"I'm sorry. Because of me, you've had to sever ties with your mother."
Inside the carriage, Yun Yantian carefully tended to Bai Li Xue, whose injuries had yet to fully heal. His face was etched with guilt.
Earlier, in the side hall, the heated argument between Bai Li Xue and the Eastern Palace Empress had played out before his eyes. He could only imagine how distressed Xue must feel.
"It doesn't matter," Bai Li Xue replied, shaking her head gently. Her pale face carried a trace of melancholy.
"For years, my relationship with my mother has been strained. To her, I've always been just a bargaining chip—a tool to secure the best possible benefits for herself.
She's never cared about my feelings or my happiness. All that matters to her is leveraging me to strengthen her family's position and secure her influence in the palace."
Her tone was calm, but her words revealed years of bottled-up resentment.
