Repeatedly broken branches

Zhou Tingxi would occasionally come over in the afternoon to chat with Xiao Mu. He had been increasingly busy lately, and he hadn't said what he was busy with, so Xiao Mu couldn't ask him.

"Look who's here."

Standing behind Zhou Tingxi was Chen Lanhe, dressed in casual clothes.

Xiao Mu's eyes flickered. How could she have become so haggard? Even though she had lost her child almost a month ago, her face was no longer as rosy and radiant as before.

"Your Majesty, please continue your conversation."

Zhou Tingxi went out.

Chen Lanhe sat down, holding Xiao Mu's cold hand. Her eyes gradually turned cold. She murmured, "Yin Fu'an no longer tries to please me. This is exactly what I want. After he favored Ruo'er, he was devoted to her for a while. He also favored several other concubines. Now, the most favored one should be Consort He. She is second only to me as a Noble Consort. She is very powerful. Especially after I lost my child, she has been in charge of the affairs of the six palaces. My title of Empress is just an empty name. Anyway, I don't care. As long as Brother Yizhi is doing well, that's all that matters."

Xiao Mu blinked. Silly girl, if he's doing well, you should do well too.

Chen Lanhe sighed inwardly and continued, "Although I have no feelings for that child, it is still a piece of my flesh and blood. I feel terrible for it, but what can I do? It's all because I was too worried during my pregnancy. Yin Fu'an hasn't visited me since, nor has he favored Xin Ning and Yu Xue Er Ren. They really want to come see you, but they are bound by palace rules. Also, Consort Xian still has a deep prejudice against me. However, when she heard that I was coming, she still asked someone to tell me that she misses you very much and hopes that you can recover quickly."

Xiao Mu blinked. I miss them too. I want to go to the palace too. But why? Why is she still like an empty shell, unable to move?

She was only allowed to stay for a short time; Chen Lanhe sat for a while and then left.

The room returned to silence.

Every day after that was extremely agonizing for Xiao Mu.

A month later, Xiao Mu was able to blink freely without much effort, and they could even make choices by blinking.

For example, when Zhou Tingxi brought over two bowls of soup, one jujube soup and the other yam soup, he would ask, "If you want the yam soup, blink twice; if you want the jujube soup, blink three times."

Xiao Mu loves yam soup the most, so she blinked three times.

Xiaoshao brought two pieces of clothing, one pink and one light yellow. If you want to wear the pink one, blink your left eye; if you want to wear the light yellow one, blink your right eye.

Xiao Mu's favorite color is pale yellow, so she blinked her right eye frantically.

Another five days passed.

Ruan Cifeng returned from the Western Regions. He successfully found the famous doctor and studied Western Region medical techniques with him for nearly a month.

Ruan Cifeng arrived at the Zhou residence immediately to examine her pulse.

Zhou Tingxi and Xiao Shao watched Xiao Mu with great anticipation.

Ruan Cifeng quickly diagnosed the cause of her illness: her meridians were blocked due to prolonged unconsciousness. He could restore her mobility by stimulating the corresponding acupoints.

Ruan Cifeng took out an acupuncture kit from the medicine box, took out a thin and long needle, and inserted it very close to her temple.

Ouch, it hurts so much, Xiao Mu couldn't help but frown.

Little Spoon was overjoyed, "Madam's eyebrows can move now!"

Ruan Cifeng took out another stick and stuck it into the sole of Xiao Mu's foot. Xiao Mu pulled her foot back in pain.

A look of joy gradually appeared on Zhou Tingxi's face.

Ruan Cifeng stuck another needle into her chin, and Xiao Mu's face gradually regained expression. She was sweating profusely from the pain, but her hands and feet were gradually able to move again.

She happily sat up.

"Great! Zhou Tingxi, Xiaoshao, Cifeng, I can finally speak!" Xiao Mu was momentarily disoriented that she could actually make a sound.

