Hua Wuduo nodded and said, "Since you've already eaten, I'll help you eat when the dumplings come out." She actually wanted to eat, and had originally planned to ask for another bowl, but she happened to run into Liu Xiu, so she found this perfectly plausible excuse to both treat him and get some food. A win-win situation.
Gongzi Xiu smiled faintly, watching her smile contentedly as she ate each dumpling, and gave a soft but clear "Mmm."
The dumplings arrived quickly. Young Master Xiu symbolically picked up one, ate it, and then put down his spoon. Seeing he wasn't eating, Hua Wuduo didn't stand on ceremony. She reached into Young Master Xiu's bowl, scooped up a steaming dumpling, blew on it to cool it, and ate it. Then another, and another…
Gongzi Xiu ate only one dumpling from beginning to end, watching her eat the whole time. His thoughts gradually became somewhat dazed... Are some things fate, inescapable? Are some people destined to be unattainable, unable to obtain what they desire? He gazed at her, not wanting to miss even the smallest gesture, both yearning and resisting, wanting not to look, yet his eyes were fixed on her, a bitter feeling welling up in his chest, yet inexplicably uncontrollable. Until he watched her finish the last dumpling. That matter-of-fact manner stirred a slight ripple in his heart.
After finishing the dumplings, Hua Wuduo generously and magnanimously insisted on paying ten coins. Afterwards, he said to Gongzi Xiu, who had tried to pay but was refused by the dumpling vendor because he didn't have change, "It was agreed that I would treat you this time, so I'll pay. You can treat me next time."
Young Master Xiu said softly, "Alright." But when he thought about the future... his eyes darkened.
A night breeze blew by, and Hua Wuduo, having eaten his fill, stretched lazily as he strolled slowly through the streets with Gongzi Xiu, who was leading the horse. The horse's hooves clattered on the cobblestones of the dark alley, the sound clear and rhythmic. It was like a beautiful melody, making even the cool moonlight of late autumn seem gentler.
Young Master Xiu asked, "Where do you live?"
Hua Wuduo said, "The Qinglin Inn is two streets away from here."
Young Master Xiu asked, "When do you plan to set off for Jiangnan?"
Hua Wuduo said, "It's still uncertain, maybe tomorrow or the day after."
Young Master Xiu said calmly, "I wonder when we will meet again?"
Yes, I don't know when we'll meet again. Thinking of this, the smile on my lips seemed a little forced, but it was only for a moment. In the blink of an eye, my smile became even brighter, and I said loudly, "There will be plenty of time in the future. When spring comes next year, I will come to the capital to see you."
Gongzi Xiu did not seem pleased by these words, and said with a cold expression, "It's a deal."
"Okay, it's a deal." Hua Wuduo nodded and smiled, "Don't forget, you still owe me a meal."
"I won't forget," Young Master Xiu said calmly.
They soon arrived at the two streets, and Young Master Xiu delivered flowers to the Qinglin Inn.
Hua Wuduo said goodbye to him and was about to go inside when he heard Gongzi Xiu ask, "Is Tang Ye still healing your injuries?"
Hua Wuduo smiled and replied, "Yes, my injuries are much better now, so you don't need to worry about me."
Young Master Xiu did not ask any further questions. He watched Hua Wuduo enter the inn until his figure completely disappeared from sight before turning around, mounting his horse, and leaving.
It was nearly midnight when Hua Wuduo entered the west courtyard of the inn and saw Tang Ye sitting on the roof. Anyone else would have been startled to see a man in black sitting on the roof in the middle of the night, but Hua Wuduo was already used to it. Tang Ye never stayed in his room at night; it would be abnormal if he didn't.
It was unclear when he returned. Having eaten and drunk his fill, and not feeling sleepy, Hua Wuduo secretly circulated his qi and felt that his injuries had improved considerably. His breathing was quite smooth, and his internal energy seemed even purer than before. He was secretly pleased and tentatively raised his qi, using his lightness skill to fly onto the roof. With each breath, he encountered no obstruction and began to leap up and down endlessly. Tang Ye, who had been gazing at the night sky and thinking about something, couldn't help but glance at him as he continued to move up and down.
Let her fuss over it, Tang Ye took out a long flute from his waist and began to play.
Hua Wuduo heard the sound of the flute, stopped what he was doing, and looked at Tang Ye.
