Mysterious Village
She tried to see the flowers through the mist, but couldn't see them clearly in the illusion. Yet, she tried to grasp something tangible in her hand.
"Has Mother ever regretted it?"
"Regret? Yes, regret. If I had known that His Majesty had ascended the throne, and that he wanted to protect her, I wouldn't have..."
Sui He stopped talking and looked at her with gentle eyes, "Life is unpredictable. Mother is not a god and cannot be omniscient. She could not have predicted that His Majesty would turn the tide in the end."
"All I can do is focus on the present moment; I'll leave the future to my future self."
A warm palm was placed on the top of her head. What should she learn?
From a peasant girl from a collateral branch to an ambitious young head of the family, she is forced to choose between her best friend and her family.
Sui He simplified many things, including the twists and turns, the pain and suffering, the helplessness and resolute decision to lose his brother and sever ties with his best friend.
All of this has shaped the current Sui family head into a reserved, gentle, and unassuming yet ruthless man.
Sui Zhixu thought that compared to her own mother, it was more like a rebirth, a new beginning.
She always believed that fate was in her own hands, and she maintained the carefree and unrestrained demeanor of Taoism, completely unaware of any sense of crisis, her words flowing freely from her lips.
She also often takes things one step at a time.
All you can do is focus on the present moment.
Outside the window, a crisp, abrupt "thud" sounded, clearly indicating that a pebble had hit the windowpane.
Her dark blue eyelashes trembled. Sui Zhixu instinctively knew it was news from Alu. She looked up at Sui He and received his gentle approval.
She reached out and gently pushed open the window. The cool breeze of the April night rushed in and ruffled the ribbons in her hair.
"Jiang Yun is in Zao Village."
After leaving his words, he turned and left. Su Zhixu carefully sketched out the details in his mind, calmed down, and stepped out of the room to go to Fan Lingzhang's courtyard.
When Xu arrived, he was lying on a rattan chair in the courtyard, enjoying the moon.
"You've come? The moonlight is beautiful tonight." His lips were pale, and his usually cold, white skin had become listless, giving him the appearance of someone on the verge of death.
Knowing that Young Master Xu's identity was unstable, and with Jiang Li causing her worry, she now carries a sword at all times.
She smiled, her long, slender fingers tracing the cold hilt of the sword in the night.
He said, "Have you ever seen me wield a sword? I'll demonstrate my swordplay for you today."
Having said that, he drew his twin swords. Moonlight shone on the swords, and the moonlight was like water. The silvery swords seemed to become bright silk, dancing gracefully under the rustling trees.
The sword light was chaotic, like a sudden storm, yet within the chaos lay a rhythm that balanced strength and gentleness.
With a single sword dance, she moved all around. Then, Zhixu sheathed her sword, her clear, peach-blossom eyes curving into a smile as she walked gracefully to his side and bent down to look at him.
Her voice trailed off softly, and with each breath, it seemed as if they existed only in the vastness of the universe.
"nice."
Her eyes were brimming with tears as she gently touched the corner of his lips, as if teasing, "You're so good, little Furong."
A glistening tear rolled down his cheek. "What if I hadn't saved you?"
"I love you."
Fan Lingzhang reached out and wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, a few clinging to her thick eyelashes. "Have I never said this to you before? I love you."
Love is not a constraint, nor am I a person who binds you. As time goes by, I have left a profound mark on your long life. It is enough that you know I love you.
"Don't be confused by me, don't stay for me. And don't feel guilty, this is my choice."
"When have I ever asked you to make choices for me? I should be the one to decide."
He paused for a moment, then said, "Okay, you decide."
"You're not allowed to write a will, and you're not allowed to say things like that to me, um..."
She reached out and gave him a light punch. "Don't you dare tell..."
"Then I won't say anything more." Fan Lingzhang hugged her and pressed his face against hers like Yue Nu.
The cool moonlight draped over the two of them like a soft veil, casting a gentle glow over them.
Su Zhixu, fearing she might overpower him, got up and sat on a stone bench nearby.
"I'm going to Zao Village tomorrow."
