Luzhou-Mond

Kapitel 53

Shen Zexuan turned his head and smiled, "My mother has always loved to dress me in red since I was little, so I'm used to it."

He then added, "But now I wear whatever I like."

I looked at him, puzzled, but he said, "Only such a bright color can make you spot me in a crowd." His eyes shone with light, and a tender warmth emanated from them. I felt so happy I felt like I was bubbling over.

I turned my head away from his gaze and said, spoiling the mood, "You're also a conspicuous target that gets attacked."

Shen Zexuan smiled but remained silent.

We walked to a small hillside, where flowers bloomed in profusion, trees provided ample shade, and colorful clothes fluttered in the breeze. Many young girls were already picking flowers with baskets in their hands. Shen Zexuan told me that these flowers were cultivated by wealthy families, partly for sightseeing and partly for our use today.

We dismounted and went up the mountain, strolling among the fragrant flowers and fluttering butterflies in pairs. Watching the pairs of colorful butterflies fluttering side by side, I couldn't help but think of the legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, who transformed into butterflies. I said to Shen Zexuan, "In my hometown, there's a legend about a wealthy family's daughter who disguised herself as a boy to attend school. She fell in love with a poor boy in her class. Over the years, the poor boy took good care of her, and their friendship deepened. However, the poor boy was unaware that his friend was actually a girl. Later, a letter arrived from the girl's family, urging her to return home and marry the son of a high-ranking official. The girl refused and revealed herself as a woman in front of the poor boy. The two made a solemn vow of eternal love. After returning home, the girl asked the poor boy to propose marriage. He did so, but the girl's father, being greedy and materialistic, refused to agree to the marriage and even summoned the official to send men to forcibly take the girl away. The girl refused to submit, and the two eventually committed suicide together." I pointed to the fluttering butterflies and said, "After their deaths, Heaven was moved by their deep love, and the two transformed into a pair of colorful butterflies, forever inseparable, flying together to the ends of the earth."

After he finished speaking, Shen Zexuan looked at me intently and asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

I laughed, "Now, I'm just like that poor boy." Whether your feelings are genuine or feigned, the distance between us is always too great. I only intended to play this game with you, but I found myself unknowingly sinking deeper and deeper. If you are truly sincere, then your high and mighty status is an insurmountable chasm; if you have ulterior motives, I dare not continue playing this game with you. If I lose my heart, who will care about my pain?

"As long as you don't covet the position of a prince's consort and just be a good concubine, your status and position are not important," Shen Zexuan said with a light laugh.

A chill ran through me. What seemed like ordinary words to them sounded like needles pricking my ears. I knew it would be difficult to find someone here who reciprocated my feelings, yet I still felt a coldness in my heart.

I smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but I don't want to continue playing this game with you."

As she spoke, she turned and walked down the mountain. She wanted to tell him that there was also a story of a prince and Cinderella, but then she felt it was unnecessary. He was a prince, but she didn't want to be Cinderella.

Shen Zexuan didn't chase after me. I turned onto a small path and walked straight ahead. At the end of the path was a small lake, its clear water reflecting the blue sky, white clouds, and rosy clouds over the mountains. Beside the lake was a large cherry blossom grove, the red and pink mist stretching to the horizon. A group of girls played and frolicked in the grove, startling petals into falling and whispering sweet nothings.

Watching the girls' light and carefree figures in the woods, I felt a deep sense of unease. I turned away, found a flat, large rock by the lake, lay down, put my hands behind my head, and watched the changing clouds in the sky. As I gazed intently, a familiar, handsome face came into view. I closed my eyes and refused to look again.

“If you are worried about your status, then I will not become a prince.” His voice came softly.

I answered with my eyes closed, "No need."

I felt him lie down next to me, so I quickly jumped up, turned around, and left. Hearing his footsteps chasing after me, I quickened my pace. I really didn't want to see him; if I continued, I'd become a moth drawn to a flame.

He grabbed my arm and asked, "What exactly is it that you care about?" There was a hint of anxiety in his voice.

"You shouldn't talk about concubines and such so casually." I said, staring at the hand that was holding me, and tried to pull away, but couldn't.

"You're also jealous?" His eyes gleamed once more.

I forcefully broke free from his grip and said coldly, "Your Highness, we can no longer communicate."

He grabbed me again and asked, "You still haven't answered my question. What exactly is it that you care about?"

I took a breath and said in as calm a tone as possible, "The person I love, whether he is a nobleman or a commoner, must be someone I reciprocate in love with, loyal to each other, and never leave." Seeing his slightly surprised face, I said, "Your Highness, how do you demand loyalty from women? I shouldn't need to explain. Can you do that, Your Highness?" If you can't, then give up now. No matter how handsome you are, I might be infatuated, but I can't lose my own heart.

