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Feng Moheng and Shen Yuling slowly made their way down the mountain path. As they reached the foot of the mountain, they spotted the group from the Residence of Prince Lingyang, who had come searching for them.
The steward, upon seeing the figures of the prince and princess consort, hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully assisted the two onto the carriage.
Just as the group was about to depart for the residence, the steward caught sight of the prince holding the princess consort tightly in his arms. A flicker of hesitation flashed across his face, and he could not help but waver in his thoughts.
He opened his mouth, but for a moment, he hesitated, unsure whether he should voice his thoughts.
However, after a brief consideration, he recalled how much the prince had always doted on Consort Liu. This matter had to be reported to him.
“Your Highness, Consort Liu… has yet to return to the residence.”
Feng Moheng’s expression darkened instantly, a flicker of astonishment flashing through his eyes.
“What did you say?!”
It had already been two hours since Feng Moheng had fallen off the cliff. By now, the sky had long descended into darkness.
Logically speaking, Liu Jingyi should have returned to the residence long ago.
Feng Moheng recalled Liu Jingyi’s behavior at the edge of the cliff. Though he couldn’t say he was entirely satisfied, neither could he claim to be completely displeased.
It was a conflicting feeling.
Perhaps it was because his expectations for Liu Jingyi were too high—so high that even the slightest deviation from his standards would leave him with a sense of disappointment.
But Liu Jingyi was, after all, a woman he had personally trained in secret for years.
Yes, trained.
From the time she was eight years old until now, at eighteen, they had spent ten years together.
Feng Moheng had poured all of his emotions into Liu Jingyi.
His grip on Shen Yuling’s hand tightened slightly.
Shen Yuling immediately noticed the subtle movement.
She understood—Feng Moheng was anxious about Liu Jingyi.
Lowering her gaze, a cold glint flashed silently in her eyes.
Liu Jingyi was truly clever—ruthless to herself and skilled in her methods.
Feng Moheng hesitated for a moment before turning to Shen Yuling and saying, “Yuling, you should return to the residence first. I must go find Jingyi.”
His voice was slightly hoarse.
Just moments ago, they had been immersed in deep affection, yet now he was leaving to search for another woman. Feng Moheng couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.
“Husband, go ahead. Be sure to bring Consort Liu back safely,” Shen Yuling said, her expression full of warmth and concern.
Feng Moheng gave a slight nod, then instructed the steward in a low voice, “Take good care of the Princess Consort. Once she returns to the residence, have the physician examine her thoroughly.”
Feng Moheng wasted no time. As soon as he finished speaking, he swiftly stepped down from the carriage.
With the guards from the Prince’s residence in tow, he turned and rushed toward the direction of the cliff.
Before long, he found himself once again at the base of the precipice.
The depths of the cliff were shrouded in darkness, with only the faint moonlight casting a cold, dim glow over the terrain.
His heart burned with anxiety as he carefully searched along the slopes, his eyes scanning every possible hiding place, unwilling to overlook a single corner.
It was unclear how much time had passed, but at last, Feng Moheng spotted Liu Jingyi curled up in a small hollow in the ground.
She sat there alone, shivering, surrounded by thick, overgrown grass that concealed most of her frail figure.
If one didn’t look closely, it would have been nearly impossible to notice that someone was there.
“Jingyi! What are you doing here?”
Feng Moheng’s heart clenched tightly.
Hearing the voice, Liu Jingyi, who had been curled up in fear, slowly lifted her head.
She turned toward the direction of the sound, her gaze searching anxiously.
And the moment she saw Feng Moheng, her eyes instantly lit up.
A glimmer of tears flickered in them, filled with joy and overwhelming relief.
“Moheng!”
Liu Jingyi’s voice trembled as she called out to him.
Feng Moheng quickly strode forward.
The moment he was within reach, Liu Jingyi threw herself into his arms, clinging to him tightly.
“Mo… Moheng… wuwu… I thought you were dead!”
She sobbed uncontrollably, her cries laced with overwhelming fear and lingering dread.
