The location chosen for thawing the ice was the Jade Green Pool in the royal residence. The Jade Green Pool was a natural hot spring situated halfway up Mount Fu, within the Lush Green Courtyard. The pool was surrounded by mist, and the area around it was adorned with blooming flowers, making it seem like a paradise.
When Mei Lin saw those flowers, which were not meant to bloom in this season, she paused for a moment, then slowly smiled. As Murong Jing He placed Luo Mei on a reclining chair by the pool for rest and then stood up, he happened to catch sight of Mei Lin’s smile. His heart suddenly softened, mixed with a pang of regret—he reproached himself for not thinking to bring her here sooner.
At least she got to see the spring flowers of Jingbei, Mei Lin thought contentedly. With her mood lightened, her mind became more active. Meeting Murong Jing He's gaze, she smiled and said, "This place is indeed wonderful."
This was the first time she had spoken to him since they parted ways at the Old Bandit Village. Murong Jing He was somewhat surprised, his heart quickening with a tinge of unease, yet his dark eyes involuntarily softened. He remembered the times she had whispered softly in his ear, and the cheerful, husky songs she sang. It felt like a distant memory, so distant that he almost couldn’t recall how her voice had once soothed his fears and confusion in that isolated place, giving him hope.
"If you like it, then..." He started to say instinctively, but was cut off.
"Lord Murong, though it is an honor for a common woman like me to contribute to saving the future princess, I still have some concerns in my heart. If they are not addressed, I fear I won’t be able to fully devote myself to serving Your Highness and the future princess," Mei Lin said respectfully, lowering her gaze. Although she had decided to sever all ties, her mouth filled with bitterness when she spoke the words "future princess."
Murong Jing He’s expression shifted slightly, finding the titles "lord" and "princess" coming from her lips strangely grating. The ridiculous part was that her tone and demeanor carried no trace of sarcasm; in fact, she was being quite respectful, leaving him no grounds for anger.
"If you have something to say, say it directly. There’s no need for such roundabout talk," he said coolly, suppressing his irritation, his gaze turning hard.
Mei Lin smiled slightly, her eyes focused on the ground, pretending not to notice his displeasure. "Then I won’t hold back," she said, emphasizing the words "common woman" as if to remind both him and herself that she was now a free person, no longer bound to anyone.
"I am not worthy of being a burden to Master Qing Yan, so I would like to ask Your Highness to obtain a divorce letter for me from him," she continued. She had once thought of living a quiet life with Qing Yan, but upon realizing that his heart belonged to someone else, she abandoned the idea. Why drag someone else into her troubles?
Murong Jing He was momentarily taken aback, but then the corners of his lips curled up involuntarily, and he readily agreed. He had arranged for Qing Yan to marry her initially to keep her close and to use Qing Yan’s influence to protect her from Luo Mei’s harassment, while also easing Luo Mei’s concerns. However, who would have thought that seeing her as someone else’s wife would be unbearable for him? Moreover, it had become clear that this marriage could not truly bind her. Since she was now proposing to sever her ties with Qing Yan, he was more than happy to go along with it.
But before he could fully savor this newfound sense of relief, her next words brought him crashing back down to reality.
"After this, Your Highness must not use any reason or method to compel me again. It would be best if... we never see each other again." The last part was murmured softly, as she still feared provoking his temper. She reasoned that if she didn’t have long to live, it wouldn’t matter much, but if the Wu managed to save her life, she certainly couldn’t remain entangled with him. Who knew what strange and dangerous situations he might drag her into next? Even with a hundred lives, she wouldn’t be able to endure such torment.
Murong Jing He, with his sharp hearing, caught every word. As someone proud and ambitious, he was already troubled by the fact that he had contemplated harming Luo Mei, who had saved his life, to protect Mei Lin. Now, hearing that she didn’t share his reluctance to sever their ties, he felt a surge of frustration and indignation.
He let out a cold laugh, turning his gaze away from her, his tone mocking. "You need not worry. If not for General Luo Mei, your status wouldn’t warrant an audience with me."
Was that a yes or a no? Mei Lin’s heart tightened slightly, feeling a bit confused. She looked up to see his chin lifted arrogantly, and though she felt an urge to demand a written agreement, she ultimately decided against it, knowing his temperament.
The Wu had been waiting nearby, seemingly uninterested in their conversation, or perhaps unable to understand it. He merely smiled, appreciating the surrounding scenery, a look of admiration in his eyes.
When Mei Lin approached him, he bent down to pluck two stalks of white-flowered yarrow at his feet, removing the flowers and leaves, and carefully arranging the smooth stems in his palm. Then, he looked up at Murong Jing He.
"You must enter the water."
Mei Lin was puzzled as to why Murong Jing He needed to enter the water, but Murong Jing He’s face had already stiffened, a conflicted expression in his eyes.
Entering the water meant undressing. Undressing... He glanced irritably at Mei Lin, who was clueless, and reluctantly asked, "Can I wear something thin?" No matter how angry he was, he didn’t want anyone else to see her body.
The Wu nodded.
So Murong Jing He grabbed Mei Lin and dragged her into the changing area, selecting an opaque, light blue silk robe from his spare clothes.
"Take off your clothes," he said, holding out the robe to her. Seeing her hesitate, he impatiently tore off her belt and outer jacket with a few swift movements.
"Hey, hey... You... You go out... I can do it myself," Mei Lin protested, finally realizing that the Wu meant for her to enter the water. She didn’t understand why he had spoken to Murong Jing He, but there was no time to dwell on it. She had to dodge his overly nimble hands while angrily trying to shoo him away. This man was unbelievable—after their recent fallout, he still showed no sense of propriety.
Murong Jing He sneered, "With your skin and bones, who would bother to look twice?" But even as he said this, his hand hesitated when it accidentally brushed against her soft chest. Quickly recovering, he tossed the robe at her, muttering for her to hurry up before walking out.
Mei Lin caught the robe just before it hit the ground and instinctively brought it to her nose. Though the robe was clean and fresh, she could still detect his faint, unique scent.
She sighed helplessly, feeling as if she were trapped in a web, no matter how determined she was to escape.
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