Chapter 1 [End of Main Text] I know you love me
In June, Qingzhou was shrouded in clouds, the sun was nowhere to be seen, and the muggy heat made it hard to breathe.
A salty sea breeze blew in from the east, carrying moisture. The harbor was filled with masts and crowded with ships. At noon, it should have been bustling with noise, but today it was mostly empty, with people flocking to the main street leading to the market.
The prison cart rumbled heavily as it rolled over the stone road. The guards escorting the prisoners were drenched in sweat, and the two prisoners inside were barely recognizable as human.
Rotten vegetable leaves, rotten eggs, and even clods of mud picked up from who-knows-where, rained down on the prison van from the angry crowds on both sides of the street. Thick egg yolk mixed with the juice of rotten vegetables dripped down Yu Shao and Zhao Meier's heads and faces, and the sour stench could be smelled from a great distance.
"You heartless bastards, you kidnapped my son! He's been beaten beyond recognition! You despicable bastards!"
"Bah! They're smuggling salt, driving up prices, and making it impossible for us poor people to survive!"
"You despicable couple! You are utterly heartless! Beheading you today is too lenient! You deserve to be torn to pieces!"
The curses rose in waves as the crowd followed the prison cart, pushing forward, while the constables struggled to maintain order on either side.
The execution ground at Caishikou was crowded with people. Among them, Cui Xianglan was dressed in a simple, moon-white dress, clutching a handkerchief tightly in her hand.
Watching the two disheveled figures being dragged onto the platform and pressed onto wooden blocks, and listening to the deafening curses around her, she remained calm. Unlike the others, she didn't shout or curse, but just stared intently, her lips pressed white.
"Crack!" Two crisp, muffled sounds.
The executioner swiftly and cleanly brought down his blade, and two heads rolled off, blood splattering everywhere.
A deafening cheer erupted from the crowd, and Cui Xianglan let out a long sigh of relief, her heart filled with a sense of cathartic satisfaction.
This pair of wicked people finally got what they deserved. The years she endured in the Yu family, suffering humiliation and torment, vanished completely along with Yu Shao's severed head.
She couldn't help but smile, overjoyed at her complete liberation, both physically and spiritually.
Cui Xianglan stood there, watching the executioner wash the bloodstains off the execution platform with water, the yamen runners came forward to collect the body, and the crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only a few people cleaning up the scene.
Finally, she turned around and left.
Perhaps she was too excited, her legs felt weak, and after taking only a few steps, a yamen runner pushing a cart carrying a corpse hurried past behind her, and the cart shaft bumped into her unexpectedly.
"Oh dear!" Cui Xianglan exclaimed, her body swaying as she was about to fall.
Suddenly, a strong arm reached out from the other side and caught her arm, steadying her.
"Madam, please be careful," the young man said calmly.
Cui Xianglan composed herself, smiled politely, and withdrew her arm: "Thank you, sir."
The young man nodded slightly in return, said nothing more, and joined the sparse crowd with the constables who followed him.
Cui Xianglan stood there, touching the arm that had just been supported. The vague sensation through the fabric seemed to still linger. Looking at the young man's departing figure, she couldn't help but smile.
*
In the afternoon, the warm sunlight shone on the plaque above the entrance of Miguozhai, and the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries wafted out onto the street.
In the back room, Yuezhi pushed a cup of warm milk tea in front of Pei Yao, and then lifted the lid of a small steamer, inside which were several crystal clear, exquisitely shaped glutinous rice cakes, still steaming.
"It's a new design I came up with not long ago. The filling is red bean paste, lotus seed paste, and jujube paste, with a slightly grainy texture. The original flavor of the ingredients is even stronger. Try it and see if you like it." Yuezhi's voice was soft as she looked expectantly at the table opposite her.
Pei Yao didn't stand on ceremony, picked one up and put it in her mouth, squinting her eyes in satisfaction, the fatigue from the days of battle melting away in this pastry.
