Nuit éternelle - Chapitre 33
"...With love in one's life, what fear is there of wind and sand?"
The tragic white cypress cannot hold back its youthful beauty.
He gave up the empire for her smiling face.
It's better than a lifetime of empty worries.
If the heart is free of resentment, then love and hate will follow their course.
The path of love is boundless and eternal.
She abandoned the world for her sake.
With love in my life, what fear is there of wind and sand?
The tragic white cypress cannot hold back its youthful beauty.
He gave up the empire for her smiling face.
It's better than a lifetime of empty worries.
If the heart is free of resentment, then love and hate will follow their course.
The path of love is boundless and eternal.
"Just for her, I held back the world..." (Zhang Jie, "The World")
The beautiful and passionate melody soared upwards, evoking waves of resonance in people's hearts. Feng Xinglie's voice was extremely loud, as if it would reach beyond the hall and into the clouds, shaking the entire vast earth! Those increasingly widened pupils were even more shocking, and the trembling gaze collapsed in that instant.
"When war breaks out, seeking love is like waves washing away sand; meeting her is like spring water reflecting pear blossoms. I wield my sword to sever the ends of the earth, letting go of my longing. In my dreams, I am still deeply attached..." Looking at the person who rushed down from the hall at the fastest speed he had ever used to embrace Lian Ji tightly, Feng Xinglie's gaze suddenly became much more complicated. The dance could no longer continue, and the a cappella singing also drew its elegant notes, like the cold light of the morning star. Everything finally returned to tranquility.
After the silence, the sound of the explosion was as loud as a bell.
"Lian Ji, I don't want the kingdom, I don't want the throne, I don't want you dead! If you force me to kill you, I'd rather die with you. If it's for you, I'm willing to give up the world. I only beg you to look at me again, to give me another chance. Even if my brother's army marches on the capital right now, I'll accept it! I was wrong before, Lian Ji, please forgive me... please forgive me!" The man's sudden roar trembled, his previous arrogance and dignity gone, replaced by fear that left only his last taut line. He wasn't Qin Han. He had ambition, but he couldn't be ruthless. For Lian Ji, he murdered Feng Xinglie. To make Lian Ji acknowledge him as king, he declared himself king, establishing the Western Qin he was today. He certainly had ambition to become king, but wasn't it also for her?
Although Qin Yue became king, he never took another woman as his concubine, for he truly loved her. However, his methods were too autocratic and arbitrary; he neither respected nor understood her. By this time, he knew he had made a mistake and had tasted the bitterness of regret. He wanted to take her life, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He had to admit that this woman had unknowingly taken root in his heart.
If it weren't for Lian Ji, with whom would Qin Yue share the throne? A thousand words are asked, but only forgiveness is sought. Only when faced with loss do we finally understand the value of what we have.
"Please forgive me, Lianji...please forgive me..."
That stunningly beautiful and serene woman, with a helpless raised eyebrow, glanced at Feng Xinglie, who was still chuckling to himself. Finally, a faint, almost ethereal smile, like the first rays of dawn, bloomed on her lips. She gently closed her beautiful eyes and softly uttered two words: "So be it..."
Whether or not it was the call of that song, this outcome is perhaps the best it can be. Nothing in this world is perfect, and past hurts will always leave traces, perhaps ultimately creating a rift. But at this moment, this person is finally willing to genuinely believe in and love her, and for someone of his status and position, that's quite an achievement.
Despite her fiery temper, she also has a soft heart.
Someone let out a sigh of relief, and one after another, everyone relaxed. Having experienced such a dramatic rollercoaster of emotions, everyone felt as if they had been through a lifetime. The envoys from the small country had somewhat awkward smiles. Their hidden strength had been exposed, and it would certainly not be advantageous to confront them head-on. Their submissive demeanor already betrayed their intention to submit.
But the good times didn't last long. Just as they relaxed, a sharp shout came from outside the hall. In the darkness, a guard in brocade robes rushed into the hall. He still smelled of blood, his armpits were covered in blood, and his face was pale. It was the same guard, Fang, who had gone to Yihongxuan to invite Feng Xinglie that day.
His teeth were chattering, and due to his severe injuries, he only had time to report, "The Imperial Guard Commander Wei Zhen has rebelled and besieged the palace," before collapsing into unconsciousness.