"Thank you, Cifeng!"

Xiao Mu looked at Ruan Cifeng with gratitude.

Ruan Cifeng laughed and said, "You shouldn't talk too much right now, your throat won't be able to take it!"

Zhou Tingxi couldn't hide the smile in his eyes. He said softly, "You need to rest well now, eat well, and make up for all the weight you lost."

Xiao Mu nodded, "Okay." She needed to replenish her energy before going to find Yu Yanjing, saving all her words for when she met him.

……

Zhou Tingxi brought over a bowl of fish soup. Xiao Mu smelled it and immediately covered her nose, saying in a coquettish voice, "Can I not drink it? It's too fishy."

"No, this is very good for your health. It's a diet plan personally devised by Ruan Cifeng. You have to eat it whether you like it or not."

"I hate him!" Xiao Mu muttered.

Zhou Tingxi smiled and lowered his voice to say to her, "After we finish drinking, I'll take you out for a walk."

A hint of joy flashed in Xiao Mu's eyes. "Really?"

"Ah."

Xiao Mu picked up the bowl and gulped down the entire bowl of fish soup.

Zhou Tingxi picked up the cloak, stretched out his hand to her, and said with a smile, "Let's go, I'll keep my promise."

Xiao Mu placed her hand in his palm, letting him hold her little hand tightly.

……

It's been so long since I've been out, and suddenly I feel like everything is so wonderful.

Xiao Mu is curious about everything, and she stops to look at each stall carefully for a long time.

Zhou Tingxi stared at him, a smirk playing on her lips. "Why are you acting like you've never left the house before?"

“I haven’t been out for so long, so I’m especially curious about these things. You don’t understand, you haven’t experienced it. If you had, you wouldn’t say that about me.”

Zhou Tingxi was happy with the current situation. She no longer resented him, no longer deliberately avoided him, and no longer used words to hurt or ridicule him. For a moment, he seemed to have a delusion that they were the same as before.

In reality, how could they possibly be the same? I'm just comforting myself. If a mirror has a crack, will it ever be the same as before?

Sure enough, it had been a long time since I had walked on the ground. After walking for only a short while, my legs were sore and I couldn't keep up with the pace. I started panting after just a few steps.

Xiao Mu said dejectedly, "How did my body become like this? I'm so tired now."

Zhou Tingxi looked at her calmly, "It's normal to feel like this after recovering from a serious illness. Just go out more often in the future." After saying that, he smiled gently at Xiao Mu, "There's a newly opened restaurant up ahead, it looks pretty good."

"Let's go take a look then," Xiao Mu said weakly.

I heard that this restaurant was opened by merchants from the Western Regions, and it serves Western Region cuisine. Even the waitresses who serve drinks are women from the Western Regions. They all wear Western Region clothing and veils, giving them a hazy beauty.

Xiao Mu remembered that when she was a child in her previous life, her father had invited a chef from the Western Regions to the palace to cook delicious food for her. Her favorite dishes were goat milk pastry and roasted lamb chops!

Following her suggestion, Zhou Tingxi ordered a serving of goat milk pastry and roasted lamb chops, as well as a milk wine that seemed to be made from camel milk. He wondered what it would taste like.

Soon all the dishes were served. The lamb chops were steaming hot, roasted to a golden brown and crispy perfection, and sprinkled with plenty of cumin seeds.

Zhou Tingxi knew she loved the crispy outer layer of the baked goods, so he picked up a knife and cut several small pieces of crispy crust and placed them in front of her.

Mmm, it's really delicious!

The milk wine was also delicious, with a very pure milk flavor, and the goat milk pastry tasted just like when I was a child.

Halfway through the meal, many women dressed in Western Region dance costumes came out from the inner hall one after another. They each stood in their own positions and danced gracefully to the rhythm of the musicians. The dances of the Western Regions were much more unrestrained than those of the Central Plains, with beautiful movements that gave people a very mysterious feeling.

