“Zhi.”

“Yes? Yinzhu.”

“When everything is over, let’s find a place to live in seclusion! Just the two of us.”

“Really? Yinzhu, do you really want to be with me?”

“I do, as long as we are still alive.”

“We will be, definitely.”

“But I’m afraid that you will despise my blood-stained hands and this battered heart...”

Xuan Zhi hurriedly stopped her by covering her mouth with his hand, “I don’t care. I really don’t. Yinzhu, you know I have loved you since long ago. From the beginning, you’re the only one in my heart,” Xuan Zhi said, placing Wu Xin’s hand on his heart and letting her feel his heart beating for her alone.

Yet Wu Xin continued when Xuan Zhi put down his hand, “But I am no longer the innocent princess I used to be. Both my hands and my heart are not clean anymore, never again. Sometimes I feel like I am so dirty, so dirty...”

“Yinzhu, it was not your fault. Yun Su is the one to blame. One day, I will kill him for you.”

“Zhi, you are wrong. I will destroy Yun Su with my own hands and avenge everyone who died.”

“Yinzhu...”

“Well, this is the meaning of my life. Only by overthrowing Yun Su can I be truly relieved.” Wu Xin pulled out her hand to stroke Xuan Zhi’s frowning brows. “We haven’t enjoyed the moon together for a long time. Let’s forget about these tonight.”

“Sure.” Xuan Zhi hugged Wu Xin tightly, making her more comfortable leaning against his chest. “Yinzhu,” he gently called her name again.

“Yes?”

“In my heart, you are always the most beautiful and purest girl.”

“I know.”

“Yinzhu, when everything is over, will you marry me?”

“If I can no longer bear children for you, do you still want to marry me?”

“What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

“Everything is fine. I’m just saying.”

“Marrying you is my lifelong dream. Whether you can bear children or not, I love you and only you forever.”

“Zhi.” Listening to Xuan Zhi’s love confession, Wu Xin blushed slightly, but Xuan Zhi didn’t see it since her back was facing him. Quietly, a sense of sweetness emerged in her heart.

“Yinzhu, you haven’t answered me yet. Would you like to marry me and be my bride?”

“I’d love to.”

“I can’t believe it. You finally agree! My dream has come true.” Happy like a child, Xuan Zhi hugged Wu Xin tightly. After supporting each other through life’s ups and downs for so many years, they finally confessed their feelings for each other and got engaged. It seemed too good to be true. Xuan Zhi couldn’t help but kiss Wu Xin’s hair and said affectionately, “Yinzhu, we will always be together till death sets us apart. I will always stand by your side.”

“Zhi, I don’t believe in oaths. They are the most unreliable things. But I believe in you.”

...

Embracing each other sweetly, they got engaged. Yet following the peak of joy was the advent of sorrow. No one knew what fate had prepared, just like flowers falling into the stream saw no destination. It was initially a touching gathering between flowers and the flowing stream. Yet, after a gust of wind, flowers might disappear, leaving the stream alone.

This was the exact scene Qi Yuan witnessed when he finally found Wu Xin after looking for her the whole night. Seeing that the woman he loved was in the arms of another man, an unprecedented feeling of jealousy occupied his heart. Qi Yuan wanted to beat the man up, but when he saw the man’s face clearly, he calmed down instead. He couldn’t believe what he had just seen.

Qi Yuan remembered that face absolutely. It was Xuan Zhi, the rebellious prince of the Kingdom of Xuan and the former Senior General of the Kingdom of Yun. Qi Yuan knew that the current emperor, Yun Su, had always wanted to capture Xuan Zhi, but why was Xuan Zhi with Wu Xin? It was obvious that they had a close relationship. Qi Yuan closed his eyes. He did not dare to make any assumption or think deeply. Desperately suppressing the anger and doubts in his heart, he resolutely turned and left.

In love with Wu Xin, Qi Yuan would rather believe he saw nothing tonight, nor did he find Wu Xin. Unwilling to dig into the truth, he simply wished he could just live in the lie. As long as Wu Xin was still willing to lie to him, he would keep deceiving himself!

Being a fool for a lifetime could also be happy, yet things never went as one wished.

The Lantern Festival on the Seventh Night of July was supposed to be the happiest day for lovers in the world. But the first one Qi Yuan celebrated turned out to be so ridiculous, absurd, and sad.

