Baili Fengge had no idea how he walked out of the teahouse. It wasn't until it started raining outside, soaking him to the bone, that he suddenly came to his senses.
He thought about going back to ask his father, the Emperor, but his feet felt too heavy to move. It would be too embarrassing to ask. He ambled back to his own residence.
Fan Zehao returned to the inn, gazing at the drizzling rain outside, wondering how his wife was doing.
Meanwhile, Zhao Jiaqi awoke to find herself trapped in a stone cave with no escape. The surroundings were all rock, save for a stone door. There was no guard, and the people outside didn't understand her language. No matter how she gestured, they were like blind men, not even glancing her way.
She had lost track of how long she'd been confined in this sunless stone cave. Every day, someone would bring her food at a fixed time. From the food, she could guess whether it was morning or evening outside.
Outside, Fan Zehao, despite his daily anxiety, had to remain calm. He had already dispatched everyone he could use. Each day, he could only wait for news and for Baili Fengge's decision.
Heaven helps those who help themselves. Baili Fengge finally agreed to help him find the Princess Consort, in exchange for a promise not to attack the Xuanyuan Kingdom.
Baili Fengge produced a list with several place names. "These mountain ranges are all rich in minerals, with many caves. You can search in these areas. I will secretly follow my father, and I will inform you as soon as I have any news!"
He paused, then said, "If I can, I will definitely rescue the Princess Consort!"
Fan Zehao pocketed the list, giving him a deep look. "You are a good man. Your father has not corrupted you!"
With that, he left without looking back, only exchanging contact information.
At that time, many spies had infiltrated the Xuanyuan Kingdom, all trying to gather information about the situation. They were utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend what was happening within the kingdom.
Zhao Jiaqi knew that if she didn't find a way to escape, there was no hope. Even leaving a coded message would be better than waiting to die here.
When the maid brought her food again, Zhao Jiaqi looked at the white porridge and small pickles. She calmly said to the maid, "I want to see your Emperor, Baili Kainen. I have something to say!"
The maid glanced at her, intending to feign ignorance, but Zhao Jiaqi exposed her. "I know you can understand me. Otherwise, Baili Kainen would never let you serve me. Tell him that if he doesn't come to see me, I will refuse to eat from today onwards, until I starve to death. I always keep my word!"
Upon hearing this, the maid's face clearly showed anger, but she didn't express it. She simply said in broken inner-city dialect, "Wait!"
After the maid left, Zhao Jiaqi let out a heavy sigh of relief. Seeing Baili Kainen would give her a chance to get out.
That afternoon, Zhao Jiaqi indeed met Baili Kainen. Seeing him in casual clothes, with no dirt on his shoes or hem of his garment, Zhao Jiaqi guessed that where she was being held was not in some remote mountain.
Therefore, this stone cave, built from piled stones, must have been a former secret chamber or something similar.
"Have you decided to be my Empress?" Baili Kainen approached with his hands behind his back, his gaze never leaving her.
Zhao Jiaqi couldn't bear to look at his disgusting eyes and turned her face away. "I don't understand. I am already married, and I have borne three children. I'm not an old hag, but I'm certainly far from a maiden. What is there to like about me?"
At thirty years old, here she would be called an aunt. To be fortunate enough to be desired at this level, what could Zhao Jiaqi say?
Hearing Zhao Jiaqi's humorous remark, Baili Kainen's gloomy mood of the past few days lifted. He chuckled, "You are excellent. Intelligent, capable, insightful, and bold, no less than a man. I have only recently discovered your virtues!"
He raised an eyebrow, a look of bewilderment on his face. "I can't help it, love runs deep as the sea. I am already infatuated with you!"
This is simply perverted, she thought, even her name written backward.
"My husband will absolutely not let you go. I advise you to release me as soon as possible, lest my husband do something unfavorable to you!"
Hearing this, Baili Kainen showed not a shred of fear. He even boasted, "For you, the entire Cangyi Kingdom has become my enemy. Now their entire army is waiting at our border, just waiting for Fan Zehao's command. At that time, nearly a million soldiers will march into my country in perfect formation, and within five days, I will become a prisoner!"
He said it so casually, yet Zhao Jiaqi felt a chill to her bones. She saw the smug look on Baili Kainen's face, the cold, bloodthirsty smile in his eyes, completely different from the straightforward person she knew.
There were even more obsessive thoughts, or perhaps this person had a split personality, or had suffered some shock that turned him into this other person.
Seeing her shocked and fearful expression, Baili Kainen smiled and continued, "Your children's father came to see me today. I told him directly, you... I've decided to have you, and I will absolutely not let you go back. Moreover, for you, I will completely abandon my harem!"
Zhao Jiaqi was truly scared. "My husband came today? When? Why didn't you let me see him?"
"Even... even if it was just a final farewell!"
Baili Kainen's expression brightened noticeably at the latter sentence. He chuckled, "No rush. When you and I get married, I will certainly invite Fan Zehao to attend our grand wedding!"
Grand wedding, nonsense. She would either remain a widow or divorce him in this lifetime.
However, in these brief exchanges, she had a rough idea of where she was. But she still needed to hide her emotions.
"Grand wedding? You think that's a beautiful prospect, aren't you afraid my husband will send his troops to annihilate you?"
He chuckled and gestured towards her. "With you here, what do I have to fear? If he dares to break in, I will kill you first, and then commit suicide. We couldn't be husband and wife in life, but we will be together in death. I will absolutely not let you be with Fan Zehao!"
Zhao Jiaqi shook her head. This idea was utterly preposterous, but she really didn't want to die with such a person. Even if she were dismembered or burned to ashes, she would prefer it.
"I don't want to die yet. I want to live. Life is so short, and I haven't seen enough of this beautiful world. It would be such a pity to die!"
These words struck a chord with Baili Kainen. He nodded repeatedly, "That's right. Having this thought is better than anything!"
Zhao Jiaqi was silent for a moment, then asked him, "If you were to get married, how would you explain it to your subjects, to your son, and to the women in your harem? Aren't you afraid of being reviled by everyone?"