His Highness the Madman gave in again today.

Before he could finish speaking, Feng Xingyu gave him a sharp look, and Yun Jin shut his mouth in embarrassment.

Hey

Actually, he was quite reluctant to part with that woman.

Although he had been treated with such cruel methods back then, he still felt it was a pity.

How did he die?

He's so incredibly strong.

But death is death, and the living must continue to live; they can't stay trapped in grief forever.

"Ah Feng, come back with me, the Yun Clan needs you..."

"The Cloud Clan?"

Feng Xingyu looked at him coldly: "What does this have to do with me? If you don't want me to destroy the Yun Clan, then get out of here and stop bothering me."

"Ah..."

"roll."

Rong Feiyan stepped forward, wanting to say something, but Feng Xingyu looked at her with icy eyes and said, "Stay away from me."

"you……"

Rong Feiyan's expression turned ugly for a moment.

Yun Jin turned to look at her, his tone tinged with schadenfreude: "Miss Rong, I advise you to go back. Our Ah Feng only has the Empress in her heart, she won't want you. So stop dreaming about becoming the Lord's wife."

"Cloud Ashes!"

Rong Feiyan took a deep breath and quickly calmed herself down: "If he is the lord of the Yun clan, then he is destined to be my husband, Rong Feiyan's husband, and no one can change that!"

Yun Xian'er's cold voice came: "The marriage agreement between the Rong and Yun families in the previous generation has already been broken. Miss Rong, there is no such thing as destiny. If A-Feng is unwilling, no one can force him, not even the Rong family."

"The previous generation..."

Rong Feiyan wanted to argue, but then she realized that Feng Xingyu was no longer there.

She suddenly turned her head and looked around. Only she, Yun Jin, and Yun Xian'er remained by the spirit spring.

Yun Jin and Yun Xian'er were also stunned for a moment. They quickly used their senses to search the vicinity, but they couldn't even detect a trace of Feng Xingyu's aura.

Where are they?

Yun Jin scratched his head: "With Ah Feng's current strength, if he doesn't want to see anyone, no one can find him."

Rong Feiyan stood there, a hint of embarrassment flashing in her eyes.

She was usually calm and collected, but at this moment she was somewhat exasperated.

Is this man blind?

With such a beautiful woman right in front of him, he remained unmoved, not even bothering to glance at her.

What's so great about that woman?

He is ruthless and vicious; he's a madman when he fights.

In what way is she inferior to her?

"Miss Rong, let's go." Yun Xian'er said calmly, "He doesn't want to see you, there's no point in you waiting here."

I wonder if Feng Xingyu is still here.

Rong Feiyan gritted her teeth, turned around and left.

Yun Jin and Yun Xian'er exchanged a glance and decided to leave first, letting him calm down on his own.

As the footsteps of the three gradually faded into the distance, Feng Xingyu's figure reappeared by the large rock beside the spirit spring.

He set up a barrier around the spiritual spring, preventing anyone from entering and thus ensuring that no one could disturb him.

He can focus on waiting for Ayu to return.

However, this wait lasted for a month.

Feng Xingyu sat on that big rock every day, relying on the belief that Mo Sangyu had left behind before she disappeared, "Wait for her," to get through each day.

A month has passed.

Why hasn't Ayu come back yet?

Did she forget the way back?

The wind by the spring had grown a bit cooler.

Feng Xingyu's fingertips curled slightly as he gazed at the empty space ahead. He felt like a drifting duckweed, floating and sinking in boundless loneliness, unable to grasp even a single thought.

He stayed here, stubbornly believing that when Ayu told him to wait, she meant to wait by this sacred spring.

But then I thought, what if she didn't come back here?

The thought suddenly popped into my head, like a lightning bolt cleaving through the chaos.

Feng Xingyu sat up abruptly, his heart pounding faster than ever.

Ayu told him to wait for her, but she didn't say he had to wait for her in the same place.

Could she appear somewhere else?

For example, Dachen Wudu, that's the place that truly belongs to them, the home they created together.

If she comes back, shouldn't she go home first?

Feng Xingyu slapped his thigh in frustration. How could he be so stupid?

He suddenly stood up and raised his hand to remove the barrier.

The air from outside the spring rushed in, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees from the mountains and fields.

Just as he was about to leave, he caught a glimpse of two figures out of the corner of his eye.

It's Yun Jin and Yun Xian'er again.

The two were walking this way when they saw him suddenly appear, and Yun Jin immediately ran over excitedly.

"Ah Feng!"

He strode forward: "You finally decided to come out, after this past month..."

"Last time you said my mother was still alive."

Feng Xingyu interrupted him: "You've been looking for her all these years. If you have any leads in the future, please let me know."

Before Yun Jin could react, Feng Xingyu had already turned to leave.

He quickly grabbed his sleeve: "Where are you going?"

Feng Xingyu glanced down at the hand, and surprisingly didn't shake it off: "Go find Ayu."

