Lu Yingying trudged towards Grand Prince Liang’s room. She spotted Yan Zifang from behind but her expression did not change as she kneeled down to help the drunk Grand Prince Liang take off his shoes. Grand Prince Liang narrowed his eyes and stared at Lu Yingying for a while before he suddenly lifted his feet and kicked her.

Yan Zifang took a step out subconsciously.

Although he had already mentally prepared himself and knew that Lu Yingying was suffering, he had not imagined that she would be bullied like that. She was as skinny as paper and her complexion was as white as a ghost. The clothing she wore looked like rags and she did not seem like a consort at all. She could not even compare to a regular palace maid. He still remembered how beautiful she was when they first met. She was like a fairy who was out of this world. The stark contrast between then and now made his eyes and heart hurt.

Grand Prince Liang held Yan Zifang and pointed at Lu Yingying. He bellowed, “Let me tell you. You definitely have not met someone as dirty as her! She could have been the respected Consort Liang and my beloved wife but she was not willing and she chose to be a bitch instead!”

Grand Prince Liang yanked Lu Yingying’s arm and shook her violently. “Bitch, why are you not speaking? Talk! Don’t make it seem like I am mistreating your pitiful self! You are the only one who knows that it is you who shamed me! You have always been shaming me! I will strangle you to death! I will strangle you!” Grand Prince Liang placed his hands around Lu Yingying’s neck coldly.

Lu Yingying’s face turned red but she did not make any sound.

Yan Zifang stealthily walked closer to Grand Prince Liang. All of a sudden, Grand Prince Liang collapsed onto Lu Yingying’s shoulder, completely drunk.

Lu Yingying supported Grand Prince Liang with her arms, preventing him from falling. She glared coldly at Yan Zifang but remained calm. Yan Zifang followed her gaze and stared at his own hands. He had unconsciously taken out a dagger.

He came to a realisation. “Right, it would not be good if blood can be seen. I can make it seem like he died from drinking too much. No one will suspect us. A drunkard like him will not live long anyway.”

Lu Yingying struggled with all her might to support Grand Prince Liang back to his bed. “If you dare to touch a single strand of hair of his, I will scream and call everyone in the residence here.”

“Lu Yingying, has he made you dumb with his beatings?”

“He is my husband.” She will handle the consequences of her choice. “Although he hits and tortures me, I was the one who made the wrong move first. At least, he has given me status. What about you? What can you give me?”

“What do you want me to give you?”

“Yan Zifang, you are too poor. You cannot give me anything.”

“So you would insist on staying here and receive his torture to make me guilty?”

“Keep your volume down. My husband is asleep, don’t wake him up.” She did not even bother to look at Yan Zifang.

Anger boiled within Yan Zifang and he stomped out of the room. However, he heard Lu Yingying singing a song. It was the song she sang when they had first met. Unfortunately, she was now singing it to another man. He did not know why but the pain in his heart seemed to threaten to tear him up internally.

The Crown Prince lay on his bed and lifted his hand to carefully caress Sun Lingshu’s face. Sun Lingshu also raised her hand but she used it to block the Crown Prince’s view. She did not want him to see her ugly state.

The Crown Prince held her hand. “You have suffered because of me. I swear that when I ascend the throne and become the Emperor in the future, you will always be my Empress. You will stay beside me forever.”

Sun Lingshu gently lay beside him.

“Let me tell you. When I fell down the horse, I had a vision for a moment and I thought that I saw Chen Ji.” He was honest with her.

She turned around, facing him with concerned eyes.

“Chen Ji came to my side and he touched my neck like he was trying to comfort me and persuade me to persevere. I knew that Chen Ji did not leave me behind, his soul is always by my side. Every time I meet with danger, he would appear and help me.” The Crown Prince could not help smiling.

Sun Lingshu was quiet.

“Why are you quiet? Did I make you unhappy by talking about Chen Ji?”

“No, I am very happy. If Your Highness is telling me about Chen Ji, it means that you are treating me like I am yours.” Sun Lingshu’s tone was sincere and she wore a smile. “I was quiet because I suddenly recalled that when the soldiers brought you back, they also brought back another man. The man claimed that he was in the mountains picking herbs and because of suspicions, they locked him in prison. Could it be that you mistook that man for Chen Ji?”

“That is very possible.” The Crown Prince laughed and shook his head. “Forget it, I will not mention Chen Ji anymore. I will let him go and when he reincarnates, his next life will definitely be better than his past one.”

Yet, Sun Lingshu stood up and instructed the guards to bring the herb picker in.

“You…”

“When you were talking about Chen Ji, your happiness was something that I have not seen in a long time. It made me curious about that herb picker. Your Highness, why don’t you meet him with me?”

Very quickly, the guards led the man in. There was a wound on the man’s face and it was obvious that he had been interrogated. However, what surprised the Crown Prince and Sun Lingshu was that the man had a very similar appearance to Chen Ji.

The Crown Prince sat upwards and disbelief filled his face. “Chen Ji!”

The man kneeled down. He had a steady voice. “My humble name is Fu Shui. Greetings to Your Highnesses.”

The Crown prince muttered to himself, “Spilt water cannot be retrieved, Fu Shui. This name is rare.”

“I am an orphan and I have been living with my foster father in the deep mountains ever since I was young. My father must have been having a hard time when he picked me up. So he gave me such a weird name. I must have made Your Highness laugh.”

“Spilt water cannot be retrieved…” The Crown Prince said, “There are many things in life that we cannot turn around. Fu Shui, do you know how to play chess?”

Fu Shui answered, “I know a bit.”

The Crown Prince’s mood was lifted. “Good, good. Play one round with me.”

Sun Lingshu had already personally prepared a chess board. The Crown Prince gave her a thankful look and made the first move. He turned towards Fu Shui. “Fu Shui, it is your turn.”

Fu Shui sat beside the bed and picked up a chess piece. He took a long time to think. The Crown Prince burst out into laughter, “Do you play chess so slowly?”

Fu Shui hesitated before making his move. “I have always played chess slowly.”

Sun Lingshu stared at the scene before her and she quietly made her way out of the room.