Two thousand imperial guards besieged the palace and rebelled?
The group exchanged glances as a foul stench wafted to their noses in the eerie night air, sending shivers down their spines.
Homeland of Qin, Chapter Sixty-One: Desire to See an Old Friend
The sounds of battle cries could be faintly heard in the distance, and the spacious hall once again erupted in noise.
Two thousand Imperial Guards! Even if you add them all up, they only number a few hundred. Qin Yue's main force, besides his personal guards, consists of those Imperial Guards. The Imperial Guards make up the majority of the palace. Who orchestrated this palace coup? Everyone's face was solemn, accompanied by a heart-pounding fear.
"Prince Yue, what's going on?"
"Miss Lianji, since you are the master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, have you not set up any other formations within the palace?"
Lian Ji's cold, icy gaze swept lightly across the hall, suppressing the endless chatter of the crowd. Her expression remained calm as she calmly said, "Although the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's array formations and escape techniques are unique, to set up an array undetected, aside from the Heavenly Mystery Array that I will not reveal until I die, other arrays change upon entry. How could they possibly be set up? I have already disregarded life and death on this trip, so of course I will not involve the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. As for those Imperial Guards, most of Yue's soldiers are pawns planted by the Prince of Qin, and Wei Zhen is probably also one of the Prince of Qin's men. This Cuntianfei Pass has probably already fallen, and the Prince of Qin's army will be at the city gates in three days at most. There may also be changes in the military camps outside the city. I have already used a trick to disperse their available manpower with fake troop rosters. Otherwise, do you think there are only these mere two thousand people besieging the palace right now? Making a fuss is useless; it's not like there's no chance of survival!"
Feng Xinglie's eyes flashed. That fake troop strength map was obviously the one that was stolen on her way to the military camp. Sure enough, it fell into Qin Han's hands. Lian Ji wasn't bad; she gave someone a wrong map. Fortunately, it wasn't her who stole the secret report at the time.
Although Lian Ji's tone was cold, she was not flustered, which gave Qin Yue a glimmer of hope. Qin Yue had thought there was no hope, but she knew that Lian Ji always had a basis for her words, so her mind was rekindled. She held Lian Ji's hand and said softly, "Don't worry about anything else, as long as we get out of danger safely, I don't want anything. Having you is enough. What can we do?"
Lian Ji smirked and pointed at Feng Xinglie with her hand: "I don't know, ask her."
"Her?" Everyone nearly collapsed in shock. Why ask about this beauty in red? Did they expect her to seduce Wei Zhen and use her beauty to their advantage? Even if Ling Yuxiang ignored it, the chances were probably very slim at this juncture!
Feng Xinglie nearly fainted, his eyes rolling back in his head. Lian Ji was getting more and more cunning! Knowing that she would definitely come to this Western Qin state banquet, she caused a whole bunch of trouble, then dumped the mess on her and washed her hands of it! She was all relaxed and carefree, while he had to do all the unpaid labor for free!
"I helped you out, and my voice is hoarse from singing. You little Lian, you actually plotted against me! How ungrateful!"
Feng Xinglie pointed at Lian Ji in grief and indignation, but only received a nonchalant glare from her.
"Little brat, don't play dumb with me. Since you're here, you should have been prepared. With your personality, even if you told the whole world, you'd probably just laugh it off. Do you really want to keep it a secret forever? If it weren't for you, Yue and I wouldn't have ended up in this situation. Although he brought this on himself in many ways, you're not entirely without responsibility... Tell me what trick you had up your sleeve, or don't blame me for making you pay."
The two men's conversation was so familiar, like casual chatter, that it sent a chill down the spines of the group.
Lian Ji, the most beautiful woman in Qin, who was always known for her gentle and graceful nature, actually... actually rolled her eyes so drastically that she lost all her composure? How could she be so fierce? How could she swear like that? Even Qin Yue, who was standing next to her, was almost shocked to the point of fainting, and felt that she had never known Lian Ji before.
Lian Ji said that they had gone to such lengths because of this woman, what was this all about? Qin Yue stared at Feng Xinglie, her eyes narrowed in confusion. Strange, he had never been to a brothel, so why couldn't he recall ever seeing Feng Meiniang there?