Tomorrow will be her last day to recover from the poison. Tang Ye has promised not to poison her again, and she believes him without a doubt. Although Tang Ye is always unpredictable, she trusts that he is a man of his word. The thought that she is finally about to see the light at the end of the tunnel fills her with joy. Therefore, she must persevere tonight and not provoke Tang Ye in the slightest. Hua Wuduo thought to herself.
Suppressing his excitement, he leaped onto the roof as usual and quietly sat behind Tang Ye, listening to him play the flute.
At this moment, Hua Wuduo was obediently hugging his knees, listening to Tang Yeyue play the flute. He had nothing to do when he saw someone coming from the opposite rooftop.
The beautiful Chu Tianxiu, who seemed to have intentionally arrived under the moonlight, dressed in white and carrying a guqin, sat opposite them with her back to the crescent moon. No matter how you looked at her, you had to admit that Chu Tianxiu was breathtakingly beautiful.
Chu Tianxiu's zither music harmonized with Tang Ye's flute music, melodious and soft, like a lament. Hua Wuduo thought to himself: Could this scene have been planned by Chu Tianxiu? Looking at the crescent moon above her head, the white ribbon in her hair fluttering in the night breeze, she was practically a goddess descended to earth. While idly staring at the beautiful Chu, he told himself, "Don't fall asleep, don't fall asleep..."
Not long after, Tang Ye heard a soft, even exhalation. He put down the long flute, turned his head, glanced at the woman behind him, then turned away. After a moment's hesitation, he silently got up, ignoring the shy and timid gaze of the beauty opposite him, and went back to his room on his own.
Seeing Tang Ye get up and leap off the roof, Chu Tianxiu hurriedly called out, "Young Master Tang, please wait."
Tang Ye paused slightly, then heard Chu Tianxiu stammer hesitantly, "Young Master Tang, after all, you stole my embroidered ball back then, and I've always considered you... a confidant. Now that Chen Dongyao is entangled with me, Young Master Tang, you..."
Tang Ye didn't look up, only saying, "What does it have to do with me?" After saying that, he pushed open the door and went into the house.
Chu Tianxiu was startled, her eyes filled with undisguised disappointment and desolation. She slumped down, and the night wind rustled past, causing her to tremble involuntarily.
I remember, out of desperation and a fit of pique with her father, she staged this farcical ball-throwing contest to find a husband. She didn't expect to find a man to spend her life with just a ball. But she never imagined that the Poison King Tang Ye would come and snatch her ball.
That was the first time she saw Tang Ye. She didn't know that he was the infamous Poison King Tang Ye, so different from the Poison King she had imagined. He was just a boy, handsome and delicate-looking, with a playful glint in his eyes. His posture while snatching the embroidered ball and his martial arts skills were quite eye-catching, but they couldn't compare to their meeting under the moon that night.
She watched as he snatched the embroidered ball, broke it, and left. Although this was exactly what she wanted, she felt a knot of resentment in her heart. That night, she couldn't sleep at all, so she put on her clothes and went to the Qinglin Inn that the steward had mentioned. The first thing she saw was him playing the flute under the moon.
***************
The man before her was completely different from the one she had seen during the day, but from the first moment she saw him, she knew that he was the real Poison King, Tang Ye.
Under the moonlight, he sat casually on the rooftop, dressed in black, his hair fluttering gently in the wind. His face was no longer handsome, but rather as cold and indifferent as the moonlight. He only glanced at her, and that one glance made her tremble slightly. But it was that one glance that struck a chord deep within her heart. She shuddered and wanted to resist, but felt powerless.
His flute playing was tinged with sadness, as if he were missing someone. She was also skilled in music and enjoyed finding kindred spirits through music, so she took it upon herself to borrow a zither from the shopkeeper and they played together under the moon.
She played the zither and flute with him, yet found herself unable to truly enter his world.
She provoked him, a hint of anticipation in her heart.
She deliberately said harsh words to get his attention, but found that he always treated her as if she didn't exist.
She left in anger, but left behind an unbreakable bond.
Every night in my dreams, all I see is that cold, indifferent glance from him.
Pulling her wandering thoughts back, she couldn't help but glance with some doubt at the girl still fast asleep on the opposite rooftop, Tang Ye's new maid. She sighed deeply; in his heart, she was probably not even as good as this maid. She slowly got up, picked up her zither, and left, her steps already a little unsteady.
