I followed Chu Qing's gaze and saw the young man, Dongfang Shuo. He seemed to have seen me too, and walked over with a smile, inviting me to go boating on the lake. I nodded in agreement, but why was my heart pounding so hard?
August of the 305th year of Qingyan...
September of the 305th year of Qingyan...
Page after page, sheet after sheet, all the details of his meeting with Lin Qingzhu were written down. All of Lin Qingzhu's thoughts were also poured into the words. Between the lines, from the initial confusion to the gradual awakening, and then to the deep love for Dongfang Shuo that was not hidden.
A tear fell onto the paper. Dongfang Shuo covered his mouth and nose with his hand, making no sound. His eyes were completely blurred with tears. The person he loved also loved him.
Turning the page further, it says that Dongfang Shuo went to fight on the border, and the pages are filled with Lin Qingzhu's longing for him.
Suddenly, several pages of the diary were blank. The following content instantly turned into deep sorrow and guilt. I had lost my innocence and was no longer worthy of Dongfang Shuo. Shen Minghui said that he had no choice but to do so in order to save my life, but I would rather he hadn't saved me and had just let me die. At least my body could face Brother Shuo with a clear conscience.
The doctor diagnosed me with pregnancy, and I was terrified. I then remembered that during the days after the incident, I only thought about dying and never considered drinking the contraceptive soup. I wanted to abort the child, but the doctor told me that I was weak and that if I aborted the child, I would be infertile for life and would never be able to be a mother again. I want to be a mother!
Shen Minghui knelt at the door, slapping himself repeatedly, saying he was sorry and would atone with his death. He said if I was willing to marry him, he would treat me well for the rest of his life, but I didn't want to marry him, I really didn't.
My father also advised me not to marry Shen Minghui, saying that he had long planned to betroth me to Dongfang Shuo. Dongfang Shuo had won a battle at the border and would soon return to the capital. If Dongfang Shuo was willing to marry me, that would be best; if he was not, he would find me another good family.
I'm so happy that Brother Shuo is back, but I'm also a little nervous. Brother Shuo is a prince of noble birth. Will he marry a woman who has lost her virginity and is pregnant with another man's child?
Chu Qing brought several of her friends to see me. They didn't know I had lost my virginity. They chatted happily, and then somehow the conversation turned to the topic of a woman's innocence. Chu Qing said:
"If you love someone, you should give them the best, both physically and emotionally. You must be completely pure and belong entirely to them. Otherwise, it's deception, shamelessness, and utterly shameless. If you can no longer give them these things, you should set them free and let a woman who is worthy of them give them to you!"
My heart aches like it's being stabbed with needles. Chu Qing is right. I've lost my innocence and am carrying another man's child. I'm no longer worthy of Brother Shuo. I shouldn't bother him anymore. He should be with a better woman.
I decided to marry Shen Minghui, which enraged my father. He forbade me from marrying him and wanted to find me a better family. But he didn't know that without my brother Shuo, it wouldn't matter who I married.
The child is Shen Minghui's, but also mine. He is innocent. I can't say I love this child that much, but I hope he can grow up safely. Rather than having a strange father, it's better for him to have a biological father. He will receive the love of his biological father after he is born.
Dongfang Shuo, I'm getting married tomorrow. I'm no longer worthy to think of you, no longer worthy to miss you. From now on, there will be no more connection between us. You must be happy, at least happier than me...
The matchmaker is coming to comb my hair. The auspicious time for my wedding is fast approaching. Please allow me to say it one last time: Dongfang Shuo, I love you! You must be happy, you must be happy.
The diary ends here; the rest of the pages are blank. When Lin Qingzhu got married, she didn't take the diary with her. Instead, she put it in a hidden compartment, sealing away her dreams and memories from her girlhood.
Tears streamed down my face, soaking most of the page. Without you, how can I be happy?
Between the lines, he clearly sensed Lin Qingzhu's sadness and despair after losing her. He never knew that the woman he loved, the innocence and beauty he wanted to protect, would be ruthlessly trampled on and schemed against in such a despicable way.
Dongfang Shuo suddenly looked up, his gaze like sharp arrows, piercing Shen Minghui. He had always known that Lin Qingzhu was simple-minded. Although she was exceptionally talented, she was guileless and only knew how to be kind to people without any sense of self-preservation. Therefore, he tried his best to become strong enough to protect her purity and kindness. However, before he could return, they had plotted against her and ruined her.
Looking into Dongfang Shuo's tearful, bloodshot eyes, Shen Minghui felt a sudden jolt, his mind went completely blank, and a voice kept echoing in his mind: the War King knows everything, he's finished, finished.
Dongfang Shuo still remembered that the first time he met Shen Minghui was on the street. He heard that Lin Qingzhu had married him, so he secretly followed him to see what his strengths were. After following him for a few days, he gained some understanding of Lin Qingzhu's choice.
