Until that moment, a strange feeling suddenly arose in his heart, and he stood there, unaware of the time, until dawn.
But by now, the wind has already blown away the word "happiness".
That was something he had never grasped in his life, and could never grasp again.
once……
When he opened his eyes from the darkness, the first thing he saw was her pale, lifeless face, her arms tightly wrapped around him, with a tenacity and protectiveness he had never felt before. The faint inner strength she conveyed was her unwavering persistence even in her dying moments. His heart stirred slightly, a stirring he had never experienced before. An unusually clear and impossible-to-ignore stirring.
She said, "I don't want to die... ah..."
He actually knew they wouldn't die, but he didn't tell her.
She said, "I carried you on my back yesterday, today it's your turn to carry me."
He tried to shake her off, but she clung to him stubbornly. As if forced into a corner, he carried her on his back. A strange joy welled up inside him; it was the first time he had ever carried a woman on his back.
She turned her back to him and secretly shed tears, a sadness he had never seen in her eyes before. His heart sank, for he knew for whom that sorrow was. And the one who had separated them was himself. He was conflicted, torn. When they arrived in the capital and she said she was leaving, he left without hesitation, thinking it was the end of it all, that he would never cross paths with her again. But her image would always unexpectedly surface in his mind, haunting him. He finally understood that he had been running away.
She could have chosen not to attend Liu Xiu's wedding banquet, but an inexplicable longing led her there. He saw her sadness, and when she revealed her identity, what shocked him was not her deception, but the fact that she was the one he had betrothed to since childhood.
That was something he had the chance to possess in his lifetime, but could not grasp.
Having missed the beginning and the end, he leaned on her shoulder, smiled faintly, and closed his eyes.
He never laughed, never.
Fang Yuan stumbled over, knelt heavily on the ground, stared at Tang Ye's corpse, his eyes empty and tearless, as if he couldn't stand the thorns on his body. Numbly, he reached out, grasped the arrow on Tang Ye's back, and pulled it out sharply, then grabbed another one...
Only after all the arrows had been pulled out, his body and hands covered in blood, did he stand up, hoist the unconscious Hua Wuduo and the young master Tang Ye, and vanish in an instant. A resounding oath echoed across the sky: "I, Fang Yuan, swear to the heavens that Tang Di will avenge this blood feud for the young master Tang Ye, until death do us part!"
When news of Tang Ye's sudden death reached the Tang family, Tang Zhuoshan, the head of the family, was devastated when he saw Tang Ye's mangled corpse. Tang Ye was his son, whom he had always been incredibly proud of. This son was not only handsome and filial, but also learned and intelligent. He always felt immense pride whenever someone mentioned the Tang family or Tang Ye. This son was like a legend, holding an undefeated position in the martial arts world, and symbolizing the Tang family's unshakeable status. Thinking back to how he had insisted on arranging Tang Ye's marriage to the Fang family for his sister's sake, which had led to Tang Ye's tragic death for the sake of that troublesome daughter of the Fang family, he felt increasingly guilty. That night, he drank himself into a stupor, and in his drunken stupor, he saw his wives and concubines secretly pleased by Tang Ye's death, showing no grief whatsoever. In a fit of rage, he killed all his wives and concubines, then disappeared from the martial arts world, never to be seen again.
After Tang Ye's death and Tang Zhuoshan's disappearance, Tang Feng took over the Tang family, becoming the head of the Tang Clan. Only a very few people in the world knew that Tang Feng was the assassin Wujian, who had once ravaged the martial world, and that the Tang family was the true mastermind behind the assassin organization Tangdi. However, at this time, it was not Tang Feng who took over Tangdi, but Fang Yuan. The Tang family, originally related to the Liu family, also became enemies because of Tang Ye's death.
