Empress Ronghua, now nine months pregnant, had a belly so large that her loose clothing could barely conceal it.
Hearing this, she softly hummed, “Let’s go.”
Half a year ago, she leapt off a cliff. Beyond a slight urge for revenge, her main goal was to escape Xiao Hanjin. If she’d merely left, with that man’s temperament, he might’ve pursued her for a lifetime.
So she devised a plan to fake her death.
The capital lacked suitable terrain, but this hunting ground, which she’d had Xiaojiu map out beforehand, was perfect.
In truth, she hadn’t fallen that day. Under cover of darkness, Xiaojiu had prepared a cave near the mountainside to catch her.
The one thing she hadn’t anticipated was that Xiao Hanjin would jump after her and search for her here for six months.
Thus, all this time, she’d been trapped in this city that allowed entry but no exit.
If she hadn’t found a similar-looking corpse, would he have kept searching forever?
Was it guilt, or belated affection?
Empress Ronghua tugged at her lip. Whichever it was, she wanted neither.
“Xiaojiu, withdraw all the spiritual power you gave me.”
“But…”
“No buts. Look at how weak you’ve become.”
…
In the city, atop the wall.
Mu Qingshuang finished her medicine and came to this spot, watching Xiao Hanjin and the army depart. Her red lips curved faintly.
“Hanjin.”
Gazing at his figure on horseback, she let out a self-mocking laugh. “You didn’t even notice I didn’t follow you back?”
To what extent had he grown indifferent to her?
For six months, she’d been the one by his side, yet in his eyes, who else existed besides that woman who was already dead?
No, that wasn’t right. Her dear sister didn’t seem dead yet.
The smile in Mu Qingshuang’s eyes deepened, tinged with gloom.
Thanks to Empress Ronghua’s cleverness, she’d even arranged for someone to mask her aura with magic during her faked death. Six months ago, Xiao Hanjin hadn’t just searched the cliff base, he’d had sorcerers use Mu Qingshuang’s blood to track Ronghua, since they were sisters!
It yielded nothing.
So this time, seeing Ronghua’s “corpse,” he believed it was real.
Even she had nearly believed it.
Fortunately, over the years, she’d tried again and again, fearing Ronghua wouldn’t die thoroughly enough. And just now, she’d succeeded.
At last.
Mu Qingshuang looked up at the endless blue sky, her red lips curling into a slight smile. “Heaven rewards the persistent.”
Compared to Ronghua’s cliff plunge leaving an indelible mark in Xiao Hanjin’s heart, the outcome of “Ronghua killed by her” felt far better.
Plus, this woman’s blood could save her.
…
Empress Ronghua left the city with Xiaojiu. They hadn’t gone far when the air around them suddenly chilled by degrees.
An icy aura sliced through the sky, striking with lightning speed.
Ronghua jolted.
“Xiaojiu, watch out!”
With her sharp cry, Xiaojiu dodged instantly.
But then, a torrent of arrows rained down from all directions. The crowd screamed and scattered, yet against this nearly indiscriminate barrage, resistance was futile. In moments, several bodies hit the ground!
Ronghua was disguised now, and she’d been “gone from the world” for so long, how could she be targeted?
Unless…
