Смертная любовь в эпоху Северной Сун

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Mercenary Princess

Volume One: Pear Blossom Courtyard Under the Melting Moon, Chapter One: A Transmigration

Jian Dan never imagined she could wake up again. She thought the explosion was the end of her life, but who would have thought that heaven would be so kind to her, unwilling to let her perish, and actually allow her to be reborn, giving her a second life?

Liu Rongyue, the eldest daughter of Liu Zhiyi, the prime minister of the Eastern Dynasty, the niece of the Empress Dowager, and the cousin of the Emperor—this is her current identity. Such a prominent status is something most people would covet! She gave a simple, self-deprecating laugh. Status? Position? Ha, nothing but shackles that bind a person. It's laughable that people probably can't escape the allure of fame and fortune even until death!

I pluck a sprig of snow-white pear blossom, deeply inhaling its delicate fragrance. Strolling along the winding, meandering corridor, admiring the artfully arranged pavilions and terraces, I'm momentarily captivated, unable to distinguish between dream and reality. Watching the flowers bloom and fade in the courtyard, observing the clouds drift and gather in the sky—if only a lifetime could be this peaceful and serene…

"Young Miss..." Feeling a slight tug on her sleeve, she pulled herself out of her reverie and turned to the timid maid Luo'er beside her, asking somewhat impatiently, "What's wrong?"

Seeing her expression change, Luo'er knelt down with a thud, desperately hugging her leg, sobbing uncontrollably, "Miss... I know you're not convinced, but you can't fight city hall... I beg you, please don't go over there. What will happen if you anger the Emperor... Miss, I deserve to die for saying such treasonous things... But I still have to say, there are plenty of good men in the world. With your looks and family background, Miss, what kind of son-in-law can't you find... Miss, I beg you to give up..."

Huh? What a mess! Simple, oh, this should be Liu Rongyue now. She frowned, looking down at the tear-streaked Luo'er, and began to sort through the information Luo'er had just provided. The Second Miss? The Emperor? It's probably the old trope of a love triangle! Since she woke up, the servants in the manor have remained tight-lipped about her "injuries," no matter how she tried to get information out of them, she couldn't get a clear answer. Touching the newly formed scab on her forehead, she secretly pondered, "It's probably from heartbreak!"

"Alright, I know! Get up now!" She pried Luo'er's hands off her, lifted her skirt, and continued walking. She hated being touched by anyone other than him, to the point of loathing and even hatred. For ten years after he left, she had lived as a mercenary, always alone, only silently enduring the pain of longing at night. Only without him did she realize that being alone wasn't lonely; it was missing someone that made her lonely…

Seeing that she still hadn't stopped, Luo'er panicked and hugged her leg tightly again, just as she had let go: "Miss, please don't go over there..."

"Don't go over there?" She looked at the frightened Luo'er with suspicion, and following her gaze, she discovered that directly in front of them, by the pond, a beautiful couple was leaning sweetly against a willow tree, whispering sweet nothings to each other, their affection palpable. The green willow branches swayed in the breeze, rippling the surface of the pond. In the sunlight, the man was handsome, the woman beautiful; from afar, they looked like a beautiful painting…

Suddenly I have this urge to destroy the whole world! I guess that's the original owner's reaction!

So that's how it is. Luo'er will probably rush over and cause a ruckus as usual! But how could Luo'er know that her proud master has already passed away, leaving behind only a simple and indifferent heart…

Suppressing the restlessness in her heart, Rongyue tossed her head dismissively, turned around, and strode back along the path. Perhaps not expecting her mistress to be so easily persuaded today, Luo'er, after a few seconds of stunned silence, happily called out to Rongyue's retreating figure, "Young Miss, slow down, don't stumble..."

The best time to plan for the year is spring, and the best time to plan for the day is morning. Although her identity and surroundings have changed, Rongyue's habits cannot be changed overnight. In her previous life, she was a mercenary, or to put it bluntly, a killing machine. Between life and death, without agile skills and a strong physique, she probably wouldn't even know how to write the word "death" in front of the enemy. To maintain her title as the top mercenary for four consecutive years, Rongyue had truly earned her position through blood and sweat—a 10,000-meter run at 4 AM every day, followed by a 5,000-meter finish at 10 PM, interspersed with various physical training exercises, most of which were designed to push her physical limits. Habits become second nature. As the morning star rose in the eastern sky, Rongyue opened her eyes, every cell in her body screaming, excited, and pulsating…

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Being new to the area, Rongyue understood the importance of keeping a low profile. When no one was around, she would practice Sanda (Chinese kickboxing), Taekwondo, and other martial arts in her room. Aside from that, she dared not make any loud noises to avoid attracting attention. As for strengthening her legs, she would secretly run a few laps around her small courtyard when no one was looking. After a few days, her body had become quite robust, unlike when she first arrived, when she was a mere replica of Lin Daiyu (a character from the classic Chinese novel *Dream of the Red Chamber*).

