Chapter 88 Benevolence of Malevolent Heart

aidservant anymore and will be able to fulfill your filial duties by her side.”Cai Lian trembled, sobbing, "I can't bear to part with Miss..."“I also don’t want you to leave, but think of how old your...Chapter 88: Black-hearted Yet Nice

The autumn wind blew, scattering fallen leaves and withered flowers in the air.

Night Qingran's light-colored brocade robe and loose black hair were blown up by the wind. His sleeves and hair fluttered about him as he leaned against the door frame, making his posture appear disheveled. The jade curtain was gently swaying from the force of the autumn breeze, emitting a clear sound. The Shallow Moon Pavilion was completely silent inside and out; only the sounds of the curtain swaying could be heard, like notes being played by someone who sang and danced.

Night Qingran spoke for quite some time but didn't get a single word in response from Cloud Qianyue. He looked at her with a hoarse voice, "Little girl, can you not say just one sentence I lay my heart bare before you, basking in the sunlight without seeking any reward. Isn’t that worth even a single reply"

Cloud Qianyue put down her teacup softly and quietly set it on the table. She looked at Night Qingran with a sigh, "Night Qingran, how can I let go of your identity to understand you How can I eradicate something that is an inherent part of who you are from birth Unless I cut out my bones and rip open my heart. But would Night Qingran still be the same after such actions"

Night Qingran tightened his grip on the door frame, silently watching Cloud Qianyue.

"The Deking Prince's Mansion is half of the Heavenly Sheng Dynasty’s江山. Generations have remained loyal to the royal family due to their bloodline and title bearing the character for 'night.' No one would doubt the loyalty of the Deking Prince’s Mansion. From nobles to commoners, even beggars are included in this unwritten rule: the Deking Prince's Mansion will never rebel against Heavenly Sheng Dynasty. Your mansion seems to have a family precept as well In your ancestral hall hangs an image of the founding emperor. Long ago, the only living brother of the founding emperor was on the brink of death but saved by his blood. Later, when the founding emperor ascended to the throne, he appointed his brother as the Deking Prince, leading to the establishment and flourishing of the Deking Prince’s Mansion over a hundred years later. In short, all the prosperity and even lives of the Deking Prince's Mansion are granted by the founding emperor and the royal family. Even without considering blood ties, just this life-saving favor is enough for your mansion to repay for hundreds of years. As long as the Deking Prince’s Mansion exists, it guarantees Heavenly Sheng Dynasty's ten-thousand-mile江山for a day. Generations of descendants in your mansion must be loyal and patriotic; they may not plot against their ruler. Is this your family precept" Cloud Qianyue said slowly while looking at Night Qingran.

Night Qingran tightly pursed his lips, no longer speaking.

"So, Night Qingran, what more is there to talk about! The Yun Prince’s Mansion is a tiger lying on the side of Heavenly Sheng Dynasty that the royal family wishes to eliminate. But Deking Prince's Mansion is a half江山that Heavenly Sheng Dynasty always relies upon. This disparity determines our opposition." Cloud Qianyue spoke calmly, "You said you like me, but what use is liking Even without Rong Jing, if His Majesty or someone else in the royal family wants to eliminate Yun Prince’s Mansion, on that day when they take action, you won't rebel against Night's江山for my sake. Right"

Upon hearing this, Night Qingran bitterly smiled, "Little girl, have you decided I wouldn’t help you

"Could it be that you would" Cloud Qianyue raised an eyebrow.

"I won't!" Night Qingran suddenly turned around and faced the door, not looking at her. His voice was suddenly deep.

Cloud Qianyue looked at him; his once carefree and unrestrained figure now seemed dark and cold even with a light breeze stirring up his clothes. There was also a kind of sorrow and heaviness that weighed on him from the depths of his heart. At this moment, it felt as if she had entered his mind, truly understanding his heart, experiencing all its complicated feelings—wanting to escape fate, family name, and responsibility.

"Cloud Qianyue, is it because you have Rong Jing that you no longer need anyone else" Night Qingran asked solemnly.

Cloud Qianyue retracted her gaze, lowered her head, and remained silent.

"Why don't you speak" Night Qingran suddenly spun around again, his voice thunderous with anger.

Cloud Qianyue frowned slightly, rubbed her ears, and looked at him angrily. "What are you shouting about"

Night Qingran stared at her fiercely, lips tightly pressed into a line.

