Scharlachroter Regen überflutet die Stadt

Kapitel 53

"Why are you suddenly asking this?"

“When you love someone, even if they've been dead for years, seeing a back view that resembles theirs will still make you instinctively hug them and cry. How deep is this feeling... even I can't fathom it.” Ran Ning suddenly smiled, then froze, and seeing the person behind me, quickly said, “Eighth Prince.”

"You may all leave." Lu Xiu walked out of the corridor and dismissed the maids around him. His gaze remained fixed on me as he pushed open the door beside him and said, "Go in."

In the silent room, we stood back to back, neither of us turning around, neither of us daring to speak first. I don't know how long it lasted.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, I finally spoke up: "It's alright."

He turned to look at me, but did not answer.

I didn't expect him to answer; I just wanted to say something to break the ice.

“I never knew what to say when we met again,” I said softly, almost to myself. “Perhaps I’m powerless to explain anything. Actually, I was waiting for you this time. I wanted to appear before you in the most unassuming way, but things didn’t go as planned. I never expected to see you in this situation, and I’ve startled you. Don’t ask me where I’ve been these past two years, and don’t ask me how I’ve been, because I don’t know either. I’ve already died once, and now I just want to do what I want to do; I don’t want anything else.”

"Royal...I'm sorry." Lu Xiu's voice was even softer than mine.

"The royal family has wronged Rong Zhaozhi; it was not me."

Why are you waiting for me?

I turned around and met his gaze; in an instant, all the colors in the world dimmed.

"Because I believe in you."

Because of your lack of competitiveness, your disdain, your unconventionality, and your carefree and unrestrained nature.

Among the court officials, you are the only one who stood up and spoke the truth for the Rong family.

The phrase "I'm sorry, Royal Family" reveals your naivety, your sincerity, your composure, and your fearlessness.

Lu Xiu, you are a true gentleman.

Chapter Four: Memories of Xiao Xuan

She first met Xiao Xuan in early spring, when the air was crisp and cold.

He walked out of the peach grove in front of the window, snowflakes falling on his shoulders and glistening between his brows.

He was a guard whom the King of Huainan had hired for her, and he was always by her side.

"My name is Xuan, Princess." He smiled gently.

He was incredibly learned, having read countless books; he possessed unparalleled martial arts skills; he was gentle and considerate, never getting angry, and never refusing her a single word.

He stayed by her side for exactly 750 days, no more, no less. On her birthday, she killed him.

She had asked herself countless times if she hadn't killed him that day, would they have had their 751st day together?

The 20th year of Tianyou, the 8th day of the fourth month.

The man standing by the table had a gentle smile on his face. Everyone in the manor only knew that he was Princess Zhaozhi's bodyguard; no one knew when he had entered the manor or where he lived. All they knew was that the princess always spoke his name—a very simple name—Xuan.

Now he frowned slightly and looked up at the person sitting in the sandalwood chair next to him.

His eyes were incredibly clear; to be looked at by him was a true pleasure.

"It's not safe to stay here any longer. You should go back." Her voice was as gentle as spring water.

The man sitting in the chair clearly didn't think so. He didn't look at Xuan. He just smiled coldly. "Master, you certainly have refined tastes. Embracing a beauty in the palace, you naturally disdain going back. But the brothers below are getting impatient, asking when you'll get the token. We've been waiting for you here for two years. When are you going to make your move?"

Xuan was stunned. Two years had passed. He hadn't expected it to be so long. For this mission, he had followed the prince all the way to Huainan, using every means to enter the Prince of Huai's mansion and become the princess's bodyguard.

He was from Liaoning. He was the head of the Thunderbolt Hall.

She is a princess of the Central Plains and the leader of all the major sects in the vast martial arts world.

She didn't know. He was her enemy.

The Thunderbolt Hall has fought with various factions for many years, and they are now evenly matched. However, once the Nalan family reveals their tokens, the world will be united in their efforts to crush the Thunderbolt Hall. In that case, the foundation that our ancestors worked so hard to build will be unimaginable.

He had never directly confronted the Nalan family until he accidentally killed Nalan Lieming, her maternal grandfather.

This twelve-year-old girl inherited that position and wielded that crucial token, yet the entire martial arts world was on tenterhooks because of her every move—it was truly laughable.

He had originally obtained the token, and from then on, Thunderbolt Hall could rest easy.

But now... he couldn't bear to see her face, betrayed by his deception.

Perhaps there is another way that can both avoid harming the child and prevent the hatred between Nalan Manor and preserve Thunderbolt Hall.

The person in the chair suddenly jumped up. "What? You can't bring yourself to do it? She's just a little girl... You can still do it now."

“Geng…” Xuan sighed slightly, “She is no obstacle to us. I heard that her senior brothers are in charge of the affairs in the martial world. She is just a figurehead.”

"How could you be so confused? She has the blood of the Nalan family. If she gives the order, the Thunderbolt Hall will be wiped out. What's more, you killed her maternal grandfather."

