Chapter 72 Xue Lanyi is dead...

"Yiyi." He took a breath, concealing the emotions in his eyes, "May I... take a look over there?"

His attention was still on the tattoo on her shoulder.

At this moment, Xue Lanyi's loose hair hung low over her shoulders, just barely concealing her tattoo.

He didn't get a clear view of the tattoo in its entirety.

Xue Lanyi knew that she had always been the flawless Princess Zhaoyang in his heart, and now that he saw the mottled marks on her body with his own eyes, he couldn't believe it.

When people don't meet their expectations, they want to confirm things again and again.

That's all.

Now that we've already shown it to him, what's the point of hiding it?

Xue Lanyi remained silent, her stiff fingertips brushing her black hair aside.

His shoulder blades were completely exposed to Wei Xuan.

On his smooth, silky skin, the three characters "Wei Yunjian" were clearly written.

Not only does it bear his name, but the entire tattoo design is clearly the seal that Wei Yunjian always carried with him.

Wei Xuan's eyes deepened, and he slowly stood up and sat behind her.

Trembling fingertips touched the tattoo.

The movement was so light that it was almost imperceptible, but Xue Lanyi's shoulders still trembled slightly and she shrank back a little.

This feeling is very subtle.

Xue Lanyi had never exposed such a private part of her body to him before, and he had naturally never touched the snow-white skin beneath her clothes.

For the first time, the warmth of his fingertips penetrated my skin so directly, splashing out ripples that brought a slight itch.

Xue Lanyi's anxious heartbeat became even more rapid.

Her chaotic thoughts were overshadowed by shyness at this moment. She turned her head away, but her peripheral vision fell on the red hems of the two people's clothes hanging by the bed.

What a coincidence that both of them were wearing red today, their clothes intertwined.

The bright moonlight shone through the cave entrance, casting a shimmering white halo on the ground.

The two people's shadows were reflected in the moon.

They sat on the couch, one in front of the other.

Crimson robes and a silver moon, shining brightly together.

It's like a perfect day with flowers in full bloom and a full moon.

When Xue Lanyi was still in her boudoir, she had fantasized countless times about the night she would marry him, and this was the scene she imagined.

But she never imagined that on such a beautiful night, there would be another person between them.

At this moment, the man's hand was gently caressing her body, but it was imitating the name of another man.

How bizarre!

Even Xue Lanyi herself found it hard to accept.

She swallowed the bitterness in her throat and forced herself to say, "Actually, it's not just here; his name is also on other parts of my body."

"If you... if you can't accept it, I won't blame you, I can understand."

"In any case, we can still be friends like Lu Lin and Xie Qingyun..."

"Yiyi, does it hurt?"

The man behind her spoke in a low, husky voice, his warm, damp breath spraying onto her shoulder.

It was very light and gentle, with a tremolo at the end.

Xue Lanyi's prepared, assertive, and dashing words caught in her throat, leaving her momentarily at a loss for words.

Only then did they realize that Wei Xuan had not touched the three characters "Wei Yunjian".

His fingers only touched the edges of the tattoo intermittently.

Every place touched was the deepest needle hole.

At this moment, Wei Xuan could only see the dense needle marks on her thin shoulders.

The needles used for this tattoo were applied even more forcefully than those used for acupuncture.

This area is a sensitive spot, and besides, she was so thin she was practically skin and bones, so you can imagine how that half-finger-long needle tip managed to pierce her bone.

Wei Xuan also felt many uneven marks under the girl's skin.

It seems that the tattoo wasn't properly cared for afterward, leaving bruises underneath the skin.

He gently pressed his fingertip against the most prominent bump. "Does it hurt here? Does it itch when it rains? Does it chafe when I wear clothes?"

Xue Lanyi shook her head habitually.

In the fleeting moment her gaze shifted, she caught a glimpse of the intense, unwavering look in the man's eyes behind her.

His eyes held no other color, only tenderness.

The same tenderness as before.

Xue Lanyi's nose suddenly stung, and she nodded. "It will hurt and it will itch."

I didn't feel it before, but now it hurts and itches.

She looked aggrieved, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Wei Xuan's fingertips made circles there, applying slightly more pressure.

His hands were calloused, and as he rubbed them, the itching that seeped into his skin subsided considerably.

Seeing that she had calmed down a bit, his expression also relaxed considerably. "Once we return to the Western Region, we'll ask Doctor Luo to drain the blood clots, and the itching will stop. Once the chronic illness is resolved, the pain will naturally subside."

