Walk a little further ahead and you'll see a deep valley, filled with dense forests and flowing streams. The river at the bottom of the valley, with its clear springs, is called the White Water River.
Shao Yan said that if you follow the Black Water River along the White Water River, you will reach the Red Canyon.
As dusk fell, the setting sun painted the snow-capped peaks as if they were draped in a layer of red gauze. Clouds, carrying the sunset glow, flew back to the valleys between the peaks. Outside the Red Valley, clouds and mist swirled, carrying a cold, damp air, yet possessing an indescribable clarity.
Parting the thick smoke and white mist, one could vaguely see glazed golden tiles and vermilion red wood. This was truly a secluded and refuge-free place. Who would have thought that such a magnificent and beautiful place existed behind Jade Dragon Mountain?
In that endless rhododendron forest, towering buildings stand in an interlocking pattern. There is no trampling of thousands of horses or the smoke of war, only a luxurious and tranquil atmosphere.
Weiming Tower, Zhaonan Pavilion.
As soon as I went upstairs, a strong smell of alcohol hit me. It was rich but not pungent, and it was mixed with a thick, warm fragrance.
Just before I pushed the door open, I suddenly felt inexplicably nervous. My fingertips trembled slightly when they touched the door. I took a deep breath, steeled myself, and put my hand on the door.
The sun had set and the moonlight had not yet risen; there were no lights on inside, so all one could see were hazy shadows.
Just standing at the doorway made my heart pound faster than ever before. Before I could even step inside and get my footing, I felt my foot slip, as if I had stepped on something. Instinctively, I reached out to grab something to steady myself, but all I heard was the sound of bottles clattering together. I didn't grab anything, so I tripped and fell to the ground. I felt something hit the back of my head as I fell.
It would be better to just knock someone unconscious with that knock, but instead, the pain is so intense that tears are almost streaming down their face, yet their consciousness remains unusually clear.
Just as I was feeling a chill run down my spine from the pain, the lights suddenly came on. My eyes, which had just gotten used to the darkness, were stung again. In my disheveled state, I felt like killing someone.
Chapter 98
It took me a while to adjust with my eyes closed, but when I opened them and saw the person in front of me, for a moment I clearly felt that my heartbeat and breathing had stopped.
The person stood expressionless, wearing only a moon-white robe with a silver-threaded printed collar that was open at the collarbone. He should have exuded a seductive and languid charm, but in my eyes, he was more ferocious than a demon.
His dark, bottomless eyes stared at me for a long time, then he bent down, his long black hair falling down and releasing a cool fragrance.
The touch of my fingers was still smooth as silk, lingering on my cheek with a slight coolness. The room was very quiet, and I could almost hear my own heart pounding like a drum.
"Turns out I can still get drunk..."
He murmured softly, a self-deprecating smile appearing on his lips, his eyes seeming to be veiled by a mist, suddenly becoming hazy.
I didn't understand what he said at first, but after thinking about it for a while, I realized that he thought he was drunk and dreaming!
I sat up abruptly, intending to wake him up, but I didn't control the angle well and rushed too hard, so I bumped directly into his forehead.
...
"Are you trying to kill me?! You drank so much, and you didn't even bother to clean up afterwards, leaving empty bottles all over the floor. How come you didn't drink yourself to death?!" The person who was hit frowned slightly, his dark eyes filled with confusion and shock. "Couldn't you have dodged? You even claim to be very skilled in martial arts and agile, but I think that's all bullshit!"
I'm already so exhausted that I can't even speak coherently. I'll feel terrible if I don't vent my anger. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. All this suffering is because of you, Nangong Ling!
I still felt wronged, and the spot where I bumped into him was still very painful, but when I looked up at him again, I didn't dare to have any complaints.
His previously dazed eyes suddenly became clear, and he felt a tightness in his chest. His gaze was as if he were looking at a stranger.
"Since you've already achieved your goal, why bother coming all this way? Or rather..." He slowly curled the corners of his mouth into a sinister and eerie smile as he said the last three words, "Do I still have any use to you?"
I was stunned by his stare. His gaze was like a thorn, piercing from the surface of my skin into my heart, a pain that didn't draw blood.
"Rong Cheng can't be that stupid, can he?" His smile grew even more radiant, his slender phoenix eyes flashing with a cold light. "He's meticulously planned for over a decade, only to let me stumble this time. Does he think I'll give you a second chance?"
"...Are you convinced that I'm using you?"
"Don't tell me you didn't." Her delicate face came closer, and her hand gripped my chin. "Otherwise, why would someone as arrogant as you bother with a bastard like me? Or is it just that your pity is overflowing, and my luck makes you feel sorry for me? Well, I'm sorry, but someone as filthy and disgusting as me doesn't deserve your pity at all!"
He gripped his hands so tightly they were almost breaking his bones, and his whole body radiated a violent rage. I had never seen Nangong Ling like this before, and I was truly terrified.
"Nangong Yi has had so many women, how could he only have me as his son? But do you know how it feels to lay a hand on my unborn brother for the sake of my sole status? But it doesn't matter, because once something becomes a habit, you become numb to it, just like you, you don't actually like me at all..."
The warm, moist aroma of wine brushed past my nose, sending a shivering, tingling sensation through me. I felt a little breathless, so I leaned back and braced myself with my hands on the ground. A bone-chilling coldness then spread from the ground up my palms.
"I'm already married to you." Her voice sounded weak.