Yun Jin's heart sank.

That's insane.

It's been over a month, and the Empress is beyond dead. Why can't this person accept reality?

He opened his mouth, but ultimately dared not directly advise him to give up, only asking in a hoarse voice, "Then... what about the Yun Clan?"

Feng Xingyu's lips curled into a cold smile.

"What, do you need me to go and destroy it right now?"

Yun Jin fell silent instantly, daring not to utter another word.

Yun Xian'er nodded slightly, her voice clear and steady: "Go ahead with peace of mind. As for the Yun Clan, if you have no objections, Yun Yihe will continue to manage it temporarily."

Upon hearing this, Feng Xingyu curled his lips mockingly, neither responding nor glancing at them again. With a flash, he disappeared without a trace.

Yun Jin and Yun Xian'er exchanged a glance, both with helplessness in their eyes.

That's it.

Give him a little more time; perhaps, once he finds his mother, he will be able to pull himself together.

When Feng Xingyu reappeared, he was already standing in the courtyard of Zhaohua Palace.

The moonlight, as clear as water, spilled over the familiar palaces and pavilions.

The old plum tree in the courtyard has blossomed, its fragrance wafting through the air, petals scattered all over the ground. When they left, it was still the dead of winter; now it is early spring.

He lifted his foot and walked in step by step.

There were many guards in the palace, but none of them noticed his "intrusion".

The lanterns under the eaves were still lit, and the candlelight had been changed countless times, burning quietly.

As he passed by the side hall, he heard low voices coming from inside.

"When is my sister coming back?" It was Mo Sangwan's voice, soft and sleepy.

Upon hearing this, the little hope that Feng Xingyu had finally managed to ignite was instantly extinguished.

He didn't come back.

Ayu didn't come back here!

Granny Yu gently coaxed her, "It'll be soon, Second Miss, go to sleep first. Your sister will be back when you wake up."

"That's a lie."

Mo Sangwan's voice was muffled: "Brother Ya Zi said he'd be back soon, but Sister hasn't returned yet. His Majesty went to look for Sister too, and neither of them is coming back..."

Granny Yu did not speak.

Feng Xingyu stood outside the door, listening to the rustling sounds inside, like Mo Sangwan turning over, or like Granny Yu tucking the blanket around her.

"Granny."

Mo Sangwan's voice trailed off: "Does my sister not want me anymore?"

"No, that won't happen." Granny Yu's voice was a little hoarse. "Her Majesty loves the Second Miss the most, how could she not want you?"

Mo Sangwan did not respond, and her breathing gradually became even.

Feng Xingyu stopped and did not go in.

He walked through the corridor, pushed open the door to the sleeping quarters, which were dark inside, without any lights.

He stood in the doorway, staring at the empty bed for a long time.

The room still retained the scent of Ayu.

The two figures were everywhere.

Feng Xingyu went in and sat down by the bed.

He hugged Mo Sangyu's pillow, smelling its familiar scent, and finally felt his breathing become easier. In the end, he actually fell asleep.

After waking up, before dawn, he went to the Imperial Study.

Upon opening the door, one could see his dummy still sitting on the dragon throne, while next to him, Gu Jinzhi was writing furiously.

As the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Court, he had to attend court sessions during the day, discuss matters with officials from the Six Ministries, receive foreign envoys, handle affairs of state, and review documents submitted by the Six Ministries. He had to make decisions on every single matter.

These were his duties anyway, so it was fine.

But when evening came, all the officials had left the court and all was quiet. Everyone could go home to rest, but he still had to come to the Imperial Study to work overtime.

Doing the job that should have been done by the emperor.

There's no way to finish approving all of these petitions.

He sat at the table below the dragon throne, with three small mountains of memorials piled up in front of him.

The ones on the left have already been approved, the ones on the right haven't been reviewed yet, and the ones directly in front are being approved.

After approving one book, he would take another; after approving one book, he would take another, and so on, endlessly.

He felt like a donkey pulling a millstone, blindfolded and going around in circles, never seeing the end.

No one would believe it if I told them. How could he, the Grand Secretary of the Great Chen Dynasty, who was second only to the emperor, have ended up like this?

At least Wen Zhixia could go back and get a good night's sleep, Ya Zi could go back on time for a hot meal, and even Yuan Zhao and Han Xiao, those martial artists, could get together for a drink every now and then.

Only he was busy from day to night, working non-stop for countless days. Even an ox wouldn't be as tired as him.

He sighed and lowered his head to continue annotating the folded paper.

Just as he finished approving two books, the door to the Imperial Study was suddenly pushed open.

Gu Jinzhi didn't even look up: "How many times have I told you, knock before you come in."

The person who came did not respond.

Gu Jinzhi paused, pen in hand, and looked up abruptly.

Feng Xingyu stood at the door, his robes wrinkled and his hair disheveled. Apart from that, his face was still that handsome and otherworldly face, but now it had an eerie touch of ethereal beauty.

