Prologue: The Rumor In the heart of the Ming Dynasty's capital, two truths were held to be self-evident: Second Prince Luo Feng was destined for the throne, and the daughter of Military Minister Zhao Ye was an ugly, mean-spirited recluse. One was a lie. The other was a carefully constructed shield. Their story begins not in the gilded palace halls, but on a muddy riverbank, far from the whispers of the court.
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Chapter 1: The Lost Prince and the Guide
Location: Riverbank near Qiling Mountain
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and failure. Luo Feng, second prince of the empire, was lost. Assassins had driven him from the main path, and now, with a muddy robe and a empty wallet, he was just a man.
And then he saw her.
A figure stood by the water, still as a painting. "Guniang!" he called out, his voice rough.
She turned. It was not a peasant girl. Her eyes were bright and intelligent, her posture straight. She regarded him not with deference, but with open curiosity. "Shé? Is there any problem, mister?"
"I... I got lost. Can you tell me the way?"
She smiled, a gesture that seemed to brighten the overcast day. "You got lost? It's okay. I know every path. Where are you going?"
"To the capital."
Her smile widened. "Capital? I am also going to the capital. You follow me. I will take you there."
You? No one calls me that. Feng was too stunned to correct her. Does she not know who I am? Maybe she truly doesn't.
"Are you waiting for someone?" he asked, falling into step beside her.
"Yeah. For the boat."
"Boat?"
She pointed to a weathered board. "There are two ways. One by land, one by water. The land path takes over a week. The water path? We'll reach the next city in seven hours."
Feng looked at this enigma of a girl. In his world of titles and treachery, her practicality was a revelation.
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Chapter 2: The Boatman and the Philosophy
Location: On the boat to Zhejiang
"Our wait is over. See, the boat has arrived."
The boatman, a middle-aged man with a kind face, greeted her like an old friend. "So Lusi, you came at just this time?"
"No, not this time. My father told me to deliver some medicine to his friend."
"But isn't your father's friend's house at the end of Qiling Mountain?"
"It is. You still remember. You have a great memory for your age."
"I am not that old!"
Feng watched, fascinated. "You know this boatman?" he whispered.
Lusi nodded. "I mostly travel around the kingdom. I'm very familiar with this uncle now."
She turned back to him. "Well, why are you going to the capital? Is your home there?"
Feng looked at the passing water. "I do live there. But it never feels like home."
A look of understanding crossed her face. "Oh, you might live on rent. Don't worry, keep it up!" She gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Feng was too shocked to speak.
"Will we reach the capital after crossing the river?" he finally asked.
Lusi laughed. "No! After reaching Zhejiang, we cross two more cities. It will take twenty days at most."
"Twenty days?!"
"I saved your time. The land path would have taken forty." She looked at him, genuinely puzzled. "Shé? Isn't it normal?"
"Why don't you take a cart or a horse?"
Her answer would stay with him forever. "When we fasten the things, we miss many things. When I walk, I can enjoy the path. See?" She pointed to a patch of water lilies. "You won't see them from the land path. Rather than focusing on the goal, one should enjoy the journey."
Luo Feng, a man who had only ever focused on goals, stayed silent, her words sinking in.
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Chapter 3: The Revelation and the Rumor
Location: A Noodle Shop in Zhejiang
"You're not ordering?" "No need." "Why?" "When I got lost,my wallet fell somewhere." "Just that!Don't worry, I can pay for you." "Why are you helping me?" "Oh,you make it all weird. Take it like this: today I am helping, someday you help me back. Laube, one more noodle please!"
As they ate, Feng asked about her life. She was going home. To the capital.
"Your landlord might be very rude," she said between slurps. "Do one thing. When we reach the capital, pack your things and come to my home. My home is very big, and my father is nice. He won't give you a hard time."
Feng smiled. "Who is your father?" "You live in the capital,you might know him. He is quite famous. Have you heard of Ex-General and current Minister of Military, Zhao Ye? He is my father."
Feng's chopsticks clattered against the bowl. "Shé ma? You know him?" "Who doesn't know him?Are you saying you are the daughter of the national hero Zhao Ye?" "Shé.Wo shi Zhao Lusi! Well, I don't know about him being a hero. What I can say is he is my best friend, always makes me laugh like a little joker."
Feng's mind reeled. The rumors... they said she was ugly and mean. I can't see that! "Well,"he ventured cautiously, "do you know there are rumors about you? Of being ugly and mean."
Lusi... smiled. "I know." "Why are you smiling?" "Because I find it funny." "Funny?" "See?Oh, wait, what was your name again?" "Luo Feng." "Oh,okay, Feng'er." (No one calls me that! How can she?) "Let me tell you something. Whether someone is pretty or ugly depends on the person. Everyone has their own perspective. The funny part is, I barely stay in the capital. The people there don't even know how I look. And about 'mean'? When I'm home, I only rest. I don't go out. Maybe some people find that mean."
"Don't you feel bad?" "Why take someone's words seriously when that person doesn't even matter in your life?"She shrugged. "Besides, my father always calls me the prettiest girl in the world after my mom. That man always puts his wife before me."
