Looking at the scene before her, she immediately understood what had happened between them.

It was likely that Anqi threatened with her death, and her brother tried to stop it.

She saw her brother’s hands full of blood and Anqi crying in a breakdown.

"Sister Anqi, let go," An Youyou quickly said.

The key point now was for Anqi to put down the dagger.

Both Anqi and her brother could be saved.

Anqi looked at An Youyou, her tears flowing even more fiercely.

The immense grievance nearly made her collapse.

An Youyou didn’t hesitate, she stepped forward, grabbed Anqi’s hand, and tried her best to pry her fingers open bit by bit.

Anqi bit her lip tightly, and under An Youyou’s persistence, she ultimately gave in.

The moment she really let go.

Anqi collapsed.

"Sister Anqi!" An Youyou swiftly caught Anqi.

Probably overwhelmed with grief, Anqi fainted suddenly.

After a simple pulse check, An Youyou instructed the palace attendants to help Anqi to the inner hall to rest.

What concerned her more now was her brother’s hand.

If it were really injured, he still had to review memorials and rule the kingdom!

She quickly instructed someone to get the medical kit from her bedchamber, forcefully pulling her brother to sit on the nearby soft couch, "Brother, let go."

Luming looked into An Youyou’s eyes.

Her worry was laid bare.

"Let me check your hand?" An Youyou coaxed.

But Luming did not move.

Today, he was truly hurt, genuinely hurt by Anqi.

She didn’t know how to comfort him at that moment.

After all, Anqi truly preferred to die rather than spend more time with her brother.

Ultimately, Sister Anqi didn’t even care about family bonds anymore.

"Brother. The body and skin are received from one’s parents and must not be damaged," An Youyou said, "Do you really want me to report this to father and mother?!"

Xiao Luming swallowed, finally releasing the dagger.

The dagger dropped to the ground.

In Luming’s palm was a long and deep wound, ghastly and terrifying.

An Youyou felt a pang in her heart.

Such a severe wound.

Was Sister Anqi really so indifferent?!

If she had any restraint at all, she wouldn’t have kept clenching the dagger, forcing her brother to hold on.

Her brother was like this to save Anqi.

And Anqi was like this, only making her brother more deeply hurt.

An Youyou suppressed her inner emotions, helping her brother disinfect and treat the wound.

It must hurt, right?!

But her brother didn’t utter a single groan.

"Youyou, do you think I’m insidious?" Xiao Luming suddenly asked.

An Youyou’s fingers trembled slightly.

At that moment, she had just finished disinfecting his palm and was preparing to administer anesthesia and stitch.

"Was I too despicable towards Anqi?" Not receiving An Youyou’s answer, Luming asked again.

"Hmm." An Youyou responded softly.

"Indeed." Xiao Luming gave a faint bleak smile.

Everyone thought he was very cruel.

Cruel to tear apart a pair of originally loving people.

"But..." An Youyou glanced up at her brother, "Sister Anqi is not worthy of you."

Xiao Luming’s chest stirred slightly.

An Youyou was indeed speaking her innermost thoughts.

Her brother shouldn’t have torn apart Anqi and the Little Imperial Uncle, but Anqi was too selfish in dealing with her brother’s love.

She used to always think that Sister Anqi and her brother were a good match.

The two depended on each other in the Imperial Palace, Sister Anqi’s gentle and understanding nature accompanied her brother, able to share his burdens.

But now she felt Anqi was not suitable.

Anqi lacked the magnanimity, the capacity to embrace the world.

She wasn’t suitable to be the Empress.

"Brother, let Sister Anqi and the Little Imperial Uncle be together." An Youyou said as she treated Xiao Luming’s wound, "Don’t wrong yourself."

Xiao Luming didn’t answer.

But An Youyou was sure her brother would let go.

Her brother was not as cold as he seemed.

He just had liked for many, many years, and it was difficult for him to suddenly give it up.

No one could do it.

To err is human; who can truly live with clarity in this world?

In the great hall, the two siblings said no more.

Some things need only to be hinted at.

Their education from childhood had never truly deviated.

...

Xiao Luming left Xiaoxiang Palace.

An Youyou went to the inner hall to see Anqi.

Anqi had already awoken, lying on the bed weeping uncontrollably.

Not knowing if she was in pain for still not being able to be with the one she loved, or sad about today’s unpleasantness with Luming.

"Sister Anqi," An Youyou called her.