One day, while hunting outside the city, a severely wounded soldier grabbed his reins: “Your Highness, the Emperor has been confined by the Crown Prince and is on the brink of death, hoping to see you one last time!” He handed Chu Yuan a torn piece of imperial yellow silk and then collapsed. In shock, Chu Yuan opened the silk and recognized it as a fragment of the Dragon Robe, with Chu Yunzheng’s blood-written message: “Crown Prince harms me.”
Previously, he worried that Chu Yunzheng was faking illness to lure him back, but as Emperor, Chu Yunzheng would never tear his Dragon Robe and write such a message to deceive him.
“I must go back,” Chu Yuan anxiously embraced Ruan Ning. “I must go back…”
He couldn’t leave Ruan Ning behind in this war-prone area where she could easily be captured. Yet, taking her with him posed equal danger.
“I’ll go with you,” Ruan Ning said, wrapping her arms around his neck and gently kissing his lips. “No matter life or death, we’ll always be together.”
Chu Yuan’s heart tightened at her words, feeling an ominous weight. He held her tighter, whispering, “Don’t die. Let’s live together.”
Ruan Ning shed tears, having been in this world for over four months. The system stated each mission lasted a maximum of six months, but she didn’t want Chu Yuan to die, even knowing he would be reborn. She feared the pain of his momentary death.
“Don’t cry,” Chu Yuan said, nervously wiping her tears. “Nothing will happen. I’m here. Nothing will happen.”
He was comforting her and himself. What would he do if the Emperor and Chu Xiang were truly irremediable?
That afternoon, they hurried back to the capital. In early spring, the roadside trees were shrouded in green mist, full of vitality. But Chu Yuan could not appreciate the scenery; his thoughts were consumed by Chu Yunzheng and Chu Xiang—both people he cherished. What would he do?
At every post station, while changing horses and traveling day and night, Ruan Ning lost a lot of weight in just a few days.