Feng laughed. "Then how is your mom?" "I don't know.She died five days after my birth." Her voice was soft, but not sad. "I can't feel sad just by listening to stories about her. It would be like feeling sad about the thousands who died in the War of Wanning River. You don't know them."
Her logic was devastating and true. "What was your mom's name?" "Her name was similar to mine.Ding Lisu. She was a female general."
Feng's blood ran cold. Ding Lisu?! The legendary warrior. This wasn't just the daughter of a minister. This was the heir to two military titans.
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Chapter 4: The Rescue
Location: A Secluded Hut
Their peaceful journey shattered. Thieves, agents of a rival kingdom, ambushed Feng, drugging him and dragging him away.
Lusi returned to the inn to find chaos. The owner explained through panicked breaths that her friend had been kidnapped.
Her face, once open and cheerful, became a mask of cold fury. "Which direction?" "Right." "Hao.Xièxie."
She didn't take men. She didn't need them.
She found them at night. Feng was tied up, a knife to his throat. "You are done for. There is no one to save you now."
A blade flew from the darkness, slicing through the air and the throats of four men in a single, silent arc. It thudded into a wooden post.
The lead man spun around. On a rooftop above, silhouetted against the moon, sat Lusi. "How did you think you could take my people away without my permission?"
The man yelled for an attack. Lusi dropped down, pulling the twin swords from her waist—the ones Feng had mistaken for mere daggers. She was a whirlwind, a dancer of death, until only the leader remained. She held her sword to his neck.
"Who sent you?" "I will not spout anything." "Hăo a.Then die."
She ended him without a second thought.
She ran to Feng, cutting his bonds. "Don't worry. All good now." Her hands, so deadly moments before, were gentle as she helped him up. And then she saw it: the wound on his back.
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Chapter 5: The Wound and the Question
Location: An Inn Room
"Take off your top." "Huh?" "To apply medicine." "Oh."
She sat behind him, her touch gentle as she applied the salve. "Don't worry. I am quite good with medicine." "I don't know about medicine,"Feng said, his voice low. "You were pretty good with your swords." She gave a soft laugh."Hhh, it's nothing."
A silence fell, filled only with the sound of their breathing. "Why did you save me?"he finally asked.
Her answer was simple, honest, and it shattered his entire world. "Because you are my friend."
Friend? People never saved him because it washim. They only tried to protect him because he was the Second Prince. She saw him. Luo Feng. And she still found him worth saving.
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Chapter 6: Under the Moonlight
Location: On the road to Kunming
They rested under a tree, the full moon bathing them in silver light. "After we reach Kunming,we will get a cart to the capital," Lusi said. "No need.For what reason?" "You are injured!" "It's just a little injury.I can walk now." "Weren't you the one who was complaining all the way from Zhejiang?" "But I can walk now." "Hăo de.If you say so."
Feng looked up. "Wow. Today the moon is so beautiful." "Yeah.Today is a full moon." "I've never seen one like this before." "Full moon comes every month."
"On the boat," Feng began, his voice thoughtful, "you said when we fasten things, we often miss things. Maybe I was too focused on my goal... I missed all this. After being with you these days, I started to question myself. Is it really my goal? And why is it my goal?"
"Your goal should be the same as your life purpose. Something that gives you happiness. Does your goal give you happiness when you think about it? Or will you only feel happy when you finally reach it?" "I don't know.Maybe not." "Then it's not your purpose.It's just an obsession. You want to reach your goal because you want to, but don't know why."
"What is your goal? Do you have one?" "I do have one,"she said, her eyes gazing at the stars. "I want to travel the world. By water, on a ship. With a travel buddy who would like to travel with me. I want to see it all. And I know that it would make you happy for sure."
"You do have a broad point of view," Feng whispered, but Lusi was already asleep.
He turned his head and looked at her sleeping face, so peaceful and trusting. Even though I would not do anything, how can you sleep so freely beside a man? He closed his eyes,a small smile on his lips, and slept.
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Chapter 7: The Return
Location: The Capital Gates
The grand, imposing gates of the capital loomed before them. The air, once filled with the scent of the sea and foreign spices, now smelled of dust, sweat, and politics.
"Finally, we are in the capital," Lusi said, a hint of weariness in her voice.
"Yeah. Finally," Feng replied, his voice heavy. He was not missing the trip; he was mourning it. He was back in the cage.
They walked through the bustling market, a stark contrast to their years of quiet freedom. And then it happened. The Imperial Guards saw him.
Their formation broke. They surrounded him, dropping to one knee in a synchronized motion of steel and deference. The bustling market fell silent.
Lusi froze. "Er? Shé ma?" she whispered, the world tilting on its axis. She looked at him, and the warm, trusting light in her eyes flickered and died, replaced by shock and a chilling distance.
Feng saw it vanish. He grabbed her hand, desperate to hold onto the connection. "Lusi, I will give you a proper explanation. Wait for me. I will come to you. But I have to go now."
Lusi just nodded. And then, with a finality that broke his heart, she softly brushed her hand out of his. The touch that had been her language of friendship was gone. The prince was back, and her friend Feng was dead.
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Chapter 8: The Father's Welcome
Location: Zhao Estate
Lusi walked into the familiar courtyard, her heart a storm of confusion. Her father, Zhao Ye, returned from court, his face lighting up at the sight of her.
