103 Stripped (2/2)

His palm had regained its usual temperature, and it put Meng Fuyao at ease.

Through tears, Meng Fuyao's smiling eyes glistened like the most valuable gems.

Zhangsun Wuji looked at her before brushing his gaze over her shoulder and toward a lady standing farther away.

Over there, before a cherry blossom tree, stood a luxuriously dressed lady, embellished with brilliant jewelry. Behind the shiny pearls was a pair of anxious eyes, and under her golden phoenix embroidered sleeves were fingers that intertwined tightly. She was evidently nervous.

It was none other than Empress Yuan.

Zhangsun Wuji studied her for a moment before diverting his gaze and leading Meng Fuyao over. He approached the empress steadily, and when the distance closed, he brushed past her shoulder, completely overlooking her shocked expression and widely opened mouth.

The Empress looked at her son in absolute shock. Her body started to tremble, and she had to hold on to the tree bark for support. She dug her nails deep into the bark, causing sap to ooze out as if crying.

Meng Fuyao lowered her lids. Along with Zhangsun Wuji, she hoped for the empress to let the matter rest. The wise would not question or say anything, and instead let time heal all wounds.

Unfortunately, not everyone could be Zhangsun Wuji. After crossing no more than 10 meters, the empress yelled abruptly.

”He – what happened to him?”

Not even turning around Zhangsun Wuji stated, ”Dead.”

The empress staggered and fell a step back, colliding into the tree behind and causing it to shake. Light pink petals rained down.

The Empress' body was half slanted, and she simply allowed her clothes to be covered in petals. The nation's mother, always steady and elegant, had now lost all grace and completely forgotten about her noble identity. She stood, blank-faced, amid a sea of pink.

Zhangsun Wuji did not turn around. He walked off and heard, shortly after, a voice booming from behind. ”Take me there!”

At the same time she lifted her skirt and stumbled toward the house they had exited from. ”Grab her!” Zhangsun Wuji ordered.

Like ghosts, a few figures in grey clothes jumped from a roof behind the bushes and proceeded without hesitation to hold her down.

”How dare you stop me, you despicable men.”

”You must not contaminate your royal body,” Zhangsun Wuji stated, ”Furthermore, the body is still there, and it's inappropriate.”

The Empress stood astonished as the morning breeze blew onto her pale face, temporarily reviving the blush in her cheeks. Some time later, she let out a cold laugh and cast her son a side glance. ”Empress, is that right?”

She reached a hand out to remove her golden hairpin and then her phoenix crown before moving on to her jade earrings and pearl necklace. Everything associated with her status was thrown to the ground before she stepped forward in light steps.

She proceeded to trample on these symbolic objects, causing them to shatter.

The sound of the jewelry breaking was fine yet heart-wrenching. Zhangsun Wuji pricked his brows as the empress broke out in yet another cold laughter before stripping her gold-embroidered phoenix royal robe.

Unable to handle her any longer, the guards bowed and turned around. Without the slightest care, the empress dropped the robe to her feet and onto the mud, leaving only a yellow halter inner wear on her. She carried on to undo her phoenix-printed, gold silk belt that represented her royal identity.

At last, she retrieved the phoenix pendant from her waist pocket. The exquisiteness of the jade had been well preserved by her. Placing it in her palm, she showed it at Zhangsun Wuji.

Zhangsun Wuji's eyes turned cold instantly as the empress let out a provocative laugh before flinging the jade onto the ground.

Crack!

The jade shattered.

The supreme jade, symbolizing the 26 years she had been crowned Wuji Empress, was irreversibly shattered beyond repair.

Crystal-like pieces filled the ground and scattered everywhere like beads of tears.

”I have crippled myself,” the empress smirked. ”It's no longer inappropriate for me to see my lover, is that right? No longer disrupting Wuji family affairs, is that right?”