Un joven errante

Capítulo 61

Wang Dao, dressed in an elegant and understated grey robe, stood up, walked to his father, and knelt down respectfully as well. The emperor, seeing this minister who was like a brother to him, who had grown up with him, and who had helped him pacify the country, as well as a friend, softened his expression slightly.

Just when everyone thought he was going to plead for his sister, he unexpectedly spoke up: "My sister is ungrateful and has violated the imperial decree. She deserves to die. My Wang family has no objection to this. It is the Emperor's decree. Long live the Emperor!"

At his command, all the officials present immediately knelt down and shouted in unison, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The sound resounded through the heavens and lingered for a long time.

The emperor simply said, "My beloved ministers, rise," and then got up and left.

The journey takes you through palace walls, long corridors, exquisite rockeries, and gardens bursting with flowers.

As I was passing through a corner, suddenly, the guard who had been following me collapsed and became unconscious. I stood there, puzzled, looking around. What had happened?

"Sister Ying, Sister Ying—it's me." A head emerged from behind a dark red pillar.

I was slightly taken aback when I saw it. It was Ya Ya.

"What are you doing, Ya Ya?"

She walked over furtively, her face bearing the unique innocence and naivety of a young girl.

She stuck out her tongue at me and laughed, "Sister, you won't mind, right? The Emperor wants me to take you to see him, but these people are so tall and imposing. How am I supposed to know if they believe me? What if they refuse to let you come with me? The Emperor will definitely blame me. It's rare for the Emperor to trust me like this. So, I used a sleeping potion to—knock them out." As she spoke, she reached for my arm, "Sister, let's go."

I was still wondering: "Where to?"

She looked at me incredulously: "Didn't you hear what I just said, sister? Of course, I'm going to see the Emperor! I knew you were innocent. How could you do such a thing? The Emperor must have understood, which is why he sent me to find you. Sister, do you know? The Emperor just threw Consort Wang into the dungeon. Who told her to try and humiliate you?" She kept rambling on and on.

Speaking of Consort Wang, I felt a pang of sorrow for that woman. No sympathy, though. I'm not a kind person, capable of looking at her without any remorse after being hurt by someone. All I can do is refrain from resenting those who have hurt me.

Just like now, if it were anyone else, I wouldn't believe it. That person wanted to see me, I wouldn't believe it. But the person telling me this is Ya Ya, Ya Ya who grew up with me, so I choose to believe. No matter what the final outcome may be.

Anyway, I'm a dying person, so I have no use for him or to frame him anymore.

She led me to a secluded courtyard. Looking outside, the walls were somewhat crumbling and looked very old. How could there be such a place in the palace? I thought Li Jiu's Mi House was the only one like it. I never expected—there was another place here, a veritable paradise.

Ya Ya smiled at me happily and urged, "Hurry up and go in. The Emperor is waiting for you inside, sister." I looked at her intently, trying to find a trace of guilt, or something else I was looking for. But the inside was completely clear.

I smiled faintly at her, and suddenly said for no apparent reason, "Ya Ya, be happy."

She paused for a moment, then looked at me; I had already stepped inside.

This strange villa has a strange name: Yi Jin Xuan.

Unexpectedly, even now, I still have a sliver of hope left in my heart.

Without thinking twice, I went inside under Ya Ya's watchful gaze.

He didn't see the strange smile behind him.

I never imagined that once I went inside, I would discover such a shocking secret.

About me, about him, about love.

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127 The Secret (Part 2)

When the sun shines brightly, the heart is free of shadows.

What kind of place is this?

I suddenly remembered something I said a long, long time ago.

A pot of wine, a small boat, two people, chatting and laughing by the mountains and rivers, wandering between heaven and earth, enjoying the flowers in spring, the breeze in summer, gazing at the crescent moon in autumn, and watching the snow fall in winter...

I'll build a small wooden cabin near a mountain stream, painted red, with a babbling brook nearby, lush green grass, birdsong, and wildflowers everywhere. I'll plant a whole garden of wild roses, and a long wooden bridge leading to the other side of the river. Sitting on the bridge, I can watch the sunrise and sunset by day, and admire the countless stars at night. Just the two of us, my head resting on his shoulder, clinging to each other.

Holding your hand, we will grow old together.

To be together for all eternity.

This is the life I've always longed for. A life like that of an angel. Although I know it's unrealistic and a bit naive, there's still a place in my heart for this dream. A beautiful dream.

And now, as I walk through this courtyard, I feel as if my dream has come true.

A long wooden bridge spans a field of blooming white lotuses, their emerald leaves rippling in the gentle breeze, creating endless green waves.