Qi Xin, standing on the city wall, heard Fang Yuan's threatening words that seemed to pierce the air. Far from being afraid, she smiled slightly. She recalled half a year ago when she entered the palace to meet Empress Dowager Liu Ya. The Empress Dowager held her hand and said, "Xiu has always been indifferent to women, even somewhat repulsed by them. This is related to an experience he had in his childhood, so you don't need to worry about it. He is, after all, a man, still young. You can try other methods; the Liu family's lineage depends on you."
Qi Xin replied, "Yes."
The Empress Dowager nodded and beckoned. A maid handed over a package, which the Empress Dowager took and gave to Qi Xin: "Xiu has been diligent in his duties lately. I heard from the imperial physician that he hasn't been sleeping well lately and occasionally has headaches from dreams. This is rosemary, which will be helpful for him. You can light it in his room. Here you go."
Qi Xin lowered her eyes and said, "Thank you for the Empress Dowager's gift."
The Empress Dowager said, "I am a little tired today, you may leave."
Qi Xin bowed and said, "Yes."
That evening, Liu Xiu was also summoned by the Empress Dowager and stayed in the palace for dinner. When he returned, it was nearly midnight, and he was already somewhat drunk. The Empress Dowager had poured him a lot of wine, and when Liu Shun helped him out of the carriage, although he looked aloof, his steps were unsteady. Knowing him well, Liu Shun knew that he was already drunk.
Back in his room, Liu Shun helped him change his clothes. He waved Liu Shun away and lay down on the bed, ready to sleep.
A faint, pleasant fragrance filled the room. As he drifted off to sleep, his mouth grew increasingly dry and hot. He tore open his undergarment and tossed it aside, but the heat intensified, and an unknown emotion coursed through his body. Just then, the door opened and closed again, and a light footstep entered. He slightly opened his eyes. The luminous pearl was covered by a veil, its dim light illuminating the figure of a woman. He couldn't make out her clearly, so he shook his head slightly and looked again. She wore a thin white satin dress, her hair cascading over her shoulders, her head bowed. Her exquisite curves made his head spin, and he felt increasingly disoriented. The woman walked slowly towards him, step by step. He struggled to sit up, and seemed to see outside the bamboo house, where the woman who had just finished bathing...
The woman on the hot spring walked towards him with a smile...
He couldn't see clearly, and unable to wait any longer for her to walk towards him, he pulled her close. The dim light of the night-shining pearl reflected on her face, and he trembled as he stroked her cheek, as if longing for her from a distant and painful place. He dreamed of her every night, but tonight's dream was especially vivid and unbearable.
The woman trembled slightly, her fingers touching his bare chest. He groaned softly, as if in unbearable pain, and suddenly hugged her, pressing her down onto the bed.
His burning lips pressed against hers, sucking and licking. The faint, subtle fragrance in the room, almost imperceptible, fueled his burning desire, while the woman beneath him was like a wisp of sweet dew, driving him wild with unease. Was this a dream? He couldn't tell anymore. He tore off her clothes, his fiery body pressing against her trembling form.
Qi Xin was both afraid and expectant. This was the first time Liu Xiu had ever been so proactive in being close to her. She trembled, letting him kiss her wildly, feeling his urgency and anxiety. Their bodies pressed close, their hot breaths mingling, their lips intertwined, their hands roaming, making her unable to help but let out a soft moan. She heard Liu Xiu's restrained yet frantic, hoarse voice, "I want you, you're mine!"
She trembled slightly, unable to hide the thrill in her heart. At that moment, she felt her world spinning, incredibly beautiful. From the moment she received the incense, she knew it wasn't ordinary rosemary, but when Liu Xiu embraced her, her heart was filled with unparalleled joy. Her husband, her everything, she loved Liu Xiu; from the first time she saw him by Daming Lake, she had been drawn to him. Wu Yi's advances satisfied her vanity; she knew her status, her beauty, and that she deserved the heartfelt admiration of every man in the world.