A mocking glint appeared in his dark, bright eyes. "Who knows what you're up to?"
It's really unpleasant to feel distrusted, especially by people you consider closest to you.
"No matter what I say now, you won't listen, will you?"
"yes."
"Let's talk again when you've calmed down. I'm tired and want to rest."
"Crack"—a bottle next to me shattered. "Crack, crack"—one after another, bottles all over the room shattered.
If you ignored the person's expression, it would have been quite a spectacular scene.
"Someone come here!"
Still reeling from his terrifying roar, Shao You appeared at the doorway.
"Please allow Miss Fourth to rest at Beiqing Garden."
He turned his back, his voice strained and suppressed, his thin shoulders trembling with suppressed emotion. I unconsciously clenched my fist; it was cold and damp.
When Shao swam over to pull me up, my legs were so weak I could barely stand. The only impression I had before he left was a dark red bloodstain on his left shoulder. The color wasn't deep, but it was still quite noticeable against his plain white shirt.
What happened to the injury on his shoulder?
Shaoyou walked a little ahead of me with his head down. The lights in Weiming Tower were dim, and his expression flickered, so I couldn't see it clearly.
"Knife wound."
I feel like something's not quite right, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
"Your wound has reopened, why don't you call Qionghua?"
"..." He paused, giving me a strange look. "This injury hasn't been treated or bandaged for over half a month. Protector Qiong has argued with the Emperor about it no less than ten times, but was always stopped outside Zhaonan Pavilion. A few days ago, the Emperor injured several of her ribs, and that's why she's lost her voice these past few days."
When we entered the Red Canyon earlier, I was so focused on how to explain things that I didn't pay attention. Now that I look closely, I can see that the people inside the canyon are indeed filled with unease and a depressing atmosphere.
"Not administer medicine? Is he just waiting to die?" When we got to the bottom of Weiming Tower, I suddenly came to my senses. I had been stunned by his shout and had actually obediently followed Shaoyou out.
I lifted my heavy skirt, turned around, and rushed back. Given his attitude just now, it's hard to say what kind of good place Beiqingyuan could be.
Chapter 99
The clouds outside the window were thick, with layers upon layers of ice and snow that, unable to bear the weight, flew down like cotton wool.
Although it was much warmer inside the valley than outside, the Red Canyon was still located in the cold mountains. It would be a miracle if you didn't get goosebumps from the night wind.
But some people just love to push the limits. They not only wear only a single garment while leaning on a soft couch, but also leave the windows wide open to let in the cold wind. That's not how you appreciate the moon, is it?
The smell of alcohol in the room was even stronger than before. There was a large pool of dark red bloodstains on the white velvet cushion in front of the couch, some dark and some light. To the right of the couch, colorful clothes were scattered all over the footstool, and upon closer inspection, it could be seen that every piece of clothing had been stained red. You wouldn't notice it if you didn't look at it, but once you saw it, you suddenly felt a hint of blood in the room amidst the aroma of alcohol.
Her delicate, jade-like white ankles rested on the gilded armrests, almost transparent in the dim light.
The long hem of her dress billowed in the wind, revealing a faint dark red at her waist. The color deepened and intensified as she moved upwards, until it was truly shocking at her shoulders!
He looked over, his eyes like ice beads coated with thick ink, so cold and clear that they reflected a bright, star-like brilliance.
"Who is it that could injure Nangong Ling to this extent?"
"Didn't you say you were tired and needed to rest?" He pursed his pale lips, continuing his awkwardness even though he was weak.
"By the time I've had enough rest, you'll probably have bled to death."
I went over and closed the window, locking it tightly.
"I don't want your pity or sympathy." He closed his eyes, concealing the bitterness that was about to overflow from them.
Her pale face looked so fragile, as if it could shatter at the slightest touch. My nose stung, and I almost lost control of my emotions.
"...I didn't expect that my elder brother would use the Rong family as bait. The Juyi Manor that you built up was also taken away by him to curry favor with Tianchen, wasn't it?"
"Didn't expect that?" A sarcastic smile appeared on his lips. "Wasn't everything you did arranged by him?"
"You don't appreciate kindness. If I had made it obvious back then, my brother wouldn't have cared how useful you were; he would have sent you to meet the King of Hell right then and there."
"What...it's very obvious?"
You know how to pick out the key points. I opened my mouth, but suddenly felt very embarrassed. How could I say that to his face?
"Does your wound hurt? Where's the first-aid kit?"
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming menacingly. "Why are you hiding!"
Startled by him, my knees buckled and I fell headfirst into his arms, unable to stop myself.
"Hmm!"
I heard a muffled groan beside me; such a heavy press must have aggravated his wound. I propped myself up and saw his thin brows furrowed together, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on his pale face. I immediately felt as if someone had slashed my heart with a knife, and the pain was excruciating.
"Shall I apply the medicine and bandage it for you first?"
"No, answer my question first..."
You're in so much pain and you're still stubbornly enduring it. You're not in pain, but I am!
"Have you made enough of a scene?! Did you ask me to let you die?!"
Pulling open his collar, I saw a deep, bone-revealing knife wound. The wound had become festering and ulcerated, with redness and purple discoloration around the cut, and pus and blood oozing from it.
I couldn't hold back anymore, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Who did this? How could they be so cruel!
"Lian..." He tried to reach out, but the slightest movement caused his lips to turn pale with pain, and he was covered in cold sweat.
I gasped and turned around to rummage through drawers and cabinets looking for medicine.