Cloud Qianyue observed his eyes filled with anger and bloodshot veins, raising an eyebrow in inquiry. "Why are you angry"

"Don't you know why I'm angry Do you have no heart" Night Qingran's eyes were aflame with rage; the curtain without wind suddenly moved again due to his fury.

Cloud Qianyue rubbed her forehead, then waved at him helplessly. "Come in!"

Night Qingran remained standing still.

Cloud Qianyue was annoyed and shouted, "If you don’t come in, get out! What are you shouting here for Do you want to call all the people of Yun Prince’s Mansion over to watch your show Are my servants looking at you with bated breath You chose to be born into the Night family; it's not my fault. Why do we argue here face-to-face In the past, you were good to me, but did any of that have a hidden agenda behind it Think about it carefully and calculate it thoroughly. Do I owe you money or stole your belongings It’s just that you like me, right There are many people who like me; they can fill up all four cities’ streets. Should I thank each one and offer myself to them"

The storm of anger in Night Qingran's eyes seemed frozen over, suddenly ceasing; he stood there speechless.

Yun Qianyue picked up her teacup and finished the cold tea inside, but her resentment lingered. "No matter what happens, I first think of it not being done by Ye Qingran! He wouldn't treat me like this! You've already affected my heart to this extent; do you want more Do you want to force me to wait for your killing blow with a knife going in and red coming out Do you only feel at ease when you have my life in your hands"

The anger in Ye Qingran's eyes instantly subsided. He opened his mouth but didn't make any sound.

"Option one: You come in, and it’s like before between us two. Option two: You leave, and from now on, we sever ties completely, as if strangers to each other. Choose one." Yun Qianyue no longer looked at Ye Qingran and said with an unpleasant expression.

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingran immediately pushed open the curtain and strode in.

Yun Qianyue took the teapot and poured herself another cup of tea. She didn't even look his way once.

Ye Qingran walked to Yun Qianyue's side, sat down, picked up his teacup, and drank it. When Yun Qianyue reached out to snatch it, he dodged her, glared at her, and said, "Didn't you say everything is the same as before Do you not even want to give me a sip of water We used to share a fish!"

Yun Qianyue withdrew her hand, glared back at him with exasperation, and asked, "What do you gain by coming here for a scolding"

"Feeling better after being scolded by you is what I want. Are you satisfied now" Ye Qingran didn't seem to mind the heat as he downed an entire cup of water.

Yun Qianyue harrumphed but said nothing.

"Little miss, if you truly cut ties with me and treat me like a stranger, then there's no point in my living. Now I can’t get much, but seeing you and sitting here talking to you and even having tea with you is sweet enough for me. That’s all I want! We are complex people, both of us. We each have our own thoughts; you guard against me, and I guard myself from you. Ultimately, it's just the responsibilities we shoulder. Does this mean anything about ourselves It doesn’t prevent us from continuing to be on such terms with one another" Ye Qingran put down his teacup and looked at Yun Qianyue earnestly.

Yun Qianyue “hmmed” in agreement.

"If that day’s matter were to happen again, I would still save the Hidden Master, and you would still interfere. If we could replay everything from before, what I did back then is what I will do now, just as you would also. You’re right; I am Ye Qingran. Born with a sense of duty, I’m that young master of the De Prince’s Manor. This life of mine, unless Heaven collapses, I’ll never escape it." With dejectedness in his voice, Ye Qingran said: "For the sake of the De Prince’s Manor and for the vast territory of the Heavenly Sage Imperial House, there is nothing I wouldn’t forsake. But because of my identity alone, there's just you whom I can't let go, as if it were cutting out my bones and burning my heart."

Yun Qianyue’s thoughts stirred, and her fingers curled.

"You don’t need to have any guilt! When I say that I like you, I genuinely mean it. It has nothing to do with Ye Tianyi; when I liked you, he hadn't even started liking you yet, let alone that weak beauty or anyone else." With each word deliberate and clear, Ye Qingran looked at Yun Qianyue and said: "But I know you won’t have any guilt. You’re not a woman, no, not quite, for you aren’t of marriageable age; you are merely a young girl. In your heart, there’s only the weak beauty. He is gold in your eyes, but others are just feces to you. Your heart is hard; today when I finish talking with you, maybe it will go in one ear and out the other, without even time for a quick nap."

Yun Qianyue scolded him, "You know me pretty well."

