Liu Liu nodded. Nangong Yue, standing beside her, remained silent. He was exhausted, so incredibly tired. What was all this for? He no longer knew how this situation had come to be.
He had personally killed his own father and fallen in love with his own sister. Was this truly his destiny?
Liu Liu took off the Ri Shi jade pendant from her chest and placed it in Nangong Yu's palm. Nangong Yu touched the smooth jade pendant, a bitter smile playing on his lips. He spoke in a low voice, "Yue'er, Father is sorry, truly sorry to you."
With that, he tilted his head and died. Liu Liu felt immense pain when she saw Nangong Yu die, no, when she saw Su Jin die. However, for this final outcome, she felt nothing.
After all, Su Jin had caused the deaths of so many people. Even if he had lived, he would have faced punishment. It was better for him to depart so decisively now.
Liu Liu looked up at Nangong Yue, who had been silent all this time. Just as she was about to speak, a white robe fluttered.
Nangong Yue leaped off the cliff. Below the cliff was an abyss of ten thousand feet. Falling into it meant certain death. How could Liu Liu stand by and watch Nangong Yue die? Her figure shifted, and she plunged after him towards the cliff's edge. The wind whistled past her ears, rustling her cheeks.
The bottom of the cliff was shrouded in darkness. Only Nangong Yue's pure white clothes were visible. She reached out, grabbed Nangong Yue's hand, and spoke in a heavy voice.
"Brother, please, don't die, alright?"
Liu Liu jumped off the cliff. Feng Xie could only watch her fall, his dark robes fluttering as he too leaped off the cliff. Bai Han, Dai Mei, and the others, who had just arrived, saw the situation and were terrified, not understanding what had happened. They rushed to the cliff edge and shouted.
"Your Majesty, Empress!"
Beyond the sound of the wind, there was no other sound. Those on the cliff were frantic. What had happened? When they had investigated the manor earlier, they had found it completely reduced to ruins. They had been terrified, but thankfully, Hua Wu You had appeared and told them that His Majesty and the Empress were alive, handing them the Ri Shi jade pendant to deliver to the Empress.
At the bottom of the cliff, Feng Xie had already grasped Liu Liu's delicate hand. Liu Liu, clinging tightly to Nangong Yue's hand, cried out urgently, "Brother, I beg you, please don't do this, okay?"
However, Nangong Yue had lost the will to live. The woman he loved had become his sister, he had personally killed his father, and he was poisoned by the cold. What reason was there to live? He was going to die sooner or later anyway, so he might as well be resolute. With a hard heart, he used his other hand to channel internal energy, pushing Liu Liu's body upwards, while he himself plummeted faster. Liu Liu cried out in horror, "No!"
A smile touched Nangong Yue's lips. Death was not so terrifying after all. In this moment, everything was so quiet. He felt as though he was lying in the embrace of the wind, falling into the stormy abyss until he heard a sound, Liu Liu's desperate cry, "No!"
Tears streamed down her face. Feng Xie lifted her body, holding her tightly in his arms, and with a swift ascent, they leaped back onto the cliff. A crowd of people stood gathered at the edge. Upon seeing them, they breathed a sigh of relief.
His Majesty held the Empress tightly. The Empress had fainted. Feng Xie turned and cast a cold glance at Nangong Yu's body on the ground. Such a scoundrel deserved to be cut into a thousand pieces, but he was Liu'er's father, and it was indeed the Feng family's fault. It was better to bury him.
"Someone, bury this person properly."
Everyone was stunned. How could His Majesty, who had caused so much harm, be buried? He should be thrown to the wolves. However, His Majesty's word was law. Since he had spoken, who dared to object? They could only respond in a low voice, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Someone came forward to bury Nangong Yu. Feng Xie glanced back at Bai Han and said softly, "This is Su Jin, the Empress's biological father. It was the late Emperor's mistake." His heart was heavy. All of this was due to the late Emperor's troubles.
Bai Han nodded. Looking at the Empress in His Majesty's arms, he wondered why she would be so sad. After all, he had almost died trying to save her. Why would she be so heartbroken?
"Nangong Yue has fallen off the cliff and is dead," Feng Xie said, without looking back, carrying Liu Liu as he walked down the mountain, his footsteps heavy. A group of people followed him down the mountain, leaving only two to bury Nangong Yu.
The group returned to the inn. Liu Liu slept soundly and did not wake up. Feng Xie was extremely worried and called a doctor to examine her. The doctor said there was no serious issue, only excessive grief causing her blood circulation to speed up, and she should be fine after a night's rest.
However, in the middle of the night, Liu Liu developed a high fever and began speaking deliriously. Angered, Feng Xie ordered Ri Ying to bring the doctor back immediately. The old doctor, trembling, re-examined her and prescribed a fever-reducing medication.
Outside the inn, he dared not leave, as these fierce-looking individuals had threatened to tear down his medical hall if he dared to go back.
The old doctor did not doubt their words at all. They looked like bandits. He decided it was best to endure.
Liu Liu's fever finally subsided after a night of tossing and turning. After the fever broke, Liu Liu remained in her room, saying nothing, staring blankly at the clouds in the sky, her heart feeling sore and numb. She was not a melancholic person, but she simply didn't want to speak, and nothing interested her.
Finally, Feng Xie mentioned their son, Mu Xing. Liu Liu's eyes regained a flicker of life. She looked at Feng Xie, seeing how gaunt he was, and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you? You look more haggard than I do."
"Seeing you like this, how can I be at ease? Your pain is my pain," Feng Xie said, holding her hand. Seeing her so distressed, how could he feel well? He had stayed awake all night watching over her. Waking to see him like this, her heart ached intensely. Liu Liu, holding a orchid, leaned against his chest.
"I'm sorry. I forgot about your feelings. Let's return to the capital."
"Alright." Feng Xie was relieved to hear that she was finally willing to return to the capital. Returning to the capital, all of this would soon be forgotten. Although Liu Liu would not easily forget Nangong Yue's death, she believed that time could heal the wounds in her heart. He reached out and picked her up. Liu Liu exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing? Put me down."
"Are you sure you have the energy to walk by yourself? Or should I assist you?" he said, striding out. Bai Han and the others followed them towards the stairs. The old doctor, seeing the group finally leaving him in peace, breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow, preparing to return. Just then, Yue Ying, walking at the very back, took out a one-hundred tael silver note and handed it to the doctor, making him stare in disbelief. Good heavens, a hundred taels! It was nearly his entire year's earnings.
Were these people bandits or not? He was utterly confused.
The group returned to the capital. A few days later, they arrived. Gazing at the tall city gates, their hearts were filled with emotion and sighing. Liu Liu lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. She happened to see Zhao Jiu, the former captain of the palace guards, guarding the city gate. Even in such a minor task, he was still meticulous. Such a person should not be wasted. Liu Liu called out, "Stop the carriage."
Feng Xie asked her with concern, "Liu'er, what is it?"
"Let Zhao Jiu return to the palace. He is loyal to Your Majesty," Liu Liu said softly. From within the carriage, Zhao Jiu, standing by the city gate, recognized who was inside and immediately knelt down. "Your subordinate greets the Empress."
The guards at the city gate, upon hearing Zhao Jiu's words, all knelt down. "We pay our respects to the Empress."
Feng Xie, through the carriage curtain, instructed Ri Ying behind him, "Let Zhao Jiu return to the palace and resume his former position."