"Oh, my beautiful daughter! You have come! How was your trip this time?" "It was good.Different than the rest." "Why?" "I will tell you later." "Hăo.I will listen to you. Well, guess what I prepared for you?" "What?Don't tell me!" "Yes!I made the beef pickle you like with my own hands!" "Really?You are so good!"
She hugged him, the solid, familiar presence of her father a temporary anchor in her upended world. For a moment, she could pretend nothing had changed.
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Chapter 9: The Renunciation
Location: The Imperial Palace
In the cold, echoing hall, Feng stood before his father, the Emperor, and his brother, Crown Prince Sheng.
"You are finally back," the Emperor stated, his voice devoid of warmth. "Shé.I got lost. But I came back." "Why are you so late?" "I walked all the way here." "Youwalked?" Sheng interjected, incredulous. "Shé."
Feng took a deep breath, his decision made on a thousand starry nights and foreign shores. "Your Majesty, I wanted to tell you something. Go on." "I want you to make the First Prince the Crown Prince."
Sheng's eyes widened in shock. The Emperor's brow furrowed. "Why do you say that?" "I no longer desire the throne.I don't want to fight with my brother for it."
A heavy silence hung in the air. "Hăo de," the Emperor said finally. "Then from now on, the First Prince is the Crown Prince. You will get the decree tomorrow morning." "Xièxie,Your Majesty," the brothers said in unison.
Outside the hall, Sheng stopped him. "Didi. Why are you doing this?" "I just don't want the throne." "What do you want to do then?"
Feng smiled, a genuine, peaceful smile Sheng had never seen before. "I want to travel. Travel the whole world on a ship. Meet different people, see different cultures... with my little friend." Sheng's stern expression softened."You made a friend?" Feng nodded."Uh." "Hăo de.I will tell father and also prepare these for you." "Xièxie,gege."
For a fleeting moment, it seemed a happy peace was possible.
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Chapter 10: The Secret Path
Location: The Palace Gardens / Wanyu Mansion
The next day, Feng found Lusi swinging alone in a capital park. She stood as he approached. "Your Highness." "Don't call me that.We are friends. Just call me the way you used to." "Do you think of me as friends?" "Shé."
"Come closer." He stepped forward. "More closer." He obeyed.
WHACK! She slapped his head, hard. "Ah!That's domestic violence!" "We are outside." "Then it's outside-of-domestic violence!" "Ni!Why did you lie, you leech!" "Ah,duìbùqǐ! Forgive me!" "Hăo de."Her anger, once expressed, seemed to evaporate.
"I have to tell you something," he said softly. "I am going on a trip. On a ship, for a world trip." Lusi's eyes began to shine with a hope she thought she'd lost. "But I don't have anyone to go with. So... will you be my travel buddy?"
"I will. I am ready anytime." A huge smile spread across her face. "You are not teasing, are you?" "I am being for real."
Lusi grabbed his hands, doing a little jump of joy. "Hăo! Hăo!" In her exhilaration, she held his face in both her palms. "I can't believe my dream is going to come true!" She turned and punched the air. "Yaahoo!"
Feng touched his cheeks where her hands had been, blushing and smiling, utterly captivated by her joy.
Later, in the palace, the Emperor was surprisingly welcoming. He insisted Lusi call him "Fuqin" and doted on little Ah Yin, who sat on his lap without a trace of fear.
Then, he revealed his "surprise" to Lusi and Ziqi. A hidden path from the palace to their mansions. "So you two can meet anytime. But keep it a secret. Don't tell your husbands. It will be a secret between the three of us." He even made a pinky promise with a giggling Ah Yin.
It seemed like an act of kindness. But it was the first thread in a hidden web.
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Chapter 11: The Journey of a Thousand Li
Location: The Open Sea
The next day, at the shore, Feng was instructing workers like a common man. Lusi arrived. "I am here." He turned and smiled,stretching out his hand to help her onto the ship. Their journey began.
Months passed. They grew closer than ever. On a night in the middle of the sea, under a blanket of stars, Feng's hand accidentally rested on top of hers. They both looked at each other, their breath catching, but neither moved their hand away.
After eight months, they reached Joseon. There, surrounded by the beauty of a foreign culture, they were married in a simple, beautiful Korean-style ceremony. They sent letters home announcing their marriage, but cleverly left out the name of who they had married.
They learned languages. They grew together. Her open hair became a practical braid. They went to England, where Lusi's sharp merchant mind won them a bag of rice and peaches in an archery contest. When a man tried to approach her, Feng stepped in, speaking clear English: "Back off. She is my wife."
They sold the peaches, their sales pitch a perfect blend of logic and charm, and used the money to buy supplies that would last. "Wow, fùrén, you have a great mind," Feng said, impressed. "I know,"she replied with a confident grin.
They were not just travelers; they were partners.
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Chapter 12: The Ottoman Secret
Location: A Marketplace in Turkey
In a bustling Turkish market, their peace was shattered. Lusi, haggling with a vendor, suddenly swayed and fainted.
Feng panicked, calling her name. The head woman of the Ottoman district, a kind woman named Eda, rushed over. "I think you should go with us. We have physicians there."
