She actually finds being with him tiring? Does he think his life is easy?
"I am even more tired! I have done my best to protect you for twenty years, and I have suffered so much doubt. I even neglected my own mother for you. People all over the world curse me behind my back for being unfilial, but I don't care. I still treat you as before. I said that I don't ask for anything else, I just want your wholehearted love. Why do you have to give your heart to someone else?"
Covering her ears tightly, Su Yushan felt like she was being driven mad by his suspicions.
"No! I have never had any disloyal intentions! It's all your suspicion. How many people have you killed because of your suspicion? Yunfang is gone, and everything is gone! I have never seen such a heartless and ungrateful person!"
The thought of Yunfang's tragic end filled Su Yushan with hatred for him. Ignoring the pain, she desperately shook her hands and managed to break free from his grip.
Her eyes were still filled with tears, and the hatred in them was about to overwhelm him!
Hongli felt a lump in his throat. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to explain, but in the end he said nothing.
Su Yushan didn't want to listen to him anymore. He had become so heartless that he felt like a stranger to her, and even terrifying!
She just wanted to stay away from him because she wasn't sure what terrible decisions he might make if he was in a bad mood!
Back in her room, Yu Shan cried until her voice was hoarse. Chang Yue comforted her for a long time, but she couldn't calm down. Her mind was filled with all the little things she had done with Yun Fang over the years.
Although they were not related by blood, they were no different from sisters. Yunfang treated her with all her heart, yet she failed to protect Yunfang. How heartbroken would Aunt Liu be if she learned of Yunfang's death?
Everyone says that the palace is a place that eats people without spitting out their bones. She didn't feel this deeply before. Although she was plotted against, she always managed to escape by luck, so she felt that the palace wasn't so scary.
It wasn't until the emperor changed his mind and harmed those around her that she realized that imperial power was indeed a sharp knife, a knife that could truly draw blood!
What is an Imperial Noble Consort? She's nothing but a title. If the Emperor orders you to die, no one can escape it!
Too many thoughts flashed through her mind; Yu Shan was in a daze, her consciousness blurred. The children came to visit her, but she refused to say anything, only saying that she was frightened by the assassin, without revealing the truth.
She had no appetite for lunch or dinner, and despite Chang Yue's repeated attempts to persuade her, she simply couldn't eat.
It's normal for the mistress to be in a bad mood after the successive deaths of Fu Qing and Yun Fang. Chang Yue could understand her feelings, so she didn't press her any further.
That night, Su Yushan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. In her daze, she heard a noise and then smelled the odor of alcohol.
She remained lying face inward without turning back, which displeased Hongli. "I'm going to bed. As a concubine, you should help me undress!"
He thought Yu Shan would argue back or ignore him, but to his surprise, she actually sat up and, as he asked, reached out to undo his clasp.
She kept her eyelashes lowered and didn't say a word.
Seeing this, Hongli felt uneasy. "Why do you have such a long face? Don't you want to see me?"
Su Yushan replied indifferently, "Your Majesty, I dare not."
It was truly laughable to hear those words coming from her mouth: "What are you afraid of? You're incredibly bold!"
She didn't refute it, but only replied perfunctorily, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong."
Such an answer felt strangely unfamiliar, and Hongli felt a surge of anger. He raised his finger to grab her chin, leaned down and covered her lips with his. Su Yushan frowned slightly and subconsciously turned her head to dodge, but Hongli, dissatisfied, forced her back to her position and captured her lips again, biting her fiercely as if in revenge.
Even in pain, Su Yushan did not flinch or beg for mercy. She was like a puppet on a string, letting him manipulate her without any reaction or emotion.
Her sudden docility made Hongli feel uneasy. He released her, staring intently into her eyes, a hint of suspicion in them.
"Don't you hate me? Shouldn't you hate my touch? Why don't you resist?"
Su Yushan's expression remained unchanged, showing neither sadness nor anger. "Your Majesty, I dare not resist, for I fear that Your Majesty will kill me in a fit of rage."
She actually thought he would kill her? In her eyes, he was such a heartless and cruel person! This perception made Hongli even more indignant.
"If I wanted to kill you, you would have been dead twenty years ago!"
Yes! Back when she ran away, Hongli should have killed her. Instead, he let her live until now, raised her to the highest position, gave her unparalleled favor, and then cruelly brought her down. Such a method seems more cruel than killing her directly!
Having experienced too many changes, Su Yushan's heart was no longer as fragile as before. Her face remained calm, and she replied indifferently, "What Your Majesty says is absolutely right."
She began to put on a mask and exchange pleasantries with him. Hongli could not stand hypocrisy, so he stood up angrily and left with his hands behind his back.
From then on, he never went to see her again.
Yu Shan had been sitting in the imperial carriage the whole way, but after that she returned to her own carriage. At each palace, Hongli stayed in his own room and did not go to her room. This situation was really strange. In all her decades of life, this was the first time the Empress Dowager had ever seen the two of them quarrel. It was truly a strange thing!
When the Empress Dowager asked Hongli, he only said that Su Yushan was affected by the assassin incident and was too frightened, and was recuperating. However, the Empress Dowager felt something was wrong. Even if Su needed to recuperate, given Hongli's personality, it was impossible for him not to visit Su.
Curious, the Empress Dowager secretly sent people to inquire about the reason, but Hongli kept the news tightly under wraps, and the Empress Dowager found out nothing.
She found it increasingly unbelievable that her son, who had been infatuated with Ms. Su for so many years, would suddenly become distant from her.
For the Empress Dowager, this was a good thing, but she just couldn't understand it and was determined to find out the reason.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
