Commoner Queen: Falling in Love with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince - Chapter 23

“Your Highness, Lady Ziying is waiting outside, requesting an audience,” Xiao Zhuzi reported as he entered the study, where Yi Han was reviewing memorials.

A flicker of satisfaction crossed Yi Han’s face. “She’s finally given in.”

It had been ten days since Murong Ziying entered the Eastern Palace, and he had deliberately ignored her all this time—punishing her for her defiance at the ceremony. Now, it seemed she had finally surrendered.

“Your Highness… I don’t think that’s the case,” Xiao Zhuzi said hesitantly.

Yi Han raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Then what is it?”

“She looks furious, as if she’s here to confront you, not to apologize.”

“Still so stubborn.” A smirk played at the corners of his lips. “Fine. Bring her in. Let’s see what she has to say.”

Xiao Zhuzi bowed and retreated, quickly returning with Murong Ziying.

“This humble woman greets Your Highness,” she said, kneeling in formal salute.

Yi Han immediately stepped forward and lifted her up. “What are you doing? You are already my consort; there is no need for such formalities. And from now on, you are not to refer to yourself as ‘this humble woman’ again.” His voice carried a trace of displeasure.

“Your Highness, your harem is already filled with countless concubines. There is no need to keep me here. I beg you, let me return to the Murong household—I would be forever grateful.” Her voice was firm; she was still determined to leave. Her parents must be beside themselves with worry these past few days.

His expression darkened with anger. “You are now a woman of the Eastern Palace. How can you leave so easily?” He couldn’t understand—why was she so desperate to escape him?

She, too, didn’t understand why he was so insistent on keeping her. “Your Highness, I have no choice but to leave,” she said bitterly. She didn’t want to be the cause of his downfall. Besides, she wasn’t the person he had fallen for. She was not the real Murong Ziying…

“Why?” His voice turned hoarse. After all the effort it took to keep her by his side, how could he possibly let her go?

She hesitated, the weight of her sorrow pressing down on her. “Your Highness, you must already know of my misfortune. I am an ill-fated woman… I do not wish to bring disaster upon you.”

“Ridiculous!” he snapped.

“It’s not ridiculous—it’s the truth. Four living souls… no, four deaths. That is an undeniable fact,” she said, her voice trembling. “Your Highness, you are of noble birth. If something were to happen to you, my family would not be able to bear the consequences!” Tears welled up in her eyes. Why was he so persistent?

He stared at her intently. “So that’s the reason you keep rejecting me?”

She nodded solemnly.

His heart ached for her. She had been forced to bear the weight of an unjust accusation for far too long. She had done nothing wrong, yet all the blame had fallen on her shoulders. She was innocent—but how deeply had she suffered? How much pain lay hidden beneath her composed exterior?

“Ziying, have you forgotten? I am the crown prince—the future ruler of this empire. My fate is unshakable. Even if you believe yourself to be cursed, it will not affect me. You don’t have to let this fear consume you. If you reject me because of it, then you are also denying yourself the right to pursue happiness.”

“You think I don’t want to?” she murmured. “But I have already caused the deaths of four people. I cannot bear the thought of harming anyone else for my own selfish desires. Your Highness, please… let me go. Perhaps, in doing so, you will also be saving yourself.” Her voice was laced with exhaustion, as if she had long accepted her fate. She had no right to love, no right to dream of marriage. She had long since learned to submit to fate—to stop fighting against the heavens.

“I don’t believe in fate. I want to take this gamble.”

She met his gaze head-on. “A gamble? On what? Your life?” Her heart clenched at his stubbornness. “You are the crown prince! How can you gamble with your life so carelessly?”

She was moved by his persistence, but this was foolish—too foolish. She couldn’t afford to be the one responsible for his downfall.

And besides… she wasn’t even from this world.