Chapter 2: Love Him or Hate Him?

  The hall was in an uproar! The beauties shrieked loudly, clutching my large hands and unconsciously tightening their grip. I stared straight at him, forgetting to breathe! It wasn't until Long Nu stood up that I realized something big had happened! He let go of me, sprang up, and I followed behind him, taking two steps forward, but didn't realize that underfoot were two stairs, and with one misstep, I tumbled straight down, my face almost touching the floor. It wasn't until someone tightly wrapped their arms around my waist that I began to tremble uncontrollably!

  Is he dead? Is he dead? Just now, in the grand hall, I felt like he was about to fly away at any moment. So it's true? So it's true? My hands involuntarily covered my chest, and I panted heavily.

  "Imperial sister! Imperial sister! How could you not be careful!" Long Yuyan's beautiful doll-like face was filled with worry, staring blankly at him, slowly shaking her head, trying to get up, but her legs went soft again and she fell down.

  "Empress! You've startled her, don't stir up the fetal energy!" Long Yuyan wore a robe made of jade-like fabric, looking to be only around eighteen years old, the youngest among them, yet also the most charming.

  "It's okay!" I whispered, lifting my eyes to look at Long Yunjue, but found him surrounded by a crowd of people! As I looked over, it was not only difficult to see his injuries, but even seeing the hem of his clothes was hard! This made me even more anxious and weak in the legs! How is he?! My face turned pale.

  Legs, walking with difficulty, Long Yu Ya supported me all the way, trembling, without a word, until we reached the middle hall. From afar, I smelled the bloody smell! The blood on his body flowed to the ground! Flowing through the crowd, flowing in front of me, shocking and frightening!

  I couldn't stand up anymore, I fell to the ground, my hands trembling as I slightly touched the bright red blood and brought it to my lips for a sniff! It's his blood! I can smell it! He actually lost so much blood! My mind went blank for an instant. Long Yun Ya! Long Yun Ya! Long Yun Ya! There was only this one name in my heart.

  "Eldest Sister-in-law, Yun Ge is a lucky person with a good destiny, nothing will happen to him!" Long Yu Ya whispered in my ear.

  I was panting heavily and couldn't speak for a moment!

  The imperial physician arrived! He pushed through the dense crowd, examined him and had him lie down. Fresh red blood stained his snow-white dragon robe. The imperial physician cut open the back of his clothes to examine the wound.

  "Long Nuyue's voice came from afar through the crowd, 'How is he? How is he?!'"

  The imperial physician replied in a low voice, "His Highness has lost too much blood and his lungs are injured. I'm afraid he won't make it past tomorrow night!"

  "What! Long Nu Ya lifted him up with one hand, roaring in anger, "What are you talking about! How could he have died so easily! Just a nameless woman, just a mysterious sword! The number one swordsman of Jiang Guo, the man who has been fighting me for so many years, how could he be so helpless!" His disbelieving roar brought on a wave of sobbing.

  My hand clenched and unclenched, I said in a hoarse voice, "The nameless woman, the inexplicable sword, the swordsman of Jiang Guo, is just an individual! She stabbed him from behind! If she had really stabbed his vital point, how could he not have died?" I had personally seen that he was severely injured!

  "Then, then! Is there any way to save him?! If he dies like this, then, then!" Long Nuyue was suddenly speechless for a moment!

  Long Yu Ya's face was already filled with tears, and several brothers surrounded him, their expressions mournful! The beauties were also frightened pale and covered their faces, not daring to look!

  Slowly standing up, I calmly waved my hand, "Come on! Take these beauties back! With something like this happening, the beauty pageant can't go on!"

  The eunuch standing on one side ran over quickly. He bowed his head and acknowledged, but was scolded by Long Nuyue!

  "It's precisely because of this incident that we must choose a proper consort for him! Which one of you is still willing to marry the White Dragon Prince as his consort?" he thundered.

  His voice echoed loudly in the great hall! No one spoke up! How could such a situation have a beautiful woman willing to marry him as his wife? Long Nu's eyes blazed with anger, and he said loudly, "Really not?"

  The beauties all lowered their heads, speechless. He was stunned, "Even with such wealth and glory, it can't buy your lingering affection for the imperial concubine! Alright! You may leave! How could I have misled you for a lifetime?"

  The beauties got his promise, one by one lowering their heads and retreating, as if there was a plague here. Long Yunyan coldly said, "Pass down the order, the beauties who just retreated, are to be sent back to their hometowns, for three years they are not allowed to discuss marriage!" In other words, they had to guard their chastity for Long Yunyan for three years!

