Heaven is the shore of mortal dust

Chapter 156

"He...is here?" Chen Chang asked incredulously. "No wonder, he dumped a bunch of chores on Shang Zhen and disappeared without a word. Turns out he ran off to have some fun here."

"I only came here after dealing with the internal strife, and I only just found out myself," Wei Zijun said, raising her eyebrows, her eyes still fixed on the memorial, her hand still writing.

Her focused expression was captivating; her fair face glowed, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her slender fingers picked up a brush, flicked her sleeve to apply ink, and began to write quickly on the folded paper.

Chen Chang stared at her intently, a sigh escaping his lips. Before leaving, Xinhe had approached him, wanting to come along, but given the long journey and her being a young woman, he hadn't allowed it.

"Third Brother, why are you suffering here with me?" She paused, raising an eyebrow. "Why don't you go take a look at my harem? If you see a beautiful woman you like, you can take her."

Chen Chang glared at her, and Wei Zijun burst into laughter.

"You even dare to tease your third brother? You've grown up now, haven't you? Have you forgotten who was the one whose face turned as white as a monkey's butt when that woman was mentioned?" Chen Chang glanced at her sideways.

Wei Zijun smiled lightly, "Third Brother, it's rare that you could come. Since you don't want a beautiful woman, I'll give you a gift instead, I guarantee your eyes will light up when you see it." She closed the last document, stood up, "Third Brother, the Akhal-Teke horses of our Western Turkic Ferghana are priceless. Do you want to tame one yourself, or wait until you've tamed one and then give it to you?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Chang's eyes lit up, and he immediately perked up. "I want to tame it myself. Where is it? Take me there quickly."

Wei Zijun chuckled softly and pulled Chen Chang up.

As soon as the two stepped out of the tent, they encountered Geshufa hurrying towards them. "Khan, the envoys have arrived. Should we have them wait outside the tent overnight and summon them tomorrow morning?"

"Which envoy is it?" Wei Zijun asked.

"It is Zangarsunbo."

"No need. Supi and I are comrades-in-arms, and these are all old acquaintances. Let them in."

"Yes, Khan, she...they..." Goshuva stammered, his face slightly flushed, "They brought thirty handsome men, saying they were gifts for you. What...what should we do with them?"

Wei Zijun was somewhat taken aback. "Handsome men? Why is Queen Supi sending me these instead of enjoying them herself?"

Goshufa coughed from the side, "Khan? During the time you were unconscious, Queen Supi thought you were alive. She was heartbroken and said that you were the most beautiful man she had ever seen. From then on, she could no longer look at any handsome man. In order to avoid being reminded of her by seeing handsome men, she...she...I heard that she started to favor ugly men instead."

Wei Zijun was stunned. This Tang Pangshi had so many eccentricities, but her affection warmed her heart. She hadn't expected her to be such a deeply affectionate person. "Tell them to come in immediately. I'll wait for them here."

When the Su Pi envoy entered, Wei Zijun personally went to greet him. When she saw the woman in the green robe at the head of the group, she was taken aback.

Tang Pang! She actually came.

Tang Pang stopped in her tracks when she saw Wei Zijun. Then, with a slightly excited smile, she strode over and took Wei Zijun's hands in hers.

"Your Majesty—" Wei Zijun said with some emotion.

Tang Pang moved her lips, staring intently at Wei Zijun. After a long while, she finally spoke: "You really are becoming more and more like a woman!"

Wei Zijun was stunned, her mouth agape.

Tang Pang ignored Wei Zijun's expression. She reached out and stroked Wei Zijun's face, gently stroking her robe. "I've heard some rumors in Tibet that the Khan is a woman."

"The enemy's rumors are nothing but slander and sowing discord. How can we believe them? Even if I were a woman, so what?" Wei Zijun withdrew her surprise and said calmly.

"So what?" Tang Pang's hand brushed against Wei Zijun's lips. "Perhaps, I'll change my mind and fall in love with women."

Wei Zijun sighed inwardly and grasped Tang Pang's hand. "Your Majesty, please stay a few more days. Let me accompany you on your travels."

"good."

Just as the two were about to walk hand in hand towards the tent, a shout came from afar, "Wind—"

A white shadow flashed across the grassland. He Lu, dressed in white, rode his Tesa Lu to Wei Zijun. He dismounted and handed Wei Zijun a large bunch of irises he had picked. At that moment, he noticed Tang Pang.

Tang Pang stared intently at He Lu, her eyes frequently gleaming.

Seeing her blatant gaze, Wei Zijun quickly grabbed He Lu's hand and pulled him behind her. "I heard that His Majesty no longer likes handsome men?"

"Seeing the Khan, knowing he's alright, makes me like handsome men again." Tang Pang peeked behind Wei Zijun. After a while, she sighed. "The Khan is truly blessed. It's clear that Shaboloye is deeply in love with him. And the Emperor of Dayu is even more... Alas! Love is indeed the most hurtful thing in this world. When I heard the news of the Khan's death, even I, who had never known him well, didn't speak or eat for three days. And Li Tianqi even coughed up blood and his hair turned white. Love is truly heartbreaking."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zijun remained silent for a moment, then a gentle look appeared on her face. "Love can hurt people, but it can also save them."

