L'amour sous les étoiles lointaines

Chapitre 64

"Of course not. No matter what, a 'son' should be filial to his 'mother' on major holidays. Since I haven't seen him or his filial piety, as his mother, I have plenty of ways to deal with him." She has many amusing tricks up her sleeve when it comes to this nominal son.

"Moreover, this brat disguised himself as the swordsman in blue and attacked me, his mother, so fiercely. How can I not find a time to give him a good retaliatory strike?"

"If we don't use our real tricks, we can't fool Feng Yan and Zhu Yu."

The tall, slender figure walking from the other end was elegant and composed, with a face remarkably similar to Su Shaochu's, but with a cold and indifferent demeanor. Su Xuechu's actions and personality were completely opposite to her sister's.

"Another gain this time was the execution of Meng Yansi," Su Shaochu said.

After the death of Keluoqizhen, the true Twin Swords of Sacred Lake pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince of the Eastern Region. At the Crown Prince's instruction, the two pretended to offer their loyalty to Consort Xi.

Therefore, the eldest prince of the Eastern Region learned of Zhu Yu's power and contact with Xi Fei, and also learned from Xue Chu that Su Shao Chu's trip to Mid-Autumn Festival had taken an unexpected turn. Thus, a plan was born.

“Even without this incident, I would still hunt down Meng Yansi.” Su Xuechu said calmly, “I will not stand idly by and watch Xuan Hong Zhai Cheng die.”

On a snowy night on Mount Songyan, the friend with whom he had shared drinks several times was deeply moved and puzzled upon hearing the details of his death. Xuan Hong Zhai Cheng's skill should not have been limited to this.

“Xuanhong Zhaicheng has a different relationship and background with you two siblings, and he can understand your determination to kill Meng Yansi.”

"Let's go back to Meixiu Mountain!" Su Xuechu said to Shao Chu, "You've had enough fun in the Central Plains this time."

“Little brother, what you really mean is that you miss me a lot, and life is just so boring without me, Meixiu Mountain, right?” She patted his shoulder. “Just admit it openly, your sister won’t laugh at you.”

Facing his usually sharp-eyed and witty brother who teased him playfully, Su Xuechu's handsome face rarely showed any emotion as he obediently replied, "Yes. The Three Profound Swords have prepared the carriage; it's time to set off."

"Wow, how generous!" Yan Shanshan watched as he went to the carriage to check the saddle after replying. "So generous that he didn't even bother to pretend to be polite."

"Sigh! You don't understand his shyness." Su Shaochu twirled her folding fan to her waist and stepped forward to have Xue Chu, who had taken care of everything for her, help her into the carriage.

"Take care on your journey, and remember to send me a message." Before she boarded the carriage, Yan Shanshan shook her hand and said.

"You need to be careful in the future. If Zhu Yuru becomes suspicious, she might come after you."

"Don't worry, the scene of your death has already dealt him a heavy blow..."

Seeing her slightly distraught expression, Yan Shanshan changed her mind.

"Don't think about these annoying things. I can handle them myself. Once we get to Nanyuan, with its vast mountains and rivers, these things will soon be forgotten."

Unable to resist, Su Shaochu gazed back at Jinghui City, knowing that after this parting, it would likely be decades before he returned to the Central Plains.

"In this life, a woman possesses only a fraction of gentleness..." she murmured, recalling the swordsman's words.

Three parts gentleness...

Recalling her interactions with Zhu Yu on their last night, every scene was filled with his tender love as he held her tightly and whispered sweet nothings to her.

"Looking back, how heavy is the heart? Holding the old days in my hands, it's like yesterday's scene, but the dream is over and the feeling is gone."

Did she wake up from her dream, or was she already trapped in a dream she didn't want to believe?

“When a person’s heart is already bound by worldly ties, they will never be truly free,” the old abbot said to Su Shaochu as he mounted his horse.

"Master, let's not talk about this now." Yan Shanshan was a little anxious. She didn't want Shao Chu to worry about these things, especially Zhu Yu.

"Shaochu, let's go back to Meixiu Mountain together. The swordsman is waiting for you." Su Xuechu, sensing her hesitation, squeezed her hand and said.

"No matter how composed the other seven parts of this outfit may be, I can no longer bear to part with the other three parts of my gentleness."