In the tent, Feng waited, sick with worry. Finally, Eda emerged, smiling. She dapped his shoulder. "Be ready to take more responsibility."
Bewildered, Feng rushed inside. Lusi was sitting up in bed, a shy, bewildered smile on her face. "Is everything alright?"he asked, his voice tight with fear. "Why are you smiling?"
Eda came in. "Because she is two months pregnant already." Feng's worry vanished,replaced by pure, unadulterated joy. "Really?" he asked, looking at Lusi. She just nodded.
He hugged her tightly, laughing with relief and happiness.
Eda insisted they stay until the baby was born, fearing the dangers of a birth at sea. They were welcomed into the community. Lusi wore Ottoman attire, and Feng's eyes glued to her, much to the teasing amusement of the local men.
When her due date came, the whole community waited. The sound of a crying baby was met with cheers of "Mashallah!" and "Alhamdulillah!"
"It's a girl!" the doctor announced. Feng's first question was not about the child,but about his wife. "How is she?" The doctor smiled."You can go in."
Inside, Feng's eyes were full of tears. "Are you okay?" "Yeah.Our daughter." He looked at the tiny bundle."She just looks like you." "She has your nose."
When asked for a name, Lusi didn't hesitate. "We would not have her if we never came to travel. So I am gonna name her Luo Yin."
After mother and child were stable, they left Turkey, their hearts full from the heartfelt goodbyes on the shore. Their family was now three.
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Chapter 13: The World in Her Eyes
Location: Various Ports Around the World
Time was no longer measured in days, but in sunsets, storms, and new shores. Luo Yin took her first steps on the deck of their ship, her laughter mingling with the cries of seagulls. She learned to speak in a delightful mix of languages—Mandarin from her parents, Turkish from her first friends, and English from the ports where they traded.
Lusi's braid, once a symbol of her practical travels, was now often tied up in a messy bun, a testament to the busy, joyful chaos of motherhood. Feng was no longer a prince or even just a merchant; he was a father who could calm nightmares, tell stories of far-off dragons, and cook a passable meal over a ship's stove.
They became adept merchants. In India, they traded silk for spices. In the vibrant markets of Cairo, Lusi's sharp eye for quality and Feng's growing bartering skills turned a healthy profit. They were a team. He handled the heavy lifting and the logistics; she navigated the complex social and economic currents of each new culture.
"Fēng'er, lift these," she'd say, pointing to a crate of exotic fruit after a successful trade. "Sure,my fùrén," he'd reply, hefting it onto his shoulder with a grin.
Their love was no longer just the passionate spark of new discovery; it was the deep, steady flame of shared purpose and a built life. They were building a world for their daughter, a world without palaces or titles, filled only with wonder and love.
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Chapter 14: The Unspoken Shadow
Location: The Indian Ocean
One night, as the ship cut through phosphorescent waves, Lusi stood at the railing, her hand resting on her slightly rounded belly. Their second child was on the way.
Feng came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her head. "You're quiet."
"We've been away for almost five years, Fēng'er." "I know." "Our parents…they have missed so much of Yin's life. They don't even know about this one." She took his hand and placed it on her stomach.
Feng was silent. The thought of returning to the capital was like a cold draft in their warm, self-made world. "We are happy here,"he said, his voice soft. "We are,"she agreed. "But is it right to keep this happiness all to ourselves? Your father… my father… they deserve to know their grandchildren."
She turned to face him, her eyes searching his in the moonlight. "And Yin… she should know where she comes from. She should know her family."
Feng saw the wisdom in her words, but a primal dread, a feeling he couldn't name, coiled in his stomach. He pushed it down. It was just fear of confronting his old life. "Hăo,"he said, kissing her forehead. "We will go home."
The decision was made. The course was set. They were sailing back towards their past.
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Chapter 15: The Return to the Gilded Cage
Location: The Capital Shore, Five Years Later
The ship that had been their home for years now felt like a vessel delivering them to an uncertain fate. Lusi's hair was in a neat bun, her simple traveler's robes replaced with finer, yet still practical, clothing. She held a four-year-old Luo Yin's hand.
"After some days, we will reach our home country," Lusi said. "What is there?"Yin asked, her big eyes wide with curiosity. "Our family,"Feng answered, his voice tight. "And most importantly,"Lusi added, forcing cheer into her voice, "both grandfathers."
On the dock, two parties waited. Zhao Ye stood openly, his face a mask of anticipation and worry.
At a distance, observing, were Crown Prince Sheng and his wife, Song Ziqi. Sheng's eyes were cold, analytical.
The ship docked. Feng came down first, then turned and stretched out his hand. Lusi took it, descending carefully, one hand instinctively cradling her three-month pregnant belly.
From a distance, Sheng saw it. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Another child.
"Second Prince," Zhao Ye greeted formally, bowing. "Call me Feng,"Feng said, and then, in a move that broke all protocol, he stepped forward and openly hugged the Military Minister. Zhao Ye stiffened in surprise, then slowly patted his back, a genuine smile breaking through his official demeanor.
Then Ye's eyes fell on the little girl hiding behind Lusi's legs. "She…?" Lusi smiled."Ah Yin, meet your grandpa. He is my father." Ye's face transformed."She is my granddaughter?" "Shé."