She downed half a cup of milk tea, let out a long sigh, and then said, "This tastes so fresh. The outer skin is bouncy and tender, and the filling is even more flavorful than the finely ground kind. It's even better than the pastries made by the imperial chefs in the palace."
Yuezhi was pleased by the praise and smiled brightly.
That night, Liang Zhang revealed his identity, and she then realized that Pei Yao had been using Liang Zhang's surname to tease her.
Actually, she had felt before that "Guard Liang's" personality was very similar to Pei Yao's. She was too embarrassed to mention it then, but now that they were both honest with each other, there was no need to bring it up again.
After the initial excitement, I noticed that when Pei Yao put down her teacup, a white bandage was visible on her cuff, and there were also faint traces of bandaging inside her collar.
She frowned slightly and said with concern, "With all these injuries, you should rest and recuperate before going out again."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yao casually flicked her sleeve and laughed, "It's just that it's wrapped up so tightly that it looks quite serious, but Doctor Su's skills are excellent. After applying the medicine, it doesn't hurt at all."
While eating her snacks, she said happily, "You didn't see it. I led a group of men into battle in the valley of Lizhou. I was just as good as before! It turns out that even without my husband who is a general, I can still win battles just by virtue of my name, 'Pei Yao.' This time, I really have to thank the Emperor for giving me this opportunity."
Yuezhi listened quietly, happy for her triumphant victory, and poured her more tea.
Curious, I asked, "Yu Shao and Zhao Meier have been beheaded, and Hu Yong has been sent back to his hometown in the southwest to await execution in the autumn. Now that this matter is over, what are your plans? You've rendered meritorious service, hasn't the court given you any reward?"
Finally, when the matter was brought up, Pei Yao's expression was full of pride.
"The Emperor has rewarded me with a lot, but I have not asked for anything. I only asked the Emperor for a year of leisure. During this year, please do not ask me for any patrol, bandit suppression, or guard duties."
Yuezhi was somewhat surprised: "So, this past year..."
"Let's go have fun!" Pei Yao laughed heartily, her eyes shining. "There are so many places I want to go, from north to south. The Great Zhou is such a vast country, and my younger brother is young and capable. He doesn't need me for important matters for the time being. I'm only thirty years old this year. While I'm still healthy and can handle any kind of adventure, I want to see the snow in the north and taste the fish sashimi in the south. I've only ever tasted spices from the Western Regions before. I've heard that the beef and mutton there are incredibly delicious. I want to try it myself!"
Yuezhi was surprised that she had such ambitions. After laughing, she frowned slightly: "You're going alone?"
"Alone," Pei Yao answered crisply, lowering her voice slightly.
“The guards who were with me before were bestowed by the Emperor. They did protect me and Liang Zhang, but they were also eyes that kept an eye on us. In the past, I didn’t care because I was busy with official duties. But the next year is my own time to relax. With those people with me, I feel like I’m being watched wherever I go. It’s so boring. I just want to be alone, with a horse, to go wherever I want, to do whatever I want, without any worries.”
Yuezhi looked at the light shining in her eyes and knew that this was her nature—wild and unrestrained, longing for the vast sky rather than the delicate eaves.
When do you plan to leave?
"I'll be leaving soon."
"How soon is 'soon'?" Yuezhi asked with a smile. "I need to give you a specific time so I can see you off."
Pei Yao waved her hand, "I don't like all that sentimental stuff. We're close friends. You call me Fourth Sister, so you're my sister. That's why I'm telling you all this."
After saying that, he leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of slyness, "I was worried that I would crave these snacks on the way, so I thought I would ask you for more to take with me on the road, so that I wouldn't have to eat those dry rations."
Yuezhi was amused by her and stood up: "Okay, I'll have someone prepare it for you right away, using the best ingredients, and make you a little bit of everything. You can eat it slowly on the way."
He went to the front of the kitchen to instruct the staff to prepare, and the kitchen staff immediately increased the heat, steaming and baking.
