Asking About Love Songs

Chapter 8

"Well done, Zhu Yu."

"Young Master Su, don't be angry! His Majesty cares a lot about your words and actions. He always says that you like to play a fake game with him. Not only is your gender fake, but your words are also fake, and your smile is even more fake." Although neither she nor Wuchou could see where Su Gongyu was being fake, His Majesty kept saying that.

"Not only that! His Majesty also said that only Young Master Su's physical body is real. Since he always likes to wear a mask with him, then he should play with this one real body to his heart's content," Wuchou added.

The title "Devil Prince Ying" is indeed not a lie! Su Shaochu just wanted to roll his eyes and scoff.

"His Majesty also said that you are only somewhat sincere towards us. Why isn't Young Master Su as kind to His Majesty as he is to us?"

"That's right! If Young Master Su treats the Emperor well, the Emperor will treat us even better, and then we can come and visit Young Master Su more often."

Worry-free and carefree hurriedly pleaded for their master. From the first day on the cold street, when Su Shaochu gave them warm tea and steamed buns, they liked this elegant and refined "Young Master Su" very much. Su Shaochu was always gentle and caring towards them and never changed. Whenever he saw them, he would always accompany them and listen to them excitedly tell about every happy thing.

It's just that Young Master Su and their master don't seem to get along. Whenever the Emperor is around, unless it's a big event with many people, Young Master Su will stay and spend time with them. If it's just them accompanying the Emperor, Young Master Su will rarely appear. It's not easy for them to see Young Master Su every day, but the Emperor doesn't allow them to stay too long, so sometimes they have to sneak over when the Emperor isn't around.

They angered their master today, and they were so afraid that the emperor would be so angry that he would not allow them to stay by his side and would no longer recognize them!

"Oh dear! I can only smile at Zhu Yu if he's as cute as you guys." Unfortunately, in her mind since childhood, Zhu Yu has only been associated with "scary" and is completely devoid of "cuteness".

Knowing how he treated his own daughter, she felt even more heartbroken towards Zhu Yu. With Zhu Yu's power and influence, what did it matter if he had an illegitimate daughter from an incestuous relationship? If he wanted to, he could easily arrange for her to be recognized as his daughter, creating a flawless excuse. Given his usual eccentricities, no one would be surprised if he had an illegitimate daughter.

In fact, given his dissolute behavior, he has never taken a concubine or had any illegitimate children. In recent years, this has led to some gossipy rumors and even caused the public to question his abilities.

"Young Master Su, let's bury Su Su and Chu Chu under the plum tree."

"Wuyou and I made you a new outfit! Wear that one."

Feeling much better after venting her emotions, she pulled Su Shaochu towards the plum tree by the stream.

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say." Su Shaochu smiled, feeling a pang of reluctance towards these two girls.

Back then, she was hunted down after she caught Zhu Yu having an affair with her own aunt, Song Meie, a maid from Nanyuan, and also learned that Song Meie was pregnant!

Her family only knew that she had caught Zhu Yu in a scandal, but they didn't know the truth. This matter remained buried in her heart to this day, and no one knew that Song Meie had been pregnant.

Watching Wuchou casually dig soil under the plum tree with a small bamboo stick, while Wuyou went to collect flower petals to sprinkle on the little grave mound of their beloved bird.

When they weren't with Zhu Yu, they were just like any other girls, innocent and naive. It's just a pity that when they were with Zhu Yu, a part of their hearts had been twisted. Su Shaochu was not unaware of the way Wuyou and Wuchou killed people. The victims were like the bloody corpses they held in their hands!

"Should we keep them by Zhu Yu's side?" Su Shaochu slowly closed her eyes. "Your Highness, is this kind of 'fatherly love' something you want to gamble with?"

He recalled that gentle voice tinged with sorrow, that pale face, and the helpless look he gave the two little girls in their swaddling clothes…

"Young Master Su, if I were to shamelessly ask you for the life you saved a year ago, would you agree?"

"As long as Shaochu can do it." At less than eight years old, he doesn't understand what he can do.

