He Hui hadn't seen such a serious look on his face for a long time. A vague guess popped into her mind, but she didn't dwell on it.
She had already ordered her men to clean up all the traces. There was absolutely no way anyone would find out. There must be something else going on.
Thinking of this, her expression remained unchanged.
"Your Highness, if you have something to say, just say it. After all, everyone inside and outside this mansion is on our side. No one would dare to eavesdrop."
Although she concealed her emotions well, Ji Huang was in a highly sensitive state at the moment. Almost instantly, he caught a glimpse of an emotion in her eyes that he had never seen before.
Now, the truth was right in front of him. Whether he wanted to believe it or not didn't matter. His voice gradually turned hoarse.
"Hui'er, how do you think I've treated you?"
"Your Highness has been extremely kind to me. There's no one in this world who can compare to Your Highness in terms of kindness to me."
Taking a deep breath, Ji Huang slowly got to the point.
"Since I've been good to you, why did you secretly do things that I don't want you to do?"
He Hui was taken aback. After reacting, her face looked rather ugly.
"I don't quite understand what Your Highness is saying."
"Do you really not understand? Hui'er, you know that you're the only one I have now. Don't tell me you're also going to deceive me?"
Finally, under his intense gaze, He Hui had no choice but to tell the whole story.
"Yes, I did secretly kidnap the Empress Dowager. But Your Highness should understand my good intentions. I thought that even if no one in this world understood me, you would."
Even though she looked so pitiful, Ji Huang still couldn't bring himself to be harsh.
"Forget it. I know you did all this for me. But I've already made up my mind. I'm going to have a fair duel with my elder brother. During this period, I don't want anyone to interfere."
His meaning was clear, and He Hui froze.
"If we have the Empress Dowager in our hands, we'll surely have an extra chance of winning. Your Highness, you need to think this through. I did all this for you."
"Hui'er, I won't forget your good intentions. But I'm a man. I don't want to win in such a dirty way. I want to stand in front of everyone openly."
Since he had already said so much, He Hui still seemed a bit reluctant.
"Your Highness has spoken. I'm just a woman. What can I do?"
After saying that, she got up and walked outside.
"I'll go to the child's room tonight. Your Highness has been tired all day. Go to bed early."
Without waiting for his reply, He Hui disappeared at the door.
Ji Huang felt a bit heart - broken, but there was nothing he could do. He wouldn't make any concessions when it came to Shi Muwan.
The next day.
Something unexpected happened.
Just as he was sending a letter to Cui Qizhou to pick up Shi Muwan, a servant stumbled in.
"What's all this fuss about?"
"Your Highness! Something terrible has happened. The Princess Consort has tried to commit suicide."
"What!"
Ji Huang didn't even know how he got to the courtyard. The words the servant had said kept echoing in his mind.
When he reached the courtyard, he kept muttering to himself.
"Impossible. It's absolutely impossible. You guys must have seen it wrong."
It wasn't until he saw the woman on the bed, barely breathing, that he immediately rushed forward without thinking.
"Hui'er, why are you so stupid? You can tell me all your troubles. Why did you do such a foolish thing?"
He Hui had already regained consciousness, but she didn't say a word. Her eyes were blank as she stared blankly upwards.
One of the maids couldn't bear to watch.
"Your Highness, the doctor said that the mistress is suffering from a heart - ailment. She meant well, but unexpectedly, Your Highness not only didn't appreciate it but also asked her to release the person she had captured. This is really wrong."
"Hui'er, I just want to win fairly. I don't want to play any tricks, or else I'll be scorned by the whole world."
Finally, after he said this, He Hui said, "Your Highness is far - sighted and upright. Naturally, I, a woman in the inner chambers, can't compare."
"Don't talk like that about yourself, Hui'er. I can understand your kindness towards me, and I know how much you want me to prove myself to the world. But I don't think this is the right way."
"Yes, Your Highness just thinks I did something wrong."
Ji Huang felt a bit of a headache. Why couldn't she understand this simple truth?
He waved his hand, signaling the others to leave first.
Then he continued, "Not only me, but no one in this world has the right to say you're wrong."
"If Your Highness wants to save someone, then go to the warehouse at the dock. Someone will take you to see the Empress Dowager."
She closed her eyes, and her grief was palpable. This made Ji Huang feel even more guilty.
He pondered for a moment, then stood up. Just as he was about to reach the door, a voice came from behind him.
"Your Highness needs to make a decision. If you go and release the Empress Dowager, then we'll have no more interactions in this lifetime, including our child. I'll raise him alone."
"Hui'er, are you really going to be so heartless to me because of this?"
"That depends on what decision Your Highness makes."
...
Cui Qizhou waited in the inn for a whole day as the letter had instructed, but the person was never sent back. Finally, he sensed something was wrong.
Zi Yi, dragging her injured body, walked downstairs non - stop.
"Master National Teacher, as I said from the beginning, we shouldn't have trusted them. Back then, we were just letting the tiger return to the mountain. How could Ji Huang not know about this? It's all their conspiracy. A whole day has passed, and they haven't sent the mistress back as promised."
"Go upstairs and rest first. You're one of the people the mistress cares about the most. She probably doesn't want to see you like this when she comes back. I'll go out. If they really break their promise, I'm not a soft - hearted person."
"I trust you, Master National Teacher. You're a reasonable person."
Cui Qizhou didn't have much trouble finding Ji Huang's mansion. He stared coldly at the gatekeeper in front of him.
"I want to see your Highness."
"Why has the National Teacher come today?"
"Call your Highness out. I have something important to ask him."
At first, the gatekeeper was a bit reluctant. "Our Highness's status is not such that just anyone can see him."
"What status? A traitor?"
As soon as he said this, the gatekeeper's face changed, but he didn't say anything else. Instead, he turned around and went inside to report.
Soon, the gatekeeper returned gloatingly, looking at him with a smug look in his eyes.
"Our Highness said that he has nothing to do with you people anymore. Since the Empress Dowager is here, she might as well stay."
"So your Highness doesn't even care about the kindness of upbringing anymore?"
"National Teacher, don't put such a big label on our Highness. He said that he can't bear your kindness. From now on, there'll be no more connection. When we meet, we'll be enemies."