The moment Liu Xiu entered her body, it caused her pain. She struggled slightly, but at the same time, she felt Liu Xiu's soothing touch, and in an instant, she relaxed. Because of his tenderness, when he completely possessed her, she was somewhat confused and at a loss, when she heard Liu Xiu's hoarse murmur, "No more..."
He finally released her, turned over and fell into a deep sleep. The rosemary slowly burned out, leaving only a wisp of fragrance that lingered in the room, solidifying into her deep-seated hatred.
How could she let her go? She had to kill her!
After Prince Yi's death, the elderly Marquis of Xijing fell seriously ill upon hearing the news. The Marquis had only two sons; his elder son had died young, and his younger son, Wu Yi, though not one he respected, was treated like his own. Wu Yi embodied his life's hopes, and his death was like a sharp blade piercing his throat. He was devastated, and despite his illness, he still longed to don armor and go to war to avenge his father's death. Sadly, he died in his residence before setting out. Before his death, he entrusted his daughter, Wu Duoduo, and military power to Wu Qi.
Prior to this, in April of the same year, the Song family army decisively defeated Liu Jin, leaving the Prince of Jin in a state of disarray. Taking advantage of this, the Song family army marched north, advancing rapidly and capturing Jiangling and other places. In June, with the help of the Li family in Luoyang, the Song family army captured Luoyang and advanced directly towards Dongjun.
At the same time, Song Zixing received a secret report that King Cheng, Wu Yi, was dead, and his body was hanging above Wei City. Upon hearing the news, Song Zixing was greatly alarmed and secretly led dozens of horsemen to Wei City without stopping that night.
In June of the same year, after the death of King Cheng, Wu Yi, King Bei, Wu Qi, after a period of depression and a series of defeats, secretly met with Song Zixing. He then seemed to suddenly awaken to the situation, regrouping the Wu family army, whose morale had been low due to Wu Yi's death and the passing of the Marquis of Xijing, and launched a full-scale battle against Liu Jing in Dongjun. After the battle, Dongjun was almost completely razed to the ground, a scene of utter devastation. Liu Jing suffered a crushing defeat and ultimately died at the hands of Wu Qi.
When news of Liu Jing's death reached the capital, the Liu family, who had been basking in the joy of impending victory after the death of Wu Yi, were completely shocked. The Empress Dowager and Liu's father-in-law even lost sleep and could not eat or sleep.
After the defeat of the Prince of Jin and the death of Liu Jing, Luoyang and Dongjun fell one after another, and the Liu family was in dire straits, clearly losing all hope.
Since the death of Tang Ye, the young master of Tangdi, the Tang family and the Rang family broke ties. Tangdi assassins then launched a relentless attack on the residence of Liu Xiu, the Prince of Che in Weicheng, day and night. They not only assassinated the Prince and his wife, but also several of Liu Xiu's most capable generals. Some ruthless assassins even targeted innocent maids and servants within the mansion. This continued day and night, leaving everyone in the mansion living in constant fear and unease. Many, unable to bear it any longer, secretly fled the mansion.
Upon hearing the news, the Empress Dowager hurriedly dispatched several martial arts masters from the capital to Wei City to protect Prince Che and his consort. However, even so, the masters were exhausted and overwhelmed with the situation.
Now, thirty miles outside Wei City, in addition to the army of Wu Qi, the Northern King, the Song family from the southeast has also come, completely besieging Wei City. Wu Qi is in the north, and Song Zixing is in the south. The only main force currently besieging the Liu family is Liu Xiu.
For several days in a row, Liu Xiu lost all interest in state affairs, hiding in his room and refusing to eat or drink. No matter who called out to him or pleaded with him, it was to no avail, including Princess Qi Xin.
With the doors and windows tightly shut, Liu Xiu held a lock of broken hair in his hand, repeatedly touching it as he watched the light streaming into the room through the window lattice appear and disappear little by little, repeating this process over and over.