"Don't worry, it's okay."

He spoke so casually, as if he had told her that a fall or scrape wouldn't leave a scar, making her feel certain.

But this time, Xue Lanyi was not sure.

She shook her head slightly. "They can't be removed. None of those tattoos can be removed. The ink he used has already grown into my body. They can't be taken off, they can't be erased..."

She recalled the oppressive feeling of being taught to get a tattoo from behind by a gloomy shadow in the cramped room.

She started muttering to herself again.

Seeing that the light in her eyes was about to fade again, Wei Xuan put his hand on her shoulder and faced her. "Yiyi, it doesn't matter whether it disappears or not. This is your body. There are only two feelings: pain or no pain. Nothing else matters."

No matter how deep Wei Zhang's stab was, or what his intentions were, to Xue Lanyi it was just a scar, no different in essence from a scratch or a bruise.

Although scars are unsightly, no one will feel anxious or ashamed because of a scar on their shoulder.

Xue Lanyi is not any kind of commodity; she doesn't belong to anyone just because someone stamps her name on it.

Wei Xuan gazed intently into Xue Lanyi's eyes.

“Yiyi, you don’t need to consider his purpose for getting the tattoo, nor do you need to consider whether I can accept a tattoo. You are neither his nor mine.”

“You are your own person,” Wei Xuan said, enunciating each word clearly.

She is her own person, so she doesn't need to consider anyone else's opinions.

She just needs to be herself.

As for Wei Xuan...

He looked at her solemnly and said, "I love Yiyi, I love Yiyi at any time."

Xue Lanyi suddenly looked up.

His gaze was so steady and resolute, without the slightest hesitation.

Xue Lanyi's wandering gaze gradually focused again, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She was mistaken. How could such a good person like Ah Xuan care about these superficial things?

He loves her, and his feelings are unwavering.

At that moment, Xue Lanyi's heart finally settled down.

Their pain of separation should end.

From now on, everything must be sweet, all the sweetness and happiness is best.

She suddenly threw herself into Wei Xuan's arms.

In an instant, the high wall that Wei Zhang had painstakingly built over five years collapsed.

Their hearts were so close that no one could separate them again.

From now on, she only wants to give him all her love and her heart.

Stop hiding it, stop waiting for tomorrow.

She hugged his neck tightly, leaned on his shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "Ah Xuan, I like you so much too, I've liked you since we were little."

Xue Lanyi never revealed her feelings to him.

Although Wei Xuan knew she had feelings for him, it was still different when the girl said it so sincerely.

The tall man's ears turned red, and his strong arms held her even tighter.

His strength was so profound, yet his voice was so gentle as he whispered against my shoulder, "Yiyi, I feel so lucky."

These weren't just his glib words; they came from his most genuine feelings.

He had thought that his lover had passed away and that they were now separated by death.

He was prepared to spend the rest of his life in seclusion.

Now, she appears before him, perfectly fine, embracing him, and saying, "I like him."

Thinking of this, the youthful spirit that had been hidden deep in my heart suddenly resurfaced.

"Does this count as a successful marriage proposal?" The man unconsciously raised an eyebrow.

That smug expression was no different from when he returned victorious after conquering the western border.

Xue Lanyi caught a glimpse of his childlike side out of the corner of her eye, and immediately burst into laughter through her tears.

With the clouds clearing in her heart, her voice regained its former lightness.

"Just saying 'I like you' and you're already getting all worked up?"

Xue Lanyi pulled away from his embrace, sat up, and kept a straight face.

Wei Xuan's smile froze on his lips. "Is...it still not working?"

Wei Xuan was somewhat disappointed, but he didn't press her. He changed his mind and said, "It's alright. After we return to the Western Territory, I will find a way to propose to you again until you are satisfied."

Seeing his flustered expression, Xue Lanyi chuckled and said, "I just said I liked it, and some people started having all sorts of wild ideas. If... I did something else, wouldn't some people be jumping out of their skin?"

When he was young, as long as she took the initiative to coax him, he would be so happy that he would jump around, climb trees, and go up to the roof.

He is much calmer now.

I wonder how he'll react when she tries to coax him.

Xue Lanyi was curious and her gaze, which held an ambiguous meaning, fell on his lips.

Wei Xuan suddenly realized what the "other matter" was, and his eyes narrowed sharply.