After a while, Hua Wuduo, who was still asleep, felt a little cold and woke up. When he saw that he was sleeping on the roof again, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Fortunately, it was quiet and no one was around.
She stretched, regaining some clarity, and then leaped off the roof. Thinking that she could leave this place and Tang Ye tomorrow, and that her injuries had healed well after taking the elixir, her breathing was becoming smoother, and her power had even increased, she felt very happy. She was finally going to escape this sea of suffering, and her injuries were almost healed. This moment was truly blissful.
A cool breeze dispelled her sleepiness, and she felt happy. Suddenly, she took flight and circulated her qi in the courtyard. It had been a long time since her breathing had been so smooth, and she felt overjoyed. In an instant, she used her qi to gather all the fallen leaves in the courtyard under her feet, and then used her lightness skill to take several steps on the ground. She then flew up, and the fallen leaves immediately scattered and spread across the ground.
Under the cover of night, a young girl dressed in red, with a short collar and deerskin boots, simple yet graceful, spun around and stood in front of the spread-out fallen leaves, hands on her hips, laughing loudly to the sky, looking incredibly arrogant and smug, but unfortunately without making a sound... doing these things silently, this scene would seem extremely eerie to anyone who saw it.
A moment later, the girl skipped and hopped into the room and disappeared without a sound.
A gust of wind blew, and all was silent. Someone pushed open the door and came out, standing where the girl had stood when she laughed silently. Looking down at the ground, he saw that the orderly fallen leaves had been scattered by the autumn wind, but words formed by the fallen leaves were still faintly discernible. A strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart, and he stood there in a daze until dawn.
************
Today is a joyous day for the Li and Fang families, and it seems to be a joyous day for the people of Luoyang as well.
The day was bustling with activity, and when the bridal sedan chair passed through the street in the evening, the streets were packed with people, some watching the spectacle and others simply joining in the fun.
The grandeur of the Li family's wedding was truly a sight to behold. The Li family's wedding procession was magnificent and spectacular, blocking several streets, and many shops closed early, all for this great joyous occasion for the Li family in Luoyang.
At the very front of the wedding procession, riding a horse adorned with large red flowers and dressed in a wedding gown, was the groom, Li Kang. Li Kang was very handsome and had been the object of many unmarried women's secret crushes in Luoyang. Now, sitting dashingly on his tall horse, he attracted even more attention from the women, who pointed and whispered among themselves.
Wherever the bride from the Li family went, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air, and flowers lined the road. Four wedding attendants followed beside the sedan chair, constantly throwing candies and dates from their bamboo baskets to the onlookers, which occasionally caused a small commotion. Many children ran after the sedan chair, hoping to catch more candies and dates, their laughter never ceasing.
Today, Hua Wuduo wore a red dress with floral patterns. She had taken special care to dress herself up, and her overall look was a mix of heroic spirit and delicate charm. As she was leaving, Tang Ye noticed that she looked exceptionally radiant today and couldn't help but glance at her a few more times. Hua Wuduo quickly said, "Today is a joyous occasion, so I'll change into some new clothes too."
Tang Ye ignored him and went out the door first.
Qinglin Inn closed early today, just for the owner's big day.
The area in front of the Li family's house was bustling with activity, with cars and people coming and going.
Li Kang, dressed in a bright red wedding robe, stood at the door, beaming as he greeted the guests. Li Kang was tall and imposing, more dashing than his brother Li She, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, unlike Li She who had phoenix eyes that looked quite sharp when narrowed.
When Li Kang saw Tang Ye and Hua Wuduo, he quickly greeted them with a smile, clearly recognizing Tang Ye.
Tang Ye nodded to him without offering any congratulations, but Hua Wuduo jumped out from behind him and shouted, "Congratulations to Young Master Li and Miss Fang on their marriage! May the two of you have a long and happy life together and have many children!"
Tang Ye glanced at Hua Wuduo, and Li Kang laughed, "Brother Tang's maid is indeed extraordinary, she knows how to speak very well. Thank you very much. Please come in and let the servants know if you need anything. Don't be shy."
Tang Ye simply nodded, but then heard the maid behind him shout, "We won't be shy, we'll treat this place like our own home!"
Li Kang smiled.