The freshly baked pastries were still steaming hot. After letting them cool slightly, they were wrapped in oil paper, and the shop assistant was asked to go outside and buy a sturdy, moisture-proof bamboo basket, which was then filled to the brim.
Pei Yao felt a warm glow in her heart as she watched Yue Zhi busy herself for her.
She took the basket and carried it easily in her hands.
"I'm leaving now!" She patted Yuezhi's shoulder with a bright smile. "Keep the shop running well. I'll bring you delicious food from all over the country when I come back, and there will be plenty of spices!"
"Fourth sister, go in peace and have a safe journey."
Pei Yao's straight and agile figure disappeared at the alley entrance. Yue Zhi stood on the steps of the back door of the shop, looking at the empty alley, feeling empty and filled with inexplicable envy.
My fourth sister is so free-spirited and unrestrained, like an eagle in the sky, flying whenever she wants. Home is wherever her heart is, and she never hesitates or wavers for a roof over her head.
She had clearly decided to stay in Qingzhou and continue to live the peaceful and stable life that she had earned with her own hands, but there was still a thread in her heart, the other end of which was firmly tied to the person who was destined to return to the deep palace.
She was both certain and doubtful, yearning for stability yet wavering because of that relationship... A faint bitter smile appeared on her lips.
The scene from last night is flashing before my eyes again.
The room was warm and cozy with candlelight. The children, having just been fed, were full of energy, chasing each other on the carpet and babbling as they grabbed toys.
Pei Heng sat on the chair next to them, watching them with pure tenderness and endless joy in his eyes.
She was packing the children's clothes when she heard him calmly say, "The matters in Qingzhou and Lizhou have been resolved, and the boat is ready. The day after tomorrow morning... I have to return to the capital."
Her hand paused for a moment, and she didn't respond, but simply folded the small garment again and again.
Pei Heng's gaze was fixed on her, his voice tinged with an apologetic smile, "Once I leave, there will be many affairs in the court, and the border is not very peaceful... I'm afraid it will be a long time before I can come to see you and the child."
The only sound in the room was the child's babbling.
Yuezhi did not look up, nor did she answer.
What could she say? She knew she couldn't keep him, and she knew he had no choice in the matter.
In the silent stillness, the sadness of impending separation weighed on their hearts, and the warm atmosphere turned cold.
She knew that Pei Heng was sincere towards her.
But she also knew that no matter how deep or true the feelings were, they could not withstand the pressure of the country and the erosion of long distances.
Within the palace walls lay her forbidden territory; but outside, the "ordinary happiness" he gave her was like a mirage, perfect when he came, and empty when he left.
She couldn't let him go. The love he gave her was passionate and sincere, which had once deeply burned her, yet gently healed her; it was a mark etched into her life.
But she also couldn't bear to give up the two shops she had worked so hard to run. Three meals a day, two children and four friends, everything was simple and peaceful, without any big waves, and she didn't have to rack her brains to plan and scheme.
Two conflicting thoughts torn within her, preventing her from being as decisive as Pei Yao.
She sighed softly, withdrew her gaze from the alley entrance, returned to the shop, passed through the back room and entered the front room, her eyes drawn to the scene behind the counter.
Hua Chun was fiddling with the abacus. She was articulate, perceptive, and quick to learn. In recent days, she had learned to use the abacus and read accounts from Cui Xianglan, and to distinguish the quality of ingredients and source raw materials from Yue Zhi. She also learned to get along with the shop assistants and chefs. Now she was efficient and capable.
A kind and sturdy man was standing outside the counter, holding a package of oil paper in his hands. He handed it to her somewhat embarrassedly. When she opened the package, she found it contained Zuixianlou's famous dish, tangerine peel duck.
That was a chef who had worked at Zuixianlou for three years. He was only in his early twenties this year. He was honest and had excellent skills. These past few days, he had been coming to the shop often, bringing Huachun some newly developed dishes or delicious food to try.
Hua Chun looked up and saw him, her face flushed, she said something reproachfully, but took the oil paper package from him.