The girl sitting opposite him also seemed to understand him perfectly, raising her bright, watery eyes to meet his gaze.

On the ground, in the silvery light, the man and woman sitting opposite each other were reflected.

Outside the cave, the moon was full and the wind was gentle.

The timing was perfect.

Xue Lanyi's hands, hidden in her sleeves, curled up and clenched tightly, her pink lips slightly parted.

Slowly leaning closer to the other person.

Wei Xuan's back was already stiff, staring blankly at the approaching handsome face.

The thought in his mind became more and more real; he knew she was going to kiss him.

In my youthful folly, I fantasized about how their first kiss would happen, and what he could do to make it even more unforgettable.

But everything happened so suddenly that he never expected it would be her who took the initiative.

Therefore, he hadn't considered what he should do if she took the initiative.

He was stunned, his heart pounding with anxiety.

"Close your eyes." The girl's warm breath sprayed onto his face.

Without hesitation, he obediently closed his eyes tightly.

The martial artist stood tall and straight, like an unmoved Buddha.

But her cheeks were flushed, and her whole face was tense.

How interesting!

Xue Lanyi suddenly felt that it would be interesting for her to take the lead.

She relaxed, tilted her head slightly closer to his lips, and gently parted her red lips to touch his tightly pursed lips...

"Young lady, young master! Something terrible has happened! The mountain is on fire!"

At this moment, Granny Liu hurriedly lifted the curtain and came in, only to see her gentle and dignified daughter pressing down on the rough man's shoulder and kissing him from top to bottom.

Is the little rabbit pressing down on the big tiger?

What a novel sight!

Grandma Liu was so surprised that she froze on the spot.

A fixed gaze remained between the two.

The two immediately separated, feeling guilty, and each pulled their clothes tighter.

Wei Xuan sat on the edge of the couch and cleared his throat: "Ahem! Where did the fire start?"

"We don't know where the fire started, but the surrounding canyons are all ablaze! The fire is converging on us!"

Before he finished speaking, thick smoke billowed into the cave.

Wei Xuan quickly tore off a piece of his clothing, soaked it in water, and handed it to Xue Lanyi.

"We can't wait until tomorrow, we have to leave tonight!"

Wei Xuan originally thought that Xue Lanyi was not in good condition, so it would be fine to let her rest for a day before leaving.

He had planned his escape route in advance, and with the abundant rainfall and dense fog in the canyon, Wei Xuan was confident that he would not be discovered by anyone.

But the sudden wildfires are highly unusual.

It's not the season for frequent wildfires now, so this fire is probably not a natural disaster, but man-made.

Wei Zhang likely already guessed that he was coming to rescue Xue Lanyi, so he set fire to the mountain to force them to show themselves.

We can't afford to delay.

Wei Xuan stood up and pulled Xue Lanyi away.

The three hurriedly walked out of the cave.

Upon reaching the cave entrance, Xue Lanyi suddenly stopped and gently shook Wei Xuan's hand.

Wei Xuan, who was clearing the way through the smoke, turned around and saw her looking downcast. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Do you want me to carry you?" He habitually squatted down.

At the same time, Xue Lanyi suddenly stood on tiptoe and looked up to meet him.

The two people's movements were so synchronized.

Xue Lanyi's lips just touched his soft, warm lips.

Although he was a martial artist, he was clean and refreshing, and Xue Lanyi could almost taste the faint fragrance of lilies in his mouth.

Her heart was pounding, as if it were about to leap out of her throat.

She had kissed before, but never before had she felt such a mixture of anticipation and restraint.

My body instinctively wanted to escape, but deep down I really liked it.

So she followed her heart, tiptoed, and placed another kiss on his tightly pursed lips.

It was still a light touch, a quick dab and a quick dab, but more solemn than any deep or passionate kiss, like a vow to him.

Right now, Wei Zhang has caught up with them.

Xue Lanyi knew how terrifying Wei Zhang was.

She didn't know when that person would suddenly appear in front of her again.

The future is too uncertain.

Therefore, she didn't want anything to interrupt this kiss that was long overdue.

Amidst the billowing smoke, she wrapped her arms around his waist, her flushed cheeks gazing up at him.

Wei Xuan could understand her gaze.

She wanted his response.

He was still immersed in her fleeting kiss, his heart pounding in his throat, and even the corners of his mouth were twitching.

I imagined being with her amidst lilies, under the bright spring sun.