After several days of investigation, the scouts reported that Fang Ruoxi had passed away. According to them, her remains were buried in an unfamiliar place called Bamboo Sea. The scouts said they had never heard of Bamboo Sea before.
Upon hearing the news, he remained silent for a long time, then locked himself in his room in utter despair, oblivious to the killers and everything else.
He was immersed in longing, missing her, a painful and unforgettable longing.
She died, by his hand. She didn't dodge a single one of those three arrows; in fact, she met them head-on. She did it on purpose; she no longer wanted to live. She wanted to die by her own hand. Her remains were buried in the bamboo forest, not with Wu Yi. Why was she buried in the bamboo forest? That place only the two of them knew, that place holding his most beautiful memories. He thought, she still had feelings for him; she loved him, and yet she died by her own hand, by her own arrows.
He thought about it over and over again, constantly thinking about it.
Day after day, he recalled every moment they spent together, sometimes smiling, sometimes lost in thought, completely immersed in his memories.
He did not step out of his room until Wu Qi led his army into Wei City.
When Wu Qi's army attacked Wei City, Qi Xin could no longer hold back and ordered someone to break down his door. However, she found that in just three days, he had become emaciated and unrecognizable.
Qi Xin stood at the door, so shocked that she didn't even have the strength to step into the house. In just three days since she learned that Fang Ruoxi was dead, he had become so haggard. Yan Ruoxi was so important to him, more important than anything else. She had known this for a long time, but she still couldn't accept it.
She slowly stepped into the house, unwilling to believe it. She collapsed at his feet, crying, and demanded, "Is Fang Ruoxi that important to you? What am I then? What am I?"
She heard him murmur, "Her life was more important than mine. I yielded to my sister and married you so she could live freely. But she's dead, she's dead, she died by my arrow. I killed her myself, and everything I did was meaningless." He slowly picked up the wine jug on the table, poured himself a cup of wine, and then drank it down without hesitation. Qi Xin knew what it was. Just as she was stunned, she heard him say, "Wu Qi won't let you and me go. You'd better leave quickly."
Upon hearing this, Qi Xin, instead of being angry, smiled and said, "No, I won't leave. Since I married you, I belong to you in life and in death. If you don't live on, how can I live on alone? I've always known you have her in your heart... I've always known..." At this point, tears welled in Qi Xin's eyes, a thousand grievances and ten thousand kinds of helplessness, all turning into a sigh. She picked up the wine pot on the table, trembling as she poured herself a cup, tilted her head back, and drank it down. Then, a wave of sorrow washed over her, but a radiant light shone between her brows. With a hint of pride, she smiled softly and said, "But it was I who fought alongside you to conquer the world, it was I who stood silently by your side supporting you, it was I who married you, and even on the road to the underworld... only I will be by your side!"
Liu Xiu trembled slightly and whispered, "Why are you doing this?"
The firelight drew ever closer to the Moonlit Palace, where the candles had almost burned out. The night was so deep, yet so bright, blindingly bright, and sadly bright.
Qi Xin smiled calmly, "Xiu, we cannot grow old together in this life, but I hope we can meet and get to know each other sooner in the next. You won't be a king or general, and I won't be a noblewoman; let's not be born into a chaotic world. Let's just be an ordinary couple, living a peaceful life together, growing old together, okay?" With a thousand hopes and ten thousand pleas, she looked at Liu Xiu with pity, her heart filled with longing…
But all that was ever gained was silence.
Overwhelmed with grief, she recalled something and said with a bitter smile, "Before Wu Yi died, he said some things and asked Wen Yu to tell Fang Ruoxi that I have been keeping this from you."
Liu Xiu was slightly taken aback.
“I heard Wu Yi’s last words,” Liu Xin sighed, continuing, “He said that only at the moment of his death did he realize that the most beautiful time in his memory was with her. He said that if they couldn’t grow old together in this life, they would definitely be together in the next.” Noticing Liu Xiuhe’s body stiffen for a moment, she nestled closer and tighter. She pitied his infatuation and grieved by his heartlessness towards her.