"In Nanyuan, Mingzong swordsmen hold an extraordinary status. You two siblings are his only disciples, and you are sure to achieve great things in the future. For the sake of my two daughters, I'm asking for a favor from him in the future."

Song Meie took off the red jade bracelet from her wrist, its bright and translucent red color, and placed it on Su Shaochu's head.

"The jade clasp was a gift from him. If you encounter him again in the future, it will at least buy you some time in a crisis." She suddenly smiled sadly. "After all, even if he were to dispose of the things belonging to an old friend after my death, seeing them would still leave some trace of his past relationship, wouldn't it?"

"Madam..." Knowing she didn't want too many people to know about this, but for her safety, Shao Chu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Let the Su family protect you!"

"No, don't let too many people get involved. He's incredibly powerful; if more people confront him, it will only fuel his warlike mentality." Youyou's voice was heavy with conviction. "To gamble on the last shred of familial affection he might still have, and for the future of my two daughters, hoping they can truly receive the care a father deserves, I'm betting fifteen years. If I'm wrong, and he truly proves cold-blooded and ruthless, someone will deal with him!"

"Madam, aren't you afraid... he really has the heart to harm your daughter." The two little girls on the bed waved their little wrists, and on the palm of each of their hands were bright red dots, like birthmarks.

"He doesn't know how yet."

Having witnessed his doting affection for Lu Mingchao, the young master of the Lu family, Song Meie looked up at the bright moon in the sky with a serene expression.

"He has everything, but in reality he has nothing. He doesn't understand true giving and receiving. He can't find what he wants or what he desires. His extraordinary power and status have become tools for him to vent his frustrations."

At that time, Shao Chu looked at her unusually heavy and sorrowful face. Being so young, he could not understand the meaning behind Song Meie's words. He only knew that when he went to see her again as promised the next night, he was shocked to see her being killed by Zhu Yu with a single palm strike!

Hiding behind the bushes, she was so terrified she couldn't make a sound. Looking at Song Meie's tearful eyes, she saw her smile coldly as she stroked Zhu Yu's face and passed away. She was extremely shocked and didn't understand why!

Why could she smile at the person who killed her, the person who drove her to this point, and remain so gentle and loving until her death?

"Even the most hateful person has a pitiable side. Zhu Yu, you hate superfluous people, but I hate those who are both hateful and pitiful. After all, such people are always the most wicked!"

Su Shaochu opened his eyes, as if making a decision, his pursed lips and resolute eyes flashing.

"You enjoy manipulating human nature and people's hearts, don't you? Let me let you experience 'human' emotions, and then I'll retaliate in kind. The victory you savor will be quite delightful!"

"Wow, what beautiful leaves, golden red leaves."

"The red leaves also have a golden sheen."

The carefree and worry-free birds, having already buried their chicks, ran to the steaming stream to wash their hands. There they saw red leaves floating in the water, shimmering and swaying. They exclaimed in surprise and scooped them up, presenting them to Su Shaochu as if they were treasures.

"There's another one! It looks so beautiful it's unreal, it hasn't withered even in this cold weather." If you didn't actually touch it and know it was a real leaf, you really wouldn't believe that such a beautiful leaf exists in the world.

"It must have floated down from upstream! Do these strange and beautiful leaves grow on the mountain?" Wuchou peered out at the thousand-foot-high cliff face; the sunset had faded, and dusk was approaching. "How come I've never seen this before?"

Su Shaochu looked at the strange leaf in his palm, his eyes bright and clear, a smile that shone brightly across his face.

"Have you arrived, Xuechu?"

Chapter Five

Wearing a pale white robe with light purple trim, she stood under the plum tree, her hands behind her back, facing the cold wind that poured down from the top of the cliff day and night. The biting chill was quickly melted away by the warmth of the hot spring flowing down.

Moonlight streamed down from the cliff top, some falling onto the warm spring water. The moonlight shone on the water, and in the light mist, in the tranquility brought only by the sound of water, Su Shaochu's furrowed brows revealed a touch of ethereal elegance. His dark hair fluttered, and his thoughts drifted...

