The emperor felt as though he had punched cotton, suddenly losing interest in staying any longer. He turned and left.
“Your Majesty, we escort you.”
Consort Rong curtsied gracefully, her every movement showing deference and politeness, yet her face remained expressionless.
She watched the emperor’s retreating back disappear into the night and stood alone at the palace entrance for a long, long time.
Emperor, the truth of those years, did you really think I knew nothing?
…
The next day.
Li Yue Shu woke up early and went to Chunyang Street to find Zhou Chen and the others.
Since she had decided to send them to the martial world for experience, the sooner they set off, the better.
When she arrived at Chunyang Street, she heard that Hong Dai had gone to the Regent's Estate to look for her.
Worried that Hong Dai might have something important to discuss, Li Yue Shu quickly finished her arrangements with Zhou Chen and the others and returned to the estate.
At this moment, Hong Dai was waiting in Ru Mo Ju. Upon seeing Li Yue Shu, she immediately rushed over, “Xiao Yue Shu~”
Before she could get close, a figure suddenly blocked her.
Fortunately, Hong Dai was agile and stopped in time, otherwise she would have been kicked flying.
Hong Dai pouted and looked at Li Yue Shu pitifully, “Xiao Yue Shu, can I live in the estate with you from now on?”
Li Yue Shu looked confused, “What happened?”
Hong Dai pouted, “My enemy has come to Chongzhou.”
Upon hearing this, Li Yue Shu immediately thought of Ji Quan Si.
She looked at Hong Dai curiously, “Are you talking about Crown Prince Qingyan?”
Hong Dai’s eyes widened in surprise, “How did you know?”
Li Yue Shu, without blushing, pointed to Qin Mo Yuan beside her, “He found out.”
She had always known that Hong Dai’s nemesis was the leader of Chi Yun Lou, Crown Prince Ji Quan Si of Qingyan, but she didn't know the specific story between them.
According to the information Qin Mo Yuan had uncovered, these two were likely more than just adversaries.
Hong Dai looked at Qin Mo Yuan in surprise, clearly not expecting him to be able to find out such things.
“What else did you find out?”
Qin Mo Yuan’s expression was calm as he retorted, “You ruined Ji Quan Si’s wedding because you like him?”
Hong Dai pouted and did not hide anything, “Yes, but it didn’t succeed.”
Although she feigned an indifferent shrug, a hint of sadness still lingered in her eyes. She looked at Qin Mo Yuan, then at Li Yue Shu, and confessed, “I was actually his secret guard before. Because I developed feelings that a secret guard shouldn’t, he kicked me out.”
Hong Dai sighed heavily, “I don’t know what he was thinking. He admitted he had feelings for me, but inexplicably sent me away and deliberately avoided me.”
Li Yue Shu was somewhat surprised that she would trust her so much to reveal these things, and even more surprised by Ji Quan Si’s behavior.
As a secret guard, Hong Dai must have known many of Ji Quan Si’s secrets. In such a situation, eliminating her would be the safest option.
But he was willing to let Hong Dai go and admitted his feelings, so why did he drive her away?
Hong Dai said indignantly, “For years I founded Ming Yue Lou and deliberately opposed him, wanting to prove my abilities to him. Who knew that the man who claimed to love me would then propose to that He Xiao Yu!”
Li Yue Shu’s whole body trembled, and she instinctively grabbed Hong Dai’s hand, “You just said… who did Ji Quan Si propose to?”
Hong Dai looked at her strangely, “The legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister of Qingyan, He Xiao Yu. What’s wrong?”
Li Yue Shu’s heart trembled slightly.
He Xiao Yu…
Was it a coincidence?
Qin Mo Yuan, who had been silent, noticed her emotional fluctuation and instinctively held her close.
A Shu’s reaction was so strong, could that He Xiao Yu also be an important character from the original book?
Li Yue Shu rarely lost control of her emotions like this. She asked nervously, “When you kidnapped that He Xiao Yu before, you had contact with her. Can you tell me what kind of person she is?”
Hong Dai found her reaction a bit strange. After thinking for a moment, she said, “That He Xiao Yu is the only daughter of her family. She was doted on since childhood. Although she looks cute and soft, her personality is arrogant and domineering. Even when I kidnapped her, she kept shouting that she would make me pay, and so on. I ended up beating her.”
Finally, Hong Dai added sourly, “If it weren’t for her status as the Prime Minister’s legitimate daughter, Ji Quan Si wouldn’t marry her!”
The light in Li Yue Shu’s eyes gradually faded.
Xiao Yu would never have such a personality. Could it be just a coincidental name?
Qin Mo Yuan, always sensitive to her emotions, asked Hong Dai, “Can you draw a portrait of that He Xiao Yu?”
Li Yue Shu’s expression shifted.
That’s right, Xiao Yu’s appearance was also cute and soft. She could transmigrate to this world, perhaps Xiao Yu could too!
Hong Dai was intelligent and naturally noticed that her reaction to the name “He Xiao Yu” was a bit strong, as if she knew someone.
She didn’t hesitate and immediately agreed. She proceeded to draw He Xiao Yu’s likeness right there in Ru Mo Ju.
Looking at the woman sketched on the paper, Li Yue Shu felt as if she had been struck by a huge surprise.
“It’s her, it’s really Xiao Yu!”
Qin Mo Yuan looked at her excited expression and guessed that she was probably someone she knew from another world.
If she was indeed from that world, why had she come to this one?
A sense of worry arose in Qin Mo Yuan’s heart, and he couldn’t help but tighten his grip on Li Yue Shu’s hand.
Hong Dai looked at Li Yue Shu in confusion, “You know He Xiao Yu?”
Li Yue Shu nodded repeatedly, her face full of excitement, “She is my best friend.”
Hong Dai’s eyebrows raised, “I always thought I was Xiao Yue Shu’s best friend.”
Li Yue Shu: “…”
She didn’t know how to respond to that.
Li Yue Shu coughed twice and quickly changed the subject, “You can stay in the estate temporarily during this time. After Li Xiang Ru and the Crown Prince’s wedding, Ji Quan Si should return.”
Hong Dai naturally knew her intention to change the subject and pouted aggrievedly.
She didn't say anything, but her gaze towards Li Yue Shu was like that of someone looking at a faithless lover.
Li Yue Shu felt a bit embarrassed and quickly asked Shi Dong to prepare a room for her.
After Hong Dai left, Qin Mo Yuan finally voiced his inner doubts, “A Shu, is this He Xiao Yu from your previous world?”
Li Yue Shu nodded, not hiding anything, “Xiao Yu is my best friend, and she is my only tie to that world.”
Li Yue Shu paused, mentioning her original life to someone for the first time, “Xiao Yu and I were both orphans. We were raised by the organization together to become assassins. In countless moments where we brushed past death, it was each other that kept us going.”
She didn’t explain how the organization trained them, but Qin Mo Yuan had also trained secret guards and knew how cruel the methods used by organizations in the martial world were to cultivate the sharpest weapons.
He embraced Li Yue Shu with heartache, saying nothing, yet his presence offered a comforting strength.
Li Yue Shu leaned into his embrace and slowly said, “After countless training sessions and competitions, only Xiao Yu and I were left. And the organization only wanted one in the end…”
Hearing the sadness in her tone, Qin Mo Yuan’s heart ached, and he tightened his arms, holding the person in his embrace even closer.
He quickly interjected, trying to move past that part, “And then? How did you avoid such an outcome?”