Hua Manman’s inner gossip flared to life.
The journey was boring anyway, and there was no one else around.
With a juicy piece of gossip laid right before her, of course she had to take a bite!
Hua Manman put on a troubled expression.
"I have indeed forgotten many things. If you knew me before, Your Highness, why don’t you tell me in detail how we met? Perhaps I’ll be able to remember something."
After she finished, she looked at the Regent King with eyes full of anticipation.
Li Ji could hear her inner scheming as clear as day.
Her reaction made it clear: she truly remembered nothing.
She didn’t remember that they had been married, that she had borne him a child, or the promises she had once made to him.
It was as if their entire past had dissolved into foam.
Blown away by the wind, leaving not a single trace in her heart.
Li Ji was seething with anger, yet at the same time, he felt a little wronged.
For the past few years, he had been thinking of her, longing for her constantly. Even his dreams were filled with her.
He had been waiting every moment of every day for her to return.
But she... had forgotten him.
Hua Manman noticed his expression growing darker and darker, and fear began to stir in her heart.
’Is this man thinking about killing me again?’
She shrank back and muttered under her breath.
"If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. Just pretend I never asked."
’Gossip is important, but my life is more important.’
But just then, Li Ji suddenly called out.
"Hua Manman."
Hearing her name called so suddenly, Hua Manman instinctively started to respond.
But she quickly caught herself and feigned ignorance.
"Who are you calling for?"
She was inwardly stunned.
’The Regent King called my name last night.’
’I thought I had misheard.’
’But now it seems I didn’t mishear him.’
’The Regent King really is calling my name!’
’But how could he know my original name?’
’I’ve never met him before!’
Listening to her thoughts, Li Ji felt a strange pang of sorrow.
’She really remembers nothing at all.’
Li Ji’s voice became a little low and hoarse.
"You are Hua Manman."
Hua Manman continued to play dumb. "You must have the wrong person. My name is Lu Man, not Hua Manman."
Li Ji enunciated each word, his tone heavy.
"You are not Lu Man at all."
Hua Manman panicked internally.
’I don’t understand how he knows about this.’
’I just know I can’t admit it.’
’Disguising myself as a man to impersonate the Heir of Prince Yu... if anyone finds out, it’s the high crime of deceiving the sovereign.’
Hua Manman struggled to maintain her persona, asking in confusion.
"Why would you say that, Your Highness? If I’m not Lu Man, who else could I be?
If you don’t believe me, you can ask my attendants. They can all prove that I am Lu Man of the Yu Royal Mansion."
’As long as I deny it to the death, there’s nothing he can do to me.’
Li Ji fell silent.
He looked as if he had nothing more to say.
Hua Manman thought the matter was over and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
For the next four days of the journey, she was especially careful, taking detours whenever she saw the Regent King.
If she couldn’t avoid him, she would try her best to be inconspicuous, lest the Regent King find something to use against her.
Seeing the Young Master suddenly become so well-behaved and obedient, Mr. Du felt quite gratified.
They arrived in Shangjing without any further incident.
When the city guards saw the Regent King, they hurriedly opened the gates wide, prostrating themselves on the ground as they respectfully welcomed him into the city.
At the thought that she would soon be able to part ways with the Regent King, Hua Manman’s anxious heart could finally be at ease.
’This whole journey has been suffocating.’
’I’m definitely going to have to blow off some steam later!’
Li Ji heard all her little plans with perfect clarity.
But he said nothing.
...
The various Vassal Kings all had residences in Shangjing, and Prince Yu was no exception.
Coincidentally, the Yu Royal Mansion and the Regent Prince Mansion were right next to each other.
The two estates were separated by just a single courtyard wall.
When Hua Manman learned this dreadful news, she felt as if a basin of cold water had been dumped over her head, chilling her to the very core.
’How could my luck be this bad?!’
Li Ji casually tossed the reins to a gatekeeper.
He looked at Hua Manman, and seeing her crestfallen little face, he couldn’t help but smile, the corners of his lips curling up slightly.
"What a coincidence. To think we’re neighbors."
’I want to move out right this instant.’
’Too bad that’s not an option.’
She could only suppress her frustration and reply in a small voice.
"You must have known all along."
’This damn jerk. He knew our mansions were next to each other but deliberately didn’t say anything, just so he could laugh at my expense.’
Li Ji said, "I just wanted to give you a surprise."
Hua Manman let out a dry laugh.
’Some surprise. This is a scare.’
Li Ji said, "Since this is your first day in Shangjing, I’ll host a welcome banquet for you tonight to wash away the dust from your journey."
Hua Manman tried to refuse.
"Thank you for your kind offer, Regent Prince. We’ve been traveling for a long time and are quite exhausted. We were hoping to rest early tonight."
Li Ji stared at her intently.
"I merely wish to invite the Princely Heir to a meal. Are you unwilling to even grant me that much face?"
Hua Manman replied, "That’s not what I meant. Please don’t misunderstand."
"Since that isn’t what you meant, please be on time tonight, Princely Heir. I rarely host guests. I trust you will not disappoint me."
With that, Li Ji turned and left.
He gave Hua Manman no chance to refuse.
Hua Manman watched him walk through the gates of the Regent Prince Mansion, feeling like she wanted to cry but had no tears.
’I finally made it to Shangjing, and I thought I’d be free at last.’
’I never thought I’d still have to have dinner with the Regent King tonight.’
’It’s like an office drone who finally makes it to a holiday, only for their boss to call and tell them they have to work overtime that night.’
’My whole world instantly turned bleak!’
Mr. Du, however, thought this was a good thing.
He said with a broad smile.
"The Regent King seems interested in building a good relationship with you, Young Master. This is a golden opportunity for you. You must seize it."
’I really want to tell him that the Regent King already suspects my identity.’
’The best thing for me to do right now is stay far away from him.’
But these were things she could only think to herself; she couldn’t tell Mr. Du.
’After all, Mr. Du isn’t exactly a good person either.’
’He was no better than the Regent King.’
Full of anxiety, Hua Manman walked into the Yu Royal Mansion.
The steward in the mansion had already received word and had the rooms cleaned in advance.
Box after box of luggage was unloaded from the carriages and carried into the mansion.
Hua Manman paced back and forth in her room, hands clasped behind her back, like a chicken with its head cut off.
’I need to think carefully about how to handle the Regent King tonight.’
’Although the Regent King claimed it was a welcome banquet, I knew it was a trap.’
’One wrong move, and I might not make it back alive.’
Jiao Gui picked up a set of clothes and asked.
"Young Master, how about wearing this to the banquet tonight?"
Her mind a tangled mess, Hua Manman replied dismissively, "Whatever. Anything is fine."
Jiao Gui looked at the clothes in her hands and mumbled.
"I wonder if the Regent King has any taboos? It would be bad if you wore a color he dislikes."
Hearing this, Hua Manman stopped pacing.
’I have an idea!’