The cook scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.
The simple, innocent, and shy affection between the two was like a ray of light, warmly striking Yuezhi's eyes.
She couldn't help but stop and watch this scene, a smile of envy mixed with heartfelt blessings appearing on her face.
The two men noticed her gaze and, like startled sparrows, hurriedly separated.
Hua Chun blushed even more, lowered her head and pretended to organize the account books. The cook was at a loss, hurriedly nodded to Yue Zhi, and fled the shop as if running away.
Yuezhi walked over and took a closer look at Huachun, who was in the bloom of youth. After being pampered for so long, there was no trace of the humble servant she used to be. Her face was rosy, her teeth were white, and her hair was black and shiny. She looked like a delicate young lady waiting to be married.
Hua Chun raised her head, her eyes darting away, and whispered, "My lady, I didn't have anything with him..."
Yuezhi shook her head, interrupting her explanation.
“I have a lot of dealings with Zuixianlou and have met him many times. He is a reliable and hardworking person. I trust you to associate with him.” She smiled gently and patted Huachun’s hand lightly.
The inner turmoil remained unresolved, but looking at Huachun's blushing profile, I felt that this world was full of warmth and hope, and that it was best to let things take their course.
As the sun began to set, the rising summer sun warmed the bluestone pavement.
Pei Yao, dressed in smart riding attire and carrying a bag, rode her horse at a leisurely pace through the streets of Qingzhou City. The sound of her hooves was particularly clear in the quiet afternoon.
As she passed the familiar pharmacy, she tightened the reins, and the sound of the horse's hooves slowed down.
The shop door was open, and a faint scent of herbs wafted out. She turned her head and saw Su Jingyun sitting in the hall, taking the pulse of an old woman. He was focused and spoke slowly and gently when asking about her condition, showing great kindness.
Perhaps startled by the sound of horses' hooves, Su Jingyun looked up and his gaze met hers through the open door.
Su Jingyun frowned, his worried expression on his face. He was about to ask her the next second: "Your injury hasn't fully healed yet, where are you going to go again?"
Pei Yao took in the changes in his expression, a slight warmth passing through her heart. She smiled at him, a bright and carefree smile.
From a distance, a cheerful voice said, "Dr. Su, you're not young anymore, please take good care of yourself!"
His tone was playful, yet it revealed genuine concern.
After saying that, before Su Jingyun could react, she landed gracefully, waved her hand, and said loudly, "I'm leaving!"
He then spurred his horse, which neighed and quickened its pace, galloping along the long street toward the city gate.
Su Jingyun was worried about her injuries, so he told the old woman who was sitting down, got up to go see her, and wanted to say a few words of advice, but he only saw that dashing figure getting further and further away in the sunlight and disappearing into the light and shadow of the city gate.
Pei Yao rode his horse out of the city. Before him lay the official road leading into the distance, with boundless, lush green fields on both sides in the height of summer.
The wind ruffled her hair, carrying the fresh scent of summer grass and trees and a long-lost feeling of freedom.
She took a deep breath, and her heart felt open and free, like the vast green fields—vast, free, and unrestrained.
*
As night fell, the heat in the courtyard dissipated somewhat, and the chirping of insects rose from the lush greenery.
The main room was lit, and several home-style dishes were laid out on the table. Yuezhi, Cui Xianglan, and Huachun sat around the table, ready to start eating.
Cui Xianglan picked up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks, as if she had suddenly remembered something interesting, and looked at Yuezhi with bright eyes: "Yuezhi, do you know who the executioner was at the execution ground today?"
Yuezhi thought for a moment. Pei Heng had told her about this before and replied, "He is the heir of the Marquis of Yongding's mansion."
"It's actually the heir of the Marquis's mansion?" Cui Xianglan's lips immediately curled up, her smile full of joy, and her eyes and brows shone with a touch of brilliance.
Seeing her like this, Yuezhi's heart skipped a beat. She put down her chopsticks and widened her eyes in surprise: "Xianglan, you wouldn't happen to... have taken a liking to the young master, would you?"
