Princess, something terrible has happened! The prince consort has attempted suicide again!

Zhang Xiaomeng's eyes, hidden beneath his veil, were filled with helplessness and bewilderment.

He went to great lengths to avoid the Tang family and escape the world's attention, but in the end, he found himself back here.

If Tang Wenyuan were to see my true face, I would inevitably be embroiled in trouble.

What's even more troubling him is that he's now being relentlessly entangled with Liu Qingrou, and he can't shake her off.

In order to completely extinguish her hopes, and in order to maintain order and gain Tang Wenyuan's trust, Zhang Xiaomeng stepped forward.

He did not remove the veil covering his face, but silently raised his hand, took out a gilded token from his pocket, and gently placed it on the table.

Tang Wenyuan's pupils suddenly contracted as his gaze fell upon the subject.

The highest-ranking exclusive token of the Ministry of Justice—personally bestowed by Princess Changning, and granted to only one person.

In an instant, all the clues connected, and the answer became clear.

The man before you is Zhang Xiaomeng, who was assassinated and went missing a few days ago, prompting a city-wide search, and whom Princess Changning has been longing for!

Not only did he not die, but he also concealed his identity and quietly hid in the capital, even becoming involved with Liu Qingrou of Nanzhao.

Tang Wenyuan was utterly shocked and blurted out, "You are... Zhang Xiaomeng!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Qingrou froze, instantly stunned.

He was actually the emperor's son-in-law!

No wonder he is calm and composed, intelligent, and has an extraordinary temperament.

Suddenly, Liu Qingrou felt that all her dependence, all her hopes, and all her new life had become absurd and fragile.

Zhang Xiaomeng glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

Seeing that she was pale and distraught, he must have given up hope completely.

He immediately turned his gaze to Tang Wenyuan, his tone firm.

"Master Tang, everything Miss Liu said is true, without the slightest falsehood. I, Zhang Xiaomeng, guarantee it with my life."

With the token as proof, Tang Wenyuan had no more doubts and immediately said solemnly, "I will report this matter to Princess Changning immediately."

"Absolutely not!"

Zhang Xiaomeng quickly spoke up to stop him.

Once the news reaches the palace and Zhao Changning learns of his whereabouts, he will surely be taken back to be married, and he will have even less chance of dying.

Tang Wenyuan frowned slightly, full of doubt: "Why?"

"With the wedding just around the corner, everyone is watching Princess Changning."

Zhang Xiaomeng explained clearly, "The palace is full of spies and various forces are intertwined. If we report this rashly now, the information could easily be leaked. If we alert them, Huang Cheng and Zhao Jinrui might act desperately and cause further trouble, which would be difficult to control."

Tang Wenyuan nodded slightly, deeply agreeing. He humbly asked, "Then, in your opinion, how should we proceed?"

Zhang Xiaomeng carefully recounted the plan he had previously discussed with Liu Qingrou.

Finally, he added, "Miss Liu is the most important witness and must not fall into Huang Cheng's hands. She should stay at the Tang residence for now."

"Alright! We'll go with your plan!" Tang Wenyuan immediately agreed.

With the overall situation settled, Zhang Xiaomeng's only thought was to escape.

He casually found a plausible excuse: "There are still a few key details that need to be checked secretly. Chief Instructor Tang, please remember to keep my identity secret. I'll take my leave now."

Tang Wenyuan looked at his veiled figure and suddenly realized what was happening.

No wonder Princess Changning searched for him so desperately, yet he refused to show himself.

It turns out they were investigating this matter in secret.

This young man is calm and composed, courageous and resourceful, and is not at all like the spoiled brats that are rumored to be.

The Marquis of Yongwu's decision to expel him from his home was short-sighted, a missed opportunity to discover a hidden gem.

Tang Wenyuan felt admiration and solemnly said, "Whatever you need, the Tang family will do its best to help."

"No need."