Xiao Mu was stunned and forgot that she came to eat.

Zhou Tingxi smiled without saying a word and continued to use the knife to cut the crispy skin off the roasted lamb chops for her.

When the song ended, Xiao Mu finally looked away from the dancer. She was thinking about the dance that she and Yu Yanjing had seen in Songcheng, where Miss Tingyuan and the Western Region dancer each had their own unique beauty.

After finishing their meal, Zhou Tingxi took Xiao Mu back home.

……

"Master, I heard that a Western Region restaurant has opened up ahead. Let's go take a look!" Wei Lan's eyes were full of anticipation.

Rou Rou frowned. "I want to eat Jiuguang's specialty dishes, Master."

"No, I think the food from the Western Regions tastes better!" Wei Lan bit her lip.

"I haven't tried Jiuguang's food yet, Master!" Rou Rou looked at Yu Yanjing with a pitiful expression.

"..." Could I just kill them both? That bastard Shen Ruoxuan, afraid that something might happen to me again, insisted on keeping these two noisy things by my side. Are they here to take care of me, or to drive me crazy with noise?

Yu Yanjing raised an eyebrow and said coldly, "Go to the one in the Western Regions."

Wei Lan made a smug face at Rou Rou.

Rou Rou stared intently at the girl who had just walked out, exclaiming, "That girl is so beautiful... I've never seen such a beautiful woman before."

Wei Lan hurriedly pulled Rou Rou inside and instructed, "Master has already gone in, aren't you going to follow?"

After Xiao Mu walked away, she whispered to Zhou Tingxi, "Did someone just compliment my looks?"

Zhou Tingxi asked doubtfully, "Really? I didn't notice."

Xiao Mu stomped her foot, "It's there!"

……

Yu Yanjing leaned back in his chair, glancing at the menu on the table. He casually said to Wei Lan, "What do you want to eat? Order yourselves."

Wei Lan asked softly, "And you, Master?"

"Don't worry about me, you can handle it yourselves," Yu Yanjing said, his eyes lowered, his tone devoid of any emotion.

After much persuasion, Shen Ruoxuan allowed him to leave the palace, but he didn't expect to be accompanied by two burdens. If he hadn't strongly objected, Shen Ruoxuan would have wanted to bring Cheng Feng and Shen Shanshan along as well.

But then again, who is the emperor?

Rou Rou snatched the menu, only to find she couldn't recognize a single word. She could only say, "Sister Wei Lan, I'd like to eat the Western Regions' goat milk pastry. I've only heard of it but never tried it. Is that alright?"

Wei Lan smiled and said, "Sure."

When the waiter served the food, he specifically told them, "Sirs, this goat milk pastry must be eaten while it's hot. The table that just left ordered it. They also ordered milk wine. Would you like a pot of that too?"

Yu Yanjing raised an eyelid and asked in an extremely cold tone, "Is there anything else?"

The waiter quickly waved his hand, "It's alright, it's alright, please enjoy your meal."

Yu Yanjing picked up a piece of goat milk pastry, took a bite, found it very sweet and didn't like the milky taste, so she spat it out.

Wei Lan and Rou Rou really enjoyed eating; girls, after all, all like sweet things.

……

"I want to go to Chaoyang Kingdom."

"Why?" A layer of pain crept into Zhou Tingxi's eyes. "You went to see him?"

"Yes, some things must be clarified in person. Also, I haven't returned his sword to him yet." Xiao Mu didn't want to wait another day. She had to see Yu Yanjing. She had so much to say to him. This time, they couldn't be separated again.

The sorrow in Zhou Tingxi's eyes gradually surfaced, and his voice was hoarse. "Returning the sword is not a reason. I can send someone to deliver it. You are my wife. If you go to a foreign land to look for him, what will I do?" He lowered his eyes to hide the sorrow in them, and his tone was extremely humble.

