#370 - If life could only be like the first time we met

Dark windowsills, spiderwebs hanging, empty beams covered in settled dust.

Silence reigned in Cell Number One of the Heavenly Rank, broken only by two sets of breaths, one light, one heavy.

Sleep with you once, and you'll tell me everything you know?

Is there really such a good deal to be had?

Casting a glance at the shattered pieces of the mud bowl scattered on the ground, Wei Changtian's pupils constricted slightly, his figure pausing for a moment.

However, in the next instant, he slowly increased the pressure of his hand, casually kneading the softness beneath the prison uniform amidst Yu Pingjun's fleeting look of panic, before suddenly reaching out and pushing the latter onto the stone bed with a "thump".

The straw mat on the bed emitted a slight "creak", and the distance between the two figures, one above and one below, grew closer and closer.

"Empress, you said it yourself. I hope you won't go back on your word later."

Wei Changtian leaned closer and closer to that stunningly beautiful face, a playful smile hanging on his face.

Yu Pingjun also regained her composure at this moment, not dodging, but staring straight at Wei Changtian with a mocking smile, saying: "Young Master Wei, this is more like it."

"Someone like you shouldn't pretend to be a virtuous gentleman."

"Yes, the Empress is right. I was never a good person to begin with, so I really shouldn't pretend to be a saint."

Wei Changtian leaned in a bit more, but his gaze slowly shifted away from Yu Pingjun's face, looking at the hand that was currently blocking his chest and trembling slightly.

"But Empress, shouldn't you also stop pretending to be so wanton and dissolute?"

“. . . ”

With those words, the hand pressing against Wei Changtian's chest suddenly stiffened.

And along with it, the expression on Yu Pingjun's face also froze.

Although she had been trying her best to appear lewd and unrestrained, this subconscious little action still betrayed her.

"Empress."

Smiling, Wei Changtian straightened up, casually patting the water droplets on his boots: "Rumors are just rumors, I don't even know what kind of person I am, how could you possibly guess correctly?"

"It's you... I think I already understand what kind of person you are."

“. . . ”

The candlelight in the cold room was dim, and the red light reflected a layer of gentle, flowing luster on the slightly disheveled hair.

Yu Pingjun first slowly sat up, then reached out to smooth out the wrinkles on the prison uniform that Wei Changtian had just pressed out, and finally looked at Wei Changtian, asking somewhat coldly:

"Then tell me, Young Master Wei, what kind of person is this palace exactly?"

"A woman."

Without hesitation, Wei Changtian first uttered a piece of nonsense, and then added: "A woman who uses any means to achieve her goals, is sensitive and suspicious, self-righteous, yet very insecure."

Unscrupulous, sensitive and suspicious, self-righteous, insecure.

A total of four adjectives, all derogatory.

These words originally didn't stir up the slightest ripple in Yu Pingjun's heart, not even a hint of anger.

But when Wei Changtian paused slightly, stared into her eyes, and said another sentence, that calm and waveless mood slowly began to ripple.

"But Empress, I also know that you are a woman with a hard life, with your own difficulties."

"So I believe you have a compelling reason for doing all of this."

"Of course, these things are none of my business, and I don't even know where your suffering comes from."

"But if I were to guess..."

Speaking of this, Wei Changtian's gaze suddenly changed from calm to "helpless".

He looked at Yu Pingjun with this gaze, and then slowly recited two lines of poetry.

These were two lines of poetry that Yu Pingjun had never heard before, but when they floated into the latter's ears mixed with the dampness of the prison...

It was like a gust of wind swept through, instantly stirring up uncontrollable tears in the depths of her eyes.

"If life were only as it first appeared, why would the autumn wind grieve over the painted fan?"

"Casually, the heart of an old friend changes, but one says that the heart of an old friend is easily changed."

As the most widely circulated poem of Nalan Xingde, the "Number One Lover of the Great Qing" in his previous life, who possessed power, wealth, talent, and appearance, the first two lines of this "Mulan Ci" often appeared in the copywriting of various emotional marketing accounts.

However, Wei Changtian's current choice to recite these two lines in front of Yu Pingjun was not simply for the sake of sentimentality.

Rather, the meaning expressed by these two lines of poetry was indeed very fitting to Yu Pingjun's experience.

