How much must a man love a woman to be willing to "dress up in colorful clothes to entertain his mother"? To set aside the dignity and pride of an emperor, to wear a dancing costume, just to make her smile?
From that moment on, Yan Qing finally understood what a treasure she had missed.
Missing out has become a mistake, and it cannot be forgiven.
Regret forms a knot in the heart, which is difficult to untie.
The better he is, the more she can't let go of him.
The happier he and his sister were, the more pain surrounded her.
Once you fall into demonic possession, you are forever corrupted and willingly succumb to it.
"I knew him first..."
She sighed softly.
His eyes held a deep sense of melancholy and infatuation.
Wei Pingxi was being held by his mother, looking dazed.
Must everyone pay the price for regret?
Her fingertips grew cold: "And what about him? Does he love you?"
"Of course he loves me!"
Looking directly into her daughter's clear, calm eyes, Yan Qing's emotions settled: "If he doesn't love me, then what about you?"
"And what about your aunt?"
"My elder sister is the eldest daughter of the Yan family. Her entering the palace to become empress is merely a marriage alliance between the Yan family and the royal family."
Fearing that she would continue to press for answers, Yan Qing excused herself and left, leaving Wei Pingxi alone facing the empty teacup, giving a low, bitter laugh.
She seemed to understand.
My mother has had a really tough life all these years.
To regret what has already happened is to deceive oneself; it is nothing more than a fabricated dream.
But she forgot.
Dreams will end.
Yan Qing left Jingzhe Courtyard in a disheveled state and returned to her residence, Liulan Courtyard, where she rushed into the secret room, her breath unsteady.
Gu Chenzi was dozing off when he was woken up. He immediately noticed that something was wrong with her and asked curiously, "What's wrong? Could it be that your good daughter has turned against you for the sake of a mere concubine?"
In the dimly lit, secluded room, Yan Qing sat quietly for a long time, recovering from that despicable self-deception, and her voice returned to its steady tone: "Why are you still here?"
The entire martial arts world is hunting down members of the Xuan Yin Sect. If the disciples are suffering like this, how can the sect leader not be doing well?
A few days ago, Gu Chenzi crippled forty-eight skilled fighters. His ferocious combat prowess shocked the world. Now, martial arts practitioners are desperately searching for the whereabouts of "Nian Cibei, the number one master in the world," hoping to ask this number one person in the world to suppress the evil.
Little did they know that the Compassionate Master had long since died at the hands of his traitorous disciple, and his remains had returned to dust.
"Ji Ying may be unscrupulous, but do you think I'm so easily dealt with? Even without the Xuan Yin Sect, I am still the Ancestor of Xuan Yin. How can an ancestor risk his life for his disciples?"
Yan Qing understood what she meant—this person had come to her place to escape the hustle and bustle.
"Cold-blooded."
"I'm cold-blooded?" The female Taoist priest seemed to have heard the best joke in the world: "No matter how cold-blooded I am, if you are willing to come close, my blood will still warm up for you."
Having long passed the age of enjoying sweet words, Yan Qing felt a surge of joy, but not from the happiness derived from Gu Chenzi's heartfelt words.
She said, "You guessed wrong."
She raised her daughter for eighteen years, but her heart ultimately belonged to her.
How could a concubine possibly compete with her?
After hearing her explain the whole story, Gu Chenzi felt puzzled: "This is not right."
"Is something wrong?"
"She actually agreed to abandon that concubine?"
"Why would I disagree? I am her mother. I taught her, raised her, and protected her. I still have that much affection for her."
"That being said... what are your intentions?"
"If she's gone, she's gone. Should I keep her in the Marquis's mansion to continue getting in my way?"
...
"I'm afraid your mother won't tolerate you anymore."
The fourth young lady said in a low voice, "With the protection of your seniors outside, you should be safe."
"You... want me to leave?"
"Don't be sad." Wei Pingxi stepped forward and hugged her, his voice gentle: "There's a battle to fight next. I'll bring you back after we win."
Yu Zhi clutched at the front of her clothes, her heart choked with worry, unable to utter a single word.
"Perhaps you are right."