"Of course I understand you. I don't say that I know more about you than that weak beauty because in front of me, you’re behind a veil, but in front of the weak beauty, you are just yourself, and he only sees who you truly are. Yet, I can also understand one aspect of you. You treat those who are good to you as if what they give you blows away like wind." Ye Qingran said with frustration: "What I’m not willing to accept is why ten years ago did I warn you that he couldn’t swim Why didn't I let him drown"

Yun Qianyue looked at Ye Qingran, suddenly feeling both angry and amused. Indeed, it was because he had told her then that Rong Jing couldn’t swim, she had rushed down to save him; she had even given him CPR. She said with a mix of anger and amusement, "Then you deserve what’s coming to you!"

"I do deserve it," Ye Qingran affirmed with a nod. “If I knew then as I know now, not only would I never tell you that he couldn’t swim, but I might even drown him myself. Maybe some things could have been changed.”

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes and didn't say another word.

Ye Qingran gnashed his teeth inwardly for a while before suddenly leaning on the table in front of Yun Qianyue with mystery, “Guess who I met today”

Yun Qianyue raised her eyebrow. "Who"

"A very noble and rare guest!" Ye Qingran said.

Yun Qianyue savored Ye Qingran's words, raising an eyebrow further, “How noble How rare”

"Very noble and very rare." Ye Qingran teased. "Little miss, do you want to know who it is"

Yun Qianyue looked at Ye Qingran, who appeared to be a big bad wolf facing an innocent little rabbit. She snorted and said, "Whether or not I want to hear it is my decision."

"You're not curious" Ye Qingran rolled his eyes and said, "Little miss, you can keep on pretending!"

"You may leave now," Yun Qianyue yawned and waved her hand to dismiss him.

Ye Qingran stared at Yun Qianyue. Seeing that she had no interest in probing further, he lost his interest and withdrew his emotions. He stood up and stretched as well, "Alright then, I’ll leave. These days haven’t been good for me. Now I can finally have a good sleep." With that, he walked out of the room while still speaking, "Indeed, it’s true that one who sets the bell must be the one to unfasten it. You are my little miss who set the bell."

The strings of pearls shook as he stepped outside without turning his head and left Qianyue Pavilion.

Yun Qianyue watched him leave until she could no longer see him at the entrance of Qianyue Pavilion. She then turned her gaze back, tapping lightly on the table with her fingers which emitted a series of sounds. A rare distinguished guest Her eyes narrowed before slowly widening as light shone in them. The light started out weakly and gradually gathered to form brilliant stars. After some time, she suddenly curved the corners of her mouth, expanding the curve until she smiled silently to herself. He was here!

Little Seven was here!

The person who could make Ye Qingran give such a summary must be Little Seven.

If Rong Jing was someone incomparably precious to her, then the rest of the world were merely trifles. Then, Little Seven would certainly be an exception besides Rong Jing and the entire world. Bridging past life and present life, transcending time and space, jumping over the tunnel of reincarnation, leaping across the chasm between life and death… They had long become a family beyond blood relations—people closer than even true relatives.

Little Seven… Little Seven…

As Yun Qianyue thought about Yu Zishu, her heart felt as if it was filled with warm sunshine. The warmth made her feel clear and bright inside, the gloominess from being tormented by Leng Shaozhuo and Ye Qingran instantly swept away. Her heart was left only with warmth, which seemed to be overflowing out of her body.

"What’s so joyful" Rong Jing’s voice sounded.

Yun Qianyue raised her head to see that Rong Jing had entered the room without her noticing and sat beside her. She reached for his sleeve, tugging it as she anxiously asked, "Is Little Seven here"

Rong Jing tilted his head slightly and glanced at Yun Qianyue’s hand before pausing briefly. Then he lifted his head to look at her with raised brows, asking, "Are you this eager to see him"

Yun Qianyue nodded honestly. "Where is he then"

"I don’t know!" Rong Jing replied bluntly as he withdrew his gaze.

Yun Qianyue released his sleeve and wrapped her arms around his waist, nestling herself against him as she pleaded softly, "Rong Jing, dear Rong Jing, tell me where Little Seven is. Is he in your mansion"

"If you act like this, Yun Qianyue, it seems that you are forcing me to kick out that man," said Rong Jing coolly.

Yun Qianyue was delighted and thought of how Little Seven had indeed arrived and was in his mansion. She felt relieved and shook her head. "You told me he would arrive soon the other day! These days have passed without him arriving, so I’m worried."

Rong Jing snorted softly, "Are you this happy just because of him coming here"

"He’s a great buddha and the Crown Prince of Donghai. With him coming here, it means that I have an additional protector. Of course, I’m happy!" Yun Qianyue buried her face in Rong Jing’s chest as she couldn’t hide her joy. "These days you’ve been busy, so I’ve been cooped up alone at Qianyue Pavilion. I was about to go insane with boredom. Now that Little Seven is here, I have someone to accompany me. Tomorrow I’ll take him around the capital city of Shensheng!"

