her head: "It's okay, he let me come back. I guess they should leave Sifang City soon."

There was nothing unusual in Leng Yue's expression or words, except that his face was a little pale.

"Lengyue, I'm so glad you came back safely. Your brother was worried all night. Everyone is worried about you too." said Chou Doufu.

Leng Yue looked up at Ming Ri. Ming Ri's handsome face showed an unconcealable haggard look. Leng Yue couldn't help but feel distressed and blame herself.

"Thank you for your concern, City Lord, and thank you everyone for your concern." Leng Yue bowed and said.

"Yue'er, you don't look well. Let me help you go back to your room to rest." Mingri said.

"Go and have a rest." said Stinky Tofu.

Leng Yue bowed again and helped Mingri back to her room to rest.

Mingri helped Leng Yue take his pulse, his expression solemn.

"What's wrong?" Leng Yue asked.

"Nothing." Mingri said lightly.

"Really?" Leng Yue observed his expression.

"You just have insufficient energy and blood, there's really nothing else to it." Mingri didn't look at her, but lowered his head to help Leng Yue put her hand back into the quilt.

"Is it the poison in my body..."

Mingri's face froze, and Leng Yue knew in her heart that she had guessed right.

Leng Yue tried to comfort him: "Tomorrow, sooner or later, I will leave you, from the beginning..."

"I understand. There's no need for further words between you and me." Mingri took over Leng Yue's words.

"I'm sorry." Leng Yue said.

"Don't say sorry," Mingri stroked Lengyue's face gently, "I am very satisfied, really."

"Satisfied? Why?" Leng Yue asked.

"Because you chose to stay for me." Mingri said.

Leng Yue's eyes were red, and her heart was filled with mixed emotions. Looking at Ming Ri's haggard face, she said distressedly: "You haven't slept all night, go and rest."

"I'll leave after you fall asleep," Mingri said.

"No need." Leng Yue said.

"I insist." Mingri said.

"You make me feel like..."

"No, you should be cared for," Mingri said. "You weren't cared for before, not because you didn't deserve it, but because Xiaoyan couldn't give it to you. No matter what grievances and hurts you've suffered, they're all in the past. I'm not Xiaoyan, and my way of expressing love is different from Xiaoyan's. Since you have nothing to do with him anymore, please put the past aside and move forward bravely. Try to accept your new relationship and get used to the way I, Ouyang Mingri, love you. Okay?"

Leng Yue couldn't hold back her tears and nodded repeatedly while crying. Ming Ri smiled and wiped her tears, saying, "I didn't expect you to be so fond of crying."

"No." Leng Yue sobbed, "I'm just washing my eyes."

Mingri was amused by this: "Okay, okay, wash your eyes and go to sleep quickly. I'm so sleepy."

Inside the general's mansion.

"What, not poisoned!?" Shi Qiuyan couldn't believe it.

"Yes, General," the doctor said, "What you and the other soldiers were poisoned with was just ordinary muscle softening powder, not some harmless poison. Furthermore, the dosage was very small, so it won't cause any harm to the body. I'll prescribe a medicine that will completely eliminate the drug's effects with just one dose."

"Okay, then please prescribe medicine for me and the soldiers," said Shi Qiuyan.

The doctor ground the ink and began to write the prescription.

Shi Qiuyan sighed and thought to himself, "Leng Yue has done her utmost for me. Even if I'm unwilling to accept it, I've ultimately failed her. Now that she's found a new love, why should I force her? As long as she's happy, that's all that matters."

"General, the prescription is ready," said the doctor.

"Thank you very much. Come, follow me to the pharmacy to get some medicine." Shi Qiuyan stood up, saluted the doctor, and said, "Goodbye, sir."

An attendant came over and politely said to the doctor, "Sir, please."

The doctor bowed to Shi Qiuyan and left.

"Since I have nothing to do with her anymore, what's the point of staying here? I'd better leave." Shi Qiuyan murmured.

"Ah----" A scream suddenly came from outside the general's mansion.

Shi Qiuyan was startled: "What's that sound?!"

The gate was kicked open, and the guards rushed into the general's house. The leading soldier shouted, "Capture him!"

"How dare you! Do you know where this is?" Shi Qiuyan roared.

The leading guard sneered and said, "The city lord has ordered that Shi Qiuyan and his gang of rebels be killed without mercy!"

"Destroying the bridge after crossing it." Shi Qiuyan was filled with grief and indignation, and couldn't help laughing until tears came out: "Hahahaha...hahahahaha..."

"Take him down!" ordered the leader of the Royal Guards.

As soon as these words were spoken, the Shi family army and the imperial guards immediately started fighting.

"The result of working hard for Bantianyue was just being hunted down. Lengyue no longer welcomes me, so I can't go there even if I want to. Shi Qiuyan, Shi Qiuyan, if you had known this would happen, why did you do it in the first place? You didn't listen to her this time, and you were wrong again, wrong again..." Shi Qiuyan thought to himself.

Alas, for someone who won’t turn back until he hits the wall, what good would it do even if he knew it earlier?

Leng Yue woke up and found Shangguan Yan sitting beside the bed.

"Yan'er, why are you here?" Leng Yue asked.

"Of course I'll accompany you." Yan'er said with a smile.

"Aren't you afraid that Sima Changfeng will get jealous?"

Yan'er laughed even more happily: "I'm not accompanying a man, why would he be jealous?"

"Are you awake tomorrow?" Leng Yue asked.

"He's still asleep," Yan'er said. "Sai Huatuo was really worried about me last night."

Leng Yue sat up and said, "I'll go see him."

Leng Yue came to Ming Ri's room, and Ouyang Feiying was guarding him by the bed. Seeing Leng Yue come in, Ouyang Feiying nodded at her.

Leng Yue closed the door, walked to the bed and saluted Ouyang Feiying. Ouyang Feiying stood up and said with gestures and mouth shapes: "I'm leaving first."

Leng Yue sat beside the bed, looking at Mingri who was sleeping soundly with deep affection.

As soon as Ouyang Feiying walked out of the room, he saw Sima Changfeng coming over. After Changfeng whispered a few words to Ouyang Feiying, Ouyang Feiying made a "come here" gesture to Leng Yue.

Leng Yue walked out of the room, closed the door, and asked in a low voice: "What's wrong?"

Sima Changfeng said, "Shi Qiuyan... Leng Yue, you should go over and take a look."

"Go ahead," Ouyang Feiying said, "I'll be here with you tomorrow, don't worry."

Leng Yue nodded and followed Sima Changfeng towards the guest rooms.