Принцесса Сянси

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The boy suddenly saw her, pointed outside, and shouted, "Someone's here!"

Father stood up, his expression complex.

"Remember this from now on: men are heartless and fickle, and you can't believe a single word they say." Her cherry lips parted, uttering words she couldn't understand at the time. "If you're soft-hearted and believe them, it won't be a pity if you die." Then she left resolutely.

Xu Lianning only felt cold. When she saw her father come out and hug her, she could only repeat one word blankly: "Cold..."

It's so clear that I still remember it so vividly after all these years. A chill that penetrates to the very core.

The woman inside took off her mink coat and wrapped it around her, smiling slightly. "Will you still be cold like this?" She had a pair of deep blue eyes and a strange accent; her father called her Li Ji. The boy ran out unsteadily, stretching out his hands and saying, "Mother, I want to hug you too..." Her father reached out and hugged one of them.

Xu Lianning turned her head away from the boy opposite her; he might still be snotty and filthy.

Although she couldn't understand it, she still vaguely felt that she was being excluded by something.

She didn't know the boy's name, only that Li Ji called him Xuan'er, and that her father told her to call him "little brother" from now on. How could she have a little brother who couldn't even walk steadily?

"Ning, Ning..." Xuan staggered as he circled under the small tree. "Why are you sitting so high up? Come down."

Xu Lianning swung her legs and looked down, laughing, "I'm going to sit up there anyway, or you can go tell on me."

He scratched his head and looked up, saying, "I'm not that kind of person. If your uncle sees me, he'll beat you up."

“Then let him hit me.” She stood up and paced back and forth on the branches. “Stay away from me, I hate the sight of you.” As she spoke, her inner energy was impure, and with a soft thud, she lost her balance and plummeted. She reached out to grab a nearby branch, but the rustling sound didn't stop her fall. She clutched her head, trying to curl into a ball, but felt no pain upon landing. She rolled away, and when she regained her balance, her arm burned with pain, covered in scrapes and abrasions. But Xuan lay motionless on the ground for a long time. Terrified, she moved to his side to check on him, only to see blood streaming from his forehead, his arm limply hanging to one side. “You’re bleeding, does it hurt? Get up quickly…” Her voice trailed off, finally turning into a sob.

Finally, her father arrived upon hearing the commotion, his eyes filled with an unprecedented sternness. She instinctively wanted to argue, but couldn't utter a single word. After that day, she was taken back to Wudang and confined to the Golden Hall, ignored for two whole days and nights. The Golden Hall was built on Tianzhu Peak, where the wind was strong and the weather was cold. She cried for a whole day out of fear before finally falling asleep.

Even though she hadn't set foot on Wudang Mountain for ten years, she still remembered the location of Tianzhu Peak and the layout of the Golden Hall very clearly.

When Wudang was alive, Master Tianyan asked her if she remembered the name of the highest mountain. He meant no harm, but it chilled her to the bone. Even though everyone else had forgotten, she remembered it vividly.

Two days later, her father came to see her, but still didn't say a word. He then entrusted her to a farmer outside Suizhou City.

It was also a day close to the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the moon overhead was slowly becoming full.

Xu Lianning thought, just like the moon tonight, it slowly grew full, and slowly revealed its desolation. She felt her neck, which had been tilted back for so long, was a little sore, so she lowered her head slightly.

Through the red-lacquered pillars and winding corridors, one could almost see a young girl crying and clutching the man's clothes, repeatedly promising not to hurt her younger brother again, pleading not to leave her alone. So pitiful, so helpless. She clearly didn't mean to hurt anyone; it was clearly an accident, but no one believed her, so she could only beg for forgiveness, plead for pardon. But even this pleas were not accepted.

The fingers beneath her clothes clenched unconsciously, and the sorrow slowly evolved into endless resentment.

"What are you thinking? You're gritting your teeth like you're about to wipe out someone's entire family." Zhang Weiyi waved her hand in front of her eyes, then flicked her forehead. "Return to your soul."

