Feng Zhi Wei didn’t say anything but listened to his heartbeat, felt that it had slowed down after the initial racing, and even has signs of being weak. Feeling her own heart softening, she went to take his pulse but was forced to stop when he pressed down on her arm, not allowing her to move. 

Their naturally cool skin is now both scorching hot at this moment, alarming hot to the touch but also somehow allowing them to feel that neverending warmth just beneath that burning heat. 

The two of them just nestled together in silence, a rare moment of peace in stormy turbulent waves. After more than a year, after all kinds of ordeals, life and death, she had been perpetually floating in the waves of this world and he was always sailing in a little boat, chasing after the high waves trying to find her. At times, he would get close and is about to hold her hand but in the next instant, they would be washed apart by a big wave. By the time the next opportunity came, the love that once existed is no longer the same. You don’t seem to be you anymore, and I am no longer me. With our facades and masks on, unable to see the other and ourselves clearly. 

Who would’ve guessed, in a secluded corner of the palace, there is finally a moment of peace where there is no conspiracy between you and me? 

In this quiet and peaceful moment…

Feng Zhi Wei’s belly suddenly let out a mood-killing growl. 

Ning Yi was taken aback and couldn’t help smiling. 

Not blushing with embarrassment, Feng Zhi Wei said resentfully, “I am supposed to be recuperating. Your imperial family cherishes blessing and health so don’t encourage the wounded to partake of meat. The food that is delivered every day is so plain and bland that even a monk would cry after seeing it.”

“You are saying my family is starving you?” Ning Yi laughed, moved away, and pulled her up, “I am hungry as well, let’s go steal some food.” 

Feng Zhi Wei stood up with bright eyes but then refused, “No, I still want to…” Her words stopped halfway. 

Ning Yi, however, has always had a crystal heart and knew with one glance what she was thinking. His expression was unreadable since his face was hidden in the darkness but there was no change to his tone, “You are still worried about Gu Nan Yi, right? He made the right decision to not use the medicine prescribed by the palace physician. Those quack doctors only knew to prescribe warming tonics to combat the cold syndrome but had no idea that it would be better to relieve it than to block it. I have already sent some guards to protect him. No one else will be able to disturb him again.”

Feng Zhi Wei remained silent, knowing in her heart that he was right, Gu Nan Yi really cannot be disturbed at this moment, but…

Ning Yi turned his head to look at her and said with a scoff, “I know you are suspecting me. Tonight you had originally thought it was me who had sent someone after Gu Nan Yi, right?” 

Feng Zhi Wei pondered for a moment, and smiled without trying to glaze over his question, “Your Highness first met with that person in the flower garden, then conspired with someone in the tea room after, unusual timing, unusual location, unusual people, it is difficult to not be suspicious.” 

“It’s just that you’ve never trusted me.” Ning Yi said lightly, “I won’t make vows, you wouldn’t believe them anyway. You just watch what happens in the future.”

“Speaking of which,” Feng Zhi Wei smiled, “I have accidentally overheard another one of Your Highness’ secrets and disrupted a good thing for Your Highness, I do apologize.” 

She said sorry, but her tone was not apologetic at all. Ning Yi’s face emerged from the dark shadow behind the moonlight, his eyes suddenly as bright as the burning white lotus, and there was a change in his tone, “Zhi Wei….are you jealous?” 

Feng Zhi Wei was taken aback, her heart suddenly a mess. She belatedly realized what she said just now sounded inappropriate both in words and tone, and did indeed sound like it had a bit of jealousy in them. Her face turning red, she tells herself that she must not rush to explain or it would just make things worse. No matter what explanation she gives, Ning Yi would have some way to turn the explanation into the one he wants. Her mind set, she didn’t reply but smiled and put on an expression of “your question is very boring so I am not bothered by it at all.” 

Because of this unexpected turn of their conversation, she couldn’t ask what she had originally wanted to know about his relationship with that woman. In actuality, it wasn’t important if she asked the question or not anyway. When the woman first attacked, the enamel gems on her ten fingers had already allowed her to guess her identity– other than the few important concubines in the palace, who else would have high enough status to wear that sort of nail cover? And that wind and moon like dancing figure, her naturally seductive yet dignified gait, who else could have it except for the Emperor’s favorite Qing Concubine who was born in Xiliang and was a dancer before? 

At Concubine Chang’s birthday banquet, this dancer performed the dance. On the surface, it was arranged by the second prince but who could’ve guessed she is actually connected to Ning Yi. This man, Ning Yi, he really is extremely skilled at hiding his hand, you would never guess what he is doing or had done if you didn’t walk into his trap. 

Remembering the medicine, Feng Zhi Wei’s eyes narrowed. It was said that this concubine had longed enjoyed the Emperor’s favor and all are waiting for her to add an eleventh prince to the imperial family but that good news kept not showing up. So, was it because the old emperor is getting too old, or was it because of this medicine? 

 Thinking of the powder that scattered on her face, Feng Zhi Wei smiled– it seems this Concubine Qing may not be that obedient either. What is unknown is what kind of deal Ning Yi and her had made. If there is a chance in the future, she might very well take the chance to meet this Concubine Qing. 

Her thoughts twisted and turned, filling her with a belly full of questions but she knew that Ning Yi wouldn’t answer even if she asked so she might as well just swallow all the questions for the time being. She also didn’t mention the matter concerning the pill that was crushed into powder. 