Tang Ye frowned and glanced at Hua Wuduo. Seeing Hua Wuduo smiling at Li Kang as if he still had a thousand words to say... Tang Ye had already stepped inside.
Just then, Li She came out and personally welcomed them in to witness the ceremony.
Upon entering, guests had already gathered in the front hall of the Li residence, waiting for the moment when the bride and groom would bow to heaven and earth.
Li Kang had no father. His mother sat high on the left, with an empty seat below her, presumably reserved for a respected elder in the Li family. The seat of honor on the right belonged to Fang Ruowei's father, Fang Zhengyang.
Hua Wuduo deliberately ignored the subtle glances from her father, Fang Zhengyang, seated at the head of the table, maintaining a constant grin. It was her sister's wedding day, and she couldn't be there openly by her side; she was understandably saddened. However, her current situation was delicate; the poison in her body hadn't been cured, and she was under Tang Ye's control, her identity couldn't be revealed. She could only endure it, watching her sister's wedding as a stranger. Even so, seeing her sister in her bright red wedding dress marry the one she loved and find happiness filled her with emotion, bringing tears to her eyes.
Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi sidled over when they saw Hua Wuduo. After nodding to Tang Ye, they looked Hua Wuduo up and down, only to find her grinning foolishly. Gongzi Yi felt a chill after looking at her for a while and stopped. After enduring it for a while, he stole a glance and saw her still grinning foolishly. Her appearance was really giving him a headache, so he asked in a low voice, "What's wrong with you? You look so strange."
She chuckled, then chuckled again. These two chuckles made Gongzi Yi unconsciously move a little further away, his eyes twitching slightly. Then he heard her shake her head and say, "This is the first time I've ever attended someone else's wedding. It's so interesting!"
Upon hearing this, Gongzi Yi curled his lip, exhaled, and asked, "What have you thought about my suggestion from yesterday?"
Then I heard her say with a smile, "No."
Prince Yi died.
Gongzi Qi smiled but remained silent.
Tang Ye was also silent.
After waiting for a long time, the master of ceremonies finally announced, "The bride and groom, please enter."
All eyes were fixed on the main entrance. No one noticed that, just then, someone had taken up the empty seat to the left of Li Kang's mother. It was a portly elderly man. Li Kang's mother nodded to him, and the old man seemed to whisper something; Li's mother nodded in response.
Hua Wuduo's gaze was completely drawn to the bride and groom appearing at the door, and she didn't notice the old man's arrival. If she had, she would have been greatly surprised, because this old man was none other than the person who had made the mask for Tang Ye. The old man's true identity was Li Kang's uncle, currently the most respected elder in the Li family.
At the entrance, the groom, Li Kang, looking radiant, held the red ribbon in his hand and slowly walked into the hall with his bride. The crowd applauded and cheered loudly.
At this moment, Gongzi Yi suddenly noticed that Hua Wuduo was covering his mouth, his body trembling slightly as if he were crying or laughing, with tears in his eyes. His appearance was extremely strange, so he couldn't help but ask again, "What's wrong with you now?"
Hua Wuduo clenched his fists tightly to his chest, seemingly extremely excited, and said, "They're in! I'm so excited!"
Gongzi Yi's eyes and eyebrows twitched, but Gongzi Qi burst out laughing and whispered, "Forgive her. You know her nature."
Gongzi Yi replied nonchalantly, "I didn't blame her. She's just a country girl coming to the city; she finds everything fascinating."
Gongzi Qi chuckled again.
Hua Wuduo seemed not to hear, still staring intently at the bride and groom in the hall, grinning foolishly with red eyes.
uninvited guest
What should have been the most solemn and joyous moment was interrupted by an uninvited guest.
A gaunt old man suddenly appeared on the wall outside the hall, shouting tauntingly, "Tang Ye, I know you're in there! You killed my three disciples, and today I will make you pay for it by dying here! Come out!"
The music stopped, and everyone, including the groom, looked outside the hall. The Li family's servants had already surrounded him with sticks. But the old man wouldn't come down from the wall; he stood on it, shouting at people inside.
Li Kang remained silent.
Li She glanced at Tang Ye among the guests, then walked out of the hall, clasped his hands in a respectful bow to the old man on the wall, and said, "Guests are always welcome. Since you're here, why not come in and share in the joy? After my elder brother's wedding, we can have a drink and discuss other matters. It would be a good way to give the Li family some face, wouldn't it?"