Mu Qing was frantic. "What nonsense are you talking about? How could I possibly abandon you here?!"
She wanted to help the Princess Consort up, but with the baby in her arms, it was impossible to do so with only one hand.
Even so, she refused to give up.
She tried again and again.
Hua Manman spoke with difficulty, her voice hoarse.
"If you try to carry me, none of the three of us will make it out. You can take the baby and go first. See if you can find anyone outside to help me."
Mu Qing couldn’t bear to leave the Princess Consort, but she knew it was impossible to get both the baby and her out of there at the same time.
She could only choose one.
’The mother or the child?’
Seeing her hesitation, Hua Manman forced a smile.
"I can hold on a little longer. Hurry up and don’t waste any time."
The System had already begun a countdown in her mind.
"Host, you will be leaving this world in three minutes."
Mu Qing looked up at the woman’s portrait on the wall. It was unclear what she was thinking, but her expression shifted drastically. Finally, she gritted her teeth, hardened her heart, and spoke.
"I will definitely be back soon!"
Hua Manman agreed.
She looked at the swaddled baby, her gaze softening involuntarily.
’Although I said I could hold on a bit longer, I know my time is up. I’m going to leave this world soon.’
’I might not be able to see my child again for a very long time.’
System: "Two minutes and thirty seconds."
Gazing at the baby with yearning, Hua Manman said softly.
"Mommy has a gift for you."
Previously, the System had given her a main quest: help the female lead, Hua Qingqing, obtain the Jade Seal.
The moment the Jade Seal was placed in Hua Qingqing’s hands, Hua Manman’s mission was complete.
She had received a lucky bag as a reward.
Inside the lucky bag was a small, exquisite Lotus Jade Pendant.
The System told her it was an Amulet that could turn ill fortune into good and ward off all evil.
To activate it, one had to drip a drop of blood onto the jade pendant.
Hua Manman had already dripped her blood on it in secret.
The blood had miraculously seeped into the pendant, adding a vivid crimson streak to the otherwise pure white jade.
The jade pendant was now tied to Hua Manman’s wrist.
She no longer had the strength to take it off herself and had to ask Mu Qing for help.
Mu Qing helped her untie the red cord from her wrist, and the Lotus Jade Pendant fell into her palm.
She placed the jade pendant around the baby’s neck.
System: "Forty-two seconds."
Whether it was because breathing had become difficult or because it sensed the impending separation, the baby suddenly began to wail.
Hua Manman quickly soothed him. "Shh, sweetie, don’t cry. Mommy is only leaving you for a little while. I’ll be back soon."
Thinking she was only referring to this brief separation, Mu Qing suspected nothing and picked up the baby.
"You must hold on. I’ll be back soon."
Hua Manman felt her consciousness fading.
’It feels like my soul is being torn away.’
Not wanting Mu Qing to notice, Hua Manman forced herself to rally and said with a smile.
"If you see Prince Zhao, please give him a message for me."
Mu Qing asked, "What message?"
Hua Manman enunciated each word.
"I will be back."
Although Mu Qing didn’t understand what she meant, she nodded and promised, "I’ll pass the message on to him."
Hua Manman said, "Go now."
Mu Qing gave her one last look, then gritted her teeth, turned, and ran toward the exit with the baby in her arms.
The baby was still wailing.
The sound of the crying made Hua Manman’s heart clench. It was agonizing.
’I have to leave without even holding my baby, without seeing Li Ji one last time.’
The System began its final countdown.
"Ten... nine... eight..."
Hua Manman spoke softly, "I know what I want to wish for."
The System’s countdown didn’t stop.
But Hua Manman knew it was listening.
"I wish that after I return to the modern world, I can come back here again."
She paused, then added with emphasis.
"Not just any world. This world, with Li Ji and our baby."
The System’s countdown reached its final seconds.
"Three... two..."
Suddenly, the door to the secret chamber was thrown open, and someone burst in!
Hua Manman turned her head toward the sound.
Through her blurry vision, she saw a familiar figure stumbling toward her.
Even though she couldn’t make out his face, she recognized him instantly.
’It’s Li Ji.’
Li Ji was shouting her name.
"Manman!"
Again and again, his voice hoarse and desperate, growing closer.
Hua Manman hadn’t expected to see Li Ji one last time before she left. Her regret lessened, and she felt a surge of joy.
A smile graced her lips, and they parted slightly as if she were about to speak.
But the System’s countdown had already reached zero.
Hua Manman’s soul was completely torn away.
The light in her eyes vanished instantly, and her consciousness plunged into endless darkness.
Because of this, she didn’t see the panic on Li Ji’s face as he rushed toward her, just in time to see her eyes close.
Manman lay on the ground, a faint, peaceful smile on her lips,
She looked as if she had simply fallen asleep.
But no matter how many times Li Ji called her name, she didn’t respond.
As if refusing to accept reality, Li Ji held her tightly, calling her name over and over again.
He completely ignored the choking smoke that was growing thicker around them.
In the end, it was Chen Wangbei and his trusted aides who rushed in and forcibly dragged Prince Zhao and his wife out.
Fires were breaking out all over the Imperial Palace. With people running to either fight the flames or flee for their lives, the scene was one of total chaos.
It was a time that desperately needed someone to take charge.
Logically, Li Ji should have been that person.
But he was like a madman who had lost everything, clutching Hua Manman and refusing to let go, his eyes completely red.
He was unresponsive to anything anyone said.
He just kept repeating her name.
"Manman... Manman..."
’We promised. We promised that after the war, we would move to our fief and live happily as a family of three.’
’She promised me. She said she would wait for me to come back.’
’Why did you break your promise?’
’Is it fun to lie to me?’
’I’m angry.’
’I will find you, and I will make you keep your promise.’
’Even if you’re dead, even if you’ve gone to the Yellow Springs, I will find you.’
’I won’t let you go.’
A tear slid silently down his face, landing on Manman’s brow.
Li Ji drew the dagger from his waist and aimed the blade at his own heart.
"Don’t you even think of leaving me! Don’t you dare!"
His voice was choked, his tone brutal.
Seeing this, the people around him scrambled to stop him.
Mu Qing ran over, clutching the baby. The sight terrified her, and she screamed.
"Prince, don’t do anything foolish! The Princess Consort will come back!"