Wu Yi's words pierced Liu Xiu's heart like an arrow. Until now, he had been jealous of Wu Yi. Even in death, he had no right to say the same thing to Wu Duo. In the end, he had no right.
The fire had spread into the main hall, and the intense heat forced him to close his eyes. He could vividly recall Wu Yi's feelings and posture as he spoke these words to Wu Duo before his death, and the pain was unbearable.
The poison had seeped into her heart, causing her excruciating pain. Qi Xin couldn't help but tremble slightly, yet she still tried her best to persevere and endure it. She whispered in a trembling voice, "Xiu, and Fang, I want to say the same thing to you. In this life, I have never regretted marrying you. In my memory, the most beautiful time was when I was with you."
The woman beside him clung tightly to him, never to leave him even in death. Even though he knew she was not in his heart, he still held onto a faint hope, wishing for a future life together. As for him... he opened and closed his mouth several times, but could not utter a word.
In a daze, I seemed to see her at the foot of the city wall, struggling to pull out the arrow stuck in her chest, the gushing blood staining her clothes, glaring at me with resentment.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, slowly flowing down his neck. He smiled softly, thinking, "This is the next life... the next life..." Overwhelmed with grief, he slowly closed his eyes, never to open them again.
Qi Xin, her face streaked with tears, remained motionless beside him.
After the deaths of Prince Che and his queen, the assassin organization Tangdi disappeared from the martial arts world.
As Wu Qi faced the raging fire at Liu Xiu's mansion in Wei City, and heard from soldiers that Che Yi and Princess Che had committed suicide by drinking poison inside, he spoke calmly, unsure whether to himself or to the deaf Liu Xiu: "Wu Duo is not dead. That was just false information deliberately spread by Song Zixing and me. Xiu, although I hate you, hate you for hanging Yi's body on the city wall, hate you for cruelly hurting Wu Duo, leaving her teetering between life and death, I now understand that your love for her was no less than anyone else's."
In just one month, Gongzi Qi had changed completely. He was thin and haggard, but he had gained an unprecedented fortitude and sharpness.
The city of Wei fell.
Two weeks ago.
Song Zixing brought the unconscious Hua Wucong to see him, begging him to treat Hua Wuduo.
On that day, the scouts returned to report that Wu Yi was dead and Hua Wuduo was shot and killed by Liu Xiu. She was hit by three arrows and seriously wounded. Then, several arrows were shot at her from the city wall. Tang Ye blocked her way, and both of them died on the spot. Their bodies were taken away by Tang Ye's men.
Upon hearing the news, his mind went blank. They were both dead, and he was at a loss for what to do. One was his closest friend, the other was someone he had buried deep within him, someone he had never...
When Song Zixing appeared before him carrying Hua Wuduo, his mind went blank. He couldn't tell if the woman before him was real or an illusion, fearing she would vanish if he touched her. Those illusions had deceived him far too many times. The dampness made him tremble; she was still alive.
In June of the same year, a woman rode into the camp on horseback, clutching a letter in her hand, her expression angry and tense.
She rushed into the camp, found the main tent, and, ignoring the soldiers' attempts to stop her, charged straight inside. Upon seeing the man sitting by the bed, she froze, then cried out urgently, "Brother, are you really planning to take her to the Tianshan Mountains for medical treatment? If you leave, what will happen to the Song family? What will happen to me? What will happen to these generals and soldiers who risked their lives for you outside? Are you abandoning us for her sake? Brother, you know she doesn't care about you the most, why are you still…?"
The visitor was Song Ziyin, the eldest daughter of the Song family. Half a month ago, she insisted on traveling to Weicheng with her brother, Song Zixing, even in the dead of night, simply because she had learned that the Northern King, Wu Qi, was also in Weicheng. She didn't know why she had come; she only knew that he was in Weicheng, and that her longing for him had only grown stronger over the past two years. She had rejected countless suitors, wanting only to ask him in person. Unexpectedly, before she could even stammer out her reasons, her brother, having seen through everything, agreed to let her accompany him.