  "Your Majesty, Prince Wang cannot move for now and can only recover from his injuries within the palace!" The imperial physician said in a low voice.

  Long Nu Ya waved his hand, furrowed his brow and said in a cold voice, "I know! Do your best to cure him! In this situation, he can't be allowed to leave the palace!" His face looked very bad, his gloomy eyes scanned me fiercely, seeing that I was being supported by Long Yu Ya, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he strode over in big steps, snatching me from Long Yu Ya's hands, saying loudly, "The empress has been frightened! Yu Ya, thank you for supporting the empress! But this bloody scene shouldn't be seen by the empress!" After speaking, he scooped me up horizontally. As they walked, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Can't choose a consort anymore, is that what you wanted?"

  I furrowed my brow, wrapped my hands around his neck, and whispered in his ear, "What does Your Majesty mean?"

  "He snorted, 'Why? You know it in your heart! How? Do you think I don't know?' His feet didn't stop moving as he quickly sent me to Xunxiangyuan. With a fierce kick, the door of the house was kicked open and I was heavily thrown down. He was so angry that his face turned green and his whole body trembled!"

  "At this time, Your Majesty should be taking care of the White Dragon King, showing your deep brotherly affection. Why did you bring me, a mere concubine, here instead? Won't others talk?" I said in a low voice.

  He grasped my chin, his voice cold and stern. "Ye Hanmei! What is your heart made of? How could something like this happen?! You deliberately delayed entering the palace by a lot, just to show off your status in my eyes. Even if you were pregnant, you would still be more beautiful than any of those women by three points! And then, you pretended to be weak and frail, making me come over to support you! I thought you just wanted to save face, so I gave in to your demands and gave you the face you wanted. But instead, you sent someone to kill Yun Ya! Firstly, this ruined the selection of the imperial concubine. Secondly, not a single woman was chosen, which would humiliate the emperor's dignity! Thirdly, you'd rather have him die than let him choose another woman as his concubine!" He slammed his palm onto the nearby huamu wood table, and it collapsed under his force.

  I sneered and raised my head, saying loudly, "That's right! This sword is what he owes me! It's a punishment for sending me to the Imperial Garden! I didn't want his life! He won't die either! With this sword, he can only stay in the palace to recover from his injuries. Since it's an injury to the lungs, even if the Dragon Emperor has no feelings for him, he still cannot send him out of the palace, and it will be a fact that everyone knows! Only then can he not get married. I've avenged myself, and I'll get to see him from time to time, I think this sacrifice is worth it!" I smiled calmly. "But why did the Emperor still find out about my plan despite its intricacy?"

  His lips twitched slightly, and he said in a cold voice, "If it were really Ye Hanmei who was walking normally, how could she possibly need someone to support her? Sometimes, the play can't be performed too much! If it's too much, it will make people suspicious! This is also why I proposed that even if he dies, he should still choose a concubine. The reason is that since he has already entered the palace, his life and death are under my control! You can tell him not to die, but I can tell him not to live! You say, at this time, the imperial physician has announced that he will hardly survive till tomorrow night, if I go and finish him off now, will anyone suspect that it was me who killed him?" His eyes flashed with a dangerous aura.

  I smiled calmly, slowly lifted his chin, and whispered, "But what to do! Your Majesty, you won't kill him! His life is that important to you! Even if it means sacrificing your own life, you will go save him! You two are openly incompatible, but secretly affectionate. If one of you dies, the other will be lonely for the rest of their life! Am I right, Your Majesty?!

  His face changed slightly, his teeth clenched coldly, "You actually figured it out! You woman! I knew I couldn't underestimate you too much! But you said one thing wrong! We two are a perfect match, however, I can kill him now! Because of Ye Hanmei! In this world with you in it! With you here, I will never be lonely again!" He stretched out his hand and tightly wrapped it around my waist. His lips covered mine, rolling and sucking.

  I furrowed my brow and took a sharp breath. At least one thing he said was wrong! Previously, I couldn't stand up straight not because I overacted, but because I really thought he was dead! Plus being pregnant, I couldn't stand up straight anymore!

  She gently pushed him away, smiling softly, "Your Majesty is indeed fond of joking, Hanmei is Your Majesty's consort, what Your Majesty needs is an opponent, Hanmei, how could she be Your Majesty's opponent! Hanmei is just a weak and delicate woman!"

