Chapter 36: Keeping the Oath

“Touch it! What’s beating here is a…”

At that moment, everything Li Yunli had been planning in her mind was thrown aside.

Under his deep gaze, she halted her steps, unable to ignore him any longer.

The incident of capturing him and bringing him back had not spread widely, but since Feng Mu resided in the provincial capital, it was not surprising that she had caught wind of it.

With sharp intuition, she tactfully stepped aside and left.

Only a few steps remained before the last staircase. Finally, Li Yunli resumed walking.

Yun Chu slightly parted his lips, watching her approach step by step, his heart tightening.

When she was level with him, Li Yunli, as if casually making conversation, greeted him:

“Has your body recovered?”

The effects of the Po Jun medicine were too strong; after drinking it, one would likely be weak for several days.

And since Yongqing Temple was halfway up the mountain, climbing the hundreds of steps to reach it was no easy task.

Yun Chu shook his head. He didn’t pretend to be strong and simply replied, “I guessed that Your Highness might come today, so I came early to wait.”

Their exchange was ordinary, their tones calm.

Yet, both of their thoughts were wandering.

This person must have come here in the middle of the night.

Li Yunli didn’t want to delve into why he had come. She wanted to leave and thus said, “I have matters to attend to today. If there’s nothing urgent, don’t follow me.”

“Your Highness, I…”

Yun Chu suddenly panicked, fearing she would leave. But when he looked up and saw that her steps had not moved, his heart sank again.

“I…”

He didn’t know what to say, only that he had never felt this anxious before.

He feared that if he didn’t try hard enough, she would abandon him completely.

“Do you have something to say?”

Li Yunli lifted her head slightly, meeting his evasive gaze.

She was always the type to strike first, leaving the burden of hesitation to others.

“Yes.”

Yun Chu nodded firmly, answering with determination.

He took a deep breath and spoke quickly:

“Yongqing Temple is too close to Leopard Head Mountain, Your Highness should consider their relationship. Zhou Foxiao has been operating in Yongzhou for over ten years—his death may not have been an accident. Additionally, the flood in Yongzhou may not have been purely due to natural causes, and…”

“Yun Chu.”

Li Yunli spoke softly, and Yun Chu immediately fell silent.

“Do you think I should stop and listen to you talk about these things?”

“I…”

Yun Chu hesitated.

Her words had two implications: First, she did not want to see him or hear him speak.

Second, she was not in the mood for official matters right now—but if he spoke of something else, she might be willing to listen.

Either way, Yun Chu felt lost.

Seeing him pause, Li Yunli lifted her foot and slowly walked forward.

“Your Highness!”

Yun Chu suddenly called out to her.

Li Yunli stopped.

His voice, caught in the wind, sounded helpless and sorrowful, yet carried a trace of hope:

“You once said you were willing to trust me—does that still hold true?”

His gaze was unwavering, filled entirely with the figure before him.

That day, upon arriving in Yongzhou, Li Yunli had said it herself—even if she couldn’t fully trust him, she could afford to trust him a little.

“Back then, you said you were willing to start a different story. I… I am willing too!”

“If you still cannot forget what happened in the past and never wish to see me again, then whether it be the whip, the staff, poisoned wine, or a silken noose, I accept it all. Even in death, I will have no regrets!”

“But if you still have use for me…”

He took a step forward, sincerity in his voice, his palm pressed against his own chest.

“Even if you cannot fully trust me, please, just believe in me a little—just a tiny bit.”

He was not asking for much—only that she not be entirely suspicious of him.

But Li Yunli remained expressionless and did not turn around.

“If I say I don’t trust you, will you threaten me with death again?” Her voice was cold, laced with sarcasm. “Young Master Yun, have you made no progress at all?”

With that, she stepped forward, about to leave.

“Li Yunli, you are not allowed to go!”

His voice cracked with emotion, his panicked plea ringing through the air.

The next moment, he took two hurried steps and grabbed her right wrist tightly.

“I am not forcing you!”

His breath was unsteady, his voice filled with desperation.

“You can do whatever you wish—I will accept it, whether it means life or death. I only… don’t want to let you go.”

“And why should I be entangled with you?”

Li Yunli turned to look at him, seeing his dazed expression. She let out a soft laugh.

“If I didn’t know what you would do in the future, perhaps I could still gamble on what’s to come. But knowing your true nature, why should I keep a wolf by my side?”

Yun Chu suddenly tightened his grip, pulling her hand against his chest.

Startled, Li Yunli instinctively reached for the black jade pendant she always carried, but Yun Chu had already pressed her hand firmly to his heart.

“Then feel for yourself!” His eyes were misty, yet his words were urgent and forceful. “Feel it! Is this the heart of a ruthless wolf?!”

The sudden action startled Li Yunli. She steadied herself and glared at him. His voice was almost pleading:

“You should know by now—I no longer want to be a wolf. I regret it. Trust me, just a little… I will be your most loyal dog, is that okay?”

A vein twitched at Li Yunli’s temple. She gritted her teeth and forcefully pulled her hand away.

“You’re insane!”

Unaware of the double meaning of his words, Yun Chu hurriedly continued, desperate to hold onto her.

“I am not crazy.” His face was pale, and after she broke free, he suddenly let out a soft laugh, his voice thick with emotion. “If you truly planned to abandon me, then why are you wearing that outfit today? You haven’t given up on me, have you?”

His eager tone made Li Yunli frown. She looked down at her own clothes, then back at him.

Plum blossoms and ink bamboo—fabric of the same shade, as if cut from the same cloth.

She suddenly realized what Yun Chu had mistaken her attire for.

He stepped forward again. “And when you first returned, why didn’t you treat me as you did in the past life? Why did you show kindness instead? That day, why did you say you wanted to start a different story? It means you never planned to abandon me from the start, right?”

He was rarely this talkative, listing reason after reason.

Li Yunli had no response.

Because she had misunderstood him at first.

She had assumed he was still the kind protagonist from the early part of the novel, never considering that he had risen to play a different game entirely.

But now, his love was real, his passionate emotions undeniable.

She had navigated the treacherous waters of human ambition for so long—true, unreserved emotions like these were rare.

And yet, she was not the Grand Princess of Chu. She was a merchant, one who knew when to cut losses and when to seize opportunities.

“Yes,” Li Yunli answered decisively.

“At first, just as you said. Because everything was within my control. But now, that is no longer the case. Since you and I share the same past, you should know why I hesitate.”

Since the conversation had reached this point, she was forcing him to make a promise.