Hypocrisy and the snake
Legend has it that when people are dying, their entire lives will flash through their minds like a revolving lantern, and they will want to see the people they want to see.
The moment the door opened, the wind from Miao territory brought fallen leaves from the trees and the chill of early winter. In the tide of memories, the gaze of the visitor was more scorching than the candlelight in the room. She lay on the bed, weak in all four limbs, asking questions with only her eyes, her eyes churning with too many emotions.
She opened her mouth, "Was it a dream?"
"Ah Ling!"
The tangible warmth reached Sui Zhixu, and when she realized what was happening, her expression remained calm.
These days, Xi Yushao has been bothering her a lot, and coupled with her weak health, she would rather sleep than see him. Her dreams are filled with memories of the past, and for a moment she can't distinguish between reality and illusion.
Wen Ke helped her up, her voice indifferent and weak, "Why are you here?"
"Aren't you afraid of dying?"
Sui Zhixu hesitated for a moment, then said self-deprecatingly, "I'm scared."
"But can I trust you?"
Wen Ke hesitated, unsure whether to place her hand on Sui Zhixu's body or not. She lowered her eyes and whispered, "I'll take you out first."
"Cough cough..."
Wen Ke wrapped his arm around her waist, his soft body leaning against hers. Wen Ke had expected her to be weak, but he hadn't expected her to be like this.
"How dare he treat you like this."
She swept Sui Zhixu up in her arms, her soft blue dress billowing in the air, the layers of her skirt blooming like bouquets in the sky. Sui Zhixu leaned against her shoulder, exhaling long and short breaths.
"With... your current strength... you can't beat Chu Jiu."
Wen Ke didn't stop. "I will bring you back to his side."
Sui Zhixu closed her eyes. From the day she cut her wrists to attract Xiaoqing, she had a plan in mind to break through the effects of the drug. She had many tricks up her sleeve. Instead of forcibly feeding her the drug, he would grind it into powder and add a small amount to incense and food to ensure that she would not faint and feel weak all over.
Xi Yushao controlled her diet, initially forcing her to eat every day, and later eating at the same table with her.
He even arranged her daily clothes, and he went so far as to braid and style her hair.
Every morning, Xi Yushao would carry her to the mirror and say, "I'll braid your hair. What kind of hairstyle do you want today? How about double buns? Paired with a soft blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), you said the other day that your dress was too plain, so I had someone adorn it with a lot of jewels. I think you'll like it."
She knew Xu was ignoring him, not because she wanted him, but because he was being arbitrary and she didn't like it.
Why bother asking me this pretentious question?
"You should wear clothes that you like." Xi Yushao twirled a strand of her hair in his hand and looked at her in the mirror.
"Whatever you say." Sui Zhixu nodded slightly, and Xi Yushao's smile widened.
After a few days of this, Sui Zhixu began to think about the days ahead and his plans.
She hadn't expected Wen Ke to come. Wen Ke's internal energy was mostly gone, and she had no memory of what happened after that. She could only vaguely deduce the situation based on her last scene at Tianque Tower.
She can't beat Chu Jiu, who is at the half-step Seven Treasures level, right now.
As if on cue, Chu Jiu appeared, his broad, sturdy body blocking the doorway with his sword drawn. His clear, melodious voice said, "Wen Ke, you cannot take her away. This is the King's decision."
Sui Zhixu glanced at him and didn't see Xi Yushao. She guessed that he must have been beaten, otherwise how could he dare to act alone in the current mountain tribe? Of course, other factors could not be ruled out, but Sui Zhixu felt that this guess was more in line with Sima Xian's style.
He considered himself a refined gentleman and outwardly disdained such a vulgar and sordid act. Furthermore, considering Xi Yushao's actions—even choosing a mute maid to serve her—she suspected he was keeping it a secret from Sima Xian. Once Sima Xian found out, accusing Xi Yushao of acting without authorization would be sufficient.
"I want to go out and soak up the sun..."