I pulled my hand out of his grasp and turned to descend the mountain. On the day of the Spring Flower Festival, a day when others express their love, I severed my first love in this life.

I thought that being a modern person would allow me to be more carefree and open-minded. I thought that having lived two lifetimes, I would have seen through the illusions of the world and be able to let go of things with ease. I thought that I could spend more time with him...

Unfortunately, I am ultimately just an ordinary woman yearning for love, needing to be cherished and treated with devotion. Amidst Shen Zexuan's tender affection, I feared I would become greedy and had to end things here.

Shen Zexuan must have had feelings for me too, though I don't know how much. Even if he was wholeheartedly devoted, so what? Would the royal family allow him to marry a woman like me? Or rather, would he only marry me? Would the Prince Qing's mansion agree to it?

What started as a whim has escalated to this point... The human heart is truly the most difficult thing to control.

Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 40

Chapter word count: 3682 Update time: 09-08-04 12:30

In June, the sun blazed fiercely. Unable to bear the heat, I ran to Miyue Bay and lay down in the pavilion to enjoy the breeze, but sweat still poured out of my face.

Summers in ancient times must have been unbearable. We had to wear several layers of clothing, both inner and outer garments. I miss the vests and short skirts of my past life, and the air conditioning and refrigerators.

Seeing that no one was around, I took off my coat and quietly went into the water. The water was still quite cool in the morning, and soaking in it was much more comfortable than staying on the surface. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment.

Since leaving Shen Zexuan without saying goodbye on the day of the Spring Flower Festival, I haven't seen him again. I still held a sliver of hope that he was sincere and would come back to me afterward, saying something like he would only love me and would treat me with all his heart. I can't help it, women are naturally prone to fantasizing. But he didn't. I completely gave up on him. And then he said something like, "If you're worried about your status, I won't become a prince," how ridiculous!

After soaking in the water for a while, I climbed ashore, wrung out my clothes, put on my outer garment, and returned to Yixinzhai. I fetched some cool water, dried myself off again, changed into clean clothes, and washed and hung my wet clothes outside to dry.

Zi Nuo brought over lunch, saw me hanging up laundry, and asked, "Brother, did you go swimming again?"

I quickly held up a finger to silence him.

"Next time you go, you should take me with you. I'll keep watch for you," Zinuo said unhappily. I nodded quickly and invited him into my room.

After lunch, I moved a bamboo chair to the well-ventilated corridor to take a nap. I told Zinuo to wake me up at the appointed time, as I still had to keep watch at the Second Prince's residence.

In the evening, Zinuo and I sat in the shade of a tall sycamore tree. Life without love has become dull, but thankfully I still have Zinuo.

I leaned against the tree trunk and said to Zinuo, "How about we sleep on the roof tonight? It's too hot in the room."

Zinuo glared at me, then looked up at the stars. The night sky was filled with twinkling stars, and I searched for the constellations I remembered, my eyes glazing over. Suddenly, Zinuo asked, "Sister, you said that after people die, they become stars watching over us from the sky. Why can't I ever tell which star is Mother?"

"That kid is so unromantic," I shook my head and said, "You can't see her, but she can see us from up there." Hearing the buzzing of mosquitoes, I reached out and slapped one, wondering why there were still mosquitoes even though we were sitting so high up.

As we gazed at the starry sky, lost in thought, a dark shadow flashed past. I gently tugged at Zi Nuo's sleeve; he had clearly seen it too. We nodded to each other and chased after the shadow, only to find it moving with incredible speed, disappearing into Yixinzhai.

Zinuo and I followed him in. The man went into Shen Haoyu's study. We crouched in a dark corner and listened, wondering who it was that wanted to see Shen Haoyu so secretly.

The man said, "Young Prince, everything has been arranged in Xuan Ying Kingdom. When the time is right, we can confirm Chen Dan's crime of treason and collusion with the enemy, and the military power in the Northwest will change hands."

Shen Haoyu said, "This matter needs to be handled with utmost care, ensuring that it is flawless and leaves no possibility for Chen Dan to overturn the case."

"Don't worry, Your Highness. The Emperor is suspicious and would rather kill the innocent than let the guilty go unpunished."

The two then discussed the specific details, and I was sweating profusely as I listened. I squeezed Zi Nuo's hand, and his palm was also damp. Sigh, the weather was already hot, and then I heard this news. I was so nervous that I didn't dare to breathe, and I quietly pulled Zi Nuo back to my room.