Chapter 1583: Chapter 1590: The Death of Nangong Yu (1)
Cai Wei looked at the Young Prince Tuoba Hong, who was wearing an expression of confusion, and couldn’t help but laugh softly, saying, "You’ll understand in a little while!"
Just as she finished speaking, they heard a startled cry from the inner room. The Young Prince, not knowing what had happened, panicked upon hearing Zhao Yun’s voice and bolted towards the inner room.
Inner Room
Zhao Yun stared at the image in the dressing table mirror — a face as vibrant as peaches and plums, tender and fair. Unable to help herself, she cupped her face and gasped in surprise. Before the sound had faded, Tuoba Hong had already charged in like a whirlwind, shouting, "What’s wrong? Zhao Yun, what..."
The words "what’s wrong" hadn’t yet left his mouth when he suddenly stopped in his tracks upon seeing Zhao Yun, transformed into someone new. He froze, still clutching the door curtain, his posture immobilized as if he’d been struck with a paralysis spell.
Zhao Yun turned her head and saw his stupefied expression. Shyly, she said, "What are you staring at? Don’t you recognize me?"
Tuoba Hong continued to stand there dumbfounded and murmured, "You... how have you changed appearance?"
Zhao Yun touched her supple, delicate face and said wistfully, "This is my true appearance. The Empress was worried that as a woman on her own, I might be bullied, so she disguised me as I looked before to keep me safe."
By now, Tuoba Hong had recovered from his shock. As he gazed at Zhao Yun, whose skin seemed to glow like snow and whose beauty resembled that of a divine being, an unimaginable joy surged in his heart. It was as if a poor man, upon picking up a copper coin, suddenly discovered it was not copper but gold. That unexpected delight left him unable to contain his expression.
How could this be? Initially, feeling lucky for finding a copper coin had already made him happy enough. But to realize it was gold instead? The gods truly favored him beyond measure!
"Zhao Yun, you’re truly breathtakingly beautiful!"
Looking at that faultlessly exquisite face, he couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
Zhao Yun pressed her lips together slightly and said softly, "If I told you that I once worried over this face — felt troubled and wished I were hideous — would you believe me?"
"Of course not!"
Tuoba Hong burst into laughter, "A woman beautifies herself for the one who loves her. In this world, what woman would ever wish to look ugly? That would be madness!"
"It’s not madness; it’s true," Zhao Yun said solemnly. "I was once a courtesan in the brothel. Because of this appearance, I caught the attention of countless romantic young men..."
She recounted everything about her past without leaving a single detail out — her upbringing in a literary family, the downfall of her family, being sold to the brothel, being forced to become a courtesan, and how Cai Wei rescued her — everything, with complete honesty.
After finishing, she looked at him steadily and said, "Now, you know everything about my past. Although I never entertained any clients, in the eyes of others, I’m still considered a courtesan. If you think my identity isn’t worthy of you, then we should just..."
"You are worthy of me!"
Tuoba Hong interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. He stepped forward and held her tightly in his embrace, saying, "No matter what others think, in my eyes, you are the best woman in the world — the woman who matches me perfectly. To be able to marry you is a blessing I cultivated over three lifetimes..."
Zhao Yun was profoundly moved, moved to tears as they streamed down her face. She had imagined he might feel some reluctance or discomfort upon learning of her past identity, yet she found not the slightest hesitance on his face. Instead, there was an unmistakable tenderness, a heartache for her — for her experiences, for her suffering.
A man like this, so understanding and empathetic, was truly rare in the world. And somehow, she had been lucky enough to meet him. Heaven really had not treated her poorly. If it were so, then she should marry him!