In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

"No need, I don't want to!" Wu Meiniang sneered, her eyes completely changing. She wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye, and her whole aura became cold and sharp.

Then, she struggled to remove the ring.

From this day forward, there will be no further connection between us.

She angrily raised her hand, intending to throw the ring into the pond.

Li Yuanchang reacted quickly, rushing forward the instant she took off the ring and grabbing her wrist with a bang before she could throw it away.

Wu Zetian was furious and struggled.

Li Yuanchang's hands, however, were like iron clamps.

"How many times do I need to tell you, I have my reasons!"

"The less you know, the better for you!"

"Why can't I coexist with Situ Lan? She once asked me to find a chance to take you back. She's innocent!"

"If I hadn't done that back then, do you know what the consequences would have been?" He gritted his teeth, his anger rising. Wu Meiniang's personality was inherently stubborn, and she was prone to hatred born of love. If he didn't keep her in check, things could get even more chaotic.

Wu Zetian glared angrily: "I don't care about any of that!"

The two men stared at each other, both glaring angrily.

This was the first time the two had a heated argument, the first time they had a fierce disagreement. One was not the King of Han, and the other was not the behind-the-scenes big boss who manipulated the situation.

"Don't push me!"

"Distance must be drawn from the Prince of Jin!"

Wu Zetian gave a cold, beautiful smile: "I insist."

Li Yuanchang was furious.

"What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

"If you're unhappy, why am I so happy?" Wu Zetian said with amusement.

Li Yuanchang took a deep breath: "Is this interesting?"

"have!"

"Of course!"

"Five years, do you know how I've survived these past five years?" Her voice rose, her eyes filled with hatred and tears.

Li Yuanchang looked into her eyes and remained silent.

a long time.

Wu Zetian regained her composure.

"Now, Your Highness, please let me go, you're hurting me!" she said coldly.

Li Yuanchang did not let up.

Wu Meiniang struggled several times to no avail, and finally managed to escape by kicking Li Yuanchang.

She left without a word, her eyes cold.

"Stop!" Li Yuanchang shouted.

Wu Zetian paused, but did not turn around.

"I had no choice back then!" Li Yuanchang gritted his teeth.

"Yuan Tiangang predicted that if you were a man, you would be the ruler of the world, saying you have the countenance of a dragon. This was used as a bargaining chip by the Wei King's faction against me. Due to taboos, the higher-ups forcibly called off the wedding, which was not my wish!"

"Later, I clashed with the Wei King's faction because of this. In order to protect you, I beat the prince consort and was imprisoned. Chai Shao even personally filed a complaint against me."

"The higher-ups wanted me to confess and obey, so I was forced to agree. Their condition was that you be allowed to leave Chang'an and be free!"

"This is a deal I had no choice but to make!"

"This is the truth!"

Wu Meiniang suddenly turned around, her beautiful eyes widening with disbelief and confusion.

When this truth, buried for five years, finally reached her ears, it was undoubtedly revolutionary.

Her voice trembled as she asked, "Then why didn't you tell me?"

Li Yuanchang frowned: "What difference will it make if I tell you?"

"The moment we get close, we will inevitably offend the root of the problem!"

"And given your personality, you're very likely to act impulsively."

Wu Meiniang stood there stunned, tears falling again. She had no idea such a thing had happened.

All she knew was the sudden annulment of the engagement, a letter of divorce, and later, all she knew was that it was the Emperor's will.

But in her view, this was still a betrayal, a deception, and that Li Yuanchang was doing it for his own political career.

But these words shattered the misunderstanding that had lingered in her heart for five years.

"This is why I am unwilling to speak of it, and why I dare not see you. Do you understand?"

"Otherwise, do you think the once-powerful Prince Wei fell from grace? It was all because I took revenge on him from behind!" Li Yuanchang blurted out everything.

Otherwise, he feared that Wu Meiniang's love would turn into hatred, causing her to become increasingly ruthless and even target Situ Lan and the others.

If that happens, they'll truly become mortal enemies.

Wu Meiniang seemed to have lost her footing, becoming very weak. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed and relaxed at times.

The look in his eyes as he looked at Li Yuanchang was filled with emotion and tears.

Li Yuanchang seized the opportunity and continued, "But this matter cannot remain unresolved forever. Just give me some more time."

"But you must not go any further."

"Is that okay?"

He extended a hand.

Wu Meiniang almost instinctively reached out her hand, just like before, but halfway through, she suddenly put it back.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

"But...but you still won't divorce her for my sake, will you?"

Li Yuanchang was speechless.

He knew that Wu Zetian was still testing him.

He would agree to anything except this one thing.

His fate with Wu Meiniang is destiny, it's not Situ Lan's fault.

Situ Lan's love was also love, and these were people that Li Yuanchang could not let go of.

He absolutely could not accept sacrificing Situ Lan in exchange for Wu Meiniang's obedience.

Seeing his silence and reluctance, Wu Meiniang's tears flowed like a burst dam, wetting her makeup and dripping down her chin, even her red lips trembling.

Why?

Li Yuanchang confessed: "When I was demoted to Liangzhou, I had no one to rely on. She even paid for the repairs of the government office and the expenses of my residence. No matter how difficult it was, she never abandoned me and repeatedly asked her family for money."

"When news of my death in battle reached Xueyantuo, she cried until she fainted, vomited blood several times, refused to eat, and even wanted to be buried with me."

"No matter what, I cannot betray her."

"So, you're blaming me? Blaming me for holding you back, while she made your meteoric rise to power?" Wu Meiniang's face was as pale as snow, and she spoke calmly for the first time since they met.

I just felt like she was about to break.

Li Yuanchang shook his head: "I have never blamed you, nor have I ever regretted it, nor do I feel that you have held me back."

"I only blame myself for not being strong enough to protect you, causing you so much suffering."

"If you and Situ Lan switched places, I believe you would still stay by my side and lend me a helping hand."

"But many things don't have 'what ifs'."

"Does it really matter whether you're big or small?"

Wu Zetian wept uncontrollably, her sharpness and coldness vanished, her heart was breaking, yet her eyes once again revealed the deep, unwavering affection of her youth.

"Thank you, thank you for letting me know the truth."

Thank you for everything you've done for me.

"I don't hate you anymore."

I wish you and her a harmonious and loving marriage.

Li Yuanchang asked in a deep voice, "What do you mean?"

Wu Zetian forced a smile: "Just the literal meaning."

With that, she turned and left.

But because she was so distraught, she almost fell.

Li Yuanchang reacted quickly and helped him up.

The two looked at each other, very close.

Wu Meiniang pushed him away and then continued to leave in a daze.

What causes more struggle than hatred is the ambiguity between love and hate.

I can't bring myself to hate him.

Love can never be regained.

With her proud and arrogant nature and innate imperial destiny, she devoted all her girlish sentiments to Li Yuanchang, so she was completely incapable of sharing anything with him, not even a little bit.