"Then I shall kick him out of the capital today," Rong Jing snorted.

Yun Qianyue smacked his body with her hand and laughed, "Why are you being so difficult Isn’t he close to you now"

"He’s only close to me because of you. It’s not hard for him to reactivate old feelings," Rong Jing said somewhat gloomily.

Yun Qianyue coughed lightly and then hit him hard, "What nonsense are you talking That was eight hundred years ago. Besides, it was a relationship that didn't even get off the ground before being crushed. Now everything is long over; ashes have turned to ash and dust has returned to dust. We only have family ties left, there's nothing else we can build up again. Even if something were to rekindle, wouldn’t it need a foundation Our foundation was already buried by time and space. It would be impossible for us to find our footing now. What's the point of trying to reignite anything I thought you were intelligent all your life but are temporarily confused right now."

"So can I completely rest assured" Rong Jing raised his eyebrows.

"Of course!" Yun Qianyue patted her chest in guarantee.

"Alright then! Tomorrow, you take him to tour the Heavenly Saint capital city," said Rong Jing with a smile.

Yun Qianyue blinked her eyes. "Really"

"When have I ever spoken falsehoods" asked Rong Jing as he glanced at Yun Qianyue sideways.

Yun Qianyue reached out and hooked onto Rong Jing's neck, pulling his head down to cover her own lips. She gave him a soft kiss that was full of intimacy and affection. After a moment, she murmured softly, "Rong Jing, you're really great..."

Rong Jing’s eyes sparkled as he wrapped his arms around Yun Qianyue's body and whispered lowly, “If I tell you that your sister-in-law was released from her ban by the emperor today and returned to the Yun王府 (Yun Family Manor), would you think I am even better”

Yun Qianyue’s face lit up. "Really"

"Mm!" Rong Jing responded with a kiss against her lips.

"What did you do to make the old emperor agree" Yun Qianyue asked, pressing her lips close to his as well.

"I only said one sentence," replied Rong Jing.

“What was it” Yun Qianyue asked out of curiosity. Since Cloud Li came looking for her that day, she had been trying to find a solution but still hadn’t found any way forward, fearing that any action would prove counterproductive and seven princess’s suffering in prison would be in vain. She racked her brains over this issue while he resolved it with just one sentence, wasn't that too much of a blow

"I simply told the emperor that the seventh princess has been imprisoned long enough and now he should release her!" explained Rong Jing.

“That’s all” Yun Qianyue raised an eyebrow.

"Do you think there's any other way" asked Rong Jing with a smile.

“I meant, is it really that simple” Yun Qianyue looked at him distrustfully. He must have done something else.

Rong Jing slowly explained, "It has already been over two months since the seventh princess was imprisoned. The Yun Family Manor and you only requested a divorce in the beginning but did not take any further action later on. The emperor has also been observing the Yun Family Manor, but after several days of observation, he found that intimidating them with threats would be useless. Therefore, he let the seventh princess go and looked for other ways to proceed. Perhaps he now feels that the sixth princess might have a more useful role than marrying into the Yun family, thus changing his mind."

Yun Qianyue stared at him as she waited for more. She knew in her heart it couldn't be this simple.

Rong Jing laughed and kissed Yun Qianyue's lips again before saying with a smile, "Today when I went to the palace to inform the emperor that Prince Jade of Donghai had arrived in the capital city, he heard that the Donghai prince has not yet married."

Yun Qianyue understood immediately and glared at Rong Jing. "You used Little Seven"

Rong Jing innocently looked back at Yun Qianyue, "If I hadn't used him, the old emperor would never have agreed to release your sister-in-law! Since he's already in Heavenly Saint with potential for use, why not make use of it Besides, what harm does it do him"

"You…" Yun Qianyue was speechless and angrily accused, "Heartless!"

Rong Jing’s eyes moved as he pressed his lips to Yun Qianyue's but didn't kiss her. He just maintained that posture曖昧不明 (unclear).

Yun Qianyue's heart trembled slightly. No matter how many times they had been intimate, every time he got close to her, she couldn't help blushing and beating a fast rhythm in her chest, just as if it were their first time. She closed her eyes and didn’t dare look at him anymore, fearing that she might lose control and undress him. After enduring for so long, there was no reason to fail right when she was about to come of age.

