Chapter 26 "Perhaps, I should have been even better to her..."

Black Wind really wanted to ask him when it was, but he didn't dare to speak without permission, so he could only try to wink and make faces.

Fortunately, Shen Guitang did not merely want to whet his appetite. "Back then, when my elder brother returned to the capital to meet the emperor on behalf of our father, the late emperor did not consider the past merits of the Zhennan Army at all and sentenced him to immediate execution. I was naive back then and thought that the late emperor was being misled by treacherous officials. I even went to the Crown Prince's residence to plead for help."

The boy, who was only twelve years old at the time, traveled alone from Lingnan to Yujing day and night, and finally received the promise from that prince on the first morning after arriving in Yujing.

Ji Jin's gentle features were as soft as blank spaces in a landscape painting amidst the white steam in the kitchen, yet the promises she made were far more profound than any splash of ink.

"I promise you, the gentle breeze and bright moon caress the mountain ridges, but my soul will not rest until they shine upon the hills and valleys."

Although he was young, he knew how precious and difficult it was for the Crown Prince to say this. He could have remained a bystander, but he took on such a heavy responsibility because of his noble sentiments and his own unreasonable request.

However, his father and brothers were already imprisoned, and this was not the time to express gratitude. He could only bow deeply and bid them a solemn farewell.

However, just as he turned and stepped from the warm, cozy kitchen into the biting autumn air, before the hairs on his body could even begin to rouse him from the cold wind, he was bumped all over by a sweaty little boy... all over his legs.

The little firecracker, with two loose buns on her head, looked up at him with eyes still sleepy from just waking up. She rubbed her forehead, which had been bumped, with one hand, and touched his tense thigh with the other.

Shen Guitang: ...

This child was none other than His Highness the Crown Prince's precious jewel, Princess Shenxiao. He was momentarily at a loss whether to shout "Indecent assault" or apologize.

Fortunately, the child didn't give him time to make a choice. He immediately started complaining, "What are you doing standing at the door all by yourself? Why don't you carry the beam?" Then he rushed into the small kitchen, grabbed a fluffy white bun from the steamer on the table, and shouted, "I'm going to be late! I'm going to be late!" before running away like a gust of wind.

Shen Guitang turned around and met the Crown Prince's gaze, which was filled with both doting and helpless expression. The Crown Prince covered his mouth with his sleeve and coughed slightly: "My daughter is young and her words and actions are somewhat improper. I hope you will be more tolerant of her."

Could Shen Guitang really hold a grudge against a little radish head whose height only reached her thigh? Besides, although the little radish head had short legs, he had already completely disappeared by now.

...

Shen Guitang's ethereal gaze finally fell on the sleeping Hengbo. "We just never expected that the late emperor was so determined to eliminate Zhennan. If the former crown prince had not angered the late emperor by insisting on pacifying Zhennan, he would not have ended up like this. Thinking about it, I do owe this girl a lot."

Hei Feng's hands, which had been covering his mouth, had fallen naturally to his sides. He couldn't help but sigh, "If the former Crown Prince were still alive, he would surely have been a benevolent ruler."

Shen Guitang glanced at him but did not threaten him further. "It's just that the world is never short of intrigue and schemes, and those who ultimately achieve great things are often not the kind-hearted ones. His Highness the Crown Prince was too merciful."

"So, young master prefers His Highness the Wise Prince?"

Shen Guitang smiled noncommittally. "This is a family matter for the Ji family. What does it have to do with me? Besides," he turned and walked out, "let's talk about it when the Prince Xian actually arrives in Yujing."

Meanwhile, under a sky ablaze with crimson clouds, inside a military tent, a scholar wearing a turban shook his head and smiled, his tone ambiguous: "Our Emperor may not be the most outstanding in military strategy, but he is certainly a master of political maneuvering."

"Building the mausoleum of Empress Dowager Zhengde and renovating the imperial mausoleum at the same time? It's nothing more than an attempt to make Your Highness hesitate to act rashly."

The handsome man sitting at the table, Prince Xian, Ji Zhou, put down his wolf-hair brush. "When Ji Heng wanted to bury his elder brother, the Crown Prince, in the imperial mausoleum, I foresaw this day would come. However, this request to return to the capital to report on his duties was merely a test. Now it seems that the situation in Yujing is truly not optimistic."

The scholar dried the letters on his desk and slowly sealed them in an envelope. "Debts must be repaid sooner or later. Ji Heng must have promised enormous benefits to persuade those old foxes to collude with him back then, but there are only a few such high positions. Now, let him worry about it himself."

