"You crazy woman, how dare you yell in front of Prince Ping's mansion! How can a filthy and smelly woman like you be allowed to see the prince? Get the hell out of here, or don't blame us for being impolite!" The guards at the mansion gate looked at him with a sneer and disdain, speaking in an unfriendly tone.
A hint of hatred flashed in Tianzhen's eyes. He drew his sword and engaged the eight men in battle.
As Feng Chenmu rode out of the manor, he saw a fight taking place at the gate. Tianzhen saw him come out, waved her hand, and the box in her hand flew straight at Feng Chenmu. She said coldly, "Your Highness, my young lady Yue Qingmo did not forget to owe you a favor even on her deathbed. Now that you have borrowed something from her that she has not used, I will repay it to you on her behalf. From now on, my young lady will no longer owe you anything." After saying that, she sheathed her sword and left.
Turning around, the guards saw two streams of clear tears flowing from her bloodshot eyes, washing away the black grime on her face and leaving a crooked trail. She looked truly ugly, yet also quite shocking. No one stopped her further. They all knew that Miss Yue had committed suicide at the post station; they never imagined that Miss Yue would have such a loyal and devoted maid.
Feng Chenmu absentmindedly took the well-preserved but dusty brocade box, opened it, and a dazzling bead shone brightly inside. There was also a folded piece of Xuan paper inside the box. "Zhen'er, I will be gone when you find this box. Don't be sad or heartbroken. I have just gone to another world. You have a long life ahead of you. From now on you are free. Go and do what you have always wanted to do... There is a flawless bead in the box. It is a keepsake left to him by the birth mother of Prince Ping. Please return the bead to him for me. Yue Qingmo wrote this."
Bang! The box suddenly shattered. Feng Chenmu, his eyes red, cried out, "Yue Qingmo, how cruel you are..."
*
Six months later
In the study of Prince Ping's residence, Feng Chenmu leaned lazily against a high chair. "Uncle Wu, is there still no news about that woman?"
Wu Yu lowered his head. "Master, the fire at the post station burned everything to the ground. Afterwards, the coroner found a skeleton in Miss Yue's room. The skeleton was confirmed by bone measurement to be that of a woman, and she was the same height as Miss Yue. Moreover, she was wearing Miss Yue's unique silver ring on her finger... You tell me, it's easy for us to find a living person, but to find a dead one..."
Wu Yu didn't finish his sentence. He really didn't understand if his master was possessed. Everyone knew that Miss Yue had committed suicide by setting herself on fire at the East Street Post Station half a year ago because she was heartbroken by the death of her wet nurse and blamed herself for killing Liu Yan. He didn't know why his master insisted that she was not dead.
Feng Chenmu tapped the desk unconsciously with his fingers, then suddenly looked up at Wu Yu and asked in a low voice, "Uncle Wu, do you also believe that woman committed suicide? If she really did, then why is Liu Yan's grave empty, and why have I been able to find those two maids named Tianzhen and Lanman despite deploying so many secret guards over the past six months? Tell me, how do you explain this?"
“Perhaps, perhaps the innocent and carefree have already gone into seclusion in some remote mountain forest because of Miss Yue’s death, so it’s normal that we can’t find them. Besides, Miss Liu…” Wu Yu stopped talking. He also believed that Yue Qingmo was not dead, but if she wasn’t dead, where would she be hiding?
"No matter how many men you send, you must find that woman for me. Does she think she can escape? Hmph, she is mine in life and in death, she will be mine forever!" Feng Chenmu roared.
"Sigh..." Wu Yu shook his head and sighed. His master had insisted on breaking off the engagement with Miss Yue back then, but now he was searching for her all over the world, and she was even looking for someone who was already dead. What a waste of his time.
*
In a small border town, a famous lake reflects the graceful figures of several women on a small boat in its emerald green waters, which resemble a green mirror. A gentle breeze blows, and the flowing robes of the women flutter lightly in the wind, making them look elegant and beautiful.
"Hah, ah," one of the women sneezed twice in a row, and another woman rushed to her side. "Miss, I think it's some poor scholar talking about you again. Sigh..." She sighed dramatically, rubbed her forehead, and said in a high-pitched voice, "Miss Mo, the spring flowers are in full bloom, the weather is mild, and the spring scenery is beautiful. Why don't we go for a spring outing in the countryside together?"
Hearing her words, another woman rolled her eyes at her and said disdainfully, "Those few useless scholars who can't lift a finger are not worth your time, not to mention that Miss looks down on them. If you are so sensible, why don't you go on a spring outing with them? As for boating on the lake, Miss and I are enough."
"What are you saying, Mo Lanman? You and Miss conspired to deceive me back then, making me cry my heart out for Miss. Don't talk to me now, I haven't forgiven you yet, hmph." Tianzhen snorted coldly, arrogantly raising her head and ignoring her.
Qingmo watched the two bickering again, her lips curving into a delicate smile. A red-billed carrier pigeon landed on her shoulder, and she took the letter from its leg and began to read it carefully.
"Mo, it's been almost half a year since you changed my appearance. I've been doing very well these past six months, and he's been treating me very well too. I have some good news for you: I'm pregnant, and I'd like you to name him... Liu Yanshu."
"Oh, Liu Yan has a baby. Tianzhen and Lanman, you two should come up with two names for her baby. They should be cute, have a strong presence, and be compatible with the Five Elements of her destiny. In short, they should be two perfect names." Qingmo stood up and looked at the two of them with a serious expression.
"Tch," the two innocent and romantic girls glared at her in unison before diving into the clear lake water and disappearing from sight in a moment.
Qingmo smiled, looked up at the sky, and saw the golden sunset was in full bloom. It would be dark in an hour. Her nanny must have already prepared the meal at home. It was so nice to have someone waiting for her to come home for dinner.
Having lived in this world for nearly 13 years, she has finally realized her dream: to leisurely travel the world with her beloved family. She has been in this small southern town for almost a month now. The town is known for its simple and honest people, beautiful scenery, and picturesque landscape, nestled against the mountains and beside the water—a perfect place to settle down. Once she has visited all the places she wants to go, she plans to stay here permanently.
Thinking about it, she couldn't help but recall the words Feng Chenmu had whispered in her ear that day, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her face. Ha, what's the point of believing in love, what's the point of believing in men? She would do the opposite. With a smile, she lifted the veil from her head and plunged into the lake.