I don't know if my older brother noticed my guilty conscience. He just picked me up and carried me back to my room, and coaxed me to sleep as usual.
When I woke up the next day, it was already noon, and the child and the man in green had set off at dawn.
The days that followed returned to normal, seemingly uneventful. Just as I was beginning to forget about that episode, the child reappeared before me without warning.
The past six months have not made him more energetic; on the contrary, he has become increasingly pale and thin, giving people a sense of dejection.
I remember I couldn't stand it, so I picked up my longsword and challenged him to a duel.
"My water lilies aren't for you to see for free, did you pay for them?"
A nine-year-old child's eyes could be so resentful as to be like a demon's; I was caught off guard and almost fell into my own pond.
"Hmph, you stupid girl who doesn't know anything."
This was the first time he had spoken to me. His childish voice was deliberately kept very low, but it was surprisingly quite intimidating.
“I don’t understand, but I know you’re jealous, jealous that my dad loves me so much.”
To truly heal from the wound, you must ruthlessly peel back the scar, letting it bleed profusely before your eyes. Once you truly see the wound clearly, you'll realize it's nothing more than that.
But I was too naive. The wound had no visible scar; the skin was intact, but the decay started from the inside. At eight years old, I couldn't possibly have truly understood the pain.
Chapter 96
Xiao Lianjue lowered his hand, a strange smile on his face.
"Rong Cheng's wishful thinking seems to have backfired. He originally threw you out to trap Nangong Ling, but unexpectedly, you are the one who got trapped instead."
"Did your older brother tell him everything?" Otherwise, he wouldn't have avoided me.
"I suppose so." He looked up at the sky, his gaze stretching far, far away. "From a young age, I was always causing trouble to try and shift his mind from the abyss of despair to something else. Were you afraid he might do something rash at any moment? It's just a pity that no matter if you're sincere or not, once Rong Cheng speaks first, everything you've done will be seen as hypocrisy. Besides, he didn't trust you enough to begin with."
The saying "If you don't want others to know, then don't do it" is truly brilliant.
"See that? There's a bottomless black hole behind him. If he wants to, one wrong step and he'll be doomed. We can't just stand by and watch him die, right? Lian'er, do your brother a favor and pull him out, okay?"
My elder brother's deep, hoarse voice echoed through the long years, like a nightmare, lingering in my ears, impossible to shake off.
"How do you know these things?"
"If you don't want others to know, then don't do it in the first place."
I feel a bit uneasy. Can this guy read minds? Okay, okay, it's just that this phrase is used too broadly, it's just a coincidence.
But your answer is practically the same as not answering at all. Would it kill you to just admit it? Seriously.
"I didn't realize you really liked that boy. You even defied Rong Cheng and married him on your own. You must know the consequences of this impulsive act, right?"
He would banish anyone I liked from my sight. The reason? It was simple, even ridiculously so. It was because of my sister-in-law's betrayal. She herself was betrayed by the man she eloped with, and afterwards, too ashamed to return, she disappeared without a trace. Then my brother would often say, "Disobedience has dire consequences, so Lian'er must be obedient, understand?" You could say I was raised by my brother. As a child, I worshipped him like a god, never doubting or even considering that anything he said was wrong. Naturally, I was happy to do everything he asked.
What was originally the cause of two strings of sweet and delicious candied hawthorns has now yielded a fruit that is both bitter and astringent.
"Is this person... skilled in martial arts?" I tugged at Zhiyu and whispered.
I just saw him shatter the paper with one hand, so he must be someone with some skill.
"I'm not sure." Zhiyu answered frankly, earning me a roll of my eyes. "However, he doesn't have any murderous aura."
"There's no need to worry about that. Since it's my brother who wants to see me, he's not going to kill me. As for you, that depends on his mood."
Without saying a word, Zhiyu grabbed my waist, her beautiful eyes wide and round like copper bells.
"Alright, alright, I just want to know what our chances of escaping are?" I pried his hand away. "Or you can hold them off for a bit, and I'll retreat first?"
"Can you manage on your own?" A great deal of doubt was evident in his delicate features.
What are you saying? Am I really that untrustworthy?
"Um, I mean, have you guys come to an agreement yet?"
Just as Zhiyu and I were staring at each other, a discordant voice broke in.
Zhiyu frowned, and although she was extremely unwilling, she still pushed me far away.
I didn't even bother to look back at Xiao Lianjue's reaction; I used my lightness skill to run away first.
"Shaoyan, come out here."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure in blue appeared.
"You heard what I just said?"
He was silent for a moment, then nodded.
“I will report everything to your master without missing a single word, but even so I believe he will think it is a ruse.”
Shao Yan still looked serious, and it was really hard to get used to seeing him with that face that resembled Shao You by seven parts.
"Since you're going to Jade Dragon Mountain anyway, and I'm going too, let's go together."
"...Your Majesty is not there."
He said it in such a flat tone that I couldn't quite process it.
Then, my first thought after realizing this was that, as expected, Nangong Ling was more cunning than anyone else; even that man with the peach blossom eyes had been tricked.
