Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

Chapter 354 The Charming Fake Gold 23

Upon hearing the sound, Liu Yunshu looked up, a hint of almost icy mockery flashing in her eyes.

"Regretful day and night?"

She took a step forward, her gaze as clear as frost falling on Xiao Jingyu's face.

"Then let me ask you, where were you three years ago when I was accused of being a usurper's daughter?"

Where were you when my imperial glass cup was shattered by slander?

Where were you when I was sent to the laundry department and became the laughingstock of the entire capital?

Her voice wasn't loud, but each word was like shattered ice and falling jade, clear and cold, carrying the chill of time.

The wind rustled the plum blossoms under the eaves, brushing against her cheeks, but it couldn't dispel the cold indifference that lingered in her almond-shaped eyes.

"Yun Shu, I..."

Hsiao Ching-yu choked up.

"Can't answer?"

Liu Yunshu smiled gently, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

"Then I'll answer for you."

"When I was accused of being a fake heiress, you were by Liu Yueyao's side, coldly watching me."

"When I was slandered and my glass cup was shattered, you were still by Liu Yueyao's side, watching me with indifference."

"On the day I was sent to the laundry department, it was snowing heavily, and you were still by Liu Yueyao's side, coldly watching me."

With each sentence she spoke, she took a step closer.

Her silver-red skirt swept across the snow, and the fragrance of plum blossoms mingled in her clear, cold voice:

"Xiao Jingyu, tell me—what exactly are you regretting? Didn't you already get the 'truth' and 'good match' you wanted?"

Xiao Jingyu's face was ashen, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a sound.

He reached out, wanting to touch her sleeve, but his fingertips only caught a wisp of cold wind carrying the scent of plum blossoms.

"I'm not... Yun Shu, I was deceived back then, it was Liu Yueyao who did it on purpose..."

That's enough.

Liu Yunshu suddenly raised her hand, interrupting him, her eyes filled with even more mockery.

"Xiao Jingyu, you don't need to shift all the blame onto others. If you truly trust me, how can the words of others sway you in the slightest?"

She took another step closer and could almost see her own reflection in his pupils.

"For the past three years, I've been starving and freezing, washing clothes with my hands submerged in frozen sewage, my old wounds healing while new ones were being inflicted upon me. Where were you then?"

"Where were you when the nanny forced me to kneel in the snow, my knees so frozen I lost all feeling, and I nearly lost my life?"

"I caught a cold and huddled on a damp, cold straw mat in the laundry room, unable to even get a sip of hot water, coughing so hard it was heartbreaking—where were you then?"

Her voice suddenly rose, the last syllable carrying a slight, barely suppressed tremor, but she quickly suppressed it.

She leaned slightly forward, her gaze like a drawn dagger, piercing sharply into his eyes:

"Hsiao Ching-yu,"

She spoke each word slowly and deliberately, as if she were using all her strength.

"Your regret comes too late and is too worthless."

Xiao Jingyu shuddered violently, staggered backward, and crashed heavily into the plum tree.

Snow fell softly from the branches, covering his head and shoulders, the chill penetrating to his very bones.

He stared blankly at the woman with sharp features before him, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity that made his heart tremble.

This is no longer the little girl who, three years ago, would blush and hand him a handkerchief, and would secretly hide behind a tree to watch him practice swordsmanship.

Liu Yunshu, who had his heart and soul completely devoted to him, had already met him three years ago in that heavy snow.

He crushed it with his own hands and buried it in the ice water of the laundry department.

"I……"

He opened his mouth, but it felt like there was a burning coal stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word because of the pain.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Outside the plum garden

Han Fei stood with his hands behind his back, the hem of his bright yellow robe billowing in the cold wind.

Those deep eyes locked onto the figure under the eaves, their depths filled with pity and heartache.

The Empress Dowager stood beside him, sighed softly, her voice full of pity: "This child has suffered for too long."

Granny Qin hurriedly stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, it's windy, be careful not to catch a cold."

The Empress Dowager waved her hand, but her gaze did not leave Liu Yunshu.

