"Kneel down for me!"

Miss Tang pointed her finger straight at Li Mu, causing Tang Ziqian, who rushed over upon hearing the news, to almost kneel first.

"Sister!" Tang Xiaobai quickly pressed down Tang Jiaojiao’s finger, "No need for this, really. Ah Xiao showed a great skill today. Everyone in the Capital City is amazed; we’re really proud!"

Tang Jiaojiao coldly pushed her away, "When and where can’t you show such a skill? Does it have to be under someone’s pressure? We at the Duke Yan Mansion have provided him with good food and schooling for years, only for him to bow and bend now?"

Tang Xiaobai argued, "He didn’t bow or bend—" but suddenly choked on her words, realizing he did bow and bend...

Writing on the ground requires bowing and bending, doesn’t it? And he had to write with a suspended wrist, writing close to a thousand words, right? 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Thinking of this, Tang Xiaobai looked back at their young master, feeling sorry.

"And Mo Ji!" Miss Tang named another.

Mo Ji glanced at her coolly, still standing like a wooden stake while holding his sword.

"The young master hired you at a high price, only for you to stand by, watching coldly when something happens? Can’t you handle a few Imperial Guards?"

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Hearing this sound, Tang Xiaobai heard it like a pardon: "Brother!"

Tang Ziqian coughed again, gently saying, "Jiaojiao, actually today’s matter... was with my approval..."

Taking advantage of her brother covering for them, Tang Xiaobai moved a few steps closer to their young master and whispered, "After writing so many words, are you tired?"

If she had to bend and write that many words, her right arm and waist would probably be exhausted.

But after writing, the young master stood up straight, naturally without any difference, so she hadn’t thought about it at the time.

Now—

Tang Xiaobai glanced at the young man’s waistline.

The academy uniform was slightly loose, but still, it was evident how straight he stood.

Li Mu lowered his eyes to glance back, shaking his head.

"Are your hands sore? Is your back sore? You don’t need to stand so straight." Tang Xiaobai whispered.

Li Mu shook his head, "Not sore."

Oh? Tang Xiaobai glanced again.

"However, what you said just now is quite right..." Tang Ziqian said to Tang Jiaojiao while turning back, just in time to see his sister’s sneaky glances, frowning, "What are you looking at?"

"Ah... nothing!" Tang Xiaobai quickly stood straight with her eyes forward.

"Second Miss asked me to remember Miss Tang’s reprimand carefully." Li Mu said.

"Right, right!" The young Miss Tang nodded, nodding twice, then suddenly felt something was not right, "Can you even handle the Imperial Guards?"

"So what if I did?" Tang Ziqian said indifferently, "Beat them and then send someone back to report first, and we’ll go to the Palace to complain before them, why fear their numbers?"

Something about this didn’t feel entirely right to Tang Xiaobai.

But at least they passed this hurdle with Miss Tang.

Feeling relieved, she was about to leave when Tang Jiaojiao called her again.

Miss Tang’s bright eyes were full of menace, "Besides that person with the surname Shi, we must also ferret out those who falsely accused him, they must not be easily forgiven!"

Those who falsely accused him?

Tang Xiaobai squinted her eyes.

Ha, Gongsun Yi...

...

Inside the side hall of the Pingyang Temple, the maidservants kept their heads low, carrying out the leftover food along with the table, seemingly oblivious to the addition of another person inside.

Pingyang Princess Li Yao watched the shadows outside the door fade away, a growing sadness in her heart.

Noticing someone approaching from behind, she let out a slight cold smile, "You’ve been doing quite well this past year."

Who knows how many people he brought, the entire Pingyang Temple seemed under his control.

Zhao Jing embraced her, slowly tightening his grip, taking a deep breath by her neck, his voice hoarse, "Barely clinging to life, that’s all."

Li Yao sneered, "Clinging to life to find me for what? Revenge?"

He was silent for a moment and then held her tighter.

In the past, he couldn’t wait to distance himself from her as far as possible; coming back this time, he seemed unable to leave or hold her enough—such a change.

"Ah Yao," he murmured, "do you believe that from beginning to end, there was only you in my heart."

Tears burst out.

She widened her eyes, trying to hold them back, but they still fell.

She could only bite her lip, making no sound, not wanting the person behind her to find out.

But being so close, how could he not notice?

His rough fingers gently brushed over her eyes, cool and wet.

"Ah Yao, I’m sorry..." his voice sounded pained and choked.

Li Yao sniffed, letting out a cold laugh, saying, "You don’t actually think you have a chance to be the Prince Consort, do you? The moment you show up, you’re heading for a dead end! You might as well leave early, elope with your little sweetheart, and live happily ever after!"

"Ah Yao—" He turned her around, facing her, holding her face in his hands.

She never showed her pride in front of others to him.

The Pingyang Princess he saw was passionate, vulnerable, not hiding herself at all, not now, not in the past life.

In her past life, she loved him until the end.

But of course, she also hated him.

"Ah Yao, I indeed had a marriage contract with Zhen Su," he kissed her evasive eyes, shaking as he told her what he didn’t have the chance to say in his past life, "but I’ve had a change of heart—"

"When I was stationed in the Capital, I met a princess, a beauty beyond my wildest imagination. I couldn’t refuse; it was I who betrayed Zhen Su;"

"I loathed my own betrayal, yet couldn’t leave you. It was my fault, I was despicable, savouring the kindness you showed me while telling myself I had no choice..."

"Until Zhen Su came to the Capital, I had to face... I confessed to Zhen Su, I’d fallen in love with you—"

"Of course you love me, everything you have was given by me!" she closed her eyes, tears continuously sliding down, the words she uttered were choked but icy.

Zhao Jing gently kissed away her tears and continued holding her, "I had already cut ties with Zhen Su, didn’t expect... she died—

"Zhen Su died?" Li Yao’s eyes snapped open.

"She’s not dead now, but she died once," Zhao Jing said softly.

"What do you mean?"

Zhao Jing gazed into her eyes, his voice hoarse, "Zhen Su once died, I was estranged from you until death without reconciliation, but later—"

"Later, I lived again;"

"Ah Yao, I lived again, before Zhen Su died, before we broke apart..."

In his past life, Zhen Su was sentenced to death by the emperor, and he believed it was her doing. On their wedding night, he said many harsh and final words, leading to the breakdown of their marriage.

From then on, she indulged in luxury and he harboured resentment, growing further apart.

Later, he became an insider for Li Xingyuan, personally opening the gates of the Capital City.

Returning to the Princess Mansion, she had poisoned herself with arsenic, with a fan covering her face like the one on her wedding day.

He forever remembered under that fan, her cold skin that took his breath away, with tear marks already dried at the corner of her eyes.

But at this moment, her skin was warm, and her tears were warm too.

"Ah Yao... Ah Yao..."

"I lived again, only to find you..."