While they dawdled, the gates to the distant plaza outside the palace were smashed open, and a large group of soldiers rushed in, carrying heavy torches and exuding a chilling killing intent, their slogans resounding in unison that drew admiration from the locals.
"Arrest the traitor Qin Yue! Arrest the rebels!"
The leading general was none other than Wei Zhen, the commander of the Imperial Guards. The two soldiers in blue armor on his left and right moved swiftly, clearly possessing extremely high martial arts skills. This large group of soldiers surged in, hacking and slashing at the palace maids and eunuchs who were screaming and trying to escape in panic. The stench of blood instantly rose from the steps outside the hall.
Rebels? Qin Han is indeed ruthless and patient; his intention is indeed to wipe them all out.
The people inside the hall had already moved outside. Qin Yue's personal guards, along with all the envoys from the small countries, rushed out with all their available strength, temporarily hindering Wei Zhen's offensive. Feng Xinglie gave a sharp and arrogant sneer, turned around and patted Qingli next to him: "Stop hiding, hurry up and call out your Qingyi Guards."
Qingli, who thought she was going to do something, slid down on the spot, and smiled bitterly, looking down on her with serious contempt: "You just know how to trick me!" Although she said that, Qingli knew that this was not an ordinary situation. Feng Xinglie's actions were trustworthy. She took out half a bamboo whistle from her waist and blew a rather sharp whistle. A green shadow flashed, and dozens of green-clad masked figures quickly leaped to his side, all dressed in the same tight-fitting clothes.
A sense of solemnity arose among the crowd, and hope arose spontaneously. These people were the Qingyi Guards, a death squad personally trained by Qingli. Although the Qingyi Guards were not as famous as the Flaming Cavalry of the Lie Army, they were still a renowned warrior squad in the Qing Kingdom. At a glance, there were about fifty of them. The fact that they could remain completely still in such a close place was enough to show that they were exceptionally skilled in martial arts.
"What are your orders, Master?"
"Why are you asking me for orders at a time like this? I called you out here to slaughter people. Slaughter all those who rush over! Don't give me any face!" Qingli was seething with anger and ordered in an unfriendly tone. Although the orders were messy and incoherent, the people who carried them out did not hesitate at all. The Qingyi Guards rushed into the flower bushes like butterflies and immediately blocked the advance of the Imperial Guards.
The chaotic battle hadn't even reached close yet, but the splashing spray reflected a somber mood on everyone's faces. There were simply too many people; could these people possibly win? It wouldn't be long before they were attacked!
Glancing at Qingli's sullen face, Feng Xinglie lazily raised his hands, displaying a heroic air of a warrior facing death, which made him chuckle.
Lian Ji is right. She never intended to hide it forever. What if it's made public? Does Feng Xinglie think she's afraid?
Suddenly, the mechanism in the sleeve activated, and a short strip flew into the night sky, bursting into a dazzling blue halo in the deep, dark silence. The fleeting brilliance brought a dreamlike shock, and the brilliant color was so bright that it seemed like a miracle. Even the people fighting stopped in their tracks.
What is this? It's so amazing! Even the usually knowledgeable and learned Lian Ji looked at her with a strange expression.
Having successfully intimidated the crowd, Feng Xinglie smiled leisurely, offering no explanation. Without warning, he strode down the bluestone steps, his eyes, brighter than torches in the darkness, suddenly radiating immense power, like a sharp sword, exuding an undeniable majesty in every gesture.
The crowd watched in astonishment as the stunningly beautiful woman in red, Huan Yuan, walked by. They were filled with doubt and disbelief. What kind of woman was she? How could she possess such an innate aura of a queen?
The sudden turn of events caused everyone to move involuntarily, until she walked close to the battle and stopped. Only then did Wei Zhen react with a start and shout loudly, "Who goes there?" The powerful sense of oppression made people afraid to meet her eyes. Wei Zhen was uneasy and subconsciously did not have the idea of taking her down.
"Call Qin Han here. Tell him that an old friend wants to see him. He'll understand." The tone was inscrutable, neither happy nor angry, but this arrogant attitude made Wei Zhen and the two blue-armored generals accompanying him so angry that their eyebrows twitched.
