Le paysage est comme une peinture

Chapitre 99

Zhu Yu slowly opened her eyes, but did not utter a single word.

Chapter 362: First Time Seeing Jun Yu's True Face

Night had just fallen.

The red figure came in and then left, and Zhu Yu never opened his eyes. Since waking up, he knew every time she came; sometimes she was alone, sometimes Tuosang was with her. Each time, she would stay for a long time, either wiping his face and hands, or simply sitting quietly beside him watching Tuosang treat him. But whether she was alone or appeared with Tuosang, he never opened his eyes.

Until her footsteps completely disappeared, Zhu Yu suddenly opened her eyes and raised her hand, which still held the warmth of her footsteps.

"Second Young Master..."

"I am completely healed."

With Tuosang's extraordinary medical skills and the excellent medicine left by Mr. Nongying, plus the meticulous care of Junyu and Zhu Sihuai, it seems unlikely that he wouldn't recover quickly.

"Second Young Master, the army has retreated to the outer grasslands along the route you arranged. Should we set off immediately to catch up with them?"

"Any other news?"

"The tyrannical emperor ordered his army to enter the desert to search for Marshal Jun, but Mr. Nongying has already sent word that they have probably already withdrawn."

Zhu Sihuai received the news from Mr. Nongying. After leaving the desert, they completely lost contact with the outside world and had no idea what changes had occurred outside.

Zhu Yu thought for a moment: "They won't withdraw their troops. That tyrant isn't entirely after Junyu; he's probably after me. He's ruthless and won't pass up such a good opportunity to eliminate the threat completely."

Zhu Sihuai asked nervously, "What should we do?"

Zhu Yu laughed and said, "Fourth Uncle, don't worry. After the army retreats to the outer grasslands, even if the tyrant sends troops to pursue them, it will be in vain and they will not be a threat. For his army to search for a person in the vast Western Regions is like finding a needle in a haystack. As for me, as long as I don't want to die, no one can cut off my head!"

"Second Young Master, Mr. Nongying invites you to travel with them."

Zhu Sihuai looked at him cautiously.

"Oh, he'll invite me?"

"He said that there were many people from Fenghuangzhai going with us, and he told us to think it over carefully. He told us the departure time and place, and that they would welcome us anytime as long as we went."

Zhu Yu remained silent.

"Second Young Master, have you considered Mr. Nongying's proposal?"

Zhu Yu laughed it off, then suddenly said, "Fourth Uncle, are you saying that the tyrannical emperor ordered the army to enter the desert to search for Junyu?"

"Yes, that's what Mr. Nongying said. Presumably, the tyrannical emperor received the news in court, so..."

"The tyrannical emperor is unlikely to be in court. I suspect he has already secretly arrived at the army camp, perhaps in Xining Prefecture!"

"No way? How could he have gotten into the army so easily?"

"The tyrannical emperor is extremely suspicious. He has long suspected Junyu's identity and wants to take this opportunity to eliminate me. I estimate that he has most likely already secretly arrived in Xining Prefecture..."

Looking at the fervor in his eyes, Zhu Sihuai felt his heart almost leap out of his chest: "Second Young Master, what are your plans?"

Seeing his nervous and almost incoherent appearance, Zhu Yu calmly smiled and said, "Fourth Uncle, do you think I would assassinate the tyrant? I really do want to kill the tyrant with one blow, but since he dared to come incognito, he must have already made preparations. In this situation, if we really go, wouldn't we be walking into a trap?"

Zhu Sihuai had just breathed a sigh of relief when he suddenly heard Zhu Yu say, "However, this is truly an excellent opportunity, at least much more likely to succeed than if we were to do it in the palace."

Zhu Sihuai's heart leaped into his throat again. He thought to himself that only Zhu Yu remained of the entire Zhu family. If he were to take such a risk, wouldn't he face certain death? Zhu Yu saw his face change several times in an instant and knew that he was terrified. He shook his head and slowly said, "The opportunity is good, but if we fail, I'm afraid Junyu will also be implicated. So be it, so be it..."

Chapter Thirty-Seven

A new day.

The morning sun was slowly shining on the huge, unnamed tree in the yard. The leaves on the tree were long and thin, and the dense clusters of leaves provided so much shade that almost no sunlight could penetrate.

