Construyendo una dinastía de canciones armoniosas

Capítulo 55

"Then what are you going to do?" Si Junxing felt something was wrong, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Didn't you say you wanted me to have a child for you? What did you say we... should do..." Lin Suyang suddenly moved closer, her lips brushing against Si Junxing's as she whispered.

Suddenly, the image of "Lin Suyang" performing at the Wei Palace that night flashed through his mind. Si Junxing frowned. His long eyelashes trembled slightly. The sudden surge of desire he had felt earlier subsided. He grabbed the hand that had been groping him and asked coldly, "Who are you?"

Upon hearing this, "Lin Suyang" was taken aback. Then she giggled, "I am Lin Suyang. Your wife. Have you forgotten?" "You are not Lin Suyang. Tell me. Who are you?"

"I am Lin Suyang..." Ignoring Si Junxing's grip on her hand, Lin Suyang rolled over and straddled him. She lowered her head and leaned close, saying, "You doubt me? You actually... don't believe me?" Her tone was resentful, yet her expression was more alluring and passionate than ever before.

Si Junxing was stunned for a moment. He unconsciously loosened his grip on her hand.

“I remember. The first time we met was in a grove of trees below the White Pagoda on Xiangkong Mountain. You were poisoned by a snake then, and I was the one who sucked the poison out for you. Later, you jumped off a cliff for me, lost your sight, and crippled your martial arts. I remember all of that. Why would you doubt me?” Lin Suyang said softly as she lowered her head to kiss his face.

Si Junxing was still staring blankly at her. When her hand touched his waist, he suddenly flipped over and pinned "Lin Suyang" down. "Lin Suyang" looked at him, a faint smile playing on her lips, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I've never doubted you, Lin Suyang," Si Junxing whispered in her ear, then smiled wickedly and reached out to press her pressure point to put her to sleep.

Seeing Lin Suyang close her eyes, Si Junxing finally let out a breath and lay back down on the bed. Turning his head to look at that peaceful sleeping face, Si Junxing inwardly scolded himself for not having enough self-control, and frowned as he wondered, what exactly happened?

Lin Suyang drifted back into that dream: a vast sea of flowers—white, red, yellow—flowers of every color imaginable, blooming vibrantly and swaying gracefully. A young woman dressed in white stood in the center of the flower field, smiling at her. As Lin Suyang drew closer, she was astonished to find that the woman looked exactly like her. She asked in surprise who she was, and the woman replied that her name was Lin Suyang.

Lin Suyang? A sharp pain shot through her heart. She crouched down and looked at her in a panic, saying, "No, no, I am Lin Suyang, I am."

The woman continued to smile, walking step by step towards her, saying, "I am you, and you are me; we are inseparable. However, perhaps before long, I will only be myself, and you will vanish completely."

Lin Suyang shook her head, but then a flash before her eyes, and she found herself standing in the Gobi Desert of Northwest China. There, Qin Yu lay before her, covered in blood. Lin Suyang screamed and rushed to her, embracing Qin Yu and calling her name repeatedly. Qin Yu, however, remained motionless, her eyes closed, no matter how much she shook her. Lin Suyang broke down in tears, but not a single tear fell…

When Lin Suyang woke up in the morning, she opened her eyes and saw Si Junxing staring at her intently. She smiled slightly and said, "You woke up so early today?"

Si Junxing took her hand and held it tightly, saying, "Yes, I wanted to see you wake up. Did you sleep well last night?"

Lin Suyang nodded: "It's good, but it's a bit hot."

"Hot?" Si Junxing's face suddenly turned red.

"What's wrong? Did you catch a cold last night?" Lin Suyang looked at Si Junxing's flushed face, reached out her other hand to touch his forehead, and then touched her own forehead.

"No," Lin Suyang said, looking at him strangely, "Why is your face so red?"

Si Junxing coughed awkwardly a few times and said, "It's just that my throat is a little sore. Don't worry, I'll have Mu Qing get some medicine for me later. Get up quickly, Mu Qing said the medicine will be ready today."

Si Junxing threw off the covers and got out of bed. He turned around and saw Lin Suyang's underwear, which was disheveled from the tugging last night, peeking out slightly. He quickly grabbed some clothes from the stool and stuffed them into Lin Suyang's hands, saying, "Hurry up and get dressed."

Lin Suyang looked at the white clothes in her hand, and then stared at Si Junxing who was staring at her with a puzzled expression. What was wrong with this man today?