"How dare you! You dare to address my king by his name!" the slightly taller military officer in blue roared, clearly extremely displeased with Feng Xinglie's arrogance in calling him by his name. "Besides, is the King of Qin someone a woman like you to meet?" He was still quite cultured, and seeing Feng Xinglie dressed as a dancer, he couldn't bring himself to utter any vulgarities.
The slightly thinner-looking male general in blue armor frowned and said indifferently, "Our King of Qin has never had anything to do with women of the night like you. Although you are outstanding, if you want to climb up to my king, I'm afraid you're just wasting your time."
"No connection whatsoever with me?" Feng Xinglie let out a contemptuous sneer. "He'd love to have as much involvement as possible with me, but now he's acting like a coward?"
Upon hearing such extremely arrogant words, the slightly taller general in blue robes flew into a rage. Unable to contain himself, he raised his long sword and swung it down at Feng Xinglie's head. The thin man tried to stop him but it was too late. He shouted, "How dare you insult the King of Qin! Go to hell and dream about it!"
Qin Yue's group's expressions changed drastically. Some had already turned their heads away in unbearable pain. Although she was a dancer, the ethereal music of that song still lingered in their ears. They all admired the woman's talent. Who could bear to see such a beautiful woman about to perish?
"You're too forceful and can't be flexible. Your temper is still as volatile as ever. You can't learn to restrain yourself at all. If you, Qin Ruyang, don't suffer a loss, who will?" A figure flashed by, and a jade-like hand gripped the hilt of the sword with lightning speed. Feng Xinglie exerted his strength and gave a shock. Qin Ruyang felt a sudden numbness in his arms and was kicked in the chest without any resistance. His blood churned and he rolled all the way back!
Feng Xinglie casually swung his longsword, the gleaming blade leaving a bright trail in the air. He held it upside down behind him, laughing arrogantly, "You dare to brandish your broadsword in front of me? You really have a death wish!"
Homeland of Qin???? Chapter Sixty-Two: The Wind King is Here
A sudden gust of wind arose in the dark night, causing Ling Lie's red robes to flutter wildly in the wind. His dark eyes shone brightly, and his proud figure, with his long arm hanging upside down, caused Qin Yue and several other people of slightly higher status in Qin to shrink in their pupils. A familiar feeling made them all frown.
The thin, blue-armored general sensed something amiss, grabbed the furious Qin Ruyang, and scrutinized Feng Xinglie intently: "Does the young lady recognize us?"
"You recognize me?" Feng Xinglie raised an eyebrow and said with amusement, "General Qin Ruhai has such a bad memory. It's only been a short time since we last met, and you've already completely forgotten me."
Upon hearing this, even Qin Ruyang was taken aback. She turned around and glared angrily at her brother, saying, "Brother, you've always been steady and kind to your sister-in-law. How could you associate with a woman like that? I really misjudged you!"
Qin Ruhai was dumbfounded, his mind filled with questions. Was he familiar with this woman? How come he had no recollection of her at all? After a long pause, he angrily said, "So you've been investigating the people around our King Qin all along, deliberately trying to sow discord!" With a wave of his hand, the situation instantly became tense, and the Imperial Guards surged forward like a tide, surrounding the scheming woman. Qin Ruhai, however, was careful not to overstep his bounds. Since she knew so much, she was definitely not an ordinary dancer, so he didn't kill her recklessly.
She completely ignored everything that happened around her, treating them as if they were air. Feng Xinglie pointed her sharp blade forward with a graceful and elegant gesture, exuding a heroic aura that commanded respect. Her confident and composed demeanor made people feel as if they were the ones who had come to capture her, not her. This arrogance was enough to make Qin Ruyang and the other two so angry that they vomited blood.
Feng Xinglie brandished his sword, took a step forward with his left foot, and, having no interest in exchanging words with them, began to wield his long sword with a flourish. His heroic and arrogant spirit soared to the heavens, and his clear, loud laughter shook the nine heavens: "Watch closely, this is how you use a broadsword!"
Containing ample internal energy, the long hilt of her sword danced and spun rapidly across her red gauze robe. Wherever the internal energy swept, the imperial guards surrounding her fell backward, screaming in agony. She suddenly spun around like a celestial maiden soaring into the sky, her long sword creating a hurricane as the red gauze robe fluttered and rose! It was clearly a graceful dance, like that of a celestial maiden, each movement crisp and beautiful to the extreme. Yet, the chilling killing intent and internal energy that surged and collided around her still managed to send everyone around her sprawling to the ground, groaning and screaming!
