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56: Reflection of the Past

"Who said she died?"

Dongfang Chao was utterly at a loss for words. He then heard Ren Fengyao say in deadly earnest, "She lives forever in my heart."

Dongfang Chao immediately exploded with anger, his sleeves flapping as he gestured madly, "You... you stubborn fool! Just stay here and have a good reflection of what you've done wrong."

"No matter how much time passes, my response shall be the same. So you majesty, there is no need for you to come here again."

Dongfang Chao froze at Dongfang Chao's calm words. A sense of powerlessness immediately took hold of his entire body. Just when he was about to speak, there was the tearful cry of a girl. "Brother Ren, why do you not want me?"

"Rongfei? You... why are you here?" Dongfang Chao was startled to discover Dongfang Rongfei outside the prison door.

But Dongfang Rongfei did not answer Dongfang Chao, her tearful eyes fixated on Ren Fengyao. "Brother Ren, tell me, why do you not like me?"

Ren Fengyao seemed unswayed by her tearstained face and red eyes. He said calmly, "There is no logical reason for liking or not liking a person. Princess Rongfei, we do not suit each other."

"Then who suits you? That already dead ugly person?" Dongfang Rongfei's voice raised to a feverish pitch.

"She is not ugly!" Ren Fengyao calmly stressed. "She truly is not ugly."

"Are you going to say that she is the most beautiful in your heart?" Dongfang Rongfei stared at Ren Fengyao, biting her lip. "Ren Fengyao, you're too unreasonable! How could you compare me to a useless, ugly woman!"

Ren shook his head, saying calmly, "If is not that I compare you to her, but that you compare yourself to her. There is nothing to be compared between you to. Rongfei, find someone who genuinely likes you from the bottom of their heart."

Dongfang Rongfei stared at Ren Fengyao fixedly for some time, then turned away haughtily. "Indeed, how could she compare to me? But Ren Fengyao, you will regret. You will definitely regret."

Watching as Dongfang Rongfei left with feigned strength, Dongfang Chao let out a long sigh. He said to Ren Fengyao, "Jing Xuan, you truly are a cold hearted person. At the time, if it were not for Chuqiu, you would not have helped me ascend the throne."

Ren Fengyao's eyes widened. He slowly closed his eyes, expressionless as he said, "So that is what you think."

"Is that not so?" Dongfang Chao abruptly turned around, his voice filled with intense grievance. "Every time I mention your name before Chuqiu, her gaze becomes very different. She becomes more happy, has more questions, all her questions about you! Have you never noticed the way she looks at you? You haven't. But I have. Her gaze towards you is always filled with hidden unwillingness and passion, but she has never looked at me like that. I know if that event did not happen in the past, perhaps today you two would... You were previously childhood sweethearts with deep feelings, and your Ren clan has sacrificed so much for the royal family. I should not have... But I... I am also suffering! The two Xie sisters fell for you. We brothers are like a joke."

"If that is what you think, why do you allow me to enter the harem as I please? Aren't you afraid that..." Iciness came from the depths of Ren Fengyao's eyes. "Were you waiting for me to err or for concubine Rou to err?"

"I have never thought that! We have been best friends since youth, and still are. Apart from being my subject, you are my only friend I can confide to, the only one I do not have to use the royal "we" to address. I have never thought of doing such a thing. But even the best of friends have misunderstandings. I am a normal man; I can feel jealousy." Dongfang Chao smiled bitterly. "Perhaps I subconsciously wished for you and Chuqiu to make a mistake, because I wanted to give you two a chance. I wanted to return her to you."