Une jeunesse errante

Chapitre 157

Lin Feng spat out a word of disdain, "Pah, if you have the guts, don't resort to these despicable sneak attacks."

Under the protection of her attendants, Lu Qingcheng quickly led Qing Jianyue to a safe place. Under the moonlight, Qing Jianyue gripped the precious sword, trembling all over, her face ashen, tears streaming down her face.

"Seeing the moon?"

"They hurt you. They hurt you."

"Jian Yue, I'm fine, I'm not hurt. Jian Yue, calm down, give me the knife. Relax. You'll hurt yourself if you keep doing this." Lu Qingcheng pried her hands apart one finger at a time, forcefully taking the precious knife from her and putting it into the scabbard at his waist, then pulled her into his arms.

"Okay, I'm fine. Calm down, calm down."

Lu Qingcheng held Qing Jianyue tightly, and Qing Jianyue cried in his arms.

The surrounding area was filled with deafening shouts, the sounds of fighting, and the clashing of weapons. But Lu Qingcheng seemed deaf to it all; in his ears and in his heart, there was only the sound of Qing Jianyue crying. No, it wasn't crying; it was the sound of Qing Jianyue's love. Yes, it was the sound of love. What in this world could compare to that sound?

Madam Lu and the Hong Wantong family descended from the mountaintop under the escort of Lu Family Fort warriors led by Qingfeng. Hong Qiaoying glared at Lu Qingcheng and Qing Jianyue, who were embracing each other oblivious to everyone else in the Green Corridor, her beautiful face contorted with jealousy.

Xu Yun stood beside Old Madam Lu, silently watching them. They were so close, almost within reach, yet so distant, like stars in the sky, unattainable. Suddenly, a mocking smile appeared on Xu Yun's lips. Incredibly, her heart turned cold, like ashes that had been burned away, everything vanishing in an instant…

Lu Baoquan lay on the ground, covered in blood. Lin Feng was in no better shape; his clothes were torn and dripping with blood, his longsword was stuck in the ground, and he barely managed to steady himself by gripping the hilt with both hands.

The soldiers of Lujiabao shouted loudly, "Kill him! Kill him!"

Lei Yongxiang raised his hand, and the surroundings fell silent instantly. Lei Yongxiang said, "Please give your orders, Lord of the Fortress."

Lu Qingcheng put one arm around Qing Jianyue and patted her back with the other, coldly saying, "Lord Hong."

"Yes, I am here." Hong Wantong hurriedly took two steps forward.

Lu Qingcheng said sarcastically, "My lord, an assassin has appeared in our fortress. What do you think we should do with him?"

"Yes, yes, hand the assassin over to me, and I will certainly deal with him according to the law." It seems that Hong Wantong finally remembered that he was still a local official and should bear some responsibility.

"Lord Hong, this thief is now in your hands. We ask that you handle this matter impartially."

Hong Wantong forced a fake smile, "Yes, my dear son-in-law, rest assured, I will absolutely not let this thief who tried to murder you go unpunished."

Back at the Orchid Courtyard, Qing Jianyue abruptly pushed Lu Qingcheng away, slid against the wall to the floor, and burst into tears, hugging his knees. Lu Qingcheng held him tightly, feeling an indescribable pain and anxiety in his heart.

"Don't cry, I'm very worried about you."

"what do I do?"

Lu Qingcheng cupped her tear-stained face and gently wiped it away. "You love me, Jian Yue. Your actions just now have proven everything. Jian Yue, do you still want to deny it now?"

"I love you. I've fallen in love with you." Kiyomi Tsuki burst into tears. "Why did I fall in love with you? I must be crazy to love you. What's so great about you? Why did I fall in love with you?"

Lu Qingcheng hugged him and laughed like a fool, "Jianyue, I love you too. What's wrong with us loving each other?"

“It’s not good at all.” Kiyomi Tsuki pushed him away again and cried, “I’ve fallen in love with you, so I can no longer be your subordinate like before.”

"Silly boy, you don't have to be my subordinate, you can be my wife." Lu Qingcheng hugged him again, her face beaming with joy.

