426: Today I am happy...

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, it was the year 1699.

An Ding Village.

Snowflakes danced in the air. Beneath the desolate landscape, within the village's manor-like buildings, firelight flickered gently in the hearths, adding a touch of warmth.

In a room, Su Yongchun sighed softly as he looked at the letter in his hand.

This letter was sent by Ye Ying.

"So you're that popular? Even the Empress of Ye Country is thinking of you." Behind him, Sun Hanliu's figure appeared.

Now twenty years old, she was like a night-blooming cereus in full bloom, her bright, clear eyes radiating youth.

Her curvaceous body held a seductive allure, as if waiting to be plucked.

Seeing her, Su Yongchun calmly put away the letter: "Adult matters, children shouldn't meddle."

When he was severely injured and bedridden, due to Su Yongchun's steadfastness and Sun Hanliu's respect, the two ultimately did not cross that line.

However, after that period of severe injury ended, although their relationship didn't cross that line, it became more ambiguous.

Until now.

The two still maintained this complex, ineffable relationship.

"Su Yongchun, are you really going to see that woman? Then I'm going too," Sun Hanliu stated directly.

"No," Su Yongchun shook his head, refusing as expected.

"If you don't take me, I'll go myself," Sun Hanliu said, leaving the room while striding on her shapely legs.

Su Yongchun was silent.

The next day.

Looking at Sun Hanliu's empty room, the letter in Su Yongchun's hand slowly burned to ashes.

"I hope you can talk some sense into that girl."

Actually, this letter...

It was merely a setup that Su Yongchun and Ye Ying had concocted together for Sun Hanliu.

He intended to use Ye Ying's hand to make that girl understand how they should interact.

Only one year remained until the protagonist's birth.

As long as nothing went wrong within this year, he could leave.

Saving that girl back then was only for the System's experience points.

After another year, he would have accumulated enough experience points.

At that time, he could leave directly and continue collecting experience points on the edge of the world with the Experience Collector.

Wasn't this his original plan?

When he faced Ye Ying and the Third Prince back then, didn't he make the same choice?

He could just continue as before... Ten-odd days later.

Ye Country.

Imperial Palace.

The dim twilight, along with the setting sun, cast its glow upon the magnificent pavilions and towers.

Draped in phoenix robes and wearing a golden crown, the woman sat on a viewing platform that stood amidst the clouds, looking out at the prosperous era she had created before her eyes.

"Your Majesty, the woman you spoke of has arrived."

Behind her, a eunuch bowed and tiptoed, reminding her softly.

"She's here..." Ye Ying's expression was calm, as if she were addressing a minister, ordinary yet with an underlying majesty.

Her fair wrist emerged from her robes: "Let her come over."

"Yes..."

It wasn't long.

The eunuch led a woman behind him onto the imperial city's viewing platform.

It was Sun Hanliu's first time seeing Ye Ying, the Empress of Ye Country.

The red-golden afterglow of the sunset rendered the scene like a fairyland.

And the woman at the center of attention, with her cold and proud face, was not only beautiful but also possessed endless majesty!

It was like a Mortal seeing a fairy.

A terrifying disparity spontaneously arose, causing a sudden pang of sadness in Sun Hanliu's heart.

So, the woman who liked Su Yongchun was this beautiful.

Her temperament was far beyond what a woman like her could compare to.

Moreover, she was the ruler of a country, and her strength was unfathomable.

She was almost completely outmatched!

"You're the little girl who's thinking of that fellow Su Yongchun?" Ye Ying's beautiful eyes held a hint of doubt and scrutiny.

Hearing this, Sun Hanliu frowned slightly: "You know me? Aren't you surprised I came to find you?"

"What is there for Us to be surprised about?" Ye Ying's red lips curved slightly. With a wave of her hand, several letters fell to the ground: "For you to come and see Us, it was merely Su Yongchun's scheme against you."

"He wants Us to make you realize the nature of your relationship."

"What?" Hearing this, Sun Hanliu was first stunned.

Realizing that this was a trap set for her by Su Yongchun, her heart couldn't help but ache: "How could he do this?!"

"He is just such a hypocritical person." Ye Ying clapped her hands and smiled: "We were once deceived by him, and We remember it vividly."

Saying this, Ye Ying slowly rose and walked in front of Sun Hanliu: "So, you should stay away from him and yield him to Us."

"Yield him to you?" Sun Hanliu stared blankly at the woman before her: "Didn't you say he was very hypocritical? Even that he deceived you, so why don't you give up on him yourself?"

Ye Ying smiled faintly: "We like him, and We are willing."

"Yield him to Us, and We will grant you a lifetime of luxury, endless enjoyment. How about it?"

"No! Impossible! I will never yield him to you!" Sun Hanliu instantly became wary, her heart also filled with urgency.

She hadn't expected that this woman's designs on Su Yongchun were not even concealed!

From the perspective of a love rival, this was an extremely formidable opponent!

"Hehehe, it doesn't matter if you don't yield." Ye Ying looked at the grand imperial city under the twilight, and said proudly: "In this world, anything We desire will eventually be Ours."

"Who Su Yongchun belongs to isn't for you to decide, after all... you and he don't have the reality of husband and wife."

"When We marry him, this country's land will be the betrothal gift, and you... simply be Our and his daughter."

As soon as these words were uttered, Sun Hanliu's pretty face turned pale: "You wish! He is mine! He can only be mine!"

Shouting in anger and urgency, Sun Hanliu immediately turned and left.

Watching the departing woman indifferently, Ye Ying suddenly let out a soft laugh.

Like a magnificent rose, in the setting sun, it turned golden, a striking beauty, yet unappreciated by anyone.

Sitting back on the Dragon Throne, she picked up a thick stack of letters nearby and began to flip through them, one by one.

These letters recorded the situations between Su Yongchun and Sun Hanliu, as discovered by the spies sent out by Ye Country.

"Su Yongchun, ah, Su Yongchun, originally We were not sure how you felt about that woman."

"Until We received your invitation, asking Us to help you get rid of this woman, then We understood that you truly fell in love with her."

In her smile, there was an unknown mix of relief and bitterness.

The sun set, and night ascended.

Shining petals, like crystalline flowers, burst forth brilliantly as the Formation unfolded.

"If you truly disliked someone, you would have let go heartlessly, just as you did with Us back then, not even leaving a word and directly retreating. How could you be so indecisive now?"

"If We were to help you break up with this girl, it would be you who would regret it later."

"You want Our help? Pushing this girl into your arms, We've actually helped you a great deal..."

With that, Ye Ying looked at the blooming flower Formation before her, her thoughts somewhat distant.

It wasn't until the bright moon hung high, and a cold gust of wind brought with it a wave of loneliness, that the woman, as if sensing something, came back to her senses.

Turning to look at the eunuch beside her, she slowly rose: "Prepare wine. Today, We... are happy."

"