He wore a cold expression. It was obvious that even if Shi Muyuan showed up now, he had no intention of harming this person he respected.
"I'll act as if Mother never came," he said.
Hearing this, Shi Muyuan stared at him wide - eyed. "Huang'er, are you not going to listen to Mother anymore? Don't do anything stupid, or you'll surely regret it."
"Enough, Mother! I have someone I love and my own children now, and I hold great power. This is a one - way road for me, but I've never regretted walking on it."
His firm words made Shi Muyuan sigh.
Well, she couldn't force things. Everyone had their own destiny, and wasn't she the same?
The original owner had died back then, but then she had somehow time - traveled here in spirit, and all these things had happened.
"Forget it. What's meant to be will be. Huang'er, I hope you'll never regret your decision today."
"I respectfully see Mother off."
Just like when he was a child, he knelt on the ground and bowed with respect on his face.
However, Shi Muyuan knew that this might be the last time he showed her such respect.
The next time they met, they could only be enemies.
She sighed slightly and walked away in melancholy.
But at a turning, she was knocked out from behind.
When Ziyi saw her mistress being taken away and tried to step forward, many black - clothed men suddenly appeared in front of her.
"You must be the Prince's men. Didn't you see that the Prince had let my mistress leave? How dare you act against your master? Do you believe I'll tell the Prince?"
"Go ahead. Let him see how pathetic you are. It's a pity you won't have the chance. I can make your death quicker," a voice said.
As the voice sounded, a figure gradually emerged from behind the black - clothed men.
The black - clothed men made way, and Ziyi finally saw who the voice belonged to.
She never expected that there would be a third party waiting in the wings.
"He Hui, if the Prince finds out, he won't spare you. Acting against the mistress is the biggest mistake you've ever made."
He Hui looked unconcerned, admiring her newly - done nail polish.
"Didn't you hear what your mistress and the Prince said just now? They're enemies now. Who do you think will save their enemy? What the Empress Dowager and the Emperor did back then had already sealed their fates. I won't let anyone ruin this rebellion."
With that, she waved her hand casually. "Don't let this girl escape. Clean it up. I don't want any trouble later."
"Yes."
...
When Shi Muyuan opened her eyes, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck. She gritted her teeth in anger, her small face scrunched up.
"Don't you have any morals? You always attack from behind and hit me on the neck. Can't you use some sleeping pills next time?"
As soon as she finished speaking, there was a scoff beside her.
"Mother is probably thinking too much. Since you're already here, how could there be a next time?"
The young girl turned around in surprise and saw He Hui sitting not far away, playing with a hairpin.
Now if she still didn't understand what was going on, she might as well have wasted her decades of life.
She pursed her lips. The hairpin in He Hui's hand was the one she used to wear on her head. Somehow it had been taken off.
"What do you want? Huang'er said he wouldn't harm me. Are you going to go against him?"
Shi Muyuan didn't believe that Ji Huang was a man who would go back on his word. So it was very likely that the person in front of her had acted on her own initiative.
It had to be said that a woman's sixth sense was sometimes very accurate.
He Hui stood up and smiled. "Do you think the Prince will know that I've kidnapped you?"
The answer was obvious. Ji Huang didn't even know that she was missing.
Her mind raced as she thought about how to call for help.
She had come out secretly this time and hadn't told anyone. That meant no one but Ziyi knew where she was.
Right, where was Ziyi?
She looked around for a long time but couldn't find the familiar girl.
He Hui noticed her searching look.
"Don't worry, Mother. I've already had that girl beside you taken care of. No one will find out."
Shi Muyuan was stunned. He Hui really had come prepared.
She had a headache. "What exactly do you want? No, if you wanted to kill me, you would have done it long ago. You wouldn't have waited until now."
"You're not too stupid. Since the Empress Dowager is so curious, I'll be kind enough to tell you. I'm keeping you alive so that the young Emperor will surrender at a critical moment. He surely won't abandon his beloved mother, right?"
So that was it. She was being kept alive to threaten the young Emperor.
Shi Muyuan curled her lips. "If that's the case, you'd better have your people serve me well these days. Otherwise, if I'm in a bad mood one day, I might just kill myself. I'm sure the Princess doesn't want to end up with nothing."
There was a hint of provocation on her face. He Hui never expected that her confession would become a handle for Shi Muyuan to threaten her.
He Hui's face turned ashen with anger. But what Shi Muyuan said was indeed something she had to consider. Otherwise, if the army really surrounded the city one day and Shi Muyuan was already dead, the young Emperor would surely not surrender, and it would cost more troops.
Helplessly, after some thought, He Hui had to order her people to untie Shi Muyuan.
"Then I'll have to trouble Mother to stay here for a while. When I need you, I'll have you brought out."
With that, she left. Shi Muyuan watched her angry back and knew that her gamble had paid off. She let out a long sigh of relief.
"What are you looking at? Your mistress told you to serve me well. If anything happens to me, your mistress won't spare you."
The servant felt aggrieved but had to step forward to untie her.
"What would the Empress Dowager like to eat?"
"Bring me abalone and sea cucumber. I want something good."
Hearing this, the servant was dissatisfied.
"Does the Empress Dowager have any idea that she's a prisoner? You're like an ant in our hands. It's easy to crush you."
This made Shi Muyuan burst out laughing.
"Okay, then go ahead and kill me. Make it look as miserable as possible. Then your mistress can find me a good burial place. But if your mistress finds out that you've killed me, you'll have to be buried with me. I wonder if you're willing to make such a losing deal."
Her words were really annoying, and with that annoying expression, it made people grind their teeth in hatred.
The servant was so angry that she almost spat out blood. She snorted and turned around to go prepare. There was nothing she could do. What Shi Muyuan said had hit her weak point.