I will finish this story as soon as possible. Please understand, dear readers!
Chapter 27: I'm Going to Die
"No, Hao'er, don't do anything foolish."
Overwhelmed with grief, the Emperor suddenly sprang up from his dragon throne. Everyone stared in disbelief at this sudden turn of events. Was Prince An trying to kill himself? This was the Emperor's most beloved child. If his blood were spilled in Fangfei Palace, would any of them survive? Someone shouted urgently, "Stop the Prince! Stop the Prince!"
Feng Chenhao had already reached the door, still some distance from the crowd, with only four guards and Qingmo close to him. At this moment, the two guards who had stopped him were dumbfounded. Only when they heard someone shouting loudly did they realize they needed to save someone, and they immediately rushed over, trying to pull Prince An back.
Bang! One of them leaped up but failed to catch Feng Chenhao, crashing to the ground unconscious. The two guards who had grabbed Qingmo panicked. If the Prince of An was dead, or even just injured, their heads would likely be in danger. They released Qingmo's hand and rushed over.
Another guard leaped up and grabbed Feng Chenhao's sleeve. The usually magnificent brocade robe was unexpectedly fragile. With a tearing sound, the guard ripped off a sleeve and fell to the ground. Feng Chenhao didn't even turn his head, like an arrow shot from a bow, stubbornly determined to die.
"Hao'er, don't be like this. I promise you, I promise you I won't kill Yue Qingmo." Seeing that Feng Chenhao was only seven or eight meters away from the large wooden pillar, the Emperor was extremely anxious. His face was filled with sadness and worry, and he no longer had the aloofness of an emperor. He seemed to have aged in an instant.
Feng Chenmu's legs kept moving, and he didn't stop when Feng Di relented. He continued to bargain with him, "No, you still have to give my sister to me. I don't want those other women. I only want my sister. If you don't agree, I'll die."
The hall was in complete chaos, yet now it was eerily quiet. Qingmo stared blankly at the figure running frantically for her, her heart pounding wildly. Something seemed to be flashing through her mind: a woman in white dancing under a shower of pear blossoms, someone pointing a sword at her neck, someone kissing her… The blurry fragments in her mind were like someone wielding a blunt knife, gouging flesh from her heart, causing her unbearable pain. Everything before her eyes blurred, her mind went completely blank. She blinked hard, but couldn't see anything clearly. "Chen Hao, don't…" Before she could finish speaking, a mouthful of blood gushed out, her vision went black, and she collapsed to the ground.
"Miss Yue is vomiting blood..." The shrill female voice was unusually abrupt in the quiet hall. The tall man, who was a few steps away from the pillar, suddenly stopped and turned around. Sure enough, there was a woman lying on the ground. "Sister..." he shouted, panicked and tearful, and hurriedly ran back.
With Prince An safe, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The Phoenix Emperor stared intently at the woman lying on the ground, his gaze flickering and his expression unreadable. At that moment, Feng Chenhao sat down on the ground, clutching Qingmo and weeping uncontrollably, "Sister, don't die, sister..."
The sound of heartbroken sobs reached his ears, and the Phoenix Emperor's face darkened further. His usually calm voice was now filled with anger. "Someone, bring Tang Yu over to examine Miss Yue's pulse."
Throughout everything that happened in the hall, Feng Chenmu remained silent. But now that the Emperor Feng had spoken, he knelt down with a thud. “Father, my eighth brother is so fond of Miss Yue. To avoid any complications, I wish to cancel our engagement. I hope Father will grant my request.”
Everyone was startled, exchanging bewildered glances, daring not to voice any further objections. The Phoenix Emperor slightly closed his eyes, pondering for a moment, then said, "Let's discuss this matter after Miss Yue Er wakes up."
---Aside---
A swift and decisive victory!
Chapter 28: Two Conditions
After an unknown amount of time, Qingmo woke up. The flickering lights were dim and indistinct. She propped herself up and looked around. The furnishings in the room were unfamiliar, unlike those in the Prince Ping's residence and the Jingxin Palace.
"Creak..." Just as she was deep in thought, someone pushed open the door. Feng Chenhao walked into the room carrying a food box, his eyes filled with surprise as he looked at her. "Sister, you're awake! Get up quickly. I told the kitchen to make you lots and lots of delicious food."
He gazed intently at her, his eyes as pure as the whitest cloud in the sky, his tone playful and endearing. Qingmo couldn't help but smile, giving him a slight smile as she got out of bed as instructed, and softly asked, "Why is it you?"
"Am I not good enough? Then who does my sister want?" He tilted his head and looked at her, seemingly fixated on Qingmo's answer. When she didn't speak, he immediately became dejected.
