Shanguan Zu Jin's POV
I knew Pei Qin and Li Jin were still doubtful of her true intentions and were trying to protect their loved ones and the citizens if Wu Jinmai was putting in an act for her favorite game.
That is to fool and toy with everyone in her hands. Li Jin speaks. "Silence speaks better than sounds. If you hear a sound, you're bound to die," he says.
The empress turns around and faces Li Jin. She smiled instead. "Are you afraid that I'll find where you kept your aunt's body and burn it myself? Or should I say I'll be lying next to her?" Li Susu commented.
Her eyes were testing Li Jin's patience. This woman knew how to make these two men mad.
She didn't know what kind of monster she was marrying. Wu Jinmai didn't know what we were capable of.
Li Jin laughs a bit and walks closer to her. Wu Jinmai moved her face closer and showed him that she's not afraid to look into his eyes.
"A cunning eye deceives its enemies and burns them together, General Li. Don't forget that," she remarks. Wu Jinmai laughs and taps his shoulder. I know she's telling her to relax.
"A bird that is thirsty will do anything to drink water. Little by little, he'll throw a stone until his beak reaches the water and quenches his thirst." Wu Jinmai paused.
She walks forward and stops in front of Pei Qin and Li Jin's table. She looks up and gazes at where she is seated.
She turns her body a little and faces us. She pointed to her seat using her finger.
"I will use people as stones to quench my thirst until the things I ruin go back to what and where they should be," she halts.
"I will be more tyrannical and ruthless from now on, but this time... It's not about me anymore," she stated.
Her eyes blazed as if fire were living inside. It was as if a phoenix was born inside Wu Jinmai using Li Susu's consciousness. Pei Qin sighed.
"In the end, we're nothing but a stone in your game of go? You never changed. You want to use people, make them believe in your intention, and destroy their dignity and morals after," he remarked.
I grab his shoulder, but he shoves me away. This time, he's glaring at me. "Don't tell me the tactician and famous Shanguan Zu Jin believes this evil woman's intention?" he asks.
I close my eyes and try to calm myself. "A righteous man keeps his insanity inside his heart and walks forward while thinking rationally," I paused, hoping he would listen to me.
"You can't win when you're at the height of your emotions. You will always make mistakes if you let your feelings rule over you, Pei Qin," I replied.
"A'Qin!" Yang Hua roars, shaking her head and looking at him intently. She's begging him to hold on to his emotions.
Pei Qin's jaw clenched. He was really mad. "But it helps when you break down and shout the hell out of your feelings. It's effective," Empress commented.
I raised my head and glared at her. Li Susu's personality will be the cause of Wu Jinmai's death, not her sins that pass on to her.
"You should try it. Tell me everything, and let me know how deep your wrath is towards me. Tell me how you hate me," Wu Jinmai demanded.
I grab Pei Qin's shoulder, but he decides to give her what she wants. He walks forward and grabs her shoulders. Pei Qin was really an idiot! He shouldn't say those words to Li Susu!
"You want to hear the truth? I wish you had died that night. I am happier to send you into hell than to look at your face every day. I hate you. I detest you. I loathe you. Can't you just die already, huh?!" he roars.
I take a step forward when Li Jin stretches his hand and stops me. "Don't make us your enemy, Shanguan Zu Jin," Li Jin warns. My jaw clenched.
"A'Qin! Stop it already!" Yang Hua screams, crying her eyes out. Her mother grabs her and stops her from approaching them.
"Yang Hua!" she screams at her daughter.
Wu Jinmai grabbed her hairpin and held Pei Qin's hand. "If you don't believe my sincerity, then kill me. Pei Qin, forgive me. But the things that I want you to do... don't forget about them."
"Pei Qin, what are you doing?! This is treason!" Yang Haoming roars.
"Drop that hairpin and come here! Don't make things worse!" Zhang Yi roars. I grab Li Jin's arms and tighten my grip.
"Move away," I asserted firmly.
"Aaahhhh!" Pei Qin screams and throws the hairpin on the ground.
Wu Jinmai embraces him and taps his back while she listens to his cries. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry… Let me prove to you my sincerity and make it up to you, hmm? Let me give you what you deserve, Pei Qin."
My jaw clenched. I let go of Li Jin's hand and hid my fists inside my sleeve. What is she doing?! Did she forget what we talked about?!
"You are the reason why my life is ruined! You are the nightmare in my life and the woman I love. I want to kill you, but why?! Why can't I do it?!" Pei Qin questioned himself. She let him go and held his face, wearing that gentle and sweet smile.
"Because you're not a bad person, A'Qin. You are a kind, caring, loving, and great man. You don't deserve to stain your hands with my dirty blood. Believe in me… I will fix everything, hmm?" she promises.
Pei Qin looked at her in the eyes and was taken aback. Wu Jinmai grabs something inside her sleeve. It's her handkerchief. She gave it to him.
"I know a man shouldn't cry," Pei Qin says.
He raises his hand and wipes away his tears while hiding his face on his sleeve. Wu Jinmai shakes her head.
"Who said that? You're a human. You cry, laugh, get mad, yell, or be sad anytime you want. Plus, crying makes you feel better when your heart is already dying inside."
I saw how surprised they were. "Before I send everyone home, I want to negotiate something," she says.
She faced us properly. She looks at me, at Li Jin, and at the three heads of their family.
"Help me. I want to make up for my past mistakes. I want to use my life to serve the people. You can abandon me, but please… don't abandon the people of Xia!" she begs and bows her head.
I step forward and bow my head while leaning the fingers of my right hand above the left.
"I believe in the sincerity of the empress. Let's protect and serve the people truly and sincerely this time," I remarked.
I hope they will agree and give her the chance, even if they have doubts about her sincerity.
"Her highness, his highness, raise your heads. It's inappropriate to do this," Wei Zhao commented.
The two of us raise our heads. We saw their conflicted emotions. They all sigh.
"We agree, but you must work hard, your highness. You really need that," Zhang Yi stated.