Night Song

Chapter 35

"What kind of person is she?" he asked softly, hiding his pity.

Her dark eyes were unfocused, lost in distant memories.

"She was very beautiful and gentle. She could sing beautiful songs, and at her most moving moments, even the birds that flew by would stop to sing. She was also a skilled dancer. I have never seen a more beautiful woman than her."

"Because she was so beautiful, she often had to carefully conceal her appearance. She took me with her as she wandered around, which was extremely hard, but she never lost her temper with me..."

"She always coaxed me gently, made me delicious snacks... It was so warm in her arms, and she was so kind to my dad too..."

A glint of cold light suddenly appeared, and she stopped speaking.

“You were only five years old back then, how could you have kept it from the King?” He changed the subject.

“I didn’t hide anything…” Jia Ye lowered her head and gently stroked the sword. “I really forgot.”

"you………"

"I remember nothing until I was eleven years old... when I suddenly remembered everything."

His handsome eyes showed doubt, but he did not ask any questions.

“It was my mother who did it.” Knowing he didn’t believe her, Jia Ye smiled faintly. “There is a rare secret technique in the clan, one called Soul Locking and the other called Mind Transfer. After my mother was kidnapped and brought to the mountain, she had no choice but to use it on me.”

"Secret technique?" The name itself is already quite strange.

"'Soul Lock' can make people forget a specified thing, and there will be no clue until the preset prompt appears." She explained simply, then suddenly smiled. "It is said that it was originally used to comfort lovelorn girls who had been abandoned by their unfaithful lovers, so that they could forget the pain of being abandoned."

"Another one?"

“‘Transfer of consciousness’ is quite dangerous.” She looked up at him, gesturing to her own eyes. “It uses willpower to control people, forcing them to act according to one’s commands. The controlled person is like a puppet, but this method is only effective against those who are unprepared and have weak wills. Mother… was poisoned and could not escape, and did not want to be humiliated, so she used it on me. She made me… kill her.”

Her pale face twisted for a moment, but her voice remained calm. He listened silently, his heart churning with emotion, and he gripped her cold little hand tightly.

Jia Ye's brow twitched, and she continued, "It took one night... to instruct me to memorize everything that needed to be remembered, and then locked my memories until I was eleven. The King noticed something strange about the sword, but he didn't guess the secret technique. Fortunately, I was only ten years old when he tested me by bestowing the sword, before my mind had fully awakened, so I managed to deceive him."

"You remembered everything when you were eleven?"

"Hmm." She lowered her head, her fingertips gently tracing the patterns on the sheath. They were large flowers with delicate and elaborate petals, unfurling gently like secret thoughts hidden in the dark night.

"She instructed you to take revenge?"

Her slender, white neck was like jade, and the fine downy hair at the ends was so inviting to touch.

Her voice was soft. "Mother only hopes that I can survive and find a chance to escape."

"She loves you very much."

My heart softened, and I almost wanted to turn my head and kiss her pink cheek to comfort that touch of sadness.

Perhaps touched by the gentle tone, Jia Ye looked up and smiled.

Her features were exquisitely beautiful, her smile sweet and gentle, her dark eyes brimming with tears. She was innocent and childlike, incredibly beautiful. Completely different from her past mask-like expressions, she was like a beautiful woman from a traditional Chinese painting who had suddenly come to life, radiant and dazzling.

A smile, and the flowers bloom.

A sudden dizziness struck my head, and I completely forgot everything.

If it weren't for that momentary pressure on the wound, I almost...

He didn't know what had happened.

All I know is...

That smile was so lovely.

Jiuwei and Qianming joined forces to suppress the turmoil within the sect.

They simply stated that the King was seriously ill and that two people would temporarily take over all affairs.

That thrilling conspiracy has been thoroughly cleansed, leaving no trace whatsoever.

The cost was the depletion of the elite forces under their command. Apart from Jiuwei secretly keeping half of the elites of the Quefeng Camp, there was no other force available. This was something Qianming deeply resented, and all four knew that the current situation of sharing power with Jiuwei would not last long.

The seemingly calm upper echelons are actually turbulent undercurrents, and the balance could be disrupted at any moment.

Three months after the incident, the four men reunited, and the naked power struggle intensified.

"...Now all countries are spying on the sect's movements, and three months is the limit..."

"...If we don't have a formal reason soon, the situation within the church may become unstable..."

"...Many obstacles have been encountered in governing the country, and many deacons have inquired with the Pope..."

"There must be a new Pope."

Jia Ye's words revealed everyone's thoughts, and the scene instantly fell silent. She smiled indifferently, ignoring the intense gazes around her. "Jia Ye is ashamed of her lack of virtue and has no improper thoughts about the throne. She only hopes that a capable person will take the throne, and she will definitely assist him with all her might without hesitation." With these words, she clarified her position and withdrew from the center of the struggle for supreme power.

"Snow Envoy is truly delightful." After a while, Zi Su smiled faintly, her alluring eyes sparkling. "Since that's the case, Zi Su knows she is not capable enough and dares not compete for the throne. She can only wait for the Wind Envoy and Moon Envoy to decide the outcome before making any arrangements."