Seeing that she was hesitant to move, Si Junxing simply picked up the clothes and dressed her himself. The inevitable touching during the process made him absent-minded. In the end, Lin Suyang tied the belt herself.

"Are you really sick?" Lin Suyang asked anxiously as he got out of bed. "I'll go find Xiao'er to get my medicine." He turned and left.

"Hey, wait a minute." Si Junxing stopped her and said, "You wait here. Shen Xiao will bring breakfast later. I can go to Zhenren's place to get the medicine myself."

Lin Suyang watched Si Junxing rush out the door, rubbed his forehead, and comforted himself, saying that he probably just caught a cold.

Si Junxing went to the pharmacy to find Yan Muqing, but instead of seeing him, he ran into Master Guigan, who was carrying a sandalwood box, walking in from outside.

"You've come so early today?" Master Guigan glanced at him, then handed him the box and said, "This is a spare. I've already given another box to Qing'er. There's enough medicine, but you should still be careful."

Si Junxing nodded in agreement. He wanted to tell Master Guigan about Lin Suyang's unusual behavior last night, but he didn't know how to start. After thinking carefully, he cautiously asked, "Senior, could you tell me if witchcraft could cause a person's personality to change drastically?"

Master Guigan walked to the medicine furnace, looked at the fire burning below, and said, "Witchcraft can cause hallucinations in the victim, and can also make the person controlled by the witchcraft caster. During this time, the person will not have their own consciousness. However, it is unheard of for it to cause a drastic change in a person's temperament."

He paused, his brow furrowing as he turned to look at Si Junxing and asked, "What's wrong? Is something wrong with her?"

After thinking it over, Si Junxing finally told Master Guigan what had happened on the day of the Empress's investiture ceremony and the previous night.

"You mean, she was completely different from usual at that time?"

Si Junxing nodded. Lin Suyang was naturally indifferent and not enthusiastic about love. In the past, he had always gone along with her and never dared to force her. Now that she had suddenly changed, how could he not be suspicious and nervous?

“Moreover, I have a feeling that the person last night wasn’t her at all,” Si Junxing said seriously.

"What's the meaning?"

"Lin Suyang has no martial arts skills. There was no light in the room last night. How could she see me?" There was no moonlight last night, yet she could still see things as if it were daytime. This doesn't make sense.

"This is truly bizarre. I've never heard of such a strange thing in all my years of life. Could it be that the Nine Lotus Ice and the witchcraft are working together to cause this?" Master Guigan pondered. "Does she still remember what happened last night this morning?"

"I can't remember anything."

Nine Lotus Ice is a legendary sacred object, while witchcraft is a magical evil. The two are mutually antagonistic and intertwined. Could this lead to a situation like Lin Suyang's? If so, what would be the outcome?

"You should not tell her about this yet, and observe her further. I have prepared the medicine here, so you should take it down the mountain as soon as possible. I will look for the book again to see if I can find anything I have missed. We will communicate by carrier pigeon on the way."

After sincerely thanking him, Si Junxing turned to leave, but then heard Master Guigan call him back and say, "You... although you are husband and wife, given her health, there may be unforeseen changes. You should... be careful."

With the words spoken so clearly, how could Si Junxing not understand? He thanked him again, then carried the heavy box in both hands out the door and headed towards Yan Muqing's room.

Volume Four, Palace Absolute, Chapter 125: Difficult to Distinguish Between Truth and Falsehood (Part 1)

Shen Xiao stayed in the carriage with Lin Suyang to take care of her at any time, Si Junxing acted as the coachman, and Yan Muqing rode a horse alongside them.

Along the way, Shen Xiao kept talking, recounting what she and Yan Muqing had done after they parted ways. She also talked about how heartbroken and angry she was when she learned of Lin Suyang's "death." She said that if Yan Muqing hadn't analyzed the situation and guessed that Lin Suyang was not dead, Shen Xiao might have joined the army to conquer the vassal states long ago.

Lin Suyang was deeply moved by Shen Xiao and Yan Muqing's concern and kept thanking Shen Xiao. When Shen Xiao asked her what had happened, Lin Suyang didn't want to say but felt guilty for not being able to repay Shen Xiao's kindness, so she told her about what happened after she lost her memory.

"So, the baby in your belly back then was Emperor Hong's child?" Shen Xiao asked, tilting her head.

Lin Suyang nodded, wondering how Xiao'er was doing now. Without her by his side to take care of him, was he still making a fuss? Did someone like Han Yufeng even know how to coax a child?

