The family head of the Hua clan produced a letter and said, "This is a letter Brother Jing asked me to deliver."
Hua Yunjin stepped forward, took the letter, and opened it. The handwriting on the letter was beautiful. He remembered that Brother Jing, despite trying his best to conceal his appearance back then, was still a handsome youth.
However, the handwriting felt vaguely familiar, and he couldn't recall for a moment.
The letter was simple, stating that he had one more thing to do before returning to see them.
Old Madam Hua was very pleased to hear this.
At that time, after her husband passed away, they were left alone, mother and son. Brother Jing's appearance had brought her mother much comfort.
"The letter has been delivered, and I have something else for you," the Hua family head said stiffly to Hua Yunjin.
"Take it out," Hua Yunjin said without politeness.
The Hua family head snorted and took out a box from his sleeve.
Hua Yunjin frowned and looked at the Hua family head, "What is this?"
The Hua family head shook his head, "He said it's something you need right now."
Hua Yunjin opened the box, revealing a pill.
There was also a piece of paper inside, with beautiful handwriting confirming it was from Brother Jing.
It was the lost Hundred Hearts Pill.
Upon consuming this pill, one would be as normal as anyone else for a hundred days, after which the condition would worsen.
A hundred days was enough for him.
There was another line: "Little Brother Jin, I hope you will never have to use it."
Brother Jing, he had many things to accomplish.
In the past, he worried about what would happen to his mother if he were gone. Now, he knew he was no longer afraid.
"Clan Head, please tell Brother Jing, thank you, and I'll rely on him in the future."
He knew that Brother Jing would understand the meaning behind his words.
Just as Brother Jing knew he needed the Hundred Hearts Pill.
The Hua family head glanced at Hua Yunjin and said, still stiffly, "I will convey your message."
After the Hua family head left, Hua Yunjin was about to leave as well when Old Madam Hua suddenly spoke, "Yunjin, your mother hopes to see you marry and have children."
Hua Yunjin trembled and looked up at his mother. Only then did he notice that her temples had already turned white.
"Mother, I will," he said.
Old Madam Hua smiled, "Go ahead!"
Stepping out of Old Madam Hua's courtyard, Hua Yunjin looked up at the distance.
He would likely disappoint his mother.
Taking out the Hundred Hearts Pill, he swallowed it without hesitation.
Half an hour later, it was as if he had undergone a complete transformation.
Hua Yunjin felt light, as if all his ailments had vanished.
He knew it was the effect of the Hundred Hearts Pill. The greater the effect, the greater the backlash later, but he could not afford to worry about that now.
Outside the Capital
A carriage stopped. The curtain was lifted, and a young servant first alighted. Looking at the two large characters of the city gate in the distance, he excitedly shouted inside, "Young Master, we have arrived in the capital."
A figure emerged from within, tall and imposing.
He wore a dark green brocade robe and a jade crown. His face was handsome, and his narrow eyes held a hint of dangerous, wicked charm.
"We've reached the capital," the man said with a playful smile.
"Young Master, according to Shen Feng's message, Miss Nangong is currently in the palace," the servant said.
"Shen Fei, what do you think Miss Nangong will be like when she sees me?"
Shen Fei replied, "She'll probably be scared out of her wits."
"Indeed. Then, how can I not scare her?"
Shen Fei scoffed, "Fleeing from her wedding in public. Who in Zhaoping doesn't know about it now? Young Master, you might not care about your reputation, but you should still consider the master's."
"Father is also strange. Fleeing from the wedding proves she's unwilling, yet he insists on having this daughter-in-law."
"Young Master, is it still because Miss Nangong is a companion reader to the Empress?" Shen Fei asked.
"So, Father is so opportunistic. She's just a mere companion reader, worth such a grand effort?"
"Young Master, if we don't leave now, it will be too late," Shen Fei urged.
Shen Yunxuan's gaze was wickedly unrestrained, "Nangong Yue, I'm here."
Nangong Yue, who was eating in a restaurant, felt a chill run down her spine for no reason and shivered.
"Miss, what's wrong?" Shi Qi, who was serving her, also noticed Nangong Yue's abnormality.
"It's nothing, I just felt a chill on my back." It seemed something bad was about to happen.
"Miss, you're worrying too much. This is the capital, and you are the Empress's companion reader. No one would dare to bully you," Shi Qi said.
Nangong Yue nodded; indeed, that was the case.
Suddenly, it became lively outside. Nangong Yue couldn't help but peek out and saw the man standing on the carriage, holding a folding fan.
Her heart turned cold.
The man also happened to look up and saw an unfamiliar face. He had a fleeting thought that it might be the runaway Miss Nangong.
How could it be such a coincidence?
As the carriage passed, Nangong Yue tumbled from the window. Shi Qi quickly stepped forward to help her up, "Miss, what's wrong?"
"He... he's here..." Nangong Yue repeated this sentence over and over.
Shen Yunxuan, who had traveled halfway, his gaze turned cold. "Hurry back."
Shen Fei, who was driving the carriage, asked his young master, "Young Master, what's wrong?"
"That person must be Nangong Yue." Shen Yunxuan's lips curved into a wicked smile.
Nangong Yue never imagined that Shen Yunxuan, who had already left, would return and block her at the entrance.
"Young Master, you've made a mistake. I am not that Miss Nangong," Nangong Yue tried to calm herself. She was disguised, and Shen Yunxuan couldn't possibly recognize her.
Shen Yunxuan sneered, "Miss Nangong, when you disguise yourself, remember to conceal the plum blossom mole on your neck, or it's easy to be exposed."
Nangong Yue took a step back. If Shi Qi weren't behind her, she might have fallen to the ground.
"You..."
She saw the wicked smile on his handsome face. From the first moment she saw this person in Zhaoping, she had felt a sense of dread.
"Miss Nangong, you've been out playing for quite a while. Shall we go home?" Shen Yunxuan asked.
Nangong Yue shook her head, "I... I will not marry you."
Shen Yunxuan tutted twice, "Miss Nangong, that might be difficult, as your father has accepted a substantial betrothal gift from the Shen family."
"That was received by my father, what does it have to do with me? If you want to marry a woman from the Nangong family, I have concubine sisters and younger sisters."
Shen Yunxuan opened his folding fan and fanned himself, smiling, "But my grandfather specifically requested you, Nangong Yue."
Nangong Yue bit her lower lip, her face pale, "I... I will not marry you..."
"That's not for you to decide, Miss Nangong..." Shen Yunxuan said patiently.
"A Yue," a voice called out. Nangong Yue looked at the newcomer as if she had seen a savior and exclaimed excitedly, "A Ning, save me..."
Shen Yunxuan looked up and gazed towards the person Nangong Yue called A Ning.
It was a maiden who had not yet come of age, dressed in a water-and-sky colored dress, with only a green jade hairpin adorning her partially tied hair, the rest of her dark tresses swaying behind her with her movements.
But soon, Shen Yunxuan's gaze deepened.
The maiden's face was delicate and pretty, her figure graceful. Her eyes were as clear as water, transparent to the bottom.
This was the Empress.
The words flashed through Shen Yunxuan's mind.