Thinking about this guy, everyone else said he had a black heart, which couldn't be further from the truth! The moment Xiao Qi arrived in the capital, he made use of her. What else could it be if not a black heart He went straight to the old emperor and told him that the Eastern Sea's Crown Prince had come to Heavenly Saint but hadn’t yet taken a consort. Then, he said that Seventh Princess had been confined for too long and should be set free. Wasn't this openly telling the old emperor that he could try marrying the princess off to the Jade Crown Prince It was also plainly stating that confining the seventh princess wasn't good for the other marriageable princesses, especially since she had been imprisoned on the grounds of being prone to jealousy and unable to follow proper etiquette. Old Emperor thus naturally paid no heed to Yun Li; compared with Yun Li, catching this big fish—the Eastern Sea's Crown Prince—would be extremely beneficial for Heavenly Saint’s current situation. Therefore, he let Seventh Princess go and chose to pursue a bigger opportunity in the form of Xiao Qi.

Poor little Xiao Qi, did she know that she had been used by this guy with a black heart right after arriving in Heavenly Saint

But for her sister-in-law's sake, it could be considered understandable Apart from this move to attack Wei and rescue Zhao, there seemed to be no better strategy. Once she figured out all the details, she immediately lost her backbone, sacrificed Xiao Qi, and forgave him.

"Am I black-hearted" Rong Jing asked softly in an extremely gentle voice.

Yun Qianyue nodded. "Yes!"

"Is being black-hearted good" Rong Jing asked again, even more gently.

Yun Qianyue hesitated for a moment and then sincerely nodded her head. "...It's good."

Rong Jing chuckled lightly and no longer spoke; he parted her lips and deepened the kiss.

The old emperor, with his golden tongue, issued an imperial edict: “Seventh Princess was wrongfully accused. She is actually knowledgeable in literature, gentle, and graceful—my good daughter. I mistakenly believed slanderous words for a time but am now awakened to my mistake. I hereby exempt her from the imprisonment she has endured and allow her return to Cloud Manor to properly serve elders, make respectful inquiries every day, follow the example of royal women, treat her husband generously, and so forth. Be it thus!”

Night Tianyi didn't comment on this imperial edict; he remained silent, effectively implying his consent for Seventh Princess's release.

Therefore, Wenhui personally went to the Ministry of Justice’s prison to announce the decree. After loudly reading out the imperial edict in the prison, Wenhui saw that Seventh Princess was holding her book scrolls and not moving; he hurriedly greeted her with a respectful smile: "Princess, please quickly receive the edict and go back home!"

A person who had been locked up for two months should have been overjoyed to see daylight again and eagerly received the decree to thank him. However, an unexpected twist occurred.

Seventh Princess raised her head from the book scrolls and calmly looked at Wenhui before shaking her head and saying, "This place is quite nice!"

Wenhui was taken aback.

Seventh Princess lowered her head again to continue reading, no longer speaking.

Looking at Seventh Princess, Wenhui felt perplexed. "Princess, since the emperor has let you go, please quickly return home! When I came here to announce the decree, I had already sent someone to inform Young Lord Yun Li; he’s probably waiting outside now."

"I said this place is quite nice! I have no intention of leaving! Didn't you hear me" Seventh Princess didn’t even look up and spoke in a cold tone.

"This... How can this place be better than Cloud Manor" Wenhui was somewhat stunned.

"To put it bluntly, from the time I married into Cloud Manor until my father imprisoned me, I only lived there for about twenty days. But here, I have been living for over two months now. Do you think I am more accustomed to where" Seventh Princess retorted.

Wenhui was momentarily speechless.

"You may leave! Tell my father that I won’t be leaving; I willingly wish to stay here imprisoned for a lifetime." Seventh Princess continued reading.

"This... Princess, the opportunity is fleeting. You can't afford to be foolish. Remember that it was Prince Rong Jing’s words in front of His Majesty that allowed you to leave prison. If you throw a tantrum now and make His Majesty angry, he might truly stop letting you go and then you won’t get to reunite with Young Lord Yun Li!" Wenhui advised her in a low voice.

Seventh Princess's expression didn't change at all. "That would be my greatest wish."

The "Seven Princess... you... how should your servant speak! Come out quickly!" Manlai was almost pleading.

"No more words needed! Just tell His Majesty that I am envious, and as long as I marry Yun Li and live with him for a day, he can't take another wife. I know I have committed the seven offenses of a wife, and I am willing to accept my father's punishment. Two months are not enough because I still feel this way. If I make mistakes after being released, I will be locked up again by His Majesty. So, why should I leave" After Seven Princess finished speaking, she said coldly: "You may go! Just tell His Majesty that!"

