“You wouldn’t really have developed feelings for him, would you? Otherwise, you—”
Madam Liu’s words caused the man’s deep and tender gaze to darken.
Releasing Madam Liu, he turned away with an inexplicable mix of frustration and resentment, gripping his hair and exhaling heavily as he looked to the side. After a long pause, he turned back to face her. Seeing her sitting there, visibly dejected by his actions, he knelt before her, disbelief and pain in his eyes as he grasped her shoulders and demanded,
A man who loves her should understand her best, yet his behavior left Madam Liu with an indescribable feeling. Had it not been for him, she would have been an ordinary girl, free to live the rest of her life carefree and happy, perhaps even finding someone to stay by her side forever, without the constant fear and anxiety.
Because of him, she fell in love, and he with her. For his sake, she learned poisons. But because she bore an uncanny resemblance to the Liu family’s eldest daughter—back when the Mu matriarch and the Liu daughter had only a mutual fondness—
The sect leader forced her to take the Liu daughter’s place, threatening her with his life and the child she carried in her womb, demanding she get close to Mu Zhenfeng and extract the location of the item from him.
Yet after entering the estate, all she received was neglect. To win his heart, she had to harden herself, harming others—even their children—to achieve her goal. Though she succeeded in getting close to him and suppressing the women around him, she failed to uncover the item’s whereabouts.
The sect leader, furious, accused her of not playing her role convincingly. He drugged her, ensuring she and Mu Zhenfeng shared an intimate moment. The regret, pain, and despair that followed were hers alone to bear.
But thinking of him—held hostage by the sect leader—and their daughter, hoping to secure a better future for the girl, she gritted her teeth and accepted Mu Zhenfeng. All these years, every night except that one drugged encounter, she used sedatives to make him believe they had been intimate.
The fear and tension she endured each time—did he know? She had sacrificed half her life for this man, even endured humiliation for their child. Yet now, he looked at her this way, spoke to her like this.
Madam Liu’s deep affection turned to despair, her heart aching as she met his gaze—filled with anguish, pain, and desperation. Tears streaming, she could only shake her head. She hated this. How could he think of her like this? But the pain in her chest left her speechless.
“Was it Mu Zhenfeng? Did he seduce you, or force you?”
Seeing her tear-streaked face, the man’s eyes burned with fury, but beneath it was an indescribable agony. No man could bear his woman bearing another man’s child. Her despairing sobs made him direct all his rage at Mu Zhenfeng, his voice icy with hatred.
“I—” Madam Liu could only weep, the pain choking her words. What could she say?
“That bastard. I’ll kill him.”
Her silence confirmed his suspicions. The thought of his beloved being violated drove him to his feet, teeth clenched as he stormed toward the door.
“No, no! It was the sect leader! He—he drugged me, I—”
Seeing him ready to confront Mu Zhenfeng, Madam Liu rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him from behind, tears falling freely as she confessed.
“The sect leader? But he—he promised! He said once you entered the estate as the Liu daughter and retrieved the item, he wouldn’t interfere. What happened? Tell me!”
Shocked, the man turned back, gripping her shoulders as he recalled the sect leader’s words, his disbelief evident.
“When I entered the estate, Mu Zhenfeng was devoted to that wretched girl’s mother. Their bond was unshakable—how could I catch his eye? Not only did he ignore me, he barely glanced my way. The sect leader blamed me for failing, for not uncovering the item’s location despite my disguise. He sent spies, discovered I was drugging Mu Zhenfeng even when forced to share his bed. Enraged, he gave me an ultimatum: three days to find the item, or he’d kill me and the child in my womb. But as Xia’er grew, I couldn’t hide her from Mu Zhenfeng forever.”
“Though I used medicine to fake intimacy, he eventually learned of Xia’er. But the sect leader found out. He drugged me, forcing me to… to be with Mu Zhenfeng just once. That’s how I bore another daughter. I never meant to betray you, but now… I’m tainted. If you hate me, I understand.”
Tears streamed down Madam Liu’s face as she choked out the words, then turned toward the inner chamber.
“Wait—I was wrong. I shouldn’t have asked. I didn’t know… All these years I was imprisoned, you endured so much. The sect leader told me you were fine. I never imagined he’d pretend to teach me poison arts while threatening my wife and daughter behind my back. I—”
Seeing her retreating figure, the man realized his mistake. Heartbroken, he pulled her into an embrace, murmuring apologies before pressing tearful kisses to her face.
Madam Liu met his gaze, her eyes wet with sorrow, before slowly returning his kiss—gentle at first, then desperate. Clinging to each other, they moved toward the bedroom.
Their expressions were a mix of pain and bittersweet reunion, as if only by losing themselves in each other could they ease the sorrow in their hearts.
—
“Finally, some peace. Honglian, prepare some food. I’ve been on my feet since dawn and now I’m starving. Prince Ning’s birthday isn’t far off—here are the designs I drew for him and Qingfeng. Deliver them, will you?”
Back at Bamboo Fragrance Court, Wanqing was exhausted. After being poisoned the previous night and losing most of her strength, then detoxifying Mu Zhenfeng at dawn, hunger gnawed at her. Handing the blueprints for hidden weapons to Honglian, she sighed.
“Of course, miss.”
Honglian took the designs, instructed the maids to attend to Wanqing, and left.
“Time to prepare for Prince Ning’s surgery.”
After breakfast, Wanqing returned to her medicine room, busy until noon when Honglian returned.
“Miss, drink some water. The young master is waiting for you in the front courtyard—”
Honglian handed her a handkerchief to wipe her sweat, then poured water. Watching her drink, she added worriedly,
“He’s waiting? Let’s go see.”
Reading Honglian’s expression and recalling the previous night’s events, Wanqing braced herself. Setting down the teacup, she headed out.
“Oh, what brings the young master here today? To what do we owe this honor?”
Wondering about her father’s condition, Wanqing strode into the courtyard. There, seated across from her father, was a strikingly handsome man—his face stormy, eyes burning with fury. She greeted him coolly before taking her seat.
To be continued.
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