No Repeats

Yu Li's decision

After a long consideration of the pros and cons of each move, Yu Li felt that the heavy weight of responsibility and consequences outweighs any temporary disappointments that Shu Mei might feel. He justified that if he followed his heart and rebelled right now to protect her at Hangzhou, it would be an irrecoverable misstep.

It is better to have her protected by his guards on her way to the imperial city to buy time while he mobilises the army and secure the Wulin forces in his hands. Then he will demand that the Emperor hand her over unharmed and should they find the Prince by then, he would have cause to activate the next step. Yu Li reasoned that he would have a whole lifetime to make it up to her, so a little parting is the small sacrifice to pay for the big picture.

He nodded his head and said to the imperial inspector, "you can take her, but I need to speak to her first and have my people protect her at all times. You must treat her with dignity and respect at all time, otherwise you and your family will meet with unfortunate accidents."

"Of course, please follow me to the magistrate's court," said the imperial inspector with a forced smile.

Yu Li frowned when he saw Shu Mei was imprisoned in a dark and dirty cell, her hands and legs have been chained up to prevent her from escaping. The imperial inspector smiled apologetically and signalled for the guards to quickly unchain her before leaving. The chains had left a heavy red mark on her wrists that marred her smooth soft skin making Yu Li's heart ache painfully. He grabbed her hands and started to blow against the red marks.

"Shu Mei, please follow them obediently, they will treat you well on the journey to the imperial city. You will be safe, I promise, I have my people following you to protect you from harm," said Yu Li gently.

Shu Mei thought that was the funniest thing he had ever said to her and could not stop herself from laughing and shaking her hands away from his grip.

"So, I have been framed for something I did not do, which you could easily attest to it and prove my innocence. And yet, you chose to let me go with them to possibly a death sentence. Yu Li, you are a coward through and through, but this is good, at least I will be free from you for a while. Please don't come to find me in the imperial city, let them execute me so that I can end this miserable life and escape the confines of your bird cage," she sneered.

Yu Li felt wronged by her harsh words and wanted to justify himself, but the confines of the prison is not the appropriate place to reveal secret information, so he bit his lips and clenched his fists. One day she would understand that he is doing all of this for her, he needs to make sure that the events in his dreams do not happen.

It is clear to him now that the reason that the Huang family was schemed and executed in the last life is that the opposing powers against the Murong clan must have realised that the Huang family have been connected to the Murong clan and financed their operations through the Huang family's trade and economic prowess.

The Huang family is but a cover for a branch family of the Murong clan, his grandfather is the brother of the current clan patriarch. Even though the family had stayed out of politics and both father and son were wastrels, the success of their businesses and the funnelling of money to the Murong clan through Old Madame Huang must have been discovered and they were schemed and executed.

This realisation left Yu Li with no choice, even if he had wanted to stay out of it in this life and not support the Murong clan's ambitions, the pure fact that they are a side branch of the clan and that the old woman has been funnelling money to the clan all these years, is enough cause to implicate them.

At a young age, Yu Li knew that there is only one way to survive, that is to use the clan's resources to become as powerful as possible, he will overturn the impasse and shape his own future. Yu Li's ambitions surpasses the Murong clan and survival.

"I cannot explain all the details now, but the scheme is too deep and complicated that it must appear the Emperor. I need time to mobilise the backup forces to rescue you, so please do not hold a grudge about this in your heart. You must understand me, Shu Mei, you are the only woman I love in this life and I will never let a single thing harm you in anyway. Please suffer this injustice for a little while and wait for me in the imperial city. My people will protect you until I come, then we shall punish those that have sought to harm you," he said passionately.

Shu Mei rolled her eyes and waved her hands to dismiss him. In honesty, she is a reasonable person and understands the political machinations of the powerful, but she cannot be bothered to speak to him anymore. Whatever big plans he has does not have anything to do with her and she is certain that the death of the concubines had something to do with him. The fact that she is being made the scapegoat for their deaths that was a result of Yu Li's actions annoyed her more than anything!

Yu Li pulled her into his embrace and held onto her despite her struggles, his heart raging again, hurting from her rejection and the pain of parting with her. He became more determined to end this as quickly as humanly possible, as he knew, that the longer it takes, the more time it gives her heart to harden against him.

"Let me go! Go home Yu Li, do what ever you need to, but don't come back to bother me!" she screamed as she kicked his foot and pushed him away hard.

Undeterred by the stabbing pain, Yu Li kept his hold on her, until she finally stopped struggling and bore with it. Yu Li thought hard, one day he needs to explain the whole story to her so that she doesn't continue to misunderstand him, but then again, considering that she is but a young woman, would she understand the politics of the country? 

Even he, a great general and genius of his time still gets exhausted from the mental and physically load so it would probably be too stressful for her to handle. He could just bring the achievements home and give her a life of luxury and pampering love, there is no real need to involve her into the deep schemes of the Murong clan.

"Yu Li, let me go now," said Shu Mei sternly.

Yu Li hesitated and slowly released her from his strong embrace and instantly felt a part of himself was missing. He looked at Shu Mei's fierce glare and thought it was the cutest look she could give. If she knew his thoughts at that moment, Shu Mei surely would have vomited blood.

"I must go now but remember to wait for me in the imperial city. Also, write down every offense you receive from anyone and I will repay them tenfold," he said gently.

She rolled her eyes and nodded, anything to make him leave faster would do for her. After Yu Li left, the imperial inspector lead Shu Mei into a room to wait for the carriages that will take them to the imperial city. She felt like she was being treated as a special guest as opposed to a criminal on trial, she shook her head and cursed the benefits of the powerful. The world is so unfair to the poor and powerless!

"Miss Shu, you have two visitors, the imperial inspector said that you are allowed half an incense stick before we leave for the imperial city," said a male servant outside the door.

"Oh, visitors? Please show them in," said Shu Mei happily, while silently guessing who there were.

"Shu Mei do not worry, we will save you," said Feng Er as soon as he opened the door and stepped into the room.

Shu Mei smiled to see Feng Er and his father coming to visit her, it is reassuring to see friendly faces before she gets put on trial for murder.

"I have people in the imperial city that will look after you, so don't you worry," said Feng Er confidently.

"Shu Mei, today I will go with Feng Er to follow you to the imperial city, we will be with you every step of the way," said Uncle Feng.

"No, you must stay here and look after grandmother," said Shu Mei.

"Our whole family will follow you if we must, the last time you disappeared without a trace was a devastating blow for grandma," said Feng Er as Uncle Feng nodded in agreement.

"Didn't you stay that you have people who will look after me? What use would it be to uproot the whole family into an unfamiliar place. Look if I have to escape, then you are in a better position to aid me with a safehouse and resources from here, otherwise, everyone will be caught in the net and we're all doomed," said Shu Mei dramatically.

"Well, at least, let me follow you," said Feng Er.

"Fine, fine, but keep a low profile, I think the journey will be fine as I am being treated like royalty," said Shu Mei.