Chapter 91: The Former Love, Isn’t It Time to Be Laid to Rest?

Chapter 91: Chapter 91: The Former Love, Isn’t It Time to Be Laid to Rest?

"So, according to you, I should be flattered?"

Cui Lingyao scoffed. "I hate being manipulated, and I hate how you keep backing me into a corner. You pretend you’ve learned to show weakness, to bend, to let me throw my tantrums, but in reality, you’re still the one in control, playing your games with ease. You haven’t given me a single moment to breathe."

Her words were incredibly harsh.

Xie Jinbai’s brow furrowed tightly. "If I were truly backing you into a corner, I would never have allowed your engagement to continue."

’The engagement again.’

A look of disgust crossed Cui Lingyao’s face. "In that case, why don’t you just behave yourself and stop bothering me? Let me think things over calmly."

After she spoke, the room fell instantly silent.

Xie Jinbai stood motionless, not saying a word.

’Think about what?’

He wanted to ask her what exactly she needed to think about.

’I’ve already explained all the misunderstandings. If she still wanted to be with me, if she still had feelings for me, why would she need to think?’

’Is she trying to figure out how to get rid of me?’

’Does my very existence disgust her so much?’

’I can’t even see her during the day.’

’And when I shamelessly come to find her at night, she doesn’t even bother to hide her annoyance.’

’If I hadn’t played the victim, she wouldn’t have even given me a second glance.’

’And to think I was so overjoyed by a single concerned look from her, believing she felt something for me too!’

’It was all just my own wishful thinking.’

Xie Jinbai’s heart ached terribly.

But he didn’t want to argue with her again.

Their relationship was already as fragile as a cicada’s wing. Another argument would only do more harm than good.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the aching pain in his chest, and began to get dressed.

Cui Lingyao turned her face away, not looking at him.

After a long moment, the door opened and then closed.

The fully dressed man had walked out.

He left without a single word.

Cui Lingyao sat frozen for a few moments before finally turning her head.

The room was empty.

...

「Prince Yu’s Mansion, the moon high in the sky.」

The moment Xie Jinbai returned, Li Yong hurried to greet him. Seeing the Prince’s expression, Li Yong’s heart skipped a beat, and he unconsciously bowed a little lower. "Your Highness," he whispered, "Doctor Liu is waiting to change your dressing."

"Send him back. The dressing has already been changed."

"But..." Li Yong braced himself and urged, "Perhaps we should still have the Imperial Physician take a look? This concerns your health, Your Highness. We can’t be careless."

Something in those words must have struck a chord. Xie Jinbai, who rarely ever changed his mind once a decision was made, paused and turned his head. "Then have him come over."

When Doctor Liu arrived, he first checked the Prince’s pulse, then inspected his wound. He nodded with a smile. "Your Highness is young and has a strong constitution. The wound is healing quite well."

Xie Jinbai took the opportunity to mention that he would be leaving the Capital City the day after tomorrow.

Doctor Liu said, "As long as you rest well, change the dressing on time, and refrain from using your Inner Strength, there should be no major issues."

The most dangerous period had already passed.

For a body accustomed to years of martial arts training, healing from the current injury was only a matter of time.

Li Yong felt relieved. After Doctor Liu left, Xie Jinbai said, "You are to remain in the Capital City and keep an eye on the one in the inner palace. Report to me immediately if there is any movement."

The Empress had been poisoned with Frost Kiss; she naturally knew who was behind it.

The mother and son had torn all pretenses apart three years ago.

The only reason Xie Jinbai had allowed her to live was to savor his revenge.

He was living like the walking dead, so of course his enemy couldn’t be allowed to die a quick and painless death.

But now, with the love of his life returned from the dead, much of his hatred had faded. He could grant his enemy a swift end.

He just didn’t have the time to deal with it now. Everything would have to wait until he returned to the Capital City.

Li Yong bowed and acknowledged the order.