Their group of several dozen people traveled light and traveled day and night for two days and nights. As soon as they arrived outside Weicheng, they witnessed a truly astonishing scene.
Fang Ruoxi, this enigmatic woman whose beauty eclipsed the world, this woman whom her brother cherished and even feared losing day and night, lay covered in blood beneath Wei City, all for the sake of retrieving the body of King Cheng, Wu Yi. Meanwhile, "Poison King" Tang Ye, riddled with arrows, died tragically in her arms.
At that moment, she and her brother both understood that Fang Ruoxi's feelings for Wu Yi went far beyond those of classmates; even Liu Xiu couldn't compare to the special place Wu Yi held in her heart. At that moment, she also understood why her brother had rushed to Weicheng without hesitation after learning of Prince Cheng's death.
Upon hearing this, Song Zixing remained silent. At that moment, he wasn't thinking about these things; instead, he was thinking about the smile that Tang Ye still wore on his lips after his death, a smile that had deeply etched itself into his heart.
When he took her back from the distraught Fang Yuan, she was already barely breathing, but her hand was still tightly gripping the long flute at Tang Ye's waist, and he couldn't let go of it no matter what he did. Helpless, he had no choice but to take the long flute with her.
When the doctor diagnosed that she had lost all hope and didn't want to live anymore, he was in so much pain that he couldn't believe it, and his heart felt empty.
He didn't care who she loved, but when he learned she was going to die, he couldn't accept it no matter what.
For her, he could humbly beg Wu Qi, who was skilled in medicine, and Wu Ding, the King of the Month. For her, he could give up anything, even the empire that was within his grasp.
His uncle said he was extremely disappointed in him, that he had given up all the power and status that men could only dream of for a woman. His uncle said that there were all kinds of women in the world, and it would be easy to find someone prettier than her. He just smiled and didn't refute.
His uncle wasn't him. Power, status, and influence are indeed things every man relentlessly pursues and desires throughout his life; reaching the pinnacle certainly gets his blood pumping. But all of this ultimately pales in comparison to the pain of potentially losing her. For her, he's willing to give up everything he could have had. Because in his heart, she is the most important person, more important than the empire. He's always known what he wants, and he's always held onto what's most important tightly.
Future generations may laugh at Song Zixing for loving beauty more than power, calling him a spineless coward with no ambition. But Song Zixing only had this short life. If she were no longer by his side, if he had lost the most important things in his life, what would he have left?
Between power, status, and the empire, he chose her without hesitation.
Song Zixing said calmly to Song Ziyin, "In the current situation, although the Tang family in Sichuan supports us, most of Liu Xiu's remaining members are classmates of Wu Yi and Wu Qi, and many have surrendered to Wu Qi. If the Song family confronts Wu's army, the outcome will be uncertain. For many years, the people have suffered from displacement and war, and they are already living in misery. Jiangnan was originally a prosperous land, but because of our Song family's many years of fighting, its prosperity has disappeared, and the people's lives are unsustainable. We don't want to fight anymore, and everything should end."
“Brother, don’t lie to me. Although I’m just a woman, I can see the situation clearly. Wu Qi has had no intention of fighting for the throne since Wu Yi’s death. Liu Xiu and Liu Jing are dead, and Liu Jin and the others are no longer a threat. Now, the throne is practically within your grasp.” Song Ziyin pointed angrily at the unconscious Fang Ruoxi on the bed and said, “Yet you are willing to give up everything for her. Brother, I really don’t understand. Is she really worth it? Especially, especially since I heard from the doctor that she may never be able to have children again because of an arrow wound in her abdomen. You are the only male in the family. Could it be that you…”
"Stop talking, my mind is made up." Song Zixing's face darkened as he interrupted her.