She fainted twice in succession. In the darkness of the night, she groggily came to her senses. Her glazed eyes stared blankly as she got up from the couch. Her slender hand brushed across the desk as if he were still sitting there.
" Ming Ye..." Song Jinyu, weak all over, sat there in a daze. Her mind was a complete blank. Just thinking of Zhongli Ming Ye made her heart ache unbearably.
Where on earth was he? Did he know how much pain she was in? Didn't he always hate seeing her cry? But now her tears were like a breaking dam. What could she do?
Forcing down the surging emotions in her heart, Song Jinyu opened the right - hand drawer of the desk. Inside was a painting of herself, painted in the Liuzhou Prince's Mansion.
The painting he had refused to give her at that time was actually brought by him to the capital!
She felt even more heart - broken, but she couldn't allow herself to wallow in grief. " Niaoniao, Micui, help me dress and do my hair!" She stood up, weak - kneed but with a growing determination in her eyes.
How could he be so heartless as to leave her behind? They didn't even have a child yet... She regretted more and more. If only she hadn't let him go to the front - line to fight!
Biting back her grief, Song Jinyu let them dress and adorn her like a puppet. But in her mind, she was constantly thinking and making judgments.
" He's waiting for me!"
Niaoniao and Micui exchanged a look. Qingfeng came in to report, " Princess, everything is ready!"
Song Jinyu got up expressionlessly and took a look at the bedroom. She recalled the first time she came here. The interior was simple and elegant. After she got married and moved in, everything here became even more refined and unique, filled with the atmosphere of a woman's boudoir.
It was her Ming Ye who had accompanied her through the most difficult times, firmly insisting on marrying her, and was even willing to take revenge for her.
Looking back on the journey, if it weren't for Zhongli Ming Ye, how could she have avenged her master and Yan Fei so easily?
When they first met, it turned out that she was the one being doted on and protected by him. These days, she had gradually let go of the past and was only willing to be his little wife.
Now that he was gone, what was the meaning of this life?
" Is the Prince of Zhongzhou at home today?"
" Yes!"
Ming Ruyi was still trying to figure out the truth about Zhongli Ming Ye's disappearance when he didn't expect Song Jinyu to come looking for him. " Jinyu, you've been avoiding me. Now..."
" Why did you come here in person?" He opened his folding fan. Although his words were teasing, seeing how much thinner and paler she had become,
he couldn't go on.
Song Jinyu gave a sad smile. " Uncle, you're joking... I haven't been avoiding you... I'm here today..." Her voice was slow. Having not eaten for many days, she was so weak that she looked like a willow swaying in the wind.
It made people want to protect her. Ming Ruyi stepped closer to her.
Staring at her intently, he suddenly smiled and said, " Ming Ye is missing. What are your plans?"
" I have plans!"
Her eyes suddenly lit up. Song Jinyu looked at him calmly and said, " Uncle, your throne is secure, isn't it?"
As soon as she said this, Ming Ruyi was stunned. This earth - shattering statement made him put away his teasing expression. His face changed drastically. " Nonsense!"
He dismissed everyone. Song Jinyu walked over and sat down casually. " The Crown Prince has been deposed and is half - crazy; the Prince of Cheng is dead, and the Prince of Yong has been imprisoned..."
" Right now, Ming Ye is also missing." Her eyes turned cold as she stared straight at Ming Ruyi. " The little prince of the Emperor is only one year old." What she didn't say was that it was uncertain whether he would even live to adulthood.
The important ministers in the court were nominally on Ming Ye's side. But considering the relationship between Ming Ye and Ming Ruyi, she was afraid that... those people would switch sides in the end!
Ming Ruyi looked at Song Jinyu as if he had never known her before. " You can say this in the mansion, but don't mention it outside."
" I've never coveted that throne!"
Song Jinyu sneered. " Among the men of the Zhongli family, any one with a bit of talent has lusted after that position!"
" Uncle, let's not beat around the bush. Where on earth is Zhongli Ming Ye?"
What did she mean by that?
Ming Ruyi threw his fan on the ground with a " snap"! He had always known that Song Jinyu didn't care about him, but he didn't expect that she didn't even trust him! Staring fiercely at that stubborn and cold figure, he suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms. " What did you say!"