In the crowd, Liu Yueyao's face had already turned mostly pale.

She gripped the handkerchief tightly, her fingertips turning white, her mental calculations already shattered by shock.

She never expected that Liu Yunshu would dare to reveal everything that happened three years ago in front of so many people!

The two elders of the Xiao family were so ashamed that they could hardly lift their heads.

The subtle gazes from all around felt like needles piercing my heart.

General Xiao's face was ashen, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked, and the veins on his forehead bulged. He wished he could beat this unfilial son to death on the spot.

Madam Xiao trembled all over, and the handkerchief was almost torn to shreds.

She turned her head to look at Liu Yueyao, who was pale and bloodless beside her, her eyes filled with disgust and anger.

If this girl hadn't gossiped about Jingyu back then, things wouldn't have turned out this way!

Liu Yueyao's heart skipped a beat when she saw her, and she hurriedly lowered her head, digging her fingertips deep into her palm.

The stinging pain from the nail digging into the flesh barely suppressed the panic that was about to burst forth.

She bit her lip hard, cursing inwardly: Liu Yunshu! You bitch! How dare you tear off our facade in public!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The wind under the eaves picked up, whipping up the petals of the red plum blossoms.

"When I fell into the abyss and was on the verge of despair, Jun Huai descended like a god, stepped into the laundry department and lifted me out of the mud where I could not see the sun."

Liu Yunshu's voice suddenly softened, with a barely perceptible sob at the end, which she stubbornly suppressed.

She raised her eyes, and the frost in them melted away, revealing a gentle, spring-like beauty.

He respected me, protected me, and cherished me.

"Treat me like a pearl held in the palm of your hand, like a warm jade held on your lips."

"No matter how much sorrow I feel or how bitter I am, it can't escape his eyes."

"He is as powerful as mountains and seas, yet he is willing to bow down to me and become as gentle as silk."

"His love is as vast as the sky, encompassing all my wounds and cowardice."

"How could I not fall for such a man?"

Her voice was clear and resonant, like a vow:

"In this life, Liu Yunshu loved only Han Fei. The south wind only rests on the branch in your heart, and my heart will forever be by your side, my king."

Outside the plum garden.

As Han Fei gazed at the beautiful woman pouring out her heart to him, his dark eyes seemed to shimmer with a galaxy of light, overflowing with tenderness. His previously tightly pressed lips unconsciously curved into a slight smile, and the chilling aura emanating from him instantly melted away.

Looking at her son's tender appearance, which even the wind and snow could not conceal, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head, her eyes full of understanding and teasing.

The surrounding officials were filled with envy and sighs, secretly marveling that His Majesty could be so admired in public by his beloved. However, due to the rules of etiquette, they could only lower their heads and suppress their laughter, but their eyes kept drifting towards that side.

Hearing this bold and passionate confession, the women were so startled that they almost dropped the hand warmer they were holding, and their cheeks flushed red.

That was His Majesty, who was usually indifferent to women and was known for his dignified and aloof demeanor. Yet he was willing to show tenderness for a woman. How could this not move people to tears?

They all lowered their eyes thoughtfully. Could it be that men all like this kind of thing?

"And you, Hsiao Ching-yu,"

Liu Yunshu turned around, her voice returning to its cool and clear tone.

"Knowing full well that this is a palace banquet, knowing full well that I am His Majesty's person, and knowing full well that you and Liu Yueyao are already engaged."

"But you insisted on coming here, insisted on being in this palace, and said you regretted it."

"To Your Majesty, your actions are disloyal; to the Xiao family, your behavior is unfilial; to the Marquis of Puyang's residence, your fickleness is unjust; and to me—"

Her gaze was distant, as if she were looking at a stranger, and her tone was disdainful:

"You just want to drag me back into an abyss of no return."

"Yun Shu, I didn't..."

"A person as disloyal, unfilial, and unjust as you..."

Liu Yunshu gently shook her head, as if brushing away dust.

"Why would you think I would abandon someone who treats me like my own life and go back to pick up this dusty old stone like you?"

The last bit of color drained from Xiao Jingyu's face, and his lips turned ashen.