I never imagined it would happen in a fire.

He bent down, awkwardly parted his lips, and reverently kissed her forehead.

In an instant, the spring sunshine and blooming lilies were still before my eyes.

Wherever she is, spring is in full bloom.

His lips gently touched her forehead, his voice low, husky, and trembling with excitement as he softly whispered, "From now on, you have me. Don't worry."

He knew perfectly well what she was anxious about.

But they won't live for the moment; they will have long, enduring days to share their deepest feelings.

He will definitely take her away from this fire and towards the vast sky.

"Hasn't Yiyi always wanted to go horseback riding in the Western Frontier?"

He took her hand, his calloused fingers slipping between hers, their fingers intertwining.

The warmth of her palm was transferred to Xue Lanyi's hand.

Xue Lanyi saw the stars and the sea, the boundless wilderness, in his eyes. Her heart was no longer so lost, and she firmly grasped his hand in return.

She kept telling him how much she longed for the grasslands of the western border.

Actually, it wasn't entirely about seeing the grasslands; I also wanted to see the heroic figure of her young general galloping across the boundless sky, invincible in his path.

This time, it's finally going to come true.

She smiled brightly and followed him into the raging fire.

The raging flames had already engulfed the entire cave, forming an insurmountable wall of fire in front of the two.

A man and a woman dressed in bright red held hands and rushed into the sea of ​​fire without hesitation, their long red skirts fluttering like rosy clouds, flying into the distance.

I'm never going back.

Pingbang—

In a corner of the study, in the shadows, Wei Zhang's fingertips trembled inexplicably.

The black jade thumb ring slipped from his hand.

The sound of jade shattering echoed tremulously.

The newly glued black jade thumb ring broke into two pieces again, with one of the curved fragments swaying back and forth at Wei Zhang's feet.

The character "漪" hidden inside the ring is now clearly visible.

The cracks on it grew larger and larger as it was shaken, slowly spreading.

Suddenly, the crack quickly pierced through the character "漪".

Thud—

The character “漪” was broken into two halves.

Wei Zhang's pupils contracted slightly as he stared blankly at the half of the "ripple" that was swaying incessantly before him.

He felt a jumble of emotions welling up inside him, like these shards of jade, pricking his heart and causing him distress.

He frowned, but still picked up the fragments.

After all, it was a ring I was used to wearing, and after it broke, my hand always felt empty and uncomfortable.

Since he had nothing to do today, he took out some fish glue and glued it back together.

But the ring wouldn't cooperate; its edges were too sharp, and he had to patiently stick it on several times.

As soon as the square was glued back together, the character "漪" cracked again.

As soon as it was glued back on, it cracked again.

After several attempts, it seems like it can never recover.

My heart was churning with increasingly chaotic emotions.

Suddenly, his long fingers clenched tightly, gripping the ring into his palm.

In the overly quiet space, the sounds of stiff finger bones clicking and the ring breaking were clearly audible.

The black jade shattered completely, inch by inch.

His hand was also pierced by the sharp edge, and blood dripped from between his fingers.

After a long while, he opened his palm.

The character “漪” shattered into sand and gravel in his palm, stained with his blood, and embedded deep in the wound.

That's fine too.

Since it cannot be repaired, let it shatter even more completely, break and rot with his blood, and then grow into his flesh, never to be removed.

Despite the gloom, a strange sense of pleasure shone through Wei Zhang's eyes.

"Master..."

Just then, a cautious knock sounded at the door.

Qingyang stood bowing outside the door.

Today, after returning from court, the master has been sitting in his study for a full four hours.

He neither drank nor ate, nor rested nor slept all day.

The court officials were practically wearing down the threshold, and official business was piling up outside, but the emperor didn't even show his face.

Qingyang had never seen his master look so restless.

The men below were terrified; they didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.

Through the door, Qingyang hesitated for a long time before whispering, "Auntie, Auntie has been found."

There was no joy in his tone.

Wei Zhang was completely unaware of Qingyang's hesitation. When he heard this, his pupils contracted slightly, and after a moment, his long eyelashes lowered, concealing a ripple of emotion.

"Have her come to see me."

His voice was as solemn as ever, but with a hint of stiffness.

Outside the door, Qingyang's voice grew even more strained. He gritted his teeth and said, "This subordinate has failed in his duty, my aunt..."

"My aunt has drowned!"

The mournful sound drifted into the study along with a night breeze.