Xu Lianning realized what he meant, but couldn't help wanting to laugh. She waved his hand away and said, "Isn't confiscating property and exterminating entire families something only you would do?"

Zhang Weiyi walked into her room and said, "You really overestimate me. At most, I can only kick someone when they're down and punish those who offend me by exterminating their entire family, from three generations to nine generations."

Xu Lianning followed behind: "Are those people really willing to leave?"

"He's been putting on airs all day, dressed so formally and extravagantly, like he's on a theatrical stage." Zhang Weiyi casually untied his gold-embroidered jade belt and threw it on the ground, making his outer robe look loose and baggy.

Xu Lianning stared straight at him, finally managing to squeeze out a question: "What are you doing?"

The other person didn't seem to care much and casually said, "It's more comfortable this way." With a flick of his wrist, he threw his embroidered purple silk robe to the ground.

Xu Lianning instinctively wanted to turn around and leave the room, but before she had taken two steps, a hand suddenly blocked her way and closed the door. She turned around, feeling that the last bit of sadness had been destroyed, replaced by anger.

"How about we go for a walk tomorrow?" Zhang Weiyi leaned against the door frame behind her, deliberately lowering her voice, "Just the two of us."

Xu Lianning pushed the other person's arm that was supporting him at his side, but the other person didn't budge: "Okay, but I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow?"

"Sunny days and rainy days each have their own charm, and there's no need to force it."

"...The battle with the Heavenly Sorrow Sect is just around the corner, isn't it? I wonder what the situation is like now."

“Master and the others will consider these matters. You and I don’t need to worry about them. We should think more about the things between us.”

Xu Lianning took a deep breath: "But the people of the Tianshang Sect are all skilled in martial arts, and I'm afraid it might not be so easy for me to finish them off."

"If you're scared, just stay close to me." He smiled with a hint of smugness. "I'll take care of you."

"You..." She leaned against the door, racking her brains for a topic of conversation, "Ah, I just remembered that I patted Ye Zhao on the back earlier. Although it wasn't hard, I used real strength. It's alright, isn't it?"

Zhang Weiyi smiled and said slowly, "Oh? I was wondering why it would lie there so obediently, with its temperament." After saying that, she took a step back, turned around and walked to the table to sit down, slowly pouring herself a cup of tea: "I've been talking nonsense all day, and my voice is hoarse."

Xu Lianning wanted to smash him with a round stool, and said irritably, "Then why don't you go wash up and go to bed?"

He smiled slightly and said, "Are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

Xu Lianning remained silent.

He took a few sips of tea, stood up, and said, "Then I'm going to sleep."

"I want to ask you..." Xu Lianning gritted her teeth and continued, "Did your respected Uncle Xu say anything afterward?"

Zhang Weiyi lowered her eyes and said softly, "I've heard a story, but I'm afraid you won't want to hear it all."

Xu Lianning said with a stern face, "Sit down and tell me slowly. I want to hear it today."

He turned and sat down, pouring himself another cup of tea, but only holding the cup: "I heard it from a drunk man. He said he had a soulmate, and the two were deeply in love, intending to spend their lives together. But his parents arranged a marriage for him. The girl was the head of a sect, proud and arrogant. Knowing that he had someone else in his heart, she proposed to break off the engagement. He was grateful for her understanding and had no defenses against her, unaware that it wasn't like that at all."

Xu Lianning stared at him intently, and he continued, "That young lady was extremely proud. She was furious that her betrothed husband had abandoned her for someone else, so she drugged his wine. As a result, the two of them... cough, that woman became pregnant that very night."

Her hand trembled, and the tea spilled out, but she didn't pay much attention: "...And then?"

"He didn't know at the time, and filled with remorse, he confessed to his beloved. Although she was heartbroken, she didn't blame him and even willingly became his concubine. However, the girl told them that she didn't want a husband who didn't care about her at all, so she promised to persuade both sets of parents to break off the engagement." At that time, having multiple wives and concubines was common, and besides, this was a last resort. "But in the end, the girl changed her mind on the spot and revealed their past entanglements, and the two hastily got married. You should know what happened next."