The morning dew slid from the leaves onto the girl's eyebrows. The girl stood outside the door, already frozen.

The man named Geng left through the back door. Xuan still stood by the window, staring intently into the distance, towards the direction of her house... She was just a fifteen-year-old girl, just the little girl who would act coquettishly with him and cling to him every day.

It was late at night. The girl stood in front of the door once again, calmed herself down, and knocked. The door creaked open.

Upon seeing her, a hint of surprise and...worry flashed in his eyes.

"Zhao'er...why are you here?"

Rong Zhaozhi hugged the wooden box tightly and smiled at him nonchalantly: "May I come in?"

He stepped aside to let her in.

“Today is my birthday…” Rong Zhaozhi murmured.

“I know that.”

"I have something to give you."

As Rong Zhaozhi spoke, he opened the wooden box, revealing a gleaming knife.

“Zhao’er—” Xiao Xuan’s face was blank, and the knife in the wooden box looked surprisingly familiar.

Rong Zhaozhi smiled gently, "This was left to me by my maternal grandfather. I wanted to give it to you. My grandfather died by this very blade. He was already dead when I pulled it out. I've carried it with me ever since, waiting for the day it would be returned to its rightful owner. I want to... give it back to you, Hall Master Xiao Xuan..."

His fists were clenched at his sides, his knuckles turning white.

Her voice was cold: "I really like you... I like chasing after you, going wherever you go... But what is it about you that I like? I don't know."

Xiao Xuan remained motionless.

Rong Zhaozhi quietly stepped forward, smiled, and glanced at him: "Unfortunately, you are not."

His face was deathly pale, and his body was stiff.

She looked at him, finding it utterly ridiculous: "You're just like them. They're not afraid of me, but they're afraid of the Nalan Token in my hand. What is that thing? Is it really that good? Do you want it? I'll give it to you, okay? I've said it before, whatever you want, I'll give it to you."

The excruciating pain churning inside his body.

"Kill me, and then I'll give it to you, okay?" The sword was already at his chest. "...You kill me, or...I'll kill you..."

He smiled slowly, and with that smile, she was momentarily stunned.

She advanced step by step, while he retreated.

"Let's end it." The voice was soft and elusive, "It should have ended long ago."

She was still in a daze, and habitually took a step forward.

This time, however, he did not back down.

The wind, carrying the scent of rain, gently ruffled Xiao Xuan's hair.

His blood-soaked body leaned against her, slowly falling down.

His clear eyes met her frightened and confused gaze without blinking. He looked at her quietly, as if he wanted to smile at her, as if he wanted to tell her not to be afraid.

“You should have stabbed me deeper.” He forced a smile.

She knelt blankly beside him.

The dagger in her hand was already stuck in his chest.

"mysterious……"

She blankly stretched out her finger and touched his lips; the warm blood stained her fingertip red.

Why does the scarlet blood keep flowing?

She placed her hand on his bleeding chest, but blood seeped out from between her fingers and flowed down the edge of her palm.

He gazed at her, struggling—

He took her blood-stained hand in his, his voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the sound of rain outside.

"...I really like you."

She stared blankly as tears streamed down her face. This time, he wasn't lying to her, was he?

He gently closed his eyes in her arms.

The wind was quiet that night, the rain was quiet, everything was so still, just like his soft voice.

"...I like you..."

Blood spread silently across the bluestone floor...

Everything was so quiet...

There was no sound after that...

Chapter Five: Entering the Palace

In the spring of the twenty-fourth year of Tianyou, I entered the palace again and was sent by Lu Xiu to serve as a lady-in-waiting to the emperor.

As she combed her hair in front of the mirror, the face before her was quite ordinary. Though it possessed a certain beauty, it was subtle; though it was somewhat handsome, it was not striking. It was a face that was meant to be appreciated slowly and quietly.

Of the thousands of disguise potions Nangong possessed, I chose this face. A face that could easily blend into a crowd, a face he wouldn't notice.

When I reached the warm pavilion on the east side of Chaoyang Palace, the palace servants waiting outside nodded to me, and I went straight in. There was no one guarding the outer room, but then a palace servant on night watch lifted the curtain of the inner room and waved to me, so I hurried up.

Although the emperor has aged considerably in the past two years, he still personally attends to all matters of state.

I still can't calmly face this old man, not only because he ordered my death, but also... because of my fear of emperors.

I gently carried the tea to the table, only to find the emperor asleep with his hand supporting his forehead. It was already past four in the morning; he usually stayed up until five before taking a nap and then going to court. Perhaps he was too tired today, for he had dozed off at the table.

I dared not step back, so I could only kneel and hold the tea tray while waiting.

After a while, a memorial was placed down. He suddenly opened his eyes, glanced at me, reached out to take the tea, and drank half a cup in one gulp. "How long have I been asleep?"