The mighty Minister of Military bent down until he was at her eye level. "Hello, little one." Yin,encouraged by her mother's smile, stepped out. "Hello." Tears welled in Zhao Ye's eyes.She was the image of a young Lusi. He opened his arms, and after a moment's hesitation, she ran into them. He hugged her tightly, then lifted her into his arms, laughing with a joy he hadn't felt in years.
From their vantage point, Ziqi turned to Sheng. "Maybe we should go back. They will eventually come to the palace. Let's go." Sheng's eyes were still locked on the happy family reunion,his expression unreadable. "Hăo," he said flatly.
The first thread of the web had been touched. The spider had taken notice.
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Chapter 16: The Emperor's Welcome
Location: The Imperial Palace Throne Room
Lusi's grip on Feng's hand was tight as they entered the grand hall. "Fēng'er, will your father accept me?" "Of course.You are the daughter of Zhao Ye. There is no way he will object to you." "Hăo ba.Let's go then."
The Emperor, Sheng, and Ziqi were waiting. The atmosphere was tense but not hostile. "You two look match-made in heaven,"the Emperor said, a hint of genuine warmth in his voice. "Xièxie,Your Majesty." Feng smiled.
Introductions were made. Ziqi was immediately kind. "I have been waiting to meet you. Nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you too,"Lusi replied, bowing respectfully.
The Emperor chuckled. "Now I understand why Zhao Ye always says that his daughter is the most beautiful. I guess the rumors were really false." "Xièxie,Your Majesty." "Call me Fuqin." "Fuqin?That will be improper." "It will not.You and Ziqi are like daughters to me. I would love it if you call me Fuqin, like Ziqi does." Lusi nodded."Hăo, Fuqin." The Emperor smiled."You are very sensible now." "Maybe because I got older from before."
Then came the questions he already knew the answers to. "I heard you are with your second child." "Shé." "How many months?"Ziqi asked gently. "I am three months along." "Oh!I am two," Ziqi shared with a smile. "Congratulations,Crown Princess." "Call me Ziqi.No need for formalities."
Then the Emperor's gaze fell on Yin. "What is her name?" "Your Majesty,she is Luo Yin. She will be four this year." "Kid,come here." Lusi nudged her."Ah Yin, go to your grandfather." The Emperor put her on his lap,his stern facade melting away. "What is your name, baby?" "Wo shi Luo Yin." "Wow,such a beautiful name. Who named you?" "Mama." "Oh?Do you know that my surname is also Luo?" Yin's eyes went wide."Really?" "Shé.Since we are matching, can we become friends?" "Sure!I would love to!" The Emperor kissed her forehead,his heart visibly captured. "She is so cute. I don't want to leave her." The room laughed, the tension momentarily broken.
It was a perfect picture of familial harmony. But it was a picture painted over a cracks.
The Emperor then did something unexpected. He asked the brothers to leave, wanting to speak with his "daughters-in-law" alone.
Alone with Lusi and Ziqi, he revealed his "surprise": a hidden path from the palace to their mansions. "As you two are pregnant, always going through the market will not be good. So I prepared this. But keep it a secret. Don't tell your husbands. It will be a secret between the three of us."
He made a laughing Yin promise secrecy too. It was presented as an act of kindness. It felt like a trap.
Outside, Feng and Sheng had a stilted conversation. Sheng's eyes fell on the scented pouch Feng wore. "Your style has changed a lot." "This is made by Sisi as a wedding gift.So I carry it." "Sisi?" "Zhào Lùsī." "Oh."The word was flat, devoid of emotion.
When the women emerged, the two couples parted ways. Feng carried Yin in his arms as they walked away, a perfect unit.
Sheng watched them go, his cold eyes missing nothing. The happy family. The protective husband. The cherished child. The pregnant wife. Everything he had once decided should be his.
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Chapter 17: The Bad Feeling
Location: Wanyu Mansion - Feng and Lusi's Bedchamber
The opulence of the mansion felt stifling. The air was still, heavy with the scent of incense instead of sea salt. That night, Lusi tossed in her sleep, a frown etched on her face. Feng, attuned to her every breath, woke instantly.
He touched her neck with the back of his palm. She was burning up. "Maid!Maid!" he called out, his voice sharp with worry.
A physician was summoned. After a careful examination, he pronounced it a mild fever. "I will prescribe some medicine safe for a pregnant lady. It will take time; we cannot give her strong medicine. It would harm the fetus." "Hăo.Xièxie," Feng said, dismissing him.
In the quiet of their room, he sat beside her. "Is your head paining? Let me massage it for you." Lusi weakly put her head in his lap.She was silent for a long moment, then a single tear traced a path down her temple.
"Fēng'er," she whispered, her voice fragile. "Can we move to Qiling Mountain? Let's leave the capital." Feng's hands stilled."Why? Did something happen? Did anyone hurt you?" "No.Nothing happened. No one said anything. No one hurt me." She turned to look up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But since coming from the palace, I am having a bad feeling in my heart. I don't know what it is. But please, can we leave the capital?"
