No pop-up ads, so refreshing! Thanks for your support! Sounds good to me ^_^... Chapter 97

  I don't know if there really is such a thing as fate in this world.

  After all the twists and turns, everything has returned to its starting point, as if in a cycle of reincarnation.

  If life after falling off a cliff can be considered as rebirth, then I have fallen in love with the same man in two lifetimes, and he has ruined my family twice.

  I can no longer recall how I lost consciousness, only that when I opened my eyes, I collided with the depths of his dark pupils, where a complex soft light dwelled.

  I stared at him unblinkingly, my voice hoarse to the point where I couldn't even believe it myself: "You agreed to let me go to Evil Medicine Valley because you had already anticipated that things would turn out like this today, didn't you?"

  He looked at me deeply and then nodded: "I don't want to deceive you, it is."

  "Is it related to you?"

  He hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, but it's not what you think. Qing'er, are you willing to listen to me?"

  "What are you saying, what's your excuse?" My heart suddenly felt a sharp pain, I took a deep breath and spoke word by word: "Because of helplessness, you drove to death the woman you once loved. Because of helplessness, you showed extreme kindness to Du Ruyin. Because of helplessness, you destroyed my family - Third Prince, tell me, how many more excuses do you have?"

  "Qing'er..." His eyes seemed to hold a hint of suppressed sorrow as he reached out and grasped my shoulders firmly.

  I simply raised an eyebrow and interrupted him: "Are they all dead? Is it my turn now? Will I have to wait until after the child is born?"

  A hint of fatigue crept onto his face, he closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again and saying, "You are my queen, I won't let anything happen to you. As for others, I don't care."

  He let go of his hand, stood up and walked out the door. I looked at his back and still insisted on asking: "What about Ling and Xiao Yu? How are they now? What will happen to them in the future?"

  His footsteps paused for a moment, but he didn't turn around or say a word, and pushed open the door to leave.

  Outside the door was Shu Ying, who obviously had a good cry, with a pair of eyes that were red and swollen.

  She saw Nan Chengyao and subconsciously wanted to lower her head, Nan Chengyao said lightly: "Help your family's young lady with her hair and dressing, we will enter the palace immediately."

  I suddenly felt like laughing, and I really laughed out loud: "How could Your Highness think that I can still pretend nothing has happened and accompany you to the palace to put on a show? I don't even know the script!"

  He still didn't turn around, but simply said: "Someone will come to pick you up an hour later."

  As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't stay for another moment and walked away with big strides.

  Until his figure was no longer visible, Shu Ying suddenly let out a "wa" and threw herself into my arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

  "Miss, you've been sleeping for a whole day, you scared me to death! What would I do if you didn't wake up?"

  "Don't be afraid, silly girl." I patted her back gently and took a deep breath, but still couldn't control the urgency in my tone: "Tell me, during the time I was unconscious, did you hear anything about what's going on? What happened to Linghu and Xiang'er?"

  "She sobbed as she spoke: 'Miss... the old master and mistress are gone... the Murong family is no more... Miss Huan is fine, but her title as Crown Princess has been revoked... however, Young Master Liu was surrounded by government troops and injured... he's now being held in the death row of the Heavenly Prison... it's said that they'll choose a day to execute him by slow slicing... waaah... miss... what are we going to do? What will we do from now on?"

  "Lingchi execution?" I repeated incredulously.

  Even to his father and other brothers, he only asked at the execution ground, why was it Yan who had to suffer this cruel punishment?

  "They say that after the failure of the Mu Rong family's rebellion, the Emperor had already shown mercy and spared them from the cruel punishment of lingchi. However, Yan Shao not only refused to surrender but also led a group of people in an attack on the capital with the intention of rebelling again. One of the generals who followed him back reported this to the imperial court, which is why... They say that the Emperor was furious and wanted..."

  She couldn't say another word, and I slowly closed my eyes.

  With his impulsive personality, I can imagine how he would react when he first heard this thunderbolt-like news.

  Although I know he hastened back to the capital on horseback, it's not necessarily for rebellion.

  "Is it really treason? Is this what everyone outside is saying? Did the Murong clan end up like this today because of treason?"

  "I didn't believe it at first, but they all said so!" Shu Ying cried: "They said the old master was treasonous and when things were exposed, he also framed the Crown Prince as the mastermind, that's why the Emperor is so angry!"

  I remembered the words that man said in Xieyigou, and it seemed that the prince also asked because of being locked up, "How are the prince and Hu'er now?"

  "The Emperor ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. Before the truth is revealed, both the Crown Prince and Miss Yu are confined within the Eastern Palace and cannot come out. Miss, I'm so worried about An Xiang, I don't know how she's doing now... but I couldn't gather any news about her..."

  "She's just a little girl, as long as the young master is fine, she won't have any problems either."

  I gently wrapped my arms around her trembling body, and in my heart, I was also at a loss.

  The child is about to be born, and she has encountered a drastic change. She has always lived under the protection of her family, and I really worry that she will not be able to bear it.

  There is also Yu.

  Even without a blood relationship, that kind of affection is real, I have no choice but to watch him get into trouble and do nothing.

  Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to calm down and after a moment of contemplation, I spoke to Piao Ying: "Help me wash and dress."

  Lost in thought for a moment, I didn't say anything more and got up to stand in front of the copper mirror to comb my long hair.

  I don't know what Nan Chengyao wants me to enter the palace for, nor do I know what I can do myself. However, I understand that if I just stay in Guimoge and indulge in self-pity, then nothing will really change, and nothing can be redeemed.

  When Qin An came to Guimoge to invite me, I had already packed everything up.

  I followed him step by step to the front gate, where a horse carriage was waiting early.

  Nan Chengyao perhaps didn't expect me to come out so quickly, or maybe it was because he saw my immaculate makeup and the faint, stubborn smile on my lips that his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly.

  He handed me his hand and wanted to help me get on the bus.

  I took a deep breath in silence and then put my hands into his.

  The horse carriage sped quickly towards the direction of Zi Jing Palace, Nan Cheng Yao looked at me deeply: "Qing Er, no matter what you are thinking, promise me, don't do anything, just follow me."

  My lips curled into a cold and mocking arc: "Your Highness, if you regret bringing me along, it's still not too late. From now on, no matter what happens, I'll only follow my own heart."

  His eyes seemed to flash with a deep, suppressed emotion, but he simply closed them and spoke in a measured tone: "Mu Rong Huai, you're not even thinking about her?"

  I was stunned and stared at him speechlessly.

  And he slowly turned his eyes, with a resolute gaze at me: "Today in the palace, what I say is what it is. If you utter one more word, I will make you regret it for the rest of your life."

  Still remember the shocking swan's reflection (harem)