Looking into the undisguised disgust in her eyes, he felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart tightly, causing him unbearable pain.

"Good! What a fine 'disloyal, unfilial, and unjust' statement! Nanfeng, I never knew you could be so eloquent."

Han Fei's voice came with the cold wind, deep and tinged with laughter.

He strode closer, his bright yellow casual clothes sweeping across the snow, kicking up a string of fine snowflakes.

Before Liu Yunshu could turn around, a pair of warm, large hands had already wrapped around her waist, pulling her steadily into their embrace.

His palms gently caressed her back, the pressure both soothing and possessive, asserting his dominance.

"Jun Huai..."

Liu Yunshu hurriedly looked up and caught sight of the people behind him, and quickly explained.

"I didn't... I didn't have anything to do with him..."

Han Fei lowered his head, his fingertips gently tracing the corners of her reddened eyes, his voice so soft it could melt water, without a trace of reproach.

"I know, I trust you, from beginning to end, I have only trusted you."

His lips brushed against her slightly cool temple.

"What you just said was excellent. It really helped you vent your anger."

Liu Yunshu felt a lump in her throat; the grievances she had been holding back for so long crumbled instantly at his gentle words of comfort.

She reached out and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in the warmth of his clothes, her voice muffled, tinged with a sob:

I'm afraid... afraid you'll misunderstand.

"Silly girl."

Han Fei chuckled softly, gently patting her back with his palm, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.

"I know my Nanfeng best. How could a few words from others possibly catch my eye?"

"Then Your Majesty the Empress Dowager..." She raised her head slightly from his embrace, her eyes still glistening with tears.

"Yun Shu, I heard everything."

The Empress Dowager stepped forward slowly, her kind gaze falling on her, her voice full of tenderness.

"Good child, all that suffering is over. From now on, with me and the Emperor protecting you, no one will be able to bully you in the slightest."

Liu Yunshu raised her tearful eyes, her eye sockets and nose tip were red, like a little rabbit that had suffered a lot of grievances in the snow, which made people feel sorry for her.

"Hsiao Ching-yu".

Han Fei spoke, his voice not loud, but it made everyone present hold their breath.

"Three years ago, you were blind and deaf; three years later, you show no remorse."

He paused, a faint hint of mockery playing on his lips.

"Disloyal, unfilial, unjust—you embody them all. The Xiao family has been loyal and virtuous for generations; how could such a despicable person as you emerge?"

Xiao Jingyu trembled violently, his knees buckled, and he knelt heavily in the snow.

He opened his mouth, wanting to beg for mercy or to explain, but found that he had already lost his voice.

Upon seeing this, General Xiao could no longer restrain himself and staggered forward.

He fell to his knees with a thud, his forehead hitting the snow hard.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me! My son is foolish! I have failed in his duty to educate him, and I am willing to accept punishment!"

"Punishment?"

Han Fei sneered, his gaze sweeping over the pale-faced Liu Yueyao before returning to Xiao Jingyu.

"Very well. Considering the Xiao family's contributions to the country, I will not punish you for your official position."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming sharp:

"But Xiao Jingyu, effective immediately, you are stripped of your position as deputy commander of the Imperial Guard and confined to the Xiao residence."

"Without my decree, you are not to step out of the manor! As for your engagement with Liu Yueyao..."

Han Fei glanced at Liu Yueyao, whose face was ashen, and said indifferently:

"Such a perfect match, there's no need to break it off. After all, birds of a feather flock together."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yueyao's face instantly drained of color, and her body swayed.

If it weren't for Wang Shi beside him catching him in time, he probably would have fallen to the ground long ago.

Several suppressed gasps rose from the surroundings, and the gazes of the crowd toward Liu Yueyao were filled with disdain and mockery.

Han Fei stopped looking at them and looked down at Liu Yunshu in his arms, his eyes instantly softening with tenderness.

He brushed the snowflakes from her hair and said softly, "The wind is getting strong, let's go back to the palace."

Having said that, he gently lifted her into his arms and turned to step into the vast snowy night.