"You've fallen in love with him?" Xue Chu frowned.

“Perhaps… or perhaps I don’t even know myself.” A rare, bewildered, bitter smile appeared on her face. “But I am very clear about one thing: Zhu Yu is the tenderness I can’t let go of. In this world, even if I can give up everything and laugh it off, I can’t let go of the unease and loneliness that is shown in his arms.”

She patted her brother's hand and turned to walk towards another horse.

"Don't go. Zhu Yu isn't right for you. If you turn back now, you'll never be able to escape the palace, Zhu Yu, and the fate of the sixth son of the Su family." Shan Shan grabbed her, her eyes pleading. "Don't go, Shao Chu!"

“Shanshan, the old abbot was right. When a person’s heart is no longer free, they can no longer let go, no matter where they go. My heart has long been lost. I did not go today, but one day I will definitely go back to find my lost heart.”

"Shao Chu!" Seeing that she couldn't persuade her, Yan Shanshan stomped her foot in frustration. She was about to ask Su Xuechu to say something when she found that he was no longer by her side.

“Zhu Yu, this isn’t right for you!” Su Xuechu said, pulling on the reins as she approached the horse she was riding. Her usually calm tone was unusually forceful.

Su Shaochu met his gaze and softly asked, "Who in this world is truly suitable for me?"

"Are you truly certain of your feelings?"

"As my other half, just like my soul, you should know what I want. If the heart is not there, the body is useless."

After pondering for a while, he released the reins.

"No matter what you want to do, in the future, with me here, you can always continue to be the lawless Su family ghost of Jin."

"Xuechu." Su Shaochu leaned over and hugged him. "Since I was little, it was because you were there that I never grew up in the shadow of the sixth son of the Su family. I am grateful to have you by my side every single day."

Su Shaochu patted the face that resembled hers, and added, "Also, being lawless is unnecessary. I'm just good at punishing the wicked and eliminating evil. Brother, you need to practice your tongue more; this won't do."

She smiled and then spurred her horse toward Jinghui City.

"Three Profound Swords, since Fourth Young Master has decided to return, you should also go back to the Su family in the Central Plains and continue to protect her!"

"Yes, Abbot."

The Three Mysterious Swordsmen also rode away.

"Why put in all this effort?"

Yan Shanshan could not accept this outcome.

"To help her figure out where her heart truly lies," Su Xuechu replied simply before moving to the horses to check on the mounts that would be departing soon.

"Are you kidding me? Your lawless sister is about to fall into the hands of Yingmo Tianyao, and you're calmly granting her wish."

"She just likes to punish the wicked and eliminate evil. Now she's going to find her lost heart at Yingmo Tianyao's place."

Yan Shanshan took a deep breath. She had always felt that speaking to Su Xuechu required a great deal of composure. Her beautiful eyes turned to the old abbot.

“Benefactor Yan, this humble Taoist priest has no choice but to offer this advice from the perspective of an outsider with clear insight.” The old abbot nodded and raised his hands in a gesture of acceptance of destiny.

That night at the market, Su Shaochu stood next to Zhu Yu. Their interactions, with every smile and frown, were so harmonious that they seemed like a young married couple. Zhu Yu, looking at Su Shaochu, had a deep sense of satisfaction and fascination in her eyes.

Shao Chu never realized that on that night, when she was next to Zhu Yu, she unconsciously exuded a woman's charm.

Although he didn't know how things would develop in the future, he simply couldn't bring himself to break up this relationship against his conscience right now!

***Exclusively produced by Fengmingxuan*** ***

In front of the gate of Yunliu Pavilion, a team of people, fully equipped and ready to go, stood.

After searching for several days and nights without success, Zhu Yu remained silent for several days and nights, only listening to the progress of the search. He originally neither ate nor drank, but only ate a little food when Wuyou and Wuchou brought him food while crying.

Until yesterday, he suddenly ordered everyone to pack up and head back to the capital.

Looking at the Third Prince, who was sitting in the carriage with disheveled hair and a haggard appearance, holding the Ice Rainbow Sword and staring blankly, he had completely returned to being silent.

Wuyou, Wuchou, Fengyan, and Yanpingfei were all filled with worry.

"Princess, rest assured! After returning to the capital, we will have the imperial physicians treat the Third Prince properly."