"I thought... it was Brother Si Junxing's..." Shen Xiao murmured, but when she suddenly saw Lin Suyang's expression change, she realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly covered her mouth.

The issue of having children is a perpetual pain in Lin Suyang's heart, and also the biggest obstacle between her and Si Junxing. Si Junxing says he doesn't care at all, but she knows that he has always cared a lot about it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have wanted her to have a child for him after she recovered.

Seeing that Lin Suyang was not in good spirits, Shen Xiao changed the subject and said, "By the way, Sister Suyan, are we heading to Yanliao now?"

“Yes, that’s right.” Lin Suyang nodded as he came back to his senses. “We’ll go to Yanliao first, and then head straight south to reach the Jiangzu region.”

Shen Xiao frowned and said, "Then wouldn't that be a long time? Sister, can your body handle it?"

Lin Suyang smiled and said, "It's nothing, we can persevere." He sighed and added, "However, although the Jiang tribe is located in the territory of Yan and Liao, they are not under the jurisdiction of Yan and Liao. It is said that the Jiang people rarely interact with others, and they are self-sufficient in their own tribe. Moreover, the Jiang people are naturally eccentric and have a strong hostility towards outsiders. We don't know how many dangers we will encounter on this trip."

Shen Xiao held her hand and comforted her, "Sister, don't be afraid. With us protecting you, no one will hurt you." Lin Suyang knew Shen Xiao had misunderstood. She didn't say anything more, only worrying in her heart. Her own life was one thing, but if anything happened to the three of them, she feared she could not atone for it even with her death.

The carriage sped along the official road. By evening, Lin Suyang and her companions had arrived at a small town. Yan Muqing went ahead to book rooms at an inn. Shen Xiao and Lin Suyang got off the carriage and went directly into the inn's lobby to wait. Fearing something might happen, the group had disguised themselves before descending the mountain. Lin Suyang was now a frail, sickly middle-aged woman, while Shen Xiao, disguised as her sister, carefully cared for her. Si Junxing was a middle-aged man.

Soon after, Yan Muqing came over and said it was all settled. Then the group called the waiter to order. To outsiders, these were just two ordinary couples, the women being sisters. Perhaps they were simply a family traveling or visiting relatives. Therefore, they didn't attract much attention.

"Hey. Have you heard about what happened in Yundu?" someone at the next table asked their companion in a low voice. Upon hearing the words "Yundu," Lin Suyang's hand paused involuntarily. Si Junxing noticed this, took her hand in his, and felt a warmth spread from his palm into her heart. Lin Suyang smiled at him, indicating that everything was alright. Only then did Si Junxing release her hand and pour her hot tea.

"How come I haven't heard about it? Didn't Empress Jingshu fall ill right after the Empress's investiture ceremony?" another person said dismissively.

"Don't you... think something's fishy?"

"Shh... Don't make wild guesses about things like this. If you're found out, you'll be spending more time in jail than you can handle!"

The man who spoke earlier said again, "That's true, but forget it, we're just ordinary folks, why should we care so much? Come on, let's drink..."

Shen Xiao had hoped to hear some news. She listened intently for a few sentences, but when she heard nothing more, she pouted and said, "Why do these people stop halfway through their stories?" Yan Muqing nudged her arm with her elbow. She looked over in confusion and saw Yan Muqing gesturing towards the opposite side. Shen Xiao knew she had made a mistake again. She quickly lowered her head and ate her food.

Seeing that Lin Suyang had no reaction, Si Junxing felt relieved. After dinner, the group went upstairs to their rooms. To avoid arousing suspicion, Yan Muqing only booked two rooms. Shen Xiao originally wanted to go with Lin Suyang, but under Yan Muqing's strong suggestion, she reluctantly followed him to the other room.

"Are you tired?" Si Junxing asked as soon as he entered the room.

"How could I be tired? It's you who's been traveling all day. Go to bed early tonight," Lin Suyang said as she sat down on the stool.

"Okay. I'll go ask the waiter to boil some water."

Not long after Si Junxing left, Shen Xiao ran over to complain that her senior brother had bullied her and made her sleep on the floor.

Lin Suyang couldn't help but chuckle. This girl was really naive. Anyone could see that Yan Muqing treated her better than he treated himself, so why would he let her sleep on the floor?

"Brother Muqing is so mean. He always does this. When Master asked us to gather herbs, he insisted on making me wait. Isn't that because he looks down on me? He always says I'm clumsy and prone to making mistakes, and he never lets me do anything." Shen Xiao pouted as she spoke, looking like a little sister next door pouting at her older sister.

