L'amour sous les étoiles lointaines

Chapitre 9

She took out two golden-threaded red leaves from her bosom, and with a burst of energy, the golden veins and red leaf body were shattered into tiny fragments that fell into the wine cup. Su Shaochu then filled the cup with wine again, and the golden and red fragments quickly dissolved into the wine.

"As long as I can taste the sweetness that comes after hardship, what does it matter if I have to give up something else, as long as I can savor that sweetness?"

A rare, deep smile bloomed on Su Shaochu's lips, like a game of chess where every move, made at the crucial moment, was carefully considered and executed with a sense of stability.

"It's time to wrap up this drama and move towards its conclusion."

From the wide gold ring on his right ring finger, he manipulated a gold bamboo-carved piece, propelling out a long, thin gold needle. He pressed it against the area below his collarbone on his left chest, the needle disappearing into his groin. Then he propelled out another long gold needle, narrowing his eyes.

"Third Prince, I'm even more eager to see what happens next. Will you get what you want, or will I allow you to get it and play along in this game?"

Slowly, the second golden needle was inserted from above the heart. Enduring the surge of energy, the needle slowly sank in.

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Outside the capital, in the suburbs, there is a small stream. While other springs are frozen solid, this one remains unfrozen. However, due to the frigid weather, the water flows slowly. A burly figure crouches down to test the water temperature, which is only slightly warm.

"It seems that after the Earthly Fire Water passes through the capital, it flows into a regular stream before flowing out again," said Su Dongling, the eldest son of the Su family, to his younger brother who stood silently to the side.

The fire, which had been trying to quench the ice in the stream, now flowed slowly.

Su Xuechu kept staring at the water until a small bamboo section floating in the water and stuck next to a rock caught his eye. He reached out and picked it up.

"Was it spread from Shao Chu?"

Opening the bamboo-joint plug revealed a piece of jade that caused Xue Chu's pupils to widen in surprise.

"Shao Chu is indeed in the Three Emperors' Palace." Upon seeing the jade that Shao Chu usually wore around his neck, Su Dongling's voice was both relieved and worried.

The jade shattered in Su Xuechu's hand, revealing a small piece of paper with only six characters on it.

"19. Cloud Peak, Snowy Night"

"Let's go, Xuechu. There's still a lot to arrange!" After confirming, Su Dongling turned to leave, but saw that Xuechu was still standing there, unmoving. "Xuechu?"

"Is your brother fully aware of what she is doing and the decisions she has made?"

The eldest brother is almost twenty years older than them. As the eldest brother, he is like a father to them, so they have two fathers.

Su Dongling was calm and meticulous, and took good care of his youngest twin siblings, especially Su Shaochu, who was destined to be the sixth son, whom he cherished even more.

"All I know is that my Su family's siblings are not sacrifices, not offerings, and certainly not playthings of the imperial court. Shao Chu wants to fight for herself, and the only thing the Su family can do is to be her strength, regardless of anything else."

Clutching the shattered jade in her palm, Su Xuechu's eyes gleamed. "I only want the sixth son of the Su family back!"

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Upon entering the "Snow Jade Pavilion," the wind rustles the gauze, and a light mist hangs in the air. Only the melodious sounds of zithers and harps can be heard, making this secret garden pavilion seem like a dream.

Zhu Yu slowly descended the jade steps, his eyes fixed on the elegant figure by the spring ahead.

Su Shaochu wore only a thin outer robe, his hair was loose, and he sat on the misty riverbank with one leg crossed on his bare feet. A pot of wine and a cup were placed on the rocks on the bank. He played the ancient zither, Minglan, which was placed on his knees, with his long fingers, and enjoyed drinking.

Beneath her snow-white single garment, she was completely naked. The light mist moistened the garment, further outlining her fair and radiant body. Without the usual cover of men's clothing, her slender and graceful figure was highlighted, yet she exuded a carefree and relaxed air.

Her serene gaze, the ethereal beauty of her flowing black hair, and her robes that were both revealing and concealing, made her alluring and captivating, drawing one closer and becoming more and more enchanting.

"A cup of wine, a tune played, and before I knew it, the sun was setting. My heart is with the mountains and rivers, and hearing this resonates with my long-cherished wish."

Su Shaochu leisurely stroked the strings of the zither, then poured a cup of wine and handed it to the visitor.

"I regret not finding the perfect wine, and I ponder how hard it is to find a true lover." With a hint of provocation and playfulness, she said, "To many people, Third Prince, you are someone who makes them understand pain and sorrow. Many people say that you are shallow, cold-hearted, and even heartless. So many descriptions of you are related to the word 'love,' yet you are someone who is completely devoid of human emotions."