Even the heat in the summer night could no longer warm Qi Yuan’s cold heart. He just clenched his hands, forcing himself to calm down and forget what he saw. Wu Xin didn’t come back that night, yet he just stood in front of her room all night.

Time passed quickly. No matter he liked it or not, the sky had already been bright. Standing there all night, Qi Yuan had dark circles under his eyes, but he was not drowsy. After all, he couldn’t control his broken heart.

He must fulfill his duty in the palace. But just when Qi Yuan got dressed and walked out of the courtyard, Wu Xin returned.

Wu Xin had put on the veil again. She had to cover her visibly red lips, but she was still wearing the clothes she had when she went out last night. For a moment, they looked at each other without a word.

Qi Yuan suddenly hugged the woman in front of him. Wu Xin did not struggle or resist but let him hold her. She obviously felt Qi Yuan was acting weird and nervous.

Only by feeling the warm and soft body in his arms did Qi Yuan finally calm down. After a long time, he slowly let go of her, concealing all the emotions and pretending to be relaxed. He couldn’t act, so he greeted Wu Xin without looking into her eyes.

“Morning.”

“Morning.”

“I can’t eat breakfast with you today.”

“It’s okay.”

“Then I will go to the palace.” Qi Yuan’s tone did not contain any doubt. He behaved normally as usual.

“Then quickly go and come back early. I will wait for you at home.”

Wu Xin was pretty sharp. She knew that Qi Yuan must have noticed something since she was really abnormal last night. But she also felt that he was willing to hold back his doubts for her, which kind of made Wu Xin relieved. Apparently, Qi Yuan was deeply in love with her.

“I will.”

“When you come back, we can have dinner together.”

“Okay.”

“Tonight, I will cook for you.”

“Alright.”

No matter what had changed in their heart, they looked as close as before, even though they were both pretending! After all, they were either unable or unwilling to break this illusion.

Qi Yuan was an innocent man, and he couldn’t really act. Pretending to be alright in front of Wu Xin was the best he could do. Once stepping into the palace, he couldn’t hold it anymore and dropped all his disguise.

Consequently, Yun Su noticed how lost and heartbroken Qi Yuan was. After all, Qi Yuan looked so obviously different from the foolish but happy guy he was before. However, as the emperor Yun Su paid attention to Qi Yuan’s change, a disaster was also awaiting the young leader of imperial guards.

In the next few days, Wu Xin began to cook for Qi Yuan. She still waited for him to come home every day, ate with him, and accompanied him by his side. At least in the eyes of outsiders, the two still looked as loving and sweet as they used to be.

Wu Xin really hadn’t changed much, yet Qi Yuan gradually turned back to that quiet and cold man.

Over the past few days, Qi Yuan had struggled deep inside. Worried and uneasy, he felt something terrible would happen. But he dared not think too much, let alone ask Wu Xin, for fear of ruining the peace on the surface. Finally, one day, he didn’t want to go on like this anymore and proposed to Wu Xin sincerely.

He loved her and wanted to marry her. No matter what her past was like, he only hoped to be a part of her future and stayed with her forever. To his pleasant surprise, Wu Xin agreed.

No one knew that Wu Xin was making a secret decision. This time it took her too long to kill Qi Yuan. On the night of her wedding, Wu Xin hoped that she could finally put an end to it.

For the first time in many years, the mansion of Qi Yuan was full of vigor and joy. As the day of the wedding was approaching, everyone in the mansion started to get busy.

The master’s wedding became the top priority of all the servants in the mansion of Qi Yuan! To contribute their fair share to the great day, they started to decorate the mansion quite early. After all, half a month felt not short but would certainly pass quickly.

Although Wu Xin was disfigured, servants were willing to give sincere blessings as long as Qi Yuan liked her. Known as a cold man, their master actually had never scorned or mistreated anyone. Since Qi Yuan was such a nice person, the servants in the mansion respected him and loved him wholeheartedly. They sincerely hoped that Qi Yuan could live a happy life.

The ugly servant girls and old maids were especially so. Because of the way they looked, they were judged and bullied all their life. Without Qi Yuan, they would’ve never dreamed of having such a comfortable life, working in peace. Qi Yuan brought them to his mansion, a real home to them.

Wu Xin was the only one not so busy. During these days, the servants would just do everything for her as usual. Traditionally, the bride was supposed to do some embroidery on napkins, clothes, and beddings. However, even the most important embroidery of mandarin ducks playing in the water was finished by the servants for her, not to mention her wedding dress and everything else.