Zhang Xiaomeng casually declined, saying, "It's most convenient for me to act alone, as it's less likely to be exposed. Chief Instructor Tang only needs to keep an eye on Miss Liu and cooperate when the time comes."

"I understand."

Tang Wenyuan said no more.

Zhang Xiaomeng turned to look at Liu Qingrou, who was standing silently and lost in thought. "Miss Liu, please stay here in peace. I'll be leaving now."

He didn't give the other person a chance to stay and turned to leave the study.

Liu Qingrou finally snapped out of her shock and instinctively took a step and chased after him.

A chilly breeze rustled through the courtyard. Watching that resolute departing figure, her voice trembled slightly as she softly called out, "Niu Er!"

Zhang Xiaomeng paused, his back to her, his voice cold and distant.

"Miss Liu, my name is Zhang Xiaomeng."

Liu Qingrou's eyes instantly reddened, tears streaming down her face. She shook her head forcefully, her voice choked with emotion yet incredibly firm:

"I don't care if you're Zhang Xiaomeng, famous throughout the capital, or Niu Er, of humble origins!"

"I only recognize the person who drank with me late at night and saw me in all my most wretched moments."

"It was the person who grabbed me when I was betrayed by my beloved, treated like a commodity to be traded, and when I was utterly despondent and only wanted to die, who scolded me awake and gave me a way to live."

"It was the person who helped me plan and guided me when I was in dire straits and surrounded by enemies, and who helped me get back up from the mud."

She stood there, tears welling in her eyes, her body trembling slightly, yet every word she spoke was firm and resolute, pouring out her heart.

"Huang Cheng stayed with me for years, used me, schemed against me, and in the end, for the sake of power, he gave me away without hesitation, discarding me like a worn-out shoe."

"But you, who only stayed with me for one day, saved my life, protected my dignity, and gave me a new life."

"This day is worth more than all the years in the world."

"In the eyes of the world, you are the high and mighty Prince Consort Zhang Xiaomeng."

"But in my heart, you will always be the only Niu Er who was willing to pull me out of hell."

Tears streamed down her face, landing on the bluestone ground. Her voice trembled violently, yet carried with it the most unwavering conviction of her life:

"In this life, I, Liu Qingrou, seek neither fame nor status, nor do I care about the consequences."

"Whether the road ahead is a bottomless abyss or we are destined to be apart, I have made up my mind about you, for a lifetime, without change or regret."

This was the first time in Zhang Xiaomeng's two lifetimes that he had faced such a passionate, pure, and unreserved confession.

It would be a lie to say that I felt absolutely nothing; a barely perceptible emotion inevitably stirred within me.

Despite being moved, his resolve to follow the Dao never wavered in the slightest.

Love and affection, the tenderness of the mortal world—all these are shackles that bind him on his way home.

Zhang Xiaomeng took a deep breath, suppressing the slight ripple in his heart. His tone was calm yet utterly ruthless, completely severing all lingering thoughts:

"sorry."

"It was never possible for us."

After he finished speaking, he didn't linger for a moment, striding away with a resolute back view, never looking back.

In the courtyard, a gentle breeze rustled through the quietude.

Liu Qingrou stood there, tears streaming down her face, her heart aching as if being stabbed, but she bit her lip tightly, refusing to utter a sound of collapse.

Even if I am flatly rejected, even if there is no hope for the future.

The only light in her life was ultimately etched firmly into her heart.

Zhang Xiaomeng walked along the road, looking lost and dejected. Just as he was about to leave the Tang residence, someone suddenly called out to him from behind.

"Young Master Lü!"

The footsteps drew closer quickly.

A beautiful figure suddenly appeared in front of them, her voice filled with barely concealed surprise and trembling.

"Young Master Lü, is that you? You're back."

Zhang Xiaomeng had a bad feeling. He had just gotten rid of Liu Qingrou, but now he had run into Tang Wan.

He subconsciously pressed down his veil, his voice deliberately low and hoarse, "Miss Tang, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not the Young Master Lü you're talking about."