Ji Cheng stared at Zhao Ming who was staring at him with curiosity. He shook his head helplessly seeing her wide eyes waiting for him to reveal the truth.

How can she catch on to everything?

**

A few weeks ago-

Xiao Ruoguang who came to meet Ji Cheng in his tent clenched his fists in shock and glared at him in a wary, " You...You're lying to me? Aren't you? You just want me to back out from the war, don't you?"

" Ji Cheng, I never thought that to achieve your goals, you will lie about my deceased daughter. How can you lie shamelessly to someone who lost his daughter? Huh?" Tears welled up in his eyes as he didn't imagine that Ji Cheng would lie about such things.

How can he say that Xiao Li is alive when he knows the truth? She was sent to the cold palace, more than that, he received the news about her passing away. Xiao Li died in such a painful way, how can he sit back and see the murderers of his daughter happy?

In the cold palace which is in the middle of the mysterious palace about which, nobody knows other than the royal family. It was hidden from the eyes of the other people, only the royal blood knows its place.

Xiao Li not only had to stay alone in that mysterious palace without any maids or caretakers but also a slow-poison was to be delivered to her every day until she passed away, regretting her whole existence during that period.

He married his daughter to him in the hope to see her happy, but what did he get in return? Her news of demise? That too because of a small mistake?

Even though Xiao Li tried to harm Zhao Ming, in the end, she was alive and happy. But his daughter is dead, how can he let them stay happy and do nothing to exact revenge for his daughter?

However, now he is saying that she is alive, the motive of this war to exact revenge on Ji Cheng for his deceased daughter. But she is alive?

Ji Cheng calmly picked up his teacup and took a sip from it and said, " You agreed to Ji Zhelan when he wanted you to take revenge for Xiao Li, but why aren't you believing my words when I am telling you that your daughter is alive?"

He raised his brows and said, " Or...is it because Xiao Li was just an excuse and you what you want is the Ji Empire? If that's what you want, then go ahead with the war and your daughter will die for real."

Xiao Ruoguang's eyes faltered upon hearing his words. Ji Cheng is a sneaky man but...knowing him for long, he isn't someone to use such an underhanded method just to win a war. He would rather kill him at this moment than try to use him to strike a deal with him.

Seeing Xiao Ruoguang pondering, Ji Cheng continued, " Consort Xiao Li was indeed sent to the Cold Palace for her dishonest and harmful acts. She has tried to kill the Empress and Empress Dowager of the country, she has committed a royal sin."

" The crime she has done, she deserved public execution but I only sent her to the cold palace thinking about the relationship between two countries. Thinking about our relationship, I prohibited the poison from being sent to the palace which means she is still alive."

Xiao Ruoguang held his head that was now hurting because of all the pressure. Everything is so confusing. How can he believe this man? He is his enemy, they're in the middle of the war.

He has promised Ji Zhelan that he will help him to destroy Ji Empire, but...his daughter.

"However, if you don't do what I say, we can't guarantee that your daughter will be able to see tomorrow's sun. King Xiao, you have a very limited time, if you make a decision before leaving this tent, your daughter will have a chance to live more."

When Xiao Li was sent to the cold palace as a punishment, his men had informed him that Ji Zhelan is getting in touch with other kings to form an alliance and go against him.

He had a hunch that Ji Zhelan was planning something, and to play safe, he didn't send the poison to the cold palace and let her live in the mountains alone as a punishment and repentant over her evil deeds.

The news of her death was also spread by him. He wanted to give a heavy blow to Ji Zhelan to make that big move and come into his trap himself. However, if Zhao Ming had not gone out of the palace and they went to the other world, the situation would not have reached this point.

This was his only resort to restore the situation.

-

Xiao Ruoguand stared at Ji Cheng and was troubled thinking about his words. However, thinking about that one percent possibility of Xiao Li being alive, he made the decision.

" I...I will do as you say. But for that...I need evidence that my daughter is alive and safe. Otherwise, my soldiers will not move even an inch from the border."

Ji Cheng's lips curled into a smirk and said, " What do you want in evidence? You can't possibly expect me to bring her here to you? Do you?"

" King Xiao Ruoguang, we're making a deal here. You need to follow my instructions to see your daughter, which you think is deceased already. What I can promise to you is that Xiao Li will be freed from Cold Palace and be allowed to go back with you if...you back out from the border."

" It's beneficial for both, isn't it? You can take your daughter with you in return for dropping from this war, So...what do you think?" He asked while waiting for his response. He has played his biggest card at this moment. He didn't want to show Xiao Li at this moment because he knows that once he gets Xiao Li, he can turn back on his promise and stab him in the back.

Xiao's are known for their snakey behavior after all.

-

Zhao Ming stared at Ji Cheng in a daze upon hearing his words. " So...Xiao Li is alive? She didn't die?"

He nodded while rubbing her hands gently.

" So this was the reason why he backed out from the war. Now it makes sense. But where is she now? Is she still at the Cold Palace?" she asked curiously.

He sighed seeing her eagerness and responded, " She went back to her Empire with King Xiao. However, since she is an abandoned Consort, I doubt King Xiao will make her stay at the main palace. She might spend her whole life in a secluded palace, in hiding."

"Do the ministers know about this?" she asked again.

" They don't. It was a deal made between me and Emperor Xiao Ruoguang. They don't need to know, some things are better kept as secret."

She nodded and let out a deep-relieved sigh knowing that Xiao Li isn't dead. When she found out that she was dead, she felt very strange. She wanted her to repent for her mistakes and get the punishment but this wasn't what she wasn't she wanted in a punishment.

She doesn't want to stoop low to her level and feel happiness in someone's misery. Only monsters can laugh at others' sufferings, and she isn't a monster.

Seeing a deep frown on Zhao Ming's forehead, Ji Cheng sighed and caressed her creased forehead with his fingers and said," You don't need to worry about it. Everything is fine now."

" I am here. With you and my baby," his eyes darted to her stomach that isn't showing much, and was covered under the multiple layers of the clothing.

They're going to be parents, What a happy feeling it would be.

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