Xu Lianning was lost in thought for a long time before muttering, "So that's how it is."

“Lian Ning, some things aren’t as they seem. Even when listening to stories, you should listen to several people.” Zhang Weiyi looked at her, but she remained seated, not even glancing at him. “Go to sleep early, I’m going back to my room.” He stood up, picked up his outer robe and jade belt from the ground, but stopped at the door.

"Actually, you heard what my elder brother and I said that day at Fuzhen Temple, didn't you?"

Xu Lianning didn't react at first, and it took her a while to understand what he said. By the time she turned to look at him, he was already far away.

"I know my limits and won't get too involved."

"Wouldn't it be better if one day she fell deeply in love with me and couldn't extricate herself? The court is full of intrigue and deceit, and one cannot afford to make the slightest mistake. I am ultimately alone, and if I could have her, I would have one more ally."

That day wasn't without its tremors. I thought I was using someone, but I ended up being outmaneuvered.

They understood each other implicitly, but pretended not to know.

Gentleness is fake, thoughtfulness is fake, even human hearts are fake.

Sometimes I wonder if all the things I'm thinking are actually false?

That New Year's Eve, it snowed heavily for days. Standing in the snow, looking at the harmonious scene inside the house, she felt a chill run through her. It wasn't the weather that was cold, but her heart. She was the one who should have been rejected. Yet they still accepted her, enduring her constantly bringing up painful memories of the past. She remained completely unaware.

So it's not wrong for the person who should have called her father to treat her this way. Apart from the unbreakable blood ties, they were complete strangers.

What right does she have to seek revenge? It turns out that it was all just wishful thinking and self-inflicted hatred from beginning to end.

Overnight, so many years of perseverance turned into a farce, a situation so helpless yet both laughable and pathetic...

The next day, Xu Lianning went to the flower hall for breakfast with unsteady steps. She knew that her face must look terrible, so she ignored the surprised and uncertain looks from others.

"Didn't you sleep well last night?" After finishing breakfast and leaving the flower hall, Zhang Weiyi lifted her chin and examined her closely. "Your eyes aren't swollen, so it seems you haven't been crying. Why don't we stay home today and you get some rest?"

Xu Lianning slapped his hand away: "Let's stick to the old way." She paused, her tone slightly weak: "I'm afraid that if I calm down, I'll think about those things again."

The two traveled light, with horses already prepared nearby. Xu Lianning went over to take the horse, only to hear Ye Zhao let out a low neigh and arrogantly turn the horse's rump towards her. She didn't even glance at him, and went straight to take the lead from the yellow cloud horse beside her. Zhang Weiyi smiled and reached out to pat Ye Zhao's neck.

“This way down is Chongli Pavilion,” Zhang Weiyi said calmly as they slowly walked along the Jinjiang River. “It was built for Hong Du, a talented woman from the Tang Dynasty.”

"Does Hongdu refer to Xue Tao?" Xu Lianning asked.

"Yes, Xue Tao had also associated with famous scholars and talented men of the time, such as Bai Juyi, and even had a relationship with Yuan Weizhi. After that, she lived alone by the river and retired here." As a scion of a prominent family, Zhang Weiyi was also very knowledgeable about the scenery and customs of various places. "Like Su Xiaoxiao, she was also a bit of a pity."

Xu Lianning, who was riding ahead, suddenly turned around and asked, "If it were you, which would you choose: beauty or power?"

Zhang Weiyi smiled slightly and said, "Are you testing me?" He paused, then added, "They are both things I should have, so why should I give up one for the other?"

What if you can only choose one of the two?

"So, would you be drawn to a proud and ambitious man who is obsessed with power, or a man with no ambition who only cares about romantic relationships?"

Xu Lianning paused for a moment, then said after a long pause, "I don't know."

Zhang Weiyi reined in the horse: "The road ahead is difficult to ride, let's walk up slowly."