"Is this a blatant accusation that I, the prince, am inhuman?" He took the wine from her hand, his voice hoarse, looking at her barely visible breasts, her long, bare feet, her robes rolled up and draped over her knees, casually crossing her legs, which only fueled the imagination about what lay beneath her clothes.

"Many people hate you, and many people covet the feelings you've given. This truly fills Shao Chu with curiosity. Can you find the word 'love' in yourself?"

"Loving you will inevitably hurt me. I have always been afraid of pain. I cannot bear to hurt myself, let alone hurt my heart. I accept this challenge." After only half a month of facing this ghost prince, I have already suffered that "wound that will never heal." If this continues, being buried in the Snow Jade Pavilion will not be a dream.

"It seems that whenever it comes to anything related to me, my younger brother Shao Chu always refuses without even considering it. This reaction is truly heartbreaking!"

"Third Prince, do you know why Shao Chu dislikes wearing extra ornaments?" she asked hastily.

Even in the finest silks and brocades, she always dressed simply and elegantly, disliking any adornments. She might wear a small bead, for there was a time when she was terrified of these precious jewels.

"Could this be related to me, Your Highness?"

"Ever since I escaped death in the palace, I have disliked shiny gold and silver ornaments and loathed their brilliance. When you, the esteemed Third Prince, grabbed me by the neck and sank me into the water, the light emitted by these precious stones seemed to be a funeral procession for me!"

She glanced at the other person who was listening intently, then raised an eyebrow and scoffed.

"The Third Prince once gave Shao Chu such an unforgettable gift. How could Shao Chu dare to approach you, who are always 'adorned with jewels and riches'? After all, no one wants to get close to death."

The following year, when she returned home for the Mid-Autumn Festival after being sent away from the Central Plains overnight, she encountered Song Mei'e again. At this time, Song Mei'e had just given birth to twin daughters and was hiding from Zhu Yu's pursuit. Three days later, she witnessed Song Mei'e's tragic death.

Su Shaochu was heartbroken by everything Song Meie had gone through, and he didn't want to damage the reputation of the maid from Nanyuan. Therefore, the maid's pregnancy with Zhu Yu's child and this fateful encounter were secrets she kept locked in her heart forever.

For her, the Third Prince Zhu Yu represented terror and death during her upbringing.

"Have I, this prince, inflicted such great pain upon you?"

Su Shaochu couldn't help but laugh when she heard this. She put down the zither on her knees and looked at him.

"Third Prince, you flatter me. If pain refers to torment, then only those you care about can cause you pain." (To be polite, she didn't care about him at all.)

A cold glint flashed across his eyes, and Zhu Yu frowned, downing the wine in his cup in one gulp.

"To put it bluntly, the Third Prince is a nightmare that Shao Chu would like to avoid. Nightmares are always disgusting. From beginning to end, Shao Chu has said that hating you, Zhu Yu, is my only choice."

"Young Master Ai is always sharp-tongued and sarcastic." Zhu Yu chuckled slowly, shaking his head. "I should have warned you: be careful not to lose your balance on the tightrope of showing off your cleverness!"

With a sharp glint in his eyes, Zhu Yu suddenly grabbed her neck and shoved her into the hot spring stream behind him!

Water splashed up from the sudden movement, and before Su Shaochu could react, half of her body fell backward into the water. Strong, long fingers clamped around her neck, causing her head to sink completely underwater. She couldn't pry open the tightly clenched fingers, let alone push away the muscular body that was pressing down on her.

"Young Master Chu Ai, your fragrance, your very being, possess the power to drive this prince mad. Why is it that you always manage to stir up this prince's madness?"

He let out an unusually soft, eerie laugh as if he were admiring something, tightening his grip on his fingers and palms, delighted to see the rapidly rising bubbles on the surface of the water and the furrowed brows of the face beneath!

"Do you remember what I told you? I'll eat any words that don't serve their purpose!"

Zhu Yu leaned down into the water and kissed her lips tightly, not allowing her to pull away!

This kiss was filled with devouring and conquering, sealing her lips and tongue, allowing no gap whatsoever, wanting her to obtain the only breath she could have from him, Zhu Yu!

Chapter Six

Pain and discomfort overwhelmed her. Her body was half-submerged in the water, unable to move. His strong grip on her lips and teeth made her feel suffocated. Just as the dizziness almost reached her consciousness, the pressure on her lips was released, and a force pulled her out of the water. Fresh air rushed into her mouth and nose as she took a deep breath.

He coughed and gasped for breath, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he met a pair of intriguing, cold eyes. A wicked smile curled up at the corner of his lips.

"How does it feel to relive those nightmares?" Zhu Yu cupped her glistening face, his gentle breath caressing her lips, a light snipping and kissing sensation, as if savoring the touch. "Do you think I, this prince, can inflict the same torment on you, Su Shaochu?"

