Небо над реками и озерами очень чистое

Глава 28

Numerous admiring glances followed her, but none reached her heart. The banquet, which everyone looked forward to, seemed endlessly tedious to her; she straightened her back and suppressed a yawn.

The music gradually stopped, the dancers left, and what would be the next performance? This banquet had invited top artists from all over the world, but it seemed they were nothing special, and I couldn't really muster any interest.

Thump!

A heavy drumbeat shook the heavens and the earth, and the surroundings suddenly fell silent.

The faint drumbeats, like silkworms munching on mulberry leaves or the gentle patter of spring rain, gradually grew louder. Suddenly, several specially made lanterns lit up, illuminating a corner of the courtyard. A huge drum had been erected there at some unknown time, with a small, slender figure drumming against the wind in the center.

As the first drumbeat rises, a chorus of drums joins in, suddenly descending like thunder, booming into the ears, like ten thousand horses galloping wildly, stirring the blood of the listeners, leaving them speechless, unable to look away, their minds and souls captivated.

The drumsticks danced and moved across the drum, their movements exquisitely graceful, as soft as a blooming flower, as rapid as a sudden storm, dense yet orderly, sparse yet controlled, each sound captivating the soul. Several small drums stood around, all wielded by slender children, their short drums striking each other with a spirited and crisp rhythm.

The drumbeats rose steadily amidst a tense silence. Faster and faster, the massive drums pounded, each beat a relentless assault, like an enemy army closing in on the city. Dark clouds loomed over the city, horns blared across the sky, and a chilling, murderous aura seemed ready to erupt at any moment, only to abruptly cease just as one's heart was about to leap from their chest.

The surroundings were deathly silent.

After a long while, cheers suddenly erupted, and applause and praise filled the garden. Everyone was drawn to the sound of the drums and expressed their heartfelt admiration.

The King of Shanshan couldn't help but admire it and asked the chief attendant of the inner court who was standing beside him.

"Where is this artist from?"

"Your Majesty, this is a wandering artist from the Wusun Kingdom, famous for his drumming skills. He happened to be passing through our country and was summoned to perform." The chief attendant couldn't help but show his pride. "It was all thanks to the Master of Ceremonies who happened to see him in the marketplace, otherwise we would have missed him."

Charlene lowered her head, pretending to sip her wine, suppressing a smile.

The Master of Ceremonies was the nephew of the Chief Attendant of the Inner Court, and the program he recommended this time was outstanding, no wonder he was so proud.

The chief attendant suddenly leaned close to the king's ear and whispered something. The king of Shanshan raised an eyebrow, a hint of ambiguous amusement in his eyes. "Is that really so? Summon them up here to see."

A group of children knelt on the ground, showing no signs of tension or unease, perhaps due to their extensive training. The leader was a small, thin boy with shackles on his arms and a hideous mask on his face. His gaping maw and shackles made him look like a demon king, inspiring fear in all who beheld him.

"Your performance was excellent. I am very pleased and hereby bestow a reward upon you."

"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty." They all bowed their heads in gratitude.

"Are you Wusun people?" King Shanshan stared intently at the leading boy.

"Reporting to our lord, most of us are Wusun people, and some are orphans wandering from various countries." The leading boy never looked up, his voice slightly cold, yet indescribably pleasant.

The silent Grand Preceptor suddenly spoke up and asked a question that many in the room could not understand, but those kneeling on the ground did, and answered in the same Wusun language.

After a few questions and answers, the Imperial Advisor nodded and said no more, clearly confirming the other party's background.

"Why wear a mask?" King Shanshan asked again, seemingly quite interested.

“Reporting to the Lord, the master who taught me the art said that the art of drumming was given by the gods and should not be looked at, as a sign of reverence.”

"Can we take them off now?"

"yes."

"Take it off and let me see. What kind of person can play such a drum?"

The boy hesitated for a moment, then reached out and removed his mask, slowly raising his face.

Beneath the boyish black clothes and short jacket, it turned out to be a girl.

Her black hair hung down, her bright eyes shone, and her skin was the color of ice and snow, except for her bright red lips.

Her waist was slender, her legs long and delicate, her slightly curved neck as white as jade, and a light sheen of sweat on her forehead suggested the exertion she had endured. Though young and still developing, she possessed a striking beauty, like a legendary maiden under the night lights, strangely alluring to the soul.

For a moment, everyone fell silent; the only sound in the vast courtyard was the sound of breathing.

Charlene, who had left early, sullenly tugged at the corner of her scarf, twisting and turning it.

What "most beautiful woman in Shanshan"? Ever since that girl took off her mask, everyone's been staring at her, and nobody's even paying attention to the princess at the head of the table anymore.

Even the king was no exception; his eyes shone with an alarming intensity, and he whispered instructions to the head of the inner court. Only after the group of children had left did the lively atmosphere return.

The maidservant noticed her displeasure and gently comforted her.

"Your Highness, why be angry? Today, the princess's fame will spread far and wide, and countless talented men will come to propose marriage."

"Is that girl really that beautiful?" she pouted unhappily.

"How can she compare to the most noble princess of Shanshan?" The maid smiled and removed the hairpin from her head.

"Why are all those people looking at her?"

