Chapter 79 Extra Chapter 2: One in a Million

The match was eventually thrown out, tumbled slightly, and landed in the sea of ​​flowers.

With a deafening roar, flames rippled outwards, engulfing the entire sea of ​​flowers.

The fire that failed to burn down decades ago has finally been completed today.

Actually, it's not very useful to not burn it. Qi Lingjun's notes record that the Crimson Flower turns into the powder in snuff bottles after it leaves the Sui Kingdom. Now that the whole world belongs to the Sui Kingdom, how can it still be made into snuff bottles?

Zhu Huantang's hair was singed from the heatwave, but he didn't want to take a step back. He looked expectantly at the sea of ​​fire before him, the red flowers and the red flames.

His eyes ached from staring, but he finally turned away and closed them.

Suddenly, the clear sound of jade pendants rang out from the sea of ​​fire behind him, growing louder as it approached. Zhu Huantang froze, instantly losing the courage to even turn around.

After a long while, a soft laugh came from in front of me, "Tsk, you've missed me a lot of years, haven't you?"

The moment Zhu Huantang opened his eyes, tears streamed down his cheeks. He looked at Zuo Qinghou, who was smiling and talking, and opened his mouth several times before finally saying, "Madman."

Zuo Qinghou played with his braids, raised an eyebrow and said, "Long time no see, and this is all you say to me? I thought you would praise me for being smart and for not looking old. It's been years since we last met, and even your sweet talk for girls is gone."

"Eleven years."

Zuo Qinghou was taken aback, abandoned his nonchalant attitude, and looked at him quietly without saying a word.

Eleven years later, the once cunning young man had become a king of a different surname in his thirties, and the immortal demoness was buried under the collapsing foundation of the Wu Kingdom.

Times have changed, and some things have long since changed.

Seeing that she remained silent, Zhu Huantang poured out all his pent-up emotions. He approached Zuo Qinghou step by step and said, "If you want to die, then go ahead and die. Why did you choose me?"

He reached for Zuo Qinghou's shoulder, but his hand slipped through her body and he missed. Zhu Huantang was stunned. He half-knelt down and looked at Zuo Qinghou, "Why me? Why make me kill you with my own hands?"

Zuo Qinghou looked up at him. The man before him had a sorrowful and grief-stricken look in his eyes, but Zuo Qinghou only had helplessness in his eyes. "I died at Fan Qi's hands, not at yours."

"What difference does it make! Without me, he wouldn't have the ability to kill you!"

Zuo Qinghou simply looked at him without saying a word.

Seeing this, Zhu Huantang felt a surge of resentment and regret. "Didn't you not believe in gods and Buddhas? Then why do you believe in prophecies!"

From Qi Lingjun's notes, Zhu Huantang learned that he was chosen only because of a prophecy made by Zuo Qinghou in divination years ago.

"Can't I just find someone to kill you?"

"You insist on making me suffer the pain of killing you."

"Is it fun? Watching me put on an act in front of you, watching me suffer terribly from killing you, watching me follow your plan step by step, is it fun!"

"Even if we don't talk about death, you've pushed me away time and time again, and now you keep haunting me, showing no signs of letting go. Why do you have to die? Tell me, and I'll definitely break this sword!"

"Why can't you tell me? Why do you have to lie to me?"

Zhu Huantang had nowhere to approach, and Zuo Qinghou had nowhere to retreat.

He used a series of questions to trap her in front of him, making it impossible for her to escape.

Tears welled up in his eyes without him noticing, and Zhu Huantang didn't wipe them away, whispering, "Why did you make me kill my beloved?"

The sorrow in his eyes was suffocating, like being immersed in a river covered with ice shards in the dead of winter, a chilling and suffocating experience.

Zuo Qinghou raised his hand, wanting to wipe away the tears, but as soon as he raised his hand, he suddenly remembered that she couldn't touch him, so he withdrew his hand and said seriously, "You are worth dying for."

Just as Zhu Huantang was about to look up, Zuo Qinghou continued, "But it's not worth me living for you."

Hope should never be given by others. Zuo Qinghou suddenly smiled and said, "I know very well how many sins I have committed. You have helped me pay them off. Thank you."

The fire was extinguished, and Zhu Huantang's tears had long since dried.

For the next thirty years, he remained the most powerful non-royal prince, commanding 100,000 troops and enjoying considerable prestige in the court.

Zuo Qinghou was truly the person who understood him best. Those applications were probably just spice in his pursuit of fame and fortune. His affection was genuine, but so was his scheming. He couldn't possibly give up the position he had earned, second only to the emperor, for a woman.

He had six children with Ji Yuanshu and two concubines. He also arranged good places for the remaining male and two female members of his own family, thus forging an intricate web of connections with the court. Even after his death, the glory of his royal family must not be extinguished.

The older he got, the more he often thought of Nan Jinping's words when she left: she wanted to travel all over the country. At that time, he didn't even feel envious, he just said, "Take care."

Nan Jinping's boastful words were immediately cut off. Riding on her tall horse, she looked down at Zhu Huantang for the first time and said, "I think I really like water conservancy. I plan to study it properly and plant ten or eight acres of wheat."

"Lord Zuo Qinghou likes to eat wheat," Zhu Huantang suddenly said.

"Come on, I like her too, it's not for her. I'll cook some for her when the wheat is ripe." The two had nothing more to say, and Nan Jinping cracked the whip, "I'm leaving, take care."

I heard that Nan Jinping improved the karez irrigation system in the dry land, planted wheat and barley, and lived a hard but fulfilling life.

Jiang Linzhi's redemption of Zuo Qinghou, and Zuo Qinghou's redemption of Nan Jinping, broke through a circle at this moment and rushed towards the mountains and seas.

Looking at the unchanging people and scenery behind the high walls, Zhu Huantang suddenly felt envious of Nan Jinping. However, that envy was only fleeting. Without fame, fortune, and power, Zhu Huantang dared not imagine how stifling and unbearable such a life would be.

As I was thinking, a cloak was draped over my shoulders.

Without even looking, one could tell she was a newly acquired concubine. The concubine bore a resemblance to Zuo Qinghou in both appearance and temperament. She was bold, daring to appear when no one else dared to disturb him.

"I haven't seen you all day, Master. You're so heartless," the concubine said coquettishly, and then sat on his lap.

"Alright, how does Yanyan intend to punish me for my mistake?" Zhu Huantang said lazily.

Knowing that he liked her capriciousness, the concubine said, "In a few days, during the Ghost Festival, I want you to take me to release river lanterns."

Such festivals are mostly celebrated with one's legal wife or lover to pray for the health and well-being of the whole family; it's unheard of for one to go with a concubine.

This move is tantamount to a provocation.

However, his mansion is now peaceful, and this little sparrow is just for fun. If it continues to disobey, he can just kill it.

Zhu Huantang readily agreed, then suddenly asked, "Do you believe in gods and Buddhas?"

"Of course I believe it! Just a few days ago, I even prayed to the Bodhisattva to bless me with abundant wealth and a long life." The concubine didn't mention Zhu Huantang at all, as if that would arouse his curiosity.

Zhu Huantang chuckled softly, but the laugh was utterly tasteless. He thought to himself: This is getting more and more boring, so incredibly boring…