Chapter 18 : Please Let Me Go

The two carriages turned into a sparsely populated street one after another and finally stopped outside an abandoned, ruined courtyard.

Yue Shaozhi got off the carriage first and walked inside. Then, Song Ying pulled up the hood of her cloak and got off the carriage with Faer’s help.

“Wait for me here.”

Faer: “Okay.”

Song Ying first nodded to Yu Liang, who was guarding outside the door, and then stepped into the courtyard.

Yue Shaozhi stood under the central pavilion, his figure cold and shadowy in the night.

Song Ying took a breath, steadied herself, and walked over. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Yue Shaozhi looked at her and said, “Tell me, what’s this about?”

Song Ying didn’t mince words. “Your Highness, I’ve done nothing to wrong you in the past two years. Let’s part ways peacefully. I’ve already made you and Ruoer happy, please stop troubling me.”

Yue Shaozhi looked at her in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

Song Ying sighed bitterly. “I’ve never spoken ill of Song Ruoer. I just want to live quietly in my own courtyard. Why must you ruin my reputation? Just because General Huo helped me? You told everyone I had an affair and that you divorced me. Your Highness, who really cheated on whom?”

Yue Shaozhi clenched his right hand, his knuckles turning white, and narrowed his eyes dangerously. “You think I did it?”

He had indeed heard the recent rumors about Song Ying, but he had nothing to do with them. He hadn’t expected her to come confront him about it.

Song Ying lowered her gaze. In the shadows of the night, she looked quite pitiful. “Your Highness, please let me live.”

When she looked up again, her eyes were already filled with tears.

So she can cry, too.

Yue Shaozhi took a deep breath and was silent for a long moment. Then he said, “Go back.”

” Then Song Ying takes her leave.”

After leaving the courtyard, Song Ying got back into the carriage. She only let out a long sigh of relief once the carriage had started moving.

Faer asked, “Miss, were you crying?”

Song Ying opened her cloak and began rubbing the insides of her thighs.

Earlier, to force herself to cry, she had pinched the tender flesh on her thighs it had really hurt.

“Miss?”

“I’m fine.”

Looking out the window, Song Ying couldn’t help but sigh. It turns out, crying really works.

—

Song Ruoer waited all night, but Yue Shaozhi never returned.

“That’s strange. Didn’t he say he was just drinking with Young Marquis Wen? The banquet should be over by now.”

Yunchun, the maid beside Song Ruoer, said, “Princess, it’s so late. Why don’t you rest first?”

Song Ruoer shook her head. “No. I want to wait for him.”

She didn’t know why, but she had a feeling of unease whenever Yue Shaozhi came back after being gone for a long time.

Just then, Yunchun looked out and saw someone walking toward them with a lantern. “Princess, His Highness is back.”

Song Ruoer hurried over and, not caring who was watching, threw her arms around Yue Shaozhi’s waist. “You’re back.”

Yue Shaozhi looked at the beauty in his arms and gently said, “I’m back.”

Maybe she was just being too sensitive, but Song Ruoer couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about Yue Shaozhi tonight.

“Husband?”

Yue Shaozhi said, “It’s cold out. Let’s go inside.”

He held Song Ruoer’s hand as they entered the house. Yunchun and the other servants withdrew tactfully.

Now only Song Ruoer and Yue Shaozhi remained in the room.

In the past, at this moment, Yue Shaozhi would hug Song Ruoer and cuddle with her. But this time, he did nothing.

He simply watched her undress him, his thoughts elsewhere.

Song Ruoer felt his gaze and looked up at him, slightly uneasy. “What’s wrong with you?”

Yue Shaozhi asked, “Did you go to Xiaohanju today?”

Song Ruoer lowered her eyes, her long lashes trembling slightly. “Mm. I haven’t seen my sister in a while. I missed her.”

Yue Shaozhi walked to the bed and sat down, motioning for Song Ruoer to come over.

Song Ruoer walked over obediently and let him hold her as she sat on his lap.

Yue Shaozhi gently stroked her face. “Didn’t I tell you not to go out unless necessary?”

Song Ruoer said with grievance, “So now I can’t even see her?”

Yue Shaozhi suddenly frowned. “Ruoer, you should know what I mean.”

Hearing those words, Song Ruoer’s eyes instantly turned red. “I’m sorry.”

Song Ruoer had natural beauty, and every frown or smile was enchanting. Her tears melted Yue Shaozhi’s heart.

He kissed the corners of her eyes, gently wiped away her tears, and coaxed her softly, “Don’t cry. Be good. Now that you’re married to me, your job is to take care of the palace. I don’t want anything to happen to you out there, understand?”

Song Ruoer sobbed, “I understand. I’m sorry. I won’t go looking for my sister again.”

“Good girl. Now go to sleep.”

He turned over, lay down with Song Ruoer in his arms, and didn’t move again.

The expectation in Song Ruoer’s eyes instantly turned to disappointment.

She knew Yue Shaozhi was still angry.

—

The next afternoon, Zhou came to the palace.

As soon as she opened her mouth, Song Ruoer complained. “Mother, I’m not going to bother with your business with Madam Hu anymore.”

Zhou frowned. “What happened?”

Song Ruoer said unhappily, “Shaozhi is angry. Don’t call me again if you want to contact Song Ying. Shaozhi doesn’t like me going to her.”

Zhou replied, “You’re not going to cause trouble for her. Why would he be bothered?”

Seeing Zhou’s confused reaction, Song Ruoer got even more upset.

“Mother, Song Ying gave up her position as Princess for me without any hesitation. If she hadn’t stepped back, I’d still be… Anyway, you and Madam Hu should go apologize to her yourselves.”

Zhou sneered. “So you didn’t see Song Ying yesterday?”

Song Ruoer said, “She wouldn’t open the door. I couldn’t just break it down.”

Zhou said, “But you’re the Regent Princess. So what if you break down her door?”

Song Ruoer was speechless. “Mom, please stop.”

Zhou didn’t press further and asked instead, “Why is the Prince suddenly angry?”

Song Ruoer assumed Zhou meant that Yue Shaozhi had heard the rumors about Song Ying. “Who is he? He can find out whatever he wants with just a word.”

Zhou shook her head. “My daughter, you don’t understand what I mean. Think about it, those rumors about Song Ying have been around for a while. If Yue Shaozhi was going to get angry, why would he get angry now, not earlier or later? You went to see Song Ying yesterday, and now he’s angry. Why?”

Song Ruoer thought about it. “Shaozhi said he doesn’t like me visiting Song Ying, so…”

“No.” Zhou interrupted. “Even if he knew you went to see her, he’d just mention it at most. He wouldn’t get truly angry unless…”

Song Ruoer grew nervous. “Unless what?”

Zhou paced for a while, then said, “Unless… Song Ying went to find him.”

Song Ruoer shook her head in disbelief. “Mother, don’t talk nonsense. How could Shaozhi possibly meet her?”

Zhou snorted. “Ruoer, you still think too simply of men. Even if he has no feelings for Song Ying, she was with him for two years. Even if she didn’t earn merit, she put in the effort. If Song Ying sought him out, he wouldn’t turn her away.”

Song Ruoer stood up and walked to Zhou’s side. “You mean… Song Ying went to Shaozhi yesterday to complain, and now Shaozhi is angry?”

Zhou’s eyes glinted with malice. “I still underestimated Song Ying’s boldness.”