A small red wooden house stood not far away. A few words were written on it: "Jin Yuan." The house had a long corridor and eaves. A swing wrapped with bouquets of flowers was tied to the door. The petals were slightly wilted, but not dry or rotten, suggesting they had been recently replaced.

After walking a few steps, I heard the sound of flowing water. It turned out that the yard in front of the house was full of wild roses, with a stream flowing by and many green grasses clinging to the water.

The lakeside beneath the wooden bridge is filled with weeping willows, and a gentle breeze sends their blossoms fluttering down.

My eyes felt a little hot.

Am I dreaming?

I carefully climbed the bluestone steps and came to the wooden door. I took a deep breath before my fingers trembling as I pushed it open.

I only glanced at it, and I stood there stunned. Then, without any warning, tears streamed down my face.

Those fragments, deeply etched in my memory, flashed before my eyes one by one, as if they had happened just yesterday.

“Brother Sima… let’s escape… let’s escape this world together… go to spring, see the plum blossoms, see the mountains, see the sunset and the endless sky… see through the mortal world… see through this world… transcend this mortal realm…” The boy held a jar of fragrant lily and plum wine, and the man beside him said.

"Brother Sima... if you were the emperor, I would give you all the wealth in the world..." The boy's expression was full of determination.

"Xiao Jin, if you were a woman..." The man's tone was bitter.

"If we were a man and a woman, we would become husband and wife and grow old together..." The young man blushed slightly, but quickly changed the subject.

"What kind of painting of beauties is this? Brother Sima, are you deliberately making fun of Xiao Jin for being a man? You've turned so many beauties into ugly women like me, neither male nor female..." The boy was embarrassed, but still pretended to be nonchalant.

He called out repeatedly in the dead of night, "Xiao Jin, Xiao Jin..." The man's brows were furrowed, and he was in unbearable pain.

...

Memories flooded my mind and soul. I looked at the paintings, large and small, in the room, all exquisitely packaged and incredibly precious. The entire room was covered with paintings. I stood frozen, unable to move. Among the subjects in those paintings was a person, some laughing happily, some with sorrowful eyes, some with cold faces, some acting cute and charming, some crying, some angry… as if encompassing all the beautiful expressions in the world, all the kind actions, all the joys and sorrows… But when I realized that the person in the painting was myself, I finally couldn't help but burst into tears. That was all of An Jin. There was his unrestrained self in Yichun Garden, his carefree wandering in Jiankang City, his warm and sweet self boating on Crescent Lake, his mischievous and clever self at play, his arrogant self during the golden age of martial arts, his desolate self on the cliff edge, his elegant and refined self at his birthday banquet…

He was dressed in white men's clothing.

There were all sorts of them. They were all framed in precious gold and jewels, and neatly hung all over the room.

I walked in, stunned. I found myself in such an unusual room.

My heart aches so much I feel like I can't breathe. It's even spasming.

She murmured softly, "Brother Sima...you're so slow, so slow...why do you have to be like this..." I stood there, tightly covering my mouth, suppressing the sobs that were about to burst forth. I forced back the tears that were welling up in my eyes.

Brother Sima, you've made such a grand gesture! What should I do? What should I do? We can't be together.

I can't love you. I just can't.

Can anyone tell me what I should do?

"Who's there?" A chilling voice suddenly came from behind.

I turned around and looked at him with tears streaming down my face. I looked at him for all eternity.

He stared at me coldly: "You know." I just stared at him blankly.

Suddenly, he flew to my side with lightning speed, closing in on me step by step, and then, amidst my screams, tightly gripped my slender neck.

He smiled coldly, like a demon: "My beloved concubine, don't you know? I've said that anyone who trespasses into this forbidden area of the palace will face certain death. I intended to spare you, but you've seen everything before you die. Do you understand? I've fallen in love with a man, therefore, I will never love any woman in this harem." I struggled to tell him, to tell him the truth, but he choked me so tightly I couldn't even breathe. What was wrong with him? His eyes seemed to hold a strange, chilling light. His hand was as strong as an iron clamp; no matter how much I struggled, it was useless. My consciousness began to fade, and my heart kept screaming, "Brother Sima… Brother Sima… It's me, Xiao Jin…"

He whispered in my ear, "My dear, don't worry, it will pass soon, and you won't feel pain anymore..." Grandma's twisted dough sticks, what's the difference... Let me go, I don't want to die in your hands, Brother Sima, I don't want you to regret it one day! Even regret it for the rest of your life!

What forbidden area? I've never heard of it. I was so foolish to believe Ya Ya and actually went in, and I was even immersed in his silent and profound love... I had no idea it was a trap...