She grabbed Fan Lingzhang's face with her hand, her moist peach blossom eyes filled with tenderness, "I'll tell you a secret, A-Ling likes you, and I'll come back to see you."
"Believe me."
"……good."
Fan Lingzhang gripped the pale pink shawl around her arm, a faint smile playing on his lips.
—
The next day, Sui Zhixu, carrying his sword, went to a secluded spot at the foot of Sui Family Mountain as usual to call for Jiang Li.
"Ah Ling!"
Jiang Li appeared behind her. The moment she sensed someone behind her, Sui Zhixu took a step back, but then silently withdrew and stood in front of her.
Jingzhou Chu embroidery is characterized by its vibrant colors and bold use of hues. Large patches of withered lotus flowers are embroidered on gray and white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), including buds, half-open lotus flowers, and fully blooming lotus flowers. The fallen lotus flowers have a unique charm.
A crescent-shaped silver chain adorned her forehead, dotted with red beads, like glazed clouds emerging from the sky. Her eyebrows and eyes were like a painting, a serene galaxy, or a hazy moon, captivating the heart.
She wore a hibiscus earring, a single earring swaying gently, its silver chain brushing against her neck, the intense stimulation constantly reminding her of its presence.
"The clothes from Jingzhou are special and suit you perfectly. If you like them, we can bring some back to Miao territory."
Jiang Li tried to touch her hair, and was overjoyed to see that she did not dodge.
"Okay, after we've dealt with things in Jingzhou, you'll set up the Gu-casting point in Zao Village, right?"
With a piercing gaze, Sui Zhixu asked her in a clear and alluring way, "Between Sima Xian and her, who would you choose?"
Ah Ling finally relented, and this one more thing won't make a difference to Sima Xian's affairs.
It's understandable that Ah Ling is upset and unwilling.
After much deliberation, Jiang Li finally decided to follow Zhi Xu, so naturally she had to appease the sulking child first.
"You come with me, no one else."
Seeing that she was alone, Jiang Li naturally understood that she didn't want Sima Xian's people.
She gestured to Wen Ke, who was hiding in the shadows. Wen Ke sneered, glanced at Sui Zhixu with a cool expression, and then disappeared without a trace.
Jiang Li took Sui Zhixu's hand and said, "Let's go quickly. That Xi Yushao is up to no good. He always looks at you strangely. Besides, he's your uncle's man. It wouldn't be good if he saw us going to Zao Village."
"Shouldn't he have arrived long ago?"
In front of the village, Xi Yushao remained motionless, having received orders from Jiang Li.
“I sent him to find Jiang Yun. You go back and ignore him. I don’t know what’s wrong with him lately; he’s always running around. His reputation is even worse than mine. I need to make him go back quickly. He’s such a nuisance.”
Jiang Li frowned. Today, she deliberately did not wear Miao clothing, but dressed like an ordinary Jingzhou woman. Three pairs of symmetrical jade hairpins were inserted in her hair, making her look elegant and simple. The fish embroidered on her skirt contained the charm of the water town and the liveliness of the city.
You'd think she was a native of Jingzhou.
Jiang Li was very satisfied. She and A Ling were of one mind, and they were both wearing Jingzhou clothing today.
Jiang Yun's troubles didn't bother her much.
"It's okay, you don't need to worry about him, he's always acting crazy."
Despite Xu's indifference, the Miao holy maiden, who appeared cold and ruthless to outsiders, kept telling her about Miao affairs along the way.
“I’ve taken good care of your flowers, but they have quite a temper. I’ve tried to be kind to them, but they always die. However, when I feed them dead meat, they come back to life. It seems you and your flowers are better off staying in Miao territory. I will take good care of you.”
Near Zao Village, a desolate place, an old woman leans alone against the roadside on the winding village road, her jasmine flowers in her basket almost overflowing.
She spotted Sui Zhixu and Jiang Li and greeted them, "My lady, would you like to get a jasmine flower bracelet? It's freshly picked, so fresh and fragrant, it'll warm your heart!"
Sui Zhixu's eyes were dark and unfathomable, so he lifted his eyelids and looked up.