"Madam, please forgive me for being unable to comply."
As soon as Xu let Wen Ke put her down, she lost all strength and fell straight to the ground. A dark look flashed in her eyes, but she looked up with a smile, "Look at me..."
She was a little weak and spoke intermittently, "Wen Ke's internal strength... with you here... he can't escape."
Seeing his hesitation, Sui Zhixu coughed twice, waved her hand to refuse Wen Ke's help, and said softly, "I just want to sunbathe. Do I have to beg you?"
"Your subordinate wouldn't dare." Chu Jiu stepped aside. He didn't have any other thoughts. Whether Lu Kou was considered to have betrayed the king or not, she was a member of the Sima family, the daughter of Wang Yimu's younger sister, and one of the few remaining bloodlines of the Sima family.
Wen Ke picked up Sui Zhixu again and whispered in her ear, "The clivia in the bamboo building has bloomed."
As Xu's fingertips twitched slightly, I realized I hadn't heard those words in a long time.
The bamboo house is where the four of them, Tianquelou, live. The clivia is the flower she kept in Tianquelou before she got married.
She once carried Jiang Li on a mission with the three of them, but the situation was critical. Yizhou was a powerful and corrupt place, and A Ning and Shisan Niang were captured while gathering information and completing their mission.
Lu Kou and Wen Ke infiltrated the county magistrate's office and set a secret signal. The blooming of the clivia in the bamboo building was considered a sign of good progress.
A defeat is considered a setback.
They agreed on the code in a hurry, and Lu Kou said whatever came to mind. Afterwards, she even talked about Cao Ning, which was not in line with the region of Yizhou. There are no bamboo houses in Yizhou, and it is impossible for clivia to grow in a remote and impoverished place.
Cao Ning said they were bold, with luck and skill accounting for 40/60. The others just completed their missions and left, not caring about their companions, even when they were risking their lives.
The four managed to escape death by any means necessary, but now...
Sui Zhixu leaned on Wen Ke's shoulder and closed her eyes to rest. Could she trust Wen Ke this time?
Once bitten by a snake, twice shy; she only had one life, and there was no chance to start over.
She felt she was becoming more and more like Little Hibiscus. The more she was in this situation, the more funny and interesting things came to mind, and the difficult choices no longer seemed to bother her.
Hopefully, Little Hibiscus won't be too anxious.
Wen Ke carried Sui Zhixu to the courtyard and placed her on a recliner. The sun was high in the sky, and the warm early winter sunlight shone on Sui Zhixu. The soft blue silk shawl was delicate and shimmered with light under the refraction.
Wen Ke helped her pull off the fallen shawl, her gaze fixed on Sui Zhixu Rou's blue clothes, her brows furrowed.
Occasionally, passing mountain tribesmen would steal glances over, but Xu Zhixu simply lay peacefully on the deck chair basking in the sun. Wen Ke stood beside her, watching over her. Chu Jiu stood not far away and, seeing that they made no move, felt somewhat relieved.
The group whispered among themselves in Miao language, "Who is that? She looks very beautiful, like a saint."
The plump woman said, "How could that be? Of course, the Holy Maiden and the Spirit Maiden are more beautiful. The Holy Maiden is appointed by the Mountain God and receives the God's blessings. She is far superior to ordinary people. As the Holy Maiden's daughter, the eldest lady is naturally also blessed by the God."
The other person said, "She doesn't have a companion Gu (a type of poisonous insect).
"If there isn't one, then there isn't one. That's how our Jiang tribe is. We're either the strongest or we don't have one. As long as the Holy Son can inherit the mantle, that's fine. Anyway, she can't compare to the Holy Maiden."
"They are different types of beauty. Apart from the next Holy Son Jiang Yun, the Holy Maiden's family all possess a stunning and dignified beauty. Every smile and frown is full of charm. Although the Holy Maiden does not smile, Ling Niangzi is just as beautiful, and her eyes and brows are like those of a goddess walking gracefully. This one, who seems to have appeared out of nowhere, has a lively and charming appearance, with skin as white as snow and a pure and otherworldly beauty. Her eyes, however, are like Ling Niangzi's, like pine and bamboo in winter."
