Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

After a period of passion, Shu Yingwen gradually regained consciousness.

The pleasures of indulging in sensual pleasures might allow him to forget all his current troubles.

But when it's all over, an endless sense of emptiness and fear will surge into his heart like a tide, enveloping him tightly.

The feeling was like an invisible giant hand tightly gripping his heart, giving him a suffocating sense of impending death.

"What's wrong? Where did your vigor go? You're not acting like a man at all."

Wu Li finished dressing and looked at Shu Yingwen with a look of disgust.

The sarcastic tone made Shu Yingwen very uncomfortable.

He wanted to berate Wu Li as a slut, a shameless whore who was used by anyone, and a despicable bastard.

But I just couldn't bring myself to say it.

Because aren't I just a lowly person seeking solace in a prostitute?

Wu Li continued to mock as she combed her hair: "Oh dear, in three days it will be the wedding of the Empress of Great Chu."

I really envy her; she found such a reliable husband to be by her side.

Think about it: on your wedding night, the virginity of the person you've been dreaming of is about to be given to the one you love.

When hearts are in sync, the beauty between a person and their bed can be incredibly romantic and heartwarming.

From that moment on, her courtyard would only be open to one man, and that man could never be you.

From now on, the Empress's body and soul will be completely transformed into Shen Lang's likeness, and it won't be long before she bears him children again.

Perhaps the next emperor of the Great Chu will be Shen Lang's child.

Think about it, what role did you play in all of this? It was utterly disgraceful.

"Can you shut up? Please stop talking!"

Shu Yingwen completely broke down. The thought of the woman he had secretly vowed to marry since childhood about to "lose her virginity" to another man and be pleasured by him...

He felt a splitting headache.

Why did things turn out this way?

Upon seeing this, Wu Li couldn't help but smile.

"Shu Yingwen, if you're still a man, then pull yourself together and muster your last bit of courage to fight for it."

Shu Yingwen looked up: "How can I fight for it? Nobody's willing to help me."

"Did Shen Lang only get the Empress's favor because of someone else's help? Can you stop being so spineless, always needing others to help you get anything done?"

Wu Li walked up to Shu Yingwen, touched his chin with her finger, and gazed at him quietly.

A hint of reluctance flashed in his eyes.

"There are three days left until the Empress's wedding. These three days are your last chance to tell her everything that's been hidden in your heart."

"But does this really work?"

Whether it's useful or not doesn't matter. At least you've done your last bit of effort, haven't you?

Even if it's ultimately irreversible, you can have no regrets, right?

Looking into Wu Li's expectant eyes, Shu Yingwen felt a surge of courage.

“You’re right, things haven’t reached the final stage yet, there’s still room for redemption. I… I’ll go and speak to His Majesty right now.”

She'll definitely be moved. Yes, I'll go now; I can't just sit here and wait to die.

Thinking of this, he could no longer sit still. He got up, changed into the scholar's robe he had brought with him when he entered the palace, and quickly left Tianxiang Tower.

"Humph."

Wu Li stood by the window, watching Shu Yingwen's figure disappear behind the Tianxiang Tower's gate, and let out a cold snort.

Leaving Tianxiang Tower, Shu Yingwen looked back at the pavilion where she had stayed for several months and reflected on her experiences during that time. She felt as if she had been in a very long dream.

Taking a breath of fresh air, his eyes were filled with unwavering determination as he strode away from Ganquan Palace.

Just as he was about to head to Chang Le Palace to find Jiang Mengxuan, he was blocked by several members of the Jingwei Division dressed in flying fish brocade robes when he passed through a palace alley.

"Ha, after waiting for months, I've finally waited for you."

The head of the Jingwei Division stood up, put away his pipe, and walked towards Shu Yingwen with a half-smile.

Shu Yingwen broke out in a cold sweat and asked in a trembling voice, "Who are you people?"

"hehe."

The men did not answer, but instead let out bursts of chilling laughter.

Even if Shu Yingwen was stupid, she knew that these people were coming for her, so she immediately turned around and prepared to return to Ganquan Palace.

But as soon as he turned around, he was hit in the face with a blunt object.

The next moment he felt a sharp pain in his head, then everything went black and he knew nothing more...

"Hey, wake up."

After an unknown amount of time, Shu Yingwen felt her face being slapped repeatedly.