In May, the grass in Western Turks is tender and the flowers are in full bloom. The boundless grasslands are covered with blue irises, and the slanting sunlight shines on the flowers, making the spring day on the grasslands warm and romantic.

After riding swiftly along, Wei Zijun arrived at the stele in Ashina Yugu Valley, a place she had been visiting frequently lately.

She opened the wine flask and poured the wine in front of the monument. Her lowered eyelashes trembled slightly, and out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the woods to the side, where she saw a white figure.

Wei Zijun smiled and felt a pang of heartache in Xiao Le's heart.

He leaned against the monument, picked up the wine flask, tilted his head back and took a sip, muttering to himself, "Since I'm here, why not drink with Zijun?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the figure stiffen for a moment.

"Spring arrives and the new grass grows deep in the white mountains."

The Northern Yan state returned, leaving no trace.

Drunk, I lean against the stone forest, my soul secretly captivated.

My dream is fading, and I dare not speak of when I will return.

The setting sun had already cast its last rays on the dusk.

As the endless clouds disperse, thoughts of the army linger.

Two years, three years, five years of spring.

We've returned, hand in hand, just the two of us.

After reciting the poem, she suddenly turned to the woods on the other side and said, "Second Brother, Zijun's feelings are clear, are you still hiding and refusing to come out?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the figure in the woods froze for a moment, then quickly disappeared. Wei Zijun leaped up, mounted Tesaru, and gave chase.

The man ahead of him was running rather haphazardly, crossing the woods and galloping towards the vast grassland. Wei Zijun overtook him on horseback, placed her horse across his path, and with a graceful lift of her arm, reined in her horse.

As the sun sets in the west, the sky is ablaze with colorful clouds. The magnificent grassland is bathed in a golden glow.

Wei Zijun stood on the golden Akhal-Teke horse, staring motionlessly at the man, at his pure white hair, and her eyes reddened.

She dismounted and slowly approached him.

He covered his face and hair with his hands, turning his head to the side, not daring to look at her.

She approached him step by step, took his hand, and looked at him carefully.

"Zijun, I'm ugly." He covered his hair.

"Second Brother isn't ugly, he's very beautiful." She stroked his cheek, stroked his hair, and looked at him tenderly. "Really, he's very beautiful." She stroked his hair for a long time, the hair that had turned white for her.

Li Tianqi gazed at her, staring at her for a long time, then he burst into tears, "Zijun, I miss you—"

He cupped her face in his hands. "I think about her every day, every moment."

Tears blurred her vision as she stroked his face. "Second Brother, I miss you too."

He kissed her misty eyes, taking her tears into his mouth, and they embraced.

On the horizon, clouds drift and swirl, and colorful clouds fill the sky.

The world is so big, yet I still met you; the world is so small, yet I still lost you. Fortunately, I found you again.

Li Tianqi brushed aside her stray hairs, "Zijun, have you been hurt?"

"Yes." Wei Zijun patted his back. "Second Brother, is your injury healed?"

"It still hurts." Li Tianqi's post-production team was getting a little lazy.

"Where does it hurt?" Wei Zijun asked worriedly.

"The arrow wound on my back." His tone grew increasingly lazy.

"It still hurts after all this time?" she asked, puzzled.

"kindness."

"Then, shall I take a look?" Wei Zijun asked tentatively.

As if he had been waiting for these words, Li Tianqi immediately began to take off his outer robe.

"This...Second Brother...Let's go back and look at it later..." Taking off his clothes in broad daylight...

"You don't care about me." Li Tianqi said, feeling wronged.

"Uh?" Wei Zijun blinked. "Then! Then take it off! Take it off."

Volume 4, Where Does Love Belong? Chapter 146: Hand in Hand (Final Chapter 2)

Li Tianqi removed his outer robe, then his inner shirt, revealing his smooth back. His back was beautifully shaped, long and strong. Wei Zijun felt a flush of embarrassment on her face, but still endured the heat and gently touched the arrow wound on his back. The touch of her fingertips made Li Tianqi tremble.

"Does it hurt?" Wei Zijun gently brushed over the arrow wound.

"pain."

"But everything's all set," she murmured, somewhat puzzled. "Then, what should we do?"

"Zijun, my figure... isn't bad, right?" Li Tianqi's face turned bright red; heaven knows how much courage he mustered.

Wei Zijun was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. So that's how it is; he wanted to show her his muscular physique.

Wei Zijun smiled and pressed her lips to the arrow wound on his back, whispering, "Does it still hurt?"

Li Tianqi's voice suddenly became as low as a mosquito's buzz. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Hehe... Wei Zijun chuckled softly and removed her lips.

Sensing her departure, Li Tianqi's voice, barely audible, rang out again, "It hurts, it hurts again."

Wei Zijun placed her hands on his smooth back and slid them gently. She felt his body tremble. She pressed her lips to his wound again, and then slid her hands to her chest and hugged him tightly.

Li Tianqi closed his eyes. Wei Zijun held him for a long time, remaining still, as if they were asleep.

They held each other like that until the evening glow danced across the sky, the setting sun painting a picture. Smoke rose from the scattered felt tents, and the aroma of roasted meat filled the air.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two figures.

Li Tianqi habitually tugged at Wei Zijun's sleeve. Wei Zijun looked at him tenderly, feeling a pang of heartache.

She took Li Tianqi's hand in hers.

From this day forward, let me hold your hand...