"It does look somewhat similar. Speaking of which, how long has it been since Ling Niangzi last appeared? The last time was when the Holy Maiden was in seclusion, and she didn't show up even after the Holy Maiden returned."
The woman, who was rather plump, hesitated for a moment before asking, "Could she have married someone from Ling Niangzi's father's side?"
The plump woman looked displeased. "Why didn't you marry a man from our Miao region? The men outside are so fickle, especially those scholars who talk about being together for life, but what happens when they marry a wife and don't treat her well? They go and take all sorts of concubines. And there aren't enough concubines, otherwise the brothels would be full of people. They're all so fickle. How could the Holy Maiden marry off Ling Niangzi?"
They talked back and forth, their voices getting louder and louder, as if they had completely forgotten that they were just peeping and whispering.
Sui Zhixu blinked; Wen Ke and the other two couldn't understand, but she could.
Actually, she was all alone. She listened to their bickering and closed her eyes as if she had fallen asleep.
"It seems the two ladies have different opinions?"
"You? You look unfamiliar."
"I come from the Jiang tribe."
"Oh, then tell me, is it better outside or is it better to be a Miao man?"
"It's all good. In the end, the saintess's brother is a perfect example of meeting the right person." As he spoke, he looked up at Sui Zhixu, who was lying on the recliner. Her hands were folded over her abdomen, her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her gently furrowed brows suggested that she was not sleeping soundly.
Mentioning Jiang Yun's father seemed to touch a taboo; they awkwardly shut their mouths, their eyes darting around as they looked around, before quietly leaving without making a sound.
"Don't you know to cover your wife with something while she sleeps here?" Sima Xian was angry without being stern. Wen Ke lowered her head and obediently listened to the scolding. In her line of sight, she saw Zhi Xu holding Wen Ke's hand and slowly waking up.
There was no contempt or disdain in her eyes, only pure indifference. Her pupils were pitch black, like bottomless water in an abyss, trying to pull people closer to the bottomless abyss.
What brings you here?
Sima Xian paused for a moment, then said gently, "I've come to see you. How are you feeling?"
"How are you... cough cough cough." Sui Zhixu coughed violently and involuntarily bent over. Wen Ke quickly stepped forward and gently patted her back.
"Is this... in line with Uncle's expectations?"
"Ah Ling—" Sima Xian frowned in dissatisfaction, but Sui Zhixu turned her head and leaned against Wen Ke, blocking her view of him. Her attitude was clear: out of sight, out of mind.
"Take your wife back with you."
As soon as the order was given, Sui Zhixu raised her head, her voice weak and trembling with tears, "You're forcing me!"
"Where is your uncle forcing you?" Sima Xian asked gently and helplessly.
Sui Zhixu's eyes were dark and unfathomable, and his face was filled with sorrow. "It's everywhere."
"You sent someone to assassinate me."
Sima Xian, of course, would not admit it. "I only sent someone to find you. How could your uncle send someone to kill you? We're family, so how could you wrong your uncle? There are still many people in the family waiting for you to come back."
"That's what He Miao said."
Sima Xian cursed He Miao inwardly for ruining his plans, saying, "I will deal with him."
Su Xu's heart skipped a beat; Sima Xian had agreed too quickly. At that moment, her right eyelid twitched violently.
"Where is A-Niang?"
"Jiang Li is still in seclusion." Sima Xian's expression was normal. Sui Zhixu met his eyes; he didn't seem to be lying. Then he...
Little Hibiscus!
As Xu grabbed Wen Ke's arm, she staggered. She was already weak, and she collapsed limply into Wen Ke's arms.
Wen Ke noticed that something was wrong with her. She was about to speak when Sui Zhixu pulled on her clothes and whispered, "Wen Ke, I'm tired... carry me back."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com