He then covered his head and came to his senses.

What came into view was a group of Jingwei Division members dressed in brocade robes with flying fish designs, looking at him with gloomy expressions.

All around him was a vast expanse of mountain walls, and behind him was a cliff hundreds of feet high.

"What are you doing here? Why did you bring me here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Chaoyun slowly walked out from the crowd.

"Humph."

He glanced at Shu Yingwen's cowardly appearance and simply snorted disdainfully.

He then took out a document from his pocket and began to read it aloud to himself.

"Shu Yingwen, during the selection of a son-in-law, had an affair with a palace maid during the assessment period, thus violating ethical and moral principles of the court."

Instead of feeling remorse after the incident, he conspired with his sister Shu Yue to harm His Majesty.

After his plot was exposed, he fled in panic, and while being pursued by the Jingwei Guard, he accidentally fell off a cliff and died in front of Zijing Mountain...

Upon hearing these words, Shu Yingwen's mind went completely blank.

"No, no, I did not harm His Majesty! You are framing me with false accusations! I want to see His Majesty! I want to see His Majesty! Take me to His Majesty!"

He tried to argue his case, but what he received in return were cold and terrifying faces.

After Jiang Chaoyun finished reading the document in his hand, he smiled at Shu Yingwen and said, "Shu Caizi, jump. Only when you are dead will this matter be completely resolved."

Shu Yingwen was in despair: "I did nothing wrong, why do you have to kill me!"

Jiang Chaoyun stepped forward: "Where did you go wrong? You went wrong by having unrealistic expectations of His Majesty, and you went wrong by choosing to continue resisting when you knew the situation was hopeless."

His Majesty and the Duke of Zhenguo are in love. Why did you have to interfere? If you knew better, you would have resigned and withdrawn on your own. Otherwise, you would have ended up like this.

Besides, your licentious behavior in the harem should have led to your death; His Majesty's mercy in sparing you until now is already evident.

"Ah~~"

Shu Yingwen roared in anguish, venting her pent-up frustration.

Is it wrong to like someone?

Jiang Chaoyun sneered: "Your mistake was having an affair with the harem behind His Majesty's back, and even more so, having feelings for His Majesty."

Everything you're going through today is your own fault. You should have died months ago, but unfortunately, Wu Li saved you.

"As long as you don't leave Ganquan Palace, we naturally won't have a chance to act. It's a pity that you didn't face reality, which led to this outcome."

After speaking, Jiang Chaoyun straightened up.

"More importantly, Her Majesty doesn't want the Duke of Zhenguo to think of you after the marriage, which could affect his feelings for Her Majesty."

So, you have to die no matter what. Jump! Don't make things difficult for us. Be a man and be fierce for once.

"No, no, I don't want to die!"

Shu Yingwen had already lost control of her bladder and bowed repeatedly, pleading with the others.

"Brothers, please spare me! I'll never dare to dream of anything again!"

Go back and tell His Majesty that I am willing to become a commoner, far from the capital, and never appear before her again.

This scene only fueled Jiang Chaoyun and his companions' disdain.

Does this kind of person even deserve to dream of becoming the emperor's son-in-law? How dare he?

"Jump, jump quickly, don't make things difficult for us."

"Jump! Jump now!"

"I told you to jump, did you hear me!"

The people in the Jingwei Division began urging him to hurry up and die, and they were already showing some impatience.

Shu Yingwen was forced to retreat step by step. She looked back at the cliff that was over a hundred feet high and her face twisted with tears.

"You're not jumping, huh?"

Jiang Chaoyun gradually lost patience and was just about to take action himself.

Why are you forcing me like this! Why?!

"Ah~"

As soon as he moved, Shu Yingwen lost her footing, cried out, and fell off the cliff.

Jiang Chaoyun stood on the edge of the cliff and watched as Shu Yingwen's falling body crashed against the mountain wall, emitting bursts of blood mist, before finally disappearing completely at the bottom of the cliff.

Before long, the communication jade slip at Jiang Chaoyun's waist rang.

"Commander Jiang, Shu Yingwen is dead. May we collect her body now?"

"After you've removed all his personal belongings and identification items, take him to the government office and let them handle it."

"Yes."

Jiang Chaoyun cut off the communication jade slip, then waved his hand and led the Jingwei Division members to report to the Empress.