Chapter 14

South South Murong Fu spoke, his voice as still as an ancient well, devoid of any emotion: "I remember. You are my cousin, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan."

"Cousin, then... do you like me?" The moment the words left her lips, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan felt her heart leap into her throat.

Finally, South South Murong Fu replied, "I do."

He likes me?!

Cousin likes me?!

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan felt a massive wave of joy crash over her, exciting her to the point of near fainting.

Could it be... could it be that she had been overthinking everything all along, that the diary owner had been spouting nonsense, and that Cousin had actually always harbored feelings for her?

Thinking of this, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan, usually a gentle and quiet lady from a noble family, actually jumped up and down with joy.

Without a second thought, she continued asking, "Cousin, then are you willing to take me as your wife?"

South South Murong Fu's voice remained calm: "I am not."

Not willing!

These three words struck Wang Wang Wang Yuyan's ears like a thunderclap on a clear day, exploding and blasting all her joy into oblivion.

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan looked at South South Murong Fu in disbelief; the swing from extreme joy to profound grief made her limbs go weak.

She asked with a trembling voice, "Wh... why? Why are you unwilling to marry me?"

"Because you are not worthy."

"I am not worthy?"

"Yes. I, South South Murong Fu, intend to restore Great Yan and become Emperor in the future; the wife I marry must also be a noble woman of prominent status to be a match. You are merely a young lady from a wealthy family; how could you possibly be worthy of me, South South Murong Fu? At most, after I ascend the throne, I will grant you the title of a concubine."

Upon hearing this, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan instantly stood frozen on the spot.

"So in your heart, I have always been this lowly?"

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan felt an indescribable bitterness in her heart; she had never expected that her cousin, who always spoke so elegantly, would actually look down on her so deeply.

"Could it be... could it be that your lineage from the Great Yan imperial house, which perished hundreds of years ago, is truly nobler than mine?"

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan could not help but complain, her tone filled with deep resentment.

Suddenly, a harsh rebuke rang out: "Presumptuous! You dare look down on my Great Yan! The bloodline of my Great Yan imperial house is ten times, a hundred times nobler than you commoners! How can you compare yourselves to Us?!"

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan was startled by the sudden outburst.

Once she clearly heard his words and saw South South Murong Fu's expressionless face, a chill suddenly arose in her heart.

She felt that the cousin before her had suddenly become utterly strange, someone she no longer recognized at all.

He hardly seemed human; he was more like a demon possessed by madness!

Yet, thinking of her years of bitter love, she still clung to a sliver of hope and asked, "Then when you said you liked me just now, what exactly did you like about me?"

"Cousin is as beautiful as a celestial maiden; which man would not like such beauty?"

"You only like my appearance?"

"Yes."

"Since you like me, why are you so cold toward me?"

"How can personal affections compare to matters of state?"

"If I were to persuade you to abandon restoring the kingdom and live a peaceful life with me, would you... be willing?"

"That is impossible! A mere woman dares to dream of ruining Our grand plan to restore the nation and blocking Our ascension to the throne? Kill!"

"What?"

"I said kill! Kill, kill, kill! Anyone who dares to stop me from restoring the nation is my enemy! Enemies must be killed! Kill, kill, kill!"

"Even against me, could you bring yourself to do it?"

"You? What sort of thing are you? Even if the Four Great Retainers dared to sabotage my affairs, I would kill them all!"

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan's face turned ashen; seeing South South Murong Fu speak the most cruel words in the most calm tone sent her emotions into turmoil, her head spun, and her already frail body collapsed.

"Young Lady Cousin!"

The two maids, who had been secretly eavesdropping, rushed out the moment they saw her about to fall, managing to catch her just in time.

"Young Lady Cousin, what is wrong? Wake up quickly!" Sister Sister Abi gently shook her body.

"Let me!" Sister Sister Azhu was quicker-witted; she reached out to pinch the philtrum between Wang Wang Wang Yuyan's nose and lip.

Stimulated by the pain, Wang Wang Wang Yuyan slowly regained consciousness; glancing at the two maids, she said in a daze, "Sister Sister Azhu, Sister Sister Abi, you have come."

Strangely enough, although South South Murong Fu's answer clearly gave Wang Wang Wang Yuyan a sense of despair as if the sky had fallen and the earth had split, she could not shed a single tear; she simply sat there, stunned and blank.

Sister Sister Azhu advised, "Young Lady Cousin, perhaps you should just cry it out."

Wang Wang Wang Yuyan neither nodded nor shook her head; she remained silent, as if she had not heard at all.

Seeing her in this state, Sister Sister Azhu grew even more worried; could this be what they call 'great grief brings no tears'?

However, despite her cleverness, she had no solution for such a situation.

Shortly after, the two maids turned to look at South South Murong Fu, their expressions complex.

They had also heard the exchange between Wang Wang Wang Yuyan and South South Murong Fu just now; similarly, they were frightened by South South Murong Fu's ruthlessness.

They had never expected that their own Young Master possessed such an unknown side.

Sister Sister Azhu handed Wang Wang Wang Yuyan over to Sister Sister Abi to care for, then walked up to South South Murong Fu and asked, "Young Master, do you still remember me?"

"I remember. You are one of my maids, Sister Sister Azhu."

"Young Master, do you like Sister Sister Azhu?"

"I do not."

"Why? Is it that Sister Sister Azhu is not beautiful?"

"Sister Sister Azhu is indeed beautiful, but you are merely my maid, a servant; how could you possibly be worthy of me, the Young Master?"

"Then how does the Young Master plan to arrange for Sister Sister Azhu in the future?"

"Naturally, as a tool to win people over, by marrying you to someone worth courting."

"A political marriage?"

"Precisely! Otherwise, you being of such lowly status, why would I, a Young Master, have you learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, raising and educating you like a noble young lady?"

"A-Zhu understands."

A-Zhu sighed softly, turned, and withdrew.

She had been clever since childhood and had long suspected the answers to these questions; yet, having deeply benefited from the South South Murong family's upbringing, she would not harbor resentment because of it.

Still, hearing South South Murong Fu confirm these suspicions with his own mouth made her heart ache somewhat.

After all, the purpose behind his grooming of her was far too utilitarian.

She could understand and accept it, but the taste of it was inevitably bitter.

As for South South Murong Fu having no romantic feelings for her, A-Zhu did not mind, for she harbored no romantic feelings for South South Murong Fu either, only respect and gratitude.

Approaching A-Bi, A-Zhu said, "You go and try as well."

A-Bi shook her head like a rattle-drum, pushing back, "This isn't right; I... I'd rather not ask."

"The Young Master has drunk the 'Truth Water' and won't remember anything from this period; what are you so afraid of?" A-Zhu wondered.

A-Bi still shook her head.

Seeing A-Bi act so unusually, A-Zhu suddenly realized something, enlightenment dawning in her heart.

Looking into A-Bi's eyes, she said, "You like the Young Master, don't you?"

A-Bi pressed her lips tightly together but said nothing.

A-Zhu pressed further, "You're afraid of hearing an answer you don't want to hear, so you choose to flee, to deceive yourself, isn't that so?"

"Sister A-Zhu, please stop!" A-Bi said grievously, "I am content just to stay by the Young Master's side and serve him; do not ask anymore."

Yet A-Zhu shook her head, "I'm afraid that cannot be as you wish."

"What do you mean?"

"Take out your diary copy."

A-Bi complied.

A-Zhu also summoned her own diary copy, and they both turned simultaneously to the title page.

[Character: A-Bi]

[Appearance: 9]

[Affection: 9]

[Character: A-Zhu]

[Appearance: 9]