Although Feng Chenhao's mental age is only six, he seems particularly sensitive to questions about her. Is there any connection between them? Qingmo frowned slightly and patiently explained, "It's good that Chenhao is here. I just find it strange that we were living in Jingxin Palace before, so why did we suddenly move to a different place?"
"This is my residence. I asked Father Emperor to send you here to recuperate. Sister, look at the room I arranged. Do you like it?" Feng Chenhao pointed to the room's furnishings, looking at her with a smug expression, like a child asking for candy, waiting for her praise.
Recovering from illness? She seemed to have fainted in Fangfei Palace. Giving him a slight smile, Qingmo sincerely said, "Sister likes it, thank you." As she spoke, she subtly placed her hand on his wrist. His pulse was steady, and his body was gradually recovering. She was relieved that he was alright.
Upon receiving the praise, Feng Chenhao smiled sweetly, as if he had drunk honey. He placed the food from the food box onto the table one plate at a time, saying, "Sister, come and eat. You've slept for two hours; you must be hungry."
Qingmo stared blankly at the pure and innocent smile on his face, then slowly walked to the table and sat down. No matter what, she couldn't bear to hurt Feng Chenhao like this. Thinking this, she picked up her chopsticks and started eating.
Night
A slender figure nimbly flipped out of the window, like a sprite in the night, quietly leaping onto the roof and disappearing into the darkness.
It had been nearly twenty days since her last acupuncture treatment. Although Qingmo had used various medications to regulate her body, her internal strength had only recovered to less than 30%. She climbed onto the roof, not wanting to use her lightness skill the whole time, and leaped down the wall, slowly walking towards the Prince Ping's residence.
The study in a garden of the Prince Ping's residence.
"Your Highness, you surely know why I have come today. I wish to borrow Your Flawless Pearl for a while, and after I have used it, I will return it to you in perfect condition." In the study, Qingmo leaned casually against the corner of the table, dressed in men's clothing, appearing as a handsome young man. However, she did not remove the disguise from her face, because she did not intend to stay in the Prince Ping's residence for long.
Feng Chenmu looked up from the documents on the table. "Do you know that I have already asked the Emperor for permission to dissolve our engagement?" He looked at Qing Mo casually, answering a question that seemed irrelevant.
“I know, and I also know that Princess Pingting will be married to the Prince soon. Since the Prince has achieved what he wanted, shouldn’t he keep his promise?” Qingmo pursed his lips, his face showing no unusual expression, and answered calmly.
With a screeching sound, the chair was dragged along. Seeing her smug expression, Feng Chenmu suddenly stood up from behind the table, his face dark and menacing as he glared at Qingmo. He placed one hand on the table and wrapped the other around her waist, his voice low and filled with anger as he said, "Are you so happy to be away from me? Or are you just itching to throw yourself into Eighth Brother's arms?"
Qingmo's original posture was relaxed and languid, but now that Feng Chenmu had forcibly pulled her into his arms, she was both confused and annoyed. She couldn't help but ask, "Didn't Your Highness want to break off the engagement with Qingmo? Why are you asking Qingmo about it now? It's not a big deal that Qingmo has become a discarded wife without knowing it, but she still has to smile and let Your Highness and Princess Pinting get together. Is Your Highness still not satisfied?"
Feng Chenmu coldly stared at her calm and composed face, his own face growing increasingly dark, like the bottom of a pot. He was furious. "I'm not satisfied. I'm very dissatisfied. Judging from your expression, my wife is eagerly anticipating my annulment of the engagement. How could I let her have her way so easily?" With that, he grabbed Qingmo's chin tightly and pressed his perfectly shaped lips against hers.
"Damn it, Feng Chenmu, what are you doing?" Qingmo rolled her eyes at him, a curse slipping from her lips. She covered Feng Chenmu's mouth with one hand and said angrily, "Why are you so difficult to please? For so long, everything has been done according to your wishes, and now you say you're not satisfied? Do you want to withhold the Flawless Pearl from me? If you dare not give it to me, I'll make you..."
The hand encircling her waist tightened its grip. When Feng Chenmu heard her cursing, a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes, and half of his anger subsided. Seeing her deep gaze as if she was thinking of a way to punish him, he opened his lips and bit the tender flesh in the palm of his hand that was covering his mouth.
Qingmo was very thin, but her hands were very soft, with tender flesh all over her palms. Feng Chenmu held this lump of flesh in his mouth and suddenly took a big bite. Qingmo suddenly came back to her senses, stared at him with wide eyes, "You belong to..." She didn't finish her sentence, but instead showed a sly smile on her face and said cheerfully, "I came to the Prince Ping's mansion in a hurry today, and I even forgot to wash my hands after going to the outhouse. I must thank Your Highness for cleaning my hands."
Feng Chenmu's brows furrowed, and he abruptly released her, taking several steps back with a look of disgust before striding towards the door.