  He curled his lips and smiled calmly, "Yes! Weak woman! Such a weak woman is truly one of a kind in the world! Alright! Since you've guessed it, I might as well tell you! Just now, I had the imperial physician implant the Forgetful Insect into Yun Ruo's body. This thing grows with blood and can only be implanted successfully if there's an external injury! It has a similar effect to what Ye Yao Nu gave you! However, it also has another function! That is, he will only forget one person - you! So when the two of you meet again, you'll recognize him, but he won't recognize you! Isn't that fun?"

  My face turned pale in an instant. This man! He had anticipated my move and came up with this plan to deal with me! I pushed him away slightly, and smiled coldly, "If you're possessed by a gu, that's even better! After the child is born, you can plant one on me too, so I won't remember that the child is yours!"

  His face turned pale with rage, and he bellowed, "I knew you didn't want to remember me! But I never expected that you wouldn't even want to remember the child! Ye Hanmei! What is your heart made of!"

  The corners of my lips slightly curled up in a helpless smile, and I calmly said, "How could the emperor not know? Ye Hanmei, from the very beginning, never had a heart! When the emperor exposed Yun Ya and sent me to the other courtyard, when the emperor forcibly took my body, Ye Hanmei's heart was gone!"

  He roared with anger, and in one swift motion, he pulled me into his arms, his lips pressing down on mine tightly, no matter how I struggled to evade him, he managed to pin my lips under his. I furrowed my brow, pushing and punching at his chest, but was no match for his strength!

  Pregnancy has almost drained my physical strength! Roaring, screaming, telling me that I hate him! He doesn't speak, forcefully entering, in the fragrant osmanthus garden filled with jasmine scent, bringing me extreme pain and extreme pleasure!

  I gritted my teeth in anger, adjusting my clothes with a sense of pleasure. I scowled at myself in hatred. I actually felt pleasure! I've gone mad! My pregnant body has changed from before, eating more and having less energy, easily getting dizzy. And, I gradually started to enjoy romantic relationships! This realization makes me want to die from shame! I'm actually indulging in lustful thoughts!

  This man has ruined my life! How detestable! I rushed out of the room like an arrow, wildly slashing at the pure white jasmine in the jasmine garden with my sword. The clouds are broken, the wind is scattered, and what a pity for these useless flowers!

  He wrapped his arms around my body from behind, grasping the hand that held the sword. I struggled to break free but couldn't. "I thought you loved jasmine so much, so I chose a garden of jasmine for you! How could you cut them all down?! Ye Hanmei! What are you doing?!"

  "I'm fed up! Mind your own business, you damned Camellia! I hate everything you've given me! I hate you! I hate you! Long Nuyue! You devil! You scum! How detestable! How detestable! How detestable!"

  He poked my acupuncture points, and I fell down softly, speechless, staring at him with hatred. His face was iron-green as he stared back at me, "You hate me so much? Hate to the point of cutting off even flowers?"

  I smiled calmly, biting my lips in hatred until fresh blood flowed from between them! I told him with my blood that I hated him to death!

  He stared at the fresh blood on my lips, his eyes pressed down, lightly licking, I opened my mouth and bit his lower lip hard, staring straight into his eyes. He didn't say a word, motionless, staring straight back at me! The two of us just stared at each other in close proximity. In his eyes, I couldn't see any pain, only a coldness, letting me bite his lower lip until I tasted the bloody flavor again.

  He was crazily sucking on my lips, and his mouth bit back onto my lower lip, but I didn't feel any pain at all! The force was just right. That kind of gentle, ticklish feeling that went straight to the heart. It was bewildering! He was seducing me! By the time I realized it, it was already too late!

  I gasped heavily, weakly enduring his second attack! He almost desperately whispered in my ear, "You helped me with the concubine, are you so happy? You personally helped me with the concubine, are you delighted? What are you happy about! I hate you! Ye Hanmei! Remember my words, I hate you! I wish I had never met you! I regret it!" At this point, he choked back a sob.

  A man like him, at a time like this, gritting his teeth and saying such things, makes me think of what? Hatred! It's hatred! "If it were Iceland lying beneath you, you wouldn't hate like that, would you?" I said softly.

  He was taken aback, Yu's expression unchanged, and said loudly, "What are you talking about! I have never had such a relationship with Iceland!"

  I gave him a cold glance, "Well, I'm glad for her!"

  His face turned iron-green, and he coldly snorted, "I don't need you to interfere with my affairs with her!" After saying that, he stood up and calmly said, "Soon, you will find out how wrong it is for you to do this! You will experience the pain of being forgotten by your loved one! That will be a fate worse than death!"