Feng wiped her tear away, his heart aching for her distress. "Lusi, we can't. You are not well." "I can travel.I have no problem!" "Don't push so much.It's not good for your health or the baby's." His voice was gentle but firm, the voice of reason she usually loved. Now, it felt like a prison wall.
Lusi calmed, the fight draining out of her. She looked into his eyes, her gaze pleading. "Fēng'er... we have a lot of time, right?" "Yeah,silly," he said, smiling softly, completely missing the depth of her terror. "We have a lot of time. I will talk to father later about moving there." "Hăo,"she whispered, closing her eyes. She feigned sleep, but the cold dread in her heart refused to thaw.
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Chapter 18: The Last Goodbye
Location: The Gates of Wanyu Mansion
A few days later, Feng was to travel to Rujun City to oversee a business matter. The morning air was crisp.
Lusi stood at the entrance, silent and pale, her arms wrapped around herself. Feng held her face softly in both his palms."Darling, I will be back in two days. Don't worry."
She didn't speak. Instead, she stepped forward and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest as if she could imprint his very essence into her memory. Feng chuckled softly,stroking her hair. "I am going for two days. You are hugging me as if I am not going to meet you again."
"Can you not go?" The question was a mere breath, a final, desperate plea. "I have to.I can't put all the work on the shoulders of the workers alone." He held her face again, rubbing his nose against hers in their intimate gesture. "I will come back as soon as possible."
He waved as he mounted his horse, a confident, loving smile on his face. Lusi managed a little wave in return, but her eyes were pools of profound sadness, watching the man she loved ride away toward a horizon she would never see again.
From a shaded archway very far away, Sheng watched the entire exchange. His eyes were not jealous. They were cold, calculating, and utterly devoid of warmth. The stage was finally clear.
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Chapter 19: The Monster Revealed
Location: Wanyu Mansion - Courtyard
The night was deep and silent. Inside, Yin slept peacefully in her mother's lap. Her nanny, Wang Ma, entered quietly. "The young mistress is asleep.Let me take her," she whispered.
As Wang Ma lifted Yin, the sound of forced entry shattered the silence—shouts, the clang of steel. Lusi's head snapped up."Wang Ma! Stay with Yin! Let me check!"
She went out into the courtyard, her heart hammering against her ribs. Luo Sheng stood there, surrounded by his personal guards, who were already engaged in a fierce fight with the guards of Wanyu Mansion. "Brother-in-law?"Lusi asked, her voice steady despite her fear. "You are here so late? Is there something?" She forced a smile, a last, futile attempt at diplomacy.
Sheng's face was a mask of icy calm. He didn't answer her. He simply looked at his captain and said one word: "Attack."
The skirmish turned into a slaughter. Lusi ran back inside. "Wang Ma! Take Yin! Hide her with you! Do not come out, no matter what you hear!" The loyal nanny,her face white with fear, snatched up the sleeping child and fled to a secret little chamber built into the wall of the bedchamber.
Lusi grabbed her twin swords—the ones from her travels. She fought with the strength of a cornered tiger, but her body was weak from the fever, heavy with child. She was a whirlwind of desperate defense, but she was outnumbered, and her movements were slowed.
And then, it happened. A moment of opening. A cold, searing pain.
Sheng moved with a speed that belied his usual calm demeanor. He lunged forward, and his blade found its mark, plunging deep into her belly.
Lusi gasped, her swords clattering to the ground. She stumbled back, her hands going to the fatal wound. She looked at him, her eyes wide with shock and betrayal. "Why?"
Sheng looked down at her, his cold eyes finally showing emotion: a twisted, possessive rage. "I liked you first. But why? Why did you choose him over me? What did he give you that I can't, huh?" He leaned closer, his voice a venomous whisper. "When I like a thing, I get it. If I can't, I make sure no one else can."
He pulled the sword out with a sickening sound. He didn't stay to watch her fall. His work was done. He turned and left, his guards following, leaving behind a scene of carnage.
He did not notice Ziqi, hidden in the shadows of the moonlit garden gate, her hand clamped over her mouth, her whole body trembling. She had come, as promised, for their midnight snack.
---
Chapter 20: The Promise
Location: Wanyu Mansion - Courtyard
Ziqi stumbled forward, her legs threatening to give way. "Lu... si?" The word was a choked sob.
Lusi lay on the cold stones, her life bleeding out. Her eyes, already glazing over, found Ziqi's. With the last of her strength, she stretched out a trembling hand.
Ziqi fell to her knees, clutching Lusi's cold hand. "No... no..." "Promise me,"Lusi whispered, each word a struggle. "You will protect Ah Yin... and my Feng." Her eyes held Ziqi's, pleading, commanding.
And then, the light in them faded. Her hand went limp.
Ziqi stared, uncomprehending for a second. Then a wail of pure anguish tore from her throat. "No! No! Lusi!" She shook the lifeless body. "You can't die! Please, Lusi! PLEASE!" Her cries echoed in the silent, bloody courtyard, a devastating requiem for a life extinguished too soon, for a light snuffed out by obsessive darkness.
The promise was made. Not in words, but in the shared, horrific moment of death. Ziqi, the gentle Crown Princess, would now become a vessel of vengeance and protection.