The coldness and ruthlessness of the past are deeply ingrained, and now there is an added layer of aloofness and distance, making people only dare to observe from afar and not dare to approach.

He stood there, enveloped in a faint, ethereal glow, like a banished immortal.

When Gu Jinzhi saw him, the pen in her hand fell to the table with a clatter.

He suddenly stood up, his knee slamming into the table, making him wince in pain, but he didn't bother to rub it.

"His Majesty!"

Gu Jinzhi's excitement was palpable: "You're finally back! If you hadn't come back..."

He suddenly stopped before he could finish speaking.

He keenly sensed that His Majesty's mood seemed a bit off.

His gaze passed over Feng Xingyu and looked behind him.

"Where is the Empress?"

Gu Jinzhi's voice softened: "Didn't they come back together?"

Feng Xingyu raised his hand, and the dummy on the dragon throne silently burst into flames, turning into a wisp of smoke and dissipating.

"She has some things to take care of," he replied casually. "She won't be back for a while."

He walked over and sat down on the dragon throne.

The moment he sat down, he looked at Gu Jinzhi.

Under the candlelight, Gu Jinzhi had dark circles under her eyes, looked exhausted, and had lost a lot of weight.

"Jinzhi, you've worked hard these past few days."

Feng Xingyu's voice was very calm, with almost no emotional fluctuation: "Go get some sleep, leave the rest of the folds to me."

"oh."

Gu Jinzhi saw him pick up a pen and begin to review the papers; everything seemed normal.

But he just felt that something was off.

Is there anything else Your Majesty hasn't finished?

Could they have had a fight?

Feng Xingyu: "If you're not tired, you can stay and watch some more."

"Your subject takes his leave."

Gu Jinzhi ran faster than a rabbit.

Even if the sky falls, he still needs to get some sleep first.

The next day... the sky collapsed.

After the morning court session, everyone knew that Feng Xingyu had returned, and they were all very excited. After the court session, everyone went to the Imperial Study.

A group of people crowded at the doorway.

In the end, Yan Qing was the fastest, stepping in first and calling out with a grin, "Your Majesty!"

Feng Xingyu sat on the dragon throne, holding a memorial in his hand. He glanced at him and gave a faint "hmm".

As soon as Yan Qing entered, he began to peek around and look around.

"Where is the Empress?" he asked. "Didn't she return with His Majesty?"

Feng Xingyu paused slightly as he flipped through the folded paper: "She has something to attend to."

He repeated his previous statement: "I'll be back in a while."

Yan Qing said "Oh" and didn't ask any more questions.

Yuan Zhao also came over, called out "Your Majesty" in a gruff voice, and then didn't know what to say next.

Han Xiao and Lu Jin stood behind him. Although they didn't say anything, it was clear that they were both very excited.

Wen Zhixia was the last to enter. After hesitating for a moment, she couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, is the Empress... alright?"

Feng Xingyu lowered his head, annotating the folded paper, and said, "Hmm."

He said, "Okay."

A group of people stood in the imperial study, and none of them were willing to leave.

They are all waiting.

Let Feng Xingyu say a few more words, let him tell us what has happened these past few days, and let him tell us what the Empress has to do.

However, Feng Xingyu remained silent.

He was just looking down at the folded paper, unusually calm.

Everyone felt that this was wrong.

His Majesty is not in good condition.

They started asking questions, and kept asking them.

It's probably just too annoying.

Or perhaps, after a brief period of calm, Feng Xingyu finally couldn't hold back and told them the truth.

She disappeared!

She vanished in his arms, leaving him not even her body!

This news was like a bolt from the blue for everyone.

The sky has fallen!

Feng Xingyu cannot live without Mo Sangyu, and they cannot live without the Empress.

Yan Qing's first reaction upon learning of this was that he couldn't tell Feng Mian.

If Feng Mian knew, he would definitely cry his eyes out.

She's pregnant, she can't cry.

Ya Zi stood at the door, and upon hearing the news, his face turned deathly pale.

He staggered back a few steps, feeling a sharp pain in his heart.

How could that be?

How could the young lady have died?

He didn't believe it.

Ya Zi thought of Mo Sangwan; this matter must not be known to Miss Wan.

She won't be able to accept it.

For a moment, the entire Imperial Study was filled with an atmosphere of grief and despair.

Everyone fell silent, and the noisy imperial study instantly quieted down.

Feng Xingyu continued to review the folded documents with his head down.

He wanted to finish dealing with the pile of folded paper as soon as possible and then go to see other parts of the Kyushu continent.

Perhaps Ayu has already returned and is waiting for him somewhere to come find her.

He needs to hurry!

However, Da Chen was the empire he and A Yu had built together, their home, and he couldn't just abandon it forever.

If things get chaotic in Da Chen when A Yu returns, he won't be able to explain it to her.

"You don't need to do this. Ayu said she would come back to me. I believe her, and you should believe her too. All of you, step back..."