"I'll accept any outcome, just take me there!" Ming Yu said, looking at Cheng Chang Xing.
Cheng Chang Xing sighed, "Alright, Miss Ming, follow me."
Led by Cheng Chang Xing, she arrived at a courtyard. As soon as she stepped inside, she heard laughter from within, a sound so familiar she'd never forget it.
Cheng Chang Xing suddenly stopped and turned to her, "Miss Ming, do you still want to go in?"
Ming Yu bit her lower lip and finally said after a long moment, "Yes."
She stepped forward and pushed the door open. Inside, music and dancing filled the air. Her eyes immediately fell upon Hua Yun Jin, seated in the place of honor.
He was clad in brocade robes, his jade belt slightly loosened, his hair a little disheveled, his eyes alluring and hazy. A dancer sat on his lap, offering him a wine cup.
Seeing her enter, everything stopped. Ming Yu looked at Hua Yun Jin, but he didn't even glance at her. He merely squinted and asked, "Why aren't you dancing? Dance…"
At Hua Yun Jin's words, the scene immediately returned to revelry.
"Hua Yun Jin," she said, taking a deep breath.
Hua Yun Jin still didn't look at her. With one arm around a dancer, he accepted the wine cup offered by the dancer and drank.
She stepped forward, snatched the wine cup from Hua Yun Jin's hand, and placed it on the table. "Hua Yun Jin, do you know what you are doing?"
Hua Yun Jin half-closed his eyes and looked at her. At this moment, she felt an unprecedented sense of unfamiliarity. Yes, this Hua Yun Jin felt somewhat strange to her.
"Are you here to join us?" his voice carried a hint of coldness.
"Hua Yun Jin, are you insistent on this?"
"Your Highness, who is this? How dare she speak to you like that?"
Hua Yun Jin, hearing this, embraced the dancer beside him and said, "She is merely an official by my side."
"An official has so much audacity? Your Highness, you indulge your people too much."
"Indeed, I indulge my people a great deal. Why don't you become one of my people too?"
The dancer blushed, "Your Highness…"
Hua Yun Jin flipped over and pinned the dancer beneath him. Ming Yu turned away and said after a long pause, "Hua Yun Jin, if you believe this is worth it, then I have nothing more to say."
With that, she turned and left.
The dancer, pinned beneath Hua Yun Jin, waited to receive his favor, but after a long time, he made no further move. The dancer couldn't help but open her eyes, "Your Highness, you…"
"Scram…" Hua Yun Jin shoved the dancer away.
The dancer was taken aback and quickly grabbed her clothes and left.
Hua Yun Jin slumped onto the chair, gazing into the distance, his eyes growing profound.
"If you didn't want to hurt her, why did you do that?"
Hua Yun Jin didn't lift his head. "Chang Xing, I entrust her protection to you."
"Hua Yun Jin, she is your woman, protect her yourself." Cheng Chang Xing stepped forward and grabbed his collar, saying coldly.
"Chang Xing…" He looked up, his eyes filled with pleading.
Cheng Chang Xing froze and released his grip. "Hua Yun Jin, doing this will push her away."
"This is for the best, as long as she is safe."
Cheng Chang Xing shook his head and left.
Ming Yu couldn't believe it. Everything her eyes saw was real, and she couldn't believe that his past kindness to her was merely a pretense.
But the truth was laid bare before her, and she had to believe it.
"Miss, if you feel unwell, you should cry. It will make you feel better," Ming Xiu said.
She shook her head. "No need. This is good. Only when one's heart is thoroughly broken can one realize how naive and ridiculous their past actions were." Da Feng Novel Network.
"Miss, have some tea!" Ming Xiu handed her the tea.
She took it and took a sip. Suddenly, she felt a little dizzy. She looked at Ming Xiu, who had a guilty expression. "Miss, I'm sorry."
In her last moments before losing consciousness, she wanted to laugh. She was truly a failure; even Ming Xiu had betrayed her.
She woke up to a jolting motion. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a carriage. She sat up and called out towards the outside of the carriage, "Is anyone there?"
"Miss Ming Yu, don't be afraid. We will arrive soon."
Ming Yu trembled. How long had it been since someone had called her by her real name?
She lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the man driving the carriage, surprised. "You… you are Chang Yu?"
Chang Yu nodded. "Miss Ming Yu, it's been a long time."
Ming Yu asked, "Where did you go back then?"
Chang Yu heard this and said, "I was discovered back then and seriously injured. Fortunately, I was saved."
"Seriously injured? How come I didn't know?" Ming Yu asked.
Chang Yu didn't say anything further, pointing ahead. "We're almost at Jingzhou. Once we get there, you'll be safe."
Ming Yu knew Jingzhou. Was she leaving Hua City?
In the evening, the carriage arrived in Jingzhou. Chang Yu found an inn and told her to rest first, and they would enter the pass tomorrow.
She didn't know if it was the change of environment or something else, but she couldn't sleep. Looking at the full moon outside, she unexpectedly thought of what Hua Yun Jin was doing.
She must be crazy. Hua Yun Jin treated her that way, yet she still thought of him. But if she could forget, she wouldn't be in so much pain.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door. After a moment, someone whispered outside the door, "Miss Ming Yu, we must leave here immediately."
Ming Yu opened the door, and Chang Yu walked in. Ming Yu asked, "What happened?"
Chang Yu said, "Shen Yun Xuan's men have infiltrated the inn. Miss Ming Yu, stay close to me. We must leave now."
"Are they trying to capture me?" Ming Yu asked.
Chang Yu nodded. "Yes."
"Why would they want to capture me? I'm not Hua Yun Jin; I have no power or status."
"Because of that prophecy about the Phoenix Fate," Chang Yu said.
Ming Yu trembled. Recalling Shen Yun Xuan's expression when he looked at the portrait that day, her palms began to sweat.
"Miss Ming Yu, don't be afraid. I will protect you. I've already sent a message to my master; he will be here soon," Chang Yu said.
She nodded. "I know."
Exiting the inn, Chang Yu brought the carriage over. She got into the carriage, but after driving for a short time, the carriage suddenly stopped. She heard Chang Yu's somewhat anxious voice from outside, "Miss Ming Yu, stay inside and don't come out."
Ming Yu heard sounds of fighting outside. She took out the dagger hidden in her boot, lifted the carriage curtain. It was still dark, and she could only vaguely see figures fighting.
She got out of the carriage and hid beneath it. Just as she hid, someone entered the carriage. Seeing that the carriage was empty, they cursed.
At that moment, a gust of wind blew past, followed by even more intense fighting.
Soon, the fighting stopped. She heard Chang Yu's voice, "Miss Ming Yu, you can come out now. It's safe."
She crawled out from under the carriage. In the dim light, a figure stood there. He was dressed in brocade robes, his face stern as he looked at her.