Jia Ye was unwilling to get involved, and Zi Su was relatively weak, so the two of them directly said they would back down, and the situation immediately became clear.

Qianming and Jiuwei exchanged a glance, their sharp edges revealed.

The two powerful men were determined to obtain the position of Pope. They both knew that if they backed down, they would be at each other's mercy. They were not giving an inch in their words, and sparks flew. In the end, they almost came to blows.

Jia Ye sipped her tea, while Zi Su smiled faintly, watching the two tigers fight.

The veil of cooperation has been torn away, and the clear distinction between interests is enough to trigger murderous intent. What lies before us is merely the prelude to another power struggle. As the rift widens, words gradually lose their effectiveness, and the surging hostility in the room overwhelms everything.

There was a long silence, and no one spoke.

Jia Ye closed the cup lid.

"It's late, there's no need to talk any further. Let's discuss this another day." With that, he turned and walked away, seemingly indifferent.

“Gaye”.

Qian Ming's murderous aura suddenly vanished, and he strolled behind her. He took her slender white hand, his sleeve slipping down, and pressed his lips to hers, lightly licking a spot of bright red on her arm. His burning gaze swept over the man behind her.

"I have done everything you wanted; now it is your turn to keep your promise."

The room was silent, filled with an ambiguous atmosphere, and Zi Su raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Why the rush?" His dark eyes betrayed no emotion. "I will keep my promise."

Feeling the stiffness, Qianming laughed, his lighthearted expression seeming both joking and serious.

“Your dog is so well trained that it can come back on its own even after being chased away. I’m afraid that if it’s any later, what belongs to me will end up in someone else’s mouth, which would be such a pity.”

A frosty look appeared in Jiuwei's eyes, but she remained silent.

Jia Ye stood still, letting him do as he pleased. After a while, he forcefully pulled his hand back.

"I will come to your room tonight."

Same destination

He watched as she rolled up her sleeves and vigorously scrubbed the places Qianming had touched. Her disgust was undisguised; the repeated rubbing caused tiny red spots to seep from her delicate skin.

"Stop wiping." By the time he came to his senses, he had already grabbed her hand and taken the raging cloth away.

Jia Ye did not resist, remaining motionless in a daze.

She stayed there for a long time, and as the sky gradually darkened, she got up and sat in front of the dressing table. She took apart her slightly disheveled hair, carefully combed it with a toothbrush, and tied it up neatly again.

Her face was very pale. She took out a rouge box she had never used before, but after taking a few breaths, she couldn't bring herself to touch it. Frustrated, she tossed it aside in the corner of the room. The vibrant rouge scattered all over the floor, its fragrance enchanting, adding a touch of allure to the room.

Don't go.

He put his arm around her thin shoulder; her bare face in the mirror was as white as frost and snow, almost transparently fragile. "You'll regret this."

Qianming's demand to keep the promise in front of everyone was simply to force Jiaye to make a statement. Given the current situation of Zisu and Jiuwei's alliance, she was indeed too indifferent. Except for situations where she had to express her support, she mostly remained on the sidelines, which inevitably aroused Qianming's suspicion.

"...If I can kill the King of Pop, I don't care about this body..." Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, her voice clear and crisp, like ice cutting through snow. "He's endured until now, he can't possibly give in any longer."

"Or leave, and don't get involved in this mess, okay?" He knew she was always resolute and never changed her mind. He pleaded softly, his heart burning with anxiety. "You simply can't stand being touched by others, why torture yourself?"

“I promised…” She couldn’t finish her sentence, her hands clenching tightly.

Although ruthless and ruthless, Jia Ye always kept his word and always did what he said. Otherwise, Qian Ming would not have felt comfortable waiting until the matter was accomplished before getting involved.

“You’ve already gotten what you wanted, so why not just leave?” A secret hope he’d never considered suddenly slipped out, and he held his breath for a moment. “Or perhaps you could give up your power and leave Tianshan with me?”

After bowing her head for a long time, Jia Ye raised her head.

His eyes, as deep as a frozen pool, were unfathomable and dark, when suddenly a mocking glint appeared.

"Who do you think you are, walking with me?"

The words, sharp as knives, pierced my heart, drawing blood instantly, freezing my emotions with coldness.

"What's it to you if I make a decision?" She didn't look at him again and stepped out the door.

She paused at the doorway, her slender figure displaying a gentle stubbornness.

I'm glad you came back.

"But that doesn't change anything."

Outside the water palace, the white stone path stretches into the distance under the night sky.

She suddenly stopped and stared at a tall, green tree in the distance. The flowering season was over, and layers of green leaves swayed in the wind. Night birds roosted there, and everything was quiet and serene.

Beneath the tree, heavy shadows loomed, as if concealing an unseen world.

Huaiyi, if you were still alive...

Would you be disappointed to see me today?

If I hadn't been so incompetent back then... maybe...

The girl stood there for a long time, then silently lowered her head.

The room was pitch black.

Without changing their posture, they felt a bone-chilling despair for the first time.

The night deepened, bit by bit.

Every minute felt like being torn apart by fire and water.