Xie Jinbai then gave several more instructions regarding court affairs before asking, "Cui Mingrui was ordered to head south for disaster relief. Has he departed yet?"

"He departed two days ago," Li Yong said in a low voice. "Princess Anning has learned about the incident at the Tea Garden and is asking about Miss Pei everywhere."

The matter of Cui Mingrui staying with a young woman who had been drugged with seductive powder at the Tea Garden until the antidote took effect had been kept very quiet.

The reason Princess Anning knew about it was because Xie Jinbai had intentionally leaked the information to her.

It was the second test he had prepared for Cui Lingyao.

But he never expected that the second test would be unnecessary. After just one meeting at the Zhao Family’s residence, Cui Lingyao had completely admitted her identity.

Now that the test was no longer needed, Xie Jinbai certainly didn’t want anyone disturbing the peace of his beloved.

He clicked his tongue. "Have someone tell her not to come looking for trouble with my person."

’...My person.’

Li Yong was startled by the realization and hastily agreed. Aside from the late Princess Consort, he had never seen his master care so much for any woman.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, "About the Princess Consort’s... what are your thoughts...?"

’Since a new love is already waiting to take her place.’

’Shouldn’t the old love finally be laid to rest?’

’Keeping a body in the rear courtyard... countless people outside were gossiping and criticizing it.’

Xie Jinbai was silent for a long time before he said, "Wait a little longer."

Although, he himself didn’t know what he was waiting for.

Was he waiting for that girl to take one last look at the shell she once inhabited?

Or was he waiting for her decision?

Whether to give the body a grand burial, or... keep it by their side, to accompany them for a hundred years.

...

「The next day.」

When Cui Lingyao woke up, her knees were still a bit sore.

She endured the pain and made her way to the mourning hall, where she happened to run into Shen Tingyu.

Noticing her unnatural gait, he frowned slightly. As she was about to kneel again, he grabbed her hand. "Wait."

He reached down and picked up the prayer cushion at her feet. Upon inspection, he found that while the outside was brocade, the inside was filled entirely with rattan.

His expression immediately turned frighteningly grim.

Cui Lingyao was puzzled. "What’s wrong?"

"..." Shen Tingyu took a deep breath and forced a smile, swapping his own cushion for hers. "Go on, kneel."

He then knelt on her cushion himself.

Cui Lingyao’s brow furrowed. Realizing what had happened, she slowly bent her knees and knelt down.

It was soft beneath her knees.

The inside was cotton; the outside was brocade.

This was the kind of prayer cushion the Shen Family actually used in their mourning hall.

The rock-hard cushion she had been kneeling on could easily cause permanent knee injuries with the slightest carelessness. Cui Lingyao had been wondering why a family like the Shen Family would use something for a funeral that could leave lasting ailments for their descendants.

’So, it was aimed only at me.’

After suffering needlessly for two days, Cui Lingyao was in a terrible mood.

Many people in the Shen Family disliked her, but there were only a few who detested her enough to stoop to tormenting her in the mourning hall—and had the power to do so.

It had to be either the Heir’s wife or the Duchess.

One was Shen Tingyu’s mother, the other his grandmother.

Both were the ones most displeased with their engagement.

"I’m sorry," Shen Tingyu said. "I’ll investigate this. No matter who did it, I guarantee it won’t happen again."

His voice was as clear and pleasant as ever.

His attitude was sincere.

Cui Lingyao found she couldn’t bring herself to be angry with him.

She pressed her lips together and said softly, "You shouldn’t kneel on that either. It’s very painful."

"..." Shen Tingyu’s breath caught in his throat. His heart ached so much for her that he was rendered speechless.

He didn’t swap the cushions back.

Cui Lingyao tried to persuade him several times, but he didn’t move.

Finally, getting anxious and seeing that no one else was in the mourning hall, she grabbed his wrist. "What are you doing? It’s not your fault, so why are you punishing yourself?"