"Hahaha..." Qingmo clutched his stomach and laughed. This person was really too funny. How could he believe such a thing?
Before long, Feng Chenmu had changed his clothes and washed himself thoroughly. His face returned to its usual coldness. He picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said indifferently, "Yue Qingmo, I can give you the Flawless Pearl, but you have to agree to two conditions."
Qingmo's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Not to mention two conditions, even three or four are fine."
His deep gaze fell on her face. Feng Chenmu held his teacup, half-covering his eyes, and remained silent for a long while. After a moment, he said, "I have said that you are mine in life and in death. If I break off our engagement, you cannot have any relationship with any man in this world. Can you do that?"
His gaze was like sharp knives, shooting towards her. Qingmo's face stiffened, then she gave a cold laugh. She hadn't expected Feng Chenmu to make such a condition. He didn't want her, and he wouldn't allow her to have any relationship with anyone else. He was truly domineering and selfish to the extreme. Glancing at him sideways, she said expressionlessly, "So what if I can't do it?"
"Bang!" Feng Chenmu slammed his hand on the table, causing the objects on it to tremble slightly. His sharp gaze was fixed on her, his eyes narrowed dangerously, and his cold, ruthless voice was full of pressure, "You say you can't do it?"
He spoke very slowly, each word distinct. Qingmo saw that he was furious. A mocking smile appeared on her lips, and her tone was stiff. "Since Your Highness wants Qingmo to do this, Qingmo will heal the wet nurse and then take a Heartless Pill, guaranteeing that she will not have any relationship with any man. Will Your Highness be at ease then?"
But before she could finish speaking, Feng Chenmu's anger intensified. He stared at her intently, as if trying to discern a particular emotion on her face, but she showed nothing. He couldn't help but shout towards the door, "Uncle Wu, send this young master out of the palace."
---Aside---
It's a poorly written story, but I'm still struggling to finish it. I estimate it will end in about 5,000 more words!
Chapter 29: Traveling Through Four Countries
"Feng Chenmu, you broke your promise. What right do you have to kick me out?" Qingmo stared at him with wide eyes. "I agreed to the two conditions you set. Why do you have to completely negate all my previous efforts just because one sentence didn't suit your taste?" She paused and held out her hand. "Give me the Flawless Pearl."
"You think I'll just give it to you because you want it?" Feng Chenmu sneered. "I'm not happy, and I don't want to give it to you now."
"You..." Qingmo was furious, her delicate face flushing red and then turning pale. "We have nothing to say to each other, I can't be bothered with you." With that, she stormed out the door.
Before she could take two steps, her wrist was grabbed tightly. Feng Chenmu stared at her with a gloomy expression. "Did I give you permission to leave? If you really don't want that bead anymore, I'll destroy it right now."
A sharp pain shot through her wrist, indicating the immense force of the hand gripping it. Qingmo turned around, her gaze icy and furious, and laughed coldly. "Feng Chenmu, is it fun to play with me? Isn't it enough that you've used me like this? What else do you want? Tell me, what else do you want? Do you want me dead? Fine, give me the bead, and I'll die right now."
"Heh, how could I bear to let my wife die!" Feng Chenmu pulled Qingmo into his arms, whispered a few words in her ear, then released her with a half-smile.
Qingmo frowned, her pale face calm as still water, but her chest heaving violently, clearly indicating her intense emotional turmoil. After a long while, she glanced at Feng Chenmu indifferently, "Is what you said true?"
Feng Chenmu raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
“Alright, I accept your terms.” Qingmo looked at him steadily and said this.
"Good boy," Feng Chenmu said with a slight smile that could charm the world. He turned and walked behind his desk, casually moving the pen holder on it. A hidden compartment popped out from under the desk, and he took out a small brocade box from it and placed it on the table. He said in a low voice, "Here's the bead you've always wanted. Take it, and remember to keep it safe for me."
Carefully picking up the small box on the table, Qingmo opened it with a delicate touch. On the black velvet brocade was a creamy white bead, with a ring of dark light slowly rolling around its body like flowing water and floating clouds, emitting a soft yet non-glaring radiance. She picked up the bead and brought it close to her forehead, feeling a warm breath rush towards her. It was indeed a flawless bead.
Quickly tucking the brocade box into her bosom, Qingmo bowed to Feng Chenmu, "Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. I will certainly keep it safe for you." After saying that, she quietly slipped out of the courtyard.
*
The gentle morning sunlight shone on the flowers and plants in the courtyard. Qingmo was practicing her swordplay when Tianzhen suddenly burst through the door, shouting, "Miss, something terrible has happened! Miss Liu has jumped into the river and drowned!"
