Blood! There was so much blood constantly flowing, dyeing the heavens and earth in red . A red so blaring that she couldn’t bare to look at . His figure was getting hazier as it blended together with the blood, becoming more of a blur…… before finally disappearing .

  Her hands reached but it was in vain as there was nothing but the icy wind, deafening like the cries of a ghost .

  Abruptly, she woke up gasping . The room was dark and quiet, making her panting voice all the more distinct . She took a moment to gather herself before she realized she had killed Ji Feng Li!

  That knife, she was just going to stab him in the chest, then taking advantage of the moment, she was going to seal his acupuncture point and let him fake his death . Then she could allow people to hand him over to his subordinates .

  However, she did not expect his actions . He grabbed her hand and the knife bore deeply into his chest .

  “Either your blood will stain my sword or my blood will be splattered on your fan!” This was her vow and now she finally did it .

  Finally, his blood had stained her blade .

  However, she didn’t think that she would be in so much pain . The moment she heard those words, “He’s dead”, she could hear the sound of her heart slowly breaking in her chest .

  At that moment, she came to realize that she had unknowingly fallen in love with him .

  Love was a genuine feeling . She couldn’t deceive herself .

  She closed her eyes and past events flashed through her head .

  On the battlefield, from a distance, she saw him standing on the cliff, dressed in his white robes, like a high cloud, free and unrestrained . At that time, she was amazed by his calm, relaxed demeanor .

  On the execution ground, she had attacked him yet he was able to easily avoid her blows without her notice . At that time she was shocked by his unpredictable martial skills .

  At the banquet that night at Kang Residence, he played ‘Ruo Shui’, stirring the hearts of the unmarried young misses . At that time she acknowledged his surprising talent .

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  The rumor of her being an evildoer who bewitched her master was because of him and she resented him for it with a fury .

  In the palace, amongst the crowd, she beated him to her heart’s content .

  In the hot springs, they had a war of words, neither willing to lose .

  When he went to manage the flood, she admired his heart for his people and country .

  On the battlefield, she highly regarded his strategies and tactics .

  Thinking back, it seems that they had gone through much together . Unconsciously, she had allow him into her heart . And this feeling now was like a volcano exploding, pouring out with no control .

  There was no doubt that she hated him . Even in her dreams, she thought of ways to overthrow him .

  But the deeper the hatred, the more important his position was in her heart . She paid attention to him, investigate him, observed him until she was more familiar with him than with her own self .

  Her heart had been occupied by the deep hatred she had for him . But she didn’t realize that the longer he occupied her thoughts, even if it was hatred, she would slowly become accustomed to his existence . Like the root of a tree, a habit was hard to change once it was grounded .

  Like opposing sides of a piece of paper, the line between love and hate was very fine . If one was not careful, hate could easily turn into love .

  Exactly when did she fall for him?

  Was it that night he married Jin Se, when he suddenly kissed her?

  No, it seems to be earlier than that .

  Was it after she was injured and he strictly forbade her from eating meat?

  No, it was earlier than that .

  Was it when she was injured on the battlefield and he suddenly appeared like a b.l.o.o.d.y war G.o.d?

  No, it seems to be even earlier .

  Was it that time when he rescued her from Yang Guan, when he bent down and said, “Give me your hand”?

  No it seems to be earlier than that .

  Exactly when she did not know . Neither was it important any longer . What’s important was that he was never coming back .

  She desperately tried to remain calm but how was she to stop this trembling pain in her heart . Besides crying, she had no other way to express what she was feeling .

  On the execution ground that day he had died . She had wiped away her tears and stood up in a dull manner to calmly direct the guards she had bribed to let them hand his corpse over to his subordinates . Chancellor Nie tried to stop her but due to the 3rd princess’ excessive sobbing and the people’s anger, he finally reluctantly nodded in agreement .

  Calmly, she watched him as he was carried away . Calmly, she returned to the palace . Calmly she spoke and smiled with Huangfu Wu Shuang .

  However, in the dark night with no one around, she buried her head between her knees, letting tears blur her vision, crying till there was no more tears left .

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  She had seem him close his eyes, seen him take his last breath . He was gone, truly gone .

  His dark eyes, gentle smile, low voice, overbearing kiss, warm embrace…… .

  At that moment, she couldn’t see, hear or feel anything .

  She sat in bed, hugging her knees . She did not sleep . As long as she closed her eyes, all she could see was him .

  That night she stayed up crying . A long, mournful night .

  When the fine rays of sunlight shone through the window and fell onto Hua Zhu Yu’s bed she felt as though she had gone through many lifetimes . The snow had finally stopped falling . The sunlight indicated that the dark clouds and mist had scattered, disappearing with the pa.s.sing of the previous day . However, she feared the dark clouds in her heart would never perish in this life . But the rays of sunlight was telling her that she wasn’t alone . She still had his child in her belly .

