Chapter 395: Chapter 395 - 387: Midnight Rendezvous

Ji Jiuli saw Shen Tang’s face suddenly turn pale, his fingers hidden in his sleeves clenched tight. His Adam’s apple moved, his voice suppressed and low, "...Someone, escort this female out!"

The nearby guards were stunned—these days, Your Majesty’s temper had been very irritable, a slight displeasure would result in a beheading. Yet this audacious female, so offensive, was let off so lightly?

The guards did not dare ask more, stepped forward to take Shen Tang away, but she flung them off, "I can walk myself!"

She turned to look at the noble figure in the pavilion, her eyes seemingly glistening with tears, suddenly shouted,

"Shen Li!"

Qiu Yang’s pupils constricted, his gaze turned sinister as he looked her way, this female...

Shen Tang ignored the horrified gazes around her, only stared fixedly at the calm emperor.

Looking at that familiar yet strange face, her shoulders suddenly slumped, as if all strength left her body, "I came all this way just to get an answer."

She spoke softly,

"Tomorrow I’ll leave, and will never come again."

"..."

Shen Tang resolutely turned and left the hall.

The teacup in Ji Jiuli’s hand suddenly shattered.

Tea spilled everywhere.

Everyone fearfully knelt!

"Your Majesty!"

Ji Jiuli closed his eyes, then opened them, the corners of his eyes were tinged red, he said sternly, "From today, escort the caravan out, anyone who dares harm any person, will pay with their head!"

...

Xue Yinzhou had been waiting nearby for a long time before he saw Shen Tang come out of the hall.

Seeing her face even worse, he hastened forward and took her into his arms, his large hand stroked her face with concern, "Did they give you a hard time?"

Shen Tang tightly embraced him, buried her head in his chest, her voice choked and confused, "I... I don’t know... I saw him, but he didn’t recognize me at all, it seems he’s never been to Night Glow Empire... My mind is really messed up right now, I don’t know what’s happening... Could it be that I really mistook him for someone else..."

Xue Yinzhou stroked her hair with pity, whispered, "If you can’t figure it out, just stop thinking. Tomorrow morning we’ll leave, let’s just pretend we saw nothing, that nothing happened."

Shen Tang closed her eyes, heartbroken, nodded silently.

Forget it.

Forget it.

If that’s the case, then let it be as if nothing happened, let this matter pass.

In the middle of the night, however, an envoy came to report.

"Honorable female, Your Majesty invites you to Zhuoxiang Hall for a chat."

Xue Yinzhou and Shen Tang were awakened in the middle of the night and were even more stunned hearing this.

What could the emperor want by calling her over this late at night?

Xue Yinzhou frowned, "I’ll go with her."

The envoy answered respectfully, "Your Majesty said only to invite the honorable female alone."

Since the events earlier that day, these beastmen’s attitude towards Shen Tang had greatly improved, their tone carried faint reverence.

Shen Tang held Xue Yinzhou’s hand, reassuring him, "It’s fine, I’ll go over myself."

Xue Yinzhou looked at her determined eyes and nodded silently.

Shen Tang followed the beastman guide to Zhuoxiang Hall.

From afar, she could see the palace brightly lit, its doors open, guards standing outside.

She walked into the palace boldly, no one dared stop her.

The empty palace had not even a single attendant to serve.

In the center of the hall was a wide low table, on it lay an unfinished painting.

The man was tall and slender, wearing a loosely fitted white robe, the night wind was slightly chilly, a black cape draped over his back, his cascading red hair further highlighted his stunning beauty.

His hand holding the brush was long and fair, the wrist bones glimmering like jade under the light.

The brush lightly sketched on paper, each stroke carried an indescribable charm.

Upon hearing footsteps, the man set down his brush, looked up at Shen Tang, a captivating smile blossomed on his exquisite face, "Yiyuan Monarch Ji Jiuli, pays respects to Shen Tang, Your Majesty."

Shen Tang was momentarily dazed by the familiar smile, as she regained her composure, her gaze deepened, she said softly, "You knew my identity from the beginning?"

The man noncommittal, merely offhandedly said, "Your Majesty, please sit." then picked up the brush again, continued sketching on paper.

Shen Tang couldn’t fathom his intentions. Looking at that familiar face, she pursed her lips and sat beside him.

Her gaze fell on the painting—a portrait.

The brushwork meticulous and lifelike, the craftsmanship exquisite.

But only the eyes were missing.

"Why not paint the eyes?" Shen Tang asked casually.

Ji Jiuli chuckled lightly, set down the brush, "It’s said to give life to a dragon with the eyes, to paint a person, the eyes are hardest. If painted incorrectly, the whole painting is ruined."

His gaze settled on her face, his voice gentle, "Here, there are no outsiders, Your Majesty might as well reveal your true self."

Shen Tang hesitated for a moment, as her identity had been revealed anyway, she raised her hand and took off her mask.

Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, revealing an exquisite face, eyes shining like clear autumn water, slightly upturned at the corners, a high nose bridge, ruby lips, and skin surpassing snow.

Ji Jiuli’s breath hitched, his grip on the brush unconsciously tightened. A flicker passed through his eyes, quickly returning to calm.

"To paint eyes well, there must be a reference." He leaned closer, his slender fingers gently brushed over her brows, his lips curled into a faint smile, "Best if the person in the painting is the model themselves."

Shen Tang’s breath stilled, her pupils trembled.

With a few strokes, the man completed the painting—the person in the portrait was unmistakably her!

Tears instantly sprang from Shen Tang’s eyes, rolling down her cheeks.

Looking at the familiar yet stranger before her, her heart pounded fiercely, at this moment, utterly certain within.

He really is Shen Li!

Ji Jiuli is Shen Li!

The companion she longed for, still alive, not dead!

The immense joy of retrieving what was lost surged like a tide, Shen Tang’s entire body trembled, she desperately wanted to immediately embrace him! But seeing the faintly distant smile in the man’s eyes, she felt as though plunged into an ice cellar, frozen on the spot.

"You didn’t die..." Her voice trembled, eyes red, "Then why... why didn’t you come to find me?"

Tears blurred her vision, she struggled to voice the suspicion she least wanted to believe, "You... have been lying to me, haven’t you?"

Shen Li said nothing.

Silence is the best acquiescence.

Shen Tang slowly closed her eyes, tears silently streaming down.

Her face reflected sadness, anger, an indescribable desolation.

At this moment, all clues linked together—back then at the volcano, it was merely Shen Li’s meticulously arranged scene. The pledges of life and death, the heart-wrenching farewells, all had been fake!

"I never thought..." She opened her bloodshot eyes, her voice hoarse, "The Brother Li who spent every day with me back then could be the emperor of Yiyuan Empire."

Ji Jiuli quietly gazed at her, his eyesight as tender as ever, "Brother Li is still Brother Li, never changed."