Chapter 696 Perhaps it's fate

Can you tell the difference?

These words struck her like a fine needle pricking her heart.

At first, she really couldn't tell the difference.

Women are easily softened and easily become devoted to those who are good to them.

But she could also tell the difference. When she saw him, she would have a strong urge to grow old with him, to see him every day, to share the mundane details of life with him, to each take care of their own things when they were busy, and to drink and chat when they were free.

They can keep each other warm when it's cold and cool off together when it's hot. If she could spend the rest of her life with him, she might even change her mind.

But she also knew that neither of them were the type to go against their conscience for the sake of immediate stability.

They had no choice in the matter.

Perhaps she is destined to be alone for the rest of her life.

If that's the case, then keep this sincerity hidden to minimize the damage.

"Then can you tell the difference, Lord Xie?" she countered. "If after one night of passion you find that you've thought too highly of me, that you only saw my good points and not my flaws, will you still be unable to forget me?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder and whispered, "The Emperor has found you a beauty. Can you resist? Why don't we take the final step tonight? Maybe then you won't miss me so much anymore."

Xie Zheng's breathing suddenly became rapid. He took a step back. "No, you're wrong. If you really do that, I'll only miss you even more. Who goes back to being a vegetarian after having sex?"

Song Chunxue seemed thoughtful. "Is that so? Then you should accept the arranged marriage. Didn't the Emperor find you a young and beautiful wife?"

"Hmph!" Xie Zheng gritted his teeth in anger and lowered his head to seal her lips with his.

...

Stepping out of the hellish prison, Song Chunxue saw her senior brother and the emperor standing in front of the tall stone pillars at the entrance, waiting for her.

Why hasn't the Emperor left yet?

Could he be curious about what they were talking about?

"Your Majesty." As she approached, she bowed her head in greeting.

"Isn't this being polite? How did your discussion go?" The Emperor crossed his arms and looked at her with interest. "I heard from Lord Zhao that you are not only capable but also quite strong-willed. You're following Xie Zheng without asking for any official title and you won't allow him to marry?"

"Your Majesty, please understand that Xie Zheng does not wish to marry, nor does he wish to delay anyone else's marriage. If he were willing to marry someone else, I would be willing to grant his wish. However, Your Majesty knows his character well; he would never do anything against his own will for the sake of others."

“I will leave the capital as soon as possible. Please, Your Majesty, do not grant us this marriage and separate us. I will go back to continue my spiritual practice, and he will continue to be his upright official.” Song Chunxue knelt on the ground. “Please, Your Majesty, rescind your decree and grant him his freedom.”

"You have a good sense of self-awareness, that's good. You can take things in stride. Xie Zheng was right about you." The Emperor said casually, "Now that you are both cultivators, you should focus on your cultivation. There is no need for you to become Daoist partners."

“Your Majesty is right. I was confused for a moment. From now on, I will be dutiful and focus on cultivating the Tao.”

Lord Zhao stood aside, looking away, unable to bear the sight of her kneeling on the ground.

"Alright, go. I'll forgive you this time because you know your limits, but it won't be so simple next time. Take care of yourselves." With that, the Emperor turned and left.

Not far away, eunuchs and palace maids carrying palace lanterns followed behind him, as quiet as the living dead.

Song Chunxue followed Lord Zhao to the outside of the palace.

Unexpectedly, Master Han and He Xiu were waiting for them.

In retrospect, they became friends after a fight, and regardless of the reason for their waiting, she sincerely appreciated their kindness.

"So, did you see Xie Zheng? What are your plans?" He Xiu asked anxiously as he stepped forward.

Lord Zhao glanced at Song Chunxue and said in a low voice, "I saw him. The Emperor was also there. My junior brother will leave the capital on his own."

He Xiu sighed, wanting to comfort Song Chunxue but not knowing how to begin.

Song Chunxue smiled faintly, "What, I'm not even sad, why are you all acting like this?"

As she spoke, she took out three jars of apricot blossom wine from her storage bag.

"It's not easy to come out here. We've become friends through this unexpected encounter. You saved my life today, so if you ever encounter any difficulties or need my help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

“I know you don’t lack anything else. This is my favorite wine. Please try it.” With that, Song Chunxue handed the wine to them.

He Xiu accepted the gift without saying anything to Master Han.

"Senior brother, we will definitely meet again in the future, right? I am so grateful to you today. I will cultivate diligently, and I hope I will not disappoint you next time we meet." She cupped her hands and said, "I will be leaving in the next two days. You don't need to see me off. Farewell, take care."

Lord Zhao looked at the petite girl with a sorrowful expression and some concern, "Junior brother, then be careful on your journey."

He Xiu gave her a bottle of self-defense powder, saying, "If you can't beat them, just sprinkle this on your face. It will definitely save your life."

Master Han slowly pulled a porcelain bottle from his sleeve. "It has miraculous effects when applied to the scar. Don't give it away."

"Thank you, thank you." For some reason, Song Chunxue took the things they handed her with both hands, and suddenly felt a lump in her throat.

She bowed deeply to them in farewell, saying, "Goodbye."

Walking briskly through the dim night, with the starry sky and Milky Way overhead, she suppressed the bitterness in her heart, took a deep breath, and let the wind soothe her slightly reddened eyes.

Before we knew it, it was already July.

A lot has happened in just over a month.

Sure enough, time flies by when you're traveling the world, and it's also incredibly fulfilling.

She thought that after going home, seeing her children, and resting for a while, she would return to the world.

But from now on, she will be all alone.

She didn't want to wait any longer; life was too short.

She felt she was now capable of navigating the world on her own.

Just like my senior brother.

If I remember correctly, some places are about to rebel and fight again, so she may not have time to take on apprentices.

She passed on what her senior brother had entrusted to her to Changfeng and Changyun, so that they could become self-reliant like her. Protecting the mountain gate was more important than anything else.

Although Xie Zheng pleaded with her, she agreed to go back first, just as she had planned, and he would return to Jincheng after he had finished dealing with all the affairs in the capital.

But they all knew that he could not leave the capital without the emperor's permission.

Speaking of which, without Lord Xie's protection, Sanwa will definitely have a lot of trouble.

When you get back, leave plenty of money for Sanwa.

In the pursuit of officialdom, sometimes money is more important than kneeling. If something can be accomplished with money, why kneel?

The next day, Song Chunxue went to Xie Lingyun's courtyard and told her the whole story, asking her to wait for her father to be released from prison and to help him out if necessary.

Unexpectedly, Xie Lingyun cried very hard, saying that she didn't want her to leave.

“It’s my father’s bad luck. He finally had a chance to turn things around, and then this happened. He’s not my grandfather, so why is he interfering in my father’s private affairs? It’s unbelievable…”

"Grandma, don't talk nonsense. Be careful, walls have ears," Song Chunxue comforted her gently. "It's not surprising to me either. Perhaps it's fate. We're more suited to be fellow disciples."