Chapter 288: Life Choices Depend on Yourself

Feng Zhuo suppressed his astonishment. “Little Princess, how are you feeling? Is your head still dizzy?”

“If Brother Feng Zhuo hugs me, I won’t be dizzy.” Ah Bao stretched out her small arms.

Feng Zhuo, somewhat bashful, embraced Ah Bao.

Ah Bao was now closer to the spirit tree, and the apple was within reach.

But when she tried to grasp it, her hand passed through the fruit. She could see it but couldn’t touch it?

That apple… inside it was a young girl!

【Heavens!】

Ah Bao screamed inwardly.

That was her spiritual essence!

Even though she had consumed it, it had escaped and turned into a fruit on Feng Zhuo’s spirit tree.

What was going on?

Ah Bao was in a slacking-off mood and didn’t think it through any further. She had a headache, but at least Si Yunxiao’s soul was stabilized by the holy water.

“Brother Feng Zhuo, I want to visit the temple.”

On the way to the temple, Feng Zhuo was unusually silent.

While watching over the unconscious little princess, he had seen a pale pink spirit orb float into his body and disappear.

He didn’t know what it was.

Later, when the little princess mentioned that the spirit tree inside him had borne fruit, he wondered if it was that pink orb.

Since receiving the little princess’s spiritual essence, strange and unfamiliar images kept flashing in his mind.

These images shocked him, but since there were so few of them, he couldn’t piece them together.

“Brother Feng Zhuo, are you unhappy?”

“No,” Feng Zhuo said, carrying Ah Bao on his back and smiling slightly. No matter what happened, he only needed to stay by the little princess’s side.

After leaving the temple, Ah Bao took a long nap.

The next morning, the weather cleared, and the sky was cloudless.

The imperial physicians reported with joy that the epidemic had been brought under control since last night. The heavy rain seemed to have washed away the disease, and even those infected were stabilized.

The imperial physicians’ effective remedies had also played a role.

Today, the people of Lingnan, who had been staying indoors, finally emerged.

The Great Tyrant and the others had stayed at the General’s residence for another five days. Only after confirming that the Lingnan epidemic had truly disappeared did they plan to return to the capital.

“General Lei, Lin Xuanzhi, you both will accompany me back to the capital.”

Lin Xuanzhi had long anticipated this, as he was a civil official and would definitely be recalled once the epidemic in Lingnan was over.

General Lei was somewhat surprised by the favor.

He had grown up in the military stationed in Lingnan with his father. After his father sacrificed himself for the country, he took over his father’s position. Now… being told to return to the capital still felt a bit unfamiliar.

“Your Majesty, I don’t need to return, do I?”

“Are you not going to see your beloved?” Lin Xuanzhi nudged him.

General Lei blinked, feeling inexplicably flustered. “Beloved? What beloved?”

“Ah, we drank together yesterday, and I heard you mention that there was a girl from the capital who came to Lingnan, and you fell for her at first sight. Later, she returned to the capital and lost contact with you. It’s been over ten years. You still don’t know her whereabouts? Maybe you’ll run into her if you go back.”

General Lei’s ears turned red. “It’s old news. Why bring it up? It was just youthful folly, not serious. It’s been ten years. She must be married by now. I won’t go. I won’t look.”

The Great Tyrant, feeling amused, said, “General Lei has such a secret matter. Speaking of which, you’re over thirty now, with military achievements. If you return to the capital, and if she’s married but living unhappily, she might be waiting for you to rescue her.”

General Lei: “…Your Majesty.”

“Ha ha ha, I’m joking. Let’s all return to the capital together. There are many noble young women in the capital. Perhaps you’ll find someone you like. I’ll take charge and arrange a match for you.”

【Father is laughing now, but he’ll be all serious and unhappy once he’s back in the palace.】

【Who makes jokes about themselves?】

Ah Bao watched the group with a smile.

The Great Tyrant: ?

He was joking about General Lei, not about himself.

Why did Ah Bao say that?

General Lei and Lin Xuanzhi exchanged glances, keeping quiet.

“By the way, Lin Xuanzhi, you’re not young anymore. You should also consider marriage. You two could keep each other company and go to the capital for matchmaking.”

Lin Xuanzhi felt embarrassed. “Your Majesty, you seem to have become quite addicted to matchmaking. I… I’m at this age. Who would be interested in me?”

Ah Bao tilted her head, looking at Lin Xuanzhi. 【If no one is interested in you, maybe you’re the one interested in them?】

Lin Xuanzhi’s heart skipped a beat. Little Princess’s thoughts??

—

“Miss Lian’er isn’t coming back to the capital with us?” In the backyard, the Eldest Prince looked at the young girl in blue standing in front of the corridor.

“No.”

That place doesn’t belong to her.

The Eldest Prince felt deeply disappointed. “Then, farewell, with no chance of meeting again.”

He adjusted the bundle on his shoulder.

Returning to the capital, it was likely he would never see her again.

With a heart like a needle prick, the Eldest Prince couldn’t show any sign of discomfort.

He was afraid Lian’er might notice and erase his memories again.

In the corner, Di Zian and Ah Bao were eavesdropping.

“Sister, it seems the Eldest Prince still has feelings for Miss Lian. I don’t think he’s really lost his memory.”

【Of course he hasn’t lost his memory. It would be better if he had.】

“Mm-hmm, that’s right.”

“Can’t we help the Eldest Prince?”

【Not everyone in this world gets their true love in the end. Many people love but cannot have, and it’s beyond their control.】

Ah Bao propped her chin on her small hand. “Should we let the Eldest Prince be with a ghost? Over time, it would also shorten his lifespan. Humans and ghosts are on different paths. What isn’t meant to be, no matter how hard one tries, will remain out of reach.”

“The Eldest Prince seems a bit pitiful. The Eldest Prince I saw before was full of spirit, but now he seems dispirited.”

【This is the Eldest Prince’s tribulation. If he overcomes it, he will be renewed; if not, he will lead a muddled life. It depends on his fate.】

【I can help the Eldest Prince change his fate, but I cannot make choices for him. Life’s choices must be made by oneself.】

Di Zian looked down at Ah Bao and understood.

His thoughts hadn’t been as clear as Little Ah Bao’s.

On the way back to the palace, the Eldest Prince cautiously opened the small bundle he had brought from the General’s residence.

It was a spirit plaque with the characters “Lian’er” written on it.

This was the plaque Lian’er had carved on the mountaintop.

Di Xuanlang’s fingertips gently traced the characters “Lian’er,” his eyes reddening, his fingers trembling. “I’m sorry… I still can’t forget you… I really can’t…”

Whether Ah Bao calls him love-struck or says he’s trapped in a love calamity for life, he accepted it, as long as he could remember Lian’er.

“I’ll burn silver money for you,” the Eldest Prince said, laughing and crying, his tears falling on the plaque, feeling quite pathetic.

On the city wall, Lian’er suddenly had a tear in her palm as she watched the carriage that was already getting farther away—