Just as the two on the corner tower were locked in a stalemate, a sudden "Ah!" came from below...
Forgetting all about Mei Zhixuan, Xuan Yuan Yue instinctively turned around in panic and looked down, only to find that the spot where Yi Shangyun had been standing was now empty. As she searched around, several men in black, wielding gleaming swords that gleamed coldly in the dark night, suddenly flashed by and disappeared in an instant.
Suddenly, she was stunned by what she saw under the dim light below the corner tower.
Meanwhile, Mei Zhixuan, who was still unaware of what had happened on the corner tower, seized the opportunity and leaped over to pull Xuan Yuan Yue down from the railing. He then hugged her tightly from behind, saying in a state of extreme shock, "Yue'er, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please don't do anything foolish, please don't do anything foolish. I can't live without you, Hai'er can't live without his mother, we can't live without you!"
Xuanyuan Yue, however, had long since lost all interest in listening to what he was saying. Her eyes remained fixed on the area below the corner tower. Finally, she suddenly trembled and muttered to herself in a daze, "My child, my child, Hai'er, my child, where is my child?"
It wasn't until he noticed her small, frail body seemed abnormally unresponsive in his large embrace that Mei Zhixuan finally began to notice the murmurs coming from her mouth. He frowned and repeated the question in confusion, "Child?"
Before she could fully react, Xuan Yuan Yue suddenly began to struggle violently in his arms, taking the opportunity to turn around and shout at him almost frantically, "Let me go!"
"Women are inherently weak, but become strong when they become mothers."
No one knew where the powerful strength came from in her small body, but she actually pushed away Mei Zhixuan's tight embrace. Just as Mei Zhixuan was shocked and puzzled by this, she took a quick step and stepped onto the railing again, then lifted her leg over him and jumped down without hesitation.
Upon seeing this, Mei Zhixuan reached out in terror to grab her, but his hands were empty and he couldn't grasp anything. In the darkness, all that could be heard was his loud cry of alarm: "No, Yue'er!"
It seemed that even Xuan Yuan Yue herself did not know that she had fallen from such a high corner tower in the pitch-black night without being injured at all. But at this moment, she obviously had no time to think about such things.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, she stumbled and ran to the lakeside below the corner tower, searching everywhere: "Yun'er, Yun'er, where are you? Yun'er..."
Until finally, she discovered that the lake was completely lifeless, except for the familiar swaddling clothes she had sewn for her beloved son, which floated on the surface. Her eyes widened in shock...
She was utterly incredulous, shaking her head and crying out in anguish, "Impossible, this can't be, Hai'er, my child, my child..."
In an instant, she seemed to lose even the strength to stand...
With a "thump," he finally knelt down on the ground and burst into tears.
Looking up at the blindingly bright starry sky, she cried out in anguish, "God, why? Why is this happening? If anyone is at fault, it's the adults. If you must punish someone, punish me! Why treat my child like this? He's so young, he doesn't understand anything..."
Amidst these increasingly sorrowful and tragic cries, from all directions in the darkness beside her, beams of light suddenly began to flicker and stir, accompanied by a chilling sound like a sword being drawn. Yet, she remained completely unaware of it…
Just then, Mei Zhixuan, who had just landed and was about to approach them, stopped abruptly. His extremely sharp peripheral vision quickly scanned the surroundings, and he alertly discovered dozens of men in black, who were hiding in the dark corners, eyeing them menacingly. Each of them held a sharp sword and was eager to try to approach the couple slowly.
The men in black seemed to realize that their actions had been discovered, so they gritted their teeth and raised their longswords like desperate criminals, all thrusting them toward Mei Zhixuan.
"Clang clang clang..."
Instantly, countless swords clashed together, the crisp sound tearing through the silent night sky, plunging the city into a chaotic melee...
Meanwhile, on the lakeside not far away, Xuan Yuan Yue, who was completely absorbed in her own heartbroken world and felt as if she were isolated from the world, was oblivious to what was happening.
Her eyes, filled with despair, stared at the swaddled baby drifting away on the calm lake. After an unknown amount of time, she slowly got up.
She murmured softly, "My child, your mother will never let you leave alone. Your mother is coming to be with you. Your mother will always be with Hai'er. There is nothing left for your mother to cherish in this world..."
Having said this, she glanced slightly behind her, then slowly looked away, took a breath as if she had finally made up her mind, and gently closed her desperate eyes to murmur, "Hai'er, don't be afraid, your mother is here..."
Just as she closed her eyes and was about to take a step, Mei Zhixuan's voice suddenly came from behind her, stopping her: "Yue'er, don't!"