The two walked side by side along a mountain path for a while when Zhang Weiyi suddenly said, "We've known each other for so long, but I've never told you about my life. During the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign, foreign tribes launched a major invasion. Emperor Yingzong, my grandfather, listened to the words of the eunuch Wang Zhen, delayed military operations, and was captured by the foreign tribes. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, so Prince Cheng ascended the throne, becoming Emperor Jing. Later, the foreign enemies were defeated, and my grandfather was welcomed back, but Emperor Jing refused to relinquish the throne."

“Having tasted the power, it probably won’t be easy for him to let go,” Xu Lianning said.

"As you said, Emperor Jing not only placed my grandfather under house arrest, but also issued an edict to depose my father from his position as crown prince. Every eunuch and palace maid in the palace is mindful of the emperor's wishes; those favored fawn over him, while those out of favor are ignored, and some arrogant ones bully others at will. If this goes on for several years, it can drive someone to their death." He said, frowning slightly. "For the past few years, there has been a palace maid surnamed Wan who has been with my father. Later, when my grandfather regained the throne, and my father ascended the throne, he made that palace maid a Noble Consort."

Xu Lianning didn't speak, but she knew in her heart that he must have also experienced being bullied in the palace to have such feelings.

"My father both respected and loved Consort Wan, and even deposed Empress Wu for her sake. Because he favored only one person and had few children, the court officials petitioned for his removal. My mother was sent to the palace at that time. Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful she was, she could not compare to Consort Wan and did not receive my father's favor. After my mother fell ill, I had no one to rely on in the palace, so I had to ask for permission to go there when Wudang Mountain was being repaired."

As they spoke, they entered Chongli Pavilion, their footsteps making a soft thud on the wooden planks of the pavilion.

Outside the window, a misty haze hung heavy, the air thick with the scent of grass and trees.

The subtle autumn chill arrives so unpredictably, spreading wildly and catching people off guard, leaving them flustered and disoriented.

Zhang Weiyi turned slightly to the side, her arm sliding gently down to encircle the other's waist, then leaned forward, resting her chin on the other's brow. Xu Lianning didn't move, feeling as if she could no longer think, standing there blankly.

"Lian Ning, let's continue like this until our hair turns white and we can no longer walk. We won't need to say anything or guess; we'll be able to see each other's thoughts at a glance." His voice lingered in my ear, both distant and near, seemingly burning with the pain in my heart, yet also offering a slight comfort. "Let's continue like this. And then, a long, long lifetime."

Xu Lianning felt her throat go dry. The two were so close that they could almost hear each other's heartbeats. The sincerity she suddenly felt in that instant, at least for this moment, was real: "I think it's good too, let's leave it at that for now."

Nothing in life compares to deep affection; the river is not deep, and the mountains are not heavy.

She heard the other person chuckle softly, "I originally thought I was nothing like my father, but it turns out that's not true..."

Night chanting should make one feel the chill of the moonlight.

It felt like the Mid-Autumn Festival was just around the corner, but before I knew it, it was over, and I was enjoying the aroma of osmanthus and crab.

Without needing to worry about the exact date, everyone knew perfectly well that since a battle with the Heavenly Sorrow Sect was inevitable, it was time for it to happen.

He Jing, beaming with joy, burst into the inn: "Senior brother, Master told me to tell you that we will meet at the Tian Shang Sect headquarters in three days!"

Xu Lianning was dealing with a pomegranate in her hand when she glanced at him and said lazily, "This is a suicide mission, not a lantern festival."

Zhang Weiyi smiled slightly and asked, "Junior Brother He, has Master arrived nearby?"

He Jing wiped his sweat and said casually, "Master and Sect Leader Liu have already arrived at Qingcheng Mountain. I came to inform you in advance."

"We should reunite with our master and the others as soon as possible," Li Qingyun said somewhat anxiously.

Zhang Weiyi said, "We should pack our things and let Junior Brother He rest for a while before we leave."

Mu Ruiyan strolled over and said with a faint smile, "Since this is a major event in the righteous martial arts world, I might as well join in the fun. Anyway, things here have already been taken care of."

He Jing was very curious: "What exactly are you doing?"