Volume One: Pear Blossom Courtyard Under the Melting Moon; Chapter Two: A Complex Family Background

Since her return to life, about a week had passed, and not a single member of the Liu family had come to comfort the injured young lady. Rongyue was puzzled and subtly inquired about it with Luo'er, but Luo'er stammered and gave evasive answers, and Rongyue couldn't get a clear answer from her. Rongyue had no choice but to resort to a roundabout approach to elicit information, and only then did she vaguely understand the reason for the deserted house.

It turned out that this eldest daughter had a bad temper, was domineering and arrogant, and would often take her anger out on the servants, making her disliked by everyone in the mansion. Her mother had also died early, and she had an eccentric and extreme personality, often ignoring even Old Master Liu's authority. Naturally, she was disliked by Old Master Liu, so he naturally favored his obedient and sensible second daughter, Liu Ruxu. Because Liu Rongyue had been betrothed to the current emperor, Dongfang Lie, even in her womb, Old Master Liu did not neglect this unpopular daughter, as she was the future mother of the Eastern Dynasty, and offending her would bring the Liu family no benefit whatsoever.

Delicate clouds weave patterns, shooting stars convey sorrow, the Milky Way stretches vast and silent. Ever since meeting Liu Ruxu on the Qixi Festival, Dongfang Lie has harbored the desire to marry the two daughters of the Liu family. This aligns perfectly with Old Master Liu's wishes, and they immediately decide to substitute one for the other. After all, the two Liu daughters are kept hidden away and unknown to the world. Moreover, Liu Rongyue is only a few hours older than Liu Ruxu; as long as the people in the household keep quiet, outsiders will have no way of knowing. Without the protective umbrella of her status as "Mother of the Nation," Liu Rongyue's value has plummeted. Luo'er says that Old Master Liu's former concubine, who was also Liu Ruxu's mother, was driven to suicide by this young lady. It's likely that Old Master Liu still harbors resentment about this, and now he completely ignores this daughter, seemingly leaving her to fend for herself. The young lady, having lost power, was likely subjected to the scorn of the servants. Being too proud, she refused to accept this and went to argue with them. Humiliated, she lost her mind and committed suicide by running into a wall, ending her life in this mortal world…

Actually, this young lady is quite unfortunate! Such extremes, such arrogance, are probably due to her inner loneliness! She's just a child yearning for love and to be loved, but alas, no one understands her, and no one loves her, leading her gradually from desolation to annihilation. Rongyue absentmindedly combed her long, flowing hair, gazing at her delicate, slightly childish face in the mirror, and couldn't help but sigh softly. She understood her because she knew they were the same kind of people…

Rongyue's unpredictable expression made Luo'er, who had just entered, feel a sudden unease. She cautiously observed Rongyue's face and whispered, "Young Miss... Young Miss..."

"Has anything important happened in the manor lately?" She continued combing her waist-length hair, then tied it up and secured it simply with a white jade hairpin. Her cloud-shaped bun then lazily tilted to one side, adding a touch of languid charm to her childlike face.

Since waking up, the young lady seems... to have changed completely... What exactly has changed...? Luo'er tilted her head slightly, pondering deeply, until she saw Rongyue's displeased expression, and then suddenly came to her senses: "No... ah, nothing..."

"Does it or not?!" What's with this Luo'er? She keeps changing her mind, sometimes saying yes and sometimes no, and her words are all over the place. Can't she just be straightforward?

"I told you, Miss... please don't be sad..."

"Stop arguing!"

"The imperial edict has been issued... It says that the 20th of this month is an auspicious day for marriage... Hmm... the Second Miss, she..."

Seeing that she stopped and cautiously observed her expression after each sentence, and that her words were broken and disjointed, Rongyue was really annoyed. She interrupted her impatiently: "The Second Miss will be married to the Emperor on the 20th and become the Mother of the Nation, the Emperor's woman! Isn't that right?"

"Mmm," Luo'er responded in a soft, almost inaudible voice, then glanced timidly at Rongyue with her doe-like eyes.

"Quite fast..." Rongyue smiled amusedly, twirling the jade thumb ring on her index finger, and asked casually, "Besides that, what other movements have occurred in the manor?"

It would have been better if she hadn't asked. The question brought tears to Luo'er's eyes, and she unexpectedly knelt at Rongyue's feet, sobbing, "Young Miss, there's something I've been keeping from you... From the day you woke up, Master... he ordered that no servants should call you 'Young Miss'... instead, he'd call you 'Second Miss'... and he said that if he heard anyone call you 'Young Miss' again... he'd cut out their tongue..."