Zhu Sihuai and Tuosang went outside to pick melons and fruits. Zhu Yu stood alone by the small window in the house and saw the courtyard where she was staying for the first time. It was a sturdy earthen wall made of grass and mud on all four sides, and several very simple houses were hidden under the huge tree, where a cool breeze was blowing.

He looked across the street; the house across the street was quiet, and he didn't know if anyone was there.

He withdrew his gaze, turned around, and looked again at the simple, slightly dim room he was in, and at his old clothes. His clothes had become tattered and filthy while he was in the desert, and his weapons and a few personal belongings were also gone. It wasn't until he woke up that Zhu Sihuai told him that these things had been taken by Mr. Nongying.

Although he couldn't guess what Mr. Nongying intended to do with these items, he figured he must have his reasons.

In his entire life, he had never stayed in such a humble place, nor had he ever worn such old clothes. Yet, for some reason, he felt an extraordinary sense of novelty. This feeling was more peaceful than being in a magnificent mansion.

After a while, he turned to the only window in the earthen wall and saw a woman standing under the big tree, her back to him, her head slightly raised, as if observing a bird or insect chirping in the tree.

The woman wore a very rough red dress, with her hair simply tied up in a bun. Yet, she stood there casually, her figure as graceful and slender as a newly grown poplar tree, both charming and elegant.

Although it was the first time I had met this complete stranger, I felt a strange sense of familiarity with them.

He walked out of the open door, and just as the woman was about to turn around, he had already hugged her tightly from behind: "Junyu..."

Those hands were almost like iron clamps, making it impossible for him to move an inch. Junyu placed her hand on his, overjoyed: "Zhu Yu, you're finally awake!"

"Zhu Yu, rest for two more days, and we'll be on our way soon. Mr. and Sister Shu have already booked a large ship heading south. Mr. personally selected the ship; the place we're going to is wonderful and beautiful. We'll depart in a month, and there will be many interesting people traveling with us. Would you like to come with us?"

Zhu Yu buried his head in her shoulder, remaining silent.

“Zhu Yu…didn’t you promise to come with us? You don’t want to? Come with us, okay? I really want to take care of you! At least, at least, let me take care of you…”

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Chapter 363: First Time Seeing Jun Yu's True Face (Part 2)

"Go with her, at least I can see her in the crowd every day!" Zhu Yu hugged her even tighter, but another real voice in her heart was screaming, "Junyu, come with me, okay?", but she couldn't utter a single word.

"Zhu Yu!"

"Junyu, come with me!"

These words swirled in my chest and hovered around my lips, yet both my chest and lips were like locked doors, firmly sealing off the words and the thought, no matter how much it struggled and thrashed like a wild beast in a prison, or how it was tortured on a red-hot iron, it could not escape even a fraction of its power.

Those iron-like hands were wrapped around her waist. Junyu wanted to say something, but she couldn't utter a single word. It was a feeling that was almost heartbreaking. She lowered her head, and a hot tear fell onto Zhu Yu's hand.

The scalding tear burned her hand and her heart. Zhu Yu suddenly let go of her hand and took several steps back.

Junyu turned around.

Zhu Yu was struck dumb, staring blankly at the completely unfamiliar yet familiar face across from her, a face etched into her very being. She was no longer the little boy on the snow, nor the brave warrior on horseback; she had returned to her true self. Her eyes were bright and gentle, like a newly blossoming flower, like a beautiful tree. The beauty so close to her was breathtaking.

Her breathing slowly stopped, and she almost suffocated. It was the clouds in the sky, the snowflakes on the mountaintop, the dream in her dream, the fantasy in her ideal... Zhu Yu barely raised her hand, but her hand became weaker and weaker. She wanted to grasp, but she couldn't; she wanted to keep, but she couldn't. Like time, even if you hold it in your hand, it will slowly slip away from your fingertips.

"Zhu Yu!"

"Junyu!" He suddenly ran over and hugged her tightly, his wild desires breaking free of their cage like a beast: "Junyu, I want to go with you to a place where nobody knows us, just the two of us, for the rest of our lives! I want to be with you, not just watch you from afar..."

Junyu hugged him tightly, her mind suddenly going blank.

Sunlight occasionally dappled through the lush branches of the tree, shining on the two people who were tightly embracing each other. The world was completely silent, with only the sound of their breathing and heartbeats remaining.