She did not hear the frantic hoofbeats approaching in the distance. Feng, his heart seized by a sudden, inexplicable panic, had turned back halfway to Rujun. He was riding home.
---
Chapter 21: The Return to Ruin
Location: The Road to Wanyu Mansion / The Courtyard
A cold dread, sharper than any winter wind, had gripped Feng's heart miles from the capital. It was a feeling he could not name, a primal scream in his soul that told him to turn back. He had abandoned his business, his horse galloping through the night, driven by a terror that left no room for thought, only instinct.
The first light of dawn was bleeding into the sky as he reached the gates of his home. The silence was wrong. It was not the peace of sleep, but the stillness of a grave.
The grand gates were splintered. He pushed them open, and the scent hit him first—the metallic tang of blood, thick and cloying in the morning air.
His world slowed to a nightmare crawl. Bodies of his loyal guards lay scattered in the courtyard, their lifeblood staining the elegant stones. His breath came in short, ragged gasps. "Lusi?" His call was a hoarse whisper, then a desperate shout. "LUSI!"
His eyes scanned the horror, refusing to focus, refusing to understand. And then they stopped.
At the far end of the courtyard, a figure sat motionless on the ground. Crown Princess Ziqi, her fine robes stained with dirt and dark, drying blood. She was curled over something, rocking slightly.
Feng's feet carried him forward, each step heavier than the last. His breath hitched, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs.
He saw the long, dark hair fanned out across the stones. He saw the familiar blue of the robe she'd worn just yesterday.
He collapsed to his knees beside Ziqi. His eyes took in the scene: the pale, lifeless face; the closed eyes that would never sparkle with laughter again; the terrible, dark stain across her abdomen and the beautiful, embroidered fabric of her dress.
"Lusi…" The name was a broken thing, torn from the depths of his soul. He reached out a trembling hand, brushing her cold cheek. "Lusi… no…." He gathered her limp body into his arms, pulling her onto his lap, rocking her as if he could warm her back to life. "Lusi! Wake up! PLEASE!" His cries were raw, animalistic, echoing Ziqi's own from hours before. "I'm here… I'm back… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
He wept into her hair, his shoulders shaking with the force of his sobs. The world had ended, and he was the only one left screaming in the ruins.
---
Chapter 22: The Truth and the Tiger Seal
Location: Wanyu Mansion - Courtyard
It was Zhao Ye who arrived next, his face ashen after a panicked messenger had reached his estate. He burst into the courtyard, his military discipline the only thing holding him together—until he saw.
He saw his son-in-law cradling his daughter's corpse.
A low, guttural moan escaped him. The mighty Military Minister, the national hero, stumbled and collapsed to his knees a few feet away, his body refusing to go closer, his mind refusing to accept the sight. His little girl. His bright, beautiful Lusi. Cold and still.
Feng's weeping was the only sound.
Then, a small, broken voice cut through the grief. "Your brother."
Feng's head snapped up. His tear-filled eyes, red-raw with pain, locked onto Ziqi. She was still staring at Lusi's body, her own tears leaving clean tracks through the blood on her cheeks.
"What did you say?" Feng's voice was dangerously quiet.
Ziqi slowly, painfully, turned her gaze to him. There was no hysteria left in her, only a cold, hard certainty born of witnessed horror.
"Luo Sheng," she said, each word clear and precise, fueled by a fury that overshadowed her fear. "Murdered your wife. And your unborn child. Last night. He stabbed her. By his own hand."
The words hung in the air, each one a hammer blow. Feng's grief did not vanish; it was incinerated, replaced by a white-hot inferno of rage. The image of his brother's cold eyes from the day before flashed in his mind.
A soft sound came from the mansion. Wang Ma, her face streaked with tears, emerged from the hidden chamber, clutching a sleepy, confused Luo Yin.
"Mama?" the little girl mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
The sight of his daughter, alive and innocent, was the final catalyst. Feng gently, reverently, laid Lusi's body down. He stood up. The grief-stricken husband was gone. In his place stood an avatar of vengeance.
He walked to Zhao Ye, who was still on his knees, staring blankly at his hands.
"Father," Feng said, the title never more meaningful.
Ye looked up, his eyes hollow.
Feng extended his hand. "The Tiger Seal."
Understanding dawned in Ye's eyes. Without a word, without hesitation, he reached into his robes and pulled out the symbol of ultimate military power in the kingdom. He placed the heavy jade seal into Feng's waiting palm. It was not just a transfer of command; it was a father's blessing on a son's wrath.
Feng's fingers closed around it. He turned, his burning eyes finding Ziqi's one last time.
"Protect her," he commanded.
Ziqi nodded, scrambling to her feet and rushing to take Yin from Wang Ma. "With my life," she vowed.
Feng's gaze swept over his wife's body, over his heart lying broken on the stones. He bent and picked up Lusi's sword from where it had fallen, its blade stained with the blood of her last fight.
He did not look back. He walked out of the gates of Wanyu Mansion, the Tiger Seal in one hand, his wife's sword in the other, his soul ablaze with a single, pure purpose.
Revenge.
---
Chapter 23: The Judgment
Location: The Imperial Palace Throne Room
Feng walked through the palace gates. The guards saw his face—a mask of frozen fury—and the Tiger Seal held aloft in his hand. They did not bow. They parted, a silent sea of steel before his wrath.