The reason why she chose the former between Li Qi and Ning Yongnian was probably because she had genuine feelings for the former.

And according to Li Qi, the two had indeed had an extremely sweet "honeymoon period".

It was just that this beauty came to an abrupt end after that deer demon appeared.

Yu Pingjun had always thought that it was her own problem that caused Li Qi to become more and more distant from her.

But no matter how she changed, she could never get the latter to change his mind.

It wasn't until Li Qi appeared in front of her holding Li Wutong, begging her to recognize this daughter, that Yu Pingjun understood everything.

However, even so, Yu Pingjun initially still held a glimmer of hope.

She hoped that Li Qi would be able to change his mind and return to her side after taking this wrong path.

To this end, Yu Pingjun had truly regarded Li Wutong as her own, and had also kept this earth-shattering secret that was enough to make the Dafeng royal family a laughingstock of the world for Li Qi.

However, the subsequent development of events did not go as she had hoped.

For a full twenty years, the two were loving and affectionate on the surface, but Li Qi had never touched her once.

The reason for this was clear, and it also made Yu Pingjun completely disheartened, and all the love in her heart had turned into hate.

“. . . ”

"Pa da..."

A teardrop slid down her cheek, landed on the rough prison uniform, and then spread out, slowly disappearing.

This was a teardrop mixed with Yu Pingjun's extremely complex emotions.

It was also the only teardrop she shed.

"Young Master Wei."

Taking a light breath, Yu Pingjun's expression had returned to normal.

She looked at Wei Changtian, who was frowning slightly, and asked with a smile: "It seems that Li Qi has already told you about our affairs."

“. . . ”

Hiss, is this woman's psychological adjustment ability so strong?

Such awesome two lines of poetry only moved her for a few seconds?

This Nima...

Wei Changtian, who thought he had already "easily taken her down", couldn't help but feel a headache, but only a moment later, he also loosened his brows.

"Empress, as early as half a month ago, the Emperor did tell me about these things."

"At that time, I accidentally noticed that Princess Wuping was a demon, and the Emperor had no choice but to tell the truth."

"And he also said at the time that the person he felt most sorry for in this life was you, Empress."

“. . . ”

Wei Changtian's last sentence was of course a fabrication, the purpose of which was to try to shake Yu Pingjun's psychological defenses once again.

However, this time, the latter's expression did not change in the slightest.

It's not accurate to say that there was no change.

There were actually changes, but it wasn't the kind of hesitation or struggle, but a hint of faint sarcasm.

"Young Master Wei, I have waited for these words for twenty years and have not received them. Do you think I would believe what you say?"

"But since you have already guessed the general idea, then I will also tell you a few truths."

"Yes, I do hate Li Qi, and I also hate Li Wutong."

"I hate that it is clearly their fault, but all the pain has to be borne by me!"

"Why should this palace keep secrets for the Li family?! Why should this palace recognize a demonic beast as its child?!"

"Why can they demand that this palace must silently endure these things with peace of mind, but not allow this palace to resist even a little?!"

"Just because he is the Emperor?!"

"Just because she is the孽种 born from that deer demon?!"

"This palace refuses!!!"

“. . . ”

The voice went from small to large, and the self-proclaimed also changed from "I" to "this palace".

When Yu Pingjun shouted out all the hatred in her heart with red eyes and a hoarse voice, she looked very much like the madwoman she had been before.

However, Wei Changtian knew that this time she wasn't pretending.

This was the look of someone who was truly filled with hatred.

The current situation seemed a bit out of control at first glance, but in fact, Wei Changtian was quite satisfied with it.

Since she was willing to vent, it meant that Yu Pingjun's psychological defenses had become increasingly fragile, and it also meant that he was one step closer to success.

While listening to those hoarse "accusations of blood and tears", he was rapidly calculating what he should say next in his mind.

But at a certain moment, Wei Changtian's originally calm expression suddenly froze.

"You motherfucker..."

He suddenly raised his head, staring at Yu Pingjun in disbelief, and at the same time stood up with a "whoosh".

"What did you just say?!"

"Giggle giggle giggle, this palace says that Young Master Wei might as well go back to the Princess's mansion to see instead of listening to this crazy woman ranting here."

In the mad laughter, Yu Pingjun licked her red lips, her eyes filled with endless teasing.

"If it's any later, that孽种 might just find out what she really is."