Chapter 289: Chapter 266: The Heart of Sima Zhao

Tuoba had left, looking so pitiful. Chu Yu wanted to rush out several times to pull him back, but she still suppressed the urge. Rong Zhi was right–this was Tuoba’s destiny, and she couldn’t face it for him. Although detestable, she had to admit that guy was absolutely right.

And she had to face her own destiny now.

For some reason, her mood suddenly dropped.

Chu Yu lowered her eyelids, focusing her eyes on the ground at her feet. Yet she said to Rong Zhi, “Empress Dowager Feng and Tuoba Hong are about to go to war, and you and Tian Rujing should have reached a conclusion. How did we initially agree, you haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Rong Zhi instinctively showed a soothing smile and said, “I naturally remember.”

Four conditions, clearly tiered:

First, she leaves.

Second, he never returns.

Third, not to interfere.

Fourth, release Huan Yuan.

Good that you remember, Chu Yu breathed a sigh of relief and said, “So, when do you plan to fulfill them?”

Her tone and expression remained the same as years before, completely unattached, without any reluctance. Rong Zhi stared at her for a long time without speaking, until Chu Yu asked again, and he slowly said, “Very soon.”

Chu Yu was not satisfied with this vague answer and pressed, “What do you mean by ‘very soon’?”

Rong Zhi took a slight breath, still as composed and said, “From today, Huan Yuan no longer needs to go to the Imperial Palace. Prepare to leave Ping City in three days.”

Chu Yu was startled, then quickly flashed a vague smile, “Alright, I’ll start preparing right away.” Three days was a short time; if she was leaving alone, she wouldn’t need much preparation, but she was accompanied by an entire household, and organizing possessions and assets was no small task.

Having decided to come to Ping City, she still had the deed to the Luoyang house in her hand. Chu Yu planned to take Huan Yuan and the others back to Luoyang, observing for a while to see how the situation in Northern Wei was developing. If an undesirable change occurred, she would take advantage of it and flee back to the Southern Dynasty.

Shortly after Liu Ziyue’s death, Liu Yu ascended the throne, and soon he launched a new round of purges in the court, eliminating Liu Ziyue’s remnants, including Zong Yue within that target range.

After all these years, the Southern Dynasty’s search for her should have long since dwindled. As long as she changed her identity and name and was careful, she could still return there to live peacefully.

Having made up her mind, Chu Yu thought it over briefly, reached into her bosom, and a moment later pulled out a white rectangular pendant. “This was what you gave me back then. After so many things happened, I kept forgetting it. As we may no longer see each other, I shall return it to you now.” Over the years, she had chances to return it, but after wearing it for so long, she became somewhat reluctant. Day by day, she delayed, until now.

Rong Zhi, seeming indifferent, said, “If you like it, keep it. This object is also useless in my possession.” It was a heirloom, but it held little value for him, especially at this time when his mind was not on material things.

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Huan Yuan stepped out of the carriage, his brow furrowed with worry, the dim sunset casting a dusky gold edge on his clothes.

He was not unaware of Tuoba Hong’s actions; on the contrary, he had watched as Tuoba Hong ordered the investigation of the Li family for crimes, executing Li Yi by association. He had tried to stop Tuoba Hong but had not succeeded.

Despite being ambitious, Tuoba Hong was still just a young man under twenty, lacking composure and watching Empress Dowager Feng openly dishonor his deceased father–a humiliation so profound, how could he bear it?

Empress Dowager Feng often summoned Li Yi and others to accompany her in the palace. Watching his own officials walk towards the Empress Dowager’s quarters, he could do nothing. Each time he attended court and saw the gazes of the courtiers, even though nothing was amiss, he always felt as if they were mocking him.

Under such accumulating pressure, Tuoba Hong’s resentment towards Empress Dowager Feng had reached an uncontrollable level. When he finally found a flaw in Li Yi’s family, he took the opportunity to implicate and kill Li Yi, thereby venting the malice in his heart.

Today, the news of Li Yi’s execution had spread. Empress Dowager Feng surely would not let the matter rest. Thinking briefly about the turmoil this would spark in the court, he felt a chill in his heart.

With a light sigh, Huan Yuan decided to put aside his worries from the Imperial Palace for the moment. He looked towards what he called “home,” only to see Chu Yu standing at the door, seemingly waiting for him.

It was late autumn, and the evening breeze in Ping City was cold. Chu Yu, slightly cold, hugged her arms. Seeing Huan Yuan return, she hurriedly stamped her feet and approached him with a smile, “You’re back? I have some good news to tell you.”

Huan Yuan did not ask her what the good news was. Instead, he took off his fine fur cloak and carefully draped it over Chu Yu, frowning, “The weather is getting colder. Why didn’t you put on more clothes before coming out?”

Chu Yu smiled gratefully, tugged at the tie around her neck, and continued her earlier conversation, “Today, Rong Zhi told me that starting tomorrow, you no longer need to meet Tuoba Hong. We will return to Luoyang in three days.”

She briefly explained the whole situation, but instead of looking pleased, Huan Yuan appeared somewhat startled as he watched her, as if he had seen something astonishing.

Made slightly uneasy by his stare, Chu Yu pressed her lips together and murmured uncertainly, “Is something wrong?” Why was he looking at her like that?

Did he not want to leave?

After a while, Huan Yuan gave a bitter smile and said in a low voice, “Do you truly not understand, or are you pretending not to understand?”

Chu Yu asked curiously, “Understand what?”

Huan Yuan stopped, looking at Chu Yu, almost speaking but then holding back.

Over these three years, how Rong Zhi had treated Chu Yu was obvious to all; setting aside external affairs, at least within this household, Rong Zhi’s intentions were as clear as Sima Zhao’s heart–known to everyone. Even Amman, the least perceptive, had noticed something, so why did she seem like she knew nothing at all?

Was she genuinely unaware, or was she deliberately pretending to be so?

“Rong Zhi…” His voice was very low, obscured by the autumn wind. Chu Yu, momentarily distracted, didn’t hear him clearly and asked with a laugh, “What did you say?”

Her demeanor was bright and upbeat, without a trace of the sorrow or reluctance that parting should have brought. Instead, she seemed eager to leave as soon as possible. Huan Yuan sighed inwardly and replied, “It’s nothing.”

What did it matter if she knew? What if she didn’t? Did he even hope that Chu Yu would stay for Rong Zhi’s sake?

Was not this the outcome he had hoped for?

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Chu Yu happily talked a lot with Huan Yuan about the arrangements for returning to Luoyang.

She had already informed both Hua Cuo and Amman about the news of their departure. Amman had no objections, while Hua Cuo said he needed to think it over. Chu Yu was waiting at the door to tell Huan Yuan about this in person.

After communicating everything, Chu Yu returned to her quarters feeling relieved. As she entered the courtyard, she saw a figure with his back to her, sitting under the courtyard tree, the fish rod in his hand swaying leisurely.

Chu Yu’s smile instantly faded, and she stopped and stood firm, asking coldly, “Guan Canghai? What are you doing here?”