"Let the Third Prince rest and recuperate for a while; it will take time for him to recover from his grief."

"Will he recover?" Wuyou looked at Feng Yan and Yan Pingfei. "Father has never been so persistent about a person or a thing before. Young Master Su's death was a huge blow to him."

“When I return to the capital, I still need to go to the Su family to explain the death of Young Master Su… I also need to tell Sister Shanshan that Young Master Su is dead… Young Master Su…” Wuchou said, and then choked up again.

This sorrow also brought Wuyou, Yan Pingfei, and Feng Yan to their side. They couldn't help but sigh. Feng Yan, in particular, always wanted to do his best for Su Shaochu because of his junior sister Feng Chuo'er.

"Steward Yan, there are people galloping towards us from the front!"

When a guard standing on the mountainside observing the situation spoke to Yan Pingfei in a flustered tone, everyone was puzzled as to what he was panicking about.

"That person looks so much like him, so much like him—"

"Su Shaochu—"

"Young Master Su—"

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed and were completely shocked.

Su Shaochu, who had ridden up on horseback, asked the group of people who were completely stunned, "Where is the Third Prince?"

Shocked, Wuyou and Wuchou stared blankly at the carriage; Yan Pingfei and Feng Yan subconsciously looked towards the carriage.

Su Shaochu dismounted and passed by them. Before getting into the carriage, he cleared his throat and turned back to say, "Ahem, I have a shadow, a chin, and feet. Stop daydreaming, we can get going now."

After saying that, he got into the carriage. Su Shaochu counted to five in his mind before he finally heard Wuyou and Wuchou shouting with joy outside the carriage.

She looked at the person sitting in the carriage and felt a pang of pain in her heart. He held the Ice Rainbow Sword, his unfocused eyes facing her, still motionless, his lips pursed, his whole body deathly still, as if living in another world, staring into the void.

"Zhu Yu, Zhu Yu..." she called as she approached him, gently patting his handsome face, which was no longer as dashing as before and even showed signs of stubble under his jaw.

She called his name repeatedly until his eyes, which were slowly beginning to gleam, trembled slightly as they looked at her.

"Shao Chu..." His trembling hands cupped her cheeks, in disbelief. "Shao Chu..."

His large hand repeatedly caressed her face, her mouth and nose, her eyes, warm unlike the coldness of that day. Impossible, he had seen her murder with his own eyes, he had seen her corpse with his own eyes...

"There's a poison that can make someone appear as if they've been poisoned by the 'Ten-Powder of Despair,' causing them to temporarily appear dead. I... well, I didn't die!"

"You lied to me, you lied to me—" He held her tightly, his eyes wide with rage, gripping her shoulders with a heart-wrenching roar, "You dared to lie to me about death—"

"If you're so angry that you want me to leave, then I'll leave," she had no choice but to say.

"You dare—you dare—" He hugged her tightly, holding her close as if afraid she was a dream, an illusion, so tightly that she wondered if her bones would break and struggled.

"Third Prince, it hurts so much!"

"Shut up, shut up!" His stubble-covered face rubbed against her warm, rosy cheek as he roared, "Why—why?"

"If we don't do it this way, you won't know how to let go; if we don't do it this way, you won't be able to escape the fate of being the sixth son of the Su family!"

"And now? What is the purpose of your appearance now?"

"Mmm, Third Prince..." He held her so tightly she almost suffocated; it hurt, but she reached out and hugged him back, her face pressed against his chest as she smiled. "I love you."

Zhu Yu was taken aback, then gritted his teeth, "Shut up! Don't say it again, don't say it to me like that again." He had experienced her cunning enough, and he no longer knew how to distinguish between true and false sweet talk.

“If you don’t like the title ‘Third Prince,’ then change it.” She smiled and continued, “Zhu Yu, I like you.”

"Shut up!" he roared, his voice filled with malice, recalling how she had lured him into a trap that night, only to stage a death scene the next day!

"Don't say those things to me again—don't try to tease this prince with such words again—"

He cupped her face and kissed her forcefully, so forcefully that he didn't give her a chance to breathe, so forcefully that she bit her lip in pain.

"You wanted my heart, and I gave it to you, but you didn't believe me." She innocently touched her injured lips.

"In this lifetime, in this entire lifetime, I, the prince, will never let you leave the Third Prince's Residence—"