"Princess, please slow down. The soil here is quite hard. If you exert too much force, you might hurt your hand." Ger Yan watched Su Zimo's fierce actions with some worry. The princess's current state made her feel like she was venting something.
"It's alright, Yan Yan. My rough hands and skin are not that delicate," Su Zimo replied, lowering her head and forcefully digging up the wild vegetables on the ground.
"Damn it, Mu Yunxuan! How dare you provoke me! I'll stab you, stab you to death..." Su Zimo became increasingly forceful, causing the soil to splatter everywhere.
The four palace maids watched her in astonishment as Su Zimo seemed to suddenly go mad.
After venting her emotions, Su Zimo felt a sense of relief.
In a secluded and uninhabited forest, flowers bloomed profusely, emitting a pleasant fragrance. However, in a dark corner of the forest, a tall figure was hiding behind a big tree. His light blue brocade robe was covered in dust, indicating that he had rushed here through wind and dust. It was quite amusing to see him observing Su Zimo from a distance.
Sensing someone nearby, Su Zimo furrowed her eyebrows and turned around to look around.
When she saw the familiar figure, Su Zimo forcefully threw the wooden stick in her hand at him.
Mu Yunxuan caught the wooden stick with a smile and swiftly approached Su Zimo, appearing by her side.
He tightly embraced her.
Su Zimo struggled with all her might. "Let go of me! Didn't you say I'm a fickle woman? Didn't you say I'm vain? Get away from me! Why did you follow me here?"
No matter how hard Su Zimo struggled, she couldn't break free from Mu Yunxuan's restraint.
"Have you vented enough?" Mu Yunxuan asked gently. Su Zimo was stunned!
The four palace maids understood why their princess had been angry just now.
Upon seeing this, Ger Yan quickly left with the other palace maids.
"Venting? What am I venting? Do I need to get angry just because of a few words from you? We can have good times and part ways peacefully, can't we? Su Zimo doesn't need a man to survive. Do your few words deserve my anger?" Su Zimo said words that contradicted her true feelings. Was she not angry? She was almost infuriated, but why did her anger suddenly vanish in his embrace? Su Zimo, are you spineless? Did his embrace make you surrender?
Humph! If you don't test the water, you won't know how deep it is. If you don't open your heart to someone, you won't know if they are good or bad. Taking advantage of this opportunity, she would thoroughly test Mu Yunxuan and prevent him from thinking she's easy to bully.
They say time is a good thing.
It reveals people's true nature and witnesses their character. He wanted to see how genuine Mu Yunxuan's feelings for her truly were.
"Momo, I'm sorry! I said the wrong words. You can punish me however you like," Mu Yunxuan still held Su Zimo tightly, regretting how he could say such hurtful words to her. Even if he was influenced by the Moonlight Jade, he shouldn't have said those things.
"Humph! Spoken words are like spilled water. If an apology is all it takes for forgiveness, then anyone can maliciously hurt others," Su Zimo coldly replied, adding a touch of indifference to her tone. There was even a hint of chilliness in her eyes.
Mu Yunxuan trembled slightly upon hearing her words. Her cold gaze frightened him. He had hurt her deeply. Unconsciously, he held her even tighter, as if trying to blend her into his very soul.
"Momo, let me explain."
"I don't want to listen. You don't need to explain," Su Zimo quickly rejected him. When her three children turned three years old, she bid farewell to her doting master. In the late nights, she always felt lonely and helpless. Sometimes, when she looked at her children's smiles, she feared she wouldn't survive until the break of dawn, that her soul would disappear from this world. She was afraid of being separated from her three children, terrified to the point of death. That's why she escaped from the mysterious Mingyue Valley as if running away. She told herself that instead of guessing and suspecting, it was better to face things head-on. She was the only one who could save herself. She wanted to build a beautiful home for her three children, and when she returned to the Moonlight Kingdom, she encountered Mu Yunxuan, enjoying his love and forgetting that one should never harbor a deluded heart.
Now, just like on that day, one person desperately wanted to explain while the other didn't want to listen. How the tables have turned. Mu Yunxuan now experienced the same emotions Su Zimo felt back then.
"Momo, it's the Moonlight Jade. Someone cast a spell on it, a spell that would create discord between us. After you left, the Moonlight Jade emitted a black light. I went to Sanqing Mountain to find my master, and he told me about it."
Mu Yunxuan explained desperately, his black eyes filled with pain and pleading as he looked at Su Zimo.
Su Zimo didn't believe him at all and forcefully pounded his chest a few times.
Mu Yunxuan didn't avoid it, allowing her to vent. If it could make her feel better, she could do whatever she wanted.