“You… why are you here?”
“If you had fallen to your death, how could I possibly go on living? The moment I saw you fall, I jumped after you. But I injured my leg in the process… I couldn’t walk anymore.”
Liu Jingyi clung tightly to Feng Moheng’s neck, as if afraid that the moment she let go, he would disappear once more.
Feng Moheng listened to her words, his gaze clouded with a mix of emotions.
He had misunderstood Jingyi.
Jingyi still loved him that much. How could he ever doubt the woman he had personally guided and trained for ten years?
“Jingyi, we’re both alive. I’ll take you home.”
Feng Moheng spoke softly, then bent down and lifted Liu Jingyi into his arms.
The guards behind them quickly followed suit. Together, they made their way back toward the Prince’s residence, their figures gradually dissolving into the vast darkness of the night.
The night enveloped the Prince’s residence as Liu Jingyi and Feng Moheng finally arrived at Sujin Courtyard.
The moment they stepped inside, a group of maidservants rushed forward, carefully helping Liu Jingyi onto the bed. Without delay, they summoned a physician to tend to the injury on her leg.
Feng Moheng also had the physician examine him and tend to his wounds.
Afterward, he sat by the bedside, gazing at Liu Jingyi with concern.
Once the physician finished treating Liu Jingyi, Feng Moheng asked anxiously, “How is she?”
The physician respectfully replied, “Your Highness, it is nothing serious. She just needs to avoid excessive movement for the next few days. As long as she applies the medicine consistently, she should recover quickly.”
After packing up his medical kit, the physician bowed and withdrew, leaving only Feng Moheng and Liu Jingyi in the room.
Liu Jingyi slowly sat up, wrapped her arms around Feng Moheng’s waist, and rested her face against his chest.
She kept murmuring her worries about him, repeating over and over her fears from earlier in the day—confirming for herself that he was still alive.
Feng Moheng let out a soft chuckle and reached out to gently pat her back.
He reassured her, “See? I’m perfectly fine.”
After a brief pause, he added, “It’s already late. You should rest early.”
Hearing this, Liu Jingyi’s heart clenched with unease.
He was leaving again?
That night, he had said the same thing—then headed in the direction of Ninglan Courtyard.
“Moheng, I’m really scared. Can you stay with me tonight?”
Liu Jingyi looked at Feng Moheng with tear-filled eyes, her voice laced with pleading.
Feng Moheng’s expression showed a hint of helplessness as he said gently, “I need to check on Shen Yuling. She also fell off the cliff today while trying to save me.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Jingyi only tightened her embrace around him.
With a trembling voice, she pleaded, “No, Moheng, I want you to stay with me. On that cliff today, I was terrified. The Princess Consort grew up in the northwest—she must have seen many such scenes before.”
“I envy her courage. I… I’m just too weak.”
“She saved you today… Does that mean you’ve fallen for her?”
As she spoke, her voice quivered uncontrollably.
Feng Moheng’s body stiffened for a brief moment.
He recalled his own words, the confession he had made to Shen Yuling—how he had told her he liked her. He even remembered the deep kiss they had shared.
At her questioning, Feng Moheng felt a moment of discomfort.
“No, Jingyi, that won’t happen. You are the only one I love.”
He couldn’t bear to lose the woman he had carefully nurtured for ten years, shaping her entirely according to his wishes.
Even if a flicker of unfamiliar emotions had stirred within him for Shen Yuling, it would not change Liu Jingyi’s place in his heart—nor her standing within the residence.
Feng Moheng reached out and gently wiped away the tears on her face.
In a soft voice, he said, “Alright, don’t cry. I won’t go to Ninglan Courtyard tonight. I’ll stay with you.”
Leaning against Feng Moheng’s chest, Liu Jingyi finally felt at ease.
It seemed that even though Shen Yuling had saved Feng Moheng today, at most, he felt gratitude toward her—nothing more.
Fortunately, she had reacted quickly and played out a heartfelt act just in time.