After persuading Duan Qinxue to leave, Duan Zhangchuan continued to read the memorials.

The day passed as usual, eating, walking, reading memorials, bathing, and sleeping.

But there was one difference: Bai Su, upon hearing that his heat period was approaching, specially prepared a set of her clothes, infused with mugwort, and sent them to his chambers.

Though the clothes had been left there for a few days and were covered with the smell of mugwort, the smell of the pheromone was almost gone, but it was better than nothing.

So, that night, after bathing, the Omega, smelling faintly fragrant, crawled into bed, and hugging his Alpha’s clothes, fell into a deep sleep.

–

Duan Changchuan woke up in the middle of the night. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was holding Bai Su’s clothes or because his heat period was approaching, but his dreams were filled with the image of hugging his sister.

When he awoke, he was drenched in sweat, and there was a slight dampness on his lower body. His glands were itching and burning.

He sat on the bed for a long time holding the clothes, his head still a bit foggy.

Reluctantly, he got up, intending to take a bath.

Chang Le, who was keeping watch outside, heard the movement and immediately woke up. He asked worriedly, “Your Majesty, why are you up at this hour? Are you feeling unwell?”

The young man rubbed the glands on his nape and yawned, “It’s a little hot. Prepare some hot water for a bath.”

“Yes, I’ll go right away. If Your Majesty feels hot, I’ll ask someone to send some ice. Ice may cool you down.”

The young man waved his hand, “Go ahead. I’ll take a walk outside. Come find me when the water is ready.”

“Very well, Your Majesty, please be careful. The villa is not like the palace and the paths are not easy to walk at night. Watch your step.”

“Yes, I know. Go ahead.”

“Yes.”

After Chang Le left, Duan Changchuan went outside alone. The villa was very quiet at night. Although the guards were still patrolling, it felt more peaceful than the palace.

Especially beyond the villa walls, there was a large forest, and the sounds of insects could be heard.

Walking along the path, the young man unconsciously made his way to an artificial lake outside the hall.

The scent of lotus flowers, mixed with the smell of water, drifted on the breeze. The cool air eased the irritation in the back of his neck.

As he walked towards the pavilion, he could faintly hear voices.

“Why did you get slapped again … Does it hurt? I got some medicinal oil from my master, saying I hurt myself. My master felt sorry for me, and gave me a big bottle.”

“What did you tell your master? Did he believe you just because you said so?”

“Hehe, I fell on purpose and told Master that I hurt my knee and was limping. Master gave me the medicine after seeing my knee. Don’t move, let me apply it for you. With this medicine, you will heal faster if you get hit again.”

“Why are you so silly …”

It sounded like a pair of lovers in the palace.

Yi Man, who was following beside him, also heard and immediately came forward to ask him, “Your Majesty, should we intervene?”

Duan Changchuan shook his head and waved his hand, “No need. You may step back. I’ll go and see.”

The young eunuch immediately took a step back and whispered, “Yes.” before bending his body and remaining silent.

Duan Changchuan quietly approached and found that it was a palace maid who looked familiar … likely from the Empress Dowager’s quarters but not a close servant. The other was a stable boy whom Duan Changchuan recognized. This boy took care of his horse, Xiuxiu. He was a serious and lively young boy. Duan Changchuan had personally him because Xiuxiu liked him very much.

Now, the young boy was holding a bottle of medicine and was seriously applying it to the girl’s face.

The girl sat obediently across from him and closed her eyes, allowing him to do as he pleased.

“All done, it should be better by tomorrow. Are you on duty tomorrow?

If not, would you like to come and watch me feed the horses? Xiuxiu is very cute, though it has been a bit sad lately because His Majesty hasn’t visited it in a while. It has been eating less recently.”

“I don’t dare to go … I just went there a few days ago. If I go too often, it might arouse suspicion…”

“Okay then. It’s okay. I’m going to report Xiuxiu’s recent situation to His Majesty tomorrow. Maybe His Majesty will visit.”

“Um … Fu Liang.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m a little sad … I don’t know when we’ll end in this palace … We’re always at the mercy of others.”

“Then how about I ask my Master if there’s a way to get you transferred to the stables? You don’t have to do the dirty work, just feed the horses. I’ll do the rest.”

“No need … How much silver will it cost to do favors? Let’s save up a bit more. Anyway, I’m not served close to the Empress Dowager, so it’s not that hard. When we’ve saved enough, we can ask for some favors and see if we can leave the palace together.”

“… Okay.”

The young couple in love sat by the lake and whispered sweet nothings.

As they spoke, they ended up kissing.

Duan Changchuan had no intention of listening further or disturbing them, so he quietly turned away.

Walking back under the moonlight, he felt that the scene just now was somewhat familiar. It was as if he had experienced it somewhere before … but couldn’t remember anything.

Was it an illusion …? But it felt so real.

Then when did he see something like this?

It must be an illusion … How could he forget something he had experienced?

The thought just crossed his mind when Duan Changchuan suddenly stopped: No, one wouldn’t forget something they had experienced, but he had lost his memory before.

These days, he had been busy fighting with the Regent and dealing with a troublesome little one in his belly. He couldn’t sleep well and had morning sickness. He almost forgot that he still had a memory that he couldn’t remember.

With this thought, the young man turned his mind and headed towards the room where Changle and Yi Man usually stayed.

Yi Man did not know what he was going to do, but he obediently followed him.

“Do you remember, I once told you your master was acting strangely and asked you to keep an eye on him? Bring out the things he hid. I want to see them today.”

Yi Man, unaware that Duan Changchuan had already told Chang Le about this matter. He thought Duan Changchuan wanted to punish him and Chang Le for deceiving him, and immediately knelt down in fear.