The Marquis of Yongding's family is of noble birth, and his heir is a talented young man. In the suppression of the rebellion, he is second only to Liang Zhang in literary skills and second only to the Marquis of Yongding and Pei Yao in martial skills, but he has already shown some talent and has a promising future.
The table fell silent, and Huachun looked at her curiously.
Cui Xianglan was taken aback at first, then burst out laughing and lightly slapped them through the air: "What are you thinking! What is his status, and what is mine? I am a divorced woman with no family to support me, how dare I have any unrealistic fantasies about the prince."
She suppressed her smile, but her eyes still held a hint of emotion as she recalled the beautiful moments.
"It's just that... when the execution ground was closing up today, I almost fell, and he kindly helped me up. Didn't you see? He's really handsome, and he speaks so gently and politely."
"I never imagined that someone of my status could have such close contact with someone like that... That's a real man, with both looks and charisma."
Her eyes were filled with longing, and she let out a happy sigh.
"To have such a brief encounter with such a handsome young man, and to have him lend a helping hand, is already a great blessing for me. Why would I ask for anything more?"
The words were spoken frankly, and Yuezhi and Huachun couldn't help but laugh. They laughed at Yuezhi's outrageous guess and found Cui Xianglan's rare girlish thoughts amusing.
The atmosphere at the table immediately became relaxed and cheerful.
As they were chatting and laughing, the courtyard gate opened, and Su Jingyun walked in carrying a medicine box, looking exhausted.
"Brother Su, why are you so busy so late today? Come wash your hands and have dinner." Hua Chun hurriedly called to him.
Su Jingyun washed his hands and sat down in the empty seat, but he had no appetite. He just picked up his chopsticks and poked at the rice in his bowl, and sighed.
"It's not all because I've been busy with the clinic. I'm a little worried about Miss Pei's injuries. Although her wounds aren't deep, they can easily recur if she doesn't take good care of them."
"I saw her riding a horse this morning, she must be busy with official business. I specially prepared some easy-to-carry wound medicine and pills to deliver to the government office to give to her. But when I got there, I found out that she had already left Qingzhou."
He was puzzled, disappointed, and worried. "This person's injuries haven't fully healed yet, so why did he leave in such a hurry?"
After saying that, he asked Yuezhi, "I asked the people in the government office, but no one knows where she went. They only said that when she left, she took a basket of pastries from Miguozhai. Yuezhi, do you know where she went?"
Yuezhi: "She came to say goodbye to me, only saying that she would travel all over the country, but I don't know where she was going specifically."
Seeing Su Jingyun's loss of appetite, she comforted her, "You know her personality. She goes wherever she wants, and no one can stop her. This year-long trip is for recuperation. As for the injury, she's not a child. She'll take good care of herself. Don't worry too much."
Su Jingyun hummed in response and then remained silent, lowering his head to eat.
Everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts during dinner.
The three women chatted animatedly, and Su Jingyun was gradually infected by the atmosphere, briefly emerging from his despondency.
The night outside the window grew even darker.
*
In a single day, having experienced joy and sorrow, Yuezhi's heart was filled with a variety of emotions, leaving her exhausted and drowsy.
She lay down with her two sleeping children in her arms, the unique milky scent of infants lingering in her nostrils, but Pei Heng's calm words from the previous night kept echoing in her mind.
She thought of him, an emperor, who was coaxing children in her courtyard, acting as an ordinary husband for one night, just to make her happy.
Thinking of the way he looked at her, his eyes, sometimes smiling, sometimes brimming with tears, held so many emotions, yet always reserved a vulnerability and warmth that he showed only to her.
She became his maid at the age of fifteen, and now she is twenty-seven.
They'd known and been together for twelve years. How many twelve-year periods does one have in a lifetime? She couldn't be sure she had the same confidence and patience to cultivate the same sincerity and trust with another man...