"Hehe...heh—" Su Shaochu couldn't help but laugh too. His voice was hoarse from coughing, but he still couldn't suppress his laughter. "You actually care so much about your place in Shaochu's heart? Hahaha—the Third Prince, who always does whatever he pleases and only seeks to satisfy his desires, would care about such a thing—hahaha—"

She laughed so hard that even when Zhu Yu's expression changed, she didn't stop laughing out loud.

"Do you really want me to devour your tongue?" Zhu Yu cupped her face tightly, his eyes flashing with a chilling warning.

These words did indeed stop Su Shaochu from laughing, but she defiantly tilted her head back and pressed her lips to his, saying, "Do you really want to devour Shaochu's tongue? Or is it just that you desperately want it but can't have it?"

Su Shaochu took the initiative to bite his lower lip, biting hard. Zhu Yu frowned, but did not push her away!

Covering the bead of blood on his lips, Su Shaochu said mockingly, "How about I swallow your tongue instead, Your Highness, Third Prince?"

"Su, Shao, Chu—" As if provoked, Zhu Yu uttered a deep and authoritative voice.

He lowered his head, wanting to kiss those lips and tongue he so desperately wanted to devour, but found the person before him gleaming with malice, and unexpectedly, with a powerful slap, struck him—

With less than an arm's length between them, Zhu Yu reacted almost reflexively by dodging. In that instant, Su Shaochu used the momentum to leap up, retreating several steps away from him before landing in the shallow water of the hot spring stream.

"You want to touch me, you want to have me, is that it?" Su Shaochu stood with his arms crossed on the water, looking down arrogantly. "Why not learn to admit defeat and see if you achieve your goal?"

A proud and imposing figure in the spring, facing the menacing man on the shore, brushes a wet strand of hair past her ear and smiles at him with raised eyebrows.

"Or, beg me, pity you, Zhu Yu, and I'll let you touch me." She raised her chin at him. "Your High and Mighty Third Prince, experiencing what it's like to beg is quite a game, aren't you interested?"

Behind her, the gurgling spring wall and the misty waterfall made her already soaked clothes seem even more transparent and cling to her body. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she was almost naked. Even though she knew that a pair of sharp eyes were scrutinizing everything naked and exposed under her clothes, she remained nonchalant.

Zhu Yu's eyes burned like fire as he stared intently at the person in the water, almost unable to look away. In the wisps of smoke and mist, the half-naked, slender figure appeared even more like a dreamlike silhouette, ethereal and unreal.

"Is there anything, anything that could make you lose your composure?"

For the first time in his life, he felt that the goal he desperately wanted was elusive and beyond his control. Even her every word and action drew him in. He both admired and resented everything about her. He wanted to possess her but also wanted to tear off the facade that she wore on him. Yet, whenever he saw her, he could hardly look away.

"The jade pendant around your neck is gone?" I noticed earlier that the jade pendant she always wore around her neck was missing.

"Take this and use it to inform others," she said, feigning seriousness. "So we can coordinate an attack from within and without to kill you, Zhu Yu!"

"Shao Chu has always been known for his gentle and kind nature; is he really such a heartless person?"

"Kindness is superfluous for someone like Zhu Yu."

Zhu Yu's slightly narrowed, deep eyes scrutinized him.

"My dear brother's actions tonight indicate that he intends to refuse my kind offer to accompany him in a bath to treat his poison."

"As Shao Chu said, how could I dare to disappoint you, Sanxingzi? It's just a pity..."

Despite her seemingly apologetic face, her behavior was utterly arrogant.

"My heart longs to accept my master's hospitality, but my body is resisting, because it keeps telling me that I don't want to get close to this nightmarish person anymore."

A deep laugh emanated from Zhu Yu's lips, while a sinister and wicked glint shone from his eyes, faintly flickering with a chilling coldness.

"How could I, your beloved brother, fail to keep my word?" he said softly, but his smile was chilling.

As the person began to approach, Su Shaochu gathered his strength in his palms, and an undercurrent of tension was about to erupt between them.

"Since my beloved brother is so determined to shatter this period of 'harmonious and wonderful coexistence,' how could I, this prince, possibly disappoint you?"

"What a wonderful description of 'harmony and happiness, and wonderful coexistence,' truly a high-sounding statement of world peace! I suppose I'm too young and shallow to continue this conversation—"

With a sudden burst of energy, she caused the water in the stream at her feet to rise like a pillar, her imposing aura as awe-inspiring as when she, disguised as the famous courtesan Yu Ziyan, fought against the renowned swordsman Fu Yaofeng at the "Jade Pavilion"!

Just as he was about to raise his hand to strike the person in front of him, Su Shaochu suddenly showed a pained expression. A surge of energy rushed to his chest. Only then did he realize something was wrong. Blood had already been vomited from his throat, staining the water red!

"Shaochu——"