It was precisely because she had a conscience that she appreciated Hongli's kindness towards her. However, this kindness was like a mirage, fleeting and short-lived. She couldn't control herself and didn't even dare to touch this poisoned candy.

"When I was framed, you didn't stand by my side. Is this what you call affection?"

How could she have the nerve to accuse him? Didn't she even consider how difficult his situation was? "Back then, when your face was injured, I searched for the culprit day and night. Didn't I stand by your side? Now that you and Zheng Lin are deeply in love, where do you expect me to stand? I'm supposed to be your man, but today I've become the superfluous one. Where do you expect me to save face?"

Being questioned repeatedly, Su Yushan felt that her life was very miserable. "How many times have I said that Zheng Lin and I have broken up long ago? You always say you believe me, but every time something happens, you doubt me again. Aren't you tired of this? You might as well just divorce me and end it all!"

Even after things had escalated to this point, Hongli hadn't even suggested divorcing her, yet she had taken the initiative to do so? This caused Hongli even more heartache, and he even began to suspect her motives.

"Don't even think about it! Even if I no longer love you, I will not let you leave. My woman can only stay here, and she can't go anywhere else!"

His eyes were red, and he expressed his attitude with a hoarse voice. At that moment, Su Yushan felt that he was a complete stranger. "You don't believe me, but you won't let me leave. What do you want? Are you only happy when you trap me and torture me?"

Her words always managed to pierce his heart with ease. She said there was nothing between her and Zheng Lin, but her true feelings were already revealed in her words.

"Being with me is torture for you?"

Now that things had come to this, she had nothing left to hide and spoke her mind directly.

“It wasn’t like that before, but it is now! Your suspicion is suffocating. I feel unsafe every moment I’m here. The real culprit is still at large, hiding in the shadows. If you let me go, she will be satisfied. If you keep me here, I might be poisoned at any moment.”

She had no attachment to this place and only wanted to escape as soon as possible. This heartless attitude further fueled Hongli's dissatisfaction.

“If you hadn’t been entangled with Zheng Lin, how could this have happened? You never look for your own faults when things go wrong; you always shirk responsibility and blame others. You keep saying that someone is trying to harm you, so tell me who it is. If you can find witnesses and evidence, I will not tolerate this.”

He actually accused her of shirking responsibility? This indiscriminate accusation was truly hurtful. At that moment, she truly realized that Hongli had already made his judgment, and no matter what she said, it would be useless. Rather than wasting her energy arguing, it was better to give up.

With a downcast look in her eyes, Su Yushan said with a bitter smile, "I have no evidence. It's all my fault. Fourth Master is very perceptive. Whatever you say is right."

She didn't argue back? Jealousy drove him to question her again, "So you've never forgotten Zheng Lin, you've always wanted to leave me and go back to him, haven't you?"

Exhausted, Su Yushan looked back at him, a cold smile playing on her lips, without uttering a word.

Ignored, Hongli raised his voice in anger, "I'm asking you a question, answer me!"

Did her answer make any sense? "What do you want to hear? Yes, exactly what you think. Are you satisfied now?"

Hearing her answer with his own ears, Hongli's mind went blank, as if something had exploded, and his throat felt choked and painful. "So you admit it? You've finally spoken your mind! I was worried about your health and even went out of my way to visit you, but I never expected you to have such ulterior motives. Su Yushan, how can you be so heartless and ungrateful!"

No matter how he accused or criticized her, she pretended to be deaf and dumb and did not respond, as if it had nothing to do with her.

Since he wouldn't believe anything she said anyway, why should she keep nagging?

This nonchalant attitude completely enraged Hongli. In a fit of rage, Hongli grabbed her arm and pushed her into the tent, where he began to tear at her cloak.

She anticipated his anger, but she thought he would simply turn and walk away, never to speak to her again. She never expected him to act so drastically.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

"Yes, I've gone mad, you've driven me mad! This is my last warning to you, you are my woman, Hongli's woman, your body is mine, and your heart can only be mine. If you dare to think of Zheng Lin again, I will kill him!"

These thuggish words, spoken so bluntly, startled Su Yushan, who widened her eyes in shock. "You are a prince, how can you treat human life so lightly?"

He never wanted to use his status to intimidate others, but this time, Su Yushan had driven him into a corner, leaving him no choice but to resort to threats.

"You know I'm a prince? Killing someone is as easy as crushing an ant, so don't disobey me again, or I can't guarantee what I might do."

He must have been too gentle in his daily life, leading her to believe that he would always remain refined. Only now did she realize that, given his status, killing someone would be as easy as turning his hand.

Fearing he might actually target Zheng Lin, Su Yushan pleaded frantically, "Zheng Lin is just too obsessed, but I won't go with him. There's no possibility between us. You don't need to hate him so much. Please let him go!"

She had just been saying she didn't want to explain, her whole demeanor as cold as ice. But now, the mention of Zheng Lin made her tense again. The panic in her eyes was like a bucket of hot oil poured over him, causing his anger to ignite instantly and become uncontrollable.

"I can't stand seeing you two so deeply in love, begging each other for forgiveness! Remember this: I'm your man, so don't mention any other man's name in front of me!"

Holding her wrist tightly, Hongli leaned down to kiss her lips, but she kept dodging, unlike her previous submissive nature.

"Waaah—Let me go!"

She struggled repeatedly, which only fueled Hongli's anger. He raised his fingers to pinch her chin, preventing her from moving, and once again captured her lips, biting her fiercely. The more she resisted, the less he let go, his grip on her incredibly tight. Su Yushan struggled to push him away, but he remained as immovable as a mountain!

His forceful actions made her very resistant, but she couldn't push him away. In desperation, Su Yushan simply swung at him back, and the pained Hongli finally let go of her.

Su Yushan, now able to breathe, had red eyes, filled with shame and indignation. "Get away from me! Don't touch me!"

She tried to push him off, but he held her firmly, refusing to leave the tent, and threatened her, "I'm your man, you have to give me what I want!"

Su Yushan really couldn't understand what he was thinking. His every move was baffling to her. "Don't you hate me? Why are you touching me?"

With just this one sentence, Hongli was speechless and stunned on the spot.

Yes! He should hate her, despise her, and stay away from her, so why did he approach her again, wanting to possess her at all costs? His heart was churning with too many complex emotions, as if only in this way could he vent his inner discontent. Speechless, Hongli offered this excuse:

"This is your punishment. I want you to know what happens when you disobey me!"

He completely disregarded her wishes, forcibly tearing open her undergarment. What should have been a consensual act had turned into a brutal restraint. The moment her clothes slipped off, Su Yushan felt utterly violated and utterly humiliated. Through her teary eyes, she glared at him hatefully and cried out in a hoarse voice:

"Hongli! Don't make me hate you!"