A bright, light melody echoed along the lakeside, the water shimmering and rippling. A young man, sitting on a rock by the lake playing his flute, heard approaching footsteps. Though he opened his eyes, he did not stop playing until the music ended.

"What, I'm about to leave, and you're still planning to stick to that perpetually icy face? My dear little brother, aren't you going to offer some wise advice?" Su Shaochu always greeted the person in front of him with that teasing chuckle.

The eldest princess, who had fled to the border to escape disaster, needed long-term treatment with medicine from the Central Plains due to a relapse of her old illness and poisoning. As her apprentice, Su Shaochu had always regarded the eldest princess as his second mother, so he naturally accompanied her.

Putting down her flute, Su Xuechu didn't turn around, but just watched the ripples on the lake caused by the wild geese.

"Be careful in your actions and thoughts, and refrain from further reckless behavior!"

"Oh!" Su Shaochu nodded, seemingly pleased with himself. "Truly, these are golden words of wisdom, nothing more?"

Xuechu, her face expressionless, simply picked up the flute again and began to play.

"Sigh! It really takes patience to squeeze a bit of humanity out of you." Su Shaochu stood next to him, facing the pleasant breeze, and crossed her arms as if she were in a self-assured manner. "However, I know that my little brother, who is not good at expressing his feelings, is extremely reluctant to let his gentle, kind, and caring older sister leave his side. He's just too shy to say it."

A pair of clear, bright eyes glanced at him sideways, but he remained calm and played the flute with his eyes closed. The melody was different from the previous one; it seemed to blend into the scenery of the lake and mountains, carrying a sense of freedom and ease. The rising sound seemed to break through the clouds, yet it was mindful of the beauty of the world and instead wandered freely between heaven and earth, exuding a carefree and unrestrained air.

Knowing that he was speaking to her in the sound of a flute, Su Shaochu smiled.

"You think this is my personality, and the lifestyle that suits me best—free and unrestrained," she said, giving him a sideways glance. "And what about you? You're not planning to retire in Nanyuan, are you?"

Despite his young age, he seemed like a sage on the verge of becoming an immortal, taciturn and unaffected by any temptations. He loved the secluded environment and rarely left Meixiu Mountain except to fight for her.

"My personality is not suited to the Central Plains, and besides, we cannot appear together in the Central Plains."

Although they are twins, they are still different boys and girls. Their physiques and figures change as they grow up, and the games they used to play together can no longer continue. Their carefree childhood should come to an end, and the future awaits them.

"Alright! Considering that my poor little brother might miss me, here, I'll give you a golden-threaded red leaf that only comes in a few decades deep in Meixiu Mountain." She generously and magnanimously presented this rare and precious item.

"The golden-threaded red leaves only sprout three leaves every thirty years, where did you get six leaves from?" He was slightly taken aback as he took the new item placed on his plate.

There are only two jade locust trees in the entire Nanyuan that can grow golden-red leaves. One is in the Mingzong Sword Master's meditation place, which is a sacred place in Nanyuan, and the other is in the treacherous Longgou Village.

The golden thread red leaves have a unique appearance, resembling a piece of fine silk inlaid with red jade. They can remain undried and undecayed for ten years and have a miraculous effect on the recovery of internal injuries. The only two plants in Nanyuan grow in places that are not easily accessible.

"I gave Mitsuha to the swordsman by seducing him with my beauty," she said mysteriously, clearing her throat.

Su Xuechu frowned and stared at her, her lips twitching as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't say anything.

"What? You mean to say you admire my irresistible charm?"

"The swordsman said the other day that he had lost something and suspected that it was stolen by a certain ghost spirit. It turns out he was referring to Jinlu Hongye and you."

"Who has the ability to steal a swordsman's things? It just so happened that he wasn't there that day, and I took a small item as a souvenir by using the mechanism he set up." It also serves as a way of letting people know that a guest had come to visit but was not present.

"What about the other three leaves?"

"You, the five who went to war in my place before, were known as the Five Evil Fiends of the East."