  I hung my head in silence, muttering lowly, "I've already experienced it!" That night, at the Royal Inn, our passionate confession was only known to one person after the fact! Such a thing, I will never forget until I die!

  He curled his lips and suddenly slammed the door shut!

  Bang! I fell back onto the rosewood-made embroidered bed, counting the phoenix patterns on it. Even if I had to take action against him, I was also helpless! If today didn't take action, then it would be a lifelong regret for me! This man, who once loved me so much, would completely leave me!

  People's emotions are strange, they are in front of you every day, and you don't know how to cherish them. If they suddenly leave, a feeling of reluctance arises! A smooth-sailing love is rarely cherished by people! The greater the obstacle, the more the feelings will last forever!

  This is the inferiority of human beings. Hands, unconsciously touching the still flat belly, can't help but wonder. If it were an ordinary person, like a member of the dragon tribe, after getting pregnant, they would reduce their activities, this is the most normal common sense, but Long Nu Ya is completely opposite, he actually comes here every day, without any regard for the child in his belly! If he doesn't care, then why did he use all methods to make me pregnant?!

  Is he implying that I should give birth early? Can I get his pearl by giving birth to the child early? I thought resentfully, if he gave Yun Ya a forgetful insect, it was to make him forget me, then can he really forget me?

  Time passed bit by bit in anxious waiting, I counted the watchman's beats one by one. From three to five watches, even with a slight deviation in time, I could count them clearly!

  At the fifth watch, I got up and put on my leather jacket, only to find that yesterday's new court attire was torn and couldn't be worn! Had to find another scarlet court attire, put it on, lightly applied some rouge, and called Xiaoyu over to hold the lantern for me as we headed towards the White Dragon Temple where the young White Dragon King used to live.

  All the way, the flowers are pointing to the willow, and the fragrance is everywhere. Although autumn has come to an end, there is still a lingering scent of autumn in the imperial palace! Brother Shifu, is he okay? He won't die! He can't! I clearly instructed the person to make it fatal but not let him go too far! How could he have died?!

  Passing by the Taiji Temple, the Taiji Temple is brightly lit, and the sound of singing is continuous. I frowned, Ah! He chose a new concubine yesterday! At this time, every night is filled with music and laughter, what's strange about that?!

  The corners of her lips slightly raised, I quickened my pace and couldn't help but take a deep breath. Xiaoyu whispered beside me, "Your Highness! What's wrong?"

  I bit my lip and replied in a low voice, "No!" Wiping away the sweat on my forehead, I had only walked such a short distance, but I was already exhausted like this! How hateful! The old emperor didn't let the dragon empress get pregnant probably because ordinary women couldn't conceive their so-called dragon children at all! Even someone with a good body like me would be like this, let alone them!

  Being with Chen Xing, is it because I'm too guilty? It's only been a few months?! My physical strength has become so poor! Long Nu Ya, he must know about it! I thought resentfully.

  When the sky was slightly bright, we arrived at the White Dragon Temple. From a distance, I saw a snow-white dragon with a five-colored pearl hanging from its neck, coiled on the roof of the temple, and under it was carved a large white cloud, resembling a flying dragon in the sky. This dragon gave me a feeling that it was so similar to Long Yun Yao! Even the opening and closing of the white cloud under him were exactly the same as his! I couldn't help but frown.

  "Xiao Yu," asked Xiao Yu softly, "do the other princes also have a palace like this in the palace with a flying dragon on top of the roof?"

  Xiao Yu smiled and said, "Yes! Your Majesty! It's not clear here, but when we get to the Fei Long Tower in the palace, we can see the entire layout of the palace. There are nine palaces in total, and from a distance, they look like nine flying dragons! Each palace is for each young master to live in after growing up, and then they will be sent out of the palace and settled in their own mansions!"

  I frowned, "So, is the white cloud on the chest of the White Dragon King also carved from the same white cloud that presses against the roof?"

  She frowned, "What white clouds? This little rain doesn't know! Probably!"

  Such a little palace maid has no reason to know such secrets! I couldn't help but secretly smile. The corners of my lips slightly curled up, and the two of us entered the White Dragon Hall like this.

  Inside the White Dragon Temple, it was filled with palace maids and imperial physicians at this time. Long Yunya lay on the bed, her snow-white hair pulled to one side. As soon as she saw me enter, the physicians all stood up, knelt down, and called out "Long Fengniang, congratulations!"

  I whispered, "Get up! Let me take a look at the White Dragon King. How is it? Imperial Physician, can you make it through today?"

