An Jin coughed, changing the subject. “Don’t you want to know what I’ve been doing in Xiliang, and why Xia Zhichun is here?”
“Don’t change the subject,” I pushed away his chest, glaring at him hatefully. “Do you know how I’ve spent these past months? I haven’t had a single peaceful night, dreaming every night that you were injured or betrayed. When awake, my mind was full of where you were, what you were doing, and what I could do to help you. Finally coming to Xiliang, although I wanted to know where you were, I didn’t dare show it in front of Yan Or, afraid he might harm you if he found out. In front of everyone, I could only pretend to be calm and indifferent, acting like a proper Southern Rui princess. And you, whom I’ve been worrying about, were standing by, watching me being played around by you all?”
By the end of this speech, her voice was hoarse, as if she had emptied all her energy.
By the end, she was truly heartbroken, everything before her blurry and hazy.
As long as she didn’t blink, the tears wouldn’t fall. She desperately held her eyelids, not wanting to cry after saying such an accusatory speech.
Her eyelids felt sore. She vaguely saw him approaching, reaching out to caress her face.
“Don’t cry. A Yao, don’t cry.” His voice was gentle. “All along, I’ve been planning for you, protecting you behind me, but I never thought one day I would have to let you face those vicious hearts alone. The stronger you become, the more worried I am, afraid that you no longer need me. I’m sorry, A Yao, I shouldn’t have hurt your heart.”
The more he spoke, the more my eyelids felt sore, and finally I couldn’t help but blink, and two hot droplets fell on his fingers. The view became clear. Mo Qu’s face appeared before my eyes, but the heartbroken gaze belonged to An Jin. I cupped his face and kissed him fiercely.
He reacted quickly, opening his mouth cooperatively, but my speed was too fast and too forceful, and I knocked my lips against his teeth, feeling numb and painful. I didn’t care; having finally caught him, how could I not kiss him thoroughly?
Our bodies were tightly pressed together, tongues intertwined, arms entangled.
I only knew that the person I was intimate with was An Jin, these were his lips, his tongue, his taste, his breath. As long as he was by my side, I didn’t need to think about anything else, didn’t need to worry about anything. He was my An Jin, the An Jin who sheltered me from wind and rain, my husband who meticulously planned for me.
After who knows how long, the storm-like passionate kiss transformed into a gentle, intimate embrace. I nestled in his arms, tugging at the beard on his face. “What would you do if I chose the Wu Jin symbol?”
He smiled slightly, tightening his arms around me. “I’ve already thought it through. If you chose the Wu Jin symbol, I would steal you away and hide you, preventing you from becoming the princess of Nan Rui, making you only my Yao Yao.”
I pretended to be angry, grabbing and pulling his beard. It turned out the beard was real.
“You are indeed selfish,” I accused him, unable to suppress my laughter. “But I like it.”
He laughed again, lowering his head to kiss my forehead.
After setting up the fake death plan with Tang Wei, he had planned to hide for a while before going to Nan Rui with us. However, the death of his father-in-law and the forces pushing me to marry as a concubine truly angered An Jin. He decided to go to West Liang, collaborate with Summer of Clarity and Yan Huo, and eliminate these threats.
Summer of Clarity had never fallen off the cliff. When he returned to the country, the Eastern Palace ambushed him, but he didn’t die. Instead, he used the cliff-falling as a cover to hide in West Liang. He understood that returning to Qi Country might cost him his life, so he chose to stay in West Liang under Yan Huo’s protection and make further plans.
An Jin wanted to protect his family, Summer of Clarity wanted to fight for power, and Yan Huo wanted to profit from the situation. The three of them reached an agreement to jointly plan against Qi Emperor and the Eastern Palace. To avoid suspicion, An Jin disguised himself as Mo Qu, following Yan Huo, while the real Mo Qu waited for an opportunity.
Although An Jin didn’t elaborate on their plan, the royal family of Qi Country was about to face a massive change. Who would ultimately sit on the throne was still unknown.
Their plan was not yet complete, which meant An Jin couldn’t return to Nan Rui with me yet. I was somewhat disappointed, but An Jin comforted me that things would be resolved soon, and he would bring the Wu Jin symbol to Nan Rui to face everything together. This Wu Jin symbol was likely the bargaining chip Summer of Clarity and Yan Huo were using to control An Jin in this plan.
After finally reuniting, we were facing another separation. I didn’t want to consider these conspiracies.
I turned my face, frowning and poking his chest. “How did you make yourself so muscular?”
He chuckled. “Old Li said the best disguise is to completely transform oneself into another person. From physique and appearance to demeanor and posture, even habitual small movements, everything must be identical. To disguise as Mo Qu, I carefully observed him for an entire month, even memorizing the sound of his snoring while sleeping. Height and body type were relatively simple – just using some disguise materials.”
“Indeed, it’s very similar. No wonder even I couldn’t tell the difference,” I nodded seriously. “It feels quite special, like I’m being intimate with Mo Qu.”
His face darkened, as black as the bottom of a pot.
The vehicle driver knocked on the carriage door and called out loudly outside: “Princess, Lord Mo, there is a royal carriage in front of the guest inn, and it seems we cannot pass through.”
“Then we’ll take a detour.”
Before the driver could respond, I heard my younger sister’s unique crisp voice as she opened the carriage door. “Second Sister, Second Sister! Where have you been—”
Her expression instantly became dazed. “…come back.”
“Miss Ya, what’s wrong?” Que’er’s voice grew closer, and my sister was startled, immediately closing the door.
An Jin and I looked at each other, quickly getting up and tidying our appearance. Fortunately, it was my sister who saw us, not Que’er.
“Miss Ya, why did you close the door? Isn’t the princess inside?” We could clearly hear Que’er’s curious question.
“She’s not!” My sister answered decisively. “My second sister is definitely not inside! Absolutely not!”
I suddenly felt pressure coming at me. An Jin gleefully whispered to me: “Roll—away—roll—go—my sister has quite an imagination.”
“What?!” Que’er’s voice became sharper. “Mo Qu? And the princess?”
An Jin finally realized this wasn’t going anywhere and reached out to open the carriage door. Que’er and my sister simultaneously looked at us, while the driver lowered his head in fear, gripping the reins and occasionally glancing cautiously at us.
An Jin coughed, first getting off the carriage, then turned back to help me. “Princess, please.”
“Thank you, Lord Mo,” I formally took his hand and descended from the carriage. Que’er and my sister’s gazes were extremely intense, as if they wanted to burn a hole in our clasped hands.
I quickly withdrew my hand, raising my head to appear calm, nodding to An Jin: “Thank you, Lord Mo, for accompanying me.”
An Jin was not to be outdone, immediately adopting an official demeanor, cupping his hands towards me. “Then I shall take my leave.”
After An Jin left, my sister and Que’er both remained silent.
“Just now, it was a carriage—”
“No need to say anything,” Que’er waved her hand, looking stern. “The princess’s status is different now, and you don’t need to explain anything to us small people. As long as the princess remembers who she is.”
With that, she turned and left.