Trembling, he asked, “W-what? This servant doesn’t know, Your Majesty. Those days, you said my master was acting strangely and asked me to keep an eye on him. Master said he was too worried about Your Majesty. Later, after I reassured him, he was fine … I don’t know what he hid, Your Majesty …”

The young eunuch, who rarely lied to the emperor, almost had “I’m lying” written on his forehead.

Duan Changchuan sighed helplessly.

Previously, because of the lost package of arsenic, Chang Le had searched everywhere and found a letter he had left behind … a suicide note, perhaps.

Chang Le was afraid that when he saw the suicide note, he would remember what had happened before and dwell on it, so Chang Le hid the suicide note. Afterward, Duan Changchuan noticed Changle’s odd behavior and had Yi Man keep an eye on him.

But Yi Man had returned in a few days, saying, “Master has a lot of things to worry about lately. This servant has already reassured him. Your Majesty, don’t worry.”

At that time, Duan Changchuan already knew they were lying to him.

Now, looking at the trembling little eunuch kneeling on the ground, Duan Changchuan was speechless, “You go … Never mind, I’ll look for it myself.”

He said, then with his pregnant belly, began searching the room.

Unable to reach the top cabinet, he brought over a chair and stood on it to rummage.

Yi Man: !!!

He was so scared that he kept his hands around Duan Changchuan’s waist. He didn’t dare to kneel, and not kneeling was against the rules. In the end, he cried and begged, “Your Majesty, please come down … This servant begs you! What if something happens … I, I know where it is. I will go and get it for you. Please come down, I beg you, Your Majesty …”

Only then did the young man pat his hands that hadn’t been stained and get down from the chair.

Soon, Yi Man took out a small box from one of the cabinets.

Opening it, he saw an envelope inside. On the envelope, it was written: To Chang Le.

Duan Changchuan immediately recognized his own handwriting.

Opening the letter, the first line read: “Chang Le, seeing this letter is like seeing me.”

[If you’re reading this letter, I’m no longer in this world.

I came to this world eighteen years ago, and having you by my side for more than ten years has been my fortune. Now that I have left, do not mourn, do not grieve.]

The handwriting in the letter was familiar. After reading a few lines, Duan Changchuan felt as if a scene was suddenly injected into his mind…

He saw himself on the eve of his grand wedding, sitting in the Ming Sheng Hall writing this letter.

That day, the weather was freezing cold.

The plum blossoms in Shengjing had just bloomed, and it was snowing again …

His mother had invited many people to enjoy the plum blossoms and asked if he wanted to go … He declined, then sent away Chang Le and the secret guards, and wrote the letter alone in the study.

But, why did he write this letter?

The young man clenched the letter tightly in his hand …

Because, in the afternoon of that day, unable to contain his curiosity, he snuck out of the palace to see the ‘eldest daughter of the prime minister’.

[It is said the girl named Bai Su has been mistreated by the main wife in the Prime Minister’s residence since she was young. She is also a pitiful person … Well, if … if she has a kind heart, I will treat her well in the future. I am the true dragon emperor, and even if I am a puppet of the Prince Regent for a lifetime, with my protection, she will definitely live better than in the Prime Minister’s residence.]

That was what he thought at that time.

But when he reached the prime minister’s residence and was pondering how to meet her discreetly, he heard a woman crying.

Following the sound, he turned into a small alley and saw a handsome young man talking to a young lady.

The young lady was covering her face and crying, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Susu … If you’re willing, I can take you away today. If there’s no place in Shengjing, you and I can go to Jiangzhe. If Jiangzhe doesn’t work, we can go to the northwest. If that doesn’t work, we can leave Datong. So what if he’s the prime minister? Can he reach out to other countries to catch you? As long as you’re willing, as long as you want, Susu …”

“Stop it … Muzhi, don’t say it … My father is the Prime Minister, perhaps that’s not enough, but in the palace, it is the current emperor. If I escape today, wouldn’t I be disgracing the entire royal family … Muzhi, we can’t escape, that’s the Emperor …”

“So what if he’s the Emperor? Who doesn’t know who really holds power in Datong now? He can’t even deal with a mere Prince Regent, so how can he rule the country? Susu, do you trust me? If I say we can escape, so we can. I promised I would do it, Susu! Don’t you trust me?”

But the girl cried as she pushed him away fiercely.

“But I don’t want to escape! Lin Muzhi, I don’t want to escape … What makes you think I’ll want to live a lifetime of hiding with you instead of becoming the Empress with a lifetime of wealth and honor? Lin Muzhi, who do you think you are … can’t you see? The Bai Su who used to be bullied by everyone is already dead. When I enter the palace and marry the Emperor, I’ll be the mother of the country. What makes you think I’ll still like you?”

The girl cried out, pushing the young man away, revealing a wrist wrapped in white cloth.

Blood seeped out from the cloth, dripping onto the ground …

It was a dazzling red.

But the young man was pushed away and seemed to have suffered a heavy blow. His whole person seemed to have lost his soul as he stared blankly at her face.

It was that day, before the wedding.

The two of them struggled in the deserted alley for a long time.

The girl clenched her sleeves tightly, not letting a drop of blood fall, and scolded her most beloved away …

Snowflakes fell one after another, covering the blood drops on the ground.

That day, the girl in shabby clothes knelt on the ground and cried her heart out …

The servants from the Prime Minister’s residence hurriedly took her away …

The curses and scolding voices faded as the girl went further away.

Everything was silent again.

Only Duan Changchuan walked out heavily, his fingertips gently brushing the newly covered snow on the ground … Looking at the dazzling red below, feeling lost and desolate.