For a full seven days, the imperial physicians worked day and night. Finally, they managed to bring down the Duke Yu's high fever, but he just wouldn't open his eyes.
It was not until late at night.
His phoenix eyes fluttered open slightly. When he looked up, he saw the carved bed canopy. The bright pearl hanging in the middle was put there by Zhongli Mingye on the day they got married.
On the night of their wedding night, she was so shy that she asked him to take the pearl away.
He refused, insisting on looking at her intently.
Two lines of clear tears streamed down his face. The ancient and grand bed seemed even emptier. Previously, he loved to hold Song Jinyu in his arms as he fell asleep. Now, the person beside him was gone.
He had lost her.
How cold the river water must be! Autumn was approaching, and the crabs were plump and delicious. But she was nowhere to be found... With his hands outstretched, Zhongli Mingye closed his eyes weakly.
His hands fumbled shakily towards the empty space beside him. It was ice - cold, so cold.
Jinyu, his Jinyu. Without you, what future could there be for the rest of his life? He clenched his fists tightly and pounded the bed hard!
The dull sound alerted Xing Jian and the others who were guarding outside the door. "My lord, he's awake!"
His eyes were blood - red, looking like a god of slaughter from the mortal world. "Wipe out all nine generations of the Ouyang Jinse family. All those with the surname Ouyang in the court of the Great Xia Dynasty must change their surnames. Those who refuse shall be killed without mercy!"
After giving the order expressionlessly, he drove Xing Jian, Qing Feng and the others out.
What was the use? She still hadn't come back. The Min River was the largest river in the Great Xia Dynasty, and the water conditions were extremely dangerous. He wasn't unaware of this,
he just refused to believe it.
His thoughts gradually drifted back to the past. That lively young girl had pulled him back from the brink of death and told him funny things with a smile.
In essence, she was saying that the mortal world was worth living in. But now, the world was so prosperous and beautiful, yet she had vanished...
They had met once, then twice. Every time he saw her, he felt that his life seemed to come alive. Gradually, he always longed to see her.
Until the time when they both fell off the cliff.
Zhongli Mingye suddenly felt that a flower had blossomed in his heart, a flower named Song Jinyu.
The first thing he did when he returned to the capital was to ask for the imperial edict for their marriage. He had thought about scaring her, but he was really afraid of frightening her.
Later, she came to the capital and got injured. That time, Zhongli Mingye decided to mark her as his own, to make her his forever.
Naturally, they became engaged. A pale smile appeared on his lips. At that time, she was so innocent, as if she couldn't believe it. Of course, Song Jinyu never thought that she would just go to the capital to celebrate the princess's birthday,
and come back with a husband granted by the imperial edict.
Later, He Yi was going to be sent for a political marriage. Kind - hearted as she was, she took a huge risk to help He Yi avoid the imperial order for marriage. That time, it had really scared him.
The more Zhongli Mingye thought about it, the more heart - broken he became. The scar on his chest was healing, but the wound in his heart kept bleeding. His Song Jinyu,
that lively, lovely, kind and intelligent fairy, was now nowhere to be found.
"The wedding dress is meant for you to see anyway!"
She had a charming smile, looking so delicate and lovely. It had made his heart flutter, and he had wanted to kiss her right there in public.
Later, they had a brief separation. Then they met inexplicably in Yanqiu. That time, Zhongli Mingye knew what it meant to miss someone to the bone.
And jealousy too.
Fortunately, it was just a misunderstanding. If Song Jinyu had really fallen in love with someone else, Zhongli Mingye was afraid that he would go crazy. Sadness flashed across his phoenix eyes. How wonderful it was in the past, and how desolate it was now.
He had once loved such a wonderful woman, but now all that was left of him was a miserable sight.
He propped himself up from the bed. Looking at the dressing table, he seemed to still be able to see her dressing up, smiling sweetly.
His well - defined fingers brushed across the rouge, getting a bit of red on them. He staggered and almost couldn't stand. There was still no news of her.
If he had been by her side that day, he would never have let Song Jinyu be in danger. Why was she so stupid, so stupid as to sacrifice herself?
Didn't she know that he couldn't live without her?
Looking at the eyebrow - trimming knife, Zhongli Mingye picked it up as if possessed. Suddenly, he stabbed it straight into his palm.
Blood flowed down,
but he didn't feel any pain. As soon as he pulled the knife out, a strange smile appeared on his face. He touched his neck, his eyes becoming more and more fierce, about to take his own life,
when suddenly a cry came from outside the door. It was Da Yuanbao!
Mi Cui was holding Da Yuanbao. "My lord... The young master is crying again..." Mi Cui's eyes were red. Xiang's child had a fever,
and she had rushed back this morning.
As a result, at night, Da Yuanbao just wouldn't stop crying. Mi Cui had already heard the commotion in this room. She knew that something had happened to Song Jinyu, and it had dealt a great blow to the Duke Yu.
Now, the only thing that could cheer up the Duke Yu was Da Yuanbao.
Looking at Da Yuanbao, whose face resembled Song Jinyu's by about seven - tenths, their child. Zhongli Mingye put down the eyebrow - trimming knife in his hand.
He wiped the blood - stained hand on his clothes. Da Yuanbao was crying so hard that his voice was hoarse. There were teardrops on his chubby face, and he stretched out his hands, wanting his father to hold him.
Zhongli Mingye took him over. Da Yuanbao was blowing bubbles and staring at his father. Why did his father have so much stubble on his face?
He hadn't seen his father for a few days, and he had become so decadent!
Mi Cui quietly closed the door and just stood guard at the door with Qing Feng and Xing Jian.
The candlelight flickered. Da Yuanbao stopped crying. His big eyes were rolling around, looking everywhere. Zhongli Mingye was extremely bitter. Their son,
was still so young. He hugged the child tightly and cried silently. His shoulders were heaving. Da Yuanbao seemed to sense something and
started to sob softly too.
Niao Niao was extremely sad. That day, before Song Jinyu left, she had managed to soothe Niao Niao, so Niao Niao didn't follow her. But now, the princess's life or death was unknown.
"My lord, Da Yuanbao is still young..." Song Chuyu came in. His eyes were blood - red. "If... something happens to you... then..."
He wanted to say that it was because Song Jinyu had lost her mother when she was six years old that she had been sent to Tianmen Mountain. Zhongli Mingye looked down at Da Yuanbao in his arms.
Da Yuanbao was sucking his finger and had fallen asleep.
Zhongli Mingye understood what Song Chuyu meant. But he just couldn't accept it... "Search with all your might!"
"I must find her." Once he found her, they would never be separated again! Smelling the milky scent on Da Yuanbao, the wound on his hand looked even more terrifying.
Song Chuyu asked someone to re - bandage his wound. "Now, the palace still needs you to take charge of the overall situation!"
Zhongli Mingye understood the words Song Jinyu had said before she jumped into the river. It was about the four Chinese herbal medicines! Presumably, it was the prescription to cure the Gu poison.
She had sacrificed her life to protect the Zhongli royal family.
The more he thought about it, the more heart - broken he became.
After leaving the Duke Yu's Mansion, he went straight to the Prime Minister's Mansion. His father was still waiting for news. If... his father heard this news,
he was afraid that his father would be extremely sad.
Many days had passed, and there was still no news. Tens of thousands of naval soldiers had searched up and down the Min River, but there was still no sign of her.