Repeatedly broken branches

She couldn't escape. The Zhou residence was heavily guarded, and since she had just stabbed Zhou Tingxi, they were paying extra attention to her, and her every move was under Zhou Tingxi's control.

Xiao Shao held her tightly; her body was burning hot, she had a high fever, and she bit her lip hard, staring blankly out the window.

When Madam Xue sent someone to treat her, she chased them away. When someone brought her food, she threw it all away.

Little Spoon was crying uncontrollably. She was afraid of losing the princess. She had nothing left and couldn't bear to lose the princess too.

But the princess had lost all will to live. She didn't say a word, and she didn't even blink.

She was so scared.

Zhou Tingxi's injuries were not serious. He had suffered all kinds of injuries in the military camp, so these were nothing to him. After applying some anti-inflammatory and hemostatic medicine, he was able to get out of bed and walk again.

He didn't dare to see Xia Yunzhi; he didn't know how to face her.

Ye Wanwan brought over a bowl of tonic and said sweetly, "Tingxi, this is the tonic I made for my sister. You can take it to her. She probably doesn't want to see me."

Zhou Tingxi said coldly, "Since you know she doesn't want to see you, don't use your things to get in her way. In terms of seniority, the late emperor was also your adoptive father. Not only do you not show any sadness, but you're also wearing a red velvet flower in your hair. What's the meaning of that?!"

Ye Wanwan was so frightened that she knelt down, sobbing uncontrollably. Zhou Tingxi was extremely annoyed by her crying all the time; it was so annoying.

Ye Wanwan's maid, Jing'er, took her away, comforting her, "The general is in a bad mood right now, why should you provoke him, Madam?"

Ye Wanwan took off the velvet flower from her hair and said innocently, "How was I supposed to know that he would be so displeased if he killed my father? Shouldn't he be happy?"

But why was he so furious?

It is said that Xia Yuyi and the bodies of his concubines were simply buried in the burial tombs of the imperial mausoleum without even a proper funeral.

They supported Yin Fu'an's ascension to the throne and appointed Zhou Tingxi as the Grand General Protector of the Nation. The imperial guards refused to serve under him even at the cost of their lives, and thus died for their country.

What a great general who protects the country! Isn't it ironic at all?

Xiao Mu stopped eating and drinking for several days and lost a lot of weight. How could she face her father on his final journey if Zhou Tingxi didn't die? Why didn't he die?

She will live on only to kill Zhou Tingxi and to survive.

Xiao Shao brought in a bowl of steaming hot yam soup. Xiao Mu looked at her, dressed in plain white clothes, and felt a mix of emotions. Didn't she even have the right to wear mourning clothes and white flowers in her hair for them?

Xiao Shao advised, "Princess, oh no... Madam, please have something to eat. This yam soup was made by Xiao Shao herself, so please have some."

Xiao Mu nodded blankly, took the bowl, scooped up two spoonfuls and drank them. There was no taste at all. She suppressed her nausea and forced herself to drink two spoonfuls.

Little Spoon was overjoyed; she was finally eating something after so many days.

"Madam, you haven't formally paid your respects to the old lady yet. She is eagerly awaiting your visit."

Xiao Shao could only probe her from the side, because she was still afraid that Xiao Mu was still apprehensive.

"Then you can do my hair and makeup, just style it like a young woman's hair before marriage."

She and Zhou Tingxi were not actually husband and wife, so why did she wear the hairstyle of a married woman? She wanted to announce to the world that she and Zhou Tingxi had no relationship whatsoever.

Xiao Shao styled her hair into a lily bun, with her long black hair hanging down to her waist, adorned with a pair of butterfly hairpins. She wore a white brocade dress, looking like a fairy in a painting, untouched by worldly affairs, living a pure life as if in the clouds.

She walked step by step to Linhui Pavilion, where Madam Xue was. When Madam Xue saw her, her eyes were full of sorrow. After accepting the tea that she offered, she quickly pulled her to sit down next to her.

Madam Xue held her hand and said in a trembling voice, "The princess has lost weight."

Xiao Mu smiled faintly and said in a soft voice, "Madam, I am no longer a princess. If you don't mind, please call me Xiao Zhi."

Madam Xue looked guilty, but said in a gentle tone, "It's my fault for not raising my son properly. I'm ignoring that rebellious son now. From now on, we'll keep each other company, and he can go out on his own."