Suddenly, a purple butterfly flew in front of her.
Su Zimo furrowed her eyebrows and asked, "Purple Butterfly, why are you here?"
Mu Yunxuan relaxed slightly upon seeing the purple butterfly.
He also turned his head to look at the butterfly. This purple butterfly was...?
"Purple Butterfly, what do you want to tell me?"
The purple butterfly fluttered near Su Zimo's ear, conveying everything its master had said. The more Su Zimo listened, the deeper her frown became. Mu Yunxuan was telling the truth.
"Thank you! Purple Butterfly, go back and tell your master that I, Su Zimo, will personally visit to express my gratitude in the future!"
Upon hearing this, Purple Butterfly flapped its wings a few times and flew away.
At the same time, Mu Yunxuan also received a long-distance message from Mu Yunhan.
"Momo, I will personally escort you to the Kingdom of Lixia. They won't be able to harm you in the slightest."
Mu Yunxuan's dark eyes filled with killing intent. Geng Sangyao, you're so bold to target his woman. It seemed that the relationship between the Mu family and the Witch Clan could only come to an end.
"Qingfeng," Mu Yunxuan called out coldly.
Qingfeng appeared behind Mu Yunxuan like a ghost.
"Your Excellency, Madam," Qingfeng respectfully greeted.
"Tell Yunhan to stop all gifts to the Witch Clan. No matter what items they are, none of them should be sent to the Witch Clan."
"Yes, Your Excellency. Qingfeng understands."
Qingfeng glanced at Mu Yunxuan's back. The era of friendship between the Witch Clan and the Mu family had been broken by the Witch Clan themselves.
Turning around, Qingfeng quickly disappeared into the forest.
"Momo, I'm sorry!" Mu Yunxuan held her shoulders, looking at her affectionately and sincerely apologizing once again.
Su Zimo raised her gaze and silently looked into his eyes filled with affection and guilt. Dealing with a man who had never been in love before, she won his heart without ever having been in love herself. However, she also walked into a world without defenses, where she easily became vulnerable.
Su Zimo turned her face away. "Whether you were influenced by the Moonlight Jade or it came from your heart, deep inside, you still don't trust or understand me."
Sadness tainted Su Zimo's usually confident eyes.
"Momo, maybe I don't know you well enough, but deep in my heart, I know that Mu Yunxuan loves Su Zimo. I've never lost that feeling, thinking that everything would naturally fall into place. But in just one night, I realized that loving someone can truly break one's heart."
Mu Yunxuan once again held her shoulders, desperately wanting her to face him. He had finally managed to make her drop her facade and accept his love, but now, he himself had put that facade back on.
"Loving someone can make one's heartache, but once hurt, it can push one into an abyss. I had hatred towards you at first, but in the end, it turned into love. This process was something I never anticipated. I thought that in this lifetime, I would live together with my three children until old age or return to the world that belongs to me. But..."
Su Zimo didn't want to continue speaking. This incident, although small, was a test between her and Mu Yunxuan. She cherished her life, worked hard for it, and had a clear conscience. She wouldn't harbor any illusions about someone's character. Hypocrisy could never replace sincerity.
"Momo, don't."
Mu Yunxuan inexplicably panicked at Su Zimo's words. Some of her words were ethereal and made him fearful. What kind of world was the one that belonged to her?
"Mu Yunxuan, I'm going to the Kingdom of Lixia for a month. During this time, let's both think things through."
Su Zimo broke free from Mu Yunxuan's grip and began to reflect. Sometimes, even when facing the person she loved the most, she didn't dare to reveal her wounds. She knew that love required effort from both sides, and she also wished that there would be no need for pretense or secrets between them. But...
"Momo, you don't need a month. One night is enough."
Mu Yunxuan didn't want to let go. He had a feeling that if he let go, she would never come back to him.
"Momo, you are my everything in life, the best destination for my soul that I've searched for so many years. I know the words I said yesterday morning were hurtful, and I truly deserve to die. Only after calming down did I realize how foolish I was. Momo, as long as you can forgive me, I'm willing to do anything."
Mu Yunxuan was getting anxious. He wasn't good with words and couldn't say too many sweet words. Without her by his side last night, he felt that his whole world was filled with darkness, making it impossible for him to sleep. Without much thought, he had come with Qingfeng overnight.
As Su Zimo looked into Mu Yunxuan's sincere eyes, her heart softened. She lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, and realized that if she remained angry, it would play into the hands of the Witch Clan's chieftain. Yunxuan had discovered the clues so quickly, indicating that the Witch Clan chieftain must have already noticed. They would surely come up with another plan to deal with them. Thinking of the three dead men she encountered today, Su Zimo faintly felt that her next plan had already begun. With the Witch Clan's mysteriousness, they could accurately determine her location.