"What?" Qingmo was shocked. The long sword slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a piercing sound. Her face was ashen, and she muttered to herself, "How could this happen? How could this happen? It was me, I killed her." As she spoke, she staggered a few steps like a soulless doll and collapsed to the ground.
"Miss!" Tianzhen cried out in shock and rushed over to support her, sadly trying to comfort her, "Miss, don't be like this. You can't blame Miss Liu for what happened. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. You had no choice. Don't be sad. Miss Liu wouldn't blame you if she knew in the afterlife."
Qingmo stood up, her face ashen, like a lifeless corpse. She pushed Tianzhen aside and dragged herself into the room. Tianzhen was heartbroken and frightened by her appearance. She followed her blankly, but Qingmo suddenly slammed the door shut, leaving Tianzhen standing at the door, dejected.
*
The largest teahouse in Fengdu has been buzzing with discussion these past few days about the suicide of the daughter of Liu, a third-rank official in the capital, and the heartbroken Yue Qingmo, the second young lady of Manyue Manor, who locked herself in her room, refusing to eat or drink.
Passerby A: "Oh, Lord Liu is so pitiful. He lost his beloved daughter in middle age, a white-haired man burying a black-haired one. I don't know how heartbroken and sad he is. Fortunately, he has three daughters and one son, otherwise... sigh..."
Passerby B: "Yes, I heard that this matter is somewhat related to Miss Yue. On the day of the concubine selection competition, Miss Yue didn't have an invitation, so she rode in the same sedan chair as Miss Liu. Originally, Miss Liu was going to be a concubine, but because she secretly helped Miss Yue, and Miss Yue's reputation was too bad, she displeased the higher-ups and became a concubine. The twists and turns of this cannot be explained in a few words. Alas, it's such a pity that such a beautiful life was wasted!"
Passerby C: "In my opinion, it's all Miss Yue's fault. She's a jinx. No wonder Prince Ping tried so hard to cancel the engagement with her. How can a woman like that be a princess? Really..."
"What are you saying, you pockmarked face? You dare call my young lady a jinx? I think you're the one who brought disaster to the demon palace, a whole family of jinxes..." Before Passerby C could finish speaking, a loud bang rang out, and a pretty girl, her face flushed red with anger, slammed her hand on the table he was sitting on, smashing the sturdy table into a fire poker with a single blow.
"Ah... crazy woman, this woman is crazy..." Passerby C was so frightened by the violent girl in front of him that he broke out in a cold sweat and scrambled out of the teahouse at the speed of light.
At that moment, all those who had been gossiping and talking about Miss Yue were terrified. They quickly settled their bills and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Miss Liu was overly remorseful about what happened to her, and had locked herself in her room for the past few days, refusing to eat or drink. What had she done to deserve this? She had only come out to buy some pastries when she overheard so many people gossiping about Miss Liu; it infuriated her. Tianzhen was filled with indignation. When she came to her senses, she found that all the customers in the teahouse had left. She glared fiercely at the shopkeeper hiding behind the counter, slammed a silver ingot on the counter, and then left the teahouse.
The pedestrians on the street were hurrying along, all heading in the same direction. Tianzhen looked at them curiously. "Come on, let's go take a look. The inn on East Street is on fire, and the fire is huge..." What? Tianzhen turned pale and suddenly grabbed the man's collar, her face fierce. "What did you say? Say it again."
The burly man was suddenly grabbed by a woman, who exuded a menacing aura. He didn't dare to get angry and stammered, "The post station on East Street is on fire. I said the post station is on fire..." His neck loosened, and he could no longer see a single person in front of him.
*
Wu Yu walked into the garden with a solemn expression. Feng Chenmu and Mo Pinting were admiring the flowers. He picked an early-blooming tricolor azalea and was about to tuck it behind the beauty's ear when "cough cough..." After a fake cough, Wu Yu hurriedly walked to his side and whispered a few words in his ear, "Master, Miss Yue committed suicide by self-immolation at the post station and has passed away."
The three-colored petals fluttered from his fingers, and Feng Chenmu's face was ashen, his eyes like stars that had lost their luster. "You said she's gone?"
Seeing his heartbroken expression, Mo Pinting stepped forward and grabbed his hand, asking gently, "Chen Mu, what's wrong?" Feng Chen Mu suddenly pushed her away and strode out of the garden. His leg, which had been healed after Qing Mo's treatment, moved as nimbly as an ordinary person, heading out of the mansion.
"Let me in! I want to see Feng Chenmu! I'll say it again, let me in! I want to see Feng Chenmu!" Tianzhen's face was grim, and she held a sword she had dug out of the ruins of the post station after the fire. Her whole body was blackened like charcoal, with not a single clean spot. She held a brocade box in one hand and a sword in the other. Her delicate face was also covered in black ash, leaving only a pair of bloodshot eyes on her face, making her look extremely frightening.