Because he would never be like Shen Minghui, who would think of bringing Lin Qingzhu a small accessory every time he went out, nor would he be like Shen Minghui, who would go to Zuixianlou every day to buy her favorite pastries.
Watching Shen Minghui gently coax Lin Qingzhu to eat pastries and wear jewelry with a smile, he thought that Shen Minghui was wholeheartedly good to her and that she would be very happy.
He had always thought she was happy, but he failed to see the gloom and scheming beneath Shen Minghui's bright smile, and the flattery and fawning beneath his seemingly caring exterior. His concern and care for her were all pretense, shameless exploitation, and entirely for his own advancement in official position and personal gain.
It was all his fault. If he had observed more carefully, he would have definitely noticed something was wrong with Shen Minghui and been able to rescue Lin Qingzhu.
When they first met at the age of eight, he lit her lantern, which also ignited the deep affection in his heart. Her eyes shone like stars, and with just one glance, he was captivated for a lifetime. How could he care that she had lost her innocence, or that she had another man's child?
"Shen Minghui, execute him by slow slicing! Execute him immediately!" Dongfang Shuo's eyes were bloodshot, his roar shaking the heavens. The fierce light flashing in his eyes was like a cold sword, and even the most silent guards couldn't help but tremble.
"Yes!" Several guards stepped forward, grabbed Shen Minghui's arm and dragged him over, quickly tearing his clothes and slashing at his skin.
"Swish!" The knife fell, thin slices of flesh flew out, blood stained his skin, and Shen Minghui screamed in agony: "Your Highness, it was Ruan Chuqing who came up with the idea, please let me go!"
Dongfang Shuo raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a cold smile: "Don't worry, neither you nor Ruan Chuqing will have a good ending!"
"Secret Guard!"
"Yes!" Two guards stepped forward, grabbed Ruan Chuqing who was fighting with Duke Wen, and brought her in front of the War King.
"Dongfang Shuo, you've finally given me a second glance!" Ruan Chuqing, covered in wounds, looked at the War King and burst into laughter, a laugh both desolate and arrogant.
Dongfang Shuo looked down at her coldly and said, "Cripple her martial arts, break her tendons, and throw her into a brothel!"
The War King was a noble and upright man who preferred to do things openly and honestly, and would never use despicable means to scheme against others. However, today, facing this despicable and ruthless woman who used all her scheming and tricks to completely destroy his beloved, he could not remain calm or upright. He only wanted to repay her with blood and teeth, and make her taste the humiliation that Lin Qingzhu had suffered back then.
"Dongfang Shuo, everything I've done is for you!" Ruan Chuqing roared hysterically, her eyes flashing with madness. This was the man she loved. She had schemed and plotted just to be with him, but listen to what he said! He crippled her martial arts and threw her into a brothel. Hahaha... Heartless, despicable man.
"In my heart, there is only Lin Qingzhu!" That pure and kind woman filled his entire heart, and only she was worthy of his lifelong longing. How could that ruthless and vicious woman be compared to his beloved?
"How am I inferior to Lin Qingzhu? Why do you only like her?" Ruan Chuqing roared at the War King, "On the Qixi Festival, I was the one who saw you first!"
The War King gave Ruan Chuqing a cold look: "Our meeting wasn't later than yours, but five years earlier!"
Ruan Chuqing was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, her eyes filled with even more madness: "If I had known this would happen, I should have let those scumbags rape her back then, made her a real fallen flower, a used slut who would sleep with anyone, so that you would still think of her and miss her!"
The person she loved, if she couldn't have him, no one else could either. She only regretted not being more ruthless back then, so that Lin Qingzhu would be completely disgraced and unable to face anyone.
"Cut off her tongue!" Zhan Wu didn't want to hear any more insults directed at Lin Qingzhu.
"Yes!" The guard swiftly cut off Ruan Chuqing's tongue, silencing her mad laughter and curses. Her mouth was full of blood, and she whimpered, unable to utter another insulting word.
"Swish swish swish!" The guards struck again, severing all of Ruan Chuqing's tendons in her hands and feet. Her face contorted in pain, but her resentful gaze remained fixed on the War King. She hated him, she hated this blind and despicable man. She had given him everything, yet he repeatedly hurt her.
"I've ruined Ruan Chuqing's face with my whip. I doubt any brothel would want her!" Shen Lixue muttered to herself.
Dongfang Heng raised an eyebrow: "Have the manager of the brothel classify her as a third-class brothel."
Courtesans were also divided into three classes. The first class served high-ranking officials and nobles, the second class served merchants and wealthy commoners, and the third class served poor, unmarried middle-aged men or beggars. For a copper coin, they could enjoy a night with the women...