Upon seeing her, Hongli's expression darkened. He lowered his gaze and continued reading the memorials in his hands. "I am reviewing memorials. No unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter. Get out!"

Back then, when he was reviewing memorials, he held her close as they sat on the dragon throne, intimately connected. Now, he calls her just some nobody. The emperor's heart truly changes in an instant.

However, Yu Shan was in no mood to dwell on these matters; she only wanted to know Yun Fang's whereabouts. "Where is Yun Fang? Where did you take her? You're not really going to kill her, are you?"

Hongli raised his eyes, his dark pupils indifferent, and spoke each word clearly and distinctly, "So what if it is...?"

So... he really killed Yunfang? Yunfang, who had been with him for decades, such a sincere girl, just like that, gone?

Yu Shan's heart was breaking, the pain unbearable. Large tears streamed down her face. Her legs went weak, and she slowly sat down on a stool, her knuckles gripping the red silk tablecloth tightly. Endless grief and indignation burst forth from between her teeth.

"Hongli, how cruel you are!"

"I'm heartless? What makes you think I'm heartless?" Enraged, Hongli retorted loudly, "My heart belongs only to you, I've never betrayed you, but what about you? Why did you faint when Fu Qing committed suicide? You still dare to say you have no feelings for him?"

Why did she faint? With so many things mixed together, he was driving her crazy, and yet he still asked her why she fainted?

Overwhelmed with grief, Su Yushan didn't bother explaining to this cold-blooded man. She stood up, leaning on the table, and gave a cold laugh, her eyes filled with desolation.

Her disdainful attitude only fueled Hongli's dissatisfaction. He stood up abruptly, walked to her side, grabbed her wrist, and angrily demanded, "What are you laughing at? Answer my question!"

What did he want her to answer? "Does my answer matter? Will you believe me? You won't. You'll only take your own wishes as facts. Since you already have the answer in your heart, why ask me again?"

Hongli's hawk-like eyes were fixed on her, and the grip on her wrist tightened. "Tell me your answer!"

Her wrist ached from his grip; the pain in her bones and the news of Yunfang's death had left her physically and mentally exhausted. This stubborn and domineering man before her also filled her with utter disappointment.

"Because I'm so tired. Since the day I met you, I've never had a peaceful day. For the past twenty-odd years, I've been constantly suffering from various storms and torments, and being repeatedly murdered. I comfort myself by telling myself not to care, that life is always full of disappointments, and that no one can have a smooth journey."

Now I'm almost forty. I thought our love was stronger than ever, I thought you wouldn't doubt me anymore, I thought I could enjoy my retirement in peace and happiness with my family. But in the end, you're still the same as before, suspicious and paranoid. Hongli, I'm really tired of living like this!