The chill of the first snow shrouded the capital in a layer of white mist, yet the side chamber in the rear courtyard remained as warm as a spring day due to the two entangled figures within.
“Mm…”
The discomfort spreading through her body made Yun Mu Jing let out a soft whimper. The mist in her eyes thickened, and even the corners of her eyes were tinged with a captivating crimson.
A flower bud on a branch, touched by the first light of spring, bloomed in sudden, brocade-like splendor, only to be cherished by the spring rain and gently shaken from its stem.
But it remained obedient, offering no struggle, merely waiting for the storm to subside.
After an unknown amount of time, a sliver of clarity gradually returned to Mo Han Zhao’s deep, desire-filled eyes. His handsome face even held a trace of bewilderment.
“Where… am I?”
“Your Highness, you’re awake?” Yun Mu Jing tugged at the corners of her lips, looking at the man on top of her with a somewhat broken smile. “Then perhaps… we should stop?”
“You are… Yun Mu Jing?” Upon recognizing the person beneath him, Mo Han Zhao’s heart filled with shock. He scrambled to his feet, snatched his messy outer robe from the floor, and threw it on, his back turned to her as he stood before the bed.
“Dammit!”
Today was the birthday of the Zhenguo Dajiangjun Fu’s second young miss, Yun Si Yu. He had specifically taken time out of his busy schedule to attend the banquet.
A few hours ago, after drinking two cups of wine in the front courtyard, Mo Han Zhao had sensed that he had been drugged and promptly left the feast.
Years ago, when he and his mother were being pursued by spies from the state of Qin, he would have met a violent end had it not been for Yun Si Yu’s rescue.
From that moment on, he had sworn to make Si Yu his Crown Princess. He wanted only Si Yu for his entire life and would treat her as his one true love; he could never betray her.
Therefore, he had gone behind a rockery and circulated his Internal Energy to forcefully suppress the drug’s effects, intending to endure it.
He never imagined the drug would be so potent. In less than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, he was spitting blood and had fallen unconscious.
Later, in a daze, Mo Han Zhao only felt Yun Mu Jing discover him and lead him from behind the rockery to a room, after which he lost consciousness again.
Thinking back, it must have been Yun Mu Jing who saved him.
But Yun Mu Jing… was Si Yu’s older sister. How could he have done such a thing to her!
“Your Highness, this subject knows that you and my younger sister Si Yu share a deep affection. I have overstepped my bounds this time.” Yun Mu Jing’s clothes had long been torn to shreds by Mo Han Zhao. She could only wrap the bedding around herself tightly, shrinking into a corner.
“But there was truly no other way at the time… The Crown Prince is the future Heir Apparent of Dongliang and absolutely could not come to harm in the Zhenguo Dajiangjun Fu. So I… I’m sorry.”
“For this subject to have done such a thing with Your Highness, I have truly let my younger sister Si Yu down.” Yun Mu Jing let out a few sobs. She moved forward, her slender, fair hand reaching for the pillow beside Mo Han Zhao.
Out of the corner of his eye, Mo Han Zhao saw Yun Mu Jing retrieve a dagger adorned with a black gemstone. She unsheathed it and was about to slit her own throat. His expression changed instantly.
“Are you mad?!” Mo Han Zhao lunged forward and grabbed Yun Mu Jing’s wrist, roaring, “You would kill yourself over this?!”
“I beg Your Highness to let me go!” Yun Mu Jing struggled, weeping softly. “Your Highness cannot come to harm. I do not regret my actions today, but my conscience is heavy with guilt toward my sister Si Yu.”
“I do not wish to become a barrier between Your Highness and my sister. Letting me disappear is the best solution.”
“How thoughtful. This is my dagger. You hid it beforehand for this very purpose?” Mo Han Zhao was almost moved to laughter by his anger. He said coldly, “It seems you had everything planned out before you slept with me.”
“Planning to trade your life for my forgiveness?”
“Yes.” Yun Mu Jing looked up at Mo Han Zhao, teardrops clinging to her lashes, making her appear all the more pitiful. “This subject is aware of the feelings between Your Highness and my sister Si Yu. Even in death, I will never be the one to steal another’s love.”
Mo Han Zhao had thought Yun Mu Jing was just putting on an act, but now it seemed she truly intended to die.
His cold brows furrowed slightly. Speaking of which, this Yun Mu Jing did have some connection to him.
When the former emperor was alive, he had arranged a marriage for him with the eldest legitimate daughter of the Zhenguo Dajiangjun Fu.
But later, Yun Mu Jing went missing at the age of five. Unable to bear the pain of losing their daughter, the Yun family adopted Yun Si Yu, and so the engagement fell to him and her.
In any case, Mo Han Zhao’s heart belonged to Yun Si Yu, so he was naturally happy with this outcome.
Not long ago, however, Yun Mu Jing was found by the Yun family. Worried that his engagement to Si Yu might be jeopardized, he had planned to find an opportunity to meet Yun Mu Jing and make things clear.
He had come to the Zhenguo Dajiangjun Fu in person today, first to congratulate Si Yu on her birthday, and second to annul his engagement with Yun Mu Jing. He never expected… something like this to happen.
Seeing Mo Han Zhao’s silence, Yun Mu Jing lowered her gaze. In that instant, tears streamed down from the corners of her eyes as she continued, “I ask for Your Highness’s grace.”
Mo Han Zhao pressed his lips together, his gaze never leaving Yun Mu Jing.
The woman before him was slender and frail. Her black hair was scattered across her chest, and her exquisitely beautiful face was streaked with tears. There was even a small cut on the corner of her lip.
The blood had just congealed, making her look like a flower on the verge of being crushed—breathtakingly beautiful, yet unspeakably innocent and hurt.
But she didn’t seem to care about her own pain in the slightest. Her heart and eyes were filled only with self-blame, taking all the fault upon herself.
This woman… in this matter, she was clearly the biggest victim, yet it seemed not a single one of her tears was shed for herself. All her thoughts were for others.
Moreover, from the sound of it, Yun Mu Jing had long known about him and Yun Si Yu.
But she didn’t seem to mind at all. She was even willing to take her own life to avoid affecting his relationship with Si Yu.
She was so obedient and sensible it made one’s heart ache.
Rumors outside claimed that Yun Mu Jing, the legitimate daughter of the Yun family, had been lost among the common folk for ten years and had returned with a completely warped character, coarse and vulgar.
Because of this, his impression of her had been extremely poor. But seeing her now, he found her simplicity to be a stark contrast to the scheming women of the capital.
But could there really be such a kind woman in this world? Or… was she being so generous and self-sacrificing because she knew his identity?
Perhaps this was all a deliberate act to win his favor.
“You don’t have to do this,” Mo Han Zhao said quietly. “I was drugged in the Zhenguo Dajiangjun Fu. Someone was clearly trying to harm me.”
“I had already tried to suppress the drug’s effects with my Internal Energy, but I failed. Instead, I spat blood and fell into a coma.”
“If you hadn’t slept with me, I would have had only two paths. One, the drug would have taken full effect while I was unconscious, and I would have died bleeding from all seven orifices.”
“Two, even if I had woken up, I would have been delirious under the drug’s control and forced myself upon any woman who happened to pass by the rockery.” At this, Mo Han Zhao let out a sneer. “My reputation would have been ruined, which was most likely that person’s true intention.”
“I understand,” Yun Mu Jing said, her eyes downcast. “That is why I brought Your Highness to this room.”
“This courtyard of mine is the most secluded place in the entire residence. There is only one trusted personal maid here and no one else. Your Highness is safest here.”