In a secluded private room of the restaurant, Wei Dongling and another person sat side by side.
Yu Zixi was carefully slicing the roasted lamb leg for her, placing the slices of mutton one by one into her bowl. "Dongling, you've lost weight. You should eat more."
"You've lost some weight too. Let's eat together!" Wei Dongling sat on Yu Zixi's right side. She tightly grasped his clothes with one hand and used chopsticks to put the mutton into her mouth with the other.
Yu Zixi didn't eat much. After only a short while, he put down his chopsticks, propped his head on his elbow, and watched Wei Dongling eat with a smile in his eyes.
"Why aren't you eating?" Wei Dongling picked up the mutton from her bowl and put it into Yu Zixi's. She said with a beaming smile, "Zixi, shall we set off and go back tomorrow? If you're not willing to return to the capital, we can go anywhere. We can open a milk - tea shop to support ourselves." It was only the end of September, but Hanzhong was already so cold that she was shivering all over. Wei Dongling wanted to leave. If they didn't go back to the capital, choosing a small town with a spring - like climate all year round would be fine. Anyway, with her milk - tea skills, they could settle down anywhere. As for money, they could earn it slowly.
Hearing this, Yu Zixi's expression dimmed a bit. He lowered his eyes and said nothing.
A sudden sense of uneasiness welled up in Wei Dongling's heart. She asked, "Do you want to stay here for a while longer?"
Yu Zixi's thin face showed a trace of struggle. After hesitating for a long time, he said softly, "Dongling, I can't leave for the time being."
Wei Dongling was stunned, and there was a bitter feeling in her heart. After thinking for a long time, she summoned up the courage to ask tremulously, "Do you have to wipe out the remaining 50,000 troops of the Xue family completely before you're willing to leave?"
Yu Zixi's pupils constricted. He suddenly looked up at her and asked softly, "You know everything?"
Wei Dongling looked directly into Yu Zixi's eyes. With tears in her eyes, she said, "Zixi, those are nearly 50,000 lives! They are all the sons and relatives of our people. Once Hanzhong falls, what will happen to the people in the city?"
A fierce look flashed across Yu Zixi's eyes. He clenched his fist and said, "The crown prince has gone too far. Dongling, do you want me to let him do whatever he wants?"
Wei Dongling shook her head violently. Her voice was full of grief as she said, "Murong Jingyu is unworthy of his position. You can do whatever you want to him. Even if you find someone to assassinate him, that's fine. But how can you attack the Xue family's army? Once the Xue family's army is eliminated, what will happen to Hanzhong City? What will happen to the people in the city?"
Her questions made Yu Zixi's face look ugly. He said coldly, "Dongling, to be honest, I'm here today to persuade you to return to the capital."
Wei Dongling was shocked. "What did you say?"
Yu Zixi was full of anger. He gritted his teeth and said, "Even if the crown prince is assassinated, the person the Xue family's army supports is still the one in the high position!"
It was the first time Wei Dongling saw Yu Zixi get angry. Her heart trembled. She reached out to grab his hands and cried out anxiously, "Zixi, the Xue family's army is innocent! The people of Hanzhong are innocent! You can't do that! You mustn't be manipulated by your master!"
Yu Zixi looked at Wei Dongling, who was constantly shedding tears. He said with a bitter smile, "The Xue family's army is innocent? When they surrounded the capital and abetted the evildoers back then, wasn't my father innocent?"
Wei Dongling was in a panic. Was it true that the 80,000 - strong Xue family's army was the greatest support for Murong He's rebellion back then?
Yu Zixi's hand touched Wei Dongling's cheek. He wiped away her tears with his fingertips and sighed softly, "Wei Dongling, take them back! I'm afraid there will soon be a bloodbath in Hanzhong City."
"No!" Wei Dongling grabbed Yu Zixi's hand tightly and refused to let go. With tears streaming down her face, she said, "Zixi, I'm willing to go with you! I'm willing to go to the south of the Yangtze River with you! Let's not care about things here. Let's go, okay?"
Yu Zixi said with a bitter smile, "Dongling, as a woman, you won't understand! Pack your things and return to the capital early tomorrow morning. After things here are settled, I'll go to the capital to look for you."
Wei Dongling grabbed Yu Zixi's hand tightly. With tears streaming down her face, she shook her head and said, "I'm not leaving! I can't just watch you commit such a heinous crime! Yu Zixi, let go of the old grudges and hatred of the previous dynasty. Let's not kill innocent people, okay? Otherwise, how are we different from the heartless Murong Jingyu?"
Yu Zixi's eyes turned red. He said with a bitter smile, "My mother is still locked up in the palace. How can I let it go? How can I act as if nothing has happened? Wei Dongling, are you going to stop me too? Is it really like what my master said, that you will eventually stand on the opposite side of me?"
Wei Dongling shook her head vigorously. She was anxious to explain, "I'm in love with you. I just don't want to see you blinded by hatred! You've never hidden anything from me. You let me know the hatred you bear from the very beginning. I'm well aware of what Master He and you are planning, but I've always kept my mouth shut and never revealed a single thing to anyone. My heart is full of you. How could I possibly stand on the opposite side of you?"
Hearing this, Yu Zixi was a bit touched. His voice softened. He stroked her hair and gently advised, "Then be obedient and set off for the capital tomorrow. Believe me, I'll come to find you!"
Wei Dongling shook her head desperately. Tears rained down as she said, "I don't want to! Yu Zixi, I don't want to see you kill innocent people."
Yu Zixi sighed. "Dongling, I'm bound to have a showdown with him. You can't stop me."
A pang of sadness welled up in Wei Dongling's heart. Tears fell one by one. With a sobbing voice, she pleaded, "Yu Zixi, come with me, okay! Let's leave tonight!"
Yu Zixi took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her tears, but his eyes were full of determination.
Wei Dongling lay on his shoulder and cried for a long time. Yu Zixi just quietly held her without saying a word. It was not until she was tired from crying and fell into a deep sleep on his body that Yu Zixi picked her up and left.
Early the next morning, Cuihuan got up early and planned to go to the kitchen to start making milk tea. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Wei Dongling, who had been out all night, return.
She had her head down. Her figure was thin, and her spirit was a bit listless. Taking a closer look, her eyes were swollen like walnuts.
Cuihuan was shocked. She asked tremulously, "Miss, what's wrong with you?"
Wei Dongling didn't answer. She staggered into the room, threw herself on the bed, and turned to the side to sleep.
Cuihuan quickly followed up to take off her shoes and socks for her. She grabbed the quilt and covered her up. She asked nervously, "Did the young master bully you? Wait. I'll ask Brother Long to beat him up!"
Wei Dongling still didn't answer. She felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave and was shivering all over. She curled up in the quilt, and her whole body kept trembling.
Cuihuan was so panicked that she didn't know what to do. She wanted to go and find Aunt Ruan to take a look, but saw Wei Dongling wave her hand gently and say, "I'm fine. I'll be okay after a good sleep. Go and do your work."
Cuihuan had no choice but to get up and leave. She was in a hurry to find Aunt Ruan to discuss.
In Wei Dongling's heart, she never thought that there would be an insurmountable gap between her and Yu Zixi because of her background. The original owner of this body was already dead. She was just a wandering soul who had traveled through time. She never even thought of delving into the original owner's identity and taking her place. What was so good about being a royal child, when one couldn't even decide their own marriage like Shangguan Yun?