  The old doctor lowered his head and said in a low voice, "The wound on the king's body is very serious! And there's too much bleeding!"

  I smiled calmly, waved my hand and shouted loudly, "All of you get out! I have something to discuss with the imperial physician!"

  As soon as I spoke up, the others retreated and smiled calmly, slowly drawing out the dragon thunder from their waist and pointing at his neck, saying in a cold voice, "Is it you?"

  At this time, he was so frightened that his face turned pale and he hastily said, "What am I! What!"

  I raised my lips, staring straight into his eyes, "Was it you who put the Forgetful Insect in White Dragon King's body? Was it you who made White Dragon King's injuries worsen again and again? Speak!"

  The old doctor's face suddenly turned pale! After a while, he trembled and said, "It wasn't me! It wasn't me! It was the Emperor! He was the one!"

  The sword flashed slightly, and the old man's head was on his neck. The bloodstain appeared! I smiled calmly, pulled off his beard, and stared coldly at his eyes. "What emperor?! You poisoned the royal family of the Shenlong tribe and still dare to blame it on the emperor?! This crime, even if you are the emperor, cannot be borne by you! This is the legendary crime that will cost you your head!" I smiled, took down the golden hairpin from my hair, and stabbed it into the old doctor's shoulder!

  He cried out loudly and hastily said, "Your Majesty spare your life! In the old minister's family, there is still a 90-year-old elderly lady, please Your Majesty show mercy!"

  "I gritted my teeth, 'To survive, there's only one way to go, remove the poison from White Dragon King's body! Let White Dragon King's wound heal!'"

  He knelt down and said hastily, "Your Majesty spare my life! I was indeed ordered by the Emperor! If I disobey the Emperor's order, I fear that my head will not be spared! I beg Your Majesty to show mercy! I beg Your Majesty to have great compassion!"

  "I said calmly and coldly, 'In other words, you refuse, is that right? If the White Dragon King were to pass away, I would make sure your entire family dies without a burial ground! I swear on the dragon in my belly today! If it's not done as promised, once born, I will personally kill him! The Emperor wants one life, but his orders are not to be seen in daylight! However, I am different, I want my Shixiong to live! If he dies, you die too, I won't tolerate it, I want your entire clan to be exterminated! Royal Physician, what is your surname?"

  He was anxious to death, his face pale, and said calmly, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty,"

  The sword on his back drew out another mouthful, and I raised my voice slightly, saying loudly, "I'm asking you, what's your surname! Do you think that if you don't say it, I won't know who you are?"

  He knelt down on the ground and cried out, "Your old minister's surname is Yue!"

  I curled my lips and smiled calmly, "So it's Le Taiyi! How great! In the Jiang state, how many people are surnamed Le? A thousand? Two thousand? I'll just wipe out your entire surname, what can you do about it?! Haha! Tell me, will the White Dragon King recover or not?"

  He loudly shouted, "I will! I will! Even if it costs me my life, I will make sure the White Dragon Prince lives on! Please, Your Majesty, have mercy!"

  Satisfied with putting away his sword, I calmly said, "This is very good. Once this matter is settled, I will let you leave for distant lands! The Emperor wants to kill you, it's absolutely not easy!"

  He nodded, tears streaming down his face, and only then did he change the dressing on Long Yunya's wound. Give him a dose of medicine! In just a short while, Long Yunya's complexion gradually became rosier.

  "It's a great fortune for the imperial physician!" I smiled calmly, "Forgetful Poison Bug!" I reminded in a low voice.

  The imperial physician's face turned pale, and he whispered, "Your Majesty, this Gu will take root in the blood once it is planted. To get rid of it, we must first let the White Dragon Prince bleed! However, if the prince bleeds now, he will undoubtedly die! I'm sorry, Your Majesty, even if you behead me, it's impossible to remove the Gu at this time!"

  I took a deep breath and shouted, "Then I'll make some medicine to nourish the blood and invigorate the energy! Hurry up!"

  He rushed away quickly! Looking at Long Yunya lying motionless on the bed, I couldn't help but feel a pang in my heart. My hand slowly reached out to touch his injured back, he groaned, and I quickly withdrew my hand. Tears had already fallen.

  Yes! I stabbed him with a sword! I also relieved my hatred! However, I almost killed him! It turns out that facing the man you truly love, killing him is even more painful than killing yourself!

  Tears, drop by drop, fell down, and I gently leaned against his body. Suddenly, my body was pulled up by someone, and Long Nu's eyes stared at me furiously, "You're a good one, Ye Hanmei! You really are here!"