She has already lived the life she had always dreamed of, a life she dared not even dare to hope for when she was young. She chose this peaceful and stable life, but she still feels a pang of sadness because of his impending departure.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess.
Was she being too greedy? She wanted the comfort of everyday life, yet she also craved the unique sweetness he gave her, a sweetness that seemed to be stolen from an ordinary life.
She was afraid that she wouldn't be satisfied with the status quo and would actually follow him into those palace walls. Would she be like a moth drawn to a flame, ultimately losing everything she had, including herself?
But she was also afraid that her hesitation and timidity would cause her to miss out on this rare and truly kind man who was so good to her.
Fate is something that can't be explained or understood.
Some relationships are fleeting, like the one between Cui Xianglan and that prince, where it was just a brief moment of helping each other in the crowd, yet it was already a rare happiness.
Some relationships come and go quickly. If you don't seize the opportunity, like Pei Yao and Su Jingyun, one leaves and the other is heartbroken. They are separated by vast distances and never meet again.
What about her and Pei Heng?
If we part ways this time, perhaps we will meet again in a few months or years, or perhaps we will be separated by mountains and rivers, and your heart is unpredictable... We will never meet again in this life.
The thought suddenly pierced my heart, and tears welled up without warning, sliding down my temples and soaking into my pillow.
She hurriedly wiped it away, afraid of waking the child beside her.
In the darkness, she lay awake, listening to her own erratic heartbeat and the pattering rain that had started outside the window sometime earlier, and the night passed in a daze.
When I woke up, there was no one beside me.
If the two children cried or woke up at night, the nanny on night watch would gently carry them out and soothe them before sending them back to their side room to sleep peacefully, so that they could get a good night's rest.
She touched the cold, empty pillow beside her, and a pang of sadness welled up in her heart.
The sound of rain outside the window became clearer, continuous and relentless, tapping on the windowpane, and also tapping on her troubled heart.
The sky was obscured by the rain, making it dim and impossible to tell the time.
Her thoughts, which had been churning all night, finally settled down, and a voice rang in her mind with unparalleled clarity.
Yuezhi sat up abruptly, got out of bed barefoot, and shouted to the outside room, "What time is it now?"
Upon hearing the commotion, the maidservant hurried over, holding an umbrella: "Madam, it's already Chenshi (7-9 AM)."
It's Chen Shi (7-9 AM)! If we don't hurry, we'll miss it!
Yuezhi immediately busied herself, dressing and putting on her shoes and socks. She instructed her maid, "Quickly fetch me water to wash my face, and comb my hair in the simplest way possible—no, no need to comb it! Prepare the carriage! Go and have the guards prepare the carriage! I need to go to the port!"
She hastily splashed cold water on her face, casually gathered her hair without even putting on a simple hairpin, grabbed an oil-paper umbrella, wrapped herself in an overcoat, and rushed out of the room.
The carriage sped along the wet, slippery cobblestone road, the sound of wheels mingling with the rain, a hurried and unsettling noise.
Yuezhi gripped the umbrella handle tightly, her knuckles turning white, her heart pounding in her throat.
I must see him.
Although it was a bit late, she had already figured it out: what's truly important, what she couldn't afford to lose no matter what...
She still had a lot to say to him.
Some things that should have been said long ago, but were delayed in being said.
After a short while, they finally arrived at the port. Yuezhi opened her oil-paper umbrella, which was tilted by the wind, and without waiting for the driver to put down the footstool, she staggered off the carriage. All she could see was an empty berth.
The continuous drizzle wove a gray net that shrouded the sea. In the distance, the water and sky merged into one, shrouded in mist, and there was no trace of the dragon boat.
Only a few seabirds cried mournfully in the rain as they skimmed across the water.
The dock was wet, with tire tracks and messy footprints remaining, proving that a farewell had taken place here not long ago. Now, there was nothing left but rain.
She was late.
He still left.
Yuezhi stood frozen in place, the rain splashing at her feet wetting the hem of her skirt and embroidered shoes, the icy chill seeping in from the soles of her feet.
