A ruthless glint flashed in Mo Sheng's eyes as she helped the two men to their feet.

A sharp "crack!" rang out, followed by a scream, and then the two servants collapsed straight to the ground.

The bones in his neck were completely broken, his eyes bulged forward, and his death was extremely gruesome.

He straightened his clothes and once again transformed into the gentle and refined young man he once was.

"Mang Ji, give them a proper burial!" He emphasized the word "properly burial."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Time is the world's best painter, creating a vibrant and colorful sky.

The sky at that moment looked as if it had spilled paint, a vibrant orange-red everywhere, yet it was so beautiful and dazzling.

Smoke rose from the mountain village chimneys, and Yanran and I began preparing the meal.

When Ye Xuanling and I arrived, we bought some food.

Having gotten used to gas stoves and induction cookers, I never imagined that starting a fire would be so troublesome.

Ye Xuanling blew on the fire for a long time but still couldn't get it going.

My stomach was rumbling in protest, and I said impatiently, "Do you even know how to do it? If you don't, I'll do it!"

Determined to impress Yanran, Ye Xuanling resisted fiercely, saying, "No, you can just sit and watch!"

Taking advantage of his inattention, she took a deep breath and blew air into the stove at the same time as Ye Xuanling.

I felt dizzy and blew the ashes from the stove onto my face because I blew too hard.

"It's all your fault! We could have succeeded this time!"

I wiped the dust from my eyes and said, "Why are you biting the hand that feeds you? You don't appreciate a kind heart!"

While we were arguing, Yanran let out a silvery laugh.

"Yanran, you smiled!" Ye Xuanling asked with a look of infatuation.

I peeked through the doorway and saw a purple figure standing under the tree. My eyes immediately lit up, shining like twinkling stars.

I excitedly pounced on him, but he skillfully dodged me, and I missed completely.

I glared at him angrily: "Ye Lisheng, how dare you dodge!"

He said proudly, "Who says I can't hide!"

"Okay! Then I'll go hug someone else!" With that, he turned and left.

His long, strong hands held me firmly in his arms, and no matter how much I struggled, he wouldn't budge.

Are you angry?

"No, how could I dare to be angry with you, Your Highness?"

"Still denying it! Who told you to leave me here all alone!"

"snort!"

Her cheeks were puffed up from anger, which Ye Lisheng found extremely cute.

The dinner table was filled with a sense of oppression due to Ye Lisheng's powerful aura.

Looking at the wild vegetables on the plate, Yanran looked embarrassed.

"I didn't know the princes were coming today, so I didn't make any preparations. Otherwise, Yanran will take you out to eat!"

"No, no, we don't usually get to eat these!"

"Sixth Brother, don't keep such a long face!" Ye Xuanling teased.

At this moment, Ye Lisheng picked up some food and ate it without batting an eye, much to our surprise.

He said, "During war, food is scarce, and we have to eat tree bark and drink water to fill our stomachs. Finding this kind of wild vegetable is already a rare treat!"

I initially thought he was a high and mighty prince, someone who had never experienced the hardships of life and only knew how to eat delicacies. But after spending time with him, my opinion of him changed drastically.

At this moment, Xiaokong seemed to be draped in a dark blue canvas, with the stars and moon shining brightly.

Ye Xuanling sat alone by the bed, watching over Kang'er.

"Big brother, do you like my sister?"

A burning sensation rose on his fair face; if it weren't for the darkness, his face would have been as red as a boiled lobster.

She looked at him with disbelief and asked, "Are you really eight years old?"

"Don't look down on children!"

Ye Xuanling said with some melancholy, "Why can you see it, but your sister can't?"

"Why don't you just ask her?" Kang'er suggested.

He thought for a moment and immediately rejected the idea: "No way, if she doesn't like me, we won't even be able to be friends!"

"Will you take good care of your sister?" Kang'er's sudden change of topic caught him off guard.

Without any hesitation, he replied, "Yes!"

Seeing the determination in his eyes, Kang'er finally felt relieved.

Yanran, who was outside, overheard their entire conversation.

She felt a little touched, but her eyes revealed a hint of worry. He was a high-ranking prince, while she was just a woman of low status who had worked in a brothel. Given the disparity in their status and the insurmountable gap between them, could they really be together?

A few barks startled the sleeping people, and a mournful cry came from Kang'er's room.

"Yanran!"

Ye Xuanling rushed into the room in a panic, only to find Yanran crying uncontrollably.

He sighed, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes; we all knew what had happened without him saying a word.

"Yanran, let Kang'er go in peace!"

As the sun began to lighten, a beam of golden light shone on the boundless sea.

A lone bamboo raft floats on the sea in the distance, with no tombstone or gravestone, only a simple straw mat covering its occupants.

Holding a torch, Yanran gazed at the bamboo raft with slightly reddened eyes. Kang'er lay on it like a sleeping baby.

I could clearly see Yanran's hands trembling; I was so afraid she would burst into tears at any moment.

Bright, pearl-like things slid to her feet, and she smiled radiantly, so brightly, yet we saw glistening tears in her eyes.

Ye Xuanling frowned, her heart clenching.

"Kang'er, I promise you I'll be alright, and you have to promise me you'll be healthy in your next life!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the torch flew out of his hand, and the bamboo raft was immediately engulfed in flames, turning a fiery red.

I hugged Yanran tightly, feeling sorry for her. But she comforted me instead, saying, "Don't worry, everyone, I'm fine. We should be happy for Kang'er because he has finally been freed from the torment of his illness!"

Everyone was in a gloomy mood, as if a light drizzle had begun to fall.

Through the windows of Mingyu Pavilion, one can see the garden in full bloom with spring colors—a vast expanse of lush green and vibrant red.

Many flowers withered after autumn arrived, leaving only the chrysanthemums in full bloom.

It must be said that Ye Lisheng treated Murong Kui extremely well. Whether in terms of location or construction, Mingyu Pavilion was exceptional.

These past few nights I've been frequently woken up by fright, only to find my pillow soaked through.

I dreamt of Murong Kui, who had the exact same face as me.

Pointing at me, he demanded, "Why did you take away my life?"

All of this fills me with dread!

"What's wrong?"

Ye Lisheng's voice rang out above my head, startling me.

I complained, "Why do you walk so silently? It's like a ghost!"

Xiangye covered her mouth and laughed from behind, "Miss, you're too engrossed in your thoughts. The Prince has been here for quite a while!"

"Xiangye, are you still my best friend? How could you take his side!"

"Of course I side with Miss, but my monthly salary comes from the Prince!"

"Okay, Xiangye!"

A burst of silvery laughter suddenly echoed from inside Mingyu Pavilion.