Ning Yi narrowed his eyes and examined her. His expression was like that of a fox looking for food in the moonlight. After a while, a smile gradually appeared in his eyes. Changing the subject, Ning Yi reached to pull her to him and said with a smile, “The more we talk the more hungry I am getting. There is a big kitchen not far from here, let’s go find something to eat.”

Feng Zhi Wei still wanted to refuse, feeling that the hunger would pass if she just ignored it but then she suddenly smelled a strange fragrance on her shoulder and instinctively turned her head to look. 

By this time, Ning Yi’s hand had also arrived. He was originally reaching for her hand but for some reason, when he saw her turning her head, his hand abruptly changed direction and raised his fingers to press on her shoulder. 

As a trained fighter, Feng Zhi Wei subconsciously dodged. *Rip* It is uncertain which one of them didn’t control their strength enough but a piece of Feng Zhi Wei’s clothes was ripped off, revealing her crystal snow-white shoulder, including a small section of her upper chest. The skin there was even more delicate, jade white color with a hint of pink, exquisitely beautiful beyond words in the moonlight. 

 Feng Zhi Wei blinked in surprise but there was already a flash of anger in her eyes. Ning Yi was dumbfounded and then let out a helpless wry smile, “What did you struggle for?” Throwing away the shattered fabric in his hand, he took off his outer robe to put it on her. Feng Zhi Wei wanted to refuse but the slightest movement exposed herself even more, revealing her dazzling white skin. Ning Yi doesn’t force her but simply held out the robe with a smile, his eyes leisurely moving over her exposed skin. Without any options, Feng Zhi Wei could only allow him to drape the robe over her. 

The wide outer robe loosely draped over her, carrying with it his unique cool fragrance that belongs to him alone. Feng Zhi Wei gathered the robe around her, not speaking as her eyes glanced over at the piece of torn cloth by the corner of the wall and sighed in her heart. 

All text copyright @www.Ninja-Reflection.com

A reader made the comment that while it was easy to see Zhi Wei’s feelings for Ning Yi previously but after the memory manipulation it was much more difficult to tell if Zhi Wei still loves Ning Yi since she seems so cold to him. One obvious reason for this coldness is that this is actually the side effect of the memory manipulation. You guys would have to go searching through the translation posts, but Zong Chen did warn Ning Yi that 1. Since they are dealing with Feng Zhi Wei, no one can really promise how well the memory manipulation would work on her. 2. There are residues to memories no matter how they are manipulated. Even if Zong Chen could manipulate the memory, but Feng Zhi Wei’s strong feelings, like hatred will still exist. This means she will instinctively avoid the person/object that causes her to feel that emotion. In other words, our heroine might not have a logical reason anymore to hate Ning Yi but she might still instinctively pull away from him. 

Ning Yi’s answer to Zong Chen was “That’s okay.” Touching Feng Zhi Wei’s forehead with the back of his hand, he said in a voice that was almost a sigh, “Then I will just start from the beginning to chase you back.” 

The other reason that the author didn’t spell out but I think fits our heroine’s personality is that she is preparing herself and Ning Yi to be mortal enemies. Rember, in order not to raise Feng Zhi Wei’s suspicion, the only thing Zong Chen changed in our heroine’s memory is to make the old emperor the main culprit of her family’s death. (Ning Yi was the head of the Gold Feather Guard who investigated and subsequently arrested our heroine’s family. Zong Chen changed Feng Zhi Wei’s memory so the old emperor was the head of the Gold Feather Guard the whole time. This was of course actually more accurate since Ning Yi was really the head of the Gold Feather Guard in name only since the old emperor was watching his every move there.) 

Zhi Wei is now essentially on a mission to kill the old emperor and destroy his empire…thus Ning Yi’s empire. I think it is only logical for our heroine to think there is nothing but war and hatred ahead between herself and Ning Yi. 

However, even with all that between the two of them, I think it is very telling that our heroine is willing to be that physically intimate with Ning Yi. Both of our leads are at their core very arrogant, somewhat cold, and extremely proud individuals. Feng Zhi Wei would not allow anyone else in the world to be that intimate with her. Anyone who knew her well would not dare, and all those who didn’t know her well enough to try would die soon enough. 

The last thing to remember about Zhi Wei is the reason why the memory manipulation had to happen in the first place. Zong Chen didn’t agree to the memory manipulation because he wanted to give Ning Yi a second chance with Zhi Wei but it was because Zong Chen agreed with Ning Yi’s observation that Zhi Wei wouldn’t be so bent on the path of self-destruction if it was anyone else other than him that was the cause of her mother and brother’s death. The act of living had become so burdensome to Zhi Wei who was bound by guilt and familial love to hate Ning Yi that the thought of death was a source of relief to her. Zong Chen must not have been the only one who couldn’t watch Zhi Wei suffering silently in pain anymore since for the whole memory manipulation plan to work, Zhi Wei’s closest friends like Gu Nan Yi, Heilian and Hua Qing all had to be in on it. I think the extent of Zhi Wei’s pain gives a good indication of her love for Ning Yi even if her words and day-to-day actions don’t always make that obvious.

Wait, I actually have one more thing to add. I think at the end of the day, if one really wants to quantify who loves who more, I do think Ning Yi loves our heroine more. Power, prestige, the throne, and the empire becomes meaningless to Ning Yi if he loses Feng Zhi Wei. However, without Ning Yi, our heroine might be in pain but she can keep going. Honestly, if her family is still alive, Feng Zhi Wei could probably skip off happily into the sunset with them and just spare a regretful thought for Ning Yi from time to time. Before we feel too bad for Ning Yi though, just remember this is a guy who will never let himself be the only one who suffers.


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