As its name suggests, Zaocun Village is filled with jujube trees at the foot of the mountain, their branches strong and upright, their green leaves casting a shady shade.
Thorns grew wildly all over the mountains and fields. The old woman sat on the shady side. The jujube tree next to her was not growing well. It was bare and had hardly any leaves.
The short thorns on the branches almost pierced her skull, yet she smiled warmly, a sinister aura hidden beneath the wrinkled lines.
"Wife, what do you want?"
The familiar Jingzhou accent followed. Xu Zhixu's gaze fell on the jasmine flowers in her basket. It was only May, and even the jasmine flowers in Lingnan Road were not as beautiful as hers.
"Let me see."
Seeing her step forward, Jiang Li grabbed her, "A-Ling."
Sui Zhixu shook his head. The jasmine bracelet that the old woman had placed in front of her was fresh and beautiful. The tender white jasmine flowers were strung together with a green ribbon, and several pretty little stones of different shapes were placed at the top. It looked really nice.
If it weren't for her strange behavior, Sui Zhixu might have been somewhat interested. Unfortunately, it was impossible to tell whether she was a human or a ghost beneath her skin.
I happened to make eye contact with the old woman, and she smiled. Her curved eyes were as captivating as peach petals, and the dimples on her cheeks made her look incredibly harmless.
Jiang Li shielded the person behind her, glaring at her angrily, "Stop playing tricks."
"My lady, you must be joking! I'm just a flower seller, how could I dare to talk about playing tricks on you!"
“Zha Nie (Saintess), I like Jasmine.” She tilted her head back, her chin slightly raised.
“Zuomeng, Adoginiang. (Listen to me, don't take this.)”
Jiang Li didn't like this nickname; she was a little unhappy because she wasn't called that before.
"Within a radius of ten miles, apart from this old woman's place, there are jujube trees everywhere."
Jiang Li, out of Sui Zhixu's sight, coldly looked at the flower seller, her mouth opening silently and uttering the Miao word "roll".
The white snake coiled on the jade hairpin in her hair flicked its tongue, and its small red round eyes stared intently at the flower seller, causing her to involuntarily move back a little.
"I just remembered that I have something to do at home, so I won't buy it today."
She deftly picked up the jasmine bracelet from the ground, slung her basket over her shoulder, and ran down the mountain, her speed belying her age.
Why did you leave?
As Xu lowered his head, a dark glint flashed in his eyes, and a slight smile appeared on his lips, which he quickly concealed behind the hibiscus-patterned shawl by his ear.
"She probably has something urgent to attend to. I'll buy you something better next time; her jasmine isn't fresh."
Jiang Li held Sui Zhixu's hand tightly, leaving no gap. Sui Zhixu took a moment to glance at the old woman running down the mountain. What was overflowing from her basket was not jasmine, but a dense swarm of snakes and scorpions.
The patterned snake coiled around the basket, exuding a fierce aura. Even without medical training, Xu knew that being bitten by it would have dire consequences.
“Monadononghuzani, Siddhadanduozuzuhai, wang? (Don’t call me Saintess, please call me as before, okay?)”
Jiang Li was in a bad mood and subconsciously used the Miao language.
As soon as he blurted out, "Enough, enough, enough, brew, brew, brew (the past is the past, the present is the present.)"
The Miao language seems to be etched deep in her memory, imprinted in her bones, as natural as eating and drinking.
Even Xu himself was shocked, feeling as if his memories had been pried open, springing up like bamboo shoots after rain, and a set of Miao language appeared in his mind in an instant.
Jiang Li pursed her lips, "Okay."
“I’ll bring you a few more pots of jasmine from Sima Xian, and also Gu Qingyi’s mermaid pearls. She insists on seeing you and giving them to you in person.”
The word "mermaid pearl" was swallowed by Xu Zhixu. It had been a long time since she had been by his side, and Gu Qingyi had actually snatched it away.
That's right. Sima Xian certainly knew which was more important: a strategist could bring him tangible benefits or a pawn to conceal the truth.
"We've arrived at the village."
When Sui Zhixu first saw the smoky purple robe, his heart skipped a beat. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was indeed Xi Yushao.
This is a very bad situation.
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