Upon hearing the voice, Xuan Yuan Yue suddenly woke up. She hesitated for a moment, lifting one foot that was still in mid-air, but only for a few seconds. Then, she smiled and two lines of tears slid down her face. At this moment, her thoughts seemed to become clearer and more certain because of this call.
Yes, she finally steeled herself and decided to disregard everything. In this world, in this remaining life, there was no longer any expectation for her, no reason for her to live.
Just as they were about to proceed, Mei Zhixuan suddenly shouted, "Yue'er, what are you doing? Do you think our Hai'er has fallen into this cold lake? Huh?"
Xuanyuan Yue seemed genuinely startled by the shout. She hesitated for a moment, gazing at the cold lake water before her, and murmured softly, "Hai'er..."
While struggling to raise his sword to block the several blades aimed at him, Mei Zhixuan saw her reaction and, as if what he said had worked, continued, "Yue'er, our Hai'er, he is not dead. Hai'er is perfectly fine in the palace right now!"
Unexpectedly, Xuan Yuan Yue hesitated for a moment, then closed her eyes again, took a breath, and said as if she were extremely tired, "Mei Zhi Xuan, in this life, how much of your feelings for me were genuine and how much were fake? It all ends here. I, Xuan Yuan Yue, will never believe you again!"
Mei Zhixuan gritted his teeth and fought while trying to dissuade Xuan Yuan Yue. At this moment, he finally wiped out the last few men in black.
Just as he was about to say something more, he said, "Yue'er..."
Just then, Jinlan's voice rang in her ears: "Princess, His Highness really didn't lie to you this time. Please look, Your Highness is perfectly fine here!"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yue's eyes widened in surprise, and then she suddenly turned to look at Jin Lan, exclaiming, "Jin Lan..."
As Jinlan spoke, she walked towards Xuanyuan Yue's side and slightly lifted the swaddling clothes of the child she was holding, revealing the child's round head.
Xuanyuan Yue rushed towards her with lightning speed, snatched the swaddled baby from her arms, and looked at that familiar little face, those bright, dark eyes. In an instant, tears streamed down her face as she hugged the baby tightly, pressing her cheeks against the child's rosy cheeks, and said affectionately, "My child, my child..."
But as soon as she realized what was happening, she quickly looked into Jinlan's eyes again: "Then who just fell into the water..."
Jinlan frowned, hesitated for a moment, and said, "It's Miss Yi."
“Yun’er? It really is her!” Xuan Yuan Yue exclaimed.
Jinlan nodded and explained, "Poor Princess, you've never been able to bear such humiliation since you were little. I'm afraid you might have been thinking of taking your own life. Miss Yi said that if anyone can persuade the Princess now, it's only the young prince."
As Jinlan spoke, she glared hatefully at Mei Zhixuan, who had been standing silently beside the two of them.
She then turned her gaze back to Xuan Yuan Yue and said, “Miss Yi had already anticipated that the Second Prince would be punished by the Emperor because of the Princess, and that Her Majesty the Empress would definitely not let us off easily. She feared that the young prince would be harmed by people secretly sent by Her Majesty the Empress, so she sent Jin Lan to find the Emperor and request that someone be sent to protect the young prince. Miss Yi was also anxious about Your Majesty's safety, so she first had Jin Lan find a swaddling cloth for the young prince, which she used to lure the assassins out. Miss Yi said that unless absolutely necessary, she would only have Jin Lan bring the young prince to appear and persuade the Princess to return. Miss Yi…”
Hearing Jinlan's words, Xuanyuan Yue was already sobbing uncontrollably.
She slowly turned around, holding the child, and gazed at the calm lake in the night, weeping silently in her heart, "Yun'er, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I knew I shouldn't have doubted you. You would never forget the bond between us. But... but now, how am I supposed to explain this to my uncle..."
At this moment, Mei Zhixuan, who had been standing silently beside her, heard what Jinlan said, and also looked at the lake in front of him, clenching his fists tightly...
Suddenly, countless palace lanterns lit up along the lake, as if illuminating someone's way home...
After an unknown amount of time, Mei Zhixuan's voice suddenly rang out in the silent air: "Men, pass down the order: even if we have to drain the entire lake, we must find Miss Yi for this prince. She must be here alive or dead..."
"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yue suddenly turned her gaze to the familiar person beside her, who now seemed utterly unfamiliar to her. She was surprised by his actions. What was his purpose?
In that instant, the eyes of the two people who once thought they could never live without each other met again after so long, but neither of them uttered a single word.
Perhaps I don't know how to say it, or perhaps I can't say it, or perhaps... there's no need to say it anymore...
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