Xiao Mu said sweetly, "Okay, Madam."

Seeing how frail and weak Xiao Mu looked, Madam Xue felt very sorry for her and ordered someone to bring her a cloak made of otter fur that she had acquired last year, and give it to her.

"I dare not accept such a fine thing. Madam, you should keep it for yourself. Or you can give it to Wanwan. Wanwan is pregnant, so her health is naturally more precious than mine."

Xiao Mu said that on purpose, just to push Ye Wanwan into the limelight.

Madam Xue revealed a disdainful expression. She said dismissively, "She doesn't deserve this. Whether she's pregnant or not, whether she's rich or not, my unfilial son can do whatever he wants with her. It's none of my business, and I don't want to see her!"

Xiao Mu could only accept the gifts from Madam Xue. After chatting with her for a while, she returned to Zhu Lou with Xiao Shao.

Upon hearing of the sudden change in the situation in Chen Kingdom, Ruan Cifeng immediately rushed back from the far north. His open defiance of the imperial decree had enraged the Emperor of Lin Yue, who now gave him two choices: either return immediately to apologize, or get out of Lin Yue and never come back.

He chose the latter. He didn't care about being a prince or anything like that, since no one else cared about him anyway. Only Xia Yunzhi truly treated him like an ordinary person.

Upon arriving in Chen Kingdom, he repeatedly requested to see Xia Yunzhi, but was refused by Zhou Tingxi each time.

He really couldn't think of any way to see her.

He met Xiao Shao, who was out shopping, and asked her to pass a message to Xiao Mu, asking her to meet him at Qiu Lai Restaurant, as he wanted to see her.

Xiao Shao returned to the Zhou residence and told Xiao Mu everything about meeting Ruan Cifeng and his desire to see her. Xiao Mu was both surprised and delighted, as he was her only friend, and she couldn't wait to see him.

However, Zhou Tingxi has practically imprisoned her here. Her residence is located in the most remote corner, and it is heavily guarded. Although Xue Shi doesn't want him to come back to live here now, he hasn't removed the guards outside the Zhu Lou gate.

Xiao Mu really couldn't think of any way to see him.

Just as she was racking her brains, Ye Wanwan arrived. Her waist was still slender, and there was no sign that she was pregnant.

"Sister, you've been in a good mood lately, haven't you?"

When Ye Wanwan said those words, Xiao Mu glared at her angrily, raised her hand, and slapped her across the face. Her eyes were full of disdain. "What you said disgusts me. Are you in a good mood because your father died?"

Ye Wanwan covered her face and looked innocently at Xiao Mu. "I'm so sad that Father is gone, sister. But what can we do? The dead are dead. The living must continue to live!"

"Get out of here! You're not allowed to set foot in my yard without my permission. Otherwise, I'll beat you every time I see you, and I don't care if you're pregnant or not!"

Ye Wanwan slunk away. She had originally planned to humiliate Xia Yunzhi, but she hadn't expected her to be so arrogant and treat her like a servant.

Ye Wanwan deliberately didn't apply any medicine, and instead covered her already swollen and red face, crying her eyes out as she made a scene at Zhou Tingxi's military camp.

However, instead of showing concern or comforting her, Zhou Tingxi blamed her for causing trouble for Xia Yunzhi.

She knew perfectly well that Xia Yunzhi didn't want to see her at all.

Ye Wanwan cried even harder, which made Zhou Tingxi not even want to uphold the debt of saving his life. Looking at her, he felt inexplicably furious.

After sending her away, tell the soldiers guarding her not to let Ye Wanwan in easily in the future, otherwise anyone who lets her in will be dealt with according to military law.

Ye Wanwan was also heartbroken. She didn't know what went wrong, that Zhou Tingxi would hate her so much. Had all their vows been blown away by the wind? She looked for the cause within herself and blamed Xia Yunzhi, but refused to consider whether it was Zhou Tingxi's fault. She felt that if Xia Yunzhi hadn't been so alluring and seductive, how could Zhou Tingxi have changed his mind so quickly? Didn't she ever think that Zhou Tingxi was the one she had forcibly taken away from Xia Yunzhi?

But didn't she also do something that wronged Zhou Tingxi?