"Yunxuan, I can forgive you this time, but if it happens again..."
"Momo, there won't be a next time."
Mu Yunxuan eagerly took over the conversation and quickly embraced her. Only by holding her like this could he feel at peace and satisfied in his heart.
"Alright, I have to go back and cook. You should go back too!"
A smile appeared at the corner of her lips. Forgiveness, surprisingly, swept away all the gloom in her heart. She wasn't concerned about unnecessary worries; instead, she felt extremely good.
"Momo, I won't go back. I've already said that I will personally escort you to the Kingdom of Lixia."
"But how can that work?" Su Zimo disapproved. "Tianmen is keeping a close eye on Mingyue Villa and Yuncheng. Yunting alone won't be able to handle everything."
"Momo, you don't have to worry too much. Yang Qingqing was seriously injured last time. She won't dare to come out and cause trouble for another month or two. And Ji Yu was also seriously injured. As Yang Qingqing's disciple, although she is angry, she won't easily come out to create problems. I've already made arrangements before coming here. Momo, rest assured and go to the Kingdom of Lixia!"
Knowing her concerns, he had already instructed Yunhan to make all the necessary arrangements.
"You, as the Saint Lord of Yuncheng, have many responsibilities. Following me for a month, aren't you afraid that the accounts of your Mu family will pile up like a mountain?"
Su Zimo wasn't someone who was overly sensitive. Even if they were apart for a month or two, she didn't feel uncomfortable apart from missing him.
"Momo, those are things that I should be worried about."
Mu Yunxuan looked at her with a smile.
"It seems that I meddled too much."
Su Zimo pouted, her stomach rumbling. She didn't eat much in the morning, and the bumpy journey had made her hungry.
"Let's go! I'm hungry, let's go back and cook."
Su Zimo turned around, but Mu Yunxuan was stubborn. He had made up his mind, and ordinary people couldn't change that. He would follow her to the Kingdom of Lixia, and she couldn't stop him.
"With so many people, why does Momo have to cook by herself?"
Mu Yunxuan didn't want her to tire herself out. Judging from her complexion, she probably didn't sleep well last night.
"I get bored when I have nothing to do. Sister can do embroidery to pass the time, Shaofeng can read books, Qier can chat with his uncle, Lier is busy cultivating, and my parents are busy with their affectionate moments. But I'm not interested in those things, and I feel restless when I have nothing to do. Cooking is also my hobby! There's nothing wrong with that."
"Then I'll be lucky to enjoy your cooking on this journey."
Mu Yunxuan understood that her mindset was different from other women, and he appreciated her personality—free-spirited and not bound by societal norms.
Su Zimo smiled and didn't say much.
The two of them returned to the makeshift camp, and everyone was surprised to see Mu Yunxuan suddenly appear. Murofeng's eyes dimmed, and he sat quietly in the corner.
Zhu Yan sighed in his heart. With Mu Yunxuan's arrival, the surging heart of His Highness had cooled down again. Just when they finally had some alone time, it turned out to be so short-lived.
"Daddy, why did you follow us?"
Little Su Qi's small figure moved quickly to Mu Yunxuan's side.
"Qier, how about Daddy going to the Kingdom of Lixia with all of you?"
Upon hearing this, Su Qi's large eyes turned towards Su Zimo, and he smiled when he thought about his mother's mood today.
"As long as my mother agrees, Qier has no objections."
Su Zimo felt relieved when she heard this. Did Qier even consider asking for her opinion?
"Your mother has already agreed."
"Daddy." Su Li looked at his father in confusion. In his deep eyes, there was a hint of suppressed anger.
With his intelligence, how could he not understand what was going on when his mother didn't eat or drink and slept for a whole day and night?
"Li'er..." Mu Yunxuan saw the anger in his son's eyes, and how could the observant Li'er not see the emotions between him and Momo?
"Son-in-law, why did you follow us?" Nalan Wenhao asked with confusion as he walked over with Sutu Ruoyan.
"Father-in-law, Mother-in-law, Yunxuan also wants to go to the Kingdom of Lixia with Mo'er. It's springtime now, and Yunxuan wants to see the picturesque grasslands," Mu Yunxuan explained.
"Yes! It's the most beautiful season in the Kingdom of Lixia," Sutu Ruoyan added.
"I'll go cook, you can chat," Su Zimo said, glancing around and seeing that everything was already arranged under Qinglian's command.