The partition door was suddenly blown open, creaking and groaning.

The damp chill of the night instantly filled the entire room.

Behind a screen, Wei Zhang's profile was tall and imposing, clad in an elaborate python robe, unmoved by the wind and unchanged.

However, there was a long silence.

It is precisely this silence that is all the more unsettling.

Qingyang slammed his knees to the ground, holding a tray in his hands that still held the dripping relics.

"Reporting to you, sir, we found my aunt's body in a stagnant pool in a canyon."

"When we arrived, the body was already... already bloated from being soaked. There wasn't a single good piece of flesh left on my aunt's body; it was covered in... maggots."

"Furthermore, the arson and the smoke and fire made the corpses...unrecognizable, too unbearable to look at..."

Qingyang's voice grew weaker and weaker as he spoke.

Boom—

From beyond the sky, a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder drowned out Qingyang's voice.

The blue and white light flickered, illuminating a nearly bloodless face in the darkness.

But soon, the light and electricity went out, and Wei Zhang was plunged into a deep, silent darkness.

"Since... your appearance is unclear, how dare you utter such arrogant words?"

"Your subordinate dares not speak presumptuously."

Qingyang bowed even lower and held the tray even higher. "We've examined the body. The wedding dress on the corpse is the same one my aunt wore when she got married, and the corpse is holding my aunt's..."

Just then, a gust of wind lifted the silk handkerchief in the tray and carried it over the top of the screen.

It floated and swayed, falling right in front of Wei Zhang, landing on his official boots.

The pink silk handkerchief is embroidered with the characters "Zhaoyang" and the center of the handkerchief is embroidered with auspicious clouds and the rising sun.

Wei Zhang could not discern any difference in the woman's embroidery, but the sunrise pattern on the handkerchief was exactly the same as the embroidery on his shoes.

And the uppers of his shoes were made by her own hands.

Wei Zhang's breath hitched. He picked up the silk handkerchief at his feet and ran his fingertips over the bloodstains on it.

A faint scent of sandalwood mingled with the smell of blood, filling the air.

The bright red color instantly stung his eyes.

Xue Lanyi...

Dead...

This realization made Wei Zhang suddenly stand up, but then he stood there stunned.

impossible.

How could Xue Lanyi possibly be dead?

He didn't believe it and hurriedly walked around the screen.

A dark mass of figures approached. Qingyang quickly stood up, crouched down, and gestured for Wei Zhang to enter, leading him to the side courtyard.

The corpse was too bloody, and Qingyang was afraid of offending his ancestors, so he dared not bring it in.

Similarly, he was also afraid that his master would feel uncomfortable seeing the corpse.

Since the person is gone, it's better to leave a good impression.

"Sir, perhaps we should wait a bit. The two female coroners are currently preparing the body for my aunt. Let's wait until the body looks presentable before proceeding."

What does it mean to act like a human being?

Wei Zhang glanced at Qingyang, but didn't stop. He walked around the winding corridor and went deeper into the side courtyard. "What did the coroner say?"

"Wu Zuo..."

Qingyang was extremely flustered and followed closely behind Wei Zhang, her head bowed. "The coroner said that my aunt did not drown, but was tortured to death and then thrown into the river, where she was then swept into a stagnant pool by the current."

"Who abused her?" Wei Zhang found it increasingly ridiculous, and his pace quickened involuntarily.

Qingyang struggled to keep up and hesitated before saying, "The autopsy results are... the deceased may have been sexually indiscreet for a long time, which led to abdominal pain and weakened his constitution over time. He also suffered greatly in the day before his death."

The first half of the sentence sounded very familiar; I vaguely remembered Su Yin mentioning it a few times.

Wei Zhang's steps slowed, and the image of that tear-stained face in the bronze mirror suddenly appeared in his mind.

She lay dying in front of him, her pale lips repeatedly uttering, "It hurts so much, Wei Zhang, it hurts so much..."

Wei Zhang's heart was suddenly gripped by memories.

He usually had no time to read books about romance, and no one would dare to mention matters of love and sex in front of him.

Therefore, he actually knew very little about bedroom matters and did not pay special attention to how women felt.

Having nothing to do today, he carefully flipped through the book of romance with one corner folded up.

The folded page contained information about the art of conception, and the next line, written in tiny print, read: "The pain of entering the womb is ten times more intense than the pain of ordinary intercourse."

He then realized that his condition had indeed been a bit heavier that day...

