The system forced me to blow up the female lead's fishpond.

Chu Chouchi was already furious. Seeing him stroll casually towards the city gate, he lost his temper and rushed forward, throwing a heavy punch at his face without hesitation.

Chu Tu was knocked back two steps by the force of the blow. Before he could even raise his eyes and utter a sound, he was punched in the chest by Chu Chouchi, and blood spilled from his mouth.

Chu Tu lowered his eyes slightly and did not retaliate.

Seeing this, Chu Chouchi became even angrier and stepped forward to throw several more punches.

His punches were swift and powerful, each one landing squarely, forcing Chu Tu to retreat repeatedly, yet he showed no intention of retaliating.

With the final blow, Chu Tu could no longer hold on. One knee buckled, and he knelt on the ground, vomiting a mouthful of blood.

This scene terrified Shen Qinshou.

She was secretly annoyed that Chu Tu wasn't fighting back. He had been beaten so badly, she couldn't just ignore him.

If the Second Prince discovers her concern, and later mistakes her for being in love with the Third Prince, wouldn't she never have a chance to win his heart back?

Even though she was unwilling, she had no choice but to walk over there with great displeasure, out of consideration for appearances.

"Ah! Brother Tu!"

She feigned helplessness and stepped forward to support Chu Tu, her eyes full of worry, "Are you alright?"

"It's alright." Chu Tu raised his index finger and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

Shen Qinshou looked up, her beautiful eyes filled with tears as she gazed at Chu Chouchi, and sobbed, "Second Prince, you and the Third Prince are like brothers, how can you treat him like this because of a woman?"

Chu Chouchi gave a low, cold laugh, without answering her question.

He took two steps forward, staring at Chu Tu, who was kneeling on the ground, his eyes blazing with furious anger. "Where is Shen Zhizhi?!"

Chu Tu paused for a moment, pursed his lips, and his usually upturned peach blossom eyes drooped slightly at this moment.

After a moment, as if he had made up his mind, he raised his head and said, "I do not know what you mean, Your Majesty. It was indeed I who took Shen Zhizhi out today, but I only took her to the market before letting her return to the mansion. The reason I left the city was simply to go to the outskirts with A-Shou."

Fortunately, he had already arranged for A-Shou to wait for him outside the city gate. He wondered if this would be enough to slow down his brother. If his brother searched Nanliyue Star City again, he would have difficulty catching up with her carriage to Dali in a few hours.

Seeing this, the guard who had been kowtowing and begging for mercy turned around and said, "Second Prince, there is indeed only one woman in the Third Prince's carriage..."

"Is it?"

Chu Chouchi's lips curved slightly, but the smile did not reach his eyes, making him look intimidating.

"Why didn't you fight back when I hit you earlier?"

His gaze slowly fell on Chu Tu, whose jet-black hair fluttered in the wind, and the killing intent in his eyes reached its peak at this moment, his body clamoring for blood.

At this moment, he truly wanted to kill Shen Qinshou and Chu Tu.

Upon hearing this question, Chu Tu's heart skipped a beat. He moved his lips, but found himself at a loss for words.

"Since you don't know how to answer, then I, Your Highness, will answer you."

Chu Tu raised his eyes without any expression, and their gazes met in the air, revealing a bloodthirsty aura.

Chu Chouchi exuded a heavy killing intent as he slowly approached him, step by step, his voice as cold as ice:

"When you plotted to kill her, did you think of the birthday gift she prepared for you that day?"

And have you ever thought about how, when your mansion caught fire, she rushed into the flames without hesitation to find the hairpin left behind by the Imperial Concubine?

Since you feel guilty, why not spare her life in consideration of all these things?

Chu Tu's Adam's apple bobbed violently, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

A sudden prickling sensation ran through his heart; he couldn't withstand Chu Chouchi's menacing gaze and sheepishly looked away.

Seeing this, Chu Chouchi's killing intent intensified. "Do you know how disappointed she must have felt when you treated her like this?"

Kneeling on the ground, Chu Tu's vision momentarily blurred. The image of the girl's gentle smile flashed through his mind, along with the image of her bright eyes sparkling in the candlelight as she sang those lines to him:

Happy birthday!

For a moment, he was somewhat annoyed and raised his eyes, "I am by no means an ungrateful person, and I had no intention of harming her, but—"

Shen Qinshou, who was standing to the side, was shocked, fearing that he would reveal the matter of Dali. Her fair wrist, which was wrapped around him, suddenly tightened.

Feeling a tight embrace, Chu Tu snapped out of his daze.

He almost exposed the plan just now. What's wrong with him? Why is he so unsteady when it comes to her?

Chu Tu brushed away the chaotic thoughts in his mind, lowered his eyes, and fell silent.

Chu Chouchi's sharp eyes caught Shen Qinshou's barely perceptible movement. His gaze, burning like a knife, glared at her coldly. Several times, he lost his temper and wanted to call the archers to shoot her.

He could only steady his breathing and close his eyes. In that bottomless void, all he could see was Shen Zhizhi's coquettish laughter, earnestly comforting him:

'Your Highness, killing is wrong. We are not thugs; we must act reasonably.'

His Adam's apple bobbed as he calmed his murderous intent, then he raised his eyes and chuckled coldly, "You'd better pray that I can bring Shen Zhizhi back unharmed. If she suffers even the slightest injury, then please, Third Prince, take good care of the one you love."

As he spoke, his dark robes fluttered, and he mounted his horse, his eyes filled with ferocity.

That idiot had no idea that he was not a thug, because what he did was a thousand times, ten thousand times more unreasonable than those thugs.

But he was willing to pretend, willing to let her be the only reason in his life.

But if something really happens to her, he will make everyone pay for their crimes in blood.

Chu Chouchi swallowed bitterly, the unease in his eyes spreading throughout his entire body, filling every limb and bone.

"The reason why I did not summon the archers today is because of Shen Zhizhi."

It's unclear whether he was speaking to Chu Tu or comforting himself that she would definitely come back, that he couldn't bring himself to kill her, and that he couldn't let her know his true colors.

After Chu Chouchi finished speaking, he raised his whip and rode off towards the outside of the city.

He didn't believe in gods, but now he wanted to say to them:

If you want him to never kill again in his life, then return Shen Zhizhi to him.

......

[Chu Chouchi's corruption value decreased rapidly, then increased rapidly, then decreased rapidly, then increased rapidly, then decreased rapidly...]

Shen Zhizhi was so shaken that she almost threw up. The alarm in her mind kept going off, sometimes decreasing and sometimes increasing. She had no idea what Chu Chouchi was up to.

She can barely protect herself now, so how can she reduce Chu Chou Chi's corruption level?

She screamed in despair, "Hey, can you please stop broadcasting? I'm about to die, how am I supposed to complete the mission?"

[Host, this is an alert from the Heavenly Dao, and I can't turn it off.]

Ya Dan crouched under the table, her head in her hands, staring at the increasingly loud alarm on the empty screen, tears streaming down her face.

Shen Zhizhi's lips twitched violently, and she closed her eyes in utter speechlessness.

Sure enough, we can't have any hope for this dog egg.