After an unknown amount of time, Junyu suddenly let go of Zhu Yu's hand, took a step back, and stared blankly at him.

He felt his hands go empty, but that real and profound embrace would forever remain in his memory. Zhu Yu looked up, a sudden, unusual calm washing over him. He gazed quietly at the woman he was seeing for the first time in his life: "Junyu, if it weren't for Tuosang, you would definitely have liked me!"

If it weren't for Tosang! But Tosang has always been there, hasn't he? Since Tosang has always been there, how can we allow him to cease to exist?

The deeper the heartbreak, the calmer Junyu felt. She looked at Zhu Yu quietly and said, "Tuo Sang has always been here, and he will always be here! As long as I am alive, I hope to see him every day and be with him every day."

Zhu Yu nodded, gazing at her. "Junyu, I hope you won't be happy at all in the future, and I hope Tuosang isn't as good as you imagine. That way, you'll think about me every day, and regret it every day... regretting the wrong choice you made..." He suddenly laughed. "But that seems unlikely, right? So, Junyu, you'll be happy every day, and you'll never think about me, right?"

Junyu nodded and then shook his head, without saying a word.

"Junyu, I will never think of you again!"

"Yes! Don't think about me! You should never think about me again."

"Zhu Yu, where are you going?"

"Knowing where you are is enough for me. Why do you need to know where I am? Maybe when I'm old and tired, I'll come to see you, to see if you're doing well, and if you've ever had any regrets..."

“Zhu Yu…”

"I'm tired, I want to rest for a while."

Junyu nodded, watching him walk into his room without looking back and gently close the door.

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Chapter 364: Goodbye, Junyu

After a long while, Zhu Yu came to the small window and saw Jun Yu still standing blankly under the big tree, her eyes glazed over. She stood there for a long time, then sat down and stared blankly at the ants crawling on the ground and the scattered fallen leaves.

The dim earthen walls, the nameless tree, the simple house, and the remaining fallen leaves all seemed so colorful and dazzling because she was sitting there.

Even her simple clothes and rough colors became so light and gorgeous because of her own appearance, like clusters of crabapple blossoms or brocade clouds, more beautiful than her graceful figure walking on the snowy ground of Qiansi Academy, and more delightful than her singing and playing music in the square of Hanjing Garden.

A voice inside my head, deep in my heart, screamed fervently: "I want to be with her, I must be with her forever!" My legs suddenly lost their will, my entire consciousness clamoring to run to her, to embrace her, to grab her and escape to a faraway place, a place where there were no strangers, only her, only myself, only the two of us...

But then, footsteps sounded; it was Tuosang and Zhu Sihuai returning from their outing. Immediately, Tuosang's gentle voice rang out: "Junyu, why are you sitting on the ground? You're not fully recovered yet; the ground is cold."

Then, he gently helped her up and smiled, "Are you thirsty? Here's a melon, grapes, and a pear; I brought some back for you. Do you like them?"

Zhu Yu quietly stepped back a few paces, left the window, and suddenly lay down on the bed, tears streaming down her face... Night had completely enveloped the sky above this oasis, and faintly, someone was playing a six-stringed lyre and singing a mournful farewell song, as if lamenting and weeping. It was a kind of deep sadness and desolation that could only be expressed after experiencing war and the pain of separation and death.

Zhu Yu lay stiffly on the bed, her heart seemingly carried by the mournful melody to the heavens, to the clouds, to the endless sky to be buried... In this plaintive piano music, there was a past that could never be returned to, a dream that could never be dreamt again! But those past events would be forever etched in the deepest part of her heart, until death, until she breathed her last, until her eyes closed completely!

Goodbye, past!

Goodbye, Junyu!

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Chapter 365: Epilogue

The first rays of dawn break.

Junyu opened her eyes. Tuosang was standing by the window, which he had slightly opened. Outside was a lush meadow and woods. The wind blew in through the window, carrying the unique scent of dew and fruit of an oasis in autumn.

Junyu sat up, and Tuosang walked over and sat down beside her, saying softly, "We're setting off today. It's still early, do you want to sleep a little longer?"

Junyu met those familiar, gentle, and pitying eyes and smiled: "Tuosang, have you noticed that I've become more and more lazy? I seem to have no energy and always lack spirit."