“However,” he looked at the name on the envelope and couldn’t help but ask, “There is one thing I would like to ask Your Highness to clarify: why did Your Highness choose this accomplice from Zhennan? In my opinion, wouldn’t the Wen family be more trustworthy?”

"While Grand Secretary Wen is indeed a trustworthy person, what I am planning is against the will of the world. If one day, past affections are put aside for the sake of national stability, what do you think he will choose? Moreover, I have heard that the young Wen family member is planning to enter the court as an official. Given Ji Heng's suspicious nature, he will probably be keeping a close eye on him as much as we are."

“As for Xiao Pingjiang’s youngest son,” Ji Zhou stood up, gazing at a path swept away by the wind and sand in the distance, “the flames of revenge will eventually guide us onto the same path. And only those who walk the same path will not betray each other.”

...

Hengbo woke up three days later. As Ergou recounted the thrilling events of that day, her thoughts drifted far away.

Was her return really the right thing to do?

"What are you standing there for? The medicine's gone cold." Er Gou noticed her absent-mindedness and quickly pulled her attention back, secretly thinking to himself, "Why does she seem so much dumber after each episode?"

Hengbo's gaze fell on the bowl full of dark, black medicine that had been shoved into her hand. Her delicate brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. The smell of this medicine alone was enough to make one faint; it was truly unimaginable how she had been forced to swallow it a few days ago.

She tried to negotiate with Er Gou, saying that she had woken up and didn't need to take the medicine anymore, but Er Gou, whether pretending or genuinely not understanding, was completely unmoved. "I don't understand sign language, so don't try to talk to me. My job is just to watch you drink the medicine."

Hengbo knew she had to drink the medicine today. She sighed sadly and hesitantly placed her lips on the rim of the bowl.

However, just as she mentally prepared herself to swallow the medicine in one go, there was a rhythmic knocking at the door.

Hengbo:……

The courage that Hengbo had just mustered vanished instantly at the sound of the voice at the door, and he had no choice but to put down the medicine bowl in his hand and look at the person who had come in.

When Shen Guitang entered, the first thing he saw was Hengbo looking at him with a bitter and resentful expression, and for a moment he was quite puzzled.

He glanced at his attire: a light blue, straight-collared long robe with bamboo leaf patterns outlined in indigo silk thread at the collar and cuffs, a wide brocade belt with auspicious cloud patterns around his waist, and a white jade pendant hanging from it. He looked every bit the elegant young gentleman of the world. He then looked back at the distance between himself and the doorway. Good, at least two or three feet away.

So, what did he do to offend this young princess?

Feeling that it wasn't his fault, Shen Guitang dismissed Er Gou with a single glance, indicating that he had something to say to Hengbo.

Er Gou glanced at Heng Bo, then at the bowl of medicine that had saved him from the tiger's mouth, and repeatedly turned back to urge her, "Sister Cuihua, good medicine tastes bitter, you must remember to drink it, I will be coming back to check later."

Upon hearing this, Hengbo's brows, which had just relaxed slightly, furrowed again, and his slightly puffed-out cheeks took on a childlike appearance.

Shen Guitang now understood exactly what had offended her.

He shook his head inwardly, thinking that the young princess had been spoiled too much since childhood and was quite spoiled.

Thinking of this, he hesitated for a moment, unsure how to tell her the cruel truth that was about to unfold.

However, Shen Guitang was not a considerate person after all. After struggling for a while and finding no solution, he simply gave up and did nothing.

"I don't know if it's Miss Cuihua," his expression was slightly strange when he mentioned this title, but he quickly suppressed it. "Does she know that she was once poisoned?"

Hengbo was unaware of his inner conflict, and did not feel offended by his question, simply nodding calmly.

The poison in her body was something she had from birth. Her father had spent a lot of time and effort searching for medicine and doctors for her and her mother over the years. Fortunately, after several years of treatment, she had basically recovered, but her constitution was slightly weaker than that of an ordinary person.

Shen Guitang breathed a sigh of relief. He had always acted recklessly, and this was the first time he had been so cautious in front of others. However, now that she understood, he felt much more at ease.

“Then do you know,” Shen Guitang paused, and finally sighed, “that you may never have any hope of meeting the visitor from beyond the heavens in this lifetime.”