He strode into the throne room, the echoes of his footsteps like drumbeats of doom. The Emperor was there, discussing matters of state. He looked up, startled by the intrusion.
"Feng! What are you doing? This is treason!" the Emperor thundered, rising from his throne.
Feng's voice was low, a blade of ice scraping against stone. "I don't care what you call it. Whether treason or something else."
"Feng—"
"You might not know," Feng interrupted, his eyes never leaving his father's. "You might be thinking you are saving the Crown Prince. But I see the criminal who murdered my wife and my unborn child for no reason, without any mercy."
The Emperor's face paled. His anger evaporated, replaced by dawning horror. "Shé ma?" The words were a breathless gasp.
A flash of memory seared his mind: holding a giggling baby Lusi in his arms just days ago; her voice, bright and trusting, calling him "Fuqin." The weight of his manipulations, his secret paths and whispered alliances, suddenly felt like a millstone around his neck. He had played a game of power, and the price was the blood of his granddaughter and the life of the woman his son loved.
He looked at Feng—truly looked—and saw not a rebellious son, but a force of nature, carved from grief and righteous fury. The Emperor, the most powerful man in the kingdom, had no words. He took a single, stumbling step back, his silence a louder condemnation than any decree.
Feng moved past him without another glance.
---
Chapter 24: The Price
Location: The Crown Prince's Quarters
Sheng was in his chambers, already hearing the commotion. He turned as Feng entered, his expression one of arrogant defiance masking a sliver of fear.
"You think you can kill me? Guards! Attack!" Sheng commanded.
No one moved.
The palace guards, who had followed Feng, now surrounded Sheng. But their swords were not pointed at Feng. They were leveled at their Crown Prince.
Sheng's eyes darted around, confusion turning to panic. "What are you doing?!" he screamed at them. Then his gaze fell on Feng, and he saw it—the heavy jade Tiger Seal gleaming in Feng's grip. The symbol of absolute military authority. Zhao Ye's power. Now Feng's.
Realization dawned, cold and terrible. His father's schemes, his own perceived safety—it was all ash.
Sheng tried to run. It was a futile, desperate scramble.
Feng was upon him in two strides. There was no grand speech, no final exchange. There was only justice.
The first thrust was for Lusi. Feng drove Lusi's own sword deep into Sheng's belly, a mirror of the wound he had inflicted. Sheng gasped, his eyes wide with shock and agony.
The second thrust was for the child he would never know. Feng plunged the blade into his brother's heart.
Sheng collapsed to the floor, the cold marble meeting his body. His vision blurred, the world fading to a gray haze. In the doorway, through dimming eyes, he saw a figure. Ziqi. His wife. She had come to witness his end.
His lips formed her name, a silent, bloody bubble. "Zi..."
She did not weep. She did not rage. She looked at him with an expression of pure, unadulterated revulsion. Then, she turned her back on him and walked away, leaving him to die alone in the darkness he had created.
---
Chapter 25: The Aftermath
Location: The Throne Room
Feng walked back into the throne room, the blood of his brother staining his clothes. The Emperor still stood where he had left him, aged a decade in minutes.
The Emperor placed a shaking hand on Feng's shoulder. "Now that Luo Sheng has died—"
Feng wasn't listening. His eyes were vacant, staring at a future that had been stolen. He finally looked at his father, and for the first time, he did not see the Emperor.
"Fuqin," he said, the word a hollow, broken sound. "I want to move to Qiling Mountain."
The Emperor closed his eyes, a single tear tracing a path through his regal composure. He had lost one son to madness and another to grief. The throne, his schemes, his power—it all meant nothing.
"Hăo," he whispered, his voice thick with a loss too profound for words.
---
Chapter 26: The Empty Side of the Bed
Location: A Cottage in Qiling Mountain
Time passed. The capital moved on.
The Emperor adopted Ziqi as his own daughter, making her the official successor. She aborted the child she carried—Sheng's heir, a tainted legacy—a decision of immense pain and finality. She would rule, not as a widow, but as an Empress in her own right, a guardian of the peace she had promised to protect.
Feng and Ah Yin moved to a simple cottage at the foot of Qiling Mountain, near the river where it had all begun.
Mornings were a ritual. Feng would wake from a fitful sleep and open his eyes. For a fleeting second, he would forget. Then he would see it: the empty space beside him. The side where a girl with messy hair should be sleeping. He would smile, a small, sad gesture not of happiness, but of memory. Then he would get up.
He made breakfast for himself and Ah Yin, now five. He learned to braid her hair, his large, clumsy hands slowly mastering the skill.
In the afternoons, they would walk to a small hill overlooking the valley. A simple grave, covered in a blanket of vibrant purple tulips—her favorite—stood there.
He would give water to the flowers. Then he would sit in the grass, and Ah Yin would climb into his lap. They wouldn't speak. They would just sit, father and daughter, watching the sun set behind the mountains, painting the sky in colors of fire and gold.
The journey was over. The goal was gone. There was only the quiet, enduring love that remained, and the memory of a little friend who had taught him how to live, just before she was taken from him.
- THE END -