Chapter 301
The tea in her hand gradually cooled, but her eyelashes were still covered with the steam that had risen from the scalding hot tea.
Damp, trembling like butterfly wings wet with rain.
But butterflies are destined never to fly.
The butterfly destined for this fate will eventually be thrown back into the mud, its body soaked in filth, its wings stuck to the ground, and lightly crushed to death by a car wheel.
Lingwu put the cold tea back on the table. Linlang, who was used to serving her, instinctively wanted to go forward and replace it with a new cup, but she stopped before she could even lift her foot.
Once the truth is revealed, I'm afraid the Empress will never be close to her again.
Her movements were very subtle, but Ling Wu still managed to catch them.
Ling Wu then spoke: "You have been by my side for more than ten years. Over the years, I have accompanied each other, and it is inevitable that I feel disheartened. However, you are demons, and I am just a mortal. I have no right to lecture you."
“No, Your Highness,” Lingluo raised her eyes and argued, “If Your Highness is not qualified, then no one else is!”
Lingwu didn't argue, but instead drank a sip of her herbal tea amidst Linlang's attempts to stop her.
"Your Majesty, the tea has gone cold."
"It's alright, it's not like we haven't had it before," Ling Wu said lightly.
Linlang paused, "When has Your Highness ever drunk cold tea?" "That could only have been when Sui Sui served you, or in the two lifetimes Your Highness has lived through."
While searching for answers with a bitter expression, Linlang stepped forward to change Lingwu's tea, breaking the current stalemate.
She offered the hot tea with both hands, and Lingwu accepted it without refusing, blowing on the fresh tea leaves.
Amidst the rising steam, Lingwu continued, "My body still contains the essence of your cultivation."
Linlang answered without hesitation, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The other two followed suit.
Ling Wu spoke under their anxious gazes: "Judging by the time, it's almost time for you all to leave one after another. I suppose you don't have much cultivation left. In that case, you should all take it back tonight."
The three looked up in disbelief. Lingluo's face was already contorted with worry, and tears were streaming down her face.
"Then, what happened after that?" Linlang's face was obscured by the mist, and Lingwu could only hear her sobbing voice as she opened her mouth.
Ling Wu lowered her eyes, her voice very faint, "Then you should leave."
“I remember that Lingluo longed for the outside world; Yuehui has never given up the idea of leaving; Linlang, you are introverted, and the palace and the outside world are the same to you, but if they leave, you will be lonely. So why don’t you go with them?” She raised her eyes and had already arranged everything.
Upon hearing this, Linlang suppressed her bitterness, knelt down, and kowtowed heavily, "Long ago, this servant decided to stay by your side for the rest of my life. Please, Your Majesty, do not send this servant away!"
The silver bell hairpin in her hair made a sound, which also evoked many memories for the other two.
Lingluo followed closely behind, kneeling and kowtowing. "This servant will not leave! This servant wants to stay by your side! Your Majesty, please do not send this servant away. This servant will never eat chicken again from now on, as long as you do not send this servant away!"
Yuehui also knelt down, lifting her skirt, and pleaded in a low voice, "Your Majesty, this matter arose because of me. If I hadn't brought the rabbit here, none of this would have happened. I want to repay Your Majesty's kindness with my whole life. Please, Your Majesty, spare me!"
Without the slightest hesitation, she kowtowed heavily, the sound echoing in a muffled tone.
Ling Wu remained silent for a long time.
Amidst Lingluo's choked voice, Yuehui gritted her teeth and said, "Your Majesty, we have not yet repaid your life-saving grace. If we leave, we will be destroyed by heavenly lightning. Please take us in."
“Both body and soul were destroyed.” Ling Wu murmured the words.
The three of them still did not look up, only Lingluo's low sobs could be heard.
"Don't cry, then stay," Ling Wu said.
But she's dying soon. If she can't repay the life-saving grace quickly, then she'll perish completely.
Or perhaps...
They used the life-saving grace to protect the imperial court. Unlike humans, demons, who loved the outside world, could only remain unknown and hide in the palace forever.
But it's still too light.
Then, after atoning for their sins and leaving, they will be forever trapped by their inner demons, and their spiritual progress will only stop there.
Those who have seen the top of the clouds can no longer see the clouds' suffering, which is neither too severe nor too mild, and can also protect the dynasty.
This is a good ending.
When Yu returned from his ordeal, the three had already composed themselves and were each performing their duties.
She kept her head down, not daring to look too much, and presented the dishes one by one, introducing them as she went.
Lingwu nodded in satisfaction, and Yu Sui finally breathed a sigh of relief and respectfully withdrew.
After Yu Sui withdrew, Ling Wu said, "I originally thought that after this meal, we would all go our separate ways. But since you don't want to leave, to avoid wasting food, you can all sit down and eat together."
The three hesitated. Lingluo took the lead and sat down stiffly, not daring to touch her chopsticks. The other two remained motionless for a long time.
"In my opinion, Lingluo is more obedient." Lingwu said as she picked up a chopstick and put it into Lingluo's bowl.
Seeing this, the remaining two finally sat down, but what they ate was rice soaked in tears.
It was salty and not very tasty, but it made me happy.
The next day, Zhang Cheng led a group of palace maids and eunuchs carrying stately gifts. Ling Wu smiled faintly and said, "Your Majesty is very thoughtful."
Ten days later, Shi Sheng came in person.
After the two were seated, Yu Sui, who was already familiar with the whole process, served them tea.
After Yu Sui left, Shi Sheng said, "This maid is unfamiliar."
"Yes, she's very considerate," Ling Wu replied, then added, "Your Majesty is also of age, and with the grand election approaching, the court is urging you on. Does Your Majesty have a lady in mind?"
Caught off guard by this question, Shi Sheng was suddenly reminded of the day she stood under the blue eaves, her radiant smile as if she were a goddess, a beauty that few could rival.
He twirled the jade thumb ring, then finally lowered his gaze and shook his head. "Nothing for now."
“Then we should choose carefully,” Ling Wu replied.
Shi Sheng was inexplicably reluctant to bring up the topic, so he brought up the events of that day again. Although he had already learned about it from Yingyi, he still wanted to hear her tell the story herself.
Ling Wu looked at the smile on his lips that had not faded, pondered for a moment, and then said only one sentence: "The trouble caused by a little snake that has become a spirit."
"A little snake?" Shi Sheng nearly spilled the water in his cup.
“Yes, little snake.” Ling Wu nodded.
Seeing that Ling Wu didn't want to say more, Shi Sheng didn't bring it up again. In the silence between them, Ling Wu suddenly spoke: "I have a premonition..."
Shi Sheng chimed in, "What premonition?"
Ling Wu seemed to be joking: "The dynasty will prosper forever." After saying that, she looked up and smiled.
Shi Sheng naturally wouldn't refute it, but he was inexplicably upset, always feeling that this enduring prosperity required some kind of price to pay.
But what exactly is the price?
Su Lingwu died on the day of Jingzhe (the Awakening of Insects), a time of frequent rain.
As Shi Sheng was leaving, a light drizzle began to fall.
For some reason, he turned his head and glanced at Chonghua Palace. Seeing that the plaque was somewhat old, he put the matter aside and prepared to go back and personally replace it with a new one.
"These days it's been raining non-stop, which is really bothering me," Shi Sheng said, blaming the weather for his annoyance.
Zhang Cheng lowered his head and echoed, "The rain during the Awakening of Insects is indeed disturbing, but spring rain is as precious as oil, so it may not be a bad omen."
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