Shu Yao sat silently in front of her dressing table, lost in thought. She didn't know how long she sat there until she heard footsteps behind her. She didn't turn around, but instead fell into a warm embrace.
What to do? She could still feel the man's tenderness, excitement, and guilt, and of course... there was a hint of sin mixed in, after all, she had once been so devoted to him.
If she could, she really wanted to stay in this embrace for the rest of her life, but faced with her already clear mind, she was unwilling to let go of the decision she had made with such difficulty, nor would she allow herself to hesitate any longer.
Without a second thought, she pushed him away and met his gaze. She saw the doting look in Huo Jingsha's warm eyes. Even without her, he would still be a good father. Shu Yao smiled at him with relief.
"Yao'er..." His mind was racing, as if he had a thousand words to say, but when the words reached his lips, he couldn't utter a single one.
She smiled at him, telling him to stop arguing and cherish the days they were still together. But her smile pierced his heart, and all the words he wanted to say turned into three helpless words: "I'm sorry."
What's the use of an apology now? She's already lost her temper and said some harsh words, but he still insists on taking that woman as his wife.
Shu Yao acted as if she hadn't heard him, pulled him to sit on the edge of the bed, and asked in a low voice, "Can you tell me how you got rid of Prince Jing?"
Yao'er is still willing to listen to him? Does that mean she's not angry with him anymore? This thought made Huo Jingsha overjoyed. Like a child eager to prove himself, he quickly said...
"Actually, Prince Jing has an accomplice in court, namely the eldest prince. Prince Jing promised that as long as the current emperor is overthrown, he will support him to inherit the throne. I destroyed all of Prince Jing's hideouts before, thinking that once the remnants were eliminated, he would not be able to cause any more trouble. Also, because he is the emperor's own brother, I did not kill him completely. Unexpectedly, a few months ago, he colluded with the eldest prince and showed signs of a resurgence. The emperor was the first to discover this and gave me a deadline to bring him to justice within a month. When Prince Jing got the news, he wanted to kill him completely, so he sent me a secret letter, intending to use your safety to threaten me, trying to get me to secretly let him go. I... I originally wanted to use you as bait to lure him out during the Bathing Dust Festival, but on that day, during the ancestral worship and incense burning, an accident happened. I was afraid it was a bad omen and dared not take any more risks. So I came up with a plan to find a woman to be your substitute, and then use myself as bait. When Prince Jing appeared, I would kill him in the chaos."
"Isn't having my double enough? Why use yourself as bait?"
"Having 'you' alone is not enough. Since his information network is so advanced, he must know that the real you didn't actually go with me. I deliberately spread the news of my old illness recurring on the way to the palace, hoping they would take advantage of the situation and make their move. I had made all the necessary arrangements, but that scoundrel actually kidnapped Luo Wenpei and forced me to surrender. In several battles, I was at a disadvantage because I was worried about the Emperor's presence. I had no choice but to leave Yue Ping to protect the Emperor and sneak into the enemy camp at night with Xu Chang to try to rescue him. However, I realized that I had underestimated my opponents. I thought that Prince Jing was doomed and that he only had a few dozen accomplices. With nearly a hundred secret guards that I had taken with me, I was sure I could win this battle and at least rescue Luo Wenpei. But I didn't expect that they had two thousand men lying in ambush behind us. I failed to rescue him and instead fell into enemy hands. Fortunately, Xu Chang went back to report the news, and Yue Ping led his troops to fight. After three days and three nights of fierce fighting, we finally wiped out Prince Jing and his ilk."
Shu Yao frowned, able to imagine how brutal that battle must have been. Even the usually resourceful and valiant Commander Huo had fallen for the whole trap, which showed that Prince Jing was no easy opponent.
She nodded and then asked, "So what about taking Luo Wenpei as a concubine?"
She had already seen through it all. Both men were devoted to each other, so what was there to doubt? But she just couldn't accept it… She had gone through so much to finally hold onto this man, only to have him taken away by another woman in just eleven days. She wanted to know the truth, even if it meant cutting ties and leaving, she wanted to understand why.
"After the war, I found her in Prince Jing's rear camp, and... she suffered a lot during the days she was captured. I already felt guilty for making her lead you to your death, and seeing her like this made me feel even worse..."
She knew Huo Jingsha's temper well; he was ruthless and rarely showed mercy, as seen with her in her previous lives and with Mingxia, whose flesh he had painstakingly cut off. For a man with such an iron heart to feel guilt, reluctance, and pity for a woman meant there must be some affection involved. Given Huo Jingsha's consistent style, if it were an unrelated woman, even if she died in his place, he would at most give her family a generous compensation payment, nothing more.
Now, just because Luo Wenpei suffered for a few days, he insists on taking her into his household and giving her a title, even if it means breaking his vow to her. This shows that she is no longer as important to him as Luo Wenpei. Thinking of this, she became afraid and didn't want to listen anymore.
She secretly despised herself, thinking, "Alas! I'm truly a woman who can't amount to anything. If I hadn't been seduced by his tenderness, I wouldn't be suffering like this now."
Shu Yao calmly interrupted him, adding, "I understand. Lord Huo knows how to cherish women. Your friendship has been tested in times of trouble."
"Yao'er, once you spend more time with Wenpei, you'll realize that she's a kind and gentle person who doesn't cause trouble. Just treat her as a sister who comes to the manor to chat and keep you company."
Really? But those other women won't steal her husband!
As long as he has Luo Wenpei in his heart, he will turn a blind eye to any trouble she causes. In the face of love, no woman can remain indifferent forever. In the end, whoever is more favored will be the winner. She can distinguish this difference in status. But since she has already decided to withdraw from their relationship, Shu Yao doesn't want to argue with him anymore. It's really pointless. She smiles and doesn't answer.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Huo Jingsha felt uneasy. He pulled her over and made her sit on his lap, holding her tightly in his arms as he always had.
"Yao'er, don't think too much. I promise that we will be just as loving as we were before. You will always be the mistress of the Huo family. You just need to stay in the manor happily every day and take good care of Xiao Bao. When I have some free time in a few days, we can give Xiao Bao a little sister, okay?"
She turned her face away, no longer leaning obediently against his chest as usual, but inwardly belittling herself. Was she going to use having a child to fight Luo Wenpei again?
Her deliberate distance terrified Huo Jingsha. He tightened his grip, pulling her close to him, and said urgently, "Yao'er, I... I like you, I like you so much... No! I love you, I love you so much, I can't imagine how I can go on without you. Don't say anything about giving in, don't mention divorce papers or a separation. Let's live our lives well together, okay? I swear, Luo Wenpei is the last one, but you're the only one in my heart."
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