Gel Yan had already taken the palace maids to the stream to wash the vegetables and had returned.
The most exciting thing was that her brother didn't catch any wild rabbits but managed to catch a wild boar instead. He also caught some fish by the river. Although the fish here were small, they were Su Zimo's favorite.
Seeing this, Su Zimo decided to make a barbecue.
Due to often camping outside, Nalan Wenhao had prepared a complete set of cooking utensils, although slightly different from those in Haoyue Kingdom. However, Su Zimo found them very convenient to use, and the seasonings were also well-stocked.
While Su Zimo was cooking, Gel Yan started making pancakes with the palace maids.
Su Zimo first instructed the guards to divide the wild boar into different parts, as each part required a different cooking method. In any case, Su Zimo just wanted to enjoy a good meal today.
She marinated the evenly cut meat and planned to use it for the barbecue later.
Everyone watched Su Zimo bustling around and became the most beautiful scenery in the sunset.
Mu Yunxuan walked over to where Murong Shaofeng was sitting quietly.
"Your Highness, you have a calm and serene demeanor that no one can compare to," Mu Yunxuan commented.
Murong Shaofeng didn't even lift his eyelids. "Saint Lord, your shamelessness is also unparalleled."
Murong Shaofeng didn't retract his gaze and continued to focus on Su Zimo.
"Your Highness, your affectionate gaze has been fixed on my woman. Shouldn't you rein it in?" Mu Yunxuan couldn't stand Murong Shaofeng's silent actions. He knew very well that, aside from others, Murong Shaofeng was his biggest rival in love.
"What right do you have to talk about me? Didn't you make her sad?" Murong Shaofeng hit the nail on the head.
A flicker of hidden emotions flashed in Mu Yunxuan's eyes. "She is mine, always mine. No matter what you do for Mo Mo, she will never belong to you."
Upon hearing this, Murong Shaofeng's heart felt like it had been stabbed.
"So, what are you afraid of?" Mu Yunxuan looked at him and continued, "I'm not afraid. I just want to know why you, Your Highness, still go on like this, knowing the outcome. In the end, the one who will be hurt is only yourself."
Mu Yunxuan knew he couldn't say too much. He simply didn't want Murong Shaofeng to suffer too much. He had discovered what Murong Shaofeng had done for Mo Mo before Zhu Yan left. Anyone or anything that posed a threat to Mo Mo had been eliminated by him.
"To do or not to do, to want or not to want, that is my prerogative," Murong Shaofeng remained unmoved. In his calm eyes, a hint of pain flickered. Even without any returns, so what? Knowing the outcome, so what? He enjoyed doing these things for her, he loved her, loved everything about her. Even without any results, as long as he did it for her, he would be happy. Life is short, and time flies. For Murong Shaofeng, falling in love with someone is a happy thing. He wouldn't feel pain because he couldn't have her, but rather because he couldn't be with her and protect her. Falling in love with her had made his life extraordinary. All of this, everything, was the result of meeting Mo Mo. His only reward was a lifetime of love.
Mu Yunxuan fell silent, realizing that perhaps Murong Shaofeng was too persistent. However, the one suffering from this persistence was himself. Love can be heartbreaking, and they both loved the same woman. Mu Yunxuan didn't want Murong Shaofeng to suffer too much.
He wanted to say thank you, but looking at Murong Shaofeng's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to speak. Everything he had done was willingly and without any expectations. He didn't need any gratitude, and it was not his place to say thank you. Through Murong Shaofeng, Mu Yunxuan instantly understood many things.
Half an hour later, Su Qi blinked his big eyes and circled around the large pots, the fragrance emanating from them making him salivate. How long did it take to stew this wild boar meat? But his little stomach was already rumbling with hunger.
"Qier, step back a bit, be careful not to get burned," Su Zimo said, glancing at her son who had a face full of anticipation. It amused her to see him like this. They were all hungry, and the meat in the pot was almost done. Su Zimo began stir-frying the vegetables.
"Mother, can you give Qier a little bit to eat first? Qier is really hungry," Su Qi pleaded, wearing a pitiful expression. The aroma of the hot meat made him crave it even more.
"Qier, there are so many people watching. Let's wait and eat together. Once I finish stir-frying the vegetables, we can have dinner," Su Zimo replied.
"Oh! Mother, in order to maintain the gentlemanly demeanor as you mentioned, Qier will endure a little longer," Su Qi said with a pouting face, then turned away. His small figure appeared fragile in the twilight.
Su Zimo felt a pang of heartache as she watched him. Thankfully, they no longer had to wander around like before. Now they had a home, and their life would only get better for her and her children.