Kiyomi Tsuki raised her face, her tears sparkling like glistening pearls, breathtakingly beautiful.

Lu Qingcheng carefully licked each one, treasuring them one by one in her heart, "Let's get married."

Kiyomi Tsuki said with a somber look in her eyes, "I'm tired."

"Then take a nap." Lu Qingcheng didn't force him. She helped him up and took him to the bedroom, personally helping him to sleep. Before leaving, she kissed him on the lips again and smiled, "Don't think about anything. We can talk about it tomorrow."

Kiyoshi nodded, then closed his eyes, only to suddenly open them again and sit up abruptly.

"How do you know that Hong Wantong is colluding with the Eagle Cult?"

"The reason we were being intimate was precisely because of this," Lu Qingcheng said, affectionately holding and stroking his hand. "Otherwise, what do you think could stop me from having you?"

Kiyomi Tsuki blushed and withdrew her hand.

Lu Qingcheng pulled him over and pinched him again, "Among the men Hong Wantong brought, there are quite a few formidable figures, including Lu Baoquan. No matter how he disguises himself, his innate aura cannot be concealed. After investigation, Brother Bo'an deduced that they are very likely to take action tonight. Moreover, Hong Wantong has repeatedly emphasized that he wants to see the Ice Garden, so Lin Feng and his men have decided to use this as a pre-planned ambush."

Qing Jianyue finally understood why Liu Xicheng wasn't worried at all; it turned out he had everything arranged long ago, and only he, who knew nothing, had been caught off guard. Qing Jianyue thought for a moment, then asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why did Hong Wantong agree to a marriage alliance with you on one hand, while simultaneously colluding with the Tianying Sect to assassinate you on the other?"

“Because of greed. Because of desire.” Lu Qingcheng said coldly, “He knows that even if I am forced into a marriage alliance with him, I may not cooperate with him as he wishes. But the Sky Eagle Sect is different. The Sky Eagle Sect must have promised him even greater benefits.”

"Even after getting it, they are still not satisfied and want more. In the end, it's just that their desires are insatiable. How many people have died because of this? And how many more are still struggling on the road to satisfying their desires?" Kiyomi Tsuki said.

Lu Qingcheng nodded, "Today's incident has also helped me solve a big problem. Although I didn't directly expose his collusion with the Sky Eagle Sect, everyone knows that Hong Wantong will definitely not dare to openly force marriage again."

Kiyomi Tsuki suddenly said bitterly, "I fell for that stinky woman's trick."

"What stinky woman?" Lu Qingcheng asked, puzzled.

Qing Jianyue glared at him, then lay down with her back to him and closed her eyes. Lu Qingcheng suddenly hugged him from behind and burst into laughter…

Chapter Fifty-Nine: A Knot in the Heart

Before dawn, Kiyomi Tsuki, bathed in starlight, galloped across the vast grasslands. A sudden rainstorm overnight had made the lush green grass even more verdant, reflecting the azure sky and creating a seamless expanse of color. A gentle breeze stirred, and a misty haze filled the air, refreshing and invigorating. On a high hillside stood a towering tree, where Kiyomi Tsuki dismounted, releasing Feiyun and the white fox to frolic and play freely.

At this moment, the sky was beginning to lighten, and the starlight was dim. Kiyomi Tsuki took off her boots and stepped onto the soft green carpet, feeling her body and mind melt away in the verdant green. Gazing at the endless green grass, she felt completely relaxed and at ease.

A decision must be made today; we cannot delay any longer.

Since realizing he had fallen in love with Lu Qingcheng that night, Qing Jianyue's heart was in turmoil. The usually calm and confident man fled in a panic the next morning, escaping to this Tianyi Ranch, where he has been hiding for ten days. Lu Qingcheng has been sending him letters every day, urging him to return, and yesterday she issued an ultimatum: if he didn't return, she would personally come to take him away. This is why Qing Jianyue is so anxious. Therefore, he came to this quiet place early this morning, determined to think carefully about how to face this feeling.

Kiyomi Tsuki stood with her hands behind her back, circling around the towering tree.

Do I love him? Without a doubt, I love him.