Facing the questioning gaze from Hengbo, he explained, "You were born with a damaged heart meridian, which should have prevented you from pursuing martial arts. However, fate has played a trick on you, and you have been endowed with a sword-like body. Therefore, when you swing your sword, you can avoid the heart meridian and instead use the power of your sword-like body."

"But as everyone knows, if a geomancer wants to become a celestial being, he must abandon all worldly things and external forces. Unfortunately, the sword bone is also among them."

"This is why those born with sword bones are almost invincible to ordinary martial artists before reaching the Heavenly Rank, but often find it difficult to achieve the Heavenly Body. There's no other reason than that it's too difficult to give up the bones that one has relied on for a lifetime."

"Moreover..." Perhaps out of reluctance, he left the rest of his words unsaid. However, Yokobo already understood his unfinished thoughts.

Moreover, she was born with a damaged heart meridian, so when she ascended to the heavens, her death might be imminent.

Hengbo turned her gaze to the willow branches swaying helplessly in the wind in the courtyard, and suddenly remembered that morning when she had just grasped the sword.

When Qingxuzi handed the Jingchun Sword Manual to her, he didn't say much, only asking her one question.

Why are you carrying a sword?

Why? Yokobo stroked the rough wooden sword in his hand and suddenly froze.

For self-preservation? For revenge? Or so that one will never again be so powerless as to betray one's own soul in the face of sudden change?

Hengbo didn't know the answer to this question, or even if there was one at all. But she was certain that she wielded the sword not for the sake of reaching the heavens, a goal pursued by all martial artists.

Ascending to the heavens sounds like something to inspire daydreams and endless longing, but it was by no means what she wanted.

Therefore, at this moment, after hearing Shen Guitang's almost certain assertion, Hengbo's emotions were not as turbulent as when she first saw the bowl of medicine.

She looked at the man in front of her, who was clearly cold to the bone but still tried his best to avoid chilling her, and suddenly waved to him with a smile.

Shen Guitang was taken aback, precisely because he understood what she meant.

She laughed and said, "So what?"

If she can do whatever she wants without ascending to the heavens, then what is the point of ascending to the heavens?

If she must ascend to the heavens to do what she desires, what does it matter if her heart is broken for it?

He lowered his eyes, only to find her frank and clear smile, her arched yet relaxed eyebrows, and her bright and shining eyes all so captivating.

He picked up the bowl in front of her and said, "Don't drink it yet, I'll take it to the kitchen to heat it up." Without waiting for her reply, he walked out of the house.

Hengbo, looking completely bewildered: Huh? She was just about to secretly pour out the medicine while Er Gou wasn't around!

Under the willow tree in the courtyard, "Black Wind".

A figure suddenly jumped down from the tree: "Young Master."

Shen Guitang handed him the bowl in her hand, "Have Granny Green brew another bowl, and add some licorice root while she's brewing it."

"Yes." Hei Feng took the bowl and headed towards the kitchen, but was stopped by him.

"Go and pack some more candied fruit and cakes later and send them to the princess."

Hearing his order, Hei Feng's eyes widened in surprise. "Young master, are you finally going to poison Miss Hengbo?" Others might not know, but he knew how Miss Hengbo had offended his young master in Changzhou.

Given his young master's temperament... I'm afraid that sending candy was a pretense, and the real intention was to poison him.

Upon hearing this, Shen Guitang quickly unfolded his ever-present fan and smiled slightly: "I have indeed recently developed a new poison. How about I test it on you?"

Black Wind: ...

He muttered to himself, "Who would have thought you'd suddenly start doing good deeds?" but his body betrayed him as he dashed away.

Seeing that the others had disappeared, the smile on Shen Guitang's lips slowly faded, but she still calmly waved the folding fan in her hand.

Why?

Perhaps it's because there are very few people in this world who can calmly accept that their prized talent is actually a death sentence.

The remaining person was by no means cheerful by nature, but had experienced far more painful torment than this.

He saw that she found the medicine bitter and assumed she was being spoiled, forgetting that she had lost her father at a young age and was now all alone.

While he was still stuck in his memory of the celestial pearl who would ask, "Why not carry on the beam?", she had already sailed through countless trials and tribulations.

"Perhaps I should have been nicer to her."

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Author's Note: Thank you all for your favorites and comments! I've been busy with my year-end report this week, so updates haven't been very frequent, sorry! But I'll be a bit more relaxed starting next week!

Also, the 5000-word bonus chapter that the author promised to share with you all will be delivered next week! Love you all!