Xiao Mu raised her eyes, her gaze flickering several times. "I'm sorry, Zhou Tingxi. I used to love you very much, so much. But, because of various reasons, and the death of my father, do you think we can continue?"

Zhou Tingxi stared at her, speechless with pain.

"Besides, I like both parties to be clean and honest. I can't accept or let go of what happened between you and Ye Wanwan. That day, I was under the bed. I heard and saw everything. How can you expect me to accept it? We clearly only have each other. But with other people involved, how can things possibly be okay?" Xiao Mu continued.

Zhou Tingxi smiled brightly, "But I thought you had accepted me. Is this the best we can do after all these years of friendship?"

"Time is never the best answer; it can't prove anything."

Zhou Tingxi smiled faintly, a thin mist veiling his eyes. "Then I don't agree to let you go to Chaoyang. Give me some time to make up for it, okay? Please, Xiaozhi, don't leave me. We only have each other now, don't we? You're no longer the carefree little princess you used to be. Now only I can protect you properly. What's so good about that Yu Yanjing? Do you know how many people want to kill him? You won't be happy or safe with him! You won't get used to Chaoyang."

Xiao Mu smiled gently, "Love can change everything and overcome all difficulties."

Love? Was she talking about love?

Why does the word "love" seem so fragile and vulnerable after more than ten years of relationship? He loves her and wants her to be happy, but how can he let go after more than ten years? She has been in his heart for more than ten years, and she has taken deep root in his heart. If he were to suddenly pull her out, he would bleed a lot.

"Alright, I'll let you go."

Zhou Tingxi's tone was pale and weak. He didn't dare to look at Xiao Mu's face, nor did he dare to lift his eyelids, for fear that he would cry uncontrollably.

Xiao Muqian smiled and said, "Let's get a divorce. That way you can find someone else, and so can I."

Zhou Tingxi took out the marriage certificate from his desk, smiled bitterly, and said lightly, "No need." He tore the marriage certificate in half, then shredded it completely. He threw the pieces into the air, and the fragments danced like snowflakes, obscuring Zhou Tingxi's face.

Xiao Mu didn't know what his expression was like at that moment, but the most difficult knot in her heart was instantly untied. She no longer had a mission, and she wouldn't let Zhou Tingxi die, because she knew that she was Xia Yunzhi. The hatred faded more and more. If he died, would those painful memories from her past life disappear? The hatred in her heart faded, and now she truly hoped that he would be happy in the future, that he would find a woman who loved him to accompany him for life, and that he would never again find someone as fickle as her.

Zhou Tingxi left without ever glancing at Xiao Mu. He knew that even if he did, it wouldn't make a difference, so he might as well let her go.

……

"My lady, I want to go to Chaoyang Kingdom with you. Xiao Shao has never left you since she entered the palace. Please, please don't take Xiao Shao away..."

Upon learning that Xiao Mu was leaving, Xiao Shao knelt on the ground and cried uncontrollably.

I don't know what happened to Xiao Shao in my previous life. She was imprisoned for ten years. Zhou Tingxi hated me so much, how could he possibly treat Xiao Shao well? I'm afraid Xiao Shao wouldn't have a good time here now either.

"Alright, come with me. And stop calling me Madam, call me Miss. I'm not a princess anymore."

She no longer has any identity; she is neither General Zhou's wife nor a princess of Chen Kingdom, but merely an ordinary woman.

Upon learning that Xiao Mu was leaving Jiuguang, Ruan Cifeng rushed over without delay.

"You're not coming with me, are you?" Xiao Mu looked at Ruan Cifeng suspiciously.

Ruan Cifeng nodded. "Anyway, I have nowhere else to go now. I'll go with you to Chaoyang Kingdom to find your sweetheart." He didn't know how sad he was when he said those words, but wasn't it enough that she was happy?

"How did you know? Who told you it was your sweetheart?" Xiao Mu lowered her head shyly. "Why did you have to be so direct?"