"I find it frightening. Unlike the princess's beauty, that child's appearance has a kind of bewitching quality. I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong, but it's like a demon from the desert that bewitches people."

"Demon?"

"Yes, it is said that there is a kind of demon that can transform into human form, bewitch passing travelers, and suck their life essence."

"How could something like that possibly reach the palace?" She scoffed, unmoved.

The maid chuckled and gently smoothed her dark hair with an ivory comb. "The princess is right. No demon can defeat the warriors of Shanshan."

Warrior? Unexpectedly, the image of that cold, handsome face came to mind again, and my mood suddenly improved.

The sweet, soft voices and laughter faded into the night.

As night deepened, the royal palace gradually sank into a tranquil darkness.

Tribulation

Surrounded by his maids, the King of Shanshan removed his magnificent and heavy royal robes. After all, he was over fifty years old, and despite his good health, the continuous nightly banquet still left him feeling tired. But when he thought of something, a surge of heat rose within him, and he became excited again.

The Imperial Advisor appeared quietly behind him.

"Your Majesty, we have already investigated. The girl is not skilled in martial arts, her identity is confirmed, and she should be safe."

He smiled silently, waved his hand, and the people around him retreated.

He moved into the inner chamber of the bedchamber, where a small figure was curled up on the luxurious and spacious bed.

"Such beautiful skin, smooth as silk..." A low, murmured male voice, thick with lust, "What a waste for a wandering entertainer... How many noble people has this body served?"

Why aren't you saying anything? Are you scared?

"Her waist is beautiful, so slender and supple, and she has breasts..." The words were uttered with a sigh, and her breathing gradually became heavier.

"Don't tremble, I will take good care of you."

"Such beautiful legs, so straight..." Her breathing grew heavier.

"Why did you grab me? Did you bite too hard?"

"Don't be afraid, let me savor it..."

"The armlet is in the way... wait... what's underneath? A virginity mark... how did you get that...?"

The silver candle flickered, and a tiny glimmer of light suddenly appeared in the deathly silent room.

The heavy prison door creaked open.

Jiuwei rushed in, excitedly grabbing his shoulder.

"Jiaye succeeded. She killed the King of Shanshan. The King has pardoned your transgression as promised. You may leave now."

It was a success?

He was somewhat incredulous; no one could have known the risks and difficulties of another assassination attempt better than him.

"Is she... injured?"

"It seems not. She has already gone to the palace to report and is now going back to rest." Jiuwei smiled. "At least she still has a heart and didn't abandon us. It wasn't for nothing that you came back to confess your sins for her sake."

He felt a little relieved.

"What method did she use?"

"Who knows, but it worked anyway." Jiuwei shrugged. "We were all fooled. We thought she was going to sever ties and clean up the mess, but we were used against her instead. Even the King of the Sect couldn't find an excuse to refuse. Now that she's succeeded, you'll be fine at least."

“Jiuwei…” He opened his mouth, but couldn’t say the word “thank you.” Such deep affection could not be expressed in a single word.

Jiuwei waved her hand knowingly. "Stop talking nonsense. You look disheveled. Go back and take a bath and change your clothes. Haven't you had enough of being in the death row? I thought Zisu had taken good care of you."

For the first time in many days since the accident, he smiled.

The prison cell is now clean and tidy, with complete bedding and much better food. Compared to the terrible conditions at the beginning, it's like heaven and earth. How could he not know that such preferential treatment must be the result of Jiuwei entrusting Zisu with her request?

Jiuwei raised an eyebrow, her worry gone, but her usual mischievousness resurfaced.

"I heard Zi Su has come a few times." He smiled maliciously, his eyes scanning her up and down. "What did she say?"

"It's nothing more than trying to win them over."

"That's it?" Jiuwei didn't believe it at all, and smiled in an extremely ambiguous way.

"Hmm." Looking at the other person's strange expression, he was both annoyed and amused. "What do you want to hear?"

Jiuwei pouted regretfully, pulled him up, and pushed him out of the cell. "I knew there wouldn't be any fun in this. I could guess it even without you saying it, given your stubbornness."

Returning to the Water Palace felt like stepping into another world.

Six-Winged was overjoyed and kept talking to him until he finally retreated under the strong command of Red Eagle.

After washing up and changing clothes, I was clean and tidy again, just like always.

As he approached Jia Ye's room, Lü Yi arrived carrying a tray filled with medicine bottles and gauze of various sizes. His heart tightened.

"She's injured?"

"Reporting to Young Master, Envoy Xue said that there was a slight injury and instructed me to fetch it for later use." Lü Yi naturally knew who she was referring to, and bowed her head as she answered.

"Is Jia Ye in the room?"

"The Snow Maiden was taking a bath earlier, and is probably resting now." The answer was not very certain.

He took the tray, knocked lightly on the door, but there was no response.

"You can go down now."

Watching Lü Yi walk away, he pushed open the door and stepped into the room.

The large room was empty. He hesitated for a moment, then entered the adjacent cubicle. Rippling light flickered and swayed in the room—it was Jia Ye's private bath. The water in the pool was drawn from a mountain spring and remained warm year-round. She had a habit of bathing after each murder, a practice she had maintained for many years.