She gazed at the vast, misty sea, as if her own heart had become blurred, leaving only boundless coldness and emptiness.
Her eyes welled up with tears, and she let out a sob as tears fell like raindrops.
She lowered her head, too weak to even hold the umbrella any longer, letting it tilt slightly, rain soaking half of her shoulder.
In the misty rain, a figure slowly walked towards them.
His steps were steady and unhurried.
The person held a plain oil-paper umbrella, the edge of which was pulled down low. The hem of her sky-blue robe was gradually turned into a deeper lake blue by the rain, which brightened her gray eyes.
Yuezhi unconsciously bit her lower lip, forgetting her sadness. Tears hung on her eyelashes as she stared blankly at the figure approaching.
The edge of the umbrella was slightly raised.
His smooth jawline was revealed, and his deep phoenix eyes, which she knew all too well, held a gentle smile, clearly reflecting her astonished expression as her hair was loose and her clothes were half-wet.
His lips curled up, forming a smile.
Yuezhi's vision blurred, her eyes felt hot and swollen, and rain and tears mingled together, indistinguishable from one another.
"You..." She opened her mouth, her voice choked with emotion, "Didn't you leave?"
Pei Heng took a step closer, tilting the umbrella towards her to shield her from the wind and rain, leaving one of his shoulders exposed.
A deep voice pierced through the pattering rain and landed on her heart: "How could I bear to leave without waiting for you?"
Yuezhi's tears fell even harder, her heart aching and throbbing, overwhelmed by a sense of grievance and lingering fear. She sobbed, "How did you know... I would come?"
He gazed at her intently, his eyes focused and absorbed.
"I will wait until you come."
"What if I don't come?" she said defiantly, biting her lip, tears streaming down her face.
Pei Heng smiled, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped away her tears one by one. His smile remained gentle, but his eyes gradually welled up with tears. "You will come."
"Why?"
"Because I know you love me."
All hesitation, fear, and anxiety were shattered.
Looking into his resolute eyes, at his shoulders slightly damp from the rain, at his unwavering persistence in waiting here for who knows how long, she suddenly smiled. The smile bloomed on her tear-streaked face, like a fresh gardenia after the rain.
The hand holding the umbrella handle loosened, and the oil-paper umbrella floated lightly to the ground, splashing a small patch of water.
She no longer needed any cover or hesitation. Like a bird that had found its home, she threw herself into his arms with all her love and determination, and hugged him tightly.
Yes, I love you.
"I'm sorry for telling you so late."
Pei Heng caught her steadily and held her close to his chest. His broad embrace shielded her from the wind and rain outside, and only warmth rose within this tight embrace.
He lowered his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks. His fingertips gently stroked her loose hair behind her back, and he tenderly caressed the top of her head. His heart, which had been lonely all night, finally found solace.
"Yuezhi, I love you."
He could never be an emperor in her presence.
He was willing to be her lifelong follower, sharing her joys and sorrows, for her laughter, for her tears, for everything she had, and for everything about her...
The drizzle fell gently, washing away the dust of the world.
There was no one in the sky above the port, only a vast expanse of sea fog. The lush greenery of summer spread across the mountains and fields, and the distant mountains appeared like dark eyebrows.
In the small world under the umbrella, there are two hearts that are close together.
The long, intertwined years wove a red thread that, at this moment, finally bound the two tightly together.
Their embracing figures, frozen in the misty rain, became an eternal image.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Yuezhi and Pei Heng's relationship has finally reached its happy ending. The following chapters will be an epilogue, detailing their return to the capital and their wedding. There will also be side stories introducing several supporting characters, as well as various romantic scenes between the main characters. I hope this book brings you warmth and sweetness [shy].
Thank you again to all the lovely readers who support the official version, and thank you to everyone who gave me nutrient solution, comments, bombs, and moonstones. With your support, I am super motivated to write. I love you all, and I hope everyone is sweet and full of happiness!
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