"It doesn't matter where he is, as long as I can see him."
This time, he didn't hesitate and nodded immediately.
"only……"
"What's the problem? Just say it."
"When did you discover us, Madam?"
“Because of this.” I took out a sachet from my sleeve and waved it in front of him. “When Yunzhi and I parted ways in a hurry, I sent Shaoyou over temporarily. I didn’t think things through so thoroughly in a short time. When… when he got out of prison, even though my elder brother told him everything, he still remembered that I had Guanghan Powder poison on me. And to be able to deliver the sachet to the Marquis’s mansion without anyone noticing, you must be the only one in the world with such lightness skills.”
"Actually, it would be best for Madam not to see the Emperor for the time being..."
"How so?"
"As you know, Madam, His Majesty is a heavy drinker, thanks to a habit he developed in the past. When His Majesty is in the worst mood, he drinks all night long. There's only one reason for this, and usually no one dares to speak to him at that time. That day, His Majesty silently threw this sachet in front of me..." His usually expressionless face twisted strangely, as if he had thought of something extremely terrifying, and a moment of deep-seated fear flashed in his eyes.
"...If I run away again because of my elder brother's pressure this time, I'm afraid..."
I'm afraid... there's no going back.
Chapter 97
Beyond Xiaohe City lies Guanshan Ridge, an extremely cold place where heavy snow falls year-round and sunlight never penetrates, making it sparsely populated.
"Once you cross this mountain pass, you'll reach Jade Dragon Mountain, right?"
"Yes."
"Who told me before that Yunzhi wasn't at Jade Dragon Mountain?"
"Your Majesty is in the Red Valley behind Jade Dragon Mountain."
"Red Canyon?" I've never heard of it before. Isn't the area behind Jade Dragon Mountain a desolate wasteland?
"Hmm," he responded, walking unsteadily through the thick snow.
This godforsaken place! I won't come here again, not even if you invite me in a sedan chair carried by eight men!
I wrapped my padded jacket tighter, bit my lip, and braved the biting wind to quicken my pace.
After walking for several miles, I gradually started to sweat, but as soon as it reached my forehead, a gust of wind would immediately freeze it into frost, and before long, a thin layer of ice would form on my face.
"Madam, you won't be able to reach Jade Dragon Mountain in the dark. Why don't I carry you there?"
Why didn't you say so earlier? I glared at him, which was tantamount to acquiescing.
Actually, I haven't had a proper rest these days. Not only do I have to deal with Li Mu, but I also have to rack my brains to figure out the best time and route to escape. Besides, the north is colder than the south, and even after Qingming Festival, it's still not a time when I can sleep alone at night.
Although it was in the midst of ice and snow, Shao Yan used his internal energy, and the faint warmth emanating from his back still made me drowsy.
In a daze, all that flashed before my eyes was a vast expanse of snow, with clouds and mist as hazy as a dream. Then a fragrance wafted up, coming and going in a hurry. Before I could even smell it properly, the white before my eyes was gradually swallowed by darkness.
There is a Taihe Temple on Yulong Mountain. The courtyard is secluded and the steps are cold. The incense is not very strong on weekdays. Fortunately, there are many pilgrims who come to the mountain every summer, which allows them to make a living throughout the year.
It was only late spring, early summer, and Taihe Temple was still quite deserted, becoming eerily quiet after nightfall. The guest room was simply furnished, and Shaoyan, knowing I was sensitive to the cold, had brought me an extra blanket. In truth, even with a heater and hot coals, I might not have been able to sleep well.
The night passed extremely slowly; all I could see was the dark clouds constantly being blown by the cold wind, and the incessant heavy snowfall.
I was probably exhausted. Despite the cold, I kept dozing off and waking up, but it was even worse than not sleeping at all. When the temple bell rang in the morning, I felt my head start to hurt.
"Didn't you sleep well last night, Madam?"
This was the first thing Shao Yan said to me, which shows how bad I looked.
I waved to him, signaling him to hurry up and get going, too exhausted to say anything.
"Should we rest for another night?"
"You want me to rest for another night? Are you trying to kill me?" I could only glare at him, and he stopped arguing and carried me over the mountain.
It took quite a while to climb this mountain; the terrain is very steep, no wonder Shao Yan said that climbing at night is extremely dangerous.
I had imagined the entire mountain would be a monotonous, silvery-white blanket of snow, but upon reaching the summit, I was greeted by a wondrous sight: a landscape of snow and wildflowers. Everywhere I looked, there was a dazzling array of colors, but the most prominent was undoubtedly the vibrant rhododendron. Those that lay prostrate on the ground bloomed in endless clusters, their branches completely obscured. Red like fire, white like paper, purple like gauze, like a cascade of pearls, as vibrant as peach blossoms, as cold as ice—large flowers like peonies, small flowers like lilacs—each a rare gem of a garden, yet blooming freely on this desolate snow-covered mountain.
To the east of the snow mountain lies a vast meadow. Every spring, when the flowers bloom, herders from the nearby mountain streams would bring their felt tents, ride their tall horses, and drive their yaks, sheep, and cattle to graze on the meadow.