A long, leisurely laugh, her spirit soaring, and amidst the fluttering red gauze, the stunning beauty landed gracefully, her long sword held upside down. Her cold gaze swept across the room, her arrogance undisguised, as if she were ruling the world. Raising an eyebrow, she smiled and asked the three generals who had been struck head-on by her earlier attack, now lying on the ground, speechless and utterly humiliated: "You all know I'm not very patient. Now, may I go and report this?"
This sudden change left everyone in shock. The people who had gathered around Qin Yue were now frozen in place. The transformation was too drastic. The once charming and alluring dancer now possessed such unfathomable martial arts skills and aura. The difference was so great that it caused a huge shock. Just who was she? The Imperial Guards were also in an uproar. They should have thoroughly investigated the important figures at the state banquet, but they had never heard of such a highly skilled woman. Where did she come from?
Wei Zhen was placed next to Qin Yue, so she had fewer opportunities to come into contact with Feng Xinglie and might not recognize her. However, the Qin brothers were Qin Han's confidants, but because they had always been on good terms with Feng Xinglie, they were transferred by Qin Han during the Zijin Mountain incident. Therefore, they only knew a vague outline of what happened and did not participate in it, so of course they did not know that she was a woman.
Qin Ruyang is extremely thick-skinned and might not see the problem, but Qin Ruhai is a shrewd and meticulous person. If he still can't see the problem after hearing such strange words, he might as well give up.
Qing's pupils dilated. Qin Ruhai pointed at her, his voice trembling, as if he couldn't believe it: "You...you could be..." To wield a long sword so beautifully, with such a sharp and fierce aura, and with such arrogance, there was only one person in his memory, but that person...that person was clearly...
He didn't get the answer to that question, but instead witnessed several black shadows as swift as lightning. These figures swept onto the bluestone street like a sudden gust of wind, too fast to stop. The dozens of people, all dressed in identical black tight-fitting casual clothes with long black robes over them, quickly formed a dark, straight line behind the woman in red, bowing respectfully. The forty-four people in total, including the man with the full head of white hair who had followed the emperor down the stone steps, also stood beside her.
They exuded a murderous aura, as if facing a battlefield, their murderous gazes fixed on the Imperial Guards, ready to tear anyone who dared to make a move to shreds at any moment.
The appearance of this group of men outshone even the Qingyi Guards who had already retreated to Qingli's side.
"The Blazing Flame Cavalry!" Qin Ruhai gasped, turning his gaze to the stern-faced man with a full head of white hair. He smiled bitterly, "General Xi Suifeng!" At this moment, their palace guards numbered only two thousand, considered elite troops, but far fewer than the Blazing Flame Cavalry. He had heard that during the battle of Zijin Mountain, the Blazing Flame Cavalry had managed to escape unscathed from Qin Han's army of one hundred thousand. While Feng Xinglie's delaying tactics played a significant role, it was enough to demonstrate their capabilities.
He could fight against a hundred men single-handedly and had never been defeated!
The terrifying record demonstrated the Flame Riders' formidable strength; they truly didn't take these mere two thousand men seriously! A faint joy rose on the bluestone steps. They hadn't expected the Flame Riders to arrive at this moment, but how could they be so timely? And why were they all standing behind that woman in red?
"I dare not accept such praise. I am no longer a general of the Great Qin Dynasty, and I have never taken the title of general seriously." Xi Suifeng replied indifferently, making Qin Ruhai run into a snag. As expected of someone trained by Feng Xinglie, he was arrogant at all times except when facing Feng Xinglie.
Qin Ruhai, however, no longer cared about such trivial matters. Suppressing his shock, he looked up at the woman in red surrounded by the Flame Riders. He took a deep breath and felt more nervous than ever before, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Could this young lady... please remove her veil?"
He smiled faintly, his voice arrogant and unrestrained.
Why not?
She decisively raised her hand and deftly tore off the veil, revealing a stunningly beautiful face with a smile to everyone's eyes. Gasps of admiration rose and fell among the crowd. She glanced up, looked back at Lian Ji and the others on the high platform, raised an eyebrow at Qin Yue, and chuckled.
What an absolutely stunning face!