But surely it couldn't be fatal?

Although she is thin, she has rarely been sick in the past five years, so her health should not be too bad.

Wei Zhang's hands, which were behind his back, clenched slightly. "What else did the coroner find?"

“Besides the thirteen knife wounds on her body, my aunt also had many pinch marks and dagger wounds on her arms. Judging from the knife marks, she cut herself.”

Wei Zhang gave a light snort, a hint of mockery in his voice.

This is getting more and more absurd.

"She rowed it herself?"

Why?

When Qingyang first heard this, he also found it unbelievable, so he consulted the imperial physician. "The imperial physician said that there is a type of hysteria where people suffer from emotional distress that they cannot relieve, and they will then harm themselves."

"Furthermore, I also visited Physician Wu, who was imprisoned. Physician Wu insisted repeatedly that he did not misdiagnose her, nor did he collude with my aunt. My aunt jumped off the Star Gazing Tower because she was suffering from a very severe case of hysteria!"

As soon as he finished speaking, rumbling thunder echoed in the sky.

A flash of blue-white light illuminated Wei Zhang's face, and in that instant, the light revealed the shock in his eyes.

In other words, Xue Lanyi died of hysteria, died in the bedroom, and died on the way to be sent by him for a political marriage.

Every single thing is related to him.

How could that be?

How could he have died?

Her repeated murmurs of "It hurts so much" echoed in my ears.

Wei Zhang's pace slowed as he walked down the long, seemingly endless corridor.

Outside the corridor, it was raining, and the drizzle extinguished the corridor lights.

The red lanterns that were originally hung up to welcome the Duchess were now being blown about by the wind and rain, swaying wildly and slapping against the red-lacquered pillars.

In the darkness, the crimson corridor looked eerie.

Following the crisscrossing red ribbons and lanterns, Wei Zhang disappeared into the deeper darkness.

He had no recollection of the Duke's mansion having such a long corridor; it seemed as if he had walked for a very, very long time.

We finally reached the end of the corridor.

The festive red gradually faded from view, replaced by a deathly white.

In the desolate courtyard, a makeshift shed was erected, and white silk and funeral banners were placed there.

Some people, whose origins are unknown, were dressed in mourning clothes.

As soon as Wei Zhang descended the steps of the corridor, bursts of crying came from the courtyard.

There was a great commotion, with noise rising and falling.

Directly in front of the crowd was a large character for "offering sacrifice".

On the wooden plank below, a corpse lay horizontally, covered with a white cloth.

The night breeze blew intermittently, lifting a corner of the white cloth.

The bright red skirt and the embroidered shoes with mandarin ducks playing in the water appeared and disappeared intermittently.

Death is presented so vividly before our eyes.

The black-and-white scenes alternated with the image of rolling red waves, assaulting Wei Zhang's senses.

His mind was a bit muddled, and he couldn't make sense of anything, but his feet moved involuntarily toward the center of the hall.

In the vast rain, a figure in an elaborate black robe walked out from behind the crowd, the hem of the robe fluttering in the wind.

Like the dark clouds rolling in from above, it carried an oppressive aura that kept people at bay.

Sensing the imposing presence, the people in the courtyard gradually quieted down, kneeling on either side and glancing at the Duke out of the corner of their eyes.

The people who came to offer their condolences had no real connection with Xue Lanyi; they were simply trying to curry favor with their master.

Wei Zhang strolled through the crowd, his face expressionless, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

Unable to discern anything, the crowd exchanged bewildered glances, and the crying abruptly ceased.

The mourning hall fell into an eerie silence, with only the rustling of paper money in the brazier and the steady yet slow footsteps of Wei Zhang.

Finally, he walked up to the corpse and looked down at the blood-stained white cloth.

He thought that when he tried to bring her back, she would cry, make a fuss, and throw a tantrum.

I never imagined she would remain so calm and still.

Only the jade pendant at her waist hung down, its white beaded string swaying, with a yellow tassel that didn't belong to her wrapped around it.

That was on that day in the red silk tent, when they were making love, his jade pendant tassels became entangled with her bound feet.

She took his tassel away, and a piece of his jade pendant is missing.

He noticed it at the time, but he didn't retrieve it immediately.

Because he firmly believed that what was missing would return, but he never expected it to return like this.

Wei Zhang's long, lowered eyelashes trembled slightly as he pinched the upper left corner of the white cloth between two fingers.