Her smile was desolate. At the age of eighteen, she should have been riding a horse and enjoying the beauty of nature all day long. Having lived two lives, she seemed carefree, but she could never find true happiness.
The fourth young lady buried her face in the beauty's neck and took a deep breath: "You should leave now."
...
"We can't let her go!" Gu Chenzi's attitude was resolute: "Do you really believe your daughter has no ulterior motives? She was injured by a concubine just a few days ago. If you let her go like this, what if you release a tiger back into the mountains..."
"How much trouble can a concubine cause?"
Yan Qing didn't take it to heart: "I know my daughter. She loves me the most. Gentle and considerate concubines are everywhere, but there is only one 'mother'. I have raised her for eighteen years, so I am confident in this."
"no."
Gu Chenzi frowned: "Why not let that concubine stay in the laundry room as a lowly maid? That way, we can test whether your daughter is sincere or not. You know, she's a very cunning person."
"You don't believe me?"
"I do not believe her."
Once someone falls in love, how easy is it to break it off?
Unfortunately, the second young lady was blinded by her own situation, and her blind self-confidence only pushed her into the abyss.
Yan Qing turned around and saw the worry on her face, then sneered: "Once I drive her out, it's your turn to act. Once she leaves the Marquis's mansion, kill her! Out of sight, out of mind, and completely extinguish A-Si's hopes!"
Her ruthlessness is exactly what Gu Chenzi has always known about her.
The woman was relieved.
...
In the Jingzhe Courtyard, a group of maids and nannies knelt on the ground, pleading for Aunt Yu.
If it weren't for this incident, Wei Pingxi might not have known that his concubine was so popular.
Jade cried bitterly, "Miss, Auntie can't leave! What will you do if she leaves?"
Crying and wailing, rambling on and on.
Wei Pingxi frowned: "How can I disobey my mother's orders? Quickly throw them out, lest my mother say I'm untrustworthy."
She waved her hand impatiently.
Granny Wu and Jinshi Yinding kowtowed to the ground, leaving small red marks on their foreheads.
"Miss, Miss, you can't be so heartless! Auntie, Auntie has always been devoted to you and has never done anything wrong to you. You'll regret this..."
Even though it was all an act, Wei Pingxi was still disturbed by their crying.
Turning my head to look at the beautiful woman standing there, she was dressed in a brocade robe with begonia blossoms, her waist so slender that it seemed as if a strong gust of wind could blow her over.
At this moment, his reddened willow-leaf eyes gazed at her intently, hesitant to speak, filled with boundless tenderness.
Wei Pingxi felt a strange stirring in his heart.
Before she could think it through, Li Le stood guard outside the door—on the orders of the madam to escort Aunt Yu away from the mansion.
Considering that Yuzhi had served her master diligently, even without merit, the lady bestowed upon her an extra hundred taels of gold, allowing Yuzhi to live a good life outside.
He seems to have done everything he could, leaving no room for error.
The beauty who had been by my side day and night was about to leave the mansion. If I survived, we could meet again; but if I died, we would be separated forever.
Slowly, a feeling of reluctance arose in my heart.
Wei Pingxi felt a slight tingling in his nose.
This was an emotion she had never experienced before, like being fed an unripe green plum—wanting to spit it out, yet unwilling to.
But to swallow it down, some resistance is still needed.
She wasn't one to be sentimental; suppressing the strange feeling in her heart, she turned her face away cruelly: "Let's go."
Yu Zhi gave her a deep look, and finally took off the sachet from her waist and handed it to her: "May you live a long and healthy life."
Don't die so young.
Remember to pick me up.
I'm coming back to you.
The words that linger in my heart are impossible to utter; they are too difficult to say, too impossible to say.
Yu Zhi looked at Li Le outside the door. Li Le was the lady's confidant. Once he left, who knew what might happen after he stepped out of the Wei residence.
If Madam Wei truly harbored such feelings for Xi Xi, she would certainly not let her live a good life.
There might be an assassin waiting outside the mansion right now.
But Yuzhi must leave.
Staying here would only be a burden to the Fourth Miss.
Or perhaps, she didn't want her daughter to see the awkwardness of their confrontation.
The Fourth Miss is actually a very strong-willed and proud person.
After that, Yuzhi turned and left without saying a word.