The fierceness in his eyes seemed as if he wanted to devour Song Jinyu. But she didn't care at all. " I said, give Zhongli Ming Ye... back to me!"
Give him back to her? Ming Ruyi finally understood what Song Jinyu meant. " Haha..."
" Song Jinyu, Song Jinyu, you!" Ming Ruyi was furious, but then he suddenly calmed down and stared at her menacingly. " If Zhongli Ming Ye is dead, it might be for the better."
" If he's dead, you'll be mine."
" Once I ascend the throne, I'll surely make you the queen... I can give your entire Song family all the glory and wealth they could ever want!" As soon as he finished speaking,
" Snap!"
A slap landed on his face. Song Jinyu calmly moved a bit further away from Ming Ruyi. " Don't even think about it!"
Her red lips had turned even paler. Leaning against the table, Song Jinyu was completely drained of strength. That slap had used up all her energy.
Ming Ruyi touched the cheek she had slapped, as if he were touching her. His eyes became even more ambiguous. " Jinyu... really needs some discipline!"
With a wicked look on his face, Ming Ruyi wasn't going to let Song Jinyu go. Just as he was about to call someone in, he suddenly felt as if there were thousands of worms crawling in his head.
He staggered and barely managed to hold onto the table to keep from falling.
But with a gentle push from Song Jinyu, he lost control of his body and fell to the ground. Although he was still conscious, Ming Ruyi knew that
he had been poisoned!
His lips trembled, and he couldn't speak. His phoenix - like eyes stared coldly at Song Jinyu. Although her face was still pale, she no longer looked as delicate as before.
" Ming Ruyi, are you afraid of death?"
" This poison is called the Ten - Thousand - Footed Worm. I developed it myself. It's unique in the world." Looking down at Ming Ruyi haughtily, she said, " You can remove it yourself three months from now, but you'll never be able to control your emotions again; or I can give you the antidote to relieve your pain."
" Of course, you can also kill yourself." Song Jinyu smiled. " But a person like you won't die so easily."
Ming Ruyi helplessly massaged his temples, using his inner strength to fight off the surging pain. " Jinyu, you actually..."
He looked at Song Jinyu as if he had never known her before. For the sake of Zhongli Ming Ye, Song Jinyu dared to attack him. A deep sadness welled up in his heart. Maybe this was the real Song Jinyu.
She clapped her hands, and Qingfeng and Micui came in to await her orders. " Take the Prince of Zhongzhou. We're leaving together!"
Getting closer to Ming Ruyi, she smiled slightly and said, " Be a good boy, and you'll suffer less."
As his consciousness gradually faded, Ming Ruyi looked at that delicate face. He had once thought about how he would dote on her if he could have her.
Now, he just hoped that this woman would be rational.
Qingfeng helped Ming Ruyi up. Song Jinyu and Micui changed their clothes. Then several shadow guards came and changed into the uniforms of the guards of the Zhongzhou Prince's Mansion.
Just like that, they openly took Ming Ruyi, the Prince of Zhongzhou, out of the capital.
Ming Ruyi gave a bitter smile. This woman had come prepared. But he had to admit that she was really amazing, acting with swiftness and thoroughness.
" Where do you plan to take me?"
" Yanqiu!"
Sure enough, she was going to look for Zhongli Ming Ye in person. Ming Ruyi increasingly felt that Zhongli Ming Ye was really lucky. In his mind, Song Jinyu was the daughter of the governor of Liuzhou, and their temperaments were quite compatible.
Now it seemed that he had underestimated her. He wondered if Zhongli Ming Ye knew that his little wife was so tough.
Song Jinyu felt a bit uncomfortable when she noticed Ming Ruyi staring at her. She just stared coldly out of the window, wishing that the carriage could go faster.
Zhong Yuanliu led the Tianqian Sect and rushed over. " You..."
" Lady, before Prince Yu left, he refused to let this subordinate follow... He said that your safety was the most important thing." Before Zhongli Ming Ye went to war, he had left Zhong Yuanliu behind to protect her.
Song Jinyu became even more nervous. She really couldn't lose Zhongli Ming Ye.