  She caressed her belly . In any case, for this child’s sake, she must live . It was already more than 2 months . There were still things that needed to be investigated as quickly as possible so that she can leave this palace .

  She buried the sadness in her heart and slowly got up . As soon as stepped down from the bed, she felt a little dizzy . She called for Xiao Shun Zi to bring a bowl of ginger soup . Xiao Shun Zi was her disciple . Ever since she became the Chief Eunuch, many eunuchs are vying to become her disciple but she personally chose a eunuch that had just entered the palace . In her current situation, she could not casually choose just anybody .

  “Master, are you sick? How about I ask the physician to come over and take your pulse? Is it okay to just drink ginger soup?” Xiao Shun Zi was not crafty nor was he good with words . But he was a sincere person who worked for her wholeheartedly .

  Hua Zhu Yu replied, “We are servants, how could we disturb the imperial physicians . Moreover, I’m not sick . You can withdraw . After resting for a bit, I’ll be fine . ”


  She was wrapped tightly in her blanket when she felt someone tugging gently at her sleeve .

  “Xiao Shun Zi, what’s the matter?” she coldly asked .

  But there was no reply and the blanket covering her head was suddenly lifted and she could recognize the familiar scent . She knew that it was Huangfu Wu Shuang who had come . As an Emperor, he comes and goes from the eunuch’s palace as if it was his own . Fortunately, before she called for Xiao Shun Zi, she had already put on her clothes and combed her hair, otherwise she would’ve looked like a mess .

  But she wasn’t in the mood to deal with him . She didn’t want to pay him any attention . In any case, she had been rude to him many times before . So she continued to lie on her bed, tilting her head, asking “What did Your Majesty come for?”


  Huangfu Wu Shuang was not in his court attires . Instead, he was wearing a plain robe and his hair was also fixed in a simple bun with his jade crown .

  He sat down on the edge of the bed and glared at her, “Xiao Bao Er, you didn’t wait on me today so zhen missed you and came to visit you . Yet you are not touched at all!”


  Hua Zhu Yu frowned, “Your Majesty, today is Ji Xiang’s turn to wait on you, not me . ”


  “No, zhen wants you to wait on me everyday . In the future, you sleep in the side chamber otherwise I will come sleep here . ” Once he spoke, he kicked off his dragon boots and climbed into her bed .

  Shocked, Hua Zhu Yu shot him a look and quickly got up and went to put on her shoes .

  Huangfu Wu Shuang felt a sense of loss and suddenly remarked in a cold voice, “Bao Er, I heard yesterday on the execution ground Ji Feng Li kissed you!”


  Hua Zhu Yu was stumped for words as her heart slightly throbbed . She stroked her messy baby hairs then slowly looked back at Huangfu Wu Shuang and replied with a smile, “Yes, everyone in Yu City knows this . Perhaps now it’s been spread all across Southern Kingdom . It can’t be that Your Majesty just found out?”


  Huangfu Wu Shuang attentively observed Hua Zhu Yu . She had just gotten up, her face looked somewhat haggard and her forehead was beaded with sweat since she had covered herself with a blanket . Her eyes were slightly swollen, she must’ve cried, giving her a touch of delicate charm . With her picturesque features and fair complexion, she was indeed beautiful .

  No wonder Ji Feng Li dared to kiss her in front of all those people at the execution grounds .

  “Xiao Bao Er, you’re so beautiful, it’s no wonder that even though Ji Feng Li was at death’s door, his heart was still moved,” Huangfu Wu Shuang remarked with resentment as he clenched his fist .

  Hua Zhu Yu wrinkled her brow and asked, “Your Majesty, don’t you have to look through the memorials?”


  Huangfu Wu Shuang smiled and replied, “Zhen has already gone through them . Today, zhen will accompany Xiao Bao Er!”


  “There’s no need for you to accompany this servant . This servant is fine . You should go accompany your Wan Er!” Hua Zhu Yu suggested .

  Huangfu Wu Shuang pouted his lips and was about to speak when Jixiang’s voice rung from outside the door, “Third Princess Jixiang…… . ”


  “Jixiang your head! Is this the room where that Yuan Bao evildoer lives?” Huangfu Yan’s voice could be heard as the doors were pushed open and a graceful figure walked in .

  Hua Zhu Yu looked over and saw Huangfu Yan suddenly halt when she saw Huangfu Wu Shuang lying on the bed . Her eyes narrowed as she sneered, “So royal elder brother is also here, how convenient . ”


  Publishedat 1st of December 2019 11:02:33 AMPlease help us improve Trinity Audio