Manlai wanted to say more, but seeing how resolute the Seven Princess was, he sighed and turned around to leave.

The Seven Princess saw Manlai leave and the cell door locked again. She put down her book, her thin face showing a hint of longing.

Manlai left the Ministry of Justice prison, originally thinking he would see Yun Wangfu's carriage, but after looking around, there was no one except for soldiers guarding the prison gate. Not even a shadow of a person, let alone a carriage. He couldn't help but be puzzled and asked the soldier: "Has Yun Wangfu sent a carriage"

The soldier shook his head. "No, sir!"

Manlai frowned and wondered, "Then is there anyone else Like Prince Yu Li"

The soldiers all shook their heads again, "Not seen."

This seemed strange to Manlai! The distance from the imperial palace to the Ministry of Justice was even further than that between Yun Wangfu and the prison. He had sent a message as soon as he left the Holy Yang Palace; Prince Yu Li should have been there by now to pick up Seven Princess. But居然冇來？他有些想不明白，想著是否送信的人耽擱了？索性就站在刑部大牢門口等著，看看雲離來，讓他進去將七公主帶出來，他也好回宮複差。在他看來，皇上既然願意放人，還是趕緊出來是正事。他侍候皇上身邊看得明白，皇上見雲王府的王爺、世子、小姐都骨氣硬，硬是要休妻，怎麼也不吐口娶六公主，心中惱怒，這回是鐵了心要關七公主了。如今若非景世子的話，七公主就算再被關上兩個月也不是不能想的事兒。萬一因為七公主剛剛的話，皇上大怒，再繼續關著，那就不知道何年何月再能放人了。

Although Manlai was well-intentioned, he waited half an hour and still didn't see Yun Wangfu's carriage. He gradually couldn't wait anymore and went back to persuade Seven Princess again. Seeing him return, the Seven Princess glanced at him without speaking. Just this glance made Manlai think that persuasion was useless, so he turned around and left.

The second time out of the cell, Manlai gritted his teeth and prepared to return to the palace.

"Eunuch!" At this moment, a panting voice sounded.

Manlai hurriedly looked in the direction of the sound and saw a little eunuch running over, who was the one he had dispatched to Yun Wangfu. He immediately asked, "Has the message been conveyed"

"Yes, sir!" The small eunuch replied breathlessly.

“What happened What did Prince Yu Li say” Manlai hurriedly inquired.

"Prince Yu Li said he knows," the young eunuch answered.

"Then what He only said 'I know' Did he not mention coming to pick up Seven Princess" Manlai glared at the young eunuch, “What exactly happened Tell me clearly!”

The eunuch's body trembled. He quickly explained, "Following your instructions, I rushed to the Ministry of Rites, where Prince Yu Li was working. Upon hearing my message, he simply said 'I know.' When I asked if he would come pick up Seven Princess, he shook his head and said that there is no need for him to receive someone whom he wants to divorce. He also told me not to disturb his work and sent me away. Considering that Miss Shallow Moon manages Yun Wangfu, I went there to inform her, but all I saw was her personal maid. The maid said that Miss Shallow Moon instructed them to send Seven Princess back to the palace if she couldn't afford such an esteemed wife. She then dismissed me with one sentence. All I can do is report this back to you."

Manlai understood now; it seemed Yun Wangfu didn’t want the Seven Princess anymore, which was true, not a show of backbone for the emperor. On one hand, Seven Princess refused to leave, and on the other hand, Yun Wangfu didn't want her either. He felt this was a serious matter indeed and waved at the young eunuch before hurriedly heading back to the palace.

The young eunuch followed behind him, running while panting and wiping sweat, looking rather pitiful.

Upon returning to the imperial palace, Manlai panted as he reported Seven Princess's words verbatim to the old emperor and Night Tianyi who was reviewing petitions at the jade desk. He simultaneously relayed what Yun Li and Shallow Moon said without omitting any word before lowering his head to await instructions.

The old emperor, upon hearing this, was furious; he coughed heavily. "Truly a good daughter of mine!"

––– Excerpt from the original text –––

Jing beauty (smiling face with closed eyes and star), if he didn't have a black heart, it wouldn’t be him! Haha!idn’t move, his eyes fixed.Frowning, Yun Qianyue tried not to let any signs of being awake slip out. Her defenses began to crumble under his scrutiny, but she silently reminded herself that she couldn...