She smoothed her hair, a cold smile playing on her lips. It was expected, but she hadn't anticipated that Old Master Liu would be so impatient. Normally, someone in a position of power should fulfill their duties as a daughter, but since he didn't care for this daughter, she, Jian Dan, wouldn't perform filial duties on Rong Yue's behalf! Jian Dan was simple and alone, not suited to carrying too many emotions; therefore, she had nothing to feel guilty or uneasy about!

In the imperial study of the Eastern Dynasty, a man dressed in a bright yellow undergarment leaned lazily against a large, soft dragon couch. His long, clean-cut hand, with its distinct knuckles, slowly brushed aside the hair falling across his forehead, revealing an exceptionally handsome face. His sword-like eyebrows reached his temples, his face was sharply defined, his nose delicate, his lips thin, and his eyes bright and striking—even Pan An reborn could not compare. Alas, no one is perfect, and his handsome face, coupled with his alluring, slightly wicked eyes and the faint, almost imperceptible, wicked smile at the corner of his mouth, made him appear overtly wicked, giving him a somewhat roguish air that ultimately ruined the beauty of his face. This man was none other than the young and promising emperor of the Eastern Dynasty—Dongfang Lie.

Dongfang Lie tapped the edge of the dragon bed with his left hand, a roguish smile curving his lips. His eyes darted around, looking at the cold, aloof, and domineering man before him with ill intent: "What, is Little Yao Yao so concerned about my marriage?"

"Pfft!" Upon hearing Dongfang Lie's words, the man called Xiao Yao Yao spat out his entire mouthful of tea. Dongfang Lie quickly drew his fan to shield himself from the sudden 'storm'.

Seeing Dongfang Lie laughing carefree, the man's face hardened, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "Dongfang Lie, this is my last warning to you. If you call me that again, I'll beat you to a pulp!"

"Oh, how heartless! Little..." Dongfang Lie's sentence was cut off by the man's glare, and he could only say sullenly, "Xuyao—sigh, you're really no fun. You always have a deadpan expression. I really don't know why those women like you... Hey, I'm telling the truth! If you don't believe me, look at yourself in the mirror. You're like an ice man! I really wonder if those women who throw themselves at you will be frozen into ice blocks by you?"

The Xu Yao mentioned by Dongfang Lie is none other than the renowned Cold-Faced Young Master, also known as the Ruthless Young Master—Chu Xu Yao. Over a decade ago, the two became disciples of the Tianshan Taoist, one wicked and the other cold, and surprisingly, they became inseparable friends. After mastering their skills and descending the mountain, one inherited the throne and became the emperor of the Dongfang Dynasty, while the other was invincible, earning the title "Cold-Faced Young Master." Later, he rose from humble beginnings to establish the Dongfang Dynasty's premier manor—Qilin Manor.

Looking at Dongfang Lie, who was sitting and lying down in a disheveled manner, Chu Xuyao coldly glared at him and said, "If your ministers saw you like this, they would probably be crying and begging to retire before the next morning court session!"

"Tch!" Dongfang Lie curled his lip, his face completely indifferent.

"Seriously, why did you remarry the second young lady of the Liu family? Could it be that the second young lady is more beautiful than the eldest young lady?"

"Could it be that I am so shallow in your heart?" Dongfang Lie clutched his heart like Xizi, looking hurt.

Seeing Dongfang Lie putting on an act, Chu Xuyao narrowed his eyes dangerously, glaring at Dongfang Lie with a sense of impending doom.

Seeing that things were not going well, Dongfang Lie quickly changed his tune: "Alright, alright, I'll tell you, I'll tell you, okay? My second cousin is indeed a hundred or even a thousand times more beautiful than my eldest cousin, but I've seen plenty of women who are more beautiful and charming than my second cousin. Why would I be infatuated with her looks? The only reason I'm marrying her is to lower my ambitious uncle's guard!"

"Don't try to fool me! Your second cousin is your uncle's daughter, so why isn't your eldest cousin?" Chu Xuyao raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing it.

"No, no!" Dongfang Lie waved his hand at Chu Xuyao, then smiled mysteriously, somewhat unfathomable: "The Liu family does indeed have two daughters, but in my uncle's heart, the Liu family only has one daughter!"

What does that mean?

Dongfang Lie's lips curled up slightly, and he said with a hint of mockery, "My eldest cousin has never gotten along with my uncle since she was little. She is arrogant, domineering, and jealous! She was ruthless at a young age. When she was nine, she forced my uncle's beloved concubine to her death. Since then, the father and daughter have been irreconcilable. It's better for them not to see each other!"