Chapter 234 What I want is very valuable.

Emperor Wusu said, "What I want is not for you to enter the palace."

"If it were as simple as just getting you into the palace, do you think you could still live a carefree life in Lin'an and even open a clinic?"

Ji Qingwu's heart sank.

The emperor has been watching what she has done lately, yet he allows her to do as she pleases.

This indulgence and freedom had long made her forget her situation; if the emperor insisted on sending her to the palace, she would have no choice.

Ji Qingwu's gaze shifted slightly as he asked, "What exactly does Your Majesty desire?"

Emperor Wusu looked at her, who was two steps away from him, his eyes half-closed.

"What I want is very valuable."

Ji Qingwu looked up suddenly, only to see his lowered eyelashes, which had already obscured most of the emotions in his eyes.

However, a dangerously morbid emotion was still released.

Emperor Wusu could not suppress the thoughts imprisoned in his heart. He stared intently at the person in front of him, his eyes dark and intimidating.

The familiar feeling of palpitation returned, and Ji Qingwu softened her breathing.

Emperor Wusu issued an ultimatum.

"It's best if you're willing, but it doesn't matter if you're not. I'll just take it and snatch it. What A-Wu refuses to give up, will one day be mine."

Tonight, he was completely honest with her, yet he also filled her with fear.

These forceful words blocked all the escape routes that Ji Qingwu had envisioned.

She wanted to escape, but where could she escape to? What she wanted to escape was the rules and etiquette, and the man-eating palace.

Instead of wanting to escape from him.

Ji Qingwu also needed a reason to support her in moving forward.

Now, this reason has emerged.

Ji Qingwu tried to take a small step forward, but the glazed tiles were slippery, and she swayed.

At the same moment, Emperor Wusu reached out his hand to her.

She glanced at the palm but didn't grasp it. Ji Qingwu swayed a few times, then steadied herself using her own strength.

Emperor Wusu closed his eyes, his brows tinged with the darkness of the night and the chill of the moon.

Ji Qingwu took another small step forward, and the distance between the two of them closed again.

Her eyes sparkled, as if she had discovered something joyful.

If you truly love someone, you should take one step at a time and work your way up to them.

*

When Tao Wanyin chased after the princess's residence, Prince Yong was nowhere to be seen at the gate.

The prince's carriage was still parked in the same spot.

Tao Wanyin quickly boarded the carriage, lifted the curtain, and found the carriage empty; she did not see the person she wanted to see.

The courage I had finally mustered seemed to vanish in an instant.

Tao Wanyin said bitterly, "Let's go back to the Prince's Mansion."

The pregnancy-stabilizing pills that Ji Qingwu gave her were very effective; the cramping pain in her abdomen had subsided. However, she was now experiencing an even more unbearable pain in her chest.

She leaned against the carriage, silently shedding tears.

When the two reached the point of divorce, Tao Wanyin realized how reluctant she was to let go.

Prince Yong asked her if she remembered the day of her wedding.

She thought she had forgotten, but now, the past events are replaying before her eyes.

Tao Wanyin remembered even the majestic appearance of the four-clawed golden dragon on the shoulder of his bright red wedding robe.

It's a pity that the dragon and phoenix candles didn't burn all night until dawn.

Just like the couple, they had to separate halfway through their journey.

The coachman said, "Your Highness."

Tao Wanyin then realized that the carriage had stopped. She got off and stood in front of the gate of the Prince Yong's mansion.

This is no longer her home.

She has no home anymore.

Pushing open the door, Tao Wanyin forced herself to maintain her dignity and refrained from shedding any more tears.

As long as she hasn't received the divorce papers, she will remain Princess Yong.

Back at Jinmo Residence.

The room was cold and deserted. She sat at the kang table like a walking corpse.

The image of Prince Yong, who had been angry for a long time after the wedding, stepping into this room again half a month later, came to mind uncontrollably.

He had lost a lot of weight, but his eyes still shone brightly.

His eyes were still filled with her.

If she had known his feelings, and if she had been bolder back then, unafraid of her father, and spoken the truth, would they have ended up like strangers?

Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the door.

"Your Highness!"

An urgent knocking sounded at the door. Tao Wanyin picked up a handkerchief, wiped her eyes, and opened the door.

It was Du Yufang's maid who came; she knelt down and grabbed Tao Wanyin's skirt.

"Your Highness, please save the concubine."

"What's wrong?"

Tao Wanyin rushed back from the banquet because Du Yufang said she was in severe abdominal pain. She called back a doctor from Qingchuntang, who said it was just a minor miscarriage and nothing serious.

And just a short while later, another problem arose.

As the maid spoke, she peered into the room and said, "Your Highness, please ask the Prince to go and see our concubine."

Tao Wanyin could see through their tricks, having been fooled many times before, but she couldn't bear to let it happen. If it were real one time, things would be really bad.

Du Yufang's tactics had failed her time and again, but this time, Tao Wanyin was not going to take the bait again.

Now that Prince Yong wants a divorce, why should she bother looking after his concubines?

Tao Wanyin said, "You should go back. I don't know where the Prince is either."

The maid said, "Your Highness, please send someone to the Prince's courtyard to ask. Eunuch Chang Lu will surely tell you."

Everyone in the Prince's mansion knew that the Princess Consort was out of favor, but every time they sought out the Prince, they were able to find her.

Tao Wanyin said, "If you want to find the Prince, then you concubines should go find him yourselves."

Seeing her resolute tone, the maid retorted with dissatisfaction, "But the concubine's stomach is in severe pain. If anything happens to the child, Your Highness will also be at fault."

So many people say she's wrong, but Du Yufang is the one who shouldn't have said it.

Tao Wanyin said, "Alright, I'll go and see for myself."

Upon entering Du Yufang's courtyard, Tao Wanyin realized just how desolate her Jinmo Residence was.

There were many servants here, some of whom were new and didn't even recognize her as the princess.

Tao Wanyin was the proper mistress, and once she entered the concubine's room, she was to sit at the head of the table.

However, Du Yufang lay half-reclined on the couch and refused to get up, wanting Princess Tao Wanyin to sit to her left.

Tao Wanyin stood in front of her: "It's time for the concubine to learn the rules properly."

Du Yufang raised her almond-shaped eyes slightly and said lazily, "Why should the Princess make me learn manners?"

She took the butler's jade token from her sleeve and slapped it on the table in front of Du Yufang.

"Just because of this."

Du Yufang stared wide-eyed and said, "This, this jade token isn't with the Prince."

She gave birth to the eldest son of the Prince's mansion and pleaded with Prince Yong for a long time to share some of the power to manage the household affairs. Prince Yong only said that he would not give it to anyone else.

It had always been with Princess Yong, but even though she had been dominating her for so long, she had never seen her take it out.

The maid helped Du Yufang to her feet, and she reluctantly sat back down in the chair.

Tao Wanyin rarely displayed the majesty of a princess, saying, "The concubine has not yet paid her respects."

Du Yufang said aggrievedly, "Why must Your Highness make things difficult for me? I'm not feeling well."

Thinking of what Ji Qingwu had said to her, Tao Wanyin touched her lower abdomen...