I strained with all my might to open my eyes and look at him, my eyes filled with unbearable pain, longing, reluctance, and heart-wrenching fear... It was as if time stood still, as if the years had forgotten to flow, as if only the two of us remained in time... I stared at him intently, wide-eyed... silently calling out, "Brother Sima..."

My brain was constantly being oxygenated, the whites of my eyes rolled upwards, and a wave of darkness washed over me. Finally, I plunged into bottomless darkness.

128 Parting (Part 1)

The man before me had exquisitely drawn eyebrows and perfectly trimmed sideburns. His pale skin was almost translucent, and his dark, crystalline eyes were utterly indifferent and lifeless. His gaze was as if he were looking at a complete stranger.

She smiled faintly at him, as gentle as a chrysanthemum and as serene as a breeze. Then, she slowly closed her eyes.

My heart, which was originally cold and cruel, seemed to see a person again when I saw those eyes filled with so many emotions. I saw the shadow of that person through the cracks of time.

"Xiao Jin..." the man murmured softly.

His hand involuntarily loosened, and the unconscious woman collapsed to the ground. Beneath her slightly open robe, near her collarbone, he saw a black mark. He didn't remember her having that pattern. His brow furrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Chen Wen!" the man shouted.

A man dressed in a dark robe appeared before him.

The man frowned, not understanding why he had softened and let her go, but he couldn't hide the disgust on his face.

"Throw her into the dungeon. No one is allowed to touch her without my order. Also, interrogate that Consort Wang. I need to know what she did." The man was puzzled by his own actions, but he couldn't help but do as he pleased. He saw the abnormality and wounds on her body; he needed to know the truth.

"Yes, I understand." Chen Wen walked over and picked up the unconscious man. Although he was puzzled, he didn't dare to speak because of his master's cold expression.

He looked at the woman he was holding. She was the only person to have left this villa alive. He knew her; she was one of the only two people his master had ordered him to investigate using the secret passage: the one whose house was filled with portraits, and this former Consort Liande. He never imagined that such a frail woman could possess a heart as strong as a man's.

In fact, based on his long-term observation and investigation of her, he did not believe that such a woman would plot a rebellion.

The Emperor probably didn't believe it either, but after he visited her in the imperial prison one time, he was furious and locked himself in Yi Jin Xuan. The Emperor wouldn't kill her, but he needed time to figure something out.

I felt as if I were hallucinating. I stood alone in a sea of people, and in the surging tide, I lost myself, lost my way. Ahead lay an unknown road, and I didn't know which path to take. Behind me lay a dark and eerie graveyard, as if mocking me sinisterly, tempting me to turn back. I had nowhere to escape, nowhere to go. I could only choose to move forward.

In a hazy state, I heard someone murmur: "Tranquility and emptiness, to end one's life. Therefore, there is nothing too distant, nor anything too intimate. Confined yet without tolerance, dwelling yet without attachment, its movement is formless, its stillness without substance. Existing yet seemingly dead, living yet seemingly dead..."

I followed the guiding voice and moved forward involuntarily, like the light shining upon me, always by my side.

"You're awake?" a deep voice whispered.

I slowly opened my eyes. I was so cold that I curled up into a ball, instinctively wrapping my arms around my shoulders. Where was I? Was I in hell, or had I gone back, or had I entered another body?

But when I looked around clearly, I realized that I was still alive, and there was still no other ghostly journey or anything like that.

I chuckled softly; I was in another cage.

It must be the dungeon they were talking about.

"What are you laughing at?" a voice rang out from the darkness again. I then realized that the voice wasn't my imagination; it was real.

I looked around but didn't see anyone. My body was in great pain from the wounds, so I moved. My throat was bruised, so speaking was still difficult. Although I couldn't find the source of the sound, I remembered hearing it once in a dream. It was it, I remembered.

"Are you finally willing to talk to me?" My voice was hoarse and unpleasant.

It nimbly leaped down from the only exposed window frame made of cast iron bars. Its fur was pure white, and its body had grown larger, making it look even more beautiful and captivating.

I reached out to stroke its white fur, but because of the bandages, it was injured...

It chuckled softly, like a human, "It's not that I'm unwilling, but I share your pain. Your growth is my growth. Everything you've experienced is inevitable, destined. Those things will transform you, and they will also awaken me from my slumber. Now, you've done it, and you've persevered strongly, so I, too, connected to you, have awakened." It moved closer to me, nestling down beside me. Even in such a filthy place, its snow-white fur remained clean and shiny. And what puzzled me even more was how large its body had become. It must have squeezed through the tiny gap between those iron bars, unless it possessed some kind of collarbone-breaking technique, which was clearly unlikely.