Why do bad people like to form gangs and choose names that sound vulgar but are considered impressive by them?

"Are they the owners of Longgou Village?"

"Yes! Not anymore." She smiled and added, "After being defeated by you and having the Golden Thread Red Leaf taken away by me, they have abandoned Longgou Village." Let's see if anyone will reoccupy Longgou Village when the Golden Thread Red Leaf grows again in thirty years.

However, in the treacherous Longgou Village, the Jade Locust Tree grows on steep cliffs and precipices, and only those with superior martial arts skills can admire its leaves from afar. This is why the Five Evils of the East can only occupy territory and rule, but can never obtain the Golden Thread Red Leaf.

Sometimes you leave people speechless, not knowing what to say.

"I don't know what to say, so I just wished you well and gave you something as a gift." Su Shaochu raised an eyebrow and glanced at him. "Give me the treasured sword you always carried with you in your younger days!"

"Ice Rainbow Sword." It was a gift from the swordsman when he first mastered the swordsmanship. In recent years, he unintentionally solved a problem encountered by an old swordsmith who had been living in seclusion for a long time. The other party, based on his physique and abilities, forged another sword for him to carry with him.

"The Ice Rainbow Sword is light and thin, unimpeded by the wind, more suitable for me than for you." She told him directly and decisively that it was useless to keep it by his side, and it was better to give it to someone useful. "Most importantly, it is so much like you, seemingly as proud as snow and frost, cold and silent, but when you actually make a move, it is like a blazing fire, leaving people in awe."

Su Xuechu stood up, took off the precious jade pendant she had worn since childhood, and put it around her neck.

"You don't like wearing any jewelry, except for Jun'er's gold ring. Please make an exception for me with this jade!"

It was rare to imagine that her siblings, who had been accustomed to being together for so many years, would no longer be able to rely on each other. But they would eventually have to face their separate paths after growing up. Su Xuechu reached out and hugged her.

"I will fight for you in every duel, whenever you wish; I will be by your side whenever you need me."

Su Shaochu remained silent in his arms, and Xue Chu held him tightly without letting go. At this moment of impending separation, Su Shaochu returned her embrace, accompanied by her slightly unsteady, low, hoarse laughter, and said, "My dear little brother, you really are the one who, when you don't speak, leaves everyone speechless with your every move."

Past thoughts added a touch of vivid, warm smile to those eyes that gazed intently at the moon.

"The bright moon makes me miss my loved ones even more." She closed her eyes and sighed softly, "Little brother, do you know? What I want most right now is to pour you a cup of wine and drink with you under the bright moon on this snowy night, to see your silent expression, to hear my words, yet you always unconsciously furrow your brow. That would be a peaceful and tranquil moment of happiness!"

Su Shao first went to the stream, picked up the only jade pendant she wore around her neck, took it off, concentrated her energy at her fingertips and poured it into the jade. A wisp of red smoke rose up. She took out a small piece of paper from her bosom, rolled it up, stuffed it into the semi-soft jade body, then put it into a small bamboo section and placed it into the stream.

"A faint sorrow is written down as a gentle worry, flowing with the water. Is it sorrow or worry that is being sent out?" Watching the bamboo sections float and sink along the way, she was quite moved.

Turning around, she walked towards the "Snow Jade Pavilion," her hair brushing past her ears as she stepped onto the elegant jade steps, a soft laugh escaping her lips as she murmured to herself.

"Is it truly true that giving up something guarantees gain? If I were to give up my own body, Su Shaochu, would I truly get what I desire? Alas!"

Arriving beneath the golden and white gauze curtains, I picked up the wine pot that had been warming in the burning water and poured a cup of wine.

"Drinking alone is not enough to express my feelings; my heart is filled with sorrow. Even if I invite the bright moon to share a drink, it cannot dispel my worries and sorrows." She drank it down in one gulp, the faint taste of wine passing over her lips. "The wine I drink when I'm sad is bitter, but it can't compare to this cup now, with all sorts of emotions swirling in my heart."