"Xiao'er," Lin Suyang said, pulling Shen Xiao's hand, "Honestly, do you really think Mu Qing is bad?"

"I...I don't know." Shen Xiao suddenly blushed.

"Xiao'er, should I say you really don't know, or are you pretending not to know?"

"What?" Shen Xiao looked at Lin Suyang blankly.

Seeing her expression, Lin Suyang knew these two fools had teamed up. "You…sigh, haven't you ever really thought that Mu Qing likes you?" "What!" Shen Xiao stared wide-eyed at her. "Sister Suyan, don't joke around. Mu Qing wouldn't, wouldn't like me. In his eyes, I've always been a troublesome little girl; he doesn't have time to like me." She stubbornly disagreed, but her heart was pounding. Did Mu Qing really, really like me?

Lin Suyang knew that it was useless to say anything more, and it was better to let her figure things out on her own. However, Yan Muqing was quite naive. She clearly had feelings for her junior sister, but she just wouldn't say anything. If this continued, it was no wonder that Shen Xiao, with her playful and carefree personality, would find out.

"Xiao'er, what are you doing here?" Yan Muqing stood in front of Lin Suyang's door, holding a steaming hot package.

"Ah, Brother Muqing, you're here." Shen Xiao turned around and called out. Remembering what Lin Suyang had said earlier, her face flushed again, and she hurriedly poured herself a cup of tea and gulped it down.

"Didn't you say you weren't full just now? I went and bought you some pastries, they're still warm," Yan Muqing said foolishly as she walked in, placing the things she was carrying on the table.

"Su Yang, have some too. I heard the pastries from that shop across the street are quite famous."

Lin Suyang looked at Yan Muqing with a half-smile and said, "No need, I'm already full." He then shifted his gaze to Yan Muqing, who was burying his head in his hands, and said with a deep laugh, "Xiao'er, your brother Muqing bought you some pastries. You should eat them while they're hot, don't waste his kindness..."

"Sister Su Yan!" Shen Xiao immediately said, grabbing the paper package on the table and running out of the room. "What...what happened to her?" Yan Muqing stared blankly at Shen Xiao's retreating figure, not understanding what had happened.

Lin Suyang laughed and said, "It's all your fault. You made her sleep on the floor, and she came and said you were bullying her."

"I was just joking, and she actually took it seriously?"

"Of course, if you don't go and coax her, everyone will probably know that you, Yan Muqing, are bullying your junior sister."

Yan Muqing awkwardly scratched his head and said to Lin Suyang, "That girl is like this. I'll go check on her first. You should rest." He hurriedly went out the door and ran into Si Junxing returning. He nodded to him and then went into his room.

"What is Mu Qing doing?" Si Junxing asked Lin Suyang after entering.

"It's nothing, just a matter between two fools."

When the waiter brought the water, Si Junxing told Lin Suyang to wash first, while he sat down at the table to continue studying the map given to him by Master Guigan. After finally marking the treacherous locations with his pen, he stretched his neck, put the map away, and then realized that Lin Suyang was silent. Hadn't he just heard the water running? His heart tightened, and he quickly went behind the screen to look.

"What's wrong?" He saw Lin Suyang with her eyes closed and her head resting on the bathtub, her slightly trembling eyelashes indicating that she was just resting.

Receiving no response, he walked over, raised his hand to stroke her face, and softly asked, "Are you tired?" The water was icy cold; he reached into the tub to test the temperature—it was a bit chilly. He quickly lifted her out of the water, ignoring how the water had soaked her clothes.

Taking a towel from the side, Si Junxing carefully dried Lin Suyang's body and then wrapped her in the quilt. At this moment, Lin Suyang cried out in pain.

"Yu'er... I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." She kept repeating this sentence, a few tears sliding down her cheeks, her expression full of fear and self-blame.

Was it a nightmare? Si Junxing grabbed her shoulders and shook her repeatedly: "Su Yang, wake up, wake up."

Lin Suyang opened her blurry, tearful eyes and looked at the person who was watching her anxiously. She got up, hugged Si Junxing, and cried softly.

"Alright, you're fine now that you're awake," Si Junxing comforted her, patting her back.

"I saw Yu'er. She was standing in front of me, covered in blood. She said she hated me, hated me for not saving her..."

"No, it's not your fault." Si Junxing hugged her tightly and said, "Qin Yu won't blame you, and she won't hate you. You're just feeling guilty towards her, that's why you think like this. Nobody hates you, nobody."