Only his blood can extinguish my anger!
Only his life can repay the debt he owes me!
My master saw my resentment and tried every means to resolve it, but my hatred lingered between the realms of Yin and Yang, reaching the highest heavens and the deepest hells. How could it be resolved?
I know that my master is afraid that I will fall into the demonic path and commit more killings. Thinking of my master's earnest teachings over the years, I know his thoughts all too well, so I had no choice but to agree to his request and promise not to implicate others.
A brand new life is born, a brand new path lies before us, and naturally, a brand new name is needed. One cannot wear a man's clothes and be called a woman's name.
Zijing—Lin Zijing! I've chosen a name for myself, a name that will be reborn with me, rise from the ashes with me, and help me achieve our goals!
Dingmao day
In the past few days, I discovered something surprising: the Linglong Stone's function is not just as simple as a token of the host; it also enhances internal energy! Drawing a barrier while practicing internal energy can make the process twice as effective.
Haha, the internal energy I lost in the past has actually been recovered in a short time, and it seems to be even stronger than before! That brat Anmei, I could never beat him in the past, but now, hmph, I'll have to find him and test him out someday. I really want to see his incredulous and miserable surrender!
I always thought I was good at doing things that would help stabilize the country, but I never imagined I'd be even better at doing bad things!
Think about what I've learned recently. Besides the medical skills I already knew, I've also learned commerce, various weapons, assassination, intelligence gathering, hidden weapons, and poisoning, etc. When I saw the dumbfounded look on the faces of those old men who had mastered their life's skills, I really wanted to burst out laughing!
In Dark Charm's words, my current body is exceptionally gifted; it's practically perfect material for doing bad things—uh—big things!
I don't mind. Whether I do great things or bad things, I just want to do what I want to do right now!
As for my methods, have I become more ruthless? I'm just more efficient! Besides, do I need to talk about chivalry when dealing with scum like the Seven Drum Demons and the flower thief Qin Donglu?
In order to protect the people I want to protect, I can no longer be soft-hearted. I need to become strong, both physically and mentally. I don't want to watch the people I care about leave me anymore, never again!
Anwu said that with news of Jun Yilin, I must go and save him. It's something I owe him. Once everything settles down, I will put him on the throne. He will be a good king!
Gengwu day
Today I went to the palace to rescue Jun Yilin. Anwu and the others were worried that something might happen to me, but what do I have to be afraid of now? I have nothing left to lose!
I made her blush with a couple of jokes, and she stopped stopping me.
I owe Jun Yilin my life, and I must repay him.
In the dungeon, we saw Jun Yilin, disheveled and dressed in tattered clothes, some seemingly stained with blood. We stood right in front of him, but he ignored us, sitting on the ground, seemingly lost in thought, muttering to himself, his eyes unfocused. At that moment, my heart clenched tightly, and my insides felt suffocated.
Thankfully, he was just faking his madness. Thankfully, he eventually believed my story and was willing to come with me. Otherwise, if I had kept him in that kind of place any longer, I don't know how guilty I would have felt!
When I see him again, I still feel strange. His deep, watery eyes look at me, and I feel like I'm about to drown in them! But I know I can't. I still have my plans to complete, and besides, I'm a man now!
Ren Shen Day
Everything went too smoothly; not only was Jun Yilin rescued, but Zhan Qing was also encountered.
The only downside is that I live under the same roof as Jun Yilin, and we see each other all the time. He confessed to me again the other day, so I always feel extremely awkward when we meet.
Fortunately, he remained open and honest after that day and never mentioned it again, which calmed me down a bit. We discussed plans together, went to Shu to form an alliance, and gathered intelligence on Jun Yifeng together... everything aligned perfectly, as if we were one person!
Our team is growing stronger. At Zhan Qing's insistence, I met Wang Chenglin, the once spirited scholar who is now a powerful prime minister. However, because of my involvement, Jun Yifeng is quite wary of him. With him joining us, we have gained even more strength!
But when Jun Yilin suddenly kissed me that day, I was shocked and angry, but I also felt a little bit of enjoyment. That guy's technique seemed pretty good!
Ah! How could you think like that? I'm a man! I'm a man! This devil, I thought he'd changed his ways, but he's still the same scoundrel as before!
Ugh, I don't want to write anymore...
Jia Shen day
Right Chancellor Jiang Yumin, what an interesting person!
I heard that he always wears a black mask, supposedly because he was burned and his voice was ruined. His hoarse voice sounds like he's pulling a broken bellows, which is nothing like a young man in his early twenties.
I heard that although he is young, he is quite talented and has lived up to Jun Yifeng's trust by accomplishing several significant tasks, which has won Jun Yifeng's favor.
I heard that some people were resentful of his youthful arrogance and tried to sabotage him, but he resolved the situation silently and without warning.
...
This person is really interesting!
But no matter how interesting it is, it can't compare to the news that Dark Charm brought back—he might very well be a rising star!
That handsome young man who had been orphaned since childhood, that lonely young man who regarded himself as his only family, disappeared from the martial arts world after their separation by death, and no one ever heard any news about him again.
Piao Hong—My little brother, I miss you so much!
How can I tell if you're him? I need to think about it carefully!
Bingwu day
Sure enough, sure enough, Jiang Yumin's score is indeed high! My little brother!
Great, we've finally met again! But Jun Yilin doesn't seem very happy. Why is that? Can't he even hug his younger brother?
I spent a little more time with Yu Mian, and when I came back, I heard Jun Yilin playing "Changmen Fu" on his piano. The mournful melody gave me goosebumps.
"I go out in the morning and return in the evening, enjoying food and drink and forgetting others. My heart has changed and I no longer remember the past, but I become close to those I am happy with..."
Jun Yilin's jealousy is outrageous! Is he complaining that he's forgotten his old flame because he has a new love? What is this nonsense? What new love, what old love, it's all a mess!
...
Bing Shen Day
...
Dingwei day
...
Yao Biluo slammed the note shut, her thoughts in turmoil.
In the journal, there was the willful and reckless Lin Zijing! The Lin Zijing, skilled in martial arts and possessing a brilliant mind! The Lin Zijing who played around with An Mei, flirted with Jun Yilin, and embraced Jiang Yumin! The Lin Zijing who calmly planned important matters with them, the core of their being! ...
And just like that, the vivid image leaps off the page and appears before my eyes!
What a person, brimming with boundless wisdom and charm! No wonder they all remember him so fondly!
Yao Biluo wrapped the letter in silk again and put it back in its original place.
Things can be put back where they belong, but one's state of mind becomes completely different.
Yao Biluo seemed to understand their feelings of attachment to Lin Zijin, and she felt relieved. Even she herself couldn't help but like such an outstanding person.
There's just one thing I don't quite understand: he—as Jiang Yumin had indeed said—was a man!
How can men have such a deep bond, so deep that they still don't get married to this day?
Yao Biluo couldn't understand it, but she did understand one thing: Jiang Yumin hadn't lied to her.
But, am I really that similar to him?
What is their mindset towards themselves?
The next day, Anmei indeed took Yao Biluo to a study to help organize her friend's manuscript.
Having seen the elegant handwriting on Lin Zijin's manuscripts, Yao Biluo immediately recognized who the owner of these manuscripts was.
The room was filled with books, neither categorized nor neatly stacked, creating a chaotic mess.
Yao Biluo looked at Anmei, who shrugged and said helplessly, "That's just how he is. He never organizes, but he always knows which shelf and which place the book he needs is on! He calls it—the beauty of mess!"
Looking at the nearly a thousand books in the room, Yao Biluo finally understood why Anmei hadn't come to organize them; the workload was truly astonishing!
Seeing Yao Biluo's surprise, Anmei smiled and said, "No need to rush, we can take our time."
Secretly, I was gloating. "Hey OP, this time you're really getting your comeuppance! You never organize your things, and you always send me to get your books, which gives me a headache every time! Now you're the one making me do things for you, so don't blame me later!"
Seeing An Mei's eerie smile, Yao Biluo suddenly had a bad feeling!
☆、15、Stalemate
Jun Yilin finally learned that Yao Biluo had run away. He didn't know why she left, nor where to look for her! So he could only vent his anger on Prefect Yao and Yao Bile.
Poor Prefect Yao, although he became the emperor's father-in-law, he was even more pitiful than before he became emperor.
Jun Yilin forced Prefect Yao to go out and find Yao Biluo every day. He kept his official position, but all his salary was stopped, and without a source of income, all of Yao's servants were dismissed.
Prefect Yao also had to go to the Department of Punishments every day to receive ten strokes of the cane, both to remind him of the mistakes he had made and to ensure that he would not be beaten and would still have the energy to go out and find Yao Biluo every day.
Now in his fifties, Prefect Yao is finally experiencing the poverty and destitution he once had as a scholar. The Yao family has become a laughingstock!
Madam Yao's face grew paler day by day. She had been pampered since childhood and had never suffered such hardship. She had never lifted a finger before, but now she had to personally handle the household chores, and her hands quickly developed calluses.
Meanwhile, Yao Bile was also suffering in the palace. In order to help Yao Biluo keep her position as empress, Jun Yilin did not depose her. He simply told her coldly that she was just a substitute and that he was marrying Yao Biluo, not her!
Therefore, when Yao Biluo returned, the esteemed Empress was still Yao Biluo, while she herself was just a woman who had never entered the palace!
If she's lucky and Yao Biluo survives, then when the real empress returns, she can be sent away unharmed; if not—she should think carefully about how miserable her fate will be!
Yao Bile felt that she had never shed so many tears in her eighteen years as she had in the past few days, as if she were going to cry all the tears she would ever have in her life.
People in the palace fawn over the powerful and bully the weak, and have long since stopped taking her, the empress in name only, seriously.
It was bad enough that she was constantly being treated coldly and sarcasticly, but what was truly infuriating was that every meal consisted of leftovers, sometimes even spoiled food, making this pampered young lady, who had never experienced hardship before, feel like she was living a life worse than death!
She had never longed for Yao Biluo's safe return as intensely as she did now!
Inside the Imperial Study.
"You already knew?" Jiang Yumin asked sadly.
"How long do you think you can keep this a secret?" Jun Yilin glared at him.
“I never intended to keep it a secret for long; I only hoped for a year, but even that was a pipe dream! I can accept it, I deserve it, but you!” Jiang Yumin said urgently, “Since you knew the truth, why did you let her go!”
“I—I didn’t want her to leave! I don’t even know why she wanted to leave!” Jun Yilin smiled bitterly.
"Wait, you said you only hoped for a year, why? You didn't—" Jun Yilin suddenly felt something was wrong.
Jiang Yumin looked at him strangely: "So you didn't know the truth!"
"What exactly happened? Stop keeping me in suspense!" Jun